Forty Shades of Pink: The Reality of Romance is the debut novel from Simon Dowson.

It describes the arc of a man’s life from his first years of childhood, into adulthood and ultimately into old age, with a focus on his relationships with women. Being held, his first kiss, seeing breasts for the first time all figure in the novel. At its core, Forty Shades meditates on physical relationships but with philosophical and psychological commentary in hindsight.

Simon shares the good times and sad with his older friend, Arthur Morris. Looking at his relationships through bodily, emotional and psychological sensations, the now 60-year old Simon shares his insightful and deeply intimate memories as young man. Simon’s story is a tale of discovery of the flesh, the mind and the heart. Through this sharing readers gain insight into the male perspective, a man’s view of himself and his relationships with women.