With its dreamy (almost haunting) cover and oddly curious tagline, one could be forgiven for dismissing Addicted to Charlie as just some supernatural-themed story of transgender domination and coercion, but that would be a mistake. J.S. Morbius often celebrates transgender women in his fiction, and he does so with as much passion as sensitivity. Here he has crafted a romantic, erotic, inspirational tale of true love, a gorgeous story that works on both a physical and an emotional level.
Karl and Charlie are a cute couple, two young people who seem to have an honest shot at love. The only thing standing in their way of taking the relationship to the next level is Charlie's secret. How that revelation is explored is important to me, and my entire opinion of a book pivots on how it plays out. Fortunately, I already had confidence that Morbius would do it justice, and he does not disappoint.
When Charlie finally reveals the truth of her transgender nature, Karl is understandably taken aback. He loves her, but he's not sure whether he can handle the thought of making love to someone with a penis of her own. To her credit, Charlie understands his uncertainties, and she refuses to rush him into a decision. In a genre that is all to often marked by 'shocking' revelations and bedroom ambush 'trap' tactics, the honesty, the realism, and the sincerity here was quite refreshing.
Had the story that follows taken place over a matter of months, or even weeks, it would have been an almost perfect love story. While I can understand (and even appreciate) why Charlie's chose to propel Karl from uncertainty to curiosity to sexual experimentation in just a matter of days, it did feel rushed. As much as I admired Karl for not allowing fears of homophobia to get in the way of true love, and as much as I am a sucker for a happy ending, I'm just not sure any lover could realistically have come so far, so quickly.
Issues of timing aside, however, I appreciated where the transition ultimately took the story, and as Addicted to Charlie as I was, I absolutely cannot quibble with the climax.
Rating: ♀ ♀ ♀ ♀ 1/2
Thank you, Sally
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