Tampa by Alissa Nutting

After reading Diane's review of Tampa, I put it on hold at the library. Tampa reminded me of Gillian Flynn's books. Full of irredeemable characters but, like a train wreck, you can't stop reading it. It's hard to say you liked a book about a pedophile.  But Tampa held my interest and was well written.

Celeste is very excited about her new teaching position. Not because she wants to shape young minds, but because she's looking forward to finding a 14 year old boy to sleep with. Celeste is married to a cop who comes from a wealthy family. She drives a Corvette and has a comfortable life. Celeste finds Jack, a boy with a father that works late. Celeste and Jack embark on an affair. Nutting leaves nothing to the imagination about their relationship. The romance novels I read aren't as racy as Tampa was. Nutting is very graphic about sex.

I had a hard time liking any of the characters. You see everyone from Celeste's point of view and she's got a very twisted view of reality. I kept reading because I had to know if Celeste was going to get caught or if she was going to get away with molesting these boys. I found the end unsatisfying but realistic. I was also looking for some explanation as to why Celeste liked young boys but didn't find one in Tampa.

Overall, an interesting book. If you do read it, be warned that it's very graphic, both sex and violence. Others who shared their thoughts on Tampa: Backlisted, Bibliophile By The Sea, Pen & Muse, and Booking In Heels.