Everywhere Michael turns he sees a Reservoir Man.

Michael’s endless trials of survival include sexual assault, The Vietnam War, an arrest in Spain, Hollywood scandal, the AIDS outbreak, 9/11 and beyond.

If only Michael could find the one thing he values most, his freedom. Michael’s coming-of-age is tarnished by many but the courage to live his truth may just keep Michael one step ahead…or will he succumb to the embraces of a Reservoir Man?

#AReservoirMan @authorlambrosio @Zooloo’s Book Tours @zooloo2008 #ZooloosBookTours #blogtour

A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.” 

Twists and turns further pull the reader into Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity. 

My Review

I am still slightly confused about the meaning of ‘reservoir man’. I have had to go back to the beginning of the book and search for the first few times it is mentioned. I think it is based on the men who hung around the reservoir at the top of the hill. Michael needs to get to the top of the hill. But it appears that these ‘reservoir men’ are wandering around aimlessly. Michael doesn’t want to do that. He wants to find purpose in his life and be free from the constrictions put on him by society and religion.

But it’s still only the 1960s (Michael was born in 1947) and things we take for granted today are frowned upon or illegal.

Michael was born with a harelip but he is still attractive to both men and women, though I don’t think he realises it. He is very clever even though his initial school career doesn’t reflect this. He has friends and many casual relationships with men, but none of them last. Sometimes he is very naive. He starts businesses, but they seem to fold or run out of steam quite quickly. At times he seems to drift without purpose, even though that is not his intention.

He adores his parents Andy and Frances, but seems to spend a lot of time away from them. He is a man of contradictions. His life doesn’t stabilise until he adopts his two children. Even then his business operations run into trouble.

During the 1980s AIDS had become a worldwide pandemic. Michael loses almost all his close friends and colleagues to AIDS.

The book follows Michael from birth to old age, and everything in between. He is sexually assaulted as a young man, though he doesn’t seem to realise he was assaulted. He travels around Europe, is arrested in Spain, escapes the Vietnam war draft, witnesses 9/11, and survives a Hollywood scandal. He strives for freedom and truth as he tries to find his identity.

Michael’s father Andy once told him that ‘men don’t cry.’ Michael repeats this on several occasions, including to his son Joshua. But the very last paragraph will have you in tears, whatever your gender.

Many thanks to @zooloo2008 for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the Author

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

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Website : https://ljambrosio.blogspot.com/

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61401919-a-reservoir-man
Buy Link – https://geni.us/Xc1oErq