(I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
Bobby is a middle-aged foreman who routinely escapes his dull and monotonous reality during his long commute through the city by daydreaming. One day, his tired eyes find themselves beholding a poster featuring Megan, a young vixen who's gifted in the art of seduction. At first, what seems to be a natural attraction to Megan develops into something frightening and bizarre; her image comes to life and she starts addressing him through the advertisement. As Bobby grapples with the effects of this mind-boggling affliction, everyone who's involved in the making of the ad is left to wonder how far this new technology can go, and where they should probably draw the line.
It's hard to define this unconventional novel! It is set in the sixties, has bits of mystery and fantasy and offers alternating perspectives of several different narrators; our main character (and unfortunate victim) Bobby, as well as the brains behind the mesmerizing ad. In this unique story-line, we get to witness a foxy ex-actress, a couple of nerds struggling to further their careers and a panel of experienced businessmen trying to save their jobs as they come together in an effort to create a cutting-edge piece of advertisement that will prove to be an exploit that is well-ahead of its time... And possibly out of this world. Not only did this book feature a believable dialogue, but I also found the characters to be well-developed and surprisingly down-to-earth. The writing made it easy to follow and even though the beginning moved a bit slow, the pace picked up nicely. I wasn't sure what to expect from You Dear, Sweet Man, but the fact that it presented some mystical and far-fetched ideas in such wonderfully realistic settings made for a really entertaining read. The ending definitely took me by surprise. It ended up being one of the most forward-thinking books I've read in a while.
In all, I enjoyed the story. If you are eager to devour a smart and original tale, or if you're looking for a well-crafted story that's easy to engage in, this book is for you!
I give this book a rating of 4 out of 5 feathers!