The Pleasure Seeker


Fiction - Literary
365 Pages
Reviewed on 10/04/2023
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Author Biography

Robyn Michaels learned to groom dogs as a teenager and is now retired. She has won awards in dog grooming contests, and she has titled dogs in obedience, rally, lure coursing and conformation. A couple of her dogs have been nationally ranked in their breeds. She has also helped others pick dogs to show and taught people to train their dogs.. She didn't go to college until she was 30, and took CLEP exams to avoid prerequisites. She has an undergraduate degree in anthropology with concentrations in African & Indian studies and a master’s in urban planning. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, A U.N. election supervisor in Bosnia, and has also volunteered in Kenya and India.
What inspired this book was learning that Brian May (Queen), has a Ph.D, in astrophysics, & Freddie Mercury was from Swahili Africa. Also, being an 'other (I have Asperger's & was raised as a Reform Jew), I wanted to address that non-Christians value integrity over religion.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Frank Mutuma for Readers' Favorite

The Pleasure Seeker by Robyn Michaels follows the life of Singh, who was raised in Africa. His parents had been trafficked out of India to work as servants. Arusha wasn't a big city then, and most people were poor. Singh had an entrepreneurial mind from early on, and he bought artifacts from the Maasai and sold them at a profit. This enabled him to save money, which helped him to buy a piano from Mr. Curtis. The piano had a great influence on him. Singh's parents wanted him to marry a fellow Sikh, and when the opportunity presented itself, an arrangement was concluded to marry Sitaji. But what does Singh want? Is he comfortable marrying a stranger, and has he forgotten Mona? To find out more about Singh's life as a musician and the holder of a Ph.D., get a copy of this book.

The Pleasure Seeker by Robyn Michaels is a page-turner, and I was hooked from the first chapter. The flawlessly flowing plotline and the well-developed characters kept me intrigued and entertained. I loved the character of Singh, who is hard-working, knows what he wants, and doesn't shy away from telling those who want a relationship with him. I also loved the diversity that the author captured in this wonderful book. I found it to be thought-provoking on a variety of issues, such as religion, racism, and the history of Africa. The reader will also appreciate the conversational tone used in the book, which made it most welcoming. I cannot wait to read something more by this talented author.

Rabia Tanveer

The Pleasure Seeker by Robyn Michaels relates the story of Dayal Singh as he navigates a difficult life. Dayal always felt alienated due to his heritage. As the son of Indian parents who were trafficked to Africa, Dayal never felt as if he belonged. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, Dayal was socially awkward but that all changed when he fell in love with the piano. Music became the only part of his life that Dayal could focus on and rely on. From becoming a rockstar to falling in love, Dayal lived a tumultuous life where he struggled, became the villain, and then redeemed himself.

The Pleasure Seeker is a coming-of-age story of a complex man who never understood his limits. Dayal had a tough life, which was strongly reflected in his personality as he grew older. It was painful to see his social ineptness. However, his love for music gave him the spark he needed to thrive. Forming a connection with Dayal was a roller coaster ride. I sympathized with him one moment and hated him the next. There was never an in-between. Robyn Michaels did a remarkable job in creating this complicated character. Dayal's reactions and behavior were human, he felt real, and that made my reading experience satisfying. His growth and development were on point. I appreciated the trigger warning in the blurb about Christianity and how it can be a sensitive topic for some readers. The pace of the story mirrored Dayal’s progress and the narrative was dialogue-heavy. This was certainly not a light novel and should only be consumed by adult readers with an open mind. I genuinely fell in love with the story, but only after a long time.