Nothing Ever Happens

Feb 19, 2013 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars...

Well this book was just RIDICULOUS.

Bad writing, horrible editing, and just outrageous story points.

I will try and save you by telling you to run the other way from this book. However, if you have the itch for a poorly written, unbelievable GFY plot than close your eyes as I spoil away in this review:

- 2 married men, one in a “beard” relationship, the other blissfully happy hetero
- Love at first hug.
- Cheating
- Club sex
- “I can’t do this! I can’t do this!”
- Fake pregnancy
- Emotional b...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Nichole (Dirty H) added it

Shelves: 2011, m-m

My feelings about this book are so mixed as to make it impossible to rate so I'm not going to. There were parts that I hated, and parts that had me totally sucked in. It was such a roller coaster - not just the story, but my enjoyment of it. I don't know if I would recommend it to anyone, it's just all totally up in the air. There were characters that I not only disliked but thought were poorly written. There were dialogue and events that I thought were unnecessary and made no sense. But for me,...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Veronica / V rated it 4 of 5 stars

When I read the blurb about this story, my first thought was...you are going to love it or hate it, and in my case I loved it.
The story goes through 7 years of the life of Andrew and Nathan, both married with children and falling in love with each other.
So many emotions went through my head when I was reading it - I got angry with Nathan many times and called him a wimp, but then I realized he was in a very difficult situation. How do you really deal with it when you always thought you were stra...more

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May 06, 2011 Allie rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was about Andrew and Nathan's love story, a story which spans 7 years to actually come to fruition. What I don't get about stories such as these is why stay with someone who you don't love (or who doesn't love you). Alex, Nathan's wife, KNEW Nate was having sex with someone other than herself. She knew he was having sex with Andrew and that they were undeniably drawn to each other over anyone else. She also knew that Andrew was in a fake marriage to Stephanie because they had been forc...more This book was about Andrew and Nathan's love story, a story which spans 7 years to actually come to fruition. What I don't get about stories such as these is why stay with someone who you don't love (or who doesn't love you). Alex, Nathan's wife, KNEW Nate was having sex with someone other than herself. She knew he was having sex with Andrew and that they were undeniably drawn to each other over anyone else. She also knew that Andrew was in a fake marriage to Stephanie because they had been forced to marry as teens, by Drew's mom, when Stephanie fell pregnant on the one time they had sex. Now, knowing this Alex stays with Nathan and makes sure (won't spoil) that he stays with her.

As with another reader I found the label, 'older man', stupid when it referred to Andrew (as he was in his mid 20s when the story starts and hardly what one would classify as an older man even though, sure, he was older than 23 year old Nate). It made it sound like he was a LOT older than 26, frankly. Almost made it sound like a May/December relationship LOL. But that was just a niggle.

The cheating was annoying because, apparently, it was OK in a gay marriage so, therefore, OK (unbeknown to wife) in a straight marriage? If you need to cheat (and we're not just talking once which is, also, not acceptable) constantly GET OUT OF YOUR MARRIAGE. I realize we're supposed to sympathize with these two men who are so in love with each other but what about the one man's wife. Sure, Drew's wife is fine with it because theirs is a farce of a marriage, but Nate's wife isn't fine with it. I still don't get why she was accepting of Nate's infidelity. Did she really have no self esteem? Is that why she allowed it to continue and said nothing? And stayed?

I really wanted to like this story as I liked Drew. I suppose there are reasons for an elementary school teacher to keep his relationship with a man a secret when he's a big fat cheater. But, otherwise, is there any reason for a gay man to keep quiet about being gay if he teaches elementary school children?

I think Drew deserved to be treated better. I liked Rich but how convenient that he ... (won't ruin it).

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Jun 17, 2011 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, read-in-2011, romance-contemporary

I was torn over what to rate this book. I settled on a 4 (probably closer to 4.5).

This is an epic sort of story that spans 8 years in the lives of these two men. They are both married men. (Heterosexual marriages). They are both fathers. And they want to put their family first. While Andrew has an unconventional relationship, it's pretty much a good one. Nathan however is in a whole different situation.

Together Andrew and Nathan have what could be described as something of a love/hate relations...more

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May 12, 2011 Lori K rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I bought this book knowing it had cheating etc so that was already on the table. I derived from the other reviews that those points could be accepted because it was otherwise, very good.

Even if I could ignore the cheating, open relationships etc I would still not have enjoyed the book. Too many issues such as inconsistent characters, foreign wording (especially considering this is Calif and Texas) and story lines that just didn't make any sense.

For instance, the character of Alex, Nathan's wife....more

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May 16, 2013 Joan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: give-a-second-chance, m-m

I tend to read a story very quickly, then, if I don’t get exasperated and (metaphorically in the case of my Kindle) throw it across the room, I will generally re-read and make a more ‘rational’ decision about it. I get engrossed in good stories, losing myself in the pages and becoming a part of that world, much the same as I do in the cinema. So, there I was, happily reading about Andrew and Nathan and with a pretty good idea of where things were heading when I was jolted out of the comfortable...more I tend to read a story very quickly, then, if I don’t get exasperated and (metaphorically in the case of my Kindle) throw it across the room, I will generally re-read and make a more ‘rational’ decision about it. I get engrossed in good stories, losing myself in the pages and becoming a part of that world, much the same as I do in the cinema. So, there I was, happily reading about Andrew and Nathan and with a pretty good idea of where things were heading when I was jolted out of the comfortable world in ‘Nothing Ever Happens’ by one of the most ridiculous plot developments. (view spoiler)[ Andrew is (apparently) killed in a car accident. Chapter 16 tells us about Nathan mourning the loss and then without any explanation – Andrew reappears, alive and well and no one explains how the mistake occurred. We are left to work it out for ourselves. And even now I have no idea why or how Andrew was declared dead. It’s not really a simple error is it? I mean, don’t people in the US check things like the identity of a dead person? Or did I miss something important? I re-read several times to make sure.... Nope: We have... ‘Nathan hadn’t slept since the news of Andrew’s death .. and then after a nicely written introspective on Nathan’s part we get: ‘Stephanie called an hour ago. She has some news.’ Been practising the skill of raising the dead eh, Stephanie? (please don’t tell me it was all to do with Rich having the surname ‘Andrew’ because no one in their right mind would make that mistake).

It seemed to be nothing more than a cheap trick by the writer to get rid of Rich and leave the way clear for Nathan. It pulled me out of the story and after that, it took a long whiler for me to get involved again. Some of the minor characters were very well drawn: Colin for example, and I had to admit to liking Stephanie, but Andrew’s mother, amongst other characters, was a cliché beyond belief. I cannot believe that any grown man, having been treated the way she had treated him, still tolerated her presence, let alone allowed her anywhere near his own child.

As for the cheating aspect, let’s face it – it happens. Wives cheat on husbands, husbands cheat on wives, lovers cheat on partners. And there are, and always will be, women and men who stay with an unfaithful, even abusive spouse, either because they are clinging to a false hope, or because it is better than the devil you don’t know. Perhaps apathy also plays a part. Or money.

In the story Stephanie comes across as a strong, determined woman, who went into marriage with her eyes wide open. (I was intrigued to read that the blame for her pregnancy seemed to be laid squarely at Andrew’s feet for not using a condom. As far as I remember, it takes two to tango - as the phrase goes). But their marriage was not only of convenience, but of acceptance and tolerance and understanding. As for Nathan and Alex? Yes, he cheated on her, but to deliberately tie him closer into a miserable marriage by the pretence of being pregnant was a little extreme. And ... it’s not easy to fake a miscarriage. She had to have been at least eight weeks pregnant, if not more. Messy, painful, and yet Alex states: ‘It was easy enough to say I’d lost it and then try for another one.’ Somehow that was a little too convenient. (hide spoiler)]

Anyway, this was a bit like Goldilocks’s porridge. Hot in places,very nicely satisfying in others and yet with portions that left me feeling cold. I was tempted to give it only two stars which seemed a little harsh, but there were enough ‘just right’ parts to made me re-consider and I gave it the benefit of the doubt with three.

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Feb 05, 2013 Rurae rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: male-male-romance

I loved this book. It's really different to many in the romance genre. It's very realistic and because of that it's not an easy read but its a damn satisfying one.

A couple of times I cried during reading this and the characters really stayed with me.

This is my second Sue Brown book and has made me want to read more of her writing. I read The Isle Of Where and enjoyed it but wasn't overwhelmed by it. So I left her alone for a while but I kept reading good stuff about her writing and wondered if...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Bea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: male-male, abuse-not-by-hero, angst, closeted, disability-illness, goodreads-review, photographer

Torn between a 3 and a 4. I finally decided that it was a 4 based on the fact that I put off talking to husband, doing laundry, cleaning the house, having company over, eating, and crying like a baby while reading it. That alone deserves a 4.

Basically it is a story about two married, closeted men over a period of 7 years. We see their ups and downs, when they make mistakes, learn from them, and when they do not learn from them.

I spoke about cheating in another review and how recently it seems li...more

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Sep 17, 2011 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, kindle-non-lendable, re-readables

I truly felt for Andrew. I hate that Nathan and others seemed to blame him like he was trying to seduce Nathan, but I don't think he did anything wrong other than the obvious of messing around with a married man. He should have put his foot down WAY earlier and made Nathan choose, but I get he was in love, so he kept going back. I am glad that he stood up for himself when Nathan came to tell him Alex was pregnant. I truly hated Alex. I get that she loved Nathan, but she knew he wasn't in love wi...more

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Jun 23, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, anal-play-sex, erotic, m-f, m-m

Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...

A Whipped Cream 'BEST BOOK'!

“Thou shalt not lust after thy gorgeous neighbor. We’ll just tempt you with their body and make you sit within drooling distance at every opportunity.”

To say I was stunned and left speechless after I finished Nothing Ever Happens is an understatement. I met Ms. Brown on one of the Yahoo groups, read the excerpt for this book and bought it, curious to see how the author used her imagination to write this tal...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Penny Brandon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tragic lovestory that had so many twists and turns that I didn't know if I was a roller coaster of high emotion or frustration. I love long angsty books and this was definately one of them. This is the first book I've ever read of Sue's and I'll will be reading more because she brings out the traits of the characters to the point when just as you think you know them they'll do something unexpected. I felt so sorry for Andrew, trapped in a marriage he didn't want but stayed in for the sake of his...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Bee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: abuse-hate-bullying, gay-for-you, heavy-angst, kindle, m-m, love-gone-wrong, passion-erotica, pissed-me-off, romance, stuck-in-the-closet, trigger-for-pet-peeves

This just didn’t work for me. I felt like the author made a lot of unfortunate choices in telling this story, and I didn’t connect enough with the characters to be able to look past the flaws.

The story is about two married men who fall in love. One of them, Andrew, is a gay man in a sham-marriage. The other, Nathan, is a straight(bi) guy in a new relationship, expecting a baby. Both of these guys have to alter their lives along the course of story, and they have to decide whether or not their lo...more This just didn’t work for me. I felt like the author made a lot of unfortunate choices in telling this story, and I didn’t connect enough with the characters to be able to look past the flaws.

The story is about two married men who fall in love. One of them, Andrew, is a gay man in a sham-marriage. The other, Nathan, is a straight(bi) guy in a new relationship, expecting a baby. Both of these guys have to alter their lives along the course of story, and they have to decide whether or not their love for each other is strong enough to survive.

I didn’t relate to the characters, and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we’re not given a consistent or full picture of their thoughts and feelings. At the beginning of the book we get to follow Andrew, and his thoughts as he meets Nathan. However, we don’t get to see what’s going on inside Nathan’s mind, suddenly he’s just confessing attraction to Andrew. Andrew is apparently suffering from a lot of his past experiences, and it affects his relationship with Nathan. Andrew is in his twenties (the constant use of “the older man” in reference to him makes you forget that though!) but has been through some experiences already that has made him bitter and doubting whatever anyone says. When Nathan asks for some time Andrew refuses to give it to him, thus not showing any faith or trust in Nate or their relationship. Asking someone to change their entire life over the course of one night without showing any kind of sympathy…does not a loveable character make. Nathan on the other hand makes a lot of mistakes and ends up hurting Andrew a lot, also not making you love him as a character. Then there are the rest of the characters, neither of them have any consistent personality or goals in life; all of them a turncoats that conveniently change their behavior according to what the author wants to happen in the story. Then there are those crazy convenient parts of the story and those incredibly fortunate characters who make sure Andrew and Nathan never manage to get far away from or close enough to each other to force a change in their relationship…until the very end of course. I just found a lot of it very hard to believe.

Then there were these pivotal scenes in the story that were told as memories, or retold in conversation, instead of being told as they happened. It really took you out of the story and made the pace of the novel slower.

Then there were the analogies. They are sometimes helpful, and yes, they sometimes enhance a story. But not when they are thrown in in the middle of the book and the same one is used ten times in the same chapter. Yes, yes, I got that Nathan’s life was like a carousel ride. Please stop telling me that over and over again! Also, a little subtlety wouldn’t have hurt quite a few times in this story.

Finally, there was so much angst in this! I’m almost glad I didn’t feel so much for the characters, because the poor things never got to be happy! There was just one thing after another thrown at them; divorce, marriage, betrayal, death… jeesh, would a little happy have hurt them? (So Emily, I’d say the heart-break factor is pretty high, IF you like the characters!)

I’m sure there are people who love this story, and I can even see how that would happen, I’m however not one of those. I didn’t click with the story and therefore a lot of things about it bothered me. Ah well, you can’t win every time.

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Aug 07, 2012 Vladimir rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Parenthood" meets "Queer as Folk" is how I'd best describe the book. The story tells the tale of Andrew Matthews, a gay man trapped in the confines of marriage who suddenly falls in love for the guy nextdoor, Nathan Peterson. Problem is, Nathan's also married -- with a kid on the way.

The book broke down a lot of stereotypes for me which is how I like my novels. Here are a few:

1. I believe this would be the firs m/m romance novel I've read wherein the main protagonists are both married AND with...more
"Parenthood" meets "Queer as Folk" is how I'd best describe the book. The story tells the tale of Andrew Matthews, a gay man trapped in the confines of marriage who suddenly falls in love for the guy nextdoor, Nathan Peterson. Problem is, Nathan's also married -- with a kid on the way.

The book broke down a lot of stereotypes for me which is how I like my novels. Here are a few:

1. I believe this would be the firs m/m romance novel I've read wherein the main protagonists are both married AND with kids. Normally it'd just be one or the other. I didn't read the blurb so I was very excited to see how the story would play out. I remember thinking to myself "Ha! Goodluck with that one."

2. I especially like the way the author portrayed Stephanie and Alex, in this story. They were regarded as very sensible, strong and considerate women. Despite how their respective marriages turned out, they remained kind towards their husbands. There was even a point early in the story where Alex stood up for Andrew against her husband Nathan when he became upset with Andrew upon discovering that their friend was living a gay lifestyle in secret. Andrew returned the favor later when he justified to Nathan why Alex was treating her husband possesively after learning that Nathan had feelings for Andrew. This element broke the stigma of ex-wives being stereotyped as the common villains in most gay romance novels, similar to an evil step-mother of childrens fairytales. Kudos to the author for this.

3. The book SERIOUSLY made me believe that one of the main characters died halfway through the story. I totally freaked out. That was a good one!

On the downside, there were also a few elements that I didn't like about the story:

1. The story regarded religious people as bigots, namely Andrew's mother Ruth. It was somewhat of a stereotype for me.

2. Andrew was comfortable having an open relationship with his boyfriend Rich after Nathan left him. I'm not sure if Andrew was in constant denial because he couldn't have the man he wanted or he was simply slutty. Afterall, it was made clear that Andrew loved Rich so that was confusing for me. Then again, I could never understand open relationships.

3. Rich (Andrew's boyfriend) kissed Nathan, (the man Andrew truly loves) and they were both totally cool with it. I was like, "Huh?"

4. I found the book a bit dense at times because of too many neighbors being named and new characters being introduced that often made me think "Who was he/she again?" It seemed the author was naming characters faster than she could get me to really know them.

All in all the story was great and I enjoyed it very much. It's filled with angst that brought me to tears and humor which made my stomach hurt. Lots of character development and most importantly, life lessons along the way. I detect a growing relationship between young Colin and Daniel as well. A second books perhaps? I'll surely be looking out for other works of the author, though.(less)

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Apr 14, 2011 Yvonne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, kindle-lendable-mm

This is very much a mixed review. I appreciate when an author takes the time to tell a complete story, especially in this genre filled with stories that are often too short & shallow. I also was interested enough to want to know what happens with the two protagonists. Parts of this story was very good but then there were parts that fell flat & felt unreal.

Firstly this book needed a good editor. I tend to overlook minor errors but there were so many here that it took me out of the story...more This is very much a mixed review. I appreciate when an author takes the time to tell a complete story, especially in this genre filled with stories that are often too short & shallow. I also was interested enough to want to know what happens with the two protagonists. Parts of this story was very good but then there were parts that fell flat & felt unreal.

Firstly this book needed a good editor. I tend to overlook minor errors but there were so many here that it took me out of the story many times. Sometimes the errors & awkward phrasings made the sentences incomprehensible. I'd find myself reading it several times to try to figure it out. There was also the constant use of the phrase older man even when one character was 26 and the other 23.

My second issue was some of the character's reactions lacked credibility. Alex, Nate's wife, basically encourages the friendship between Nate & Andrew even though she knows that Andrew is trying to pick up men in bars when they go out together. She even gets angry when Nate tries to break off the friendship due to this. I don't know of any wife who wants her husband hanging around a guy who is cruising(whether for guys or gals), especially one that's a new mother. The entire neighborhood knows everybody's business. Everybody from exes, parents, brothers to new husbands, to f buddies interferes & intermingle with each other. In fact I'm not sure why Nate remains closeted as there appeared to be no one who didn't know about he & Andrew.

The more the story went on, the more Nate appeared to be a likable but weak character. It seemed his misery was of his own making so I started to lose sympathy for him. By the end when Nate finally makes his choice, it's not even his decision but the decision was made for him & he starts the blame game taking no responsibility for his actions. That was actually the most disappointing scene in the book. I also found the character of Alex mystifying. I could not understand her motivation for wanting to stay in a marriage with Nate.

Lots of other stuff happens in this book--it does go through 7 years. The scenes with the two men together are great. I think Andrew was the most clearly drawn character and his actions made sense. I'm glad he wasn't made into some pitiful character waiting for Nate to wake up, & actually did what a normal person would do, move on. But by detailing these other relationship & all the other trials & tribulations, the romance of Nate & Andrew diminishes & is no longer the primary focus of the story. This is when the novel starts to drag.

All in all I found the book uneven. Nate & Andrew have great chemistry on the page & if you can overlook the factors above, then you'd probably enjoy this novel.

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Mar 28, 2011 thelastaerie rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's a bit difficult to rate this book, on one hand, its a quick read and engaging read, so it works very well in terms of drawing readers' attention. On the other hand, as I read it, I kept thinking the story could have been better and couldnt help thinking the story is a bit, wasted.

I guess this happens when I'm very drawn to the premise of the story, but the writing and the characterisation don't live up to the promise. However, this is not to say, the writing is terrible, I think it's good e...more It's a bit difficult to rate this book, on one hand, its a quick read and engaging read, so it works very well in terms of drawing readers' attention. On the other hand, as I read it, I kept thinking the story could have been better and couldnt help thinking the story is a bit, wasted.

I guess this happens when I'm very drawn to the premise of the story, but the writing and the characterisation don't live up to the promise. However, this is not to say, the writing is terrible, I think it's good enough to carry the story, but some good editing would help. There are some jumping and confusion which I think good editing would have cleared it up.

So, it's about two married guys fall in love while being neighbours in a "desperate housewives" kind of suburb community. Andrew knows he's gay, he just trapped in a fake marriage to appease his mom and trying to be a father to his son; his love interest, Nathan, is a happy newly-wed, who is totally unprepared when his world turned upside down by falling in love and having an affair with Andrew.

Closeted gays, fake marriage, gay for you, this story almost has all the ingredients that satisfied many m/m readers. The execution, though, is not perfect. While Andrew is fleshed out and get readers' sympathy, there is some holes in Nathan's characterisation and development as the story progresses (and literally turns into an epic). Apart from knowing that Nathan loves Andrew and is strongly attracted to him - readers don't really get the "how" and "why", except that he must be bi and that he's afraid to give up his "straight life".

I also have a bit of problem, buying into the closeness of that suburb community and some of the reactions and scenes don't ring true to me - but then, I have never lived in such environment and I don't have a close relationship with neighbours - maybe I am not the best person to judge that.

Another thing that "bugs" me is the writer's frequent usage of "the older man" to describe Andrew, but in fact, Andrew is only less than 5 years older than Nathan, I just don't see why there's a need to emphasis that.

Still, a great story to read, especially if you are a sucker for angst and drama in epic level ;) (less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was really touched by this book. It follows the lives of 2 men and their families over a number of years. Andrew and Nathan meet at a neighborhood party and develop an immediate friendship. Andrew is the married father of one. He is gay but is staying in his marriage for the sake of his child. He lives in the basement and he and his wife have an understanding (and a wonderful friendship.) She is seeing someone and Andrew periodically goes out to bars to find release. Nathan is a young teacher...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Bev rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who likes Sue Brown

Shelves: feel-good, gfy, in-the-closet, m-m, waterworks-alert, really-good-friends, total-keepers

This one gets 4 stars from me, and I've seen that it's also had awful reviews, each to his own I say!

This is one of the best Sue Brown books I've read, and I have found some of hers to be hit and miss for me. It took me on a roller coaster ride which endured over 7 years, and the extremely difficult journey between the two main characters Drew and Nathan

. It was emotional, intense and ultimately, beautifully written with real passion. The characters are deep, well-developed, and honest, real ind...more

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Dec 01, 2011 Raji rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had a slight anxiety before beginning to read this. The reason was that these kind of stories that span years and give us a in-depth look at each character are always my favorite so what should I do in case I didn't like it? What if the author didn't do justice to one of the character? But I was needlessly worrying! I loved this story - with it flaws too.
I have to point out that the summary might be a bit misleading. Andrew has a "loveless" marriage but he and his wife both know why. Andrew...more I had a slight anxiety before beginning to read this. The reason was that these kind of stories that span years and give us a in-depth look at each character are always my favorite so what should I do in case I didn't like it? What if the author didn't do justice to one of the character? But I was needlessly worrying! I loved this story - with it flaws too.
I have to point out that the summary might be a bit misleading. Andrew has a "loveless" marriage but he and his wife both know why. Andrew is gay and his wife knows it - this marriage is a compromise for both of them and they have made peace with it. Each has his/her own life. In fact, his problems END when his wife asks for a divorce.
Nathan's case is, believe it or not, much more complicated than Andrew's. A new father and a closet (and in denial) gay he already has his plate full. But he makes it much more difficult by falling in love with his neighbor, Andrew. I felt genuine pity for him. None of the important decisions in life are easy and he definitely learned it the hard way. The interaction between Nate (who is Andrew's son's teacher), Colin (Andrew's son) and Andrew himself was beautifully done. Some of it might seem a bit too idealistic or picture perfect but it did add to the story.

After reading the summary of this story I was curious and just glance through some of the other reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Some of them (or at least one of them) mentioned that they got irritated as the men never took the next step and they thought that what propelled the men to action was the women and without the women in the story - Andrew's and Nate's wife, they wouldn't have done anything. This was the point that irritated the reader(s).

When I read the book, I waited for the irritation to come. It never did. People require catalyst to change their life - for someone it might be failing in a class, for someone it might be their best friend getting married, for someone it might be a loved one's (or even an acquaintance's) death. But the catalyst is present in everyone's lives. All we need to do is identify it. The same way, it was wives for these guys who acted as catalysts. I really felt bad for the situation that Drew and Nate were in. It would be a fairy-tale and movie-esque situation where you can leave your spouse and kids at the drop of the hat just 'coz you found "Twu Wuv" but in real life? No way. This is where I felt that this book was realistic - each of the man was available when the other wasn't - finally something had to give.

The only unrealistic part was that there weren't any grudges after everything was said and done. There was no way that everyone was happy with what they got. It is human to have grudges for some time at least! The supporting characters of Gabe and Gary were hilarious but were serious enough to know when they were needed.(less)

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Mar 19, 2011 Kira rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-the-best, family, m-m

First of all, I have plenty of friends who have a hard limit on cheating. They just don't read books about cheating and if you normally don't, please consider giving this book a chance anyway.

I don't want to use the spoilers-thingum, so I'll just gush without giving much away...

First of all, characters. The guys were lovable, faulty human beings. They made a lot of mistakes, a LOT of mistakes but who doesn't? I loved the secondary characters too, they were, despite being secondary, very well c...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Nicci rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-lendables, contemporary-romance, favorites, m-m-romance

Author Sue Brown penned a story of realism, the affects of adultery that can happen to any couple regardless of sexual orientation and gender. Nothing Ever Happens is a must read.

Some readers in the m/m genre will have an issue with adultery. Please do not let this stop you from reading this wonderful romance. The author does not shy away from the concept and the consequences of adultery. Nate and Andrew HEA will not come easily and their story is fraught with much pain and separation. They are...more Author Sue Brown penned a story of realism, the affects of adultery that can happen to any couple regardless of sexual orientation and gender. Nothing Ever Happens is a must read.

Some readers in the m/m genre will have an issue with adultery. Please do not let this stop you from reading this wonderful romance. The author does not shy away from the concept and the consequences of adultery. Nate and Andrew HEA will not come easily and their story is fraught with much pain and separation. They are men devoted to their family. Andrew loves his son dearly. For ten years, his primary concerns are for his son, his wife and his home. He would continue to stay in this half-life if not for his wife finally giving in to marry her love. I can’t even imagine the difficulty and the sacrifices these two have made. Andrew honored Stephanie when she became pregnant by marrying her. Stephanie honored Andrew by keeping his home and together they raised their child, Colin. Their love for each other is platonic but very strong.

Nate, who has never been in a gay relationship is a man tormented by this new aspect of himself, his growing feelings for Andrew, and the affect on his marriage. He is caught between being a devoted father and wanting to be with Andrew. Not one time does Andrew encourage Nate to leave his family.

“He wasn’t going to do this again. He had promised Gary. Nathan was off-limits.

Married, baby, straight.

Right.”

Nate will have to make his own decision. He does so by choosing to raise his children, which ironically commits Nate to the same fate Andrew will leave behind.

In writing reviews, I know one should remain objective. I can’t help my total dislike for Andrew’s mother. What she and the pastor did to Andrew is disgraceful. She is a hateful woman using religion to extort power and intimidation. There aren’t many m/m books addressing the hate from the mother’s perspective. Generally, it’s the father wielding the whip to beat the gay out of the son. The fact she is the mother and I can relate as a mother, made her action vivid and horrifying to me. Andrew’s father, surprisingly, is quiet throughout the story. His silence is indicative of who’s the authority in this household. It also speaks to the possible nature of the father. If he’d been of stronger material, he could’ve protected Andrew as a teenager.

Nothing Ever Happens is a well-developed character-driven story that could easily apply to real life. The story told here could be your friends, your neighbors, your family members. It covers seven years of Nate and Andrew’s lives both together and separately. It draws you in with the range of painful drama, humor, laughter, friendship, and fun such as the camping trip Andrew and Nate took Colin and his friend Bobby.

“Dad! Bobby’s fallen in the creek. He’s hanging on the branch and he’s gonna drown.” Colin sounded more excited than worried.

Andrew looked at his watch. “He lasted a whole hour. That’s gotta be some sort of record."

Nathan stood up, stretching the muscles in his back. He wasn’t all that fazed. Compared to lions, a little water was child’s play."

Yes, but Andrew and Nate’s story, there is nothing child play about it.

I highly recommend this story. I’ve added Sue Brown on my “must read” list.(less)

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Apr 25, 2011 Wyndslash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, 2011-reading-challenge

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 4.80 stars (mainly due to the typos and other errors in the book that sometimes hindered understanding).

Hmm...where to start. This was a beautiful book, truly, and for me it was more than a romance. It was about family and friendship and life. I'm happy that there was hardly any sugar-coating and was rather realistic, if not sometimes painfully so. There are consequences to all our actions, whether they be good or bad. There was a lot of sad consequences in this story, not surprisingly. But ther...more 4.80 stars (mainly due to the typos and other errors in the book that sometimes hindered understanding).

Hmm...where to start. This was a beautiful book, truly, and for me it was more than a romance. It was about family and friendship and life. I'm happy that there was hardly any sugar-coating and was rather realistic, if not sometimes painfully so. There are consequences to all our actions, whether they be good or bad. There was a lot of sad consequences in this story, not surprisingly. But there were also happy ones, thankfully.

I enjoyed Andrew and Nate's journey. Everything in life happens for a reason. In Andrew's case, I'd like to think that their long journey before they ended up together finally, simply prepared them and made them mature, enough so that they could be together and be strong in the decisions that they made. All the pain was necessary in order to be a better person, a person good enough for the one they were meant to end up with.

I liked Rich's character. His relationship with Andrew was necessary to make Andrew stronger, and his past relationship with Paul was just as lovely. It tells us that while it's nice to imagine that our soulmate is somewhere waiting for us, it doesn't mean we can't not love other people. I used to believe in soulmates, but then doesn't that just put unnecessary pressure on human beings? Love is a beautiful thing, and it should be shared. Rich personifies this in the way he took care of Andrew unselfishly, even setting Andrew and Nate up one time to ensure their love for each other was still there. He was a good person, and it's hard to find people like that in our lives. We can only hope to be so lucky.

Ruth was a horrible mother, and I don't think anyone really liked her, but this book did not hide the fact that she's still Andrew's mother, and for that she was going to have a continuing presence in his life. In the part where Stephanie threw her out of Andrew's hospital room when he was hurt, perhaps in other books it would have seen her completely thrown out of her son's life for being a stupid bigot, but the reality is that well, sometimes she wouldn't be. She's still his parent and thus is treated as such. Her continuing presence after that is evidence.

I'm just glad this ended happily, but even so we get a glimpse in the last chapter that Andrew and Nate still had some small troubles, but it's worth it because they're finally together, and they can work the rest out.(less)

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Feb 15, 2013 Major English (Laura) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: gfy, friends-to-lovers, sex

3.25-3.5 stars

I took a couple of days before I wrote the review of this book. There were certainly elements of this book I liked, but all in all, I just don't know how I feel about it.

First off if cheating bothers you in anyway, don't read this book. This story is about a married man who cheats on his wife for another man, for years on end. (Both of the men are actually married, but one is in a sham marriage because he acknowledges he is gay and his wife knows.) And then at one point there is an...more 3.25-3.5 stars

I took a couple of days before I wrote the review of this book. There were certainly elements of this book I liked, but all in all, I just don't know how I feel about it.

First off if cheating bothers you in anyway, don't read this book. This story is about a married man who cheats on his wife for another man, for years on end. (Both of the men are actually married, but one is in a sham marriage because he acknowledges he is gay and his wife knows.) And then at one point there is an "open relationship" that I feel like the author just had to throw in there in order to allow certain characters to hook up with each other.

The neighborhood in this book and its neighbors are just really messed up and just unrealistic to me... It's like an incestuous neighborhood to an extent... Just odd.

I liked the gay for you, and I liked that there was a lot of passion between Nathan and Drew, and I guess I did get the love, but it just didn't seem right at times to me - probably because of the cheating aspect to it and I just felt plain bad for the kids in this story.

This story is very similar to Something Like Summer. It's about two people who are in love and keep coming in and out of each others lives, and when they are in each others lives it is never ending passion and yes, real emotion. But Something Like Summer was way better. And even Jace in Something Like Summer was mirrored by Rich in this story. I think Ben from Something Like Summer is like Drew in this story and Tim from Something Like Summer is like Nathan in this story. But I definitely liked Something Like Summer better than this, because this story involved two married men who cheated on their wives and weren't very good to each other in many ways.

A lot of this story dragged out I thought too. I wanted a lot more interaction between Drew and Nathan and I wanted to see the joy between them, but there wasn't much shown due to their complicated circumstances.

Also, there is one point in the book where it is said that a character dies, only to say that that character is not dead. And I was like really shaken and thrown off by that. It was horrible. I seriously was not even going to read the end, because it said that a character was dead, all of a sudden, out of the blue. But then in the next chapter, miraculously the character is alive. So the whole thing was like a soap opera... It had great potential I thought, but it was just too much for me and too much drama and not a good balance to it. (less)

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Dec 10, 2011 Terry rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a difficult book, not sure if it's poor writing, bad plot advancement or what. I think the one thing this book shouts at the reader is "Don't trust women" what with the big lie that Alex told Nathan about being pregnant and Andrew's mother beating him as a youth and not ever coming to terms with who he is. I didn't find Rich a sympathetic character and I could not understand why with Gabe as Nathans best friend he had such issues with himself being bi or gay. Nathans older brother Rob an...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Booksaholic * ♂♂ or ♀♀ or ♂♀= ♥ rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: hot-m-m

This is going to be one big spoiler cuz i don't know what else to say about this book
(view spoiler)...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Alby Krebs rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed

This is probably my favorite type of book, one with complex, imperfect characters. The two MCs are married, so their relationship has consequences for a large number of people, and they don't always make the best choices. It is an excellent book, and I look forward to more of Sue Brown's work.

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Apr 02, 2013 Diana Lopes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Este libro se merece más estrella porque valió la pena todas las horas que pase en vela solo porque no podia seguir leyendo. Es sincero, emotivo, honesto y hubo momentos que lo odié tanto que no dejaba de pensar porque sucedian las cosas. Me drenó totalmente porque lo real que sentia la historia, era palpable. Los personajes era los que puedes encontrarte en tu vida y las situaciones dices yo lo hubiera hecho diferente pero sabemos que en su lugar actuariamos de la misma manera. Mi único problem...more

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Jun 14, 2012 Amber rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: forgettable, m-m-yaoi-novels

This book aims more at realism but fails a little at it. The characters are rather inconstant with their reactions. Or do things that seem really out of character for their situation. The book jumps from scenes without giving a good idea of how much time has past in between leaving trying to figure out where the character are in there lives. The side characters like the bigoted mother and the nosy neighbor are also alive and well in this book. No big plot twist and I could pretty much guess wher...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Qwurty rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-bad

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. An interesting exploration of infidelity and the forgiveness of it: on both a personal level as well as how the community around you forgives it, I think. The fact that the protagonists are gay is somewhat incidental if you think about it as a broader analogy for anyone bound into a partnership that rubs against the grain of who they are; the root causes of unhappiness in relationships are diverse, but their emotional resonance is more or less the same. We either act or we don't. We do questiona...more An interesting exploration of infidelity and the forgiveness of it: on both a personal level as well as how the community around you forgives it, I think. The fact that the protagonists are gay is somewhat incidental if you think about it as a broader analogy for anyone bound into a partnership that rubs against the grain of who they are; the root causes of unhappiness in relationships are diverse, but their emotional resonance is more or less the same. We either act or we don't. We do questionable things to block the pain, we ignore it and go numb, we do, we don't.

I don't mean, of course, that the author doesn't personalise the story to fit the characters -- it's very much about both Andrew and Nathan and how their sexualities identify them in different ways over the course of their lives. I liked very much much that the author put them in different places in their respective journeys but that both were still struggling with aspects of their sexual identities. GFY is only really believable for me if everyone's a bit confused for a while.

The writing is fairly straightforward, which mostly works. There was enough drama in the plot without having to enhance it with overblown imagery, though the author writes the sex scenes with loads of emotional markers so it's not like she couldn't have gone full metal adjective. I respected that restraint; angst usually equals hyperbole in the romance world. I'll grant you that in parts it gets a bit wooden for lack of a little floridness, but I could live with it.

There were some significant issues with pacing, which made things less satisfying for me than they could have been. Things moved way too fast: Nathan admits -- and acts on -- his attraction to Andrew so quickly that it entirely changed the rest of his story for me. They fall in love over the course of a few paragraphs. Nothing is as fleshed out as the situation seems to demand: a secondary love interest develops almost spontaneously as Andrew and Nathan break up for the penultimate time. The author hurries us through details that, for me, would have been the meat and bone of the whole thing -- and then expects the reader to be invested in the emotional processes of characters who are presented to us as snapshots in time.

There were also some very odd choices made in terms of the communal approach to the characters' extremely complicated and fractured relationship: the people around them were almost completely accepting and tolerant of their approach to those complications (in almost every instance, infidelity). It's a tricky one, given the need to reflect some sort of sympathy for the protagonists and the pain they're experiencing, but on the whole I think making everyone supportive -- either directly or obliquely -- was the wrong choice. The background story (Nathan having to deal with the responsibility of a wife and two small children/Andrew being asked for a divorce and the subsequent fallout) lost a lot of depth for that very real element of social reflection being eliminated. Everyone who was intolerant of the behaviour was either definitively bad (Andrew's extremely religious mother), or a threat (Nathan's employer).

I've never thought of infidelity as something you can approach didactically, personally. There might be reasons for it and reasons you might sympathise, but as an action it has consequences and those consequences almost always affect the people around you. Nulling those consequences with universal acceptance sort of defeats the purpose of bringing it up in the first place, to my mind.

I enjoyed this on a certain level. Technically I think it had a number of flaws, but as a simple story and an exploration of a premise I think it did what it wanted to, and did it well.

Recommended.

(less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Paisley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: do-me-teacher, do-me-photog, own-dreamspinner

Yikes! I need to read something mindless and smutty to get me back to my carefree zone after reading this one. I really enjoyed it but it was a grueling ride. Yep, I was totally entertained throughout but dang it was painful at times.
I hardly write about plots in my reviews because, eh, no one really cares what I think. That being said - if I had friends in the real world who read the types of books I do - then this is how my discussion of this book would go with them...
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