Book Talk Review; Dear Jon

I was scared to read this book...

Jonathan Taylor Bennett. Lawyer, athlete, playboy, dickwad. Man of my dreams, creator of my blackest nightmares. He fooled me into falling for him and then stepped away as soon as the descent began. Now I’m on the cold, hard ground. But I’m not totally powerless here – I’m a D-List author, and this heartbreak is making me see in screaming color for the first time in years. Will I let him get away with it, or will I use my pen to enshrine my pain in lights forever?

Author Seth Royal is on top of the world – until he is unceremoniously dumped for dedicating a book to his commit-phobic boyfriend and “trying to move too fast.” After deciding to take back some power by penning a tell-all about his breakup, Seth embarks down a road that takes him to some very surprising places – and maybe, just maybe, leads his long-suffering soul somewhere close to peace.

Dear Jon is about learning to love, learning to let go, learning to stand up for yourself and breathe fire when you need to, and above all, learning how to be joyously, electrically alone.

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I didn't read this book as soon as I bought it. Which for me is a big thing. I mean, it's a Seth King book. Anyone who has followed me for any length of time knows how I feel about Seth King and his words. In all honesty I was afraid. I was afraid because I did not know what to expect. 

I try not to have expectations when I read, because so many times I've been blown away by what actually happens. But when you hear that your favorite author is using his breakup as inspiration. It worries you. So I waited. I waited two days. In those two days I read three and a half books, read through countless emails, and tried to get some work done on my own career. Really, I should have read Dear Jon. It took me less than two hours to get through. 

Why was I so scared of a book? Because I've been on the receiving end of a breakup text. And it hurts. It still fucking hurts. I don't think it will ever stop hurting. I didn't want to read something that reminded me of that hurt. I also didn't want to read about the hurt of someone that I know deserves so much more. 

What I found as I finally broke and dove into Dear Jon, is that I should never have been scared. I had nothing to worry about. Where I thought I would cry, I actually didn't. That is a first. And you know what? It's refreshing. 

If someone asked me to describe Dear Jon by Seth King in one word, I would say refreshing. 

This isn't your typical revenge book after a hard breakup, if there is such thing as typical. This is a book about love. If you can believe that. Seth King wrote a book about someone who just wants to be loved. Someone who just wants to feel like they are important to someone else. Isn't that what we all want? 

Dear Jon is a journey that starts with a breakup and ends with love. Loving yourself is the most rewarding love at all. Not many people can claim that, however. I know I sure as hell can't. Not even on the good days, especially not on the good days. 

But that's what makes this so refreshing. Seth doesn't shy away from his broken heart. Despite how ugly it probably got for him. He doesn't hide who he is. And that is inspiring. If you're looking for a book that will validate your stance on not having relationships, on not looking for love, then this is not your book. If you want a book that will take you through the lows, only to hopefully teach you about the most important kind of love, then this is for you. 

Don't shy away from love. It's going to hurt. In the end love hurts. It's what you do with that hurt that matters. 

Seth King took his hurt and in his poetic way, he made it hurt a little less. He opened himself to self-love. And that is what I'm taking away from this book. 

As a reader I love nothing more than books that encompass even a fraction of what I feel and deal with on a daily basis. 

As a writer I gravitate towards those who aren't afraid to let their pain motivate their words. After all, if I didn't feel as much as I do, I would have nothing to say. 

So, if you pick up Dear Jon, make sure you're prepared for the eye-opener it is. You might just learn that you don't love yourself as much as you should. That's okay, now you know, and now you can work towards it. 

So I thank Seth King for putting himself out there and writing this book and showing me, that what I am and how I feel is okay, despite it all. 

*Quote-

"I can be as happy as I choose to be"

"The only way to learn how to be alive is to actually live through shit"

"Don't ever regret loving and missing someone. Ever." 

"There's nothing more beautiful than a human heart that, despite it all, still chooses to love"  

 -Abri