Someone Like You [Kindle Edition]

Unlike Spring's seasonal weather, Timothy James Beck's latest novel, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, starts off quiet as a lamb, and ends with the roar of a lion. Early in the novel, unfamiliarity with numerous characters' back stories caused my reading to slow a bit; I had to remember who did what. As the characters and their motivations became more familiar, my appreciation of their quirks grew, along with appreciation of the unusual setting...the fictional Mall of the Universe in Terre Haut, Indiana.

The mega-mall contains everything to sustain human life. Names of various areas and levels of the mall are astronomy related...the Galaxy Building, the Light Year Passage, Comet Cleaners, the Aurora, the Uranus Level, etc. Beck's "mall moles" live, love, work and play under the mall's vast, star-filled roof. Aside from the usual litany of stores and shops, the Mall of the Universe claims an upscale world class hotel, apartments, condos, numerous restaurants, a planetarium (of course), skating rink, bowling ally, and the dreaded "cart people."

Timothy James Beck's protagonist, Derek, is lucky to be in love with the man of his dreams, Hunter. Managing the mall's hotel for his wealthy father, who owns a chain of hotels around the world, Hunter has a cushy job and live-in suite. Even though Derek's relationship with Hunter is solid, he increasingly sees himself as a kept boy, and his self-esteem suffers as a result of this perception. He vies for a bit of independence by getting a job at Drayden's department store as a shoe salesman. Hunter, unaware of his motivation, believes Derek's restlessness and need for independence is a sign that he needs more space. Space is space, but Australia? Hunter goes to work at another of his father's hotels in Sydney. Sadly, for much of the novel, half of the main love story is missing. Happily, so much happens at the Mall of the Universe, we hardly notice, and there's always email to keep in touch...or is there?

Derek's friends and acquaintances include his gal pal Vienna, hairdresser Davii who works at CosmicTology, and his most difficult shoe department boss, Natasha. Lillith Allure's cosmetics model, Sheila Meyers, who was last seen in Timothy James Beck's, I'M YOUR MAN, has a hilarious cameo involving a photo shoot...with a bull...in the mall. "He's headed right for Mikasa!"

The story has surprises and unexpected, nifty pairings...in more ways than one. Characters and plot all come together in a satisfying, old fashioned showdown, making SOMEONE LIKE YOU's denouement one of the neatest I've read in a long time. Timothy James Beck's fourth novel is a recommended read with a very solid four plus stars.

This is the 4th TJB(Timothy James Beck)book. I think that the biggest problem with this book has nothing to do with this book at all. People who have discovered the TJB books LOVE the NYC friends. This book is about a new set of friends. We have to get to know them and what makes them tick.

I could relate to it because many moons ago when I was in my early 20's I worked in a very busy mall. Not as big as this one however, it was a busy mall. Mall people as they are called do have their own set of "A" groups who think that people aren't as cool because people work on the carts or in the food court. I suspect that those people have strong feelings about the "A" groups.

I liked that one of the NYC friends makes a visit to the mall. If you think about it for a minute you can figure out which one. I thought it was going to be Martin, but it wasn't.

I do think that at first you get the impression that Hunter is a jerk. At the end of the book you have a different impression or atleast I did. My favorite is the Hotel Lounge Singer, I have a feeling that one of the next books about this set of friends is going to be from her viewpoint. She has some tales to tell.

All right, this isn't great literature, but indeed it is an amusing story about Derek, his lover, his friends, and all their insecurities while living and working at the Mall of the Universe. Each character has a story, from the cocktail lounge singer to the doll dress maker. Crazy plans and consequences run throughout the story. Will Derek's boyfriend ever tell him that he loves him? Will Vienna ever find the right man to love? Will the insane shoe department manager ever be nice to anyone? It all settles nicely by the end of the book. For a nice relaxing read, this book is a fun selection.