Alexis Hall's Reviews > Big Boy

This was the first Ruthie Knox book I read. And, omg, I was kind of blissfully destroyed by it.

It has what I now recognise as Knox hallmarks:

1. A sort of crystalline quality to writing: like looking into clear water, reflecting both depth and absolute clarity. Cleanly beautiful.

2. Absolute emotional commitment to the protagonists.

This basic set up of this one is that both the hero and heroine are trapped in what you might call carer's limbo: they escape it by meeting once a month in numerous guises for sex as pretend strangers.

Such a simple premise, but the execution is powerful and perfect. An exploration of the value and necessity of selfishness in life and love. Which sounds like an oddly negative thing to say, but it's such an important message.