The writing of T.J. King is brimming with confidence. With a title so compelling, King reels in his audience from the front cover and keeps them engaged with an entertaining and thoughtful combination of sonnets and prose. King hangs his hat on the premise that while Shakespeare's sonnets are undoubtedly more eloquent, the focus is on the beauty of one woman. What King can't make up in lyrical mastery, he believes, can be compensated with substance.

While King's challenge to Shakespeare is playful, his argument has merit. Several of the more entertaining poems delve deeper beyond a woman's beauty and examine the seemingly genetic, blind passion—even lust—stirred in a male upon seeing an attractive woman. "Beautiful Women," "A Fun Invention," and "Moonlighted Madness" are just a few examples of how perfectly sane men are driven insane like victims of the sirens in Homer's Odyssey.

While an individual unaccustomed to English literature might miss references to classic works, those with a passing interest will be thrilled by allusions to English Romantic poet John Keats and arguably the father of English literature, Geoffrey Chaucer. T.J King's strong grasp of style needs no defense; he is a master wordsmith.

From exploring the different angles of love—maternal, sexual, and pure—to constructing sonnets on faith, tourist cities, and more, King is comprehensive. The ninety-nine sonnets are followed by six appendices sections in which King shares intimate details about his own experiences. This part of the piece is distinctly philosophical in its study of love and links love to character, which King says, "is the name we give to the genuine beauty of humanity." Whether or not King's work is superior to Shakespeare's sonnets, there is little doubt that the content between the cover is just as intriguing and eye-catching as the title.

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