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tellingetienne's review
2.0
I really wanted to like this. Genderqueer romance lead and a washed up musician? Sounds like a great premise. I liked Ezra, and I had no reason to dislike Red, but they never came together. It felt like I was reading two different books, One about Ezra and one about Red, and they never came together. There was no spark, no chemistry between the two of them. They hardly had much page time together, so I didn't understand why they were drawn to one another. All together, this was a very awkward romance.
sunday_girl's review against another edition
2.0
The story is told by two characters Ezra, who lives with his brother Tray in a rural area just out of town.. and the other main character is Red who was pursuing his musical career in LA until he was asked to leave the band and ‘go to rehab’
The relationship took forever to work around which was a bit frustrating.
I did enjoy reading this until around chapter 19, and then I just skimmed through the rest.
2.5 stars
#genderqueer #bisexual #lesbian #potsmoking #Speedbump #NetGalley #arc
The relationship took forever to work around which was a bit frustrating.
I did enjoy reading this until around chapter 19, and then I just skimmed through the rest.
2.5 stars
#genderqueer #bisexual #lesbian #potsmoking #Speedbump #NetGalley #arc
suze_1624's review against another edition
3.0
3.5*
One of those books which I kind of delayed reading but it actually held my attention all the way.
I have no idea on whether Ezra is portrayed correctly and I’m guessing that as with so many things, everybody is different - and this is fiction not fact.
The use of pronouns only came up at the end and I was surprised by Ezra’s use of they as it had been he all the way through.
Again not had to deal directly with Alzeimer’s but could feel all the frustration of both Tray and Ezra as well as the love. Their parents were a bit odd, suing them but also naming their son Tracy and their daughter Ezra - to a non american, both these are names for the opposite sex.
Red is more of an enigma really - mooching about on his own, navel gazing for a long while before he pulled himself together again.
Any way, enjoyed it and read in one go!
One of those books which I kind of delayed reading but it actually held my attention all the way.
I have no idea on whether Ezra is portrayed correctly and I’m guessing that as with so many things, everybody is different - and this is fiction not fact.
The use of pronouns only came up at the end and I was surprised by Ezra’s use of they as it had been he all the way through.
Again not had to deal directly with Alzeimer’s but could feel all the frustration of both Tray and Ezra as well as the love. Their parents were a bit odd, suing them but also naming their son Tracy and their daughter Ezra - to a non american, both these are names for the opposite sex.
Red is more of an enigma really - mooching about on his own, navel gazing for a long while before he pulled himself together again.
Any way, enjoyed it and read in one go!
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
5.0
~ 4.5 Stars ~
Author Charli Coty tackles more than one sensitive subject in the release of the novel Speedbump. Having multiple bisexual characters, one of whom is transgender and non-binary as well, creates an interesting dynamic in a rather gritty novel about second chances. I could write paragraphs about the character of Ezra alone and still not fully realize the many layers of this fascinating person. While Ezra may physically appear as a female in transition, there is much more to their personality than just the gender dysphoria that has plagued them for years. Admittedly, Ezra does not always take the testosterone they need to smooth out the telltale feminine curves they choose to keep hidden away. However, this may have more to do with the fact that Ezra supports their brother, who has early onset of Alzheimer’s and requires round-the-clock care, making it difficult for Ezra to work anywhere near even a part time job and means that financially they live on the edge. When we first meet them, Ezra appears to be more male in appearance—at least to Red Richardson.
Red is home, disgraced and recovering from essentially destroying his rock band career by overindulging in drugs and alcohol. He is now a pariah in the once welcoming music community and has come back to the small town of Drop to lick his wounds and decide what to do next. He has cleaned himself up—but he is a man with a past, one that haunts him and dredges up more guilt than he can handle. When he spies Ezra walking alongside the road, he stops to offer them a ride—and that is the beginning of something that will eventually consume both Ezra and Red and break their carefully controlled lives apart. Theirs will be a dance that seemingly never ends, with Ezra unwilling to risk the rejection they have experienced before, and with Red unable to give up the dream of returning to music again.
Lost in a series of misconceptions and inability to communicate their needs, Ezra and Red will circle each other over and over, each time coming just that little bit closer to acknowledging their desires. Red will have to battle the mistrust and loyalties of not one but two ex’s of Ezra’s, who both seem to still harbor something more than just friendly love toward them. Ezra will finally be forced to expose not only their physical secrets but also the deeper emotional scars that have made them wary of trusting another with their heart. In the end, the emotional fallout will either see these two finally together and accepting of each other’s issues, or torn apart and unable to bridge the chasm that threatens to swallow them whole.
The beauty and sensitivity that is employed to relate the story of Ezra’s and Red’s lives leaves one breathless at times. This is no easy romance nor is it a usual one. Author Charli Coty exposes the idea of bisexuality with a less than politically correct lens, allowing her characters to stumble over the proper terms—a key example being Red grappling with whether to call Ezra he, she or they. The author doesn’t shy away from depicting Ezra physically or fade to black when it comes to describing their sexual activity. Instead, the scenes are done with compassion, directness and a frankness that is refreshing and even poignant at times. When Ezra physically reveals their body to Red, risking his rejection or disgust, it is perhaps the most courageous scene in the entire novel and the most intimate. But the real triumph here is how two lives, so wounded, so fragile find in each other a sense of home—a connection that supersedes any physical attraction even though that remains a healthy part of their relationship.
I daresay this novel may make some a bit uncomfortable. Transgender characters are few and far between in today’s m/m genre—an oversight that is slowly being rectified. Bisexual characters are often watered down or made to fit the strict m/m molds we have thus far been used to reading about in most novels. In Speedbump, we see an author who allows the characters to be unashamedly bi, trans, non-binary or straight. There are no qualifiers, no excuses, no trying to make the reader comfy by making Red and Ezra’s relationship something easy and unquestioned. Instead, all kinds of questions and emotions arise, and the author allows the people in this novel to address them with unflinching honesty. I would venture to say that some readers may not like the way in which Red essentially blurts out whatever comes into his mind in regards to Ezra’s sexuality, particularly when he remarks that loving Ezra fulfills his personal love for both men and women. However, it is just that honesty that makes this character more of a real person than any politically correct stance he could have been given by the author.
In my opinion, Speedbump is a love story that transcends labels and allows for love to blossom in the wake of shared heartbreak and loneliness. It appreciates the intentions of the heart and seeks to allow for mistakes to be overcome when communication is used to correct misconceptions. I value what I think this author was trying to say, and I recommend you read this novel with an open mind and heart.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
Author Charli Coty tackles more than one sensitive subject in the release of the novel Speedbump. Having multiple bisexual characters, one of whom is transgender and non-binary as well, creates an interesting dynamic in a rather gritty novel about second chances. I could write paragraphs about the character of Ezra alone and still not fully realize the many layers of this fascinating person. While Ezra may physically appear as a female in transition, there is much more to their personality than just the gender dysphoria that has plagued them for years. Admittedly, Ezra does not always take the testosterone they need to smooth out the telltale feminine curves they choose to keep hidden away. However, this may have more to do with the fact that Ezra supports their brother, who has early onset of Alzheimer’s and requires round-the-clock care, making it difficult for Ezra to work anywhere near even a part time job and means that financially they live on the edge. When we first meet them, Ezra appears to be more male in appearance—at least to Red Richardson.
Red is home, disgraced and recovering from essentially destroying his rock band career by overindulging in drugs and alcohol. He is now a pariah in the once welcoming music community and has come back to the small town of Drop to lick his wounds and decide what to do next. He has cleaned himself up—but he is a man with a past, one that haunts him and dredges up more guilt than he can handle. When he spies Ezra walking alongside the road, he stops to offer them a ride—and that is the beginning of something that will eventually consume both Ezra and Red and break their carefully controlled lives apart. Theirs will be a dance that seemingly never ends, with Ezra unwilling to risk the rejection they have experienced before, and with Red unable to give up the dream of returning to music again.
Lost in a series of misconceptions and inability to communicate their needs, Ezra and Red will circle each other over and over, each time coming just that little bit closer to acknowledging their desires. Red will have to battle the mistrust and loyalties of not one but two ex’s of Ezra’s, who both seem to still harbor something more than just friendly love toward them. Ezra will finally be forced to expose not only their physical secrets but also the deeper emotional scars that have made them wary of trusting another with their heart. In the end, the emotional fallout will either see these two finally together and accepting of each other’s issues, or torn apart and unable to bridge the chasm that threatens to swallow them whole.
The beauty and sensitivity that is employed to relate the story of Ezra’s and Red’s lives leaves one breathless at times. This is no easy romance nor is it a usual one. Author Charli Coty exposes the idea of bisexuality with a less than politically correct lens, allowing her characters to stumble over the proper terms—a key example being Red grappling with whether to call Ezra he, she or they. The author doesn’t shy away from depicting Ezra physically or fade to black when it comes to describing their sexual activity. Instead, the scenes are done with compassion, directness and a frankness that is refreshing and even poignant at times. When Ezra physically reveals their body to Red, risking his rejection or disgust, it is perhaps the most courageous scene in the entire novel and the most intimate. But the real triumph here is how two lives, so wounded, so fragile find in each other a sense of home—a connection that supersedes any physical attraction even though that remains a healthy part of their relationship.
I daresay this novel may make some a bit uncomfortable. Transgender characters are few and far between in today’s m/m genre—an oversight that is slowly being rectified. Bisexual characters are often watered down or made to fit the strict m/m molds we have thus far been used to reading about in most novels. In Speedbump, we see an author who allows the characters to be unashamedly bi, trans, non-binary or straight. There are no qualifiers, no excuses, no trying to make the reader comfy by making Red and Ezra’s relationship something easy and unquestioned. Instead, all kinds of questions and emotions arise, and the author allows the people in this novel to address them with unflinching honesty. I would venture to say that some readers may not like the way in which Red essentially blurts out whatever comes into his mind in regards to Ezra’s sexuality, particularly when he remarks that loving Ezra fulfills his personal love for both men and women. However, it is just that honesty that makes this character more of a real person than any politically correct stance he could have been given by the author.
In my opinion, Speedbump is a love story that transcends labels and allows for love to blossom in the wake of shared heartbreak and loneliness. It appreciates the intentions of the heart and seeks to allow for mistakes to be overcome when communication is used to correct misconceptions. I value what I think this author was trying to say, and I recommend you read this novel with an open mind and heart.
Reviewed by Sammy for The Novel Approach
bonecarvdweaver's review against another edition
3.0
Speedbump was the very first book I requested to read on NetGalley. Unfortunately, the only way to review ARCs is to read electronically but it's in my own personal taste to have physical books and that is a reason why it took me a while to pick up the book.However, I was very interested in reading a story dealing with LGBT characters as well as ones that are dealing with home issues ( such as a brother dealing with Alzheimer's disease ).
I believe that the writing was well written and easy to get a hold of. The only disservice to the writing is that I found that a word was used for writing in one character's POV and then was used again in the side character's POV which made me think that the character was not separated from the others or that the author simply forgot the character's voice.
The positive to the writing was the characters. They were all different in their own ways and even though they were written at a distance, I found myself inside of our main character Ezra. In my teenage years, I found myself confused but well informed about the gender and sexuality spectrum. As well informed as I think of myself to be I found that I understood what Ezra was feeling; about how they felt "in the middle" and unsure. I too have felt that way and it was pleasing to go through that experience through our character who felt androgynous and uncomfortable choosing between genders and appearing one way or another to certain characters.
There were bumps along the way where the story moved too quickly or seemed too fast. And around 80% the sex scene was tacky and unromantic and read more like a steamy explanation of exploration by an adult teaching a teen how to write short smut fanfiction. However, despite the drama and the turns of the characters, I liked the romance.
One thing I should add is that the author left out the fact that the main love interest, Red, is African American. It's not important to the story or rarely an important detail and nothing that needs to be pointed out, but not having an ideal look at a character confuses me when in my head I have one picture, and 50% in suddenly the author gives us details we should have known in the beginning. It was something that took me out of the story completely. I went from having a clear picture of our characters to half-way in, not knowing anything about them. It's unfortunate but I think that the author simply thought it better to show later or keep it out. Either way, I'm going to be spending some time going back to rethink what these characters look like. Nonetheless, nothing about my views have changed.
I liked Ellred Long or Richardson as he likes to go by, because he is an intelligent character whose trying to figure out if he wants to break down in the middle of Oregon to stay for a guy ( he thinks is a "he" ) or go back to Seattle where past is left behind and music guides him.
Red was a typical horny musician with a sorta bad lifestyle. Good character and well rounded in the fact that he's still not sure of his sexuality and whether or not he wants to face his fears. I got tired of reading, "I got horny. I'm hard. Can he see that I'm hard?". It was.. a little off-putting. I wanted something more out of the relationship than sexuality, And that evolved through the pages but it all came down to sex. It was a little disappointing.
However, not to spread spoilers, but it was a happy ending. To be perfectly honest I stopped at 87% right after they seemed to figure things out and drama settled. I felt that the story ended but noticed that it wasn't over. I could not make myself go through the rest of the story in fear that my opinions would change based on the last 50 pages. I liked this book but I definitely felt like it went on longer than it should and that it ran out of juice.
It was a good book with interesting characters, well-informed writing of LGBTQA themes, but it was a story that ran on too long. I enjoyed the story but will not be planning on reading anymore past 87%, and will be recommending it to readers who enjoy short reads, LGBTA themes, and people who can enjoy romance more than actual plot.
This was a review based on the story Speedbump by Charli Coty, an ARC from NetGalley.
I believe that the writing was well written and easy to get a hold of. The only disservice to the writing is that I found that a word was used for writing in one character's POV and then was used again in the side character's POV which made me think that the character was not separated from the others or that the author simply forgot the character's voice.
The positive to the writing was the characters. They were all different in their own ways and even though they were written at a distance, I found myself inside of our main character Ezra. In my teenage years, I found myself confused but well informed about the gender and sexuality spectrum. As well informed as I think of myself to be I found that I understood what Ezra was feeling; about how they felt "in the middle" and unsure. I too have felt that way and it was pleasing to go through that experience through our character who felt androgynous and uncomfortable choosing between genders and appearing one way or another to certain characters.
There were bumps along the way where the story moved too quickly or seemed too fast. And around 80% the sex scene was tacky and unromantic and read more like a steamy explanation of exploration by an adult teaching a teen how to write short smut fanfiction. However, despite the drama and the turns of the characters, I liked the romance.
One thing I should add is that the author left out the fact that the main love interest, Red, is African American. It's not important to the story or rarely an important detail and nothing that needs to be pointed out, but not having an ideal look at a character confuses me when in my head I have one picture, and 50% in suddenly the author gives us details we should have known in the beginning. It was something that took me out of the story completely. I went from having a clear picture of our characters to half-way in, not knowing anything about them. It's unfortunate but I think that the author simply thought it better to show later or keep it out. Either way, I'm going to be spending some time going back to rethink what these characters look like. Nonetheless, nothing about my views have changed.
I liked Ellred Long or Richardson as he likes to go by, because he is an intelligent character whose trying to figure out if he wants to break down in the middle of Oregon to stay for a guy ( he thinks is a "he" ) or go back to Seattle where past is left behind and music guides him.
Red was a typical horny musician with a sorta bad lifestyle. Good character and well rounded in the fact that he's still not sure of his sexuality and whether or not he wants to face his fears. I got tired of reading, "I got horny. I'm hard. Can he see that I'm hard?". It was.. a little off-putting. I wanted something more out of the relationship than sexuality, And that evolved through the pages but it all came down to sex. It was a little disappointing.
However, not to spread spoilers, but it was a happy ending. To be perfectly honest I stopped at 87% right after they seemed to figure things out and drama settled. I felt that the story ended but noticed that it wasn't over. I could not make myself go through the rest of the story in fear that my opinions would change based on the last 50 pages. I liked this book but I definitely felt like it went on longer than it should and that it ran out of juice.
It was a good book with interesting characters, well-informed writing of LGBTQA themes, but it was a story that ran on too long. I enjoyed the story but will not be planning on reading anymore past 87%, and will be recommending it to readers who enjoy short reads, LGBTA themes, and people who can enjoy romance more than actual plot.
This was a review based on the story Speedbump by Charli Coty, an ARC from NetGalley.
ktomp17's review against another edition
3.0
Ezra lives with their brother and pretty much lives their life to make Tray's safe and comfortable. Tray has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Ezra tries to do as much as possible, but fortuantely there is support from friends. Red left the small town years ago to become a musician, but drugs and alcohol got in the way. Coming back for a fresh start while he gets ready to find a new band, Red sees Ezra and is immediately attracted and intrigued. There is quite a bit of dancing around them getting to know each other at first, but when they finally started to talk, it was nice to see them appreciate each other.
My heart broke for Tray. Alzheimer's is such a difficult disease to watch a loved one suffer from, and to do it so early is heartbreaking. I thought this was well written.
It took me a little bit to really wrap my head around Ezra and who they were. It was very clearly identified that they were bisexual, but we got so many little pieces about their preferences (with everything from clothes to sex to romance) slowly through the book that it took a while for me to really get a solid understanding.
I did like Red with Ezra. It was nice to see Red's journey to finding peace within himself. I loved how Ezra was the perfect match for him in every way. They were a great couple. The secondary characters (Brett and Tink) were fun also, and they were great friends and supports for Ezra and Tray.
I received a copy of this book via Indigo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review
My heart broke for Tray. Alzheimer's is such a difficult disease to watch a loved one suffer from, and to do it so early is heartbreaking. I thought this was well written.
It took me a little bit to really wrap my head around Ezra and who they were. It was very clearly identified that they were bisexual, but we got so many little pieces about their preferences (with everything from clothes to sex to romance) slowly through the book that it took a while for me to really get a solid understanding.
I did like Red with Ezra. It was nice to see Red's journey to finding peace within himself. I loved how Ezra was the perfect match for him in every way. They were a great couple. The secondary characters (Brett and Tink) were fun also, and they were great friends and supports for Ezra and Tray.
I received a copy of this book via Indigo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review
twinyards's review
3.0
Speedbump was the very first book I requested to read on NetGalley. Unfortunately, the only way to review ARCs is to read electronically but it's in my own personal taste to have physical books and that is a reason why it took me a while to pick up the book.However, I was very interested in reading a story dealing with LGBT characters as well as ones that are dealing with home issues ( such as a brother dealing with Alzheimer's disease ).
I believe that the writing was well written and easy to get a hold of. The only disservice to the writing is that I found that a word was used for writing in one character's POV and then was used again in the side character's POV which made me think that the character was not separated from the others or that the author simply forgot the character's voice.
The positive to the writing was the characters. They were all different in their own ways and even though they were written at a distance, I found myself inside of our main character Ezra. In my teenage years, I found myself confused but well informed about the gender and sexuality spectrum. As well informed as I think of myself to be I found that I understood what Ezra was feeling; about how they felt "in the middle" and unsure. I too have felt that way and it was pleasing to go through that experience through our character who felt androgynous and uncomfortable choosing between genders and appearing one way or another to certain characters.
There were bumps along the way where the story moved too quickly or seemed too fast. And around 80% the sex scene was tacky and unromantic and read more like a steamy explanation of exploration by an adult teaching a teen how to write short smut fanfiction. However, despite the drama and the turns of the characters, I liked the romance.
One thing I should add is that the author left out the fact that the main love interest, Red, is African American. It's not important to the story or rarely an important detail and nothing that needs to be pointed out, but not having an ideal look at a character confuses me when in my head I have one picture, and 50% in suddenly the author gives us details we should have known in the beginning. It was something that took me out of the story completely. I went from having a clear picture of our characters to half-way in, not knowing anything about them. It's unfortunate but I think that the author simply thought it better to show later or keep it out. Either way, I'm going to be spending some time going back to rethink what these characters look like. Nonetheless, nothing about my views have changed.
I liked Ellred Long or Richardson as he likes to go by, because he is an intelligent character whose trying to figure out if he wants to break down in the middle of Oregon to stay for a guy ( he thinks is a "he" ) or go back to Seattle where past is left behind and music guides him.
Red was a typical horny musician with a sorta bad lifestyle. Good character and well rounded in the fact that he's still not sure of his sexuality and whether or not he wants to face his fears. I got tired of reading, "I got horny. I'm hard. Can he see that I'm hard?". It was.. a little off-putting. I wanted something more out of the relationship than sexuality, And that evolved through the pages but it all came down to sex. It was a little disappointing.
However, not to spread spoilers, but it was a happy ending. To be perfectly honest I stopped at 87% right after they seemed to figure things out and drama settled. I felt that the story ended but noticed that it wasn't over. I could not make myself go through the rest of the story in fear that my opinions would change based on the last 50 pages. I liked this book but I definitely felt like it went on longer than it should and that it ran out of juice.
It was a good book with interesting characters, well-informed writing of LGBTQA themes, but it was a story that ran on too long. I enjoyed the story but will not be planning on reading anymore past 87%, and will be recommending it to readers who enjoy short reads, LGBTA themes, and people who can enjoy romance more than actual plot.
This was a review based on the story Speedbump by Charli Coty, an ARC from NetGalley.
I believe that the writing was well written and easy to get a hold of. The only disservice to the writing is that I found that a word was used for writing in one character's POV and then was used again in the side character's POV which made me think that the character was not separated from the others or that the author simply forgot the character's voice.
The positive to the writing was the characters. They were all different in their own ways and even though they were written at a distance, I found myself inside of our main character Ezra. In my teenage years, I found myself confused but well informed about the gender and sexuality spectrum. As well informed as I think of myself to be I found that I understood what Ezra was feeling; about how they felt "in the middle" and unsure. I too have felt that way and it was pleasing to go through that experience through our character who felt androgynous and uncomfortable choosing between genders and appearing one way or another to certain characters.
There were bumps along the way where the story moved too quickly or seemed too fast. And around 80% the sex scene was tacky and unromantic and read more like a steamy explanation of exploration by an adult teaching a teen how to write short smut fanfiction. However, despite the drama and the turns of the characters, I liked the romance.
One thing I should add is that the author left out the fact that the main love interest, Red, is African American. It's not important to the story or rarely an important detail and nothing that needs to be pointed out, but not having an ideal look at a character confuses me when in my head I have one picture, and 50% in suddenly the author gives us details we should have known in the beginning. It was something that took me out of the story completely. I went from having a clear picture of our characters to half-way in, not knowing anything about them. It's unfortunate but I think that the author simply thought it better to show later or keep it out. Either way, I'm going to be spending some time going back to rethink what these characters look like. Nonetheless, nothing about my views have changed.
I liked Ellred Long or Richardson as he likes to go by, because he is an intelligent character whose trying to figure out if he wants to break down in the middle of Oregon to stay for a guy ( he thinks is a "he" ) or go back to Seattle where past is left behind and music guides him.
Red was a typical horny musician with a sorta bad lifestyle. Good character and well rounded in the fact that he's still not sure of his sexuality and whether or not he wants to face his fears. I got tired of reading, "I got horny. I'm hard. Can he see that I'm hard?". It was.. a little off-putting. I wanted something more out of the relationship than sexuality, And that evolved through the pages but it all came down to sex. It was a little disappointing.
However, not to spread spoilers, but it was a happy ending. To be perfectly honest I stopped at 87% right after they seemed to figure things out and drama settled. I felt that the story ended but noticed that it wasn't over. I could not make myself go through the rest of the story in fear that my opinions would change based on the last 50 pages. I liked this book but I definitely felt like it went on longer than it should and that it ran out of juice.
It was a good book with interesting characters, well-informed writing of LGBTQA themes, but it was a story that ran on too long. I enjoyed the story but will not be planning on reading anymore past 87%, and will be recommending it to readers who enjoy short reads, LGBTA themes, and people who can enjoy romance more than actual plot.
This was a review based on the story Speedbump by Charli Coty, an ARC from NetGalley.
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