Naked Love Berlin
New York, Paris, San Francisco – back in their heydays, these cities were outrageous fun for gays and artists. Berlin was the forgotten ghetto, but post-war and post-wall, Berlin has become Europe's queerest city. In Naked Love Berlin, experience the city through the lives of four gay and bisexual men as they learn that the party's only fun when earned.
Kay is a Canadian with a corporate job. He struggles for a fabulous European life, but fabulous and monogamous are uneasy bedfellows. Alex is an American with a trust fund. No responsibility means freedom to hop from one fantasy to the next until family obligation ensares – or saves. Thomas is a German student from a small town whose confidence swells while studying in the sinful capital. But can he keep this from slipping into arrogance, or even violence? Timothy is a British entrepreneur and drawn to Berlin not for its tax breaks, but for the city's men. How could anything bad ever happen to a man who thinks with his penis – or for this power bottom, prostate? For these men, will their lust for life lead to love?
If you enjoyed such outings as Tales of the City and Cabaret but want a modern edge, you’ll love Naked Love Berlin. If you’ve ever wondered what queer life in Europe could be like, Naked Love Berlin is for you, especially with a glass of bubbly. Prost!
Reviews
These are reviews from early readers
Early reader reviews:
Everything you ever wanted to know about life in Berlin and more
Reviewed in Germany on 10 October 2019
[Jin De Luong]'s debut is a great read. It gives great insights into the gay scene in Berlin from an expat's perspective. It is quite explicit but for me (a straight reader) it never became uncomfortable as the depiction of debauchery is well balanced with an emotional narrative and interesting character development. So it is a great read for everybody who is curious about life in Berlin.
Reviewed in Germany on 30 November 2017
Full of up-to date information of the gay Berlin of today (2016) and impressively rich descriptions (including explicit sex scenes that colourfully and convincingly help to push the story forward) of the intertwined lives of three gay and one bisexual men from the USA, Canada, the UK and Germany will enrich you and question some of your believes as they tackle topics like HiV, racism in the gay scene, gender stereotypes, drug abuse, monogamy, "lost in translation" of native English speakers in Berlin, etc. - highly recommended
Reviewed in Germany on 26 May 2021
Spannendes Buch über eine Gruppe schwuler Männer in Berlin. Fast alles Expats, die versuchen ihr Leben zu meistern. Selbst Berliner erkannte ich viele Orte und sogar Personen wieder, was ich sehr amüsant fand. Man kann sich somit schnell in die Charaktere hineinversetzen und fühlt mit. Das Buch ist auf englisch, aber so geschrieben, dass es einfach zu verstehen ist. Klare Kaufempfehlung, auch wenn man kein schwuler Berliner sein muss, um mit dem Buch Spaß zu haben!
Reviewed in Germany on 9 January 2018
Jin is able to juggle first person perspective among his four protagonists admirably which is no small feat.
Each character is compelling and sympathetic; with their strengths, weaknesses and often bodies on full display. I found myself laughing at their exploits and touched by their struggles.
A true love letter to the city, Jin brings a unique perspective not only to the gay scene in Berlin, but also as a third-party expatriate observer. He extols the many positive points, but does not shy away from levying the often dour reality of the domiciles and denizens of a city still recovering from a wounded past.
It need be said for the sake of transparency that this book contains many scenes of intense gay erotica; however as a heterosexual male this did not dissuade me from enjoying the book in its entirety, and provides some perverse insight into the happenings of the dark shadows of Berlin night clubs.
A must-read with tight prose and humourous poignancy; I look forward to any future offering from Jin!
-Chevron
A trip to the clubs and gay night life of Berlin
Reviewed in Germany on 15 September 2017
This book is a contemporary story of the gay night life in Berlin. The story has a nice flow and it is possible to read it in 4 days. The author takes you by hand to a fast road trip of drugs, sex and electronic music (the music of Berlin's night clubs). Enjoy it after your visit in Berlin!
So true and well crafted indeed ...
Reviewed in Germany on 27 March 2017
Ein ganz tolles Buch! Es zeigt einen aufregenden und fazettenreichen Kosmos aus dem, was das schwule BERLIN für "Ex-pats" und "Locals" so zu bieten hat. Polychrom gestaltete Figuren locken den Leser in eine polyphone Erzählung aus Gefühlen, Gedanken, Geschmäcke(r)n und Gerüchen. The characters are witty, arrogant, loving, selfish, and always eager to take a look into the abyss ... while simply exposing their NAKED human nature all the way long.
Reviewed in Germany on 8 January 2017
"Naked Berlin" beschreibt das schwule Berlin so, wie es heute ist: voller Sex, Drogen, Partys, Höhenflügen und Abstürzen, wie es junge Expats mit ihrem witzigen Blick auf Deutschland und die Deutschen erleben. Ich habe das Buch in drei Tagen verschlungen. Die Story ist schnell, voller Spaß, international, traurig, hoffnungsvoll, einsam, besoffen, verliebt, Porno und jung. Wie das schwule Berlin.
2 people found this helpful
Le. Man
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable and unexpected ride
Reviewed in Canada on 31 March 2018
An enjoyable and unexpected ride that kept me entertained until the final act. Character development kept me reading while the sex and rollercoaster ride made sure that I was engaged. There is an excellent balance between these two things and I unexpectedly fell in love with the characters and felt for what each character was going through. Author knew exactly how to immerse the reader in the experiences of the characters. A definite must read.