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Before I Wake
Nurse's aide Jonesy is drawn to Michael, the comatose victim of a hate crime whose homophobic parents have rejected him. Jonesey sits with Michael, reads to him, and encourages Michael to wake up. Jonesy may not be the smartest guy in the world, but he knows Michael needs him. And if he also thinks Michael is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen, well, Jonesy knows better than to hope for things that can never happen.
Michael is lost in a dungeon, a dark and terrifying place. His only comfort is the sound of a man's voice. Can Michael come back? Does he want to? Maybe Jonesy can convince him that some things are worth living for.
This story is one of the "Torqued Tales" anthology stories, m/m romance short fiction based on classic fairy tales.
8000 Words
Michael is lost in a dungeon, a dark and terrifying place. His only comfort is the sound of a man's voice. Can Michael come back? Does he want to? Maybe Jonesy can convince him that some things are worth living for.
This story is one of the "Torqued Tales" anthology stories, m/m romance short fiction based on classic fairy tales.
8000 Words
30 pages, ebook
First published April 23, 2013
53 people are currently reading
563 people want to read
About the author
Eli Easton
89 books2,796 followersHaving been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 236 reviews
February 24, 2023
Reread February 2023
While the story feels a little dated, it remains a beacon of light and joy. I liked it just as much the third time around.
Original review:
Happiness is a warm puppy.
And this book.
A little sad but mostly sweet, this is a feel-good story that will make you believe in miracles.
Don't think too hard on the medical and legal aspects. Instead, sink into Jonesy's unfettered love for Michael. That's what hope looks like.
Unlike Michael's cold, Bible-thumping parents, Jonesy never give up. He SEES Michael and wants to bring him home.
I read the second edition WITH the epilogue, and the epilogue is everything. If you read the original version, this one's worth rereading for the epilogue alone.
LOVELY.
While the story feels a little dated, it remains a beacon of light and joy. I liked it just as much the third time around.
Original review:
Happiness is a warm puppy.
And this book.
A little sad but mostly sweet, this is a feel-good story that will make you believe in miracles.
Don't think too hard on the medical and legal aspects. Instead, sink into Jonesy's unfettered love for Michael. That's what hope looks like.
Hope is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
~Emily Dickinson
Unlike Michael's cold, Bible-thumping parents, Jonesy never give up. He SEES Michael and wants to bring him home.
I read the second edition WITH the epilogue, and the epilogue is everything. If you read the original version, this one's worth rereading for the epilogue alone.
LOVELY.
January 15, 2015
Really, I am... yes, I've been alternately sobbing and grinning like a fool for the past two hours, but I'm really okay.
This tells the story of a very simple man named Jonesy who cares for a comatose man named Michael. I know it sounds improbable and maybe even a little uncomfortable, but it was a joy reading about the two of them falling in love. I am honestly too emotional to write a cogent review. Just trust me - this was super sweet and had a lovely ending.
P.S. Make sure that you're getting the epilogue version. The epilogue is everything!
September 20, 2024
Sad little thing, but so full of hope despite the bad things Michael had to go through. Jonesy is an incredibly beautiful character. I love these gentle giants with their big hearts.
"You can do this, Michael. They're going to turn off the machine. All you have to do is breathe. I'll be right here with you, okay? When I squeeze your hand, you breathe in. And when I let it go, you breathe out. That's all you need to do. I'm right here to help you." 🍀💞🍀
I kissed Michael. Nice and sweet. It’s always hard for me to stop kissing Michael once I start, like they say about cookies and chips and things. Stopping with Michael is way harder than any cookie I ever had. 🫠💞🫠
"You can do this, Michael. They're going to turn off the machine. All you have to do is breathe. I'll be right here with you, okay? When I squeeze your hand, you breathe in. And when I let it go, you breathe out. That's all you need to do. I'm right here to help you." 🍀💞🍀
I kissed Michael. Nice and sweet. It’s always hard for me to stop kissing Michael once I start, like they say about cookies and chips and things. Stopping with Michael is way harder than any cookie I ever had. 🫠💞🫠
Read
January 10, 2015This was my first published m/m story and it's been out of print for a few months. I've just released a new self-published version that has a new cover and a brand new epilogue. I've added about 3K words.
Here are the links:
AMAZON -- http://www.amazon.com/Before-I-Wake-E...
ARE -- https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...
B&N -- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/befor...
Cheers,
Eli
Here are the links:
AMAZON -- http://www.amazon.com/Before-I-Wake-E...
ARE -- https://www.allromanceebooks.com/prod...
B&N -- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/befor...
Cheers,
Eli
January 11, 2015
Somebody get me some Ricola, this lump in my throat is killing me.
Just as sweet, with a bit of sadness, as the first time I read it. Love the new epilogue.
Also! Also! Eli Easton has a new book coming out next month (Feb 2015) How to Howl at the Moon. It's the "first in an all new romantic comedy shifter series."
Seriously, though, my throat hurts.
January 20, 2016
Ok...I didn't expect this one to gut punch me, but hell, it did.
Highly recommended because all the feelz...Although I think there hasn't been anyone out there who hasn't read it.
And don't forget, it is a fairy tale and you should treat it as such. Forget about the medical and law stuff, and enjoy.
June 26, 2022
This was incredibly sweet. Jonesey is an amazing character.
Michael, the unconscious victim of a homophobic hate crime is brought to the hospital where he falls into a coma and is abandoned by his religious parents who ask the hospital to stop giving him life support.
Jonesey is a nurse helper in Michael's hospital and starts talking to Michael, hoping to convince him to wake up. He (presumably) manages to help Michael breathe on his own when he is taken off life support, and when the hospital puts him into a windowless broom closet (again, is this a possible scenario?!), he visits him regularly and takes care of him.
Eventually, Jonesey takes a lawyer to fight the authorities and bring Michael home to care for him permanently.
And finally, Michael, who was caught in a dream about dungeons and snakes and a calming voice, opens his eyes.
It's an insanely sweet, heart-warming story. I had some troubles believing that some of the things here were legally possible and I actually found the sexual scene very disturbing (Michael was still in coma, but gave consent by handsign?!).
But all in all, this was charmingly sweet.
Michael, the unconscious victim of a homophobic hate crime is brought to the hospital where he falls into a coma and is abandoned by his religious parents who ask the hospital to stop giving him life support.
Jonesey is a nurse helper in Michael's hospital and starts talking to Michael, hoping to convince him to wake up. He (presumably) manages to help Michael breathe on his own when he is taken off life support, and when the hospital puts him into a windowless broom closet (again, is this a possible scenario?!), he visits him regularly and takes care of him.
Eventually, Jonesey takes a lawyer to fight the authorities and bring Michael home to care for him permanently.
And finally, Michael, who was caught in a dream about dungeons and snakes and a calming voice, opens his eyes.
It's an insanely sweet, heart-warming story. I had some troubles believing that some of the things here were legally possible and I actually found the sexual scene very disturbing (Michael was still in coma, but gave consent by handsign?!).
But all in all, this was charmingly sweet.
July 31, 2013
When I saw Mandy's review and her comment about Muscling Through I knew I had to read this short.
This is a wonderfully thought out story. Original in a way that's rare to find in the M/M genre,for me at least.
Jonesy is absolutely wonderful. If you liked Al from Muscling through you will love Jonesy lol.
Micheal we don't get to know as much, but from the little we do find out I know he will be perfect for Jonesy.
This is pure romance and my only niggle would be the sex (hand job only) felt more like it had to be in there because its an M/M story. I could of happily gone along with this if it had all been emotional and nothing physical, but that's just me lol.
Overall a lovely story, I just hope with fingers and toes crossed that we can get more one day.
This is a wonderfully thought out story. Original in a way that's rare to find in the M/M genre,for me at least.
Jonesy is absolutely wonderful. If you liked Al from Muscling through you will love Jonesy lol.
Micheal we don't get to know as much, but from the little we do find out I know he will be perfect for Jonesy.
This is pure romance and my only niggle would be the sex (hand job only) felt more like it had to be in there because its an M/M story. I could of happily gone along with this if it had all been emotional and nothing physical, but that's just me lol.
Overall a lovely story, I just hope with fingers and toes crossed that we can get more one day.
July 27, 2013
This was the harrowing tale of Michael, who has been left in a coma, the victim of a brutal hate-crime beating, and what happens when his parents decide to put a 'Do Not Resuscitate' order into effect because they don't agree with his lifestyle, and are no longer willing to use their medical insurance to pay for his care, and yes, my fists are clenched as I'm writing this!! 4 stars.
Jonesy works at the hospital as a nurse's aide, he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer but is loving and kind, and takes it upon himself to look after Michael. Does Michael ever fully wake up from the coma, do his parents get involved in some unfortunate accident (I wish!), how can Jonesy afford to look after Michael and keep his job...what happens between the two of them is for you to discover.
July 31, 2013
3.85*
I really enjoyed this author's Superhero so I went and picked up this from her backlist.
I love fairy tales, and this was most definitely one, and it had the nice twist, even if Michael was in some sort of coma, we got to see and feel how he was experiencing his surroundings.
Michael was badly beaten and ended up in the hospital with no family to care for or about him. Jonsey, a nurses aide and a real gentle giant takes it upon himself to care for Michael.
Jonsey reminded me a little of one of my very favorite characters, Al from Muscling Through such a sweet man, with his heart exactly in the right place, and probably overlooked by many people.
He washes Michael, he reads to him, he talks to him, he brings Michael's movies and music to him and takes care of all his needs and spending his free time with him.
This was the part I really identified with and fell in love with Jonsey. I had a loved one in a non-responsive state for many months, and even though she couldn't talk or react and never woke up again, I know how important and necessary those things are, and seeing Michael's view of his world and how important that time with Jonsey's care was made the story for me.
I'm not really sure I would even consider this a romance, but it certainly was a story about love.
I really enjoyed this author's Superhero so I went and picked up this from her backlist.
I love fairy tales, and this was most definitely one, and it had the nice twist, even if Michael was in some sort of coma, we got to see and feel how he was experiencing his surroundings.
Michael was badly beaten and ended up in the hospital with no family to care for or about him. Jonsey, a nurses aide and a real gentle giant takes it upon himself to care for Michael.
Jonsey reminded me a little of one of my very favorite characters, Al from Muscling Through such a sweet man, with his heart exactly in the right place, and probably overlooked by many people.
He washes Michael, he reads to him, he talks to him, he brings Michael's movies and music to him and takes care of all his needs and spending his free time with him.
This was the part I really identified with and fell in love with Jonsey. I had a loved one in a non-responsive state for many months, and even though she couldn't talk or react and never woke up again, I know how important and necessary those things are, and seeing Michael's view of his world and how important that time with Jonsey's care was made the story for me.
I'm not really sure I would even consider this a romance, but it certainly was a story about love.
November 25, 2017
Ughhhhhhh, puede que tenga sus puntos dulces, entiendo que la gente lo piense, pero a mi sobre todas las cosas me ha parecido muy muy muy creepy y la primera escena de sexo la he leído con muchísima incomodidad. No me ha gustado
February 1, 2015
Jonesy is a sweet and innocent man. He's a very caring nursing assistant who is on shift when a young man, Michael, the victim of a hate crime is brought in to hospital.
Although Michael is deep in a coma Jonesy talks to him hoping to reach him and that he'll wake up. He's end up taking Michael home and acting as his caretaker. We also get chapters here from Michael's POV which I really enjoyed because if this had been a one-sided story I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much.
A lovely story with an emotional epilogue. Nice read!
Although Michael is deep in a coma Jonesy talks to him hoping to reach him and that he'll wake up. He's end up taking Michael home and acting as his caretaker. We also get chapters here from Michael's POV which I really enjoyed because if this had been a one-sided story I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much.
A lovely story with an emotional epilogue. Nice read!
June 10, 2017
3.5 Stars
Simple Jonesy, with a heart of pure gold, only wants what's best for poor, abandoned patient Michael.
His love and dedication gets him his man in the end.
Sweet, sweet, sweet.
Simple Jonesy, with a heart of pure gold, only wants what's best for poor, abandoned patient Michael.
His love and dedication gets him his man in the end.
Sweet, sweet, sweet.
May 23, 2015
This one was nice and sweet but a little too sugary. Sometimes that's a good thing, but I didn't really buy it here.
April 17, 2020
This was a short quick read that I read for a challenge. Jonesy is a nursing assistant who gets a new patient Michael who was a victim of a hate crime his parents also said it was his punishment for beginning gay. He also has no insurance and his bible toting parents won't pay for his care. This was a good short read that I wanted more of I really liked Jonesy he didn't give up on Michael. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling.
April 27, 2013
This story reminded me of a couple titles that deal with a 'relationship' (if we can call it that) with an unconscious patient. There was nothing new being offered here. But it was sweet, nonetheless. It was a romance without as much as conversation between the two MCs, since Michael was in coma. And Jonesy was his guide in the dark with his voice and presence.
No smut. Pretty much one sided conversation (from Jonesy to Michael). And well, an ending that you can 'conclude' as HEA, if you're optimistic :-)
No smut. Pretty much one sided conversation (from Jonesy to Michael). And well, an ending that you can 'conclude' as HEA, if you're optimistic :-)
September 30, 2013
4.5 *
What a lovely m/m take on sleeping beauty. In this Jonesy, a male nurses aide is our prince and is a kind hearted gentle giant with a loving childlike quality. I loved him.
Poor Micheal has been beaten badly and is a coma because of a hate crime and as soon as he sees him Jonesy is drawn to the young man. He sits with him and cares for him every day, talking to him. bathing him, reading to him and playing his favourite music. His homophobic parents have abandoned him and the hospital don't want the responsibility of a patient who no one is prepared to pay for so in his own inimitable way, Jonesy rescues Micheal just like the prince rescues sleeping beauty and through the magic of love these two endearing characters get their HEA. But its the getting there which is so enchanting. We also get Micheals POV in which he sees himself trapped in a dungeon with only the voice of this " Jonesy " keeping him from leaving reality at all.
There's a smidgeon of sex but its sweetly and sensitively handled and even though overall its a really short story it was still very satisfying with one of those endings that leaves you filled you with hope. Just lovely.
What a lovely m/m take on sleeping beauty. In this Jonesy, a male nurses aide is our prince and is a kind hearted gentle giant with a loving childlike quality. I loved him.
Poor Micheal has been beaten badly and is a coma because of a hate crime and as soon as he sees him Jonesy is drawn to the young man. He sits with him and cares for him every day, talking to him. bathing him, reading to him and playing his favourite music. His homophobic parents have abandoned him and the hospital don't want the responsibility of a patient who no one is prepared to pay for so in his own inimitable way, Jonesy rescues Micheal just like the prince rescues sleeping beauty and through the magic of love these two endearing characters get their HEA. But its the getting there which is so enchanting. We also get Micheals POV in which he sees himself trapped in a dungeon with only the voice of this " Jonesy " keeping him from leaving reality at all.
There's a smidgeon of sex but its sweetly and sensitively handled and even though overall its a really short story it was still very satisfying with one of those endings that leaves you filled you with hope. Just lovely.
March 2, 2017
Ohh....
Ohhh....
Ohhhh....
*sniff*
That was quite remarkable. I'm sad and I'm happy. I'm weepy and smiling at the same time.
It's like when the sun shines and it rains...that's how I feel. Yeah.
AND...I can't tell you much without just saying, you need to read this. Really. I'm not kidding. Come join me in the sunny rainstorm.
It's breathtaking.
Ohhh....
Ohhhh....
*sniff*
That was quite remarkable. I'm sad and I'm happy. I'm weepy and smiling at the same time.
It's like when the sun shines and it rains...that's how I feel. Yeah.
AND...I can't tell you much without just saying, you need to read this. Really. I'm not kidding. Come join me in the sunny rainstorm.
It's breathtaking.
October 20, 2021
3.5 Stars
Ah, I really enjoyed this. For such a short story, it had a lot of heart. So glad Jonesy got his HEA 🥰
Ah, I really enjoyed this. For such a short story, it had a lot of heart. So glad Jonesy got his HEA 🥰
January 21, 2015
*sobs* *dabs at eyes* I'm ok! *sobs*
Such a sweet short story! Read this! Read it now!
Such a sweet short story! Read this! Read it now!
March 30, 2015
4.5 stars! The beginning of this book absolutely broke my heart. Learning why Michael was in the hospital. Hearing what his parents said during their visit. But then there was Jonesy. He truly was Michael's knight in shining armour. What a sweet story! And the best epilogue. I really loved it.
January 22, 2015
A cute enough take on the story of Sleeping Beauty, but I have to admit that the whole aspect skeeved me out a little bit.
Jonesy's character was all heart and emotional intelligence. He reminded me a lot of Al (who I absolutely adored) from J.L. Merrow's Muscling Through.
Also, for a second edition that has just received a shiny new edit, there were still a few glaring consistency errors (e.g. when Michael first wakes up from the coma his eyes are grey; later they are brown).
Overall, it's not my favourite piece by this author, but that's likely because she's set such a high standard for herself with The Mating of Michael and Blame It on the Mistletoe.
Jonesy's character was all heart and emotional intelligence. He reminded me a lot of Al (who I absolutely adored) from J.L. Merrow's Muscling Through.
Also, for a second edition that has just received a shiny new edit, there were still a few glaring consistency errors (e.g. when Michael first wakes up from the coma his eyes are grey; later they are brown).
Overall, it's not my favourite piece by this author, but that's likely because she's set such a high standard for herself with The Mating of Michael and Blame It on the Mistletoe.
April 25, 2013
It is difficult to review short stories without giving everything away, but this one is a sleeping beauty tale, something most people are familiar with. Jonesy is an unlikely prince, he would probably tell you. He is one of those people who maybe isn’t the smartest one around but he is kind, gentle, caring and honest. He is a giant of a man who works as a nurse’s aide and when the beautiful, beaten up Michael arrives in a coma after being brutally attacked, he takes care of him. After witnessing Michael’s incredibly bigoted, “religious” parents (and how I wish there weren’t parents like that out there but we all know there are so many), he makes an extra effort to be there for Michael, talking to him, holding his hand, caring for him. It’s a labor of love, eventually. But Michael is in a coma, what is there to do?
I thought the dungeon was creative and apt to Michael’s condition. Poor Michael with no family who cares, has a hero in Jonesy. “I was like a goblin warrior and he was an elven prince.” Jonesy, you just don’t give yourself credit.
I thought the dungeon was creative and apt to Michael’s condition. Poor Michael with no family who cares, has a hero in Jonesy. “I was like a goblin warrior and he was an elven prince.” Jonesy, you just don’t give yourself credit.
October 20, 2015
So so so sweet, but what did you expect really. Jonsey was such a sweetie, he was a little... slow, just like Al in Muscling Through, so if you liked that you'll love this!
February 26, 2023
Another sweet Eli Easton story, maybe a little too short, but as usual with loveable characters, nice ideas, and a beautiful happy ending. 3.5 stars
January 12, 2015
2.5 Stars.
This is difficult to review because I normally LOVE Eli Easton's stories, and I feel a bit awful that i didn't like this one as much, especially seeing that pretty much everyone else liked it a lot.
The writing style is her usual great, but while most of her shorts have a great pace, and left me feeling connected to the MC and satisfied with what I learnt about them, this one left me with more questions than answers.
The premise is very, very good, but I didn't feel like the book reached my expectations. I felt like after Michael woke up everything went too fast, and i missed the character and relationship development. A lot :(.
I see a lot of great reviews, tho, so don't let this one stop you from giving the book a try. :)
This is difficult to review because I normally LOVE Eli Easton's stories, and I feel a bit awful that i didn't like this one as much, especially seeing that pretty much everyone else liked it a lot.
The writing style is her usual great, but while most of her shorts have a great pace, and left me feeling connected to the MC and satisfied with what I learnt about them, this one left me with more questions than answers.
The premise is very, very good, but I didn't feel like the book reached my expectations. I felt like after Michael woke up everything went too fast, and i missed the character and relationship development. A lot :(.
I see a lot of great reviews, tho, so don't let this one stop you from giving the book a try. :)
January 13, 2015
This is one of those stories that sounded interesting when I read the blurb, then it blew me away with the reality of the deep emotions involved and the very powerful message about love it sends. A comatose patient trying to find his way back to life in difficult circumstances and the nurse aid who takes him under his wing is a pretty fascinating situation to start with. But adding the strong characterizations of both men, achieved with seemingly effortless grace and very few words, made it even better. Add more than one tense moment, when everything threatens to go wrong, and I was on the edge of my seat with impatience to find out what would happen next.
Jonesy is a nurse aid who is drawn to Michael, a hate crime victim in a coma. Jonesy isn't book-smart, but he has more than enough emotional intelligence and compassion to make up for what he may be missing in "standard" intelligence. He is definitely attracted to Michael from the very start, and even when Michael's homophobic parents and the hospital try to get rid of Michael, since he has no insurance, Jonesy stands by him. He develops a plan, and I loved how his straightforward thinking gets him exactly what he wants, and provides what Michal so desperately needs: safety.
Michael has been beaten to within an inch of his life, and isn't sure he even wants to live. The few scenes from his perspective are fascinating, and show him emerging from near death to something approaching a willingness to give life a second chance. The concept of having him "feel" Jonesy inside his mind as he wanders around, trying to find an exit out of the "dungeon" he feels trapped in works for me. There are some very powerful images here.
These two men, despite the fact they don't speak for the longest time, still manage to communicate. Jonesy expresses his attraction so well, but he tries to suppress it because he doesn't want to take advantage of Michael while he is in a coma. He makes Michael "feel" that he is loved and accepted, and that is probably the only thing that can get Michael back to the land of the living. With some powerful imagery, deep emotions and two wonderful characters, this story carries a strong message about love and the power of unconditional acceptance.
If you like unusual stories that are very romantic, if you enjoy reading about a man who thinks he is inferior to the "clever" people around him but is actually far more compassionate and loving than any of them, and if you're looking for a read that is likely to make you come close to tears before it makes you smile, then you will probably like this short story as much as I did. I totally loved it.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.
Jonesy is a nurse aid who is drawn to Michael, a hate crime victim in a coma. Jonesy isn't book-smart, but he has more than enough emotional intelligence and compassion to make up for what he may be missing in "standard" intelligence. He is definitely attracted to Michael from the very start, and even when Michael's homophobic parents and the hospital try to get rid of Michael, since he has no insurance, Jonesy stands by him. He develops a plan, and I loved how his straightforward thinking gets him exactly what he wants, and provides what Michal so desperately needs: safety.
Michael has been beaten to within an inch of his life, and isn't sure he even wants to live. The few scenes from his perspective are fascinating, and show him emerging from near death to something approaching a willingness to give life a second chance. The concept of having him "feel" Jonesy inside his mind as he wanders around, trying to find an exit out of the "dungeon" he feels trapped in works for me. There are some very powerful images here.
These two men, despite the fact they don't speak for the longest time, still manage to communicate. Jonesy expresses his attraction so well, but he tries to suppress it because he doesn't want to take advantage of Michael while he is in a coma. He makes Michael "feel" that he is loved and accepted, and that is probably the only thing that can get Michael back to the land of the living. With some powerful imagery, deep emotions and two wonderful characters, this story carries a strong message about love and the power of unconditional acceptance.
If you like unusual stories that are very romantic, if you enjoy reading about a man who thinks he is inferior to the "clever" people around him but is actually far more compassionate and loving than any of them, and if you're looking for a read that is likely to make you come close to tears before it makes you smile, then you will probably like this short story as much as I did. I totally loved it.
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review.
February 23, 2016
3.5 Stars
The feels were strong in this one. It’s one of those stories that had me emotionally distressed one minute, and smiling like an idiot the next – sometimes within the same fricken paragraph. Apparently, I relish being on this kind of emotional reading rollercoaster because I enjoyed this one quite a bit (read in one sitting – BOOM!)
This story was cute and sad, all at once, so mainly I’d describe it as bittersweet. The story is simple: A nurses aide, Jonesy, cares for a comatose patient named Michael.
Jonesy was really likeable. He’s quite a simple man and his “voice” was exceptionally well crafted. I can’t quite describe what I mean here, except to say that he felt whole. Many characters feel wooden, or one-dimensional, but Jonesy was written in a way that had me connecting immediately. I understood his motives, I felt his emotions, I commiserated his loneliness. I bloody LOVED his “learnings” from his awesome dead Aunt.
Aunt Dee said that if what I wanted was to help people, being a little cheese was even better than being a big cheese, because big cheeses got too full of themselves and stank.
Too cute. Jonesy was extremely childlike in his reactions to everything and caring for Michael came effortlessly and without expectations. Simply put, he was majorly huggable.
The plot is quite implausible, but I really didn’t care. I wasn’t after believability. So if you’re able to look past a few questionable details then give this one a shot.
The feels were strong in this one. It’s one of those stories that had me emotionally distressed one minute, and smiling like an idiot the next – sometimes within the same fricken paragraph. Apparently, I relish being on this kind of emotional reading rollercoaster because I enjoyed this one quite a bit (read in one sitting – BOOM!)
This story was cute and sad, all at once, so mainly I’d describe it as bittersweet. The story is simple: A nurses aide, Jonesy, cares for a comatose patient named Michael.
Jonesy was really likeable. He’s quite a simple man and his “voice” was exceptionally well crafted. I can’t quite describe what I mean here, except to say that he felt whole. Many characters feel wooden, or one-dimensional, but Jonesy was written in a way that had me connecting immediately. I understood his motives, I felt his emotions, I commiserated his loneliness. I bloody LOVED his “learnings” from his awesome dead Aunt.
Aunt Dee said that if what I wanted was to help people, being a little cheese was even better than being a big cheese, because big cheeses got too full of themselves and stank.
Too cute. Jonesy was extremely childlike in his reactions to everything and caring for Michael came effortlessly and without expectations. Simply put, he was majorly huggable.
The plot is quite implausible, but I really didn’t care. I wasn’t after believability. So if you’re able to look past a few questionable details then give this one a shot.
March 29, 2018
Sweet short story based on the classic fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty." Nursing Assistant Jonesy is captivated by Michael, a young man brought into the hospital beaten up and in a coma. Jonesy talks .... and Michael listens, although he can only communicate by squeezing his hand.
I never thought about it before that happened, but March is like a promise from the Earth, you know? No matter how cold and still things get, there is life deep down inside and it will come out again.
January 19, 2015
What a sweet sweet story this turned out to be. It took me on a grand tour of my emotions, too, and there were tears of sadness, then of joy.
Jonsey really was a knight in shining armor throughout this story. He took care of Michael when everyone else gave up.
The epilogue really got me. This story was everything I needed this night.
Jonsey really was a knight in shining armor throughout this story. He took care of Michael when everyone else gave up.
The epilogue really got me. This story was everything I needed this night.
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