No Apologies (Hollywood #1)

Apr 15, 2011 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

No Apologies is a gripping tale of two young men who find love despite long odds. Aaron and Greg are
unlikely friends at a military institution whose vicious rules of "Just Don't" inhibit a friendship that might be more. But the young men, both near graduation, find ways to work around the system in order to explore a relationship that is at times innocent and at other times all-consuming. As graduation comes and goes, life plans have to be made. Aaron's expected to attend college, Greg is insis...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Julesmarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

This was good! So much better than I'd feared it might be when I read some of the reviews here.

I actually loved the structure of it, how we meet the two men the night of the premiere and then watch along wit them as their pseudo-history unfolds on the screen. And for some reason, maybe the thought that what I was reading was what they were watching, everything was so much more vivid than usual. I loved that!

It may be that I knew to expect it and so wasnt surprised, but I liked that the movie wa...more

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Oct 03, 2011 SueM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, abuse-assault-rape-torture, enemies-to-lovers, in-the-closet, out-of-the-closet, ipad-stanza

3.5 stars
A good M/M romance novel featuring a couple on the brink of breaking up. Greg, is in the closet, while Aaron is out, and it is this fundamental difference between them that has the relationship unravelling. Aaron is tired of being hidden away like a dirty little secret. He agrees to attend the premiere of one Greg's films, with the intention that this will be the last occasion they will be together. Traveling in a limousine to the premiere together, Greg tries both verbally and physical...more

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Oct 05, 2012 J9 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm, contemporary, 2012-reads

NO APOLOGIES is an amazing character-based MM romance. I highly recommend this well written and compelling romance.

The format of this book makes it utterly compelling. I've never read a quasi-flashback romance told so well. The novel opens with Greg and Aaron at a crossroads of their relationship. Greg asks Aaron to go to his movie premier and they'll make decisions after. Then the flashbacks begin and they're a gorgeous blend of emotional and sexual storytelling. Greg and Aaron met and started...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Plainbrownwrapper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm, read-more-than-once-already

Okay -- after a reread --

I definitely do like this book better than its followup, Acting Out, although I rate both of them at a solid 4 stars. Neither book is perfect, but I very much appreciate the emotional intensity and immediacy, the visceral impact, of this one. The framing conceit (story-within-a-story) of this one leads to some problems with confusion and continuity -- we the readers never know quite what is Greg and Aaron's real history, and what is only the movie version of the story --...more Okay -- after a reread --

I definitely do like this book better than its followup, Acting Out, although I rate both of them at a solid 4 stars. Neither book is perfect, but I very much appreciate the emotional intensity and immediacy, the visceral impact, of this one. The framing conceit (story-within-a-story) of this one leads to some problems with confusion and continuity -- we the readers never know quite what is Greg and Aaron's real history, and what is only the movie version of the story -- but the reading experience is still quite enjoyable and sometimes moving.

Here are a couple of the problems I noticed -- some of these comments overlap between this book and Acting Out --

First, the "flashbacks" are kind of confusing because the names aren't consistent. The MCs are named Aaron and Greg. The MCs in the movie are named Grant and Alan. But in the flashbacks, the characters are called Aaron and Greg -- even though this is obviously the movie version of the story, since in the flashbacks Aaron and Greg are in military school -- and we know that the real Aaron and Greg never went to military school. In the second book, Acting Out, we are told that Greg did the first draft of the screenplay with the real names and then changed the names for the final version -- and we are also told near the end of the book that Aaron thinks of the characters in the movie as Aaron and Greg, even though the characters aren't really named that. Very confusing!

Second, there's some retconning between the two books in terms of what Greg will or will not apologize for. In the second book we're told that Greg is willing to apologize to anyone EXCEPT for Aaron -- but in the first book, Greg is specifically unwilling to apologize to ANYONE. "He’d never wanted anything badly enough to say sorry. He’d always made do rather than lower himself into that viper pit of vulnerability." But is this simply a difference between the "movie" version of Greg and the "real life" version? Once again, confusing.

And another continuity problem -- (view spoiler)

In both books, the combination of movie with "real life" was an interesting conceit that, unfortunately, also brought problems along with it. Fortunately, I think that in general the benefits of the double story outweighed the problems. If you can stand the uncertainty of never actually knowing the "true" story of Greg and Aaron's early life, then I can highly recommend this book over all.(less)

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Tibby Armstrong Hi!

I think as an author, in your own head, you know stuff and assume the reader does too. As a new author you get caught unawares by this little trick...more
Feb 03, 2013 08:22am

Plainbrownwrapper Thanks for the response. I especially like this part: "The point the movie Greg is making is that he feels nobody ever really looks at him and sees hi...more
Feb 03, 2013 08:43am

May 03, 2011 Edina Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really good book.
It is the romanticised story (via a hollywood movie) of two men who felt in love in their teenage years.
I would have liked the movie to cover more than their first three years. They have a rocky 10-year relationship and when I closed the book, I kept wondering about the last years of their relationship.

Those who like coming of age stories will be well served.

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Jul 07, 2012 Andrea Wenger rated it 5 of 5 stars

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it ended. I wanted more, more, more!

Tibby Armstrong has a talent for portraying the angst and uncertainty of young gay men coming to terms with their sexuality. For Greg and Aaron, the stakes are particularly high, being in a boarding school where their sexuality makes them targets for abuse. The characters are complex and sometimes contradictory, like real people, but they're always believable.

In the frame story, Greg and Aaron are attendi...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-slick, publishersent

Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures

4.5 Stars

Write down this name, Tibby Armstrong, and don’t forget it. I’ll admit, I have a cache of “go to” authors, ones I will always buy their books no matter what because I know I’m going to get my money’s worth and get a great story. Until I started reviewing for Guilty Pleasures, I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t branch out very much. Mainly because when I did, I was disappointed 70% of the time. Since starting at Guilty Pleasures, my “go to” author lis...more Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures

4.5 Stars

Write down this name, Tibby Armstrong, and don’t forget it. I’ll admit, I have a cache of “go to” authors, ones I will always buy their books no matter what because I know I’m going to get my money’s worth and get a great story. Until I started reviewing for Guilty Pleasures, I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t branch out very much. Mainly because when I did, I was disappointed 70% of the time. Since starting at Guilty Pleasures, my “go to” author list has tripled and I’m very happy to add Tibby Armstrong to that list. Today, I’m reviewing her book, No Apologies.

I’ve never read a book like No Apologies before and that’s not a bad thing. While I guess it could be called a coming of age story about two young men who attend the same boarding school, it’s not really that. You see, their story is told through a film written by one of the men, Greg Faulker. He’s basically written and produced this movie as a love letter to his long time partner, Aaron Blake. The problem is Aaron is tired of waiting for Greg to admit his homosexuality. He’s tired of being Greg’s dirty little secret. He’s tired of being ignored and he’s decided that he just can’t do it anymore. Greg realizes that it might be too little, too late but he’s determined to make Aaron understand how he feels. The book opens with this look at Aaron and Greg ten years after high school and then we flash back as we “watch” the premier of Greg’s movie.

Because of the way this book is written, we really don’t see a lot of the Greg and Aaron of today. Instead we see Greg’s version of their life at school and soon after. He admits it is part truth and part fiction. We see them struggling with their growing feelings towards each other, facing ridicule and abuse from fellow students and teachers, Greg dealing with some serious issues at home, and Aaron coming out to his parents.

I can’t even begin to explain the range of emotions I had while reading this book. At times I was scared for Greg and Aaron, I cried, I laughed, and I was horrified and I was happy. To say that Tibby packs a punch when she writes is understated. I honestly can’t even verbalize how much this book touched me. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction because what I really wanted to do was scoop these two young men up and bring them home and show them how parents treat their children, no matter what!

While this is a beautifully told romance story, it isn’t typical because the situation isn’t typical. Yes, there is quite a bit of sex but for the most part it was done secretly. There was also kind of a D/s vibe running through their relationship but it wasn’t truly D/s. They struggled for control and figuring out what each other needed. While Aaron had experimented with a couple of girls, Greg never had which is why I found it interesting that he was the one having issues with “coming out”. Aaron however was very sheltered but yet had a very dominant personality. I really enjoyed watching them coming to terms with what they meant to each other.

No Apologies is a book that I know I will revisit again and again. It’s not an easy book to read, I can almost guarantee you will be emotional while reading it. But, I hope that by the time you get to the end you’ll know just how special this book truly is. I’m giving it 4.5 stars only because I would have like a little more time with Greg and Aaron as the adults they are today. That being said, I’ll tell you that we do see more of them as adults in book two, Acting Out!(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Kaje Harper rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually read this after the companion book Acting Out and I think it was perhaps even better that way. Although some parts of the second book act as minor spoilers for the first, at the same time I had a deeper appreciation for the characters by having seen a bit more of their adult relationship.

This is the story of two MCs who met as young men in boarding school and formed an intense but rocky relationship, told mainly in a mixed flashback/movie treatment of their first three years. It is a...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Ni_kii rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: male-male, short-read, previous-abuse, steamy

The premier of his film should be the highlight of his career, but instead Greg finds himself desperately clinging to the threads of his relationship. Constantly in-fear of his sexuality being discovered, he has treated his lover Aaron as a dirty little secret for years. Comfortable with his sexuality, Aaron is tired of not being able to live normally because of his partners hang-ups. When Aaron declares that the premier will be their last event as a couple, Greg can only hope that the film will...more The premier of his film should be the highlight of his career, but instead Greg finds himself desperately clinging to the threads of his relationship. Constantly in-fear of his sexuality being discovered, he has treated his lover Aaron as a dirty little secret for years. Comfortable with his sexuality, Aaron is tired of not being able to live normally because of his partners hang-ups. When Aaron declares that the premier will be their last event as a couple, Greg can only hope that the film will demonstrate something that he has never been able to say aloud; how much he really loves him. How will Aaron respond to the public screening of their story, especially when he knows nothing about it? Will Greg have made a massive mistake by simply not opening his mouth?

This is one of the most awkward reviews I’ve had to write in a while because the bulk of the story isn’t played out by the two characters in the above paragraph, but by the romanticised version of them that appear in the film. You see, the film is their story, except it isn’t, because it’s a one sided version of events that has been vamped up to make it sellable to the public. Unable to tell Aaron how much he loves him, Greg writes him a film to show him how much of an impact he has had on his life. However, Greg can’t show everything that happened to them over the course of the years (for a start, he may get sued!) so he changes bits of their tale, adds a few embellishments to make it more appetising to Hollywood. This is a tale within a tale. I wanted a HEA for out two leads but it wasn’t because of them, but because I’d fallen in love with their counterparts in the film.

Aaron and Greg meet whilst they are at school. During the film, this is a military school whereas in real life they were at a public school. Changes in detail like this did make me a little dizzy at points, but they were minor enough for me to be OK with them. They have a really hard time at school and I have to admit that I warmed to Greg long before Aaron (this may have something to do with Aaron beating the crap out of Greg…). What is clear from the offset is that both of them are attracted to each other, yet neither wants to deal with it in the setting they are in. They know they won’t be accepted by their peers and, when it comes out, turns out they were right. Greg takes far more of the punishment than Aaron and routinely suffers physical and verbal abuse. Some of the violence was hard to read and my heart broke a little for the amount he had to endure. I could see why he struggled to come out later in life; Aaron had it easy compared to him, all he would have associated being gay with was persecution.

The story continues with their tale after college. It tells how they tell their parents, how both sets struggle but, whilst Aarons just think he will grow out of it, Greg’s seriously go off the deep end. We see how, over the years, Aaron rescues Greg time and time again from his own self destructive tendencies (after the initial 1/5 of the book where he literally did jack all to help) I think that it has to be mentioned here that this is Greg’s version of events, his version of Aaron. During the film, the real Aaron turns round to Greg to ask if that is how he actually sees him which makes me wonder if this is a fairly romanticised view. Greg made the film for Aaron, to show Aaron how much he loved him. It was clear to me that Aaron was not going to look bad in this film because it was a “Grand Gesture”. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed my sex life being publicised on celluloid but I thought the act itself was sweet. It did, however make it a little confusing for me as a reader. In a couple of paragraphs at the end, Ms Armstrong highlighted all the fiction in the film and this is where I got a little confused. It was all too much for me to take in in such a short space of time!

Overall, this is a lovely book about coming of age and struggles with sexuality. The characters were fabulously written and the author has a lovely way of writing. My only issue was that the characters I loved were products of Greg’s imagination, if I had more time to know the real couple, I think this would have been a 5 star review! The chemistry between the two characters was combustible which makes the sex scenes very hot. I enjoyed reading this story and would love to read more from these two men.
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Jul 17, 2011 Arthur rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are two stories in this book. The first is about real life couple, Greg and Aaron. The second one is about Grant and Allan in the movie whose script was written by Greg. The two stories are somewhat parallel, since Greg used his own life story with Aaron as the base for the screenplay--although he also infused some fictional plot and characters so that it's not exactly the same as in real life.

In both stories, the characters met when they were in high school. They fell in love with each ot...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Ryoma Gartre rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: committed-couple, friends-to-lovers, fling-to-relationship, light-d-s

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 2.5 stars

Ok, I've finished, time for a more complete review:

Aaron & Greg have been a couple for a long time, both have a successful career in the Hollywood as a producer & a screen writer, but the thing is Greg is still in the closet & Aaron can't take it anymore, at the beginning of the book there's going to be a premiere about a very special movie, a movie Greg hasn't Aaron see anything about it, Greg invites Aaron as his official date, but after asking Aaron if they could get to t...more

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Jun 21, 2011 Mel Bradley rated it 3 of 5 stars

After being together for a decade, without ever admitting the truth of their relationship, screenwriter Greg Faulkner hopes that he is able to convince the one person in the world that means anything to him, to stay with him – even if that means addressing his biggest fear and admitting he’s gay. His partner, producer Aaron Blake is tired of hiding and doesn’t think that their love is enough anymore. He reluctantly agrees to attend Greg’s most recent and personal film project, with the promise o...more After being together for a decade, without ever admitting the truth of their relationship, screenwriter Greg Faulkner hopes that he is able to convince the one person in the world that means anything to him, to stay with him – even if that means addressing his biggest fear and admitting he’s gay. His partner, producer Aaron Blake is tired of hiding and doesn’t think that their love is enough anymore. He reluctantly agrees to attend Greg’s most recent and personal film project, with the promise of this being their last act as a “couple.” What unfolds on the screen is the history of their relationship together – out there for everyone to see.

I was rather surprised by this book, particularly in the manner in which it was told. To be honest, I’m a bit tired of flashback romances, and I was not very eager to read another one. However, this wasn’t nearly a flashback – it was their love story being told through the eyes of a movie. It was a very interesting tale and struggle, and one that unfolded quite gracefully as though a movie/screenplay would. The characters were well-written, although I did have some trouble reconciling some of their personality traits within the movie, to the actions in person. I would say this would be the only thing that was a bit confusing – the movie was not exactly their love story, but you didn’t find that out until the end leaving the reader to wonder what actually did occur between the two lovers. That being said, it was a quick read and a unique perspective of storytelling.

The sex was placed throughout – almost hard to read at first due to the young age at the time. But there was definitely love between both characters and their love was communicated and displayed through their sexual interactions. The sex wasn’t graphic or detailed, but definitely passionate and vanilla.

This was a good read, and an even better story – I can almost see it being a real movie (has Armstrong thought of that?). I wished they were a bit older, but I’m guessing that’s my own personal preferences. It was an easy story to get into and hard to put this one down.

Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥
Plot: ♥♥♥

Read this book if you are looking for a new story and perspective; enjoy reading about young love; or watching the struggle of admitting who you are to yourself. This would be recommended for newbies to the m/m genre up through experienced readers. This is more of a romance than an erotica tale, but there is still some good sex throughout!
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Jun 20, 2011 Td rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angst, in-the-closet, enemies-rivals-to-lovers

I have to apologize ahead of time (no pun intended) because I have a feeling I'm not going to make sense mainly because I am confused. We know from the beginning that the bulk of the book is a fictional movie based on some autobiographical details from Greg and Aaron's life. That was all good and fine and I was engrossed in their movie story so much so that the book lost me in the end when Greg and Aaron picked apart the movie and I was left wondering well, what really happened??? Characters wer...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Mantastic rated it 4 of 5 stars

No Apologies is a very sweet story in the best of ways. The telling of Aaron and Greg's story is clever and imaginative.

The story begins in the relative here-and-now (2002), a point in which things aren't going very well for the pair. The hurt has been going on for a long time and Aaron, for one, is at his end. Greg's redemption plan has been in the works for a while and hopes it will be enough.

What unfolds is a version of how they met and the overall story of their humble beginnings. It is har...more No Apologies is a very sweet story in the best of ways. The telling of Aaron and Greg's story is clever and imaginative.

The story begins in the relative here-and-now (2002), a point in which things aren't going very well for the pair. The hurt has been going on for a long time and Aaron, for one, is at his end. Greg's redemption plan has been in the works for a while and hopes it will be enough.

What unfolds is a version of how they met and the overall story of their humble beginnings. It is hard to watch as the bullies discover their relationship and the two young men are forced to question themselves, both individually and as a couple.

Even though the story is seemingly told from both POV, it really isn't. Its mostly Greg and how he sees life through Aaron tinted glasses. A fact that may jar some readers in a Bobby Ewing sort of way, leaving them to wonder what was real and what wasn't. Luckily, the present day Aaron serves as an anchor for the story within a story and should keep the readers on track. And Ms. Armstrong does a great job of clearing up any remaining confusion by the end.

The only drawback for me was getting so involved with the Aaron and Gregg from 1994 that the present day couple didn't seem as real to me. They were obviously at odds with each other, presumably because Greg isn't able to acknowledge being gay, let alone a relationship with Aaron. And it seemed the two spend a lot of time on opposite sides of the country as well. How did that happen? We can clearly see what Aaron means to Greg, but he is still unable express it simply. Instead, he has been writing their story, sold it for production, hired actors/directors/crew, and had the movie edited and printed for release ... all without Aaron's involvement. That takes years of planning (as Aaron later points out.) The result is supposed to be all the things Greg couldn't bring himself to say in real life. As much as Aaron seems to adore this insight into Greg after all these years, he is blown away by the amount of effort Greg put into trying NOT to say sorry with his own lips.

I loved that Aaron wasn't immediately swept away and gave Greg hell for his methods. That went a long way in reconciling the two versions of the couple. As well as Greg finally realizing what he had to do in order for Aaron to truly believe in them again. That part was very well done.

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Apr 28, 2011 Heather♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

If No Apologies was a movie, I'd totally go see it. I thought it was brilliant how the author conveyed the characters through a movie within the story. There was certainly plenty of emotion in this one too, ranging from tender teenage love, fear, angst and uncertainty, and let's not forget the hot sex. I loved how Aaron dominated Greg in the bedroom and that Greg felt comfortable enough to give Aaron complete control. I enjoyed getting to know young Greg and Aaron through their portraya...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Patti Loves FAB Romance rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-lesbian, contemporary

Aaron Blake has had it. He's tired of hiding from the public eye, even though he's been with his partner, Greg, for almost 10 years. He's got a promise ring that doesn't feel like much of a promise, and he's done with it. Greg begs him to at least come to his movie premier before he decides to call it quits.

Greg Falkner has always had a problem expressing how he feels, and it's impossible for him to say he's sorry or "I love you". He does love Aaron, and his movie is his love letter to Aaron. Bu...more Aaron Blake has had it. He's tired of hiding from the public eye, even though he's been with his partner, Greg, for almost 10 years. He's got a promise ring that doesn't feel like much of a promise, and he's done with it. Greg begs him to at least come to his movie premier before he decides to call it quits.

Greg Falkner has always had a problem expressing how he feels, and it's impossible for him to say he's sorry or "I love you". He does love Aaron, and his movie is his love letter to Aaron. But will it be enough to salvage the relationship and make up for all those years of not apologizing?

You know, I'm finding that I really like gay coming-of-age stories, and No Apologies is no exception. When the story opens, Aaron is pretty pissed at Greg, and Greg is scrambling not to lose him. He knows this is his last chance to salvage their relationship. The story is set in 2002 but then flashes back to 1994 through the movie.

We see how they met, and how their relationship moved from indifference to friends to lovers, and the bullying they receive by their classmates as a result of their friendship. After graduation, they separate, both going home for the summer before starting college in different parts of the country.

Greg has some pretty messed-up family issues and emotional baggage, and in order to spare dragging Aaron down into it, he leaves. Aaron does some soul-searching at home and realizes that yes, he is gay. And he wants Greg. Then Aaron learns Greg has disappeared, and he risks everything to go searching for Greg.

What I liked: I like both Greg and Aaron for different reasons - Greg is so messed up by past events in his life that the only way he feels like he can be in control is to manipulate people by making them angry enough to hurt him. Aaron makes him feel like it's okay to give up control. They're beautiful together; I wouldn't say they have a D/s relationship, maybe more of a control exchange? Whatever you call it, it works for them. Their sex scenes are tender and rough and beautiful and hot.

I also thought the actions by their classmates are an accurate depiction of the "mob mentality" involved in bullying and showcase the misery the target endures.

I liked the idea of using the movie as a vehicle to showcase their past relationship in present day, although I might have been a bit confused about what was "real" and what was the movie.

What I didn't like: I thought the ending wrapped up too swiftly. Aaron was really angry and his capitulation to Greg at the end came suddenly, and Greg's change of heart about outing himself and all that went with it seemed impulsive based on his reactions to Aaron's requests at the beginning of the book. We also never really found out what set Aaron off in the beginning of the story to make him so angry; unless we're supposed to assume it was a buildup of anger over the years? It was almost like the present day Aaron and Greg swapped places with the past Aaron and Greg.

All in all, though, Aaron and Greg were great characters and I fell hard for their relationship. I couldn't put No Apologies down.(less)

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Jun 06, 2012 KR rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the first book I have read from this author. The supposed flashbacks added much.

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May 30, 2011 Cleo added it

I started reading this last night at 11:00 pm thinking I'd read a few pages. Bad mistake- five pages in I was hooked and fast forward to 1:30 am, I reluctantly switched off my reader and went to bed.
I can't wait to take it up again- I'm half-way done and not disappointed yet. I'll update with a full review once I'm done but I'm already suitably impressed.

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May 10, 2011 Kassa rated it 3 of 5 stars

There’s something about No Apologies and the honest confusion of the protagonists that I just want to like. The sex scenes are beyond hot and the characters are well rounded, even if lopsided and not always sympathetic. Unfortunately the choppy and disjointed vehicle of the present movie detailing their past life (kind of) in flashbacks makes that hard. The benefits outweigh the negatives thankfully but I wish the story had made some different choices.

The plot begins with Greg and Aaron in a fig...more There’s something about No Apologies and the honest confusion of the protagonists that I just want to like. The sex scenes are beyond hot and the characters are well rounded, even if lopsided and not always sympathetic. Unfortunately the choppy and disjointed vehicle of the present movie detailing their past life (kind of) in flashbacks makes that hard. The benefits outweigh the negatives thankfully but I wish the story had made some different choices.

The plot begins with Greg and Aaron in a fight. After ten years together Greg is still insisting on being in the closet and Aaron is fed up with the secrecy and lack of commitment. Greg is desperately trying to hold the relationship together and prays that his “big gesture” will be the trick. The big idea is to bring Aaron to see the movie Greg screen wrote based on their lives. The movie is about two boys who discover their sexuality at military school. Yet Greg and Aaron went to a private school in New England, not a military school. So Greg hasn’t been honest about how much is real and what is fiction, hoping that Aaron will see Greg’s true feelings within the movie.

The school detail is supposed to differentiate the movie from the truth but the biggest problem is that the story can’t decide which it is – whether it’s showing Greg’s movie in written form or the actual truth between the two men. From the present time movie premiere, the story jumps back ten years to Greg and Aaron at military school and alternates narrators between the two men’s perspectives as events progress. This is a problem since it’s not clear whether this is the movie “fictionalized” version of events or what actually happened. The story uses real facts, such as their names Greg and Aaron, but mixes the movie elements, military school versus prep school, so you’re never sure what is real and what isn’t real.

In between the scenes from the past, which show how Greg and Aaron came to be together and the rough road they traveled, the book flashes to the present with Aaron commenting on the movie and actually asks if that’s how Greg saw things. Again this confuses what is real and what isn’t real. Is the story the reader is being shown the real version or the movie version? It seems to be both but there is no clear delineation between the two and this causes a very muddy and disjointed plot. I also didn’t understand the inclusion of Aaron’s viewpoint if the story is how Greg saw things. Eventually at the very end Greg admits that the movie is half true and half fiction, but how is the reader supposed to discern which is which.

Including Aaron’s perspective is important in understanding why he did certain things and how his opinion and personality is vastly different from Greg’s. I think it’s essential to the characterization of both men yet the clumsy and disjointed movie versus reality plot never quite makes sense. It’s a well known concept and should have worked here but the execution doesn’t pull it off unfortunately. Ultimately we’re left reading a story that is only shows half of the true relationship between the men. There is a quick conversation at the end that tries to list all the “false” elements but this is after the reader has been inundated with these fictional events. It’s too late to make that transition and just creates a frustrated realization that you can’t trust either narrator or the story.

One of the biggest problems I had with this confused and awkward presentation is that the writing is very engaging. The characters are interesting, even if not always sympathetic or likable, and the complexity of such a lengthy relationship and how they met is entertaining. There are a lot of sex scenes, probably too many, just as there are a lot of scenes where Greg is beat up, whipped, or otherwise abused. This leads into the grey area of the pseudo D/s relationship between Greg and Aaron which never makes much sense. The concept and ideas presented are good and the warm prose draws you in, keeping your attention to the end. So this could be a fun read for those looking for a light and easy sex filled book as long as readers aren’t too concerned with details.

I definitely wanted to like this more than I did as I think it just fails on the execution of the concept but I like the author’s writing and could be interested to see what else she does. If you’re looking for a light story you can read in an easy sitting and without caring too much about the details, this might work for you. It could be something nice and fluff for the right reader. I didn’t mind reading it but the confused plot device distracted me the entire time and left me wanting.(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 clear skies rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, series, contemporary

This was an interesting story about Greg a screenwriter and Aaron a producer. Both men have been together for ten years, but Greg is heavily closeted and Aaron has had enough. Greg uses a movie he has written to tell a semi-autobiographical story about his and Aaron's lives as kids.

The book was split between the year 2002 (present with the real Greg and Aaron) and 1994 (when the movie was set). It was an interesting idea and it was executed well surprisingly. Sometimes the characterisations got...more

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May 19, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 5 of 5 stars

My Review:
This was one of those books where I found it impossible to walk away and stop reading. The book opens with Greg and Aaron, as a couple on the verge of a break-up. Greg is a screenwriter and they are on the way to his premiere. Aaron wants them both to just admit it's over and doesn't want to go. What he doesn't realize is that this movie is a huge tribute to their love...a love which Greg has never officially acknowledged in public. The movie is a fictionalized version of their love st...more My Review:
This was one of those books where I found it impossible to walk away and stop reading. The book opens with Greg and Aaron, as a couple on the verge of a break-up. Greg is a screenwriter and they are on the way to his premiere. Aaron wants them both to just admit it's over and doesn't want to go. What he doesn't realize is that this movie is a huge tribute to their love...a love which Greg has never officially acknowledged in public. The movie is a fictionalized version of their love story and how they came together eight years before.

So you start out in the present, but by the second chapter you are swept into the past to see how these two fell in love. And it is a gorgeous love story...and certainly not without it's hard moments. These were two boys who fell in love in high school...both from affluent families where being gay was just not an acceptable lifestyle.

It's an interesting dynamic to see where these guys were in their relationship to where they are now. Aaron was the happy, dynamic force who pushed the relationship. He's definitely the alpha male of the two. Greg was angry and bitter. A kid with lots of issues and very few friends because no one would approach him. He was not a happy guy and he didn't even try to hide it, but Aaron befriended him and then did so much more to him. These are two guys with very complex issues especially through their families.

In the past, it was Aaron fighting for their relationship. In the present, it is Greg fighting for their relationship. It's riveting to read and try to figure out exactly where things went wrong. It's such a good book. I fell in love with both these characters and hurt for them as they hit the huge obstacles they found in their path to each other. I loved it when Aaron would go all Alpha on Greg and the scenes where Greg is sick...OMG, so freaking good.

I became completely immersed in this book on a day where I had so much to do. I started to have to bargain with myself so that I could walk away. If I would "do so much of this chore", then I could read another chapter in the book. It was bad (at least for the chores I was trying to accomplish.) My reading muse loved it and loved this book. Really just a fantastic book!!!
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Apr 04, 2011 A.J. Llewellyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own-a-copy

Tibby Armstrong has written a deeply satisfying, sexy, strong, classy tale spanning a decade from the moment Greg and Aaron men meet at a New England prep school. Exploring their sexuality and their lives, the agony of self-discovery, societal discovery and family expectations collide with an angst that is palpable. Every page resonates with a collage of exquisite emotion. Colors, senses, smells, it’s all here. You can’t help feeling for Greg and Aaron in their roller-coaster relationship. These...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Vivien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, part-of-series, 2013

The placing of events was intriguing and the scenes is hot, never imagined to be into the book, just tried it for kicks and giggles but what do you know it intrigued me. Greg was a character i have never pegged to be the bottom though the result was shockingly extreme it fit the story that surrounds him and his lover, Aaron. Aaron being the calm headed of the pair is as usual the one searching for the stable ground to navigate the relationship, but I have to agree the movie was sweet but kind of...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Mandie *Foxylutely* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, series, reviewed-2012

This is my second read of this book so that alone should tell you that I recommend it. Yes definitely recommend. I just loved the characters Aaron and Greg and the whole concept of this book really hooked me. It was unlike anything I had read before. It was like getting two books in one. There was also some slight D/s action. A bonus!

The story centres on the relationship of Aaron and Greg in both the present day and a decade earlier. The uniqueness of this book was the history of the pair was po...more

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Jan 18, 2013 Kukko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-countdown-challenge, 1-app-kindle, a-2b-gay-for-you, a-bdsm, a-celebrity, a-contemporary, a-romance, character-film-producer, series-to-be-read-in-order, sex-mix-m-m, z-2013

MM romance with an edge - between a Hollywood screenwriter (Greg) and a Hollywood producer (Aaron).

I read Book 2

first and now I know why I felt I was only getting part of the story ...... I couldn't understand the significance of Greg and Aaron's actions in that book. There should be a note telling folks to read these books in order.

I really enjoyed Aaron and Greg's relationship, particularly that there was a dom/sub/switch slant to it. It's difficult for me to say more without giving away...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Barb ~rede-2-read~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Barb ~rede-2-read~ by: Snowtulip

Shelves: challenge, angst, hawt, read-2012

This author is new to me and I liked her presentation of the story of two men whose relationship is falling apart due to one of them being in the closet and the other out. The story is told via a movie premiere - the movie that is written by MC Greg about how they meet and fall in love during boarding school and the heartbreaking journey they go through to find each other afterward. Aaron is surprised that Greg graphically reveals so much of their lives in the film but his reaction at the end of...more

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Apr 15, 2011 Lady*M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m-romance

This is a beautiful book. The characters were written with so much compassion and understanding that you have to love them. The story is both gentle and realistically harsh. I liked the difference between the 'fictionalized' and 'real' Aaron and Greg, between what should have happened and what 'really' happened. It added to the complexity of the story.

I really can't bring myself to analyze in depth the books that have so much emotional impact on me. The greatest compliment I can give this author...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

In her first book "Sheet Music", Tibby Armstong brought us fabulously damaged characters who, while they do terrible things to one another, we can't help but love. Tibby's characters are so easy to empathize with because they are so fully realized and fleshed out on the page. Aaron and Greg in "No Apologies" are no different.

Again, Tibby has given us real characters facing very real problems. We won't always like what they choose, but she brings us to understand why they do what they do. This is...more

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Sep 28, 2011 ~♥I_Luv_2_Read♥~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-favorites

WOW! I loved this book! It was raw and emotional...So much more than the blurb! Awesome!

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title link	preview: No Apologies
avg rating	preview: No Apologies Goodreads rating: 3.91 (290 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10999091-no-apologies?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1301946926l/10999091.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10999091-no-apologies?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]No Apologies by Tibby Armstrong[/url]

No Apologies (Hollywood #1)

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