Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could hardly await for his sequel "Waking With Enemies." With ten New York Times bestselling novels to his credit I must say that this book was strictly worth the wait!

If you don't know at the end of "Sleeping with Strangers," Gideon wakes to a mysterious, deadly enemy in a world where there's no one he can trust. As an assassin he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon had done in Tampa, Fl. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose been dumped by her man. Another lady by the name of Mrs. Jones also returns to Gideon whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker (more like his shadow) as the hunter becomes the hunted. Meanwhile Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the whirl-a-around begins. The pressure comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side. At the same time, Gideon will need to locate his friends and find out who his real enemies are if he wants to get out of the game alive. In between then pinching pleasure helps to make the risk bearable for him.

The only downfall to this book is the story itself. The plot is really thin but the sex scene seems to carry it on its shoulder to the point you will reach for a cancer stick... and I don't even smoke. The setting was brilliantly portrayed, the characters were developed nicely but I suppose I was expecting a bit more even though I lost sleep reading this. I certainly respect Dickey's craft as an accomplished writer who tells our stories in blazen detail. I was not completely won over like his previous books but was quite content with this one. "Waking With Enemies," is a good book overall, enough sexual connotations to keep me interested, with enough drama and plot to keep me grounded....and like Dickey said 'Deus ex machina' 'look it up'.....A MUST READ.


Not bad, 17 Sep 2007
I enjoyed this book but felt that there was not enough really about Gideon being a hit man..there was a lot of sex in it which I feel steered away from Gideon and the man with the broken nose. Still an enjoyable read.

Be Sure to Read Sleeping with Strangers First, 22 Aug 2007
Waking with Strangers is the sequel to Sleeping with Strangers, which leaves you with a series of cliff hangers. Without that background, you'll probably find Waking with Strangers a little hard to follow. Having read both books, I felt like they were really two parts of one book rather than being a book with a sequel. Why? Here's one reason: Waking with Strangers opens with a very long erotic sequence that doesn't belong at the beginning of a standalone book. The sequence only makes sense if it's in the middle of a longer book.

Here's the basic plot: Gideon is in London performing his chores as an assassin where he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon did recently. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose boy friend has dumped her. A second woman, Mrs. Jones, also returns to Gideon, whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker. Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the surprises begin. The tension comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side . . . and who is his enemy. Stealing pleasure helps to make the risk bearable.

Waking with Enemies lacks a lot of the edge that Sleeping with Strangers had in exploring the life of a hit man. There's extreme danger in Waking with Strangers, but not very much of it. With the exception of a few scenes, Waking with Enemies could be about an unmarried suburban executive who meets some exciting women. By spacing the books apart in time (publishing two books), those who read the books months apart won't feel the same danger and excitement when they begin this book as they did while reading Sleeping with Strangers.

If you read the two books back-to-back now that they are both available, you'll probably find that you think Waking with Enemies is a four-star book.

Those who like a lot of physical action (aside from bedroom sequences) will probably feel like this book is too psychological for them.

In the two books, Mr. Dickey does a fine job of three things:

1. Portraying how having illusions about reality cause problems.

2. Exploring the value of tracking down out illusions and trading illusions for more accurate perceptions.

3. Describing how much more love we can enjoy if we open ourselves to those around us.

For those who enjoy reading well-written sexual encounters, Waking with Enemies will not disappoint.

Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could hardly await for his sequel "Waking With Enemies." With ten New York Times bestselling novels to his credit I must say that this book was strictly worth the wait!

If you don't know at the end of "Sleeping with Strangers," Gideon wakes to a mysterious, deadly enemy in a world where there's no one he can trust. As an assassin he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon had done in Tampa, Fl. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose been dumped by her man. Another lady by the name of Mrs. Jones also returns to Gideon whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker (more like his shadow) as the hunter becomes the hunted. Meanwhile Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the whirl-a-around begins. The pressure comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side. At the same time, Gideon will need to locate his friends and find out who his real enemies are if he wants to get out of the game alive. In between then pinching pleasure helps to make the risk bearable for him.

The only downfall to this book is the story itself. The plot is really thin but the sex scene seems to carry it on its shoulder to the point you will reach for a cancer stick... and I don't even smoke. The setting was brilliantly portrayed, the characters were developed nicely but I suppose I was expecting a bit more even though I lost sleep reading this. I certainly respect Dickey's craft as an accomplished writer who tells our stories in blazen detail. I was not completely won over like his previous books but was quite content with this one. "Waking With Enemies," is a good book overall, enough sexual connotations to keep me interested, with enough drama and plot to keep me grounded....and like Dickey said 'Deus ex machina' 'look it up'.....A MUST READ.


Not bad, 17 Sep 2007
I enjoyed this book but felt that there was not enough really about Gideon being a hit man..there was a lot of sex in it which I feel steered away from Gideon and the man with the broken nose. Still an enjoyable read.

Be Sure to Read Sleeping with Strangers First, 22 Aug 2007
Waking with Strangers is the sequel to Sleeping with Strangers, which leaves you with a series of cliff hangers. Without that background, you'll probably find Waking with Strangers a little hard to follow. Having read both books, I felt like they were really two parts of one book rather than being a book with a sequel. Why? Here's one reason: Waking with Strangers opens with a very long erotic sequence that doesn't belong at the beginning of a standalone book. The sequence only makes sense if it's in the middle of a longer book.

Here's the basic plot: Gideon is in London performing his chores as an assassin where he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon did recently. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose boy friend has dumped her. A second woman, Mrs. Jones, also returns to Gideon, whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker. Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the surprises begin. The tension comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side . . . and who is his enemy. Stealing pleasure helps to make the risk bearable.

Waking with Enemies lacks a lot of the edge that Sleeping with Strangers had in exploring the life of a hit man. There's extreme danger in Waking with Strangers, but not very much of it. With the exception of a few scenes, Waking with Enemies could be about an unmarried suburban executive who meets some exciting women. By spacing the books apart in time (publishing two books), those who read the books months apart won't feel the same danger and excitement when they begin this book as they did while reading Sleeping with Strangers.

If you read the two books back-to-back now that they are both available, you'll probably find that you think Waking with Enemies is a four-star book.

Those who like a lot of physical action (aside from bedroom sequences) will probably feel like this book is too psychological for them.

In the two books, Mr. Dickey does a fine job of three things:

1. Portraying how having illusions about reality cause problems.

2. Exploring the value of tracking down out illusions and trading illusions for more accurate perceptions.

3. Describing how much more love we can enjoy if we open ourselves to those around us.

For those who enjoy reading well-written sexual encounters, Waking with Enemies will not disappoint.


A different direction?, 06 May 2008
EJD is a fantastic storyteller. He uses language and a style that fully captures the essence of his characters you can almost smell 'em! Sleeping with Strangers is a departure from the usual EJD tale. I felt at odds with Gideon in this story and a little short-changed in as much as I now need to read Part 2 Waking with Enemies to reach the conclusion of this journey. Although a little uncomfortable with the subject matter I still need my fix of EJD!

Incredible, 28 Oct 2007
As I started to read this book I found myself unable to put it down. The book was easy to read. The story really came to life and I found myself watching the storyline unfold, as I was a bystander. Totally excellent!


Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.

Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could hardly await for his sequel "Waking With Enemies." With ten New York Times bestselling novels to his credit I must say that this book was strictly worth the wait!

If you don't know at the end of "Sleeping with Strangers," Gideon wakes to a mysterious, deadly enemy in a world where there's no one he can trust. As an assassin he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon had done in Tampa, Fl. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose been dumped by her man. Another lady by the name of Mrs. Jones also returns to Gideon whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker (more like his shadow) as the hunter becomes the hunted. Meanwhile Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the whirl-a-around begins. The pressure comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side. At the same time, Gideon will need to locate his friends and find out who his real enemies are if he wants to get out of the game alive. In between then pinching pleasure helps to make the risk bearable for him.

The only downfall to this book is the story itself. The plot is really thin but the sex scene seems to carry it on its shoulder to the point you will reach for a cancer stick... and I don't even smoke. The setting was brilliantly portrayed, the characters were developed nicely but I suppose I was expecting a bit more even though I lost sleep reading this. I certainly respect Dickey's craft as an accomplished writer who tells our stories in blazen detail. I was not completely won over like his previous books but was quite content with this one. "Waking With Enemies," is a good book overall, enough sexual connotations to keep me interested, with enough drama and plot to keep me grounded....and like Dickey said 'Deus ex machina' 'look it up'.....A MUST READ.


Not bad, 17 Sep 2007
I enjoyed this book but felt that there was not enough really about Gideon being a hit man..there was a lot of sex in it which I feel steered away from Gideon and the man with the broken nose. Still an enjoyable read.

Be Sure to Read Sleeping with Strangers First, 22 Aug 2007
Waking with Strangers is the sequel to Sleeping with Strangers, which leaves you with a series of cliff hangers. Without that background, you'll probably find Waking with Strangers a little hard to follow. Having read both books, I felt like they were really two parts of one book rather than being a book with a sequel. Why? Here's one reason: Waking with Strangers opens with a very long erotic sequence that doesn't belong at the beginning of a standalone book. The sequence only makes sense if it's in the middle of a longer book.

Here's the basic plot: Gideon is in London performing his chores as an assassin where he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon did recently. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose boy friend has dumped her. A second woman, Mrs. Jones, also returns to Gideon, whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker. Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the surprises begin. The tension comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side . . . and who is his enemy. Stealing pleasure helps to make the risk bearable.

Waking with Enemies lacks a lot of the edge that Sleeping with Strangers had in exploring the life of a hit man. There's extreme danger in Waking with Strangers, but not very much of it. With the exception of a few scenes, Waking with Enemies could be about an unmarried suburban executive who meets some exciting women. By spacing the books apart in time (publishing two books), those who read the books months apart won't feel the same danger and excitement when they begin this book as they did while reading Sleeping with Strangers.

If you read the two books back-to-back now that they are both available, you'll probably find that you think Waking with Enemies is a four-star book.

Those who like a lot of physical action (aside from bedroom sequences) will probably feel like this book is too psychological for them.

In the two books, Mr. Dickey does a fine job of three things:

1. Portraying how having illusions about reality cause problems.

2. Exploring the value of tracking down out illusions and trading illusions for more accurate perceptions.

3. Describing how much more love we can enjoy if we open ourselves to those around us.

For those who enjoy reading well-written sexual encounters, Waking with Enemies will not disappoint.


A different direction?, 06 May 2008
EJD is a fantastic storyteller. He uses language and a style that fully captures the essence of his characters you can almost smell 'em! Sleeping with Strangers is a departure from the usual EJD tale. I felt at odds with Gideon in this story and a little short-changed in as much as I now need to read Part 2 Waking with Enemies to reach the conclusion of this journey. Although a little uncomfortable with the subject matter I still need my fix of EJD!

Incredible, 28 Oct 2007
As I started to read this book I found myself unable to put it down. The book was easy to read. The story really came to life and I found myself watching the storyline unfold, as I was a bystander. Totally excellent!


Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Pleasure - Eric Jerome Dickey, 17 Sep 2008
Ok, so I'm a huge huge fan of Mr Dickey but I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. I didn't really like the whole thing with Jewel and the brothers the whole family ram thing is not really my scene but thats just me. I understand the book is called 'Pleasure' so obviously i did expect there to be a whole lot of sex and there sure was a lot of that but it lacked something for me. The sex scenes were steamy and great as usual, but I felt something was missing.
However it is well worth the read and still highly enjoyable.

Lots of Bumping and Grinding with Literary Allusions, 12 Aug 2008
Pleasure is a book about a woman's desire for more sexual fulfillment. Sensitized by Anais Nin's writings, Nia Simone Bijou is intrigued to find two men who fascinate and excite her. She climbs aboard to see how far the ride will take her.

Curiously, although this book is supposed to be from a woman's perspective, I continually felt that I was reading a book from a man's perspective, translated into a woman's perspective by changing the sexes of the various characters. Many men are fascinated by having sexual relationships with two attractive women at the same time, but I'm not sure that very many women feel the same way about having two men.

If you like erotic fiction, you'll probably enjoy this book more than I did. The book became all too predictable after a while, and I didn't really care if I finished it or not. The story wasn't taking me anywhere I wanted to go . . . or to find out about.

In addition, many of the sequences felt more like fantasy that reality. As such, it was hard to identify with the characters or the story.

Eric Jerome Dickey is a talented writer, but he usually puts a little more content into his stories. This one was more sensation than substance.

Hold tight eric jerome dickey!, 11 May 2008
When you begin to read this book u actually feel to put it down bt lik after the 1st 2 chpaters its gets better. However the book is way toooooooo sexual- even thought it explores the hedonistic lifestyle of a women-the sexual descriptions are a bit to deep and long. This isnt the greatest EJD book but it is still a very intrestin read!.

Pleasure can equal pain, 06 May 2008
This book follows the path of a woman seeking sexual pleasure and she does anything to get it...but finding her ultimate pleasure ends with shocking results. I enjoyed this book but not as much as some of EJD others. The book is very sexually fuelled which for me became a bit boring but the sex is a massive part of the book but it is literally on every other page but all in all quite a good read.

Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could hardly await for his sequel "Waking With Enemies." With ten New York Times bestselling novels to his credit I must say that this book was strictly worth the wait!

If you don't know at the end of "Sleeping with Strangers," Gideon wakes to a mysterious, deadly enemy in a world where there's no one he can trust. As an assassin he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon had done in Tampa, Fl. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose been dumped by her man. Another lady by the name of Mrs. Jones also returns to Gideon whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker (more like his shadow) as the hunter becomes the hunted. Meanwhile Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the whirl-a-around begins. The pressure comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side. At the same time, Gideon will need to locate his friends and find out who his real enemies are if he wants to get out of the game alive. In between then pinching pleasure helps to make the risk bearable for him.

The only downfall to this book is the story itself. The plot is really thin but the sex scene seems to carry it on its shoulder to the point you will reach for a cancer stick... and I don't even smoke. The setting was brilliantly portrayed, the characters were developed nicely but I suppose I was expecting a bit more even though I lost sleep reading this. I certainly respect Dickey's craft as an accomplished writer who tells our stories in blazen detail. I was not completely won over like his previous books but was quite content with this one. "Waking With Enemies," is a good book overall, enough sexual connotations to keep me interested, with enough drama and plot to keep me grounded....and like Dickey said 'Deus ex machina' 'look it up'.....A MUST READ.


Not bad, 17 Sep 2007
I enjoyed this book but felt that there was not enough really about Gideon being a hit man..there was a lot of sex in it which I feel steered away from Gideon and the man with the broken nose. Still an enjoyable read.

Be Sure to Read Sleeping with Strangers First, 22 Aug 2007
Waking with Strangers is the sequel to Sleeping with Strangers, which leaves you with a series of cliff hangers. Without that background, you'll probably find Waking with Strangers a little hard to follow. Having read both books, I felt like they were really two parts of one book rather than being a book with a sequel. Why? Here's one reason: Waking with Strangers opens with a very long erotic sequence that doesn't belong at the beginning of a standalone book. The sequence only makes sense if it's in the middle of a longer book.

Here's the basic plot: Gideon is in London performing his chores as an assassin where he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon did recently. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose boy friend has dumped her. A second woman, Mrs. Jones, also returns to Gideon, whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker. Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the surprises begin. The tension comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side . . . and who is his enemy. Stealing pleasure helps to make the risk bearable.

Waking with Enemies lacks a lot of the edge that Sleeping with Strangers had in exploring the life of a hit man. There's extreme danger in Waking with Strangers, but not very much of it. With the exception of a few scenes, Waking with Enemies could be about an unmarried suburban executive who meets some exciting women. By spacing the books apart in time (publishing two books), those who read the books months apart won't feel the same danger and excitement when they begin this book as they did while reading Sleeping with Strangers.

If you read the two books back-to-back now that they are both available, you'll probably find that you think Waking with Enemies is a four-star book.

Those who like a lot of physical action (aside from bedroom sequences) will probably feel like this book is too psychological for them.

In the two books, Mr. Dickey does a fine job of three things:

1. Portraying how having illusions about reality cause problems.

2. Exploring the value of tracking down out illusions and trading illusions for more accurate perceptions.

3. Describing how much more love we can enjoy if we open ourselves to those around us.

For those who enjoy reading well-written sexual encounters, Waking with Enemies will not disappoint.


A different direction?, 06 May 2008
EJD is a fantastic storyteller. He uses language and a style that fully captures the essence of his characters you can almost smell 'em! Sleeping with Strangers is a departure from the usual EJD tale. I felt at odds with Gideon in this story and a little short-changed in as much as I now need to read Part 2 Waking with Enemies to reach the conclusion of this journey. Although a little uncomfortable with the subject matter I still need my fix of EJD!

Incredible, 28 Oct 2007
As I started to read this book I found myself unable to put it down. The book was easy to read. The story really came to life and I found myself watching the storyline unfold, as I was a bystander. Totally excellent!


Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Pleasure - Eric Jerome Dickey, 17 Sep 2008
Ok, so I'm a huge huge fan of Mr Dickey but I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. I didn't really like the whole thing with Jewel and the brothers the whole family ram thing is not really my scene but thats just me. I understand the book is called 'Pleasure' so obviously i did expect there to be a whole lot of sex and there sure was a lot of that but it lacked something for me. The sex scenes were steamy and great as usual, but I felt something was missing.
However it is well worth the read and still highly enjoyable.

Lots of Bumping and Grinding with Literary Allusions, 12 Aug 2008
Pleasure is a book about a woman's desire for more sexual fulfillment. Sensitized by Anais Nin's writings, Nia Simone Bijou is intrigued to find two men who fascinate and excite her. She climbs aboard to see how far the ride will take her.

Curiously, although this book is supposed to be from a woman's perspective, I continually felt that I was reading a book from a man's perspective, translated into a woman's perspective by changing the sexes of the various characters. Many men are fascinated by having sexual relationships with two attractive women at the same time, but I'm not sure that very many women feel the same way about having two men.

If you like erotic fiction, you'll probably enjoy this book more than I did. The book became all too predictable after a while, and I didn't really care if I finished it or not. The story wasn't taking me anywhere I wanted to go . . . or to find out about.

In addition, many of the sequences felt more like fantasy that reality. As such, it was hard to identify with the characters or the story.

Eric Jerome Dickey is a talented writer, but he usually puts a little more content into his stories. This one was more sensation than substance.

Hold tight eric jerome dickey!, 11 May 2008
When you begin to read this book u actually feel to put it down bt lik after the 1st 2 chpaters its gets better. However the book is way toooooooo sexual- even thought it explores the hedonistic lifestyle of a women-the sexual descriptions are a bit to deep and long. This isnt the greatest EJD book but it is still a very intrestin read!.

Pleasure can equal pain, 06 May 2008
This book follows the path of a woman seeking sexual pleasure and she does anything to get it...but finding her ultimate pleasure ends with shocking results. I enjoyed this book but not as much as some of EJD others. The book is very sexually fuelled which for me became a bit boring but the sex is a massive part of the book but it is literally on every other page but all in all quite a good read.

Speechless, 17 Jul 2007
I loved the characters, I loved the way he developed them at each stage.And the ending was awesome!

More!more!

A really good read!, 09 Apr 2002
This book was very different to cheaters. I enjoyed it a lot but I felt Eric should have developed the characters of Womack and Rosa further. But I enjoyed the fact that Dana had to deal with issues in her childhood, within her relationship with Vince, and how it effected her, a lot of people can relate to that!!

Excellent!, 15 Sep 2000
I think this is his best book to date. It's obvious that he has honed his skills with his earlier books (also very good!) and is able to portray the characters and their emotions in a way that makes you sympathise with their inadequacies and frustrations. His play with words and dialogue is first class and you can almost picture the scenes in your mind. When this one becomes a film I hope Wesley can do Vincent Calvary Browne some justice on screen.

Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could hardly await for his sequel "Waking With Enemies." With ten New York Times bestselling novels to his credit I must say that this book was strictly worth the wait!

If you don't know at the end of "Sleeping with Strangers," Gideon wakes to a mysterious, deadly enemy in a world where there's no one he can trust. As an assassin he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon had done in Tampa, Fl. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose been dumped by her man. Another lady by the name of Mrs. Jones also returns to Gideon whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker (more like his shadow) as the hunter becomes the hunted. Meanwhile Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the whirl-a-around begins. The pressure comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side. At the same time, Gideon will need to locate his friends and find out who his real enemies are if he wants to get out of the game alive. In between then pinching pleasure helps to make the risk bearable for him.

The only downfall to this book is the story itself. The plot is really thin but the sex scene seems to carry it on its shoulder to the point you will reach for a cancer stick... and I don't even smoke. The setting was brilliantly portrayed, the characters were developed nicely but I suppose I was expecting a bit more even though I lost sleep reading this. I certainly respect Dickey's craft as an accomplished writer who tells our stories in blazen detail. I was not completely won over like his previous books but was quite content with this one. "Waking With Enemies," is a good book overall, enough sexual connotations to keep me interested, with enough drama and plot to keep me grounded....and like Dickey said 'Deus ex machina' 'look it up'.....A MUST READ.


Not bad, 17 Sep 2007
I enjoyed this book but felt that there was not enough really about Gideon being a hit man..there was a lot of sex in it which I feel steered away from Gideon and the man with the broken nose. Still an enjoyable read.

Be Sure to Read Sleeping with Strangers First, 22 Aug 2007
Waking with Strangers is the sequel to Sleeping with Strangers, which leaves you with a series of cliff hangers. Without that background, you'll probably find Waking with Strangers a little hard to follow. Having read both books, I felt like they were really two parts of one book rather than being a book with a sequel. Why? Here's one reason: Waking with Strangers opens with a very long erotic sequence that doesn't belong at the beginning of a standalone book. The sequence only makes sense if it's in the middle of a longer book.

Here's the basic plot: Gideon is in London performing his chores as an assassin where he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon did recently. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose boy friend has dumped her. A second woman, Mrs. Jones, also returns to Gideon, whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker. Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the surprises begin. The tension comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side . . . and who is his enemy. Stealing pleasure helps to make the risk bearable.

Waking with Enemies lacks a lot of the edge that Sleeping with Strangers had in exploring the life of a hit man. There's extreme danger in Waking with Strangers, but not very much of it. With the exception of a few scenes, Waking with Enemies could be about an unmarried suburban executive who meets some exciting women. By spacing the books apart in time (publishing two books), those who read the books months apart won't feel the same danger and excitement when they begin this book as they did while reading Sleeping with Strangers.

If you read the two books back-to-back now that they are both available, you'll probably find that you think Waking with Enemies is a four-star book.

Those who like a lot of physical action (aside from bedroom sequences) will probably feel like this book is too psychological for them.

In the two books, Mr. Dickey does a fine job of three things:

1. Portraying how having illusions about reality cause problems.

2. Exploring the value of tracking down out illusions and trading illusions for more accurate perceptions.

3. Describing how much more love we can enjoy if we open ourselves to those around us.

For those who enjoy reading well-written sexual encounters, Waking with Enemies will not disappoint.


A different direction?, 06 May 2008
EJD is a fantastic storyteller. He uses language and a style that fully captures the essence of his characters you can almost smell 'em! Sleeping with Strangers is a departure from the usual EJD tale. I felt at odds with Gideon in this story and a little short-changed in as much as I now need to read Part 2 Waking with Enemies to reach the conclusion of this journey. Although a little uncomfortable with the subject matter I still need my fix of EJD!

Incredible, 28 Oct 2007
As I started to read this book I found myself unable to put it down. The book was easy to read. The story really came to life and I found myself watching the storyline unfold, as I was a bystander. Totally excellent!


Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Pleasure - Eric Jerome Dickey, 17 Sep 2008
Ok, so I'm a huge huge fan of Mr Dickey but I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. I didn't really like the whole thing with Jewel and the brothers the whole family ram thing is not really my scene but thats just me. I understand the book is called 'Pleasure' so obviously i did expect there to be a whole lot of sex and there sure was a lot of that but it lacked something for me. The sex scenes were steamy and great as usual, but I felt something was missing.
However it is well worth the read and still highly enjoyable.

Lots of Bumping and Grinding with Literary Allusions, 12 Aug 2008
Pleasure is a book about a woman's desire for more sexual fulfillment. Sensitized by Anais Nin's writings, Nia Simone Bijou is intrigued to find two men who fascinate and excite her. She climbs aboard to see how far the ride will take her.

Curiously, although this book is supposed to be from a woman's perspective, I continually felt that I was reading a book from a man's perspective, translated into a woman's perspective by changing the sexes of the various characters. Many men are fascinated by having sexual relationships with two attractive women at the same time, but I'm not sure that very many women feel the same way about having two men.

If you like erotic fiction, you'll probably enjoy this book more than I did. The book became all too predictable after a while, and I didn't really care if I finished it or not. The story wasn't taking me anywhere I wanted to go . . . or to find out about.

In addition, many of the sequences felt more like fantasy that reality. As such, it was hard to identify with the characters or the story.

Eric Jerome Dickey is a talented writer, but he usually puts a little more content into his stories. This one was more sensation than substance.

Hold tight eric jerome dickey!, 11 May 2008
When you begin to read this book u actually feel to put it down bt lik after the 1st 2 chpaters its gets better. However the book is way toooooooo sexual- even thought it explores the hedonistic lifestyle of a women-the sexual descriptions are a bit to deep and long. This isnt the greatest EJD book but it is still a very intrestin read!.

Pleasure can equal pain, 06 May 2008
This book follows the path of a woman seeking sexual pleasure and she does anything to get it...but finding her ultimate pleasure ends with shocking results. I enjoyed this book but not as much as some of EJD others. The book is very sexually fuelled which for me became a bit boring but the sex is a massive part of the book but it is literally on every other page but all in all quite a good read.

Speechless, 17 Jul 2007
I loved the characters, I loved the way he developed them at each stage.And the ending was awesome!

More!more!

A really good read!, 09 Apr 2002
This book was very different to cheaters. I enjoyed it a lot but I felt Eric should have developed the characters of Womack and Rosa further. But I enjoyed the fact that Dana had to deal with issues in her childhood, within her relationship with Vince, and how it effected her, a lot of people can relate to that!!

Excellent!, 15 Sep 2000
I think this is his best book to date. It's obvious that he has honed his skills with his earlier books (also very good!) and is able to portray the characters and their emotions in a way that makes you sympathise with their inadequacies and frustrations. His play with words and dialogue is first class and you can almost picture the scenes in your mind. When this one becomes a film I hope Wesley can do Vincent Calvary Browne some justice on screen.

a good understanding of a cheaters mind, 27 Jul 2008
i really enjoyed this book, it allowed you to understand a mind of a player and why they do it, the ending had alot going on and made it slightly flat, but definatly a good read

dickey the don, 19 Sep 2007
Oh my days!!!! i wanted a book that jumped out at me from the start so i read the preview on amazon, anyways ....
this booked kicked my ass as opposed to slapping me lightly, jesus, you know Mel Gibson's chracter from what women want? well EJD is the black version, i swear to god!!! he had me nodding in agreement at every opportunity at the narration in the story form the woman character especially, and i went through every possible emotion whilst reading this book. I wanted to cry at Tammy and Darnell,slap Thaiheed upside his head and tell chante to get a damn reality check! i really and truly loved the art in this book, i think its a masterpiece!!!! I cant believe how believable and true to life the characters and their situations were. i've never cried whilst reading a book before but this book stirred me so bad, i missed my stops on the train to university many a time and just decided to spend my time reading it all day, really didn't wanna put it down. This was the first EJD book i've read and i wont stop until i read them all ha ha.

EJB does it again!, 27 Jul 2007
This book was funny,sexed up and just brilliant!

It also makes you take a deep look at the love and relationship that you have with people. Why we behave the way we do in relationships sometimes!!

Just Briliant!!

Between a Yearning for Love and Attraction for Lust!, 20 Sep 2001
Before reviewing this powerful novel, let me caution potential readers that this book contains very explicit sex and violence, extremely foul language, and explores the gamier side of the club and dating life. If such things offend you, consider another novel.

The book's theme is that we are torn between wanting true love (to be loved for ourselves) and our desire to enjoy the maximum pleasure from the opposite sex. This theme is reinforced by childhood experiences, observing family and friends, and following our own emotions in social settings. The book goes on to raise the important question of how we move beyond that to get the mature love that we truly want.

A major subtheme looks in a similar way at the nature of friendship. Is a friend someone who makes you feel like you're in charge, or someone you care about and who cares about you?

The book develops primarily from the perspectives of Stephan Mitchell, a man who loves to keep a large number of women on the string, and Chante Ellis, who is in love with falling in love . . . and keeps finding herself with exploitive bums. Each of them comes to question their primary way of dating and relating to the opposite sex, their friends, and finding lasting companionship.

The book also chronicles the experiences of their married and unmarried friends who struggle with variations on the same issues. It's like a jazz piece that contains many versions of the main melody reconstructed throughout on different instruments.

The book's main appeal is that it holds out hope that we can improve ourselves, change our behavior, and acquire the love we want. In essence, we get the love we deserve except from our family. I found it very moving that Mr. Dickey chose some pretty pathetic hedonists as his characters. In the beginning, these are the anti-heroes, but they mature and move towards being loving adults.

Now, all of this could come across in a very heavy, moralistic way. But Mr. Dickey has a light touch, and colors his points with careful exaggeration and humor to make the lessons easier to swallow. Stephen Mitchell's last visit to Toyomi's home in Palm Springs and Chante's last date with Michael are both excellent examples of this.

The character development in the novel is outstanding. You will feel like you know each character quite well, probably better than their lovers and potential lovers do.

Mr. Dickey has an astonishing ear for dialogue. You can feel yourself in almost every scene because the dialogue is so realistic.

Having lived in San Bernardino while I was growing up, I especially enjoyed the many descriptions of the towns and freeways around the Inland Empire. I think I even picked up on a few better routes for avoiding traffic.

Since the characters are African Americans, some potential readers may want to arbitrarily assign this novel to some sub-genre concerning African American culture. That would be a mistake. It would be like thinking of Romeo and Juliet as a soap opera. Regardless of your connection to or interest in contemporary African American culture, you will identify with and enjoy reading about these characters.

After you have enjoyed this superb novel, you should use it as a mirror to think about the ways that you show and provide love and friendship in your life. How could you improve? How could you connect these changes to your spiritual beliefs?

Give the love and friendship that you would like to have.

Donald Mitchell...

General review of all Eric Jerome Dickey's books, 09 Aug 2000
To everyone out there who has not yet bought or picked up a book by this brother, please start doing so! I can guarantee you will not be dissapointed, trust me. Each one of his books has had me hooked from start to finish. It's nice to read tales about Black people which do not have you thinking "Oh no, not this same old cliche again!" His books are vibrant, very refreshing and you are always guaranteed a good laugh or compassion for the characters. If you buy any of his books, it won't be a waste of money.

Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could hardly await for his sequel "Waking With Enemies." With ten New York Times bestselling novels to his credit I must say that this book was strictly worth the wait!

If you don't know at the end of "Sleeping with Strangers," Gideon wakes to a mysterious, deadly enemy in a world where there's no one he can trust. As an assassin he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon had done in Tampa, Fl. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose been dumped by her man. Another lady by the name of Mrs. Jones also returns to Gideon whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker (more like his shadow) as the hunter becomes the hunted. Meanwhile Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the whirl-a-around begins. The pressure comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side. At the same time, Gideon will need to locate his friends and find out who his real enemies are if he wants to get out of the game alive. In between then pinching pleasure helps to make the risk bearable for him.

The only downfall to this book is the story itself. The plot is really thin but the sex scene seems to carry it on its shoulder to the point you will reach for a cancer stick... and I don't even smoke. The setting was brilliantly portrayed, the characters were developed nicely but I suppose I was expecting a bit more even though I lost sleep reading this. I certainly respect Dickey's craft as an accomplished writer who tells our stories in blazen detail. I was not completely won over like his previous books but was quite content with this one. "Waking With Enemies," is a good book overall, enough sexual connotations to keep me interested, with enough drama and plot to keep me grounded....and like Dickey said 'Deus ex machina' 'look it up'.....A MUST READ.


Not bad, 17 Sep 2007
I enjoyed this book but felt that there was not enough really about Gideon being a hit man..there was a lot of sex in it which I feel steered away from Gideon and the man with the broken nose. Still an enjoyable read.

Be Sure to Read Sleeping with Strangers First, 22 Aug 2007
Waking with Strangers is the sequel to Sleeping with Strangers, which leaves you with a series of cliff hangers. Without that background, you'll probably find Waking with Strangers a little hard to follow. Having read both books, I felt like they were really two parts of one book rather than being a book with a sequel. Why? Here's one reason: Waking with Strangers opens with a very long erotic sequence that doesn't belong at the beginning of a standalone book. The sequence only makes sense if it's in the middle of a longer book.

Here's the basic plot: Gideon is in London performing his chores as an assassin where he realizes that he's been targeted for death by a broken-nosed hit man, probably related to a job Gideon did recently. Gideon has befriended a woman, Lola Mack, he met on the plane whose boy friend has dumped her. A second woman, Mrs. Jones, also returns to Gideon, whom he had also met on the plane. The three enjoy each other in bed while Gideon tries to forget about the danger beyond his hotel room door. Meanwhile, the love-of-his life, Arizona, helps Gideon track down the stalker. Gideon is also determined to come to terms with his prostitute mother who also operates in London. From there, Gideon and the broken-nosed man circle one another until one gets the upper hand. Then, the surprises begin. The tension comes because Gideon is never certain who is on his side . . . and who is his enemy. Stealing pleasure helps to make the risk bearable.

Waking with Enemies lacks a lot of the edge that Sleeping with Strangers had in exploring the life of a hit man. There's extreme danger in Waking with Strangers, but not very much of it. With the exception of a few scenes, Waking with Enemies could be about an unmarried suburban executive who meets some exciting women. By spacing the books apart in time (publishing two books), those who read the books months apart won't feel the same danger and excitement when they begin this book as they did while reading Sleeping with Strangers.

If you read the two books back-to-back now that they are both available, you'll probably find that you think Waking with Enemies is a four-star book.

Those who like a lot of physical action (aside from bedroom sequences) will probably feel like this book is too psychological for them.

In the two books, Mr. Dickey does a fine job of three things:

1. Portraying how having illusions about reality cause problems.

2. Exploring the value of tracking down out illusions and trading illusions for more accurate perceptions.

3. Describing how much more love we can enjoy if we open ourselves to those around us.

For those who enjoy reading well-written sexual encounters, Waking with Enemies will not disappoint.


A different direction?, 06 May 2008
EJD is a fantastic storyteller. He uses language and a style that fully captures the essence of his characters you can almost smell 'em! Sleeping with Strangers is a departure from the usual EJD tale. I felt at odds with Gideon in this story and a little short-changed in as much as I now need to read Part 2 Waking with Enemies to reach the conclusion of this journey. Although a little uncomfortable with the subject matter I still need my fix of EJD!

Incredible, 28 Oct 2007
As I started to read this book I found myself unable to put it down. The book was easy to read. The story really came to life and I found myself watching the storyline unfold, as I was a bystander. Totally excellent!


Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Sink Deep into the Soul-Deadening Illusions and Hates of a Hit Man, 27 Jun 2007
Before deciding to read Sleeping with Strangers, be sure you realize that the book ends in a series of cliffhangers that will draw you into reading Waking with Enemies which will be available in August 2007: You're taking on a two-book commitment with a potential delay in between. If you want to skip the delay between books, put off reading Sleeping with Strangers until August. That's what I would have done if I'd realized that the two books share the same story line.

How does someone become a hit man? How do you become good at it? Why do you stick with it? What does it do to your personal life? What are the compensations? Who can you trust? How do you retire? If you're curious about any of those questions, Eric Jerome Dickey's story will intrigue you. Through a series of deft flashbacks, you'll find some startling answers. To make the perspective sharper, Mr. Dickey provides you with two hit men to compare and contrast.

Otherwise, the story has more psychological development than action. Those who are looking for a fast-paced story may be disappointed. After all, a book about hit men suggests at least the potential for lots of action.

If you look beyond the context of hit men, you'll find that the book is considerably more universal in its exploration of how we built up feelings and illusions that draw us into places and actions that aren't so good for us. You'll probably see yourself in the mirror before the book is over.

Naturally, Mr. Dickey has arranged to provide some of the provocative sexual interludes that are his trademark. If you like aspect of his books, you'll probably wish there were two or three more.

To me, the best part of the book came in the way that Mr. Dickey gently developed mysteries concerning the relationships among the characters and delayed revealing all of the backgrounds and motives as long as possible. As a result, you'll always feel a little off balance.




Pleasure - Eric Jerome Dickey, 17 Sep 2008
Ok, so I'm a huge huge fan of Mr Dickey but I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. I didn't really like the whole thing with Jewel and the brothers the whole family ram thing is not really my scene but thats just me. I understand the book is called 'Pleasure' so obviously i did expect there to be a whole lot of sex and there sure was a lot of that but it lacked something for me. The sex scenes were steamy and great as usual, but I felt something was missing.
However it is well worth the read and still highly enjoyable.

Lots of Bumping and Grinding with Literary Allusions, 12 Aug 2008
Pleasure is a book about a woman's desire for more sexual fulfillment. Sensitized by Anais Nin's writings, Nia Simone Bijou is intrigued to find two men who fascinate and excite her. She climbs aboard to see how far the ride will take her.

Curiously, although this book is supposed to be from a woman's perspective, I continually felt that I was reading a book from a man's perspective, translated into a woman's perspective by changing the sexes of the various characters. Many men are fascinated by having sexual relationships with two attractive women at the same time, but I'm not sure that very many women feel the same way about having two men.

If you like erotic fiction, you'll probably enjoy this book more than I did. The book became all too predictable after a while, and I didn't really care if I finished it or not. The story wasn't taking me anywhere I wanted to go . . . or to find out about.

In addition, many of the sequences felt more like fantasy that reality. As such, it was hard to identify with the characters or the story.

Eric Jerome Dickey is a talented writer, but he usually puts a little more content into his stories. This one was more sensation than substance.

Hold tight eric jerome dickey!, 11 May 2008
When you begin to read this book u actually feel to put it down bt lik after the 1st 2 chpaters its gets better. However the book is way toooooooo sexual- even thought it explores the hedonistic lifestyle of a women-the sexual descriptions are a bit to deep and long. This isnt the greatest EJD book but it is still a very intrestin read!.

Pleasure can equal pain, 06 May 2008
This book follows the path of a woman seeking sexual pleasure and she does anything to get it...but finding her ultimate pleasure ends with shocking results. I enjoyed this book but not as much as some of EJD others. The book is very sexually fuelled which for me became a bit boring but the sex is a massive part of the book but it is literally on every other page but all in all quite a good read.

Speechless, 17 Jul 2007
I loved the characters, I loved the way he developed them at each stage.And the ending was awesome!

More!more!

A really good read!, 09 Apr 2002
This book was very different to cheaters. I enjoyed it a lot but I felt Eric should have developed the characters of Womack and Rosa further. But I enjoyed the fact that Dana had to deal with issues in her childhood, within her relationship with Vince, and how it effected her, a lot of people can relate to that!!

Excellent!, 15 Sep 2000
I think this is his best book to date. It's obvious that he has honed his skills with his earlier books (also very good!) and is able to portray the characters and their emotions in a way that makes you sympathise with their inadequacies and frustrations. His play with words and dialogue is first class and you can almost picture the scenes in your mind. When this one becomes a film I hope Wesley can do Vincent Calvary Browne some justice on screen.

a good understanding of a cheaters mind, 27 Jul 2008
i really enjoyed this book, it allowed you to understand a mind of a player and why they do it, the ending had alot going on and made it slightly flat, but definatly a good read

dickey the don, 19 Sep 2007
Oh my days!!!! i wanted a book that jumped out at me from the start so i read the preview on amazon, anyways ....
this booked kicked my ass as opposed to slapping me lightly, jesus, you know Mel Gibson's chracter from what women want? well EJD is the black version, i swear to god!!! he had me nodding in agreement at every opportunity at the narration in the story form the woman character especially, and i went through every possible emotion whilst reading this book. I wanted to cry at Tammy and Darnell,slap Thaiheed upside his head and tell chante to get a damn reality check! i really and truly loved the art in this book, i think its a masterpiece!!!! I cant believe how believable and true to life the characters and their situations were. i've never cried whilst reading a book before but this book stirred me so bad, i missed my stops on the train to university many a time and just decided to spend my time reading it all day, really didn't wanna put it down. This was the first EJD book i've read and i wont stop until i read them all ha ha.

EJB does it again!, 27 Jul 2007
This book was funny,sexed up and just brilliant!

It also makes you take a deep look at the love and relationship that you have with people. Why we behave the way we do in relationships sometimes!!

Just Briliant!!

Between a Yearning for Love and Attraction for Lust!, 20 Sep 2001
Before reviewing this powerful novel, let me caution potential readers that this book contains very explicit sex and violence, extremely foul language, and explores the gamier side of the club and dating life. If such things offend you, consider another novel.

The book's theme is that we are torn between wanting true love (to be loved for ourselves) and our desire to enjoy the maximum pleasure from the opposite sex. This theme is reinforced by childhood experiences, observing family and friends, and following our own emotions in social settings. The book goes on to raise the important question of how we move beyond that to get the mature love that we truly want.

A major subtheme looks in a similar way at the nature of friendship. Is a friend someone who makes you feel like you're in charge, or someone you care about and who cares about you?

The book develops primarily from the perspectives of Stephan Mitchell, a man who loves to keep a large number of women on the string, and Chante Ellis, who is in love with falling in love . . . and keeps finding herself with exploitive bums. Each of them comes to question their primary way of dating and relating to the opposite sex, their friends, and finding lasting companionship.

The book also chronicles the experiences of their married and unmarried friends who struggle with variations on the same issues. It's like a jazz piece that contains many versions of the main melody reconstructed throughout on different instruments.

The book's main appeal is that it holds out hope that we can improve ourselves, change our behavior, and acquire the love we want. In essence, we get the love we deserve except from our family. I found it very moving that Mr. Dickey chose some pretty pathetic hedonists as his characters. In the beginning, these are the anti-heroes, but they mature and move towards being loving adults.

Now, all of this could come across in a very heavy, moralistic way. But Mr. Dickey has a light touch, and colors his points with careful exaggeration and humor to make the lessons easier to swallow. Stephen Mitchell's last visit to Toyomi's home in Palm Springs and Chante's last date with Michael are both excellent examples of this.

The character development in the novel is outstanding. You will feel like you know each character quite well, probably better than their lovers and potential lovers do.

Mr. Dickey has an astonishing ear for dialogue. You can feel yourself in almost every scene because the dialogue is so realistic.

Having lived in San Bernardino while I was growing up, I especially enjoyed the many descriptions of the towns and freeways around the Inland Empire. I think I even picked up on a few better routes for avoiding traffic.

Since the characters are African Americans, some potential readers may want to arbitrarily assign this novel to some sub-genre concerning African American culture. That would be a mistake. It would be like thinking of Romeo and Juliet as a soap opera. Regardless of your connection to or interest in contemporary African American culture, you will identify with and enjoy reading about these characters.

After you have enjoyed this superb novel, you should use it as a mirror to think about the ways that you show and provide love and friendship in your life. How could you improve? How could you connect these changes to your spiritual beliefs?

Give the love and friendship that you would like to have.

Donald Mitchell...

General review of all Eric Jerome Dickey's books, 09 Aug 2000
To everyone out there who has not yet bought or picked up a book by this brother, please start doing so! I can guarantee you will not be dissapointed, trust me. Each one of his books has had me hooked from start to finish. It's nice to read tales about Black people which do not have you thinking "Oh no, not this same old cliche again!" His books are vibrant, very refreshing and you are always guaranteed a good laugh or compassion for the characters. If you buy any of his books, it won't be a waste of money.

fifty fifty, 11 Oct 2008
I must admit the book took me a lot longer to read than others such as 'Destiny Child'. I felt for the sisters in terms of their loss for the one person they missed the most.....

Enjoyable...But Not Great..., 14 Jan 2004
Best selling author Eric Jerome Dickey’s latest release, Naughty or Nice, is a witty, engaging story about the interrelationships between the three McBroom sisters and their significant others. True to Dickey fashion, there is plenty of drama, plot twists, and humor in their sordid escapades toward their search for love and acceptance. Each one, strapped with varying degrees of emotional baggage, starts at different places along the love spectrum and recklessly jettisons headstrong down paths of least resistance only to discover that true love cannot be rushed, forced, or squandered.

Frankie, the oldest sister, is financially secure and after many years of relationship blunders explores Internet dating with varied (and often hilarious) results. Frequently bitter and resentful of her rotten luck with men, Frankie projects a “tougher than nails” public persona but often sulks at home in self pity. It is only when she wises up and unburdens herself from unresolved issues with a lost love and becomes comfortable with herself that she is positioned to let love find her. Tommie, the youngest sister, physically scarred and mentally recovering from an abusive relationship is learning to trust and love again by following her heart into a nontraditional relationship with much older man with a small child. Lastly, middle sister, Livvy, is trying to rebound from a very public and embarrassing revelation of her physician husband’s affair and impending paternity suit. In a fateful act of revenge, she embarks on a hot, steamy love affair with a beautiful stranger with tumultuous results.

Although the backdrop of the story is the festive Christmas season, this component of the plot seems like an afterthought, as it adds no real value or relevance to the storyline. Dickey is obviously riding on the coattails of his summer smash hit, The Other Woman; however, this latest work may leave fans (old and new) a bit disappointed as it fails in originality. The sisterly relationship is reminiscent of the sisters in the movie, “Soul Food,” and other themes in the book appear to be mere regurgitations of premises already covered in The Other Woman, Between Lovers, and his other works with heavy use of sex scenes to carry the story forward. If the lack of inventiveness can be overlooked, then those fans of the contemporary relationship novel will be pleased, as all aspects of naughty jokes, nice dialogue, and tantalizing love scenes are covered amply.

Gideon, O Thou Gideon, 27 Sep 2007
I received this book in the mail on Monday, and started reading it on Tuesday, finished it on Wednesday. After reading "Sleeping With Strangers," I could h