This is an emotional and traumatic story of a young man broken by war and so desperately alone, who finds the love he needs to help put the pieces back together in the place he was only too eager to escape from four years earlier...3.5 stars

This is an emotional read and the author has done a great job of endearing the reader to the mental and emotional trauma this young man Michael experiences after being rejected by the Army... with four years in Afghanistan, he had fulfilled his patriotic duty More...

This story struck all the right chords with me and in the right order. A heartfelt story written with great tenderness and feeling.

Michael returns from Iraq to his hometown with PTSD and a kitbag full of anxieties, emotional issues and problems to overcome. At first it this seems to be an insurmountable task, but with the love, support, patience and caring from his family and newly found love he is nurtured onto the path of recovery. (view spoiler)[

My favourite bits / characters; I loved Angie, Michael's sist (hide spoiler)] More...

A sweet story about a just returned 22yo veteran and his sister's best friend. Very likeable characters with a bit of angst that adds a bit of bite to the romance.

I've read 2 other books by this author, and absolutly loved them (!) so I'm not surprised that I liked this one as well..

Its about Michael, a 22 year old guy, who has spent the last 4 years in Iraq.. He comes home with alot of baggage, and some emotional scars he needs to overcome, so to speak..

On his first day home, he meets his sisters best friend, Jay.. And finds himself in love for the first time..

I'm surprised there wasnt more drama, with a subject such as this.. Its not that I like too mu More...

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this story. The author does a good job of making this a realistic and compassionate piece about a gay soldier returning home after combat. Michael is dealing with the mental trauma of the day his convoy was attacked and one of his best friends killed. The author doesn't make light of Michael's issues or try to say they were all miraculously healed. Michael struggles to become "normal". Jay is a young man going to college. Jay is rooming with Mi More...

4 1/2 stars!

This is a sweet story about the healing power of love, family and a renewed sense of purpose. It is also about letting go of a past that can only cause pain.

I loved this book and recommend it for those who enjoy romance, stories of soldiers and veterans, and admirers of Eden Winters’ work. I also recommend it for those who have not yet read any of her books as an introduction to a very fine writer.

See my complete review at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/?p=9

Remarkable Characters that I still remember years later. Yes, not perfect but this was a memorable story that has left a lasting impression. This is a story of a journey to healing. The love and support of friends and family were an intrinsic part of this journey, along with professional support. An Excellent portrayal of the path of recovery and it's victorious conclusion.

This story is available as a gift to readers. I am giving any formatting or editing issues a pass, as this was not meant to More...

4.5 stars

Anyone who has read any of my reviews knows that I am hesitant to read anything based in the south, especially Alabama as it is the state I live in (born and raised). Very rarely does an author get the dialogue right. One of my biggest pet peeves is southern speak. As I have said many MANY times, it's fine to hear it but not to see it in a book because it comes across as making the characters look stupid. Thankfully that is not the case in this book. The author may have based the story More...

I first heard of The Telling as a free book offered by the author to get to know her writing. Not only intrigued but curious, I downloaded a free copy. After having read The Wish I wanted to see what else this author could offer. The Telling is very similar in writing style and tone to The Wish and I hesitate to make bold statements after just two books but Winters’ writing seems to be languid, affecting, and poignant. There is a gentle ease to this story that draws readers in to the emotionally More...

3.5 stars.

For the first part of the story, I really thought this was headed towards 4.5 stars. The set-up is managed very carefully and just slowly enough to be thoroughly enjoyable; the sense of character is lovely, and the way information about Micheal, the protagonist, and his background is divulged feels just right. And I think I might have fallen in love with Angie!

However. Jay, Michael's love interest, is nice, but also unbelievably perfect. The hurt/comfort plot is mainly based on Michael More...

I picked up this book, thinking I was going to read a romance and maybe if I had started it with different expectations I would have enjoyed it more.

This story is about Michael (full stop). It is about his road to recovery, about getting over the guilt and fear of losing his close friends in battle. It is about Michael accepting that he is gay, and telling his family and building the future he wants for himself.

It was very interesting to follow Michael´s way back, especially during his session More...

This book really drew me into to Michael's stroy - not so much how he came into his sexulality but more about the effects of PTSD and how they impact life and the story made me think about how this is for all forces personnel so afflicted, long after i'd finished the story - always a good sign if it stays with you.
The story in itself was good and enjoyable and i did get to be invested in the main characters

This was a lovely sweet heartwarming book about a solider returning home after the war suffering from post traumatic stress. It was wart breaking at time and had me crying along with the characters, cheering them on a smiling at their achievements. Eden winters is an auto buy author for me. I don't know why it's taken me so long to read this free offering from her but I wont be waiting long to read the sequel.

This is not something that I would normally pick up- I'm into PNR and urban fantasy. However, this was a nice change of pace and satisfied my newfound interest in m/m romance. That being said, it was difficult for me to read about a soldier returning from Iraq dealing with PTSD and the loss he experienced there, it's too real, current, and just plain breaks my heart. To top it all off, Michael's also dealing with coming out to his family and healing scars left by his homophobic abusive bigot ex- More...

After finishing The Telling, one thing I can say I'm certain of is that Eden Winters is an accomplished storyteller.

Michael Ritter left for Iraq a boy and returned a man who proves that life is not the only casualty of war - innocence, security, and emotional and psychological well being are also the victims of battle. The guilt of outliving your friends is a burden sometimes too great to bear and continues the fight for recovery long after the conflict is past. Sometimes the only way to carry More...

Reading two stories in a row which involved war I think is really starting to mess with my head. Michael is the war veteran in this case and his fears from that experience in Iraq tramples him into the ground, but with Jay's love and support he overcomes the majority of it to deal with, move forward and just Be among his everyday life. He's living again. There's so many parts that I applauded his courage.

Even though this story is not so angsty (Not giving a shite if this is a word or not)I had More...

Overall:
A well-paced, unfolding story of a war veteran trying to overcome his demons and discover who he is, and the young man who helps guide him on his journey. Everything felt realistic and tasteful while dealing with difficult topics. The bedroom scenes were well written and appropriate for Michael's state of mind, a matter Winters always kept in mind.

What I liked
Emotions. If Jay hadn't had a long-standing crush on Michael's picture, then the relationship between the two men would never have More...

I loved this book and how it dealt with Michael's return home, ptsd and his sexuality. Jay was an amazing partner and Michael couldn't have wished for a better boyfriend.
Are we going to get another book? Maybe about Terry and Ryan, please? I'm just saying those two would make for an interesting story ;)

This was a really nice story. I found this to be quite a good read and very insightful on the whole PTSD issue and dealing with the aftermath of war. While I have not got a lot of knowledge on the army or how soldiers cope afterwards this book felt real. It was not a quick fix or even really a true healing. But it was the progress that was reached during this book, I was glad at how the author dealt with these issues.

Micheal and Jay were such a sweet couple and the way they slowly got together w More...

I am always thrilled when a book grabs me with its plot and I find new characters to love. This one between a war ravaged young vet and a Hispanic college man is beautifully written in its description of small town Alabama, endearing characters, nicely paced romance, and interesting plot.

I enjoyed getting both Michael's and Jay's points of view and I particularly enjoyed how the relationship between the two was built from first sighting through the tentative reaching out to coming out for Micha More...

The Telling by Eden Winters... Wow. There is so much I want to say about this book that I just don't know how to express it. This book deserves more than 5stars IMO. I've read a lot of books but I can honestly say that I don't think any has touched me as much as this one. From meeting the MCs to learning their minds and experiencing their struggles not only with themselves but the outside world too, it was an unexpected journey that while you desperately wanted to know what would come next, you More...

This is my first book by Winters, and I look forward to reading more of her work. This story of a young veteran returning home and struggling with PTSD is sweet and poignant. There is angst, of course, but it isn't overwhelming, and the characters are endearing.

The author offers this book as a free gift to her readers. You can read it online here.

Jenre reviewed it at Well Read, and the author gave her permission to give away PDF copies of the book. Check out her review. It's much more detailed More...

I really enjoyed both The Telling #1 and its sequel Night Watch. The Telling begins by introducing us to Michael, coming home from from Iraq after being injured and dealing with PTSD. He meets his half-sister's roommate, Jay, and they begin a relationship. Jay helps Michael come out of the closet with his family and the community. Night Watch continues about a year after The Telling. NW is a short story that specifically addresses 4th of July and PTSD and how both characters, Jay and Michael, ha More...

Very good story following Michael as he comes home from war and deals with his PTSD along with coming to terms with being gay. He meets and falls for Jay, a friend of his sister's. He works on his self-esteem and anxiety issues in his head and in counseling. He suffers the memories and nightmares of the attack that cost him hearing in one ear and the life of a good friend, and confronts his abusive ex-stepfather. Despite these deep issues, the story is gently told. The relatives are loving chara More...

Extremely good depiction of the ravages war causes in our society, as part of a sweet m/m romance. Add war damage to DADT, small-town dynamics and an ex-stepfather from hell, and you have the recipe for one messed-up man. Yet, the main character in this story is a pure soul and his innate goodness attracts another pure soul to him, even before they meet in person.

The author writes a beautiful story with believable characters. I'm pretty sure we all know people like that in real life. In an ocean More...

A really great read, I felt connected to the characters and would love to read a sequel with Ryan and maybe Terry?

Loved it, loved it, loved it.

Michael Ritter is returning from duty during the Iraq war. He can’t re-up since his hearing loss after the mobile unit he was with was bombed. In that incident he lost a good friend, and now brings home the guilt for surviving.

Jay Ortiz Gallagher, a Texas Hispanic, was in Cookeville, AL for schooling. His surreptitious crush on Michael can now be realized.

The story is tender and at times sweet, but still raw in its true-to-life subject matter. The characters are r More...

4.5 stars because it didn't blow me away like The Wish. I read part of it as the serialisation and then got the complete file so it was difficult getting caught up in the story at first (because I had to wait). It is a great story with some wonderful, quirky supporting characters and those universal truths that anyone who has lived in a small community will wince in sympathy with. The end is Happy For Now and it is optimistic enough to let you believe that they will make it despite the long jour More...