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a_reader_obsessed's review
2.0
2.5 Hearts
Overall as a story, this was just ok. Not horribly bad but not phenomenal either.
Dan, having just gotten out of a relationship feels like he’s in a rut, and in an effort to perhaps do something fun and interesting, he decides to look up his teenage friends from a summer program they had all attended over a decade ago. When he gets help from an unlikely travel companion (an older brother of a past acquaintance) it’s all the more better since Nick apparently bats for the same team!
As Dan and Nick search out each person, they learn a bit more about each other and what they each want out of their own lives, all the while enjoying some side benefits. This touched on being out and proud, not apologizing for one’s lifestyle choices, and homophobia. Though I’m not complaining about the smex (ever), the level and intensity of it was incongruous to what seemed like a relatively benign, easy going road trip. However, things got deep and intense very quickly, and there were a few instances of surprisingly out of nowhere drama that made this all the more a quite disjointed story.
Had I read this on my kindle, I might’ve just skimmed on through, but actually the narration from Seb Yarrick is probably what saved me from being exasperated and annoyed. He really brought the characters to life and I enjoyed what I assume were various authentic accents. A simple “read” for a lazy weekend, made all the better by the audio.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for a honest review
Overall as a story, this was just ok. Not horribly bad but not phenomenal either.
Dan, having just gotten out of a relationship feels like he’s in a rut, and in an effort to perhaps do something fun and interesting, he decides to look up his teenage friends from a summer program they had all attended over a decade ago. When he gets help from an unlikely travel companion (an older brother of a past acquaintance) it’s all the more better since Nick apparently bats for the same team!
As Dan and Nick search out each person, they learn a bit more about each other and what they each want out of their own lives, all the while enjoying some side benefits. This touched on being out and proud, not apologizing for one’s lifestyle choices, and homophobia. Though I’m not complaining about the smex (ever), the level and intensity of it was incongruous to what seemed like a relatively benign, easy going road trip. However, things got deep and intense very quickly, and there were a few instances of surprisingly out of nowhere drama that made this all the more a quite disjointed story.
Had I read this on my kindle, I might’ve just skimmed on through, but actually the narration from Seb Yarrick is probably what saved me from being exasperated and annoyed. He really brought the characters to life and I enjoyed what I assume were various authentic accents. A simple “read” for a lazy weekend, made all the better by the audio.
Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for a honest review
kp_khera's review
2.0
This book needs another editor because the writing is still a work in progress, or a beta that will help the author along. It comes down to this being one very awkward book to read regarding its writing, style and characters.
The characterisation of, basically every character we are introduced to seems underdeveloped. The circumstances, the situation itself play a big part in getting the reader’s sympathy. It’s necessary to make the readers realise what drives Daniel to go search for his friends from so long ago. Yet, although it’s said it isn’t felt. It felt insincere, and even if it wasn’t – the motivation needed more than brevity. It needed to be expanded upon, and properly explained.
He’s about to search for his friends. Why? Why is it important for him to do so? Why now, and not before? What finally tipped him over to search online and find a former summer camp acquaintance? We get answers, but it’s not given its due. It feels like another detail that’s stated, but not explained thoroughly.
Regarding his online conversations: What gave him the courage to just say “Hi”, and what made him think that this person would know where his friends were? Meeting someone you’ve talked to online can also be nerve wrecking, and Nick’s profile had warning signs written all over it. Yet, he decided to give it a shot. I know he’s not a tech-expert, but basic social media 101 in this day and age – it’s hard to see why that’s lacking.
Seriously, what about the interaction between “Nathan” and Daniel before they meet in that bar? How is it possible that Daniel didn’t realise during their exchanges that this person wasn’t Nathan? How did Nick not realise sooner that Daniel was actually looking for his brother, if he did – then it’s also kind of creepy that he kept writing regardless of this misunderstanding?
There’s so much going on before this quest to look for his friends should even start, but it’s not there. Instead it’s briefly mentioned with his sister and her counterpart. Then, when Daniel does meet Nick for the first time – half the time he’s just checking him out, and although Nick seems like a nice enough guy being in that situation should have at least a “be careful” written next to it.
Leaving the obvious plot point that was right there aside, as well as the awkward phrasing and writing style (as well as how short their encounter was before Daniel decides to enlist Nick’s help to ‘trek’ across the country in search of friends he hasn’t seen in over a decade).
The friends Daniel goes on a quest for each have their own stories, their own tribulations and lives they’ve led.
I wanted to know more about that – either the way they’re just given cameo appearances (although this book’s major plot point is Daniel going on a ‘quest’ for these exact people to find something he doesn’t even exactly know he’s looking for) is to give us a teaser when/if they get their own books, or the author just missed completely obvious cues to delve further. Probably the first, but this review isn’t about the next possible books, it’s about this one. And this one just wasn’t there. The primary objective of this all is to find his friends, get to know them again, find out what’s going on with them in the hopes it will shed light on why he’s doing this all in the first place.
The first friend has obviously overcome many trials and tribulations to be where he/she is, but. just. so little time is spent with them.
The one encounter that really gets to be though is Mark and Edward’s relationship. Seriously, it had warning bells ringing in my head from all over. Pretty sure that’s an abusive relationship (as in, obviously so) – YET THIS IS BEING NORMALISED AS DOMESTIC AND HAPPY?
Did Daniel and I even meet the same people? Or is he so completely lacking in human understanding?
Just – either I’m way off, but this is going to really bother me. It’s not healthy – this relationship of theirs.
Alec’s situation is worth considering further, and I’m really curious to see what the hell happened there.
But honestly, this book is about him meeting and reconnecting with his friends but it feels like he went through a checklist of meetings.
The ending was cheesy, anti-climactic and it felt as though the author was pushing a circle block into a triangle shape (like that game kids play). Or like a Disney film in which the most unrealistic thing ever is “completely obvious, duh. What else?”.
Right, so I wouldn’t recommend this story on its own. Unless this is like an intro to the other London Lads or something (which it seems as though it might be, not entirely sure) – but my rating is still the same. It doesn’t stand enough on its own merit, and the author simply missed quite a lot of plot points they could have delved into further and really gotten the reader invested in. Honestly. Any of them.
1.5 Stars rounded up
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted on Alpha Book Club
The characterisation of, basically every character we are introduced to seems underdeveloped. The circumstances, the situation itself play a big part in getting the reader’s sympathy. It’s necessary to make the readers realise what drives Daniel to go search for his friends from so long ago. Yet, although it’s said it isn’t felt. It felt insincere, and even if it wasn’t – the motivation needed more than brevity. It needed to be expanded upon, and properly explained.
He’s about to search for his friends. Why? Why is it important for him to do so? Why now, and not before? What finally tipped him over to search online and find a former summer camp acquaintance? We get answers, but it’s not given its due. It feels like another detail that’s stated, but not explained thoroughly.
Regarding his online conversations: What gave him the courage to just say “Hi”, and what made him think that this person would know where his friends were? Meeting someone you’ve talked to online can also be nerve wrecking, and Nick’s profile had warning signs written all over it. Yet, he decided to give it a shot. I know he’s not a tech-expert, but basic social media 101 in this day and age – it’s hard to see why that’s lacking.
Seriously, what about the interaction between “Nathan” and Daniel before they meet in that bar? How is it possible that Daniel didn’t realise during their exchanges that this person wasn’t Nathan? How did Nick not realise sooner that Daniel was actually looking for his brother, if he did – then it’s also kind of creepy that he kept writing regardless of this misunderstanding?
There’s so much going on before this quest to look for his friends should even start, but it’s not there. Instead it’s briefly mentioned with his sister and her counterpart. Then, when Daniel does meet Nick for the first time – half the time he’s just checking him out, and although Nick seems like a nice enough guy being in that situation should have at least a “be careful” written next to it.
Leaving the obvious plot point that was right there aside, as well as the awkward phrasing and writing style (as well as how short their encounter was before Daniel decides to enlist Nick’s help to ‘trek’ across the country in search of friends he hasn’t seen in over a decade).
The friends Daniel goes on a quest for each have their own stories, their own tribulations and lives they’ve led.
I wanted to know more about that – either the way they’re just given cameo appearances (although this book’s major plot point is Daniel going on a ‘quest’ for these exact people to find something he doesn’t even exactly know he’s looking for) is to give us a teaser when/if they get their own books, or the author just missed completely obvious cues to delve further. Probably the first, but this review isn’t about the next possible books, it’s about this one. And this one just wasn’t there. The primary objective of this all is to find his friends, get to know them again, find out what’s going on with them in the hopes it will shed light on why he’s doing this all in the first place.
The first friend has obviously overcome many trials and tribulations to be where he/she is, but. just. so little time is spent with them.
The one encounter that really gets to be though is Mark and Edward’s relationship. Seriously, it had warning bells ringing in my head from all over. Pretty sure that’s an abusive relationship (as in, obviously so) – YET THIS IS BEING NORMALISED AS DOMESTIC AND HAPPY?
Did Daniel and I even meet the same people? Or is he so completely lacking in human understanding?
Just – either I’m way off, but this is going to really bother me. It’s not healthy – this relationship of theirs.
Alec’s situation is worth considering further, and I’m really curious to see what the hell happened there.
But honestly, this book is about him meeting and reconnecting with his friends but it feels like he went through a checklist of meetings.
The ending was cheesy, anti-climactic and it felt as though the author was pushing a circle block into a triangle shape (like that game kids play). Or like a Disney film in which the most unrealistic thing ever is “completely obvious, duh. What else?”.
Right, so I wouldn’t recommend this story on its own. Unless this is like an intro to the other London Lads or something (which it seems as though it might be, not entirely sure) – but my rating is still the same. It doesn’t stand enough on its own merit, and the author simply missed quite a lot of plot points they could have delved into further and really gotten the reader invested in. Honestly. Any of them.
1.5 Stars rounded up
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted on Alpha Book Club
crtsjffrsn's review
3.0
Newly single, Daniel Cross needs something to occupy his time. After joining social media, he decides it might be worth looking up the group of friends he spent a summer with at a local sports club in his youth. He's curious to see what has come of each of them. And although he makes a quick first connection, he realizes upon the first meet up that he's made a bit of a mistake and reached out to the wrong Carson brother. Nick Carson doesn't seem bothered, though, and actually expresses some interest in Dan's quest--even offering to travel with him as he tracks down each of the other boys. As they find each of the others and see where their lives have taken them, both Dan and Nick find themselves reflecting on their own choices and compelled to confess some secrets of their own.
When a book takes you on a journey, and you can see yourself traveling right along with the characters, it's easy to find yourself lost in its pages. And that's certainly my experience with this book. There's quite the cast of characters (these boys have each grown up to become something very different), but the focus remains on Dan throughout. What is he learning from meeting each of his old friends? Why are these meetings so important to him? What is he really searching for? And will he know it if and when he finally finds it? A well-written tale of traveling through your past in search of a defining moment that contributed to who you are.
When a book takes you on a journey, and you can see yourself traveling right along with the characters, it's easy to find yourself lost in its pages. And that's certainly my experience with this book. There's quite the cast of characters (these boys have each grown up to become something very different), but the focus remains on Dan throughout. What is he learning from meeting each of his old friends? Why are these meetings so important to him? What is he really searching for? And will he know it if and when he finally finds it? A well-written tale of traveling through your past in search of a defining moment that contributed to who you are.
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