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Once a Month
“This isn't going to change our friendship or our marriage� is the vow wedded parents Tony and Rose Monroe make with Rose’s best friend: beautiful, wealthy—but lonely—Cam Spencer. The three enter into an unusual romantic contract, but whether they can keep their commitment is another matter in this tale of love, passion and greed.
Tony and Rose, deeply in debt, need a substantial influx of cash or they stand to lose their upper middle class lifestyle. Fortunately for them, Cam, a former fashion model turned venture capitalist with a talent for making money, is willing to bail them out. In return, Tony agrees (reluctantly) to have sex with Cam one night every month for twelve months. It doesn't take long for Tony, Rose and Cam to discover their pact comes with complications none of them anticipated.
Tony and Rose, deeply in debt, need a substantial influx of cash or they stand to lose their upper middle class lifestyle. Fortunately for them, Cam, a former fashion model turned venture capitalist with a talent for making money, is willing to bail them out. In return, Tony agrees (reluctantly) to have sex with Cam one night every month for twelve months. It doesn't take long for Tony, Rose and Cam to discover their pact comes with complications none of them anticipated.
227 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2015
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464 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 27, 2015
Money Can Buy Love
Tony and Rose Monroe had a happy marriage but soon found themselves in a financial situation they didn't think they would ever get out. Rose’s good friend, Cam Spencer, offered them a chance of a lifetime: a night with Tony once a month for $10,000. Things change for Tony and Cam and once a month is not enough anymore.
Kelvin L. Reed's “Once a Month� was a good story. I liked the twists and turns of the book. Money can certainly bring you happiness and pain. While I enjoyed the story, it was at times drawn out and I found myself wanting to read ahead to get to the end. That said, overall, I enjoyed “Once a Month.�
Reviewed by: Alice
3.5 stars
Tony and Rose Monroe had a happy marriage but soon found themselves in a financial situation they didn't think they would ever get out. Rose’s good friend, Cam Spencer, offered them a chance of a lifetime: a night with Tony once a month for $10,000. Things change for Tony and Cam and once a month is not enough anymore.
Kelvin L. Reed's “Once a Month� was a good story. I liked the twists and turns of the book. Money can certainly bring you happiness and pain. While I enjoyed the story, it was at times drawn out and I found myself wanting to read ahead to get to the end. That said, overall, I enjoyed “Once a Month.�
Reviewed by: Alice
3.5 stars
June 20, 2015
Once A Month’s protagonist, Tony Monroe, finds himself prostituted out by his wife for money, albeit to only one client, her best friend Cam. Rose Monroe, the villain of the piece, is a conniving, materialistic, misguided individual who drives the narrative and leads the reader down the path of pondering the morality and reasoning of the plot which illuminates many issues affecting marriage and sexual politics. I would have liked Rose to have had some redeeming qualities and even Cam did not come off too well; the women in the book don’t have much to commend them.
It’s hard to pigeon-hole this book. It’s so much more than erotica and has the potential to go beyond romance. I’ll settle on erotic romance then. But the key selling point for me is that it is written by a man from the male point of view which is refreshing. The switch in gender dynamics is interesting with questions raised such as when the pawn in a sexual transaction is male does this make him less of a victim than if he were female?
In terms of the writing, the exposition was a little heavy-handed and there were some tense issues. Having said this I was gripped in parts as the obstacles and possibilities piled up and the tension built. I would love to see the author expand into the domestic psychological thriller genre which I think he has a real potential for. I haven’t read any of the author’s other books but after reading Once A Month I think he has a unique proposition to build on as a male author in the romance arena.
It’s hard to pigeon-hole this book. It’s so much more than erotica and has the potential to go beyond romance. I’ll settle on erotic romance then. But the key selling point for me is that it is written by a man from the male point of view which is refreshing. The switch in gender dynamics is interesting with questions raised such as when the pawn in a sexual transaction is male does this make him less of a victim than if he were female?
In terms of the writing, the exposition was a little heavy-handed and there were some tense issues. Having said this I was gripped in parts as the obstacles and possibilities piled up and the tension built. I would love to see the author expand into the domestic psychological thriller genre which I think he has a real potential for. I haven’t read any of the author’s other books but after reading Once A Month I think he has a unique proposition to build on as a male author in the romance arena.
February 1, 2016
I was provided a copy for my review.
Interesting story with flawed characters that made me want to yell at times. The story held my attention and I wanted to know how this would end. I did feel the ending was rushed. I would definitely read more from the author.
Interesting story with flawed characters that made me want to yell at times. The story held my attention and I wanted to know how this would end. I did feel the ending was rushed. I would definitely read more from the author.
July 26, 2015
The story was good but I felt the ending was rushed.
April 27, 2022
A hilarious read of a marriage arrangement gone wrong for all the right reasons. Tony and Rose have been married for fifteen years and have a set of twins, Zoe and Adam. Also, they have debt mounting to the point of bill collectors threating to foreclose on their home, reprocess a car, have their children removed from private school, and revealing a debt to Rose's employer to get her to pay. An idea is formed where Cam, Rose's wealthy best friend, will rent Tony for one night a month for twelve months, $10,000 each month, to help them get out of debt and ease her sexual tension. This is where the laughs begin.
Rose resentments and jealously starts early. Tony wants to back out of the agreement. Rose is fixated on the money and doing wants best for her family. She is making a sacrifice . Tony is leading a double life. He feels he is not being the upstanding citizen everyone sees in him. He starts to enjoy Cam's company. Add to the comedy, Cam, ex-husband Vincent, who is a bum, has run out of money since their divorce and wants another payment. A quick read.
Quotes:
"Fine," Rose said. "But remember, it's not a date. I'm loaning him to you for money."
How had it come to this? How had-
Rose poked his shoulder with her index finger. "Did you check out that new marble countertop Cam had installed for her center island? I bet it cost a fortune."
Oh yes, now he remembered.
"But," Tony continued. "she must understand he needs to climb the mountain himself." His voice became softer. "And when he reaches the summit he wants the people who love him to be proud of him."
Rose resentments and jealously starts early. Tony wants to back out of the agreement. Rose is fixated on the money and doing wants best for her family. She is making a sacrifice . Tony is leading a double life. He feels he is not being the upstanding citizen everyone sees in him. He starts to enjoy Cam's company. Add to the comedy, Cam, ex-husband Vincent, who is a bum, has run out of money since their divorce and wants another payment. A quick read.
Quotes:
"Fine," Rose said. "But remember, it's not a date. I'm loaning him to you for money."
How had it come to this? How had-
Rose poked his shoulder with her index finger. "Did you check out that new marble countertop Cam had installed for her center island? I bet it cost a fortune."
Oh yes, now he remembered.
"But," Tony continued. "she must understand he needs to climb the mountain himself." His voice became softer. "And when he reaches the summit he wants the people who love him to be proud of him."
April 27, 2015
To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what to expect from this genre of book apart from copious amounts of “sexytime�. The title led me to believe, given the genre, that this was going to be a nightmarish and graphic account of the menstrual cycle that would make me as uncomfortable as something similar with defecation at its root. To my relief, my guess was safely off the mark.
The story revolves around the premise that a beautiful, wealthy woman, wants to pay a married man for monthly sex. This is done with the wife’s consent. While the writing proved believable, the premise seemed like a stretch as I don’t feel a beautiful, wealthy woman would have any difficulty finding suitors. I’ve seen dating sites for farmers, Christians, et al, and quite a few dating sites for rich men (which is more than a little chauvinistic). Super Hawt Rich Babe, Cam, explicitly stated she was not interested in dating following her failed marriage to a homosexual gold digger. Still, there must be escort services of decent quality in Massachusetts. Perhaps even less expensive ones. But I suppose there’s a good deal of satisfaction when one’s services are requested specifically.
Ah, the rich. It must be nice not having to worry about budgeting or clipping coupons when cruising for dudes to buy for sex.
With this in mind, author Reed did a convincing job of building his characters. To such a degree that, while being told the plot might not sound convincing, reading about it made it seem far more so.
The “please, honey, have sex for money because we need it and I admittedly am a bit fat and unsexy, so even though I’ll be super jealous, I don’t give you what you deserve� didn’t sit so well with me. The author did attempt to pay lip service to the absurd notions of female body image by describing models as too skinny (which by my estimation is true).
That said, this sort of story lends itself to wish fulfillment. Just as a poor person might fantasize about winning the lottery, so might a married man, or woman, fantasize about being invited to have sex with a wealthy benefactor—with their spouse’s consent, no less. Extremely unlikely, to say the least, but that’s what this sort of fantasy is all about.
I couldn’t help but feel a prickle of agitation when the argument for sexual infidelity came down to finances that amounted to the “humiliation� the children would experience if they had to attend a public school. It occurred to me at that point that I didn’t particularly like the main characters and decided the children might grow up a bit more well adjusted if they had to suffer the sort of humiliation that the vast majority of children experience. Certainly, if financial inheritance were the sole reason for their success later in life, they didn’t deserve it, and their pedigree would certainly lead to them losing it. My impression was that the parents lacked the good sense to spend within their means rather than exhaust their credit, which laid the groundwork for this fantastical scenario. I had to shiver free of this agitation off and on, though it soon became apparent that wife Rose’s interests were fixated on consumerism, which made the situation necessary. If there is an identifiable villain in this story, it would be Rose and her rampant belief that money would solve all her physical, psychological, and (naturally) fiscal failings. Gratefully, we get to meet the children and discover they are not the spoiled, horrid creatures I feared.
The writing itself was rather decent, and worked best during dialogue, less so during exposition, as sometimes the detail, meant to nail down wealth or beauty, was a bit overwrought at times. Cam is described as having Filipino, African-American, Mexican, Irish, Paiute, Shoshone heritage. That sort of heritage is positively plaid, and conjures an image of all the colors of the Play-doh rainbow mashed into a big, lumpy brown ball. Interestingly, in the sentence prior, she is described as having, and I paraphrase, big boobs, curves, nice eyes, long hair, and darkish skin. Which, I think, is a perfectly good description on its own.
I suppose this sort of book ought to be judged on the merits of the genre. Honestly, notorious reviewer Katrina is better suited to judging this material because she has a wealthy background.
The ultimate decider, I would think, is the presence of sexual tension. I can’t say I felt much at the outset. Obviously there was some debate early on whether or not Tony the Stud would Do the Thing with Cam the Hawt Rich Babe, but no one seriously believed they wouldn’t get to it. However, this steadily improved after the acceptance and the decision to sign a legal agreement. This sounds rather dull, but there was a surprising amount of anxiety about how this encounter, now that the interest was mutual, was known.
From then on the story clicked along rather nicely. It comes as no surprise that Cam is amazing beautiful and has gigantic knockers and Tony has a colossal dong. These seem like they are must haves for any erotica. The story could have turned into a silly piece of sweaty smut, but author Reed has a little more class and a little more interest in telling a story. It’s actually an interesting story, with successfully round characters (in terms of development, not physically, as this is way too sexy a story for overweight people, as much as we dislike skinny folk), and successfully erotic scenes. I admit I laughed aloud several times at the erotic prose, maybe out of discomfort, but probably because the more creative euphemisms (e.g., “the heavenly nectar of her secret garden�) are just funny to me.
Even with my gripes and inappropriate laughter, I think this is a book that is well developed enough to be successful as an erotic story. Yes, there’s sex. Yes, there’s also natural tension that might be associated with a situation like this, and I think the author addresses this very well. Surprisingly, I think the story might be the strongest aspect of the tale. There’s enough sex to make it interesting for the folk who want that, and enough story for those who want something more than letters to the editor at Penthouse.
The story revolves around the premise that a beautiful, wealthy woman, wants to pay a married man for monthly sex. This is done with the wife’s consent. While the writing proved believable, the premise seemed like a stretch as I don’t feel a beautiful, wealthy woman would have any difficulty finding suitors. I’ve seen dating sites for farmers, Christians, et al, and quite a few dating sites for rich men (which is more than a little chauvinistic). Super Hawt Rich Babe, Cam, explicitly stated she was not interested in dating following her failed marriage to a homosexual gold digger. Still, there must be escort services of decent quality in Massachusetts. Perhaps even less expensive ones. But I suppose there’s a good deal of satisfaction when one’s services are requested specifically.
Ah, the rich. It must be nice not having to worry about budgeting or clipping coupons when cruising for dudes to buy for sex.
With this in mind, author Reed did a convincing job of building his characters. To such a degree that, while being told the plot might not sound convincing, reading about it made it seem far more so.
The “please, honey, have sex for money because we need it and I admittedly am a bit fat and unsexy, so even though I’ll be super jealous, I don’t give you what you deserve� didn’t sit so well with me. The author did attempt to pay lip service to the absurd notions of female body image by describing models as too skinny (which by my estimation is true).
That said, this sort of story lends itself to wish fulfillment. Just as a poor person might fantasize about winning the lottery, so might a married man, or woman, fantasize about being invited to have sex with a wealthy benefactor—with their spouse’s consent, no less. Extremely unlikely, to say the least, but that’s what this sort of fantasy is all about.
I couldn’t help but feel a prickle of agitation when the argument for sexual infidelity came down to finances that amounted to the “humiliation� the children would experience if they had to attend a public school. It occurred to me at that point that I didn’t particularly like the main characters and decided the children might grow up a bit more well adjusted if they had to suffer the sort of humiliation that the vast majority of children experience. Certainly, if financial inheritance were the sole reason for their success later in life, they didn’t deserve it, and their pedigree would certainly lead to them losing it. My impression was that the parents lacked the good sense to spend within their means rather than exhaust their credit, which laid the groundwork for this fantastical scenario. I had to shiver free of this agitation off and on, though it soon became apparent that wife Rose’s interests were fixated on consumerism, which made the situation necessary. If there is an identifiable villain in this story, it would be Rose and her rampant belief that money would solve all her physical, psychological, and (naturally) fiscal failings. Gratefully, we get to meet the children and discover they are not the spoiled, horrid creatures I feared.
The writing itself was rather decent, and worked best during dialogue, less so during exposition, as sometimes the detail, meant to nail down wealth or beauty, was a bit overwrought at times. Cam is described as having Filipino, African-American, Mexican, Irish, Paiute, Shoshone heritage. That sort of heritage is positively plaid, and conjures an image of all the colors of the Play-doh rainbow mashed into a big, lumpy brown ball. Interestingly, in the sentence prior, she is described as having, and I paraphrase, big boobs, curves, nice eyes, long hair, and darkish skin. Which, I think, is a perfectly good description on its own.
I suppose this sort of book ought to be judged on the merits of the genre. Honestly, notorious reviewer Katrina is better suited to judging this material because she has a wealthy background.
The ultimate decider, I would think, is the presence of sexual tension. I can’t say I felt much at the outset. Obviously there was some debate early on whether or not Tony the Stud would Do the Thing with Cam the Hawt Rich Babe, but no one seriously believed they wouldn’t get to it. However, this steadily improved after the acceptance and the decision to sign a legal agreement. This sounds rather dull, but there was a surprising amount of anxiety about how this encounter, now that the interest was mutual, was known.
From then on the story clicked along rather nicely. It comes as no surprise that Cam is amazing beautiful and has gigantic knockers and Tony has a colossal dong. These seem like they are must haves for any erotica. The story could have turned into a silly piece of sweaty smut, but author Reed has a little more class and a little more interest in telling a story. It’s actually an interesting story, with successfully round characters (in terms of development, not physically, as this is way too sexy a story for overweight people, as much as we dislike skinny folk), and successfully erotic scenes. I admit I laughed aloud several times at the erotic prose, maybe out of discomfort, but probably because the more creative euphemisms (e.g., “the heavenly nectar of her secret garden�) are just funny to me.
Even with my gripes and inappropriate laughter, I think this is a book that is well developed enough to be successful as an erotic story. Yes, there’s sex. Yes, there’s also natural tension that might be associated with a situation like this, and I think the author addresses this very well. Surprisingly, I think the story might be the strongest aspect of the tale. There’s enough sex to make it interesting for the folk who want that, and enough story for those who want something more than letters to the editor at Penthouse.
November 6, 2022
While I read the entire book, I kept thinking why am I still reading this. The entitled wife pimps our her husband to her best friend to cover the debt she's created buying average her means. She feels she deserves to do this because her husband didn't take the career path she wanted him to. All because he's not bringing in the money she deserves.
September 20, 2015
Mixed Emotions!
I have such mixed feelings about this story.
It is well-written and developed. The characters are not one-dimensional or bland. Which…in this instance…is part of my problem. If they were just bodies being moved around in a decent story, I’d post three stars, say I enjoyed it, and move on to the next book.
But I cannot.
Tony and Rose are a married, church-going couple with preteen twins. Tony’s a high school history teacher, and Rose works in a department store. By all outward appearances, they have an ideal life. However, Rose’s constant spending for all that she feels she deserves has them deeply in debt. DEEPLY. She has bills Tony doesn’t even know about, not to mention, their twins are about to lose their spots in the very expensive private school Rose insists they attend. Rose is so sly, slick and wicked, no one, especially Tony, has any idea how dire their situation is. She also harbors deep resentment against her husband for not pursuing the successful law career he walked away from to teach. She feels cheated out of “the good life.�
(Here’s where my train starts to leave the tracks.)
The “solution� to Rose’s financial dilemma comes in the form of Cam � Rose’s beautiful, former model, lonely, can’t-keep-a-good-man, RICH, best friend. Because Cam is sooooo despondent over being alone after a disastrous marriage, she goes along with Rose’s “scheme� � Cam will spend one night a month with Rose’s HUSBAND � for $10,000…a month for one year! Whaaaaaaat? In my mind, anyone who would make such a proposition is someone I do not need in my life. But, not only does Cam agree…and is a little too excited at the thought � she’s always thought Tony was a handsome, desirable man � she even agrees not to mention that it’s all Rose’s idea.
Now Rose just needs to convince Tony that it’s his DUTY to do what he can to provide for his family.
Even though he argues and protests, Rose browbeats Tony until he relents. Up until this point, I liked what I’d seen of Tony. But to make his wife happy - *BLINK* - and fix their financial problems, he agrees to sleep with her best friend once a month for a year. To be fair, it is not a snap decision, and Tony isn’t comfortable with it, but he does it. I could not understand why he would not stand up to Rose. He essentially went from the “good guy� to adultery…with permission. So much for marital vows, morals and standards.
This is only the beginning of the story! Tony�(and Rose) have a problem with one of his coworkers, there’s an amorous, persistent debt collector, a fight at the twin’s school, Cam’s so-much-more-than-bi ex-husband, and of course, emotional feelings. The author does an amazing job of weaving this tale together.
(Now my train has found a cliff and is going over the edge!)
Rose is a master manipulator and works everyone in this story like a part time job…even her children. I keep waiting for someone to say enough already. But while Rose will pay a price, I was at a loss because I don’t feel she was the only one at fault. Every adult in this story behaved badly, yet the resolution is a little too “clean� for me. I wasn’t happy, nor was I happy FOR anyone.
That being said, I believe this is a solid, enjoyable read � look at how invested I got! LOL! If you’re looking for an HEA, you will get it…eventually. I just don’t feel it was earned. (-1 star.)
(I received a copy of “Once A Month� from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
I have such mixed feelings about this story.
It is well-written and developed. The characters are not one-dimensional or bland. Which…in this instance…is part of my problem. If they were just bodies being moved around in a decent story, I’d post three stars, say I enjoyed it, and move on to the next book.
But I cannot.
Tony and Rose are a married, church-going couple with preteen twins. Tony’s a high school history teacher, and Rose works in a department store. By all outward appearances, they have an ideal life. However, Rose’s constant spending for all that she feels she deserves has them deeply in debt. DEEPLY. She has bills Tony doesn’t even know about, not to mention, their twins are about to lose their spots in the very expensive private school Rose insists they attend. Rose is so sly, slick and wicked, no one, especially Tony, has any idea how dire their situation is. She also harbors deep resentment against her husband for not pursuing the successful law career he walked away from to teach. She feels cheated out of “the good life.�
(Here’s where my train starts to leave the tracks.)
The “solution� to Rose’s financial dilemma comes in the form of Cam � Rose’s beautiful, former model, lonely, can’t-keep-a-good-man, RICH, best friend. Because Cam is sooooo despondent over being alone after a disastrous marriage, she goes along with Rose’s “scheme� � Cam will spend one night a month with Rose’s HUSBAND � for $10,000…a month for one year! Whaaaaaaat? In my mind, anyone who would make such a proposition is someone I do not need in my life. But, not only does Cam agree…and is a little too excited at the thought � she’s always thought Tony was a handsome, desirable man � she even agrees not to mention that it’s all Rose’s idea.
Now Rose just needs to convince Tony that it’s his DUTY to do what he can to provide for his family.
Even though he argues and protests, Rose browbeats Tony until he relents. Up until this point, I liked what I’d seen of Tony. But to make his wife happy - *BLINK* - and fix their financial problems, he agrees to sleep with her best friend once a month for a year. To be fair, it is not a snap decision, and Tony isn’t comfortable with it, but he does it. I could not understand why he would not stand up to Rose. He essentially went from the “good guy� to adultery…with permission. So much for marital vows, morals and standards.
This is only the beginning of the story! Tony�(and Rose) have a problem with one of his coworkers, there’s an amorous, persistent debt collector, a fight at the twin’s school, Cam’s so-much-more-than-bi ex-husband, and of course, emotional feelings. The author does an amazing job of weaving this tale together.
(Now my train has found a cliff and is going over the edge!)
Rose is a master manipulator and works everyone in this story like a part time job…even her children. I keep waiting for someone to say enough already. But while Rose will pay a price, I was at a loss because I don’t feel she was the only one at fault. Every adult in this story behaved badly, yet the resolution is a little too “clean� for me. I wasn’t happy, nor was I happy FOR anyone.
That being said, I believe this is a solid, enjoyable read � look at how invested I got! LOL! If you’re looking for an HEA, you will get it…eventually. I just don’t feel it was earned. (-1 star.)
(I received a copy of “Once A Month� from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
August 17, 2015
Once a Month is the story of Rose and Tony a happily married couple, with serious financial problems, and Rose's best friend Cam, a wealthy but lonely ex model. An arrangement between the three provides a solution to the couple's financial problems, with Tony providing once-a-month sex, to the lonely Cam.
I liked both Tony and Cam as they came across as kind considerate people. Both struggled with the arrangement and
wanted to back out of the deal ($10,000 cash for 1 night of sex, each month for 1 year).
Tony is a hard working high school teacher , who was once inches away from becoming a lawyer, but chose to teach for all the right reasons. He loves his wife and children and though it is clear early on that the family's financial dilemma is not his doing, never lays blame, but struggles too keep the family afloat.
Cam loves her best friend and Rose and Tony's teen twins. After a bad breakup with her ex husband she and Rose come up with the solution, which Cam can easily afford.
I instantly disliked Rose and could never quite feel compassion towards her character. She selfishly put her family in financial peril, justified her overspending to herself with irrational reasoning, harboured jealousy of Cam's self-made wealth and pimped out her loving husband, risking everything of importance for material things.
I found the narrator over enunciated and she didn't seem to move easily from one character to the next. The chapters of the audio book are also off by 1, which is really minor.
Kelvin Reed's, Once a Month was an enjoyable listen over all, though I am not normally partial to the genre of romance.
I was gifted this audio book by Kelvin Reed for an honest review.
I liked both Tony and Cam as they came across as kind considerate people. Both struggled with the arrangement and
wanted to back out of the deal ($10,000 cash for 1 night of sex, each month for 1 year).
Tony is a hard working high school teacher , who was once inches away from becoming a lawyer, but chose to teach for all the right reasons. He loves his wife and children and though it is clear early on that the family's financial dilemma is not his doing, never lays blame, but struggles too keep the family afloat.
Cam loves her best friend and Rose and Tony's teen twins. After a bad breakup with her ex husband she and Rose come up with the solution, which Cam can easily afford.
I instantly disliked Rose and could never quite feel compassion towards her character. She selfishly put her family in financial peril, justified her overspending to herself with irrational reasoning, harboured jealousy of Cam's self-made wealth and pimped out her loving husband, risking everything of importance for material things.
I found the narrator over enunciated and she didn't seem to move easily from one character to the next. The chapters of the audio book are also off by 1, which is really minor.
Kelvin Reed's, Once a Month was an enjoyable listen over all, though I am not normally partial to the genre of romance.
I was gifted this audio book by Kelvin Reed for an honest review.
July 17, 2015
**Review copied and pasted from my Audible account**
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes, I would recommend to friends who are looking for something with a little drama, scandal and questionable acts involved.
Would you be willing to try another book from Kelvin L. Reed? Why or why not?
Sure. This story held my attention, despite some of the dialogue seeming a bit over the top or not realistic (to me, I just chalked it up to being more on the dramatic side), the premise was good and it was pretty easy to follow and listen to.
Did Quiana Goodrum do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
She actually did a really good job differentiating the characters. The male voices weren't as masculine as I'd like so it made me think of them as soft or weak male characters. But I could tell the difference when she was doing various characters. Cam and Rose were the most similar voices.
Could you see Once a Month being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
As it stands no, but with some tweaking of the dialogue it could work as a made for tv movie.
Any additional comments?
I get that the story is fiction but most fiction I read I always think "could this happen" or "is this believable?" I like stories that I can relate to or that I could picture happening. I had trouble being completely convinced that this could happen as it played out, for as long as it played out and other issues didn't come about in the year's span. Good storyline but I think to be more believable something would have had to happened way before the year term had been completed that prevented it from moving forward as it did.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes, I would recommend to friends who are looking for something with a little drama, scandal and questionable acts involved.
Would you be willing to try another book from Kelvin L. Reed? Why or why not?
Sure. This story held my attention, despite some of the dialogue seeming a bit over the top or not realistic (to me, I just chalked it up to being more on the dramatic side), the premise was good and it was pretty easy to follow and listen to.
Did Quiana Goodrum do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
She actually did a really good job differentiating the characters. The male voices weren't as masculine as I'd like so it made me think of them as soft or weak male characters. But I could tell the difference when she was doing various characters. Cam and Rose were the most similar voices.
Could you see Once a Month being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
As it stands no, but with some tweaking of the dialogue it could work as a made for tv movie.
Any additional comments?
I get that the story is fiction but most fiction I read I always think "could this happen" or "is this believable?" I like stories that I can relate to or that I could picture happening. I had trouble being completely convinced that this could happen as it played out, for as long as it played out and other issues didn't come about in the year's span. Good storyline but I think to be more believable something would have had to happened way before the year term had been completed that prevented it from moving forward as it did.
March 3, 2016
This story is about a family and the financial struggles they endure as a result of the wife's overspending and complete lack of awareness of the impact her financial decisions have one those around her. Her best friend happens to be a beautiful, single and lonely millionaire. The wife cooks up a plan to pimp out her handsome husband to her rich bestie for 1 night per month in exchange for $10k each meeting! They both go for it and you can guess how their intimacy progresses throughout the year.
Overall, the most impactful part of the story, for me, was the spending addiction the wife has. It resonated with me personally due to my upbringing and allowed me to take another look at how that has impacted my adult life. Although the story is about this family as a whole, the focus is really on the wife and her spending. I would have liked to see her learn some lessons about her behavior and maybe even admit she has a problem and get some help. Instead the author ended it in such a way that there was no resolution for her. Honestly, I felt that the ending was a little too perfect. Not that I don't think everyone got what they deserved (they did), just felt it was a little to 'clean' and convenient.
I think the wifes story will resonate with me for a long time and I know I'll be revisiting this story in my thoughts for years to come.
**This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review**
Overall, the most impactful part of the story, for me, was the spending addiction the wife has. It resonated with me personally due to my upbringing and allowed me to take another look at how that has impacted my adult life. Although the story is about this family as a whole, the focus is really on the wife and her spending. I would have liked to see her learn some lessons about her behavior and maybe even admit she has a problem and get some help. Instead the author ended it in such a way that there was no resolution for her. Honestly, I felt that the ending was a little too perfect. Not that I don't think everyone got what they deserved (they did), just felt it was a little to 'clean' and convenient.
I think the wifes story will resonate with me for a long time and I know I'll be revisiting this story in my thoughts for years to come.
**This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review**
April 19, 2015
Once a Month by Kelvin L. Reed is an intriguing novel about the complexity of relationships. That might be an understatement as the premise is that a happily married couple, Tony and Rose, in need of money decides to accept the help of Rose’s best friend. The agreement is that Tony will have sex with Rose’s best friend once a month in exchange for her financial help. Cue the complications.
This novel shines a light on how secrets can affect us. The book was well written overall. I had some difficulty developing empathy for the characters, in part due to their choices in how they handled their feelings. At different points, the way characters were described to be as individuals didn’t fit with their actions. There are definitely some plot twists and turns with the emotional consequences of character choices leading in unexpected directions. The basic premise is layered with other plot complexities, all illuminating how each individual carries a mix of feelings inside that can tilt them in different and confusing directions.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This novel shines a light on how secrets can affect us. The book was well written overall. I had some difficulty developing empathy for the characters, in part due to their choices in how they handled their feelings. At different points, the way characters were described to be as individuals didn’t fit with their actions. There are definitely some plot twists and turns with the emotional consequences of character choices leading in unexpected directions. The basic premise is layered with other plot complexities, all illuminating how each individual carries a mix of feelings inside that can tilt them in different and confusing directions.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2015
The conversation between husband and wife (Tony and Rose) was absolutely pulling me in. So I had no trouble getting settled with the story. Overspending, 2 cars, private school, selfish juvenile parent and oh yea 2 mortgages. I couldn't wait to get more into why and whose the big spender, well I didn't have to wait long.
But what I did have to wait for was my brain to catch up. The situations shocked me, angered me and caused me to stop and reflect several times. I was amazed how easy the decision was made to move forward with the deal. But you definitely know who people are by their actions, just take time to watch and listen.
I am reminded of a Scripture lesson in Matthew it says its my reminder from Tony Monroe, when you make a promise keep it, no matter what and this parable well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.
Reed did an excellent job with this story, a complimentary listen was provided by the author for the purpose of my thoughtful and honest review
But what I did have to wait for was my brain to catch up. The situations shocked me, angered me and caused me to stop and reflect several times. I was amazed how easy the decision was made to move forward with the deal. But you definitely know who people are by their actions, just take time to watch and listen.
I am reminded of a Scripture lesson in Matthew it says its my reminder from Tony Monroe, when you make a promise keep it, no matter what and this parable well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much.
Reed did an excellent job with this story, a complimentary listen was provided by the author for the purpose of my thoughtful and honest review
January 16, 2016
Once a Month was a good read. Rose comes up with a scheme for her husband to sleep with her friend, who is lonely after a failed marriage. They'll spend one night a month together for 12 months. Did anyone in this situation really expect that nothing would come of that? I didn't like that a woman would rent out her husband, but that's the premise, right? The writing is excellent. I felt a connection with almost all of the characters. Everyone except Rose, that is. Is it wrong that I despised her after the first few chapters? The more money she got the more she wanted. Her greed fueled everything she did. I found myself wishing that Tony and Cam would fall in love and become a couple in the real world. Did I get my wish? You'll have to read it to find out. It's well worth it.
I received a free copy of this book for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
I received a free copy of this book for an honest, non-reciprocal review.
March 31, 2015
ŷ win. WIll read and review once received.
I was a little iffy on starting to read this book. I could never imagine being in that sort of situation or even agreeing to let my husband do that for money. But I will say this was pretty interesting and answered the questions in my head. I was surprised to say that by the end of the book I realized I had enjoyed reading it. It was definitely different then my usual books. A good book and definitely found a new favorite author.
I was a little iffy on starting to read this book. I could never imagine being in that sort of situation or even agreeing to let my husband do that for money. But I will say this was pretty interesting and answered the questions in my head. I was surprised to say that by the end of the book I realized I had enjoyed reading it. It was definitely different then my usual books. A good book and definitely found a new favorite author.
February 6, 2016
This is a complicated story that will have you cheering for and despising characters at the same time. I have been drawn to stories like this in the past and "Once a Month" is a well deserved member in this genre. I have to admit I felt emotionally spent at the end of the story and would need a break before continuing with a similar book.
*I was provided a free copy of this book via AudiobookBlast for a fair and honest review.
*I was provided a free copy of this book via AudiobookBlast for a fair and honest review.
August 30, 2015
Once a month is a well written book. I read Once a Month in one sitting it was hard to put down with all of the plot twist. I loved the idea of the plot but I must admit that both Tony and Rose got on my nerves a little bit. Where can I find a fool like Tony?..haha. The romance was just enough to not be over the top but it was good. I will definitely be reading more Kelvin L. Reed books.
July 15, 2015
Really enjoyed this book! The best thing about Once a Month was the plot which was different enough to keep me interested in reading (or listening). A few little surprises were thrown in to keep me wondering what would happen next. This audio book was a great listen!
September 13, 2015
This book was a good read. Would love to see a part II. Just to see how long they
Their love last for each other and will he give up his teaching job, also the status of the twins future. Will Cam have a baby before mother nature take hold?
Their love last for each other and will he give up his teaching job, also the status of the twins future. Will Cam have a baby before mother nature take hold?
July 10, 2015
This book was very steamy! I enjoyed it! This book chose I path I was not expecting but I enjoyed reading about it. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
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