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The Price of Falling
Mike Miller thought he was an average high school student. Your all-American, football playing, middle class kid. He didn't mind being normal and fitting in, until new student Jason Reilly showed up. What was it about Jason that was so magnetic? Surely he shouldn't be feeling things for another guy?
As Mike slowly starts to ignore everything else in his world, he finds not everything about Jason is what it seems. When he discovers Jason will do anything for cold hard cash, he enters in an agreement that could leave him broke for life.
A tentative story of discovery following the lives of two unlikely lovers.
GLBTQ Gay fiction
As Mike slowly starts to ignore everything else in his world, he finds not everything about Jason is what it seems. When he discovers Jason will do anything for cold hard cash, he enters in an agreement that could leave him broke for life.
A tentative story of discovery following the lives of two unlikely lovers.
GLBTQ Gay fiction
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2011
9 people are currently reading
1283 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Tushmore
14 books105 followersWriter of fiction including themes
Alternative subcultures: goths, punk rockers, rebels and outcasts
Contemporary
Horror
Fantasy
Erotic Fiction
Homoerotica
Male/Male
Slash
Gay
LGBTQ Fiction
and very British Humour
Alternative subcultures: goths, punk rockers, rebels and outcasts
Contemporary
Horror
Fantasy
Erotic Fiction
Homoerotica
Male/Male
Slash
Gay
LGBTQ Fiction
and very British Humour
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
April 14, 2011
Wow! I loved this story! Truly a five star read for me because I know I'll read it again!
A BRIEF OVERVEIW : The story of a small town guy, Mike, as he slowly wakes up from his safe, niave little dream to discovers himself, his sexuality and the often harsh realities of the real world.
I adored this book. Written in the first person it really is Mike's story in a lot of ways; although Jason (his love interest) obviously plays a pivotal role in his journey of discovery. Be warned, this one definitely has angsty moments, but IMO they were perfectly worked and balanced within the overall plot. Still, if angst isn't your thing...well maybe this isn't the story for you. However, for my money, I found it a wonderful exploration of a character moving from boy to man. Mike's lessons are harsh and painful, but through it all he somehow maintains a core simplicity and beauty I found endlessly endearing.
While I do think this was essentially Mike's story, I don't think my review would be complete without saying a few words about Jason. First of, and possibly a warning, some of you will probably hate him. Some of you might call him an asshole and wonder at Mike's intelligence for sticking with this guy. Personal, I liked Jason. I wanted to see him find peace and a HEA. His armour was thick and frequently sharp, even caustic, but he had a fragile, human frailty and vulnerability that spoke to me. Yes, he's very, very lucky to have Mike in his life, but I can equally see by the end of the story that Mike is, and most importantly of all, considers himself just as blessed to have Jason. For me, it's an 'Aw! Sweet, powerful, crazy love' story. My opinion and response only, but I liked Jason. He has equal space in my heart after I finished the last page of this book.
Finally, I found this manuscript very well written. Yes, there were one or two minor editing misses. But hey, we all make them, and IMO they really didn't detract from the overall excellence of the story and it's presentation. Good plot. Solid character portrayal. Nice style. Good flow. Who could ask for anything more? :)
So...Thank you Ms. Tushmore for an awesome story. I highly recommend this one to all loves of MM Romance looking for a well written...well a coming of age story I suppose about a big hearted, niave guy who finds the love of his life in someone from the wrong side of the tracks. Someone that's far from perfect, but perfect for him. Their story was quite remarkable.
A BRIEF OVERVEIW : The story of a small town guy, Mike, as he slowly wakes up from his safe, niave little dream to discovers himself, his sexuality and the often harsh realities of the real world.
I adored this book. Written in the first person it really is Mike's story in a lot of ways; although Jason (his love interest) obviously plays a pivotal role in his journey of discovery. Be warned, this one definitely has angsty moments, but IMO they were perfectly worked and balanced within the overall plot. Still, if angst isn't your thing...well maybe this isn't the story for you. However, for my money, I found it a wonderful exploration of a character moving from boy to man. Mike's lessons are harsh and painful, but through it all he somehow maintains a core simplicity and beauty I found endlessly endearing.
While I do think this was essentially Mike's story, I don't think my review would be complete without saying a few words about Jason. First of, and possibly a warning, some of you will probably hate him. Some of you might call him an asshole and wonder at Mike's intelligence for sticking with this guy. Personal, I liked Jason. I wanted to see him find peace and a HEA. His armour was thick and frequently sharp, even caustic, but he had a fragile, human frailty and vulnerability that spoke to me. Yes, he's very, very lucky to have Mike in his life, but I can equally see by the end of the story that Mike is, and most importantly of all, considers himself just as blessed to have Jason. For me, it's an 'Aw! Sweet, powerful, crazy love' story. My opinion and response only, but I liked Jason. He has equal space in my heart after I finished the last page of this book.
Finally, I found this manuscript very well written. Yes, there were one or two minor editing misses. But hey, we all make them, and IMO they really didn't detract from the overall excellence of the story and it's presentation. Good plot. Solid character portrayal. Nice style. Good flow. Who could ask for anything more? :)
So...Thank you Ms. Tushmore for an awesome story. I highly recommend this one to all loves of MM Romance looking for a well written...well a coming of age story I suppose about a big hearted, niave guy who finds the love of his life in someone from the wrong side of the tracks. Someone that's far from perfect, but perfect for him. Their story was quite remarkable.
February 6, 2012
To anyone looking, Mike Miller was an average high school kid. A jock, not too bright but not a dumb kid either. He dated, hung out with his buds drank and partied. Average for any kid in 1988. He was in his senior year, within a few months of graduation. Then he caught sight of Jason Reilly.
Red headed, pale skinned stoner Jason Reilly. The kid who cut classes, hung out with the strange kids and listened to weird music. Left in cars with strange men. That Jason Reilly.
And Mike became intrigued, but he wasn't sure what he wanted. Till he found out what Jason did in those cars for those guys. Then he had to have it for himself. Try to scratch the itch he never knew he had. But once Jason agrees, and Mike pays for his services, he is hooked.
Thus begins Mike's obsession with Jason. One that has him spending all of his cash, his college funds, and which may cost him his family. Because when it gets out what he has been doing, and who with, there is a huge price to pay.
Melanie Tushmore has crafted a remarkably sweet and romantic tale about two total opposites who discover they have more in common than just money. Mike and Jason find themselves, reluctantly and oh-so-bittersweetly, in love. I was drawn into Mike's life and world immediately, and utterly charmed by his naivety.
Because Mike is the loyal, one man kind of guy we all hope for. Shy but bold, sweet but silent, he so desperately wants to be liked by the object of his affections, and is so very clueless as to what he is wanting. My heart ached for him, and I found myself rooting for him and finding an unlikely hero.
And Jason, if there was every anyone so apparently undeserving of a man like Mike, it was him. Until, until we meet him on his turf and discover all his secrets and desires. He is as hidden as Mike, only so much more in-your face about it. And such a tragic boy. What happens when he thinks Mike deserted him broke my heart.
Ms. Tushmore wrote her heart out with these two, and I would love to see some follow up to their story. For all that these two boys, then men, are so strongly drawn, there is such a lovely fragility and quiet to their love story. I found myself holding my breath in places, afraid a noise might scare them away.
This book will stay with you, making you want to revisit it again and again.
Loved every word.
Tom
Red headed, pale skinned stoner Jason Reilly. The kid who cut classes, hung out with the strange kids and listened to weird music. Left in cars with strange men. That Jason Reilly.
And Mike became intrigued, but he wasn't sure what he wanted. Till he found out what Jason did in those cars for those guys. Then he had to have it for himself. Try to scratch the itch he never knew he had. But once Jason agrees, and Mike pays for his services, he is hooked.
Thus begins Mike's obsession with Jason. One that has him spending all of his cash, his college funds, and which may cost him his family. Because when it gets out what he has been doing, and who with, there is a huge price to pay.
Melanie Tushmore has crafted a remarkably sweet and romantic tale about two total opposites who discover they have more in common than just money. Mike and Jason find themselves, reluctantly and oh-so-bittersweetly, in love. I was drawn into Mike's life and world immediately, and utterly charmed by his naivety.
Because Mike is the loyal, one man kind of guy we all hope for. Shy but bold, sweet but silent, he so desperately wants to be liked by the object of his affections, and is so very clueless as to what he is wanting. My heart ached for him, and I found myself rooting for him and finding an unlikely hero.
And Jason, if there was every anyone so apparently undeserving of a man like Mike, it was him. Until, until we meet him on his turf and discover all his secrets and desires. He is as hidden as Mike, only so much more in-your face about it. And such a tragic boy. What happens when he thinks Mike deserted him broke my heart.
Ms. Tushmore wrote her heart out with these two, and I would love to see some follow up to their story. For all that these two boys, then men, are so strongly drawn, there is such a lovely fragility and quiet to their love story. I found myself holding my breath in places, afraid a noise might scare them away.
This book will stay with you, making you want to revisit it again and again.
Loved every word.
Tom
May 16, 2012
Behold my first review with gifs! Because OMG DIS BOOK.
So YEAH, I was perusing through reviews to get an idea of what to read next and The Price of Falling jumped out at me. I bought the e-book and read it all in one afternoon! As in I locked myself in my room and read it all LIKE A BOSS.
The story starts off all Penthouse Letters-y, with jock Mike (yum!) realizing that he's lusting after bad boy Jason (double yum!). Get this! Jason is kind of a whore. Sad, yes, but Mike realizes that the dude will do anything for money. As in ANYTHING. (bow chicka bow wow!)
I know! It sounds sleazy, and Mike does indeed get some of that good stuff, BUT! He develops feelings for Jason. :D He's hooked. All it takes is one look from Jason and Mike just melts. AWWWWWWW SO FUCKING CUTE IT'S LIKE A SWEETNESS GRENADE ALL UP IN YOU.
At first Jason is a total BITCHSTICK and takes advantage of poor Mike. I was ready to throttle the dude!
What's tasty about this book is that it progresses in a way that feels REAL and things sneak up on you! As I read TPoF, I saw that there was much more to Jason than just cursing and whoring, and that he was a damaged guy. Plus, although he tried to hide it, he was developing feelings for Mike, and SQUEE I'M A DORK.
Oh man. When something happens to them and I so don't want to spoil it! You will be all AHHH OMG but dude HOLY SHIT KEEP READING it gets so cray and awesome and THIS WAS ME:
SO MUCH WIN. Melanie Tushmore is a BOSS.
So YEAH, I was perusing through reviews to get an idea of what to read next and The Price of Falling jumped out at me. I bought the e-book and read it all in one afternoon! As in I locked myself in my room and read it all LIKE A BOSS.
The story starts off all Penthouse Letters-y, with jock Mike (yum!) realizing that he's lusting after bad boy Jason (double yum!). Get this! Jason is kind of a whore. Sad, yes, but Mike realizes that the dude will do anything for money. As in ANYTHING. (bow chicka bow wow!)
I know! It sounds sleazy, and Mike does indeed get some of that good stuff, BUT! He develops feelings for Jason. :D He's hooked. All it takes is one look from Jason and Mike just melts. AWWWWWWW SO FUCKING CUTE IT'S LIKE A SWEETNESS GRENADE ALL UP IN YOU.
At first Jason is a total BITCHSTICK and takes advantage of poor Mike. I was ready to throttle the dude!
What's tasty about this book is that it progresses in a way that feels REAL and things sneak up on you! As I read TPoF, I saw that there was much more to Jason than just cursing and whoring, and that he was a damaged guy. Plus, although he tried to hide it, he was developing feelings for Mike, and SQUEE I'M A DORK.
Oh man. When something happens to them and I so don't want to spoil it! You will be all AHHH OMG but dude HOLY SHIT KEEP READING it gets so cray and awesome and THIS WAS ME:
SO MUCH WIN. Melanie Tushmore is a BOSS.
October 13, 2012
Objectively I probably shouldn’t love this book so much. The writing is average, the proofreading subpar, fact check is needed, there are a lot of things left unexplained, money is too easy to come by and matters so much to the story, the main character is essentially a masochist doormat for most of the book, and the love story is unhealthier than it is not. Truly not incentives to love a book; but I do. In fact, I haven’t been this (emotionally) satisfied by a book in what feels like a long time!
The beginning is exciting. It is frustrating, it is hopeful, and it is pure agony. The sex scenes are each and every single one like a tiny knife jab into your heart, because of the nature of the protagonists’ relationship. You don’t know whether to root for the love story or to wish for Mike to get a grip and just walk away from the literally draining thing he has with Jason. It is crazy because I both loved and hated both characters at the same time. Then my heart was broken from one single line and I kept on reading with dread in my stomach.
At the end there is a lot left unexplained. Character history, future, emotional and mental health, relationship history…and so on, but it doesn’t matter because it works for the story. It just fits. And that is just the thing, I can see past all the flaws of this story because it feels so organic. There is no contrived drama or conflict, the problems are there from the beginning and then they just escalate. The sacrifices we do for love is so clear in this story, and how much of a fight it can be. Mike is surely not quite healthy in his love for Jason, and Jason is not quite healthy period, but because Mike has such an unwavering faith in their love and their relationship, and because he is willing to do ANYTHING for Jason…it somehow works. It is both scary and amazing.
This book is not easy to read. I was provoked beyond measure by this story and these characters, and I loved every second of it. My gut is still in agony, but it is so so worth it!
LOVED.
The beginning is exciting. It is frustrating, it is hopeful, and it is pure agony. The sex scenes are each and every single one like a tiny knife jab into your heart, because of the nature of the protagonists’ relationship. You don’t know whether to root for the love story or to wish for Mike to get a grip and just walk away from the literally draining thing he has with Jason. It is crazy because I both loved and hated both characters at the same time. Then my heart was broken from one single line and I kept on reading with dread in my stomach.
At the end there is a lot left unexplained. Character history, future, emotional and mental health, relationship history…and so on, but it doesn’t matter because it works for the story. It just fits. And that is just the thing, I can see past all the flaws of this story because it feels so organic. There is no contrived drama or conflict, the problems are there from the beginning and then they just escalate. The sacrifices we do for love is so clear in this story, and how much of a fight it can be. Mike is surely not quite healthy in his love for Jason, and Jason is not quite healthy period, but because Mike has such an unwavering faith in their love and their relationship, and because he is willing to do ANYTHING for Jason…it somehow works. It is both scary and amazing.
This book is not easy to read. I was provoked beyond measure by this story and these characters, and I loved every second of it. My gut is still in agony, but it is so so worth it!
LOVED.
January 3, 2013
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did. The idea is fantastic -- a high school jock finds out that a boy in his class is prostituting himself for cash. And he has cash... Sexy good times, moral ambiguity and a shitload of angst ahead!
Except I just couldn't connect to the MC Mike. I didn't hate him, I just didn't care very much about him. I actually liked Jason a lot better, teenage angry mood swings and general assholery included. Because I got Jason. I understood a bit of where he was coming from. I understood his self-destructiveness, his pride, and his sheer mercenary streak. And maybe I hung around with kids like that in high school...
I really did enjoy the first half of this book, but the second half lost me.
So I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but personally found the second half to be a let down. But maybe you'll like it more than me!
Except I just couldn't connect to the MC Mike. I didn't hate him, I just didn't care very much about him. I actually liked Jason a lot better, teenage angry mood swings and general assholery included. Because I got Jason. I understood a bit of where he was coming from. I understood his self-destructiveness, his pride, and his sheer mercenary streak. And maybe I hung around with kids like that in high school...
I really did enjoy the first half of this book, but the second half lost me.
So I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but personally found the second half to be a let down. But maybe you'll like it more than me!
August 14, 2016
1.5 Stars
I feel so conscious for giving this book a single star rating despite its stellar reviews. After just a few chapters I found myself skimming it (which was a first for me) and was surprised that upon reaching the last few chapters, I was still able to get a good grasp of the story. If a reader can sum up everything about the plot by just going through the first and last few chapters, I don't think it puts the book in a good light.
The plot strongly reminds me of The Far Away Years . What turned me off so much was how Jason was such a jerk throughout the book. I mean, for a person who uses drugs and sells himself for a living, he has this condescending way of interacting with Mike. Jason's constant use of the word "jock" annoyed me immensely too. Having the POV focused mainly on Mike didn't help with me understand Jason's issues either so I ended up feeling cross with him.
The ending could've been nice however Mike had this unrealistic amount of patience with Jason it was close to sainthood. I think that much verbal abuse and abrasive treatment from anyone would yield at least a minor argument.
I'm sure the story worked for others but sadly, it didn't hit the right notes for me.
August 25, 2011
It's difficult writing books with "difficult" characters. Characters that are not the type of people you would ever imagine anyone wanting to hook up with. Therefore, I appreciate it when an author steps outside the boundary of "easy" and takes on the unloveable ones. The misfits. The ones that are like the snarling dog in the animal shelter. The one that everyone else avoids, not seeing what lies underneath or trying to take the time to understand why they are like they are.
To make the story work, the author has to convince the reader that the character is worth loving. This is extremely difficult if the character themself doesn't feel this. Jason's feeling of insecurity, lack of self-worth radiates and affects other characters around him, in this case the POV character Mike.
Mike, himself feeling insecure, unloved and unloveable has a visceral response to Jason no matter how badly Jason treats him. At first too young to realise what he's doing, he somehow senses the good in the man underneath, despite the fact Jason keeps pushing him away. Mike sees something inside Jason he responds to.
Getting someone to overcome this feeling of self-hatred and lack of self esteem takes time, even with the most supportive help. Being young himself and acting more on gut feeling than anything, Mike gives Jason the only cure he can. Himself. His steadfast devotion gradually gets through the barrier Jason has erected around himself. The process isn't easy for anyone and certainly not pretty once drugs are involved, but there is no other way it would have happened.
I found the book gripping as Mike relates the story. The author managed to convince me that the question of whether or not Jason deserves Mike or even if they are a good match for each other is irrelevant. If Mike wanted Jason, then in the end, that was all that mattered.
Perhaps at times the plot and situations are unrealistic, but I give kudos to the author for daring to deal with the difficult as if saying that steadfast love can overcome almost anything.
To make the story work, the author has to convince the reader that the character is worth loving. This is extremely difficult if the character themself doesn't feel this. Jason's feeling of insecurity, lack of self-worth radiates and affects other characters around him, in this case the POV character Mike.
Mike, himself feeling insecure, unloved and unloveable has a visceral response to Jason no matter how badly Jason treats him. At first too young to realise what he's doing, he somehow senses the good in the man underneath, despite the fact Jason keeps pushing him away. Mike sees something inside Jason he responds to.
Getting someone to overcome this feeling of self-hatred and lack of self esteem takes time, even with the most supportive help. Being young himself and acting more on gut feeling than anything, Mike gives Jason the only cure he can. Himself. His steadfast devotion gradually gets through the barrier Jason has erected around himself. The process isn't easy for anyone and certainly not pretty once drugs are involved, but there is no other way it would have happened.
I found the book gripping as Mike relates the story. The author managed to convince me that the question of whether or not Jason deserves Mike or even if they are a good match for each other is irrelevant. If Mike wanted Jason, then in the end, that was all that mattered.
Perhaps at times the plot and situations are unrealistic, but I give kudos to the author for daring to deal with the difficult as if saying that steadfast love can overcome almost anything.
October 1, 2016
This rating comes a surprise for me, if I consider my impressions of the book when I first started, some of them, I even mantained until the end.
This is a cute, albeit somewhat implausible, story. However, cute and lovely and sweet and the like is not all there is (and, if I'm being completely honest, those elements are there in a rather minimal measure, this story is rather angsty, although in a very original, refreshing way). Still, I stand by my first statement. People who follow my reviews would surely know that I generally have a reason for saying what I say.
The writing is simple (sometimes, perhaps, too simple), and it kind of jumps between British and American English in a weird way, which can sometimes be a bit annoying. The strangest thing? I SIMPLY DIDN'T MIND. Yes, sure, I could feel my bilingual- main language being Spanish- brain doing this weird jolt when some things didn't flow in a comfortable manner... Still, it never got to the point where it became too much.
I just think that the story, weaknesses and everything, was still strong enough for me to overlook its flaws (that, and the fact that the plot was so goddamn gripping- inconsistencies and all- that I really struggled to really pace myself because I knew, all things considered, that I would have finished the book in one sitting if I put myself to it, responsibilities be damned).
So, I probably didn't manage to write a convincing review to sustain my rating. I just needed to say a couple things about it anyway. But if you truly want to know whether I would say you should read this book or not? Mind the rating, not my words. Because what's important about this book is that there's no effective way of explaining why you lovesomeone something you just do. And that's what should matter.
This is a cute, albeit somewhat implausible, story. However, cute and lovely and sweet and the like is not all there is (and, if I'm being completely honest, those elements are there in a rather minimal measure, this story is rather angsty, although in a very original, refreshing way). Still, I stand by my first statement. People who follow my reviews would surely know that I generally have a reason for saying what I say.
The writing is simple (sometimes, perhaps, too simple), and it kind of jumps between British and American English in a weird way, which can sometimes be a bit annoying. The strangest thing? I SIMPLY DIDN'T MIND. Yes, sure, I could feel my bilingual- main language being Spanish- brain doing this weird jolt when some things didn't flow in a comfortable manner... Still, it never got to the point where it became too much.
I just think that the story, weaknesses and everything, was still strong enough for me to overlook its flaws (that, and the fact that the plot was so goddamn gripping- inconsistencies and all- that I really struggled to really pace myself because I knew, all things considered, that I would have finished the book in one sitting if I put myself to it, responsibilities be damned).
So, I probably didn't manage to write a convincing review to sustain my rating. I just needed to say a couple things about it anyway. But if you truly want to know whether I would say you should read this book or not? Mind the rating, not my words. Because what's important about this book is that there's no effective way of explaining why you love
May 9, 2012
I feel somewhat in the minority here, I see 5 star after 5 star rating, and I just don't get it.
First off, I think the author would have been better served setting the book in England, and not Texas and New York. The terminology was just so British- the kerb, petrol, at hospital, and so much more, kept pulling me out of the story.
This was the story of Mike, a guy who was average in every way. He coasted by in school, coasted by with his friends, went out of his way to make his parents happy, and if his experiences with girls weren't out of this world, they were ok, so he coasted by there, too.
Then he lays eyes on new kid Jason. Jason caught his attention immediately. Jason with his long hair and his bad attitude. Mike doesn't quite know what it is about Jason, but he knows he has to get to know him. Then one day, he sees him getting into a car with a stranger, and learns that Jason and his friends often go off with strangers, trading sex for money.
Once Mike finds THAT out, it's all over. He figures he can try it out once, and get Jason out of his system finally. He chases after Jason and wears him down, promising 200 bucks (!) for a blow job in the back seat of his car.
Ahh! THAT'S what it's all about! At this point, Mike is totally obsessed. His every thought becomes about Jason, and how to get Jason to spend more time with him. And Jason totally takes advantage of Mike- making him pay to spend time with him, dragging him (and his hot car) out to chauffeur he and his stoner friends all over town, getting him to buy him things.
And Mike is so desperate for the time spent with Mike that he goes along with it all. It seems all his free time is spent either chasing Jason all over town, or trying to figure out how to get Jason to pay him some attention.
We see little glimmers that maybe Jason isn't so cold as he appears to Mike. He lets him tag along all over town, and eventually, the money exchange starts to blur into more letting Mike pay for everything and less of a cash for ass exchange. Once, he even buys Mike a ticket for a concert Of course it is likely with Mike's own money, and only because he needs Mike to drive him and his stoner friends to the show, which is three hours away.
And this is where the implausible stuff starts to come in. Mike spends all his savings, and finds the bank papers for his college fund, and forges his dad's name. His school work starts to suffer, he's spending money left and right, drains his college money from 3 grand down to around two hundred bucks over the course of 4 months, and no one notices? Apparently, this is one of those lucky kids whose bank doesn't send out monthly statements. In 1989 before everything goes digital. Ok, sure.
Then one day Mike's dad catches him, and it's all over. Dad can't stand to look at Mike anymore, and sends him away to stay with a business partner. No finishing his senior year, no graduation, nothing. I guess he finishes up his school work...well somehow, it's never explained. His dad's friend secures a boring job for him in the family firm, and so Mike spends the next year trudging along, waiting to be allowed to come home.
In yet another "yeah right" moment, his dad's friend Blake gets him a job in New York City. A brand new department, and Mike is going to be running it. Mike doesn't even know what the job IS, only that the salary is awesome and he gets a beautiful apartment he can afford, easy peasy.
Time passes, and it's been four years now since Mike left home. During all this time, we know Mike misses his family and wants to go home, but he doesn't really spend much time thinking about Jason, at least not as we are shown. Once he's been in NY for a year, he does seem to finally realize he's almost twenty now, he can do what he wants, so he calls Jason's house, only to find his aunt carried out on his promise to kick him out when he turned 18. So now Mike has no way to find Jason, so he just tells himself that Jason is happy, and pretty much moves on. He dates a woman for a year, leading her on, only to dump her when she starts mentioning marriage. He finally admits to himself that he is gay, and gets into the casual hookup thing. He makes friends, he is happy, if still a bit lonely.
And then his dad has a stroke, and he and his sister rush home. Being home is harder for Mike than he ever expected, too many ghosts. He sees Jason everywhere he looks, if only in his head. Finally, guilt overwhelms sister Alicia, and she admits to Mike that Jason tried to get in touch with him after he left, several times. He leaves his address where he'll be living, a letter asking where he is, when he's coming home. He even returns all the money Mike had given him. Alicia feels guilty, but Mike is horrified. He could have had Jason with him all this time?
He manages to find him, only now he is a homeless drug addict. And in another moment of WTF, Mike manages to get him admitted to a sanitarium, with just the lie that he's a cousin, and some cash.
Then we are treated to a sweet little HEA, but we are left with so many unanswered questions. Mostly about Jason. Why he's the way he is. Why Mike is so in love with him. Because really, while I liked Jason myself, I didn't see anything about him that was worthy of Mike's devotion(obsession). He was rude, he was a user. And we never really find out WHY. Truth be told, we don't know ANYTHING about Jason. All we know is he's a punk, he apparently sells himself for money (we never learn why that either. drug money?) I wasn't even sure if Jason was gay, gay for pay, or bi. He seems to have girls and guy following him around. How far did his sex trades go- just a BJ in the car, or the full deal? We are never told that either. We are never told what his issues are. How he spiraled down from a stoner to full out homeless junkie in 4 years. He was as much of enigma at the end of the story as he was at the beginning.
At the end, I felt this was a well written story with a lot of implausibilities, but it did keep me engrossed enough to read to the end, only to be left feeling unsatisfied, because none of the questions I had in my head about Jason were answered.
First off, I think the author would have been better served setting the book in England, and not Texas and New York. The terminology was just so British- the kerb, petrol, at hospital, and so much more, kept pulling me out of the story.
This was the story of Mike, a guy who was average in every way. He coasted by in school, coasted by with his friends, went out of his way to make his parents happy, and if his experiences with girls weren't out of this world, they were ok, so he coasted by there, too.
Then he lays eyes on new kid Jason. Jason caught his attention immediately. Jason with his long hair and his bad attitude. Mike doesn't quite know what it is about Jason, but he knows he has to get to know him. Then one day, he sees him getting into a car with a stranger, and learns that Jason and his friends often go off with strangers, trading sex for money.
Once Mike finds THAT out, it's all over. He figures he can try it out once, and get Jason out of his system finally. He chases after Jason and wears him down, promising 200 bucks (!) for a blow job in the back seat of his car.
Ahh! THAT'S what it's all about! At this point, Mike is totally obsessed. His every thought becomes about Jason, and how to get Jason to spend more time with him. And Jason totally takes advantage of Mike- making him pay to spend time with him, dragging him (and his hot car) out to chauffeur he and his stoner friends all over town, getting him to buy him things.
And Mike is so desperate for the time spent with Mike that he goes along with it all. It seems all his free time is spent either chasing Jason all over town, or trying to figure out how to get Jason to pay him some attention.
We see little glimmers that maybe Jason isn't so cold as he appears to Mike. He lets him tag along all over town, and eventually, the money exchange starts to blur into more letting Mike pay for everything and less of a cash for ass exchange. Once, he even buys Mike a ticket for a concert Of course it is likely with Mike's own money, and only because he needs Mike to drive him and his stoner friends to the show, which is three hours away.
And this is where the implausible stuff starts to come in. Mike spends all his savings, and finds the bank papers for his college fund, and forges his dad's name. His school work starts to suffer, he's spending money left and right, drains his college money from 3 grand down to around two hundred bucks over the course of 4 months, and no one notices? Apparently, this is one of those lucky kids whose bank doesn't send out monthly statements. In 1989 before everything goes digital. Ok, sure.
Then one day Mike's dad catches him, and it's all over. Dad can't stand to look at Mike anymore, and sends him away to stay with a business partner. No finishing his senior year, no graduation, nothing. I guess he finishes up his school work...well somehow, it's never explained. His dad's friend secures a boring job for him in the family firm, and so Mike spends the next year trudging along, waiting to be allowed to come home.
In yet another "yeah right" moment, his dad's friend Blake gets him a job in New York City. A brand new department, and Mike is going to be running it. Mike doesn't even know what the job IS, only that the salary is awesome and he gets a beautiful apartment he can afford, easy peasy.
Time passes, and it's been four years now since Mike left home. During all this time, we know Mike misses his family and wants to go home, but he doesn't really spend much time thinking about Jason, at least not as we are shown. Once he's been in NY for a year, he does seem to finally realize he's almost twenty now, he can do what he wants, so he calls Jason's house, only to find his aunt carried out on his promise to kick him out when he turned 18. So now Mike has no way to find Jason, so he just tells himself that Jason is happy, and pretty much moves on. He dates a woman for a year, leading her on, only to dump her when she starts mentioning marriage. He finally admits to himself that he is gay, and gets into the casual hookup thing. He makes friends, he is happy, if still a bit lonely.
And then his dad has a stroke, and he and his sister rush home. Being home is harder for Mike than he ever expected, too many ghosts. He sees Jason everywhere he looks, if only in his head. Finally, guilt overwhelms sister Alicia, and she admits to Mike that Jason tried to get in touch with him after he left, several times. He leaves his address where he'll be living, a letter asking where he is, when he's coming home. He even returns all the money Mike had given him. Alicia feels guilty, but Mike is horrified. He could have had Jason with him all this time?
He manages to find him, only now he is a homeless drug addict. And in another moment of WTF, Mike manages to get him admitted to a sanitarium, with just the lie that he's a cousin, and some cash.
Then we are treated to a sweet little HEA, but we are left with so many unanswered questions. Mostly about Jason. Why he's the way he is. Why Mike is so in love with him. Because really, while I liked Jason myself, I didn't see anything about him that was worthy of Mike's devotion(obsession). He was rude, he was a user. And we never really find out WHY. Truth be told, we don't know ANYTHING about Jason. All we know is he's a punk, he apparently sells himself for money (we never learn why that either. drug money?) I wasn't even sure if Jason was gay, gay for pay, or bi. He seems to have girls and guy following him around. How far did his sex trades go- just a BJ in the car, or the full deal? We are never told that either. We are never told what his issues are. How he spiraled down from a stoner to full out homeless junkie in 4 years. He was as much of enigma at the end of the story as he was at the beginning.
At the end, I felt this was a well written story with a lot of implausibilities, but it did keep me engrossed enough to read to the end, only to be left feeling unsatisfied, because none of the questions I had in my head about Jason were answered.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2015
"So either you want to try and blackmail me or you're hitting on me. Which is it?
Mike is an average high school boy, who comes from a privileged home, likes sports and does things that normal teenage boys do. Everything changes when a new students arrives at his school who is everything but average and turns Matt's whole world on its head.
I must say I did quite enjoy the book. Matt was a surprisingly enjoyable character, who didn't necessary fall in to the typical characterisation of a jock. When he started to realize he was falling in love with a boy he himself didn't make a big deal out of it.
Jason on the other hand, was a troubled boy who came from a completely different background as Matt. His main problem was probably the fact that he didn't deem himself worthy enough as someone who could be loved. So he kept everyone at an arms length.
I also loved the ending, although at times it looked like it's going to end painfully.
This book for some matter reminded me of the book
.
Mike is an average high school boy, who comes from a privileged home, likes sports and does things that normal teenage boys do. Everything changes when a new students arrives at his school who is everything but average and turns Matt's whole world on its head.
I must say I did quite enjoy the book. Matt was a surprisingly enjoyable character, who didn't necessary fall in to the typical characterisation of a jock. When he started to realize he was falling in love with a boy he himself didn't make a big deal out of it.
Jason on the other hand, was a troubled boy who came from a completely different background as Matt. His main problem was probably the fact that he didn't deem himself worthy enough as someone who could be loved. So he kept everyone at an arms length.
I also loved the ending, although at times it looked like it's going to end painfully.
This book for some matter reminded me of the book
. 
January 5, 2018
“Do you want to put some music on?”
“Will you come pick me up?”
“I’ll do whatever you want.”
“You like this right?”
“Stay if you want. Doesn’t bother me.”
“What do you want?”
“Is this what you wanted?”
“Will you say my name... when we you know...”
“Mike?”
“I would never hurt you.”
“Please don’t hate me.”
“I wouldn’t hate you, you know?”
“You can stay with me.”
"I missed you."
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU. TO SAY I LOVE YOU. GAHHH MAJOR WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. I couldn’t stop thinking about it DAYS after finishing it. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how much LOVE was just RIPPLING off of the pages every time they say something but mean something else. Gahhhhhh. I will never forget Mike and Jason for as long as I live.
THIS IS LOOKS AND SOUNDS SUUUUPER CLICHE: A JOCK FALLS IN LOVE WITH SOME LOSER POTHEAD AT SCHOOL. WAYY OUT OF EACH OTHER'S LEAGUES. IT STARTED OUT AS A GUILTY READ BUT HOLY FUCKK IT TURNED OUT TO BE SO DEEP AND POIGNANT??? it makes my heart wrench ugh ughhhhhhh. It takes them YEAAARS to come to term with themselves, but oh the yearning. It makes me sigh and want to say: ah young love. Because seriously. I can't stop gushing, it truly is to really fucked up and confused kids trying to navigate the world, all they know is they want to be around each other. Don't we ALLL know that feeling???? Everything is brighter, sharper, more focused when you're young and in love. And when hurts it hurts like a bitch. When they leave you feel like the wind has been knocked out of your lungs etc etc. I FELT all of that reading this book. They never ever say it but shit anyone can tell it's true love.
Oh man... this book was EPIC. No seriously, it was pretty long but I started reading at 3 am and now it’s 10:38 am in morning. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. So good. What an amazing opening to 2018!!!
Ah. It’s one of those books.
The first thing that really struck me about this book was of course it pushed all the buttons in me. All the good fuzzy feelings, because it didn’t leave any of those “CRASHING INTO THE GROUND AT 300 MPH BECAUSE I’M FALLING INTO A VERY DEEP VERY INTESE PASSIONATE LOVE WITH THIS PERSON, LITERALLY SEEING FIREWORKS IN MY EYES WHEN THEY EVEN LAY THEIR EYES OF ME, AND BIRDS START SINGING IN THE DISTANCE WHENEVER THEY ARE AROUND AND ALL CONSUMING- I CANT FUCKING LIVE WITHOUT YOU- BUT I CANT BREATHE AROUND YOU BUT I CANT BREATHE WHEN YOU’RE NOT HERE TOO YOU KNOW? SOMEONE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO GET THEIR HEART SHATTERED. SHATTERED INTO A MILLION LITTLE PIECES BUT IM GONNA KEEP ON LOVING YOU ANYWAY EVEN IF IT MEANS WHEN YOU LEAVE MY ASS AND ALL OF THIS ENDS AND IM STILL LOOKING FOR YOUR FACE IN EVERY FUCKING CROWD AND EVEDY PERSON I EVER ILL EVER HOPE TO LOVE 10 20 30 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD- EVEN IF IM MISERABLE AND ILL MISS YOU FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER.. LOVEEEEEEEEE” JUST PURE UNADULTERATED FALLING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE. This- this I was a sucker for. So no doubt I LOVED this book.
Mike Miller is a bright boy, but not too bright. He’s a football star, and all around a nice goody two shoes boy. Never gets into trouble. And Mike makes a point of telling us this, that he never felt a pull toward extremes in his life...until he meets Jason, who is just living on the edge ALL THE TIME. Jason was the complete opposite of Mike; a typical storybook bad boy. The outfit, the hair, the eyes. When Jason walks in class one day, Mike is totally enraptured. It can be best described as love at first sight.
SO CHEESEY. I know, and I was skeptical at first but holy hell this book turned out to hold a lot of substance, and even stayed true to the title “The Price of Falling.” Basically, the whole is focused on Mike pursuing Jason. The physical, emotional, and very real $$$$ prices he has to pay to be with the love of his life (which he realises toward the end). Oh and did I mention, this book is set in the 80’s!!! Letters, phone calls, land lines, BMW M3, Walkmans, CD players, etc. It’s certainly bound to make people nostalgic, and the book does exactly that. The writing style which I will talk about soon, is extremely nostalgic.
The book is rough around the edges just like the characters-It does explore some pretty dark themes, like prostitution, drug addiction, coming out of the closet in not the most rosy circumstances... I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a “light” reading. After all, Jason is from THAT part of down. At the same time though it’s incredibly innocent, and tender at some points. When those rare tender moments slip in I just wanted to melt all over the floor. It was so precious.
Jason is all tough and he’s obviously been through a lot of things no child should go through, I mean he’s a prostitute for god’s sake! We don’t know much about his history but given the fact that Jason’s character is EXTREMELY guarded we can only take a guess at what he must have gone through as a kid.
There are many hints and references to a very rough childhood that explains Jason’s character and actions but they are never explicitly said. Of course, this is because we are reading through Mike’s POV, his childish naïveté fit like a glove. But the reader knows. You will always know. Jason is not an easy character to like. At all. I grew increasingly frustrated at times because he is the epitome of playing hard to get. But I don’t want to say Jason was playing hard to get. He was scared of falling for this “Jock” as he liked to call Mike, who was incredibly persistent and kept laying down at his feet. Again, no one ever had to say anything explicitly but if you read between the lines it was all there. Jason’s feelings laid bare.
This is what I love most about the book. It’s not the best writing STYLE I will admit. But the technique is all there. The characterisation is ON POINT.
The novel of course hits it off with Mike trying to pursue Jason. I mentally split the book into three parts.
Part 1 is when Mike and Jason are in high-school. Mike is VERY much infatuated with Jason (and although Jason would never admit it then he was with Mike too). Part 1 is super exciting, emotionally charged, intense and kind of a blur. As it usually is when you fall into that very real, very intense love with someone. Mike’s obsession with Jason leads him to do things he wouldn’t do, puts him outside of is comfort zone, and even as he does all these stupid things- jeopardising his future even I couldn’t help but root for him. Because Jason was such an intriguing character. He certainly was your typical bad boy, but we knew next to nothing about him. Most books like this would have two points of views, but the only glimpses of Jason we had were through Mike. We had zero insight into what was going on in Jason’s head. He isn’t the most taciturn character either, and Mike is not exactly the most reliable narrator either, but what love struck fool is? But it was more exciting than frustrating to try to figure Jason out. And like I said previously, if you read between the lines it’s not hard to figure Jason out:
He has several layers beneath the cold hard “I don’t give a fuck” fearless facade. The moments I got excited about were not when Jason got physical with Mike, but when he let his guard down for the slightest moment and got vulnerable with him. Oh, and god I have to talk about Mike. The kid was a mess. It was so painfully obvious he was already in love with Jason by their second encounter. Or even the first moment he laid his eyes on Jason. God. I loved it. I loved Part 1. It was so INTENSE. It took my breath away. I mean every time Mike was around Jason that’s how he would describe it, and I felt myself getting drawn and falling in love with Jason too.
Although, the writing was awkward at times. I could let some of those hiccups slide. I mean, the author tried to paint this picture of a naive (and Mike really really was) not too bright Jock but it just didn’t fit sometimes. The voice of the main character came off as a nine year old sometimes in Part 1. He’s an 18 year old!! I wished the author would give Mike more credit sometimes but eh- it’s her bill.
Here’s the sad thing... the book is written in a way as if Mike was writing about this at some point in his life in the future. So there was that element of uncertainly and fear well into Part 2 which is more than halfway deep into the book. There simply was no way of knowing if they ended up together, or were together when Mike is recalling his memories when he first meets Jason/ high school. That got me hooked because I HAD to know, now that I was hooked on Jason if they ended up together. I will leave that for you to find out... dear reader. So I’m not going to go much into Part 2 and Part 3, except I will say they were quite a ride reading them, but they kept me on my feet and that’s why I rated this book a five stars. Just because i was never bored, just ANTICIPATING, all the damn time!
It damn near killed me.
It isn’t a perfect book though. The 5 stars and I have repeated it over and over, doesn’t represent the actual ability of the writer to pull certain stuff off but really weather or not I enjoyed the book. I truly enjoyed the book. The hiccups worth addressing are as follows: I don’t like how the book gives off the impression that with lots and lots of money you can invest a lot of money and maybe even “buy” your lover (???) hmm. I have a lot of questions about this. If Mike didn’t have that much money... would we get the story we did now? The next is how the ending seemed really rushed. I know most people might disagree with me over this but I really wanted to read more. However, the novel made up for it by leaving us with something to chew on! That should be satisfying enough.
This book will teach you so many things: what it’s like to stick up for someone through thick and thin just because you love them. Why do you love them? Well you just do and you don’t know why. Why it so important to not give up on the people that you want to keep around at the end of the day. Why it’s so so important to hold on to something if it truly makes you happy. How important it is to appreciate the people who truly care about you. But most of all, this book taught me about what it’s like to make sacrifices for someone you love. You’ll feel dumb and you’ll probably look stupid at times but you do it anyway. Because there were sooo many times when I questioned Mike's sanity and intelligence, putting himself in crazy situations for Jason, even going so far as jeopardizing his entire future.
“Will you come pick me up?”
“I’ll do whatever you want.”
“You like this right?”
“Stay if you want. Doesn’t bother me.”
“What do you want?”
“Is this what you wanted?”
“Will you say my name... when we you know...”
“Mike?”
“I would never hurt you.”
“Please don’t hate me.”
“I wouldn’t hate you, you know?”
“You can stay with me.”
"I missed you."
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY I LOVE YOU. TO SAY I LOVE YOU. GAHHH MAJOR WITHDRAWL SYMPTOMS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. I couldn’t stop thinking about it DAYS after finishing it. I just couldn’t stop thinking about how much LOVE was just RIPPLING off of the pages every time they say something but mean something else. Gahhhhhh. I will never forget Mike and Jason for as long as I live.
THIS IS LOOKS AND SOUNDS SUUUUPER CLICHE: A JOCK FALLS IN LOVE WITH SOME LOSER POTHEAD AT SCHOOL. WAYY OUT OF EACH OTHER'S LEAGUES. IT STARTED OUT AS A GUILTY READ BUT HOLY FUCKK IT TURNED OUT TO BE SO DEEP AND POIGNANT??? it makes my heart wrench ugh ughhhhhhh. It takes them YEAAARS to come to term with themselves, but oh the yearning. It makes me sigh and want to say: ah young love. Because seriously. I can't stop gushing, it truly is to really fucked up and confused kids trying to navigate the world, all they know is they want to be around each other. Don't we ALLL know that feeling???? Everything is brighter, sharper, more focused when you're young and in love. And when hurts it hurts like a bitch. When they leave you feel like the wind has been knocked out of your lungs etc etc. I FELT all of that reading this book. They never ever say it but shit anyone can tell it's true love.
Oh man... this book was EPIC. No seriously, it was pretty long but I started reading at 3 am and now it’s 10:38 am in morning. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. So good. What an amazing opening to 2018!!!
Ah. It’s one of those books.
The first thing that really struck me about this book was of course it pushed all the buttons in me. All the good fuzzy feelings, because it didn’t leave any of those “CRASHING INTO THE GROUND AT 300 MPH BECAUSE I’M FALLING INTO A VERY DEEP VERY INTESE PASSIONATE LOVE WITH THIS PERSON, LITERALLY SEEING FIREWORKS IN MY EYES WHEN THEY EVEN LAY THEIR EYES OF ME, AND BIRDS START SINGING IN THE DISTANCE WHENEVER THEY ARE AROUND AND ALL CONSUMING- I CANT FUCKING LIVE WITHOUT YOU- BUT I CANT BREATHE AROUND YOU BUT I CANT BREATHE WHEN YOU’RE NOT HERE TOO YOU KNOW? SOMEONE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO GET THEIR HEART SHATTERED. SHATTERED INTO A MILLION LITTLE PIECES BUT IM GONNA KEEP ON LOVING YOU ANYWAY EVEN IF IT MEANS WHEN YOU LEAVE MY ASS AND ALL OF THIS ENDS AND IM STILL LOOKING FOR YOUR FACE IN EVERY FUCKING CROWD AND EVEDY PERSON I EVER ILL EVER HOPE TO LOVE 10 20 30 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD- EVEN IF IM MISERABLE AND ILL MISS YOU FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER.. LOVEEEEEEEEE” JUST PURE UNADULTERATED FALLING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE. This- this I was a sucker for. So no doubt I LOVED this book.
Mike Miller is a bright boy, but not too bright. He’s a football star, and all around a nice goody two shoes boy. Never gets into trouble. And Mike makes a point of telling us this, that he never felt a pull toward extremes in his life...until he meets Jason, who is just living on the edge ALL THE TIME. Jason was the complete opposite of Mike; a typical storybook bad boy. The outfit, the hair, the eyes. When Jason walks in class one day, Mike is totally enraptured. It can be best described as love at first sight.
SO CHEESEY. I know, and I was skeptical at first but holy hell this book turned out to hold a lot of substance, and even stayed true to the title “The Price of Falling.” Basically, the whole is focused on Mike pursuing Jason. The physical, emotional, and very real $$$$ prices he has to pay to be with the love of his life (which he realises toward the end). Oh and did I mention, this book is set in the 80’s!!! Letters, phone calls, land lines, BMW M3, Walkmans, CD players, etc. It’s certainly bound to make people nostalgic, and the book does exactly that. The writing style which I will talk about soon, is extremely nostalgic.
The book is rough around the edges just like the characters-It does explore some pretty dark themes, like prostitution, drug addiction, coming out of the closet in not the most rosy circumstances... I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a “light” reading. After all, Jason is from THAT part of down. At the same time though it’s incredibly innocent, and tender at some points. When those rare tender moments slip in I just wanted to melt all over the floor. It was so precious.
Jason is all tough and he’s obviously been through a lot of things no child should go through, I mean he’s a prostitute for god’s sake! We don’t know much about his history but given the fact that Jason’s character is EXTREMELY guarded we can only take a guess at what he must have gone through as a kid.
There are many hints and references to a very rough childhood that explains Jason’s character and actions but they are never explicitly said. Of course, this is because we are reading through Mike’s POV, his childish naïveté fit like a glove. But the reader knows. You will always know. Jason is not an easy character to like. At all. I grew increasingly frustrated at times because he is the epitome of playing hard to get. But I don’t want to say Jason was playing hard to get. He was scared of falling for this “Jock” as he liked to call Mike, who was incredibly persistent and kept laying down at his feet. Again, no one ever had to say anything explicitly but if you read between the lines it was all there. Jason’s feelings laid bare.
This is what I love most about the book. It’s not the best writing STYLE I will admit. But the technique is all there. The characterisation is ON POINT.
The novel of course hits it off with Mike trying to pursue Jason. I mentally split the book into three parts.
Part 1 is when Mike and Jason are in high-school. Mike is VERY much infatuated with Jason (and although Jason would never admit it then he was with Mike too). Part 1 is super exciting, emotionally charged, intense and kind of a blur. As it usually is when you fall into that very real, very intense love with someone. Mike’s obsession with Jason leads him to do things he wouldn’t do, puts him outside of is comfort zone, and even as he does all these stupid things- jeopardising his future even I couldn’t help but root for him. Because Jason was such an intriguing character. He certainly was your typical bad boy, but we knew next to nothing about him. Most books like this would have two points of views, but the only glimpses of Jason we had were through Mike. We had zero insight into what was going on in Jason’s head. He isn’t the most taciturn character either, and Mike is not exactly the most reliable narrator either, but what love struck fool is? But it was more exciting than frustrating to try to figure Jason out. And like I said previously, if you read between the lines it’s not hard to figure Jason out:
He has several layers beneath the cold hard “I don’t give a fuck” fearless facade. The moments I got excited about were not when Jason got physical with Mike, but when he let his guard down for the slightest moment and got vulnerable with him. Oh, and god I have to talk about Mike. The kid was a mess. It was so painfully obvious he was already in love with Jason by their second encounter. Or even the first moment he laid his eyes on Jason. God. I loved it. I loved Part 1. It was so INTENSE. It took my breath away. I mean every time Mike was around Jason that’s how he would describe it, and I felt myself getting drawn and falling in love with Jason too.
Although, the writing was awkward at times. I could let some of those hiccups slide. I mean, the author tried to paint this picture of a naive (and Mike really really was) not too bright Jock but it just didn’t fit sometimes. The voice of the main character came off as a nine year old sometimes in Part 1. He’s an 18 year old!! I wished the author would give Mike more credit sometimes but eh- it’s her bill.
Here’s the sad thing... the book is written in a way as if Mike was writing about this at some point in his life in the future. So there was that element of uncertainly and fear well into Part 2 which is more than halfway deep into the book. There simply was no way of knowing if they ended up together, or were together when Mike is recalling his memories when he first meets Jason/ high school. That got me hooked because I HAD to know, now that I was hooked on Jason if they ended up together. I will leave that for you to find out... dear reader. So I’m not going to go much into Part 2 and Part 3, except I will say they were quite a ride reading them, but they kept me on my feet and that’s why I rated this book a five stars. Just because i was never bored, just ANTICIPATING, all the damn time!
It damn near killed me.
It isn’t a perfect book though. The 5 stars and I have repeated it over and over, doesn’t represent the actual ability of the writer to pull certain stuff off but really weather or not I enjoyed the book. I truly enjoyed the book. The hiccups worth addressing are as follows: I don’t like how the book gives off the impression that with lots and lots of money you can invest a lot of money and maybe even “buy” your lover (???) hmm. I have a lot of questions about this. If Mike didn’t have that much money... would we get the story we did now? The next is how the ending seemed really rushed. I know most people might disagree with me over this but I really wanted to read more. However, the novel made up for it by leaving us with something to chew on! That should be satisfying enough.
This book will teach you so many things: what it’s like to stick up for someone through thick and thin just because you love them. Why do you love them? Well you just do and you don’t know why. Why it so important to not give up on the people that you want to keep around at the end of the day. Why it’s so so important to hold on to something if it truly makes you happy. How important it is to appreciate the people who truly care about you. But most of all, this book taught me about what it’s like to make sacrifices for someone you love. You’ll feel dumb and you’ll probably look stupid at times but you do it anyway. Because there were sooo many times when I questioned Mike's sanity and intelligence, putting himself in crazy situations for Jason, even going so far as jeopardizing his entire future.
May 1, 2017
This is not an easy book to get your hands on, but if you are lucky enough to find a copy you will be rewarded with a beautiful read.
It wasn't until Mike was nearly finished with High School that he realized he had a thing for the new student Jason. Jason didn't make it easy for Mike. He put up road blocks and made every encounter some type of business transaction.
The story takes off after Mike and Jason are discovered together by Mike's dad. Mike is sent away - never knowing if Jason likes him or just the money. After a few years Mike moves to New York for his first job. He thinks that Jason has moved on to California. After a family emergency calls Mike home, he discovered that Jason reached out to him years ago. Now Mike is on a quest to find Jason...and get some answers.
The story is written with a very British pen, so don't be surprised to see some non-American nouns and phrases. None of that gets in the way of a beautiful story. 4.5 for gingers and jocks.
It wasn't until Mike was nearly finished with High School that he realized he had a thing for the new student Jason. Jason didn't make it easy for Mike. He put up road blocks and made every encounter some type of business transaction.
The story takes off after Mike and Jason are discovered together by Mike's dad. Mike is sent away - never knowing if Jason likes him or just the money. After a few years Mike moves to New York for his first job. He thinks that Jason has moved on to California. After a family emergency calls Mike home, he discovered that Jason reached out to him years ago. Now Mike is on a quest to find Jason...and get some answers.
The story is written with a very British pen, so don't be surprised to see some non-American nouns and phrases. None of that gets in the way of a beautiful story. 4.5 for gingers and jocks.
December 21, 2011
I read the reviews and looked at the rating and took a chance on this author that I hadn't heard of and now I'm left with a book that I can not rate (never mind, I'm going to rate it based on the first half and hope that some of you take the time to read the reviews). I won’t rate because this doesn’t have a clear cut rating. It felt more like two different stories which deserve their own ratings. I also don’t want to rate this lowly based on the first half and keep those that I believe will enjoy the second half from taking a chance.
I honestly don't know how anyone actually rated this book a five. That's not me being mean, that's me being real. In all honesty the first half of the book deserves a two rating and the second half a four. It’s like the two halves are completely different freaking books. The first while still well written and full of details, it lacked heart. It could not pull me in emotionally. Everything I love about young adult books was taken out of this. I get that it was needed to lead into the second half but the angst and the general feel of not liking Jason lasted too long that aside from the kick ass sex scenes, the first half made me feel disjointed and disappointed.
I pushed through though and in the second half I found everything I had wanted. In three D multicolor, it was heart-felt, vivid, touching and though there was still a struggle and tons of angst it felt right and worth it. I fell into this side of the story. I got the relationship, the connection these characters had for each other. This is the first time you even feel that there is a connection on Jason’s part. This half of the story was amazing and made me glad that I shelled out the money on this unknown author. I’m still going to have to go find a fluff book to erase the bad taste in my mouth from the first half though.
I work my ass off on reviews not to come across as a snaky bitch and hopefully that will be understood in this review as well.
I honestly don't know how anyone actually rated this book a five. That's not me being mean, that's me being real. In all honesty the first half of the book deserves a two rating and the second half a four. It’s like the two halves are completely different freaking books. The first while still well written and full of details, it lacked heart. It could not pull me in emotionally. Everything I love about young adult books was taken out of this. I get that it was needed to lead into the second half but the angst and the general feel of not liking Jason lasted too long that aside from the kick ass sex scenes, the first half made me feel disjointed and disappointed.
I pushed through though and in the second half I found everything I had wanted. In three D multicolor, it was heart-felt, vivid, touching and though there was still a struggle and tons of angst it felt right and worth it. I fell into this side of the story. I got the relationship, the connection these characters had for each other. This is the first time you even feel that there is a connection on Jason’s part. This half of the story was amazing and made me glad that I shelled out the money on this unknown author. I’m still going to have to go find a fluff book to erase the bad taste in my mouth from the first half though.
I work my ass off on reviews not to come across as a snaky bitch and hopefully that will be understood in this review as well.
December 28, 2011
I liked the book but not enough to give it more than 3.5 stars.
I spent more than half the book feeling sorry for Mike and wishing things would go his way. I can't decide if the turn of events was meant to prove that one should trust destiny's choices and make the most of it as it will eventually lead to something good or that one can succeed anything if they set their mind to it.
Overall, it was a good book but too depressive. Especially if reading it during the winter holidays. That and Jason's abhorrent personality made it difficult to love the story and give it a higher rating.
I spent more than half the book feeling sorry for Mike and wishing things would go his way. I can't decide if the turn of events was meant to prove that one should trust destiny's choices and make the most of it as it will eventually lead to something good or that one can succeed anything if they set their mind to it.
Overall, it was a good book but too depressive. Especially if reading it during the winter holidays. That and Jason's abhorrent personality made it difficult to love the story and give it a higher rating.
August 12, 2011
Ok the story line wasn't bad. However, the inconsistencies and wording were annoying. First off is Melanie Tushmore British? The use of some word or their placement seemed off especially for a story set in Texas and New York. Secondly, even being set in the late 80's early 90's, putting a 18 year old in-charge of a management team with out any experience seems just past fantasy. Third, was Mike a complete moron? I don't understand how he could get shipped away and the first if not the second he could, he would contact Jason. Apparently he was in-love with Jason? Which brings me to the crux of my issue, really he was in-love with Jason? Ok, why? Thats all I wanted to know. I understand that sometimes in our live we are so physically attracted to someone that we are blind to their personality (good, bad or indifferent) but again this was way past fantasy into just 'hun'? I really like Mike and it isnt that I hated Jason, I didn't. Sometimes I was angry with his actions, but I knew he had issues however he never really got himself right. Even at the end I just felt sorry for Mike. Not that he was a bad guy but that he spoon fed, someone who was given no redeeming qualities, a new life without having to work for it.
April 9, 2013
The story was interesting, but it was clearly written by a Brit trying to do an American story. The language was all wrong. I had a hard time at first figuring out where the story was set, because it was such a weird mix of American and British references. I was floored when I realized, about half way through the book, that it was set in Texas. At best the setting was generic American. Nothing but a couple of city names said "Texas" at all.
Beyond that, I had trouble connecting with Mike. He came off as completely without interests or goals of his own, and not very bright. Jason was more interesting, although the asshole act got pretty old after a while. Mike constantly walking around on eggshells with Jason, never having any confidence or security in their relationship, was pretty frustrating, too.
I really wanted to like this, but I didn't.
Beyond that, I had trouble connecting with Mike. He came off as completely without interests or goals of his own, and not very bright. Jason was more interesting, although the asshole act got pretty old after a while. Mike constantly walking around on eggshells with Jason, never having any confidence or security in their relationship, was pretty frustrating, too.
I really wanted to like this, but I didn't.
October 22, 2011
Story of a relationship between two unlikable characters, hinging more or less on about 6 months worth of prostitution, poorly edited, and, gah. To quote MZB, "suspending disbelief does not mean hanging it by the neck until it is dead." So which do you think is more likely:
- a Texan calling gas "petrol" and talking about someone being "in hospital"?
- an 18-yo with a GED and almost no work experience getting a cushy Manhattan executive job with an upscale affordable apartment?
- being able to commit someone to a mental hospital for heroin rehab by flashing a few twenties and talking fast.
If you live in the alternate universe where these things are possible maybe you will like this book. Aside from the many other issues, it was readable enough.
- a Texan calling gas "petrol" and talking about someone being "in hospital"?
- an 18-yo with a GED and almost no work experience getting a cushy Manhattan executive job with an upscale affordable apartment?
- being able to commit someone to a mental hospital for heroin rehab by flashing a few twenties and talking fast.
If you live in the alternate universe where these things are possible maybe you will like this book. Aside from the many other issues, it was readable enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2012
I couldn't stop reading this book, so I ended up being up all night until I finished it at 6 am. The constant feeling that it's all going to end horribly wrong for the characters never left me and it drove me crazy! Throw in a bunch of believable characters with well-built personalities and I'm hooked.
I loved this book despite it being written in 1st person (which I dislike) and having this overwhelming melancholic mood that I tend to be annoyed with. Not in this case. There were also some inconsistencies and situations that weren't all that believable, but overall it's a great book, can't wait to read more by Melanie Tushmore.
I loved this book despite it being written in 1st person (which I dislike) and having this overwhelming melancholic mood that I tend to be annoyed with. Not in this case. There were also some inconsistencies and situations that weren't all that believable, but overall it's a great book, can't wait to read more by Melanie Tushmore.
January 6, 2015
Mike + Jason
Set: Ellan, Pennsylvania/ New York
A lovely surprise. Sweet and romantic. I had a hard time at the start cause I found Mike really too stupid. It wasn't my usual romance but I liked it a lot. Sweet Jason broke my heart!
Set: Ellan, Pennsylvania/ New York
A lovely surprise. Sweet and romantic. I had a hard time at the start cause I found Mike really too stupid. It wasn't my usual romance but I liked it a lot. Sweet Jason broke my heart!
May 29, 2020
So this book is something between 1 star and 4 stars.
There are two sides of this coin. Mike with jason is probably 0.5 stars, and Mike without Jason is 4 stars. I just have to make it clear that I loved both MCs just when they’re not together.
Actually for the life of me I don’t know why they are together.
So I’ll break it down to you (spoilers)
• Welcome to the story of ‘Doormat and Problematic’ also known as Mike and Jason.
•Here’s the deal. Jason: he got issues Mike doesn’t even comprehend. Abandoned parents, overdosed mother, poverty, no support system or meaning of family, also no regard for his future because he already accepted his life is already fucked.
•Jason sells sex for money.
•Here’s Mike: Horney, desperate, and weak makes up 80% of Mike’s personality when it comes to Jason. He took bending over backwards to a WHOLE New level. Losing, money, friend, and dignity for Jason, except Jason didn’t ask him for all that.
•This was a genuine case of ‘bad boy your parents warned you about’ except it wasn’t even Jason’s fault. He was upfront that there is nothing going on between them, but it was Mike who was obsessive .
•Jason during high school was at best passive when it came to Mike. He did not lead Mike on.
•Of course Mike already decided in not so many words that Jason is his soulmate.
~~~~
Part 2 (when things become so much better)
•When Mike got sent away angels started to sing (for me at least) because Mike developed an actual personality beside obsessing over Jason. I liked seeing Mike on his one, making it alone with no family. I was pleasantly surprised when the plot stretched and wasn’t as predictable. Mike actually became a semi likable character.
•I understood why Mike still tried to restore things with his family even when they kicked him out and were essentially assholes. I liked that he was real and wasn’t a case of “you don’t accept me?! Then fuck you!” Because these are people who raised him and he clearly was attached to that family bond and it took time for him to understand that it isn’t amendable.
•Mike’s reunion with Jason was uuhhhh bullshit, but it didn’t bother me as much. Still don’t think they should be together, when Jason asked Mike why he loves him Mike’s answer was collection for Facebook poetry that showed that Mike doesn’t know a single thing about Jason, but whatever what works for them works for me.
•So basically this book is the reason I’m making a new shelf called: Not bad could’ve been better.
There are two sides of this coin. Mike with jason is probably 0.5 stars, and Mike without Jason is 4 stars. I just have to make it clear that I loved both MCs just when they’re not together.
Actually for the life of me I don’t know why they are together.
So I’ll break it down to you (spoilers)
• Welcome to the story of ‘Doormat and Problematic’ also known as Mike and Jason.
•Here’s the deal. Jason: he got issues Mike doesn’t even comprehend. Abandoned parents, overdosed mother, poverty, no support system or meaning of family, also no regard for his future because he already accepted his life is already fucked.
•Jason sells sex for money.
•Here’s Mike: Horney, desperate, and weak makes up 80% of Mike’s personality when it comes to Jason. He took bending over backwards to a WHOLE New level. Losing, money, friend, and dignity for Jason, except Jason didn’t ask him for all that.
•This was a genuine case of ‘bad boy your parents warned you about’ except it wasn’t even Jason’s fault. He was upfront that there is nothing going on between them, but it was Mike who was obsessive .
•Jason during high school was at best passive when it came to Mike. He did not lead Mike on.
•Of course Mike already decided in not so many words that Jason is his soulmate.
~~~~
Part 2 (when things become so much better)
•When Mike got sent away angels started to sing (for me at least) because Mike developed an actual personality beside obsessing over Jason. I liked seeing Mike on his one, making it alone with no family. I was pleasantly surprised when the plot stretched and wasn’t as predictable. Mike actually became a semi likable character.
•I understood why Mike still tried to restore things with his family even when they kicked him out and were essentially assholes. I liked that he was real and wasn’t a case of “you don’t accept me?! Then fuck you!” Because these are people who raised him and he clearly was attached to that family bond and it took time for him to understand that it isn’t amendable.
•Mike’s reunion with Jason was uuhhhh bullshit, but it didn’t bother me as much. Still don’t think they should be together, when Jason asked Mike why he loves him Mike’s answer was collection for Facebook poetry that showed that Mike doesn’t know a single thing about Jason, but whatever what works for them works for me.
•So basically this book is the reason I’m making a new shelf called: Not bad could’ve been better.
May 26, 2017
I stumbled on this one, although there is a quite a bit in the writing, and in the beginning no one could be that clueless- with all that I really enjoyed this one. Don't know what it was it just found its way in and I was in it.
May 4, 2016
Mike fell hard for Jason the first time he saw him. He doesn't know why he is feeling this crazy thing whenever he sees the boy, but he's got a plan to get to the bottom of it. When he finds out that Jason is willing to take money in exchange for sexual favors, Mike throws himself, his college savings, and his heart at the boy, in hopes that Jason will see him, and fall for him as well.
But everything falls apart after being caught in a very compromising position by his father. He is sent away, with no money, no family, and only an old family-friend to see that he doesn't fall completely over the edge of the earth. But while Mike has someone to hold him steady, Jason has no one. No one but Mike. Mike just has to find him. To save him. To keep him from falling down a rabbit hole and ending up deader than white-rabbit at the feet of a hungry wolf. Even when Jason wants nothing to do with Mike, the world, or life.
More and more lately I have found myself reading books with young-adult themes. Growing up, coming out, hormone-driven angst about trying to fit in, falling in love, and perhaps surviving the next math test. Usually I try to stay well away from these stories; a desire, I think, to avoid so much angst my head falls off and rolls under my bed to hide. Tension good. Angst bad.
And this book is all about the tension. And sex. Sex and tension and sexual tension.
Ok, it is about more than that. You have insane family drama for just about every character in the book. And Mike's family is a doozy to be sure. His father is a homophobic asshole. His mother doesn't seem to have much of a role outside being a "good wife" and a "good mother." I do like his sister, though. That girl has some backbone--even if she does a skeleton or two hiding in a closest that is going to royally come back to bite her on the ass. Jason's family--and I really don't think "family" is the correct word for the women who simply lets Jason live with her, because she is his aunt, with the sole intention of tossing him out on his ass the moment he turns 18--isn't any better. But at least his aunt was upfront about her actions. Mike's family simply pulled the rug out from under him and then proceeded to try and beat him to death with it.
I never really understood Mike's attraction to Jason. Or, for that matter, Jason's attraction to Mike. I felt it. I knew it was there. But, boy, these two were so different that I had a hard time seeing a common connection or thread to hold them together. Which probably explains why they had so many problems. That, and Jason is an asshole for the majority of the story. He probably has his reasons, but I think if Mike hadn't wanted him so deeply and so clearly for so long, I don't believe I would have held out hope for anything to happen there beyond a quick fuck and a thank-you blow-job. Not that either would be cheap, of course.
This book was not afraid to show you life at it's most fragile. Both character are dragged around by life, but while Mike has people around him that help him not fall on his face--or his sword--Jason has no one. Or, at least, he will listen to no one. I like that it was not just happy endings all around. That each character, whether they be a major player in the story or not, had to work, and work hard, to get to a place where they are no longer falling. Some of them are on the edges of cliffs, with only a hand to hold them steady, but at least they are not plummeting to their deaths. At least, no quite yet.
This was a good story, but it was so damn depressing. I knew from like the end of chapter one that this was not going to be a happy, smile-a-minute ride. And boy, was I right. While we get a tentative HFN by the last chapter, I can't help but feel that there is a 75% chance that they are going to crash and burn at any moment. It was a good, but heavy read, and I'm kinda glad I can put it aside and go scrounge up a HEA somewhere else. I am glad I read it though. It seems to be one of those few young-adult stories that held my attention from start to finish. Even if the journey was a painful one. 4 stars--just take my advise and have a pile of fluffy cute stories to heal your heart with, once it is done.
But everything falls apart after being caught in a very compromising position by his father. He is sent away, with no money, no family, and only an old family-friend to see that he doesn't fall completely over the edge of the earth. But while Mike has someone to hold him steady, Jason has no one. No one but Mike. Mike just has to find him. To save him. To keep him from falling down a rabbit hole and ending up deader than white-rabbit at the feet of a hungry wolf. Even when Jason wants nothing to do with Mike, the world, or life.
More and more lately I have found myself reading books with young-adult themes. Growing up, coming out, hormone-driven angst about trying to fit in, falling in love, and perhaps surviving the next math test. Usually I try to stay well away from these stories; a desire, I think, to avoid so much angst my head falls off and rolls under my bed to hide. Tension good. Angst bad.
And this book is all about the tension. And sex. Sex and tension and sexual tension.
Ok, it is about more than that. You have insane family drama for just about every character in the book. And Mike's family is a doozy to be sure. His father is a homophobic asshole. His mother doesn't seem to have much of a role outside being a "good wife" and a "good mother." I do like his sister, though. That girl has some backbone--even if she does a skeleton or two hiding in a closest that is going to royally come back to bite her on the ass. Jason's family--and I really don't think "family" is the correct word for the women who simply lets Jason live with her, because she is his aunt, with the sole intention of tossing him out on his ass the moment he turns 18--isn't any better. But at least his aunt was upfront about her actions. Mike's family simply pulled the rug out from under him and then proceeded to try and beat him to death with it.
I never really understood Mike's attraction to Jason. Or, for that matter, Jason's attraction to Mike. I felt it. I knew it was there. But, boy, these two were so different that I had a hard time seeing a common connection or thread to hold them together. Which probably explains why they had so many problems. That, and Jason is an asshole for the majority of the story. He probably has his reasons, but I think if Mike hadn't wanted him so deeply and so clearly for so long, I don't believe I would have held out hope for anything to happen there beyond a quick fuck and a thank-you blow-job. Not that either would be cheap, of course.
This book was not afraid to show you life at it's most fragile. Both character are dragged around by life, but while Mike has people around him that help him not fall on his face--or his sword--Jason has no one. Or, at least, he will listen to no one. I like that it was not just happy endings all around. That each character, whether they be a major player in the story or not, had to work, and work hard, to get to a place where they are no longer falling. Some of them are on the edges of cliffs, with only a hand to hold them steady, but at least they are not plummeting to their deaths. At least, no quite yet.
This was a good story, but it was so damn depressing. I knew from like the end of chapter one that this was not going to be a happy, smile-a-minute ride. And boy, was I right. While we get a tentative HFN by the last chapter, I can't help but feel that there is a 75% chance that they are going to crash and burn at any moment. It was a good, but heavy read, and I'm kinda glad I can put it aside and go scrounge up a HEA somewhere else. I am glad I read it though. It seems to be one of those few young-adult stories that held my attention from start to finish. Even if the journey was a painful one. 4 stars--just take my advise and have a pile of fluffy cute stories to heal your heart with, once it is done.
April 9, 2012
This book is quite hard to rate. On one hand, it is written well--clear point of views, there is emotion, there is character depth, and character development. But then on the other hand, it isn't easy to get on board with the dynamic of Mike and Jason's relationship. In fact, you'll probably end up wondering why Mike fell for Jason, in the first place (That's love for you, I guess).
But aside from that, their story is solid enough to keep the reader asking 'Will they really end up together in the end? How?!' The final third of the book is where it starts to pick up itself--simply by delivering revelations vital to the threads left hanging loose by the first half of the book, and also giving hope to the reader that their story can end well, after all. It's a stark contrast to the first half of the book where (whether it's a conscious decision made by the author or not), a reader can't help but think, 'Uh oh. This is gonna get ugly.'
But after all of that, in the end, you can't help but root for Mike. If anyone deserves to be happy by being with the one he wants and loves (even with the bewilderment of in-universe characters, including Jason himself, and beyond-the-fourth-wall readers), it's Mike. It leaves a smile in your mouth in the end--although the taste won't be as sweet as you wanted it to be--still, a smile is a smile.
2.5 to 3 stars.
But aside from that, their story is solid enough to keep the reader asking 'Will they really end up together in the end? How?!' The final third of the book is where it starts to pick up itself--simply by delivering revelations vital to the threads left hanging loose by the first half of the book, and also giving hope to the reader that their story can end well, after all. It's a stark contrast to the first half of the book where (whether it's a conscious decision made by the author or not), a reader can't help but think, 'Uh oh. This is gonna get ugly.'
But after all of that, in the end, you can't help but root for Mike. If anyone deserves to be happy by being with the one he wants and loves (even with the bewilderment of in-universe characters, including Jason himself, and beyond-the-fourth-wall readers), it's Mike. It leaves a smile in your mouth in the end--although the taste won't be as sweet as you wanted it to be--still, a smile is a smile.
2.5 to 3 stars.
May 8, 2012
So many emotions. This was my favorite type of story (angsty hurt/comfort) with my favorite type of characters. Mike is a shy and sensitive jock who finds himself undeniably attracted to bad boy Jason. Mike, who has difficulty expressing his feelings and avoids confrontation whenever possible is easily taken advantage of by the object of his affection.
Jason, on the other hand, is mouthy with a prickly attitude, and knows just how to get what he wants from Mike without giving anything of himself in return. At least not openly. Although he obviously cares for Mike, his defenses prevent him from telling him so.
Despite their difficulty communicating their feelings, they enter into an intense relationship until outside forces tear them apart. Their time apart, as difficult as it is, ultimately forces them to come to terms with their feelings and enables them to form a deeper bond. This was a highly emotional journey with a very satisfying ending. Will definitely reread.
Jason, on the other hand, is mouthy with a prickly attitude, and knows just how to get what he wants from Mike without giving anything of himself in return. At least not openly. Although he obviously cares for Mike, his defenses prevent him from telling him so.
Despite their difficulty communicating their feelings, they enter into an intense relationship until outside forces tear them apart. Their time apart, as difficult as it is, ultimately forces them to come to terms with their feelings and enables them to form a deeper bond. This was a highly emotional journey with a very satisfying ending. Will definitely reread.
September 30, 2012
Not what I was expecting, but nevertheless, a very good book.
I thought the homophobia was a little bit exaggerated beyond realism, but it was interesting.
Jason's lifestyle and the depressive character of the book reminded me slightly of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It did have a happy ending, but it was a long time coming.
I'm not educated about heroin addiction, but it seemed a little too easy to get over it.
Jason was rarely a sympathetic figure and it was hard to understand, sometimes, why Mike loved him so much.
I don't know the audience for this book. It didn't have that much sex and what sex there was tended not to be that intimately described. It also didn't have that hopeful a message for gay teens coming of age... perhaps a fantasy that anyone can be loved? But it was a good read.
I thought the homophobia was a little bit exaggerated beyond realism, but it was interesting.
Jason's lifestyle and the depressive character of the book reminded me slightly of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. It did have a happy ending, but it was a long time coming.
I'm not educated about heroin addiction, but it seemed a little too easy to get over it.
Jason was rarely a sympathetic figure and it was hard to understand, sometimes, why Mike loved him so much.
I don't know the audience for this book. It didn't have that much sex and what sex there was tended not to be that intimately described. It also didn't have that hopeful a message for gay teens coming of age... perhaps a fantasy that anyone can be loved? But it was a good read.
October 18, 2011
I really liked this book aside from a few niggles. One of the main things that stood out to me is that the MC's never seemed their age. I kept thinking these guys were in their late 20's or early 30's so that always seemed off. And, yes, this book takes every extreme and throws it in there, but somehow I didn't care and it worked for me. I can overlook plot points often if the characters draw me in. I wish we had gotten more backstory with Jason, but having him a mystery worked for the reader in a lot of ways too. I've been sort of bored with everything I try to read lately, and I read this in a couple hours straight through. I rooted for these guys the whole way through hoping that no matter where they ended up things would be OK for them.
March 15, 2012
I really had a hard time finishing this book. Awful characters and clunky prose made for a headache-inducing evening.
Mike was a push over, drab, boring, pathetic young man. Jason was a user, stereotypically misunderstood teen. He used Mike for both sex and money. I couldn't get pass the awful characters nevermind the non-existent plot.
I don't look for White knights in my books. Nor do I look for characters who even redeem themselves. However if you want ME to believe in a love story between a man who pays for sex, and a man who uses and manipulates then you must be joking.
I think this author may have just scarred me from reading anymore of her stories. It's a shame since I enjoyed her book from Dreamspinner.
Mike was a push over, drab, boring, pathetic young man. Jason was a user, stereotypically misunderstood teen. He used Mike for both sex and money. I couldn't get pass the awful characters nevermind the non-existent plot.
I don't look for White knights in my books. Nor do I look for characters who even redeem themselves. However if you want ME to believe in a love story between a man who pays for sex, and a man who uses and manipulates then you must be joking.
I think this author may have just scarred me from reading anymore of her stories. It's a shame since I enjoyed her book from Dreamspinner.
December 7, 2012
This was a really good book. It's hard to review because I don't know exactly how it made me feel. Hard to explain. I read it all in one go - couldn't put it down - it was incredibly engaging. Even though the story was told from Mike's perspective - I never felt like I really knew him or got why/how he fell so intensely for Jason in the beginning. I never felt like I got to know Jason at all - and I wished we had because he's exactly the type of messed up, sexy, hot mess that's right up my alley ;) so that was a shame. I kept hoping to fall into my usual emotional meltdown that takes place when I read an angsty m/m book but it didn't really happen.
I'd still recommend it though and would absolutely read more from this author. It was just different to what I was expecting.
I'd still recommend it though and would absolutely read more from this author. It was just different to what I was expecting.
April 6, 2011
Is it wrong to add my own book? Oh well, let's be naughty!
Of course I love my book, it's my baby. I would love to know what other people think? It's literally just come up on Amazon. I set it in the fictional town of Ellwood in Texas, USA. As the main character is quite shy, I would say it is a tenative story!
Of course I love my book, it's my baby. I would love to know what other people think? It's literally just come up on Amazon. I set it in the fictional town of Ellwood in Texas, USA. As the main character is quite shy, I would say it is a tenative story!
July 27, 2025
What even was this? This Melanie woman needs to write more. This was short and it wasn't perfect but it was just so DJSHDJKGF *gushing endlessly*
Also, thanks to June Helmsley for recommending me this book. I'm off to stalk your shelves now, yo.
Also, thanks to June Helmsley for recommending me this book. I'm off to stalk your shelves now, yo.
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