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A review by dinohakari
Whiskey Nights and Neon Dreams by Ashley James
5.0
Well, I didn't see this coming. I mean, I know [a:Ashley James|17766536|Ashley James|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] can write stories with difficult and sensitive themes. I've read them all! But I didn't expect this one to be so intensely despairing at times, or painful or distressing. The absolute loneliness that Segan must have felt practically during his childhood, and specifically during his adolescence (and young adulthood), when everything is felt most deeply, is something that really touched me inside. He had no one. Absolutely no one he could trust or lean on. I can't even imagine that kind of loneliness, while he went through everything he had to go through, and yet, ended up standing, with a scar not only on his body, but on his soul, but standing.
And I can't help but feel angry towards his girlfriend and towards Josiah, too, even knowing that they were also teenagers who were just as lost as him. Her especially. And even though I know that Josiah did what he thought was right, it took me a lot to forgive him, even more than it took Segan to do so. I also want to mention that Ashley did a good job highlighting that both MCs resorted to therapy. They didn't "heal" magically because they love each other, but because they sought help long before they were together again.
Anyway, this story is about Segan, who had for years a girlfriend with whom he didn't know how to break up, for fear of taking away the only support that kept her standing, and his "forbidden" love for Josiah, her uncle, who walked away from him so that Segan could supposedly get his life back on track with said girlfriend... And it deals with how Segan, despite his hard journey overcoming all the chaos and pain that his relationship with her brought him, was able to pursue his dreams, and re meet who he was really meant to be with.
But, as I said before, despite it's a journey full of sad and painful moments, it is also full of beautiful moments, and you can only accompany them on that path, praying that they both finally find themselves in the right place, at the same time and can finally embark on that journey together.
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.
And I can't help but feel angry towards his girlfriend and towards Josiah, too, even knowing that they were also teenagers who were just as lost as him. Her especially. And even though I know that Josiah did what he thought was right, it took me a lot to forgive him, even more than it took Segan to do so. I also want to mention that Ashley did a good job highlighting that both MCs resorted to therapy. They didn't "heal" magically because they love each other, but because they sought help long before they were together again.
Anyway, this story is about Segan, who had for years a girlfriend with whom he didn't know how to break up, for fear of taking away the only support that kept her standing, and his "forbidden" love for Josiah, her uncle, who walked away from him so that Segan could supposedly get his life back on track with said girlfriend... And it deals with how Segan, despite his hard journey overcoming all the chaos and pain that his relationship with her brought him, was able to pursue his dreams, and re meet who he was really meant to be with.
But, as I said before, despite it's a journey full of sad and painful moments, it is also full of beautiful moments, and you can only accompany them on that path, praying that they both finally find themselves in the right place, at the same time and can finally embark on that journey together.
I was given an advanced copy and voluntarily wrote a review.