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Sugar Tree #2
Stones in the Road
Sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree
When his snobbish future in-laws travel all the way from Boston to visit, wise-cracking Southerner Wiley Cantrell learns that gay marriage is not without its disadvantages. Occupied by concerns over the health of his special needs son Noah, a meth baby who was not expected to live and who is now on the cusp of puberty, the antics of Wiley's outrageous would-be mother-in-law and severely conservative father-in-law strain his relationship with Jackson Ledbetter, a pediatric nurse who poses problems of his own. As their respective families meet and greet, each just as meddlesome and inflexible as the other, North meets South and the fireworks and cultural misunderstandings are plenty.
A tornado blows through the small Mississippi town where Wiley's mother lives, wrecking his mother's house and leaving their lives in disarray. Then Jackson's secret drug addiction comes to light, and Wiley and Noah are devastated. With so many stones in the road, Wiley and Jackson find their dream of becoming a real family falling apart. Though Wiley relies on humor to cope, he'll need something more to keep his happily ever after from slipping away.
When his snobbish future in-laws travel all the way from Boston to visit, wise-cracking Southerner Wiley Cantrell learns that gay marriage is not without its disadvantages. Occupied by concerns over the health of his special needs son Noah, a meth baby who was not expected to live and who is now on the cusp of puberty, the antics of Wiley's outrageous would-be mother-in-law and severely conservative father-in-law strain his relationship with Jackson Ledbetter, a pediatric nurse who poses problems of his own. As their respective families meet and greet, each just as meddlesome and inflexible as the other, North meets South and the fireworks and cultural misunderstandings are plenty.
A tornado blows through the small Mississippi town where Wiley's mother lives, wrecking his mother's house and leaving their lives in disarray. Then Jackson's secret drug addiction comes to light, and Wiley and Noah are devastated. With so many stones in the road, Wiley and Jackson find their dream of becoming a real family falling apart. Though Wiley relies on humor to cope, he'll need something more to keep his happily ever after from slipping away.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2015
9 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Nick Wilgus
22 books204 followersI sold my first short story to The Horror Show Magazine at the age of seventeen and I've been writing ever since. An award-winning movie was based on my first novel, MINDFULNESS AND MURDER, and I was also nominated for a Lambda Award.
A former newspaper editor and author of more than a dozen novels and two screenplays, I currently live in Tupelo, Mississippi right down the street from the house where Elvis grew up..
A former newspaper editor and author of more than a dozen novels and two screenplays, I currently live in Tupelo, Mississippi right down the street from the house where Elvis grew up..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
March 9, 2015
2 stars. DNF @60%. Review posted March 9, 2015
Let me preface my "review" by saying that Nick's writing is very good yet a rating will always reflect my feelings. Sadly, Stones in the Road, the sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree, didn't appeal to me at all. Thus I'll be giving it only two stars. Though my negative rating shouldn't prevent you from giving this book a shot. It might be one of those cases "it's me not you".
Also, bear with me when I'm being lazy for once. I've added a few quotes for your perusal and decided to sum up the book rather rudimentarily:
INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. DRAMA. DRAMA. DRAMA. TEARS. TEARS. MORE TEARS.
DNF.
Even though I'm not a violent person, I wanted to beat the shit out of Eunice. And, while I was at it, Billy needed a thorough beating too. What a pathetic (homophobic) idiot he is.
BTW, Papaw insulting Noah didn't sit well with me even though he wasn't really serious about it. Sorry but that wasn't funny at all.
Quotes:
"People on food stamps must really burn your ass."
"We are the fattest country on the face of the earth. We have obese people coming out of our ears. What on earth do people need food stamps for? Don't they have enough to eat already? And then they use their food stamps to buy candy bars and pizza so they can make themselves fatter. What's the point of it? Why not do them all a favor and scrap food stamps and let them go out and get jobs like the rest of us?"
Eunice deliberately misspelled Wiley's name to antagonize him.
"(…)So, William, tell me: What's it like to live in the poorest, fattest, and dumbest state of the Union?"
"Do close your mouth," she said. "You look like a cow that's being artificially inseminated."
"(…)Are you going to be all traumatized and run back to therapy because your mommy is so mean and your father is so distant? Really, Jackson, are you ever going to grow up, or should I pop off to the store and get some diapers?"
"How am I supposed to feel, Willis--"
"My name is not Willis!"
"--when my only son gives up a promising career in Boston so he can disappear into the butthole of the universe to live with a former drug addict whose child is deaf and retarded? Should I be proud? Is that it?"
"My son is not retarded," I said, a flush of anger sweeping through me.
"He certainly talks like he is," she snapped. "Ai of ewe! Deaf, dumb--they all ride the short bus, don't they? Does he even know what he's saying?"
"You forgot to mention your folks are possessed by Satan," I said, my eyes raking over his body with obvious desire. "But what's a little psychosis among friends?"
"Don't start."
"Preparing the way for the Antichrist, are they?"
"Wiley…"
"Making the world safe for ax murderers and rape gangs?"
"Wiley…"
"There's nothing wrong with them that can't be fixed with a chain saw and a bathtub full of hydrochloric acid. Just ask my Uncle Jerry. Ooops. Sorry. You can't!"
"Very funny."
"A shotgun would be faster, but it makes a hell of a mess."
"Ha, ha, ha."
"What do you want me to do?" I said. "Kill myself?"
"Christ, we could only hope!"
"Is that really the answer, Billy? You're so ashamed of having a faggot for a brother that you wish I'd kill myself?"
"You'd be doing us all a favor!"
"Billy, stop it!" Mama pleaded.
"He would be, Mama," Bill said hotly. "I wish he would blow his fucking brains out and leave the rest of us in peace."
"Billy, don't talk that way!" Mama said. "Please!"
"I'm not going to let you provoke me," I said to Bill. "I respect you. I respect your beliefs. You have to do whatever you think is right."
"If I had my way, we'd herd the whole goddamn lot of you into a concentration camp and set your asses on fire."
"Whatever."
The drama
Jackson's parents are a boatload of drama already and listening to their crap, especially Eunice…? *Baba makes retching noises*
and the littlerandom expected drama.
The Billy playing the concerned brother after he'd been hating his brother's mug for such a long time and after wanting to set his ass on fire in a concentration camp?? Yeah, right. It was just OTT.
How can family treat each other like shit? You can tell me now that I'm living in my little fairytale world where unicorns are kissing rainbows or some such but I can make a choice: I can stop reading a book that just managed to piss me the fuck off. In hindsight, I don't get it why Shaking the Sugar Tree needed a sequel. Just so I could listen to all that crap they had to throw at each other? Nope. I'm outta here.
I can't remember any details of Shaking the Sugar Tree anymore but if (a big fat IF) the first book was riddled with so many insults and degradations then it's obvious that
A)
my reading tastes did change
or
B)
I must have been out of my mind to think I'd be enjoying Stones in the Road I wasn't in the right frame of mind to "enjoy" Stones in the Road
I must also say that we sometimes love the first book in a series and then our interest is fizzling out because it may have been funny in the past but rehashing old content might just lose its appeal.
Let me preface my "review" by saying that Nick's writing is very good yet a rating will always reflect my feelings. Sadly, Stones in the Road, the sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree, didn't appeal to me at all. Thus I'll be giving it only two stars. Though my negative rating shouldn't prevent you from giving this book a shot. It might be one of those cases "it's me not you".
Also, bear with me when I'm being lazy for once. I've added a few quotes for your perusal and decided to sum up the book rather rudimentarily:
INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. INSULTS. DEGRADATION. DRAMA. DRAMA. DRAMA. TEARS. TEARS. MORE TEARS.
DNF.
Even though I'm not a violent person, I wanted to beat the shit out of Eunice. And, while I was at it, Billy needed a thorough beating too. What a pathetic (homophobic) idiot he is.
BTW, Papaw insulting Noah didn't sit well with me even though he wasn't really serious about it. Sorry but that wasn't funny at all.
Quotes:
"People on food stamps must really burn your ass."
"We are the fattest country on the face of the earth. We have obese people coming out of our ears. What on earth do people need food stamps for? Don't they have enough to eat already? And then they use their food stamps to buy candy bars and pizza so they can make themselves fatter. What's the point of it? Why not do them all a favor and scrap food stamps and let them go out and get jobs like the rest of us?"
Eunice deliberately misspelled Wiley's name to antagonize him.
"(…)So, William, tell me: What's it like to live in the poorest, fattest, and dumbest state of the Union?"
"Do close your mouth," she said. "You look like a cow that's being artificially inseminated."
"(…)Are you going to be all traumatized and run back to therapy because your mommy is so mean and your father is so distant? Really, Jackson, are you ever going to grow up, or should I pop off to the store and get some diapers?"
"How am I supposed to feel, Willis--"
"My name is not Willis!"
"--when my only son gives up a promising career in Boston so he can disappear into the butthole of the universe to live with a former drug addict whose child is deaf and retarded? Should I be proud? Is that it?"
"My son is not retarded," I said, a flush of anger sweeping through me.
"He certainly talks like he is," she snapped. "Ai of ewe! Deaf, dumb--they all ride the short bus, don't they? Does he even know what he's saying?"
"You forgot to mention your folks are possessed by Satan," I said, my eyes raking over his body with obvious desire. "But what's a little psychosis among friends?"
"Don't start."
"Preparing the way for the Antichrist, are they?"
"Wiley…"
"Making the world safe for ax murderers and rape gangs?"
"Wiley…"
"There's nothing wrong with them that can't be fixed with a chain saw and a bathtub full of hydrochloric acid. Just ask my Uncle Jerry. Ooops. Sorry. You can't!"
"Very funny."
"A shotgun would be faster, but it makes a hell of a mess."
"Ha, ha, ha."
"What do you want me to do?" I said. "Kill myself?"
"Christ, we could only hope!"
"Is that really the answer, Billy? You're so ashamed of having a faggot for a brother that you wish I'd kill myself?"
"You'd be doing us all a favor!"
"Billy, stop it!" Mama pleaded.
"He would be, Mama," Bill said hotly. "I wish he would blow his fucking brains out and leave the rest of us in peace."
"Billy, don't talk that way!" Mama said. "Please!"
"I'm not going to let you provoke me," I said to Bill. "I respect you. I respect your beliefs. You have to do whatever you think is right."
"If I had my way, we'd herd the whole goddamn lot of you into a concentration camp and set your asses on fire."
"Whatever."
The drama
Jackson's parents are a boatload of drama already and listening to their crap, especially Eunice…? *Baba makes retching noises*
and the little
The Billy playing the concerned brother after he'd been hating his brother's mug for such a long time and after wanting to set his ass on fire in a concentration camp?? Yeah, right. It was just OTT.
How can family treat each other like shit? You can tell me now that I'm living in my little fairytale world where unicorns are kissing rainbows or some such but I can make a choice: I can stop reading a book that just managed to piss me the fuck off. In hindsight, I don't get it why Shaking the Sugar Tree needed a sequel. Just so I could listen to all that crap they had to throw at each other? Nope. I'm outta here.
I can't remember any details of Shaking the Sugar Tree anymore but if (a big fat IF) the first book was riddled with so many insults and degradations then it's obvious that
A)
my reading tastes did change
or
B)
I must also say that we sometimes love the first book in a series and then our interest is fizzling out because it may have been funny in the past but rehashing old content might just lose its appeal.
February 3, 2015
4.5 stars
I'm not sure where to begin. I guess my first observation is that this is not a romance. There's not one romantic thing I can remember from this book. If there was romance present, it didn't stand out. At least not to me. However, this is a LOVE story. A fantastic love story. There is love in almost every relationship in this book. The two MCs love each other. The love between Noah and his son is certainly unquestionable. There's even love behind some of the hurtful actions of well meaning family members. Love from Clergy. Even love from the community in the end.
This story tapped all of my emotions. I laughed and I cried throughout the story. And several times I raged at some of the injustices. If you're an emotional reader, like I am, prepare yourself for emotional warfare! But do not let that dissuade you as it's worth it.
I'm hesitant to say anything negative but a few times I thought the story went too far. I felt like it was a bit over-the-top and I felt manipulated at times. In this story everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, that could have gone wrong did.
*Tiny rant ahead* I've lived in small towns in the South my whole life. The South is and likely always will be my home so I'm a little protective and get a little defensive when it comes to stories that exaggerate the stereotypes of Southerners and life in the South. Are there people in the South like the characters here, yes. But today, in 2015, they are the exception and not the rule. "Stones in the Road" read to me like most Southerners are uneducated, unhealthy, homophobic, religious fanatics. *End tiny rant* :D
This story was written to entertain and it does that in spades. It's a great story and the writing is fantastic. My issues are mine and are insignificant to the story as a whole.
Nick Wilgus has written another great book. If you read and enjoyed Shaking the Sugar Tree you're going to love this book. What are you waiting for, go get your copy now.
I'm not sure where to begin. I guess my first observation is that this is not a romance. There's not one romantic thing I can remember from this book. If there was romance present, it didn't stand out. At least not to me. However, this is a LOVE story. A fantastic love story. There is love in almost every relationship in this book. The two MCs love each other. The love between Noah and his son is certainly unquestionable. There's even love behind some of the hurtful actions of well meaning family members. Love from Clergy. Even love from the community in the end.
This story tapped all of my emotions. I laughed and I cried throughout the story. And several times I raged at some of the injustices. If you're an emotional reader, like I am, prepare yourself for emotional warfare! But do not let that dissuade you as it's worth it.
I'm hesitant to say anything negative but a few times I thought the story went too far. I felt like it was a bit over-the-top and I felt manipulated at times. In this story everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, that could have gone wrong did.
*Tiny rant ahead* I've lived in small towns in the South my whole life. The South is and likely always will be my home so I'm a little protective and get a little defensive when it comes to stories that exaggerate the stereotypes of Southerners and life in the South. Are there people in the South like the characters here, yes. But today, in 2015, they are the exception and not the rule. "Stones in the Road" read to me like most Southerners are uneducated, unhealthy, homophobic, religious fanatics. *End tiny rant* :D
This story was written to entertain and it does that in spades. It's a great story and the writing is fantastic. My issues are mine and are insignificant to the story as a whole.
Nick Wilgus has written another great book. If you read and enjoyed Shaking the Sugar Tree you're going to love this book. What are you waiting for, go get your copy now.
February 8, 2015
4,5 stars.
I don't think I can write an objective review for this book.
You know this statement?
"Don't talk about religion and politics?"I could add also "..and about health insurance in the United States."
I didn't laugh as much as I did reading the first book.
Most of the time I was like this:
- Why why why FGS so many people in one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world are still fighting against the statutory health insurance?!
And like this:
This book is not a romance. It is a love story. An unconditional love story between a farther and his son.
Do you know how much I love you?
As big as the M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i?
Bigger!
As big as the ocean?
Bigger!
As big as the sky?
As big as the biggest thing in the world.
What's that?
G-e-o-r-g-e B-u-s-h-'s stupidity.
Who is that?
Never mind. I love you so, so much. Do you believe me?
This book is the first place about a very deep inner connection between Wiley and Noah.
And much more.
Noah..this little man captured my heart.
If you read Shaking the Sugar Tree, you won't miss this one. If you didn't...you just have to.
February 7, 2015
Well, that was quite a ride, and hopefully it's not over yet. This book is the sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree which was one of my top reads for 2014. You must read that book before this one (which is anything but a hardship.) This review may contain spoilers for the first book. And I'm looking forward to the third.
As this story opens, Wiley and Jackson, along with Noah, have been living together for almost two years. Jackson's parents are coming to town to spend a month visiting, and to meet Wiley and Noah for the first time. Both men are nervous, Jackson perhaps because he knows what's coming, Wiley because he doesn't.
This book has plenty of pain and humor, and a plot that manages to be unexpected without being implausible. There are some definite hits to the emotions as you move through the story. It also has a cooler feel than the first book.
Wiley is having a crisis of confidence, with his self-doubts running rampant. The warm core that was his boundless love for Noah is drowning a little, in all the hits he takes through the course of this book. Wiley is sinking, when the end of the previous book had held promise, and that darkens the tone. His defensive anger towards everyone means that even his allies get the sharp side of his tongue.
Part of the coolness is also because this story occurs after the publication of Wiley's autobiographical book, Crack Baby. (I did wonder why that title, given how he insisted on emphasizing the "meth" in book 1 - presumably a publisher tweak to make the book more marketable. I bet Wiley had some acerbic comment about it, but if it was on page, I missed it.) In the end of book 1, Wiley's family had become much more supportive of him, but the book airing of all their family dirty laundry (including Wiley's own mistakes) in print has separated him once again from his relations, particularly from his brother Bill.
A big part of the lack of warmth comes from Jackson's mother, who is a piece of work. She's nasty in a way that gets under the skin, and her digs at Noah are something I'd have liked to see neither man put up with even to the degree they did. Jackson's conciliatory attitude to his parents, especially when he makes a point of mentioning their wealth, tarnishes his shine as Wiley's lover and Noah's other father. The weird over-the-top style of Jackson's mother makes her more a caricature than believable, and although she turns out to have reasons for her actions, they failed to make her likable or truly plausible.
Pawpaw, however, continued to brighten the novel with irreverent inappropriate humor, clearly overlying a love of his family and in particular of Wiley. That's quite a feat, to make his underlying humanity so clear through the crazy. And Wiley's love for his grandfather provides some of the sweetest parts of the story.
There is both a lot happening in the present and a lot of revealed back story in this book. Relationships change. Noah is growing up, and moving from sweet little boy to a pre-teen with all the challenges that entails. The end of the book is fairly satisfying. This is not a cliffhanger, but a good place to rest the narrative for a while. It's hopeful.
But there is a long way to go for this little family to have a HEA. I'm going to be eagerly awaiting a third book in this series. I hope things work out (with appropriate complications which I fully trust this author to provide), and I'll look forward to seeing Wiley work his way toward something of the security, self-acceptance, and happiness he deserves.
As this story opens, Wiley and Jackson, along with Noah, have been living together for almost two years. Jackson's parents are coming to town to spend a month visiting, and to meet Wiley and Noah for the first time. Both men are nervous, Jackson perhaps because he knows what's coming, Wiley because he doesn't.
This book has plenty of pain and humor, and a plot that manages to be unexpected without being implausible. There are some definite hits to the emotions as you move through the story. It also has a cooler feel than the first book.
Wiley is having a crisis of confidence, with his self-doubts running rampant. The warm core that was his boundless love for Noah is drowning a little, in all the hits he takes through the course of this book. Wiley is sinking, when the end of the previous book had held promise, and that darkens the tone. His defensive anger towards everyone means that even his allies get the sharp side of his tongue.
Part of the coolness is also because this story occurs after the publication of Wiley's autobiographical book, Crack Baby. (I did wonder why that title, given how he insisted on emphasizing the "meth" in book 1 - presumably a publisher tweak to make the book more marketable. I bet Wiley had some acerbic comment about it, but if it was on page, I missed it.) In the end of book 1, Wiley's family had become much more supportive of him, but the book airing of all their family dirty laundry (including Wiley's own mistakes) in print has separated him once again from his relations, particularly from his brother Bill.
A big part of the lack of warmth comes from Jackson's mother, who is a piece of work. She's nasty in a way that gets under the skin, and her digs at Noah are something I'd have liked to see neither man put up with even to the degree they did. Jackson's conciliatory attitude to his parents, especially when he makes a point of mentioning their wealth, tarnishes his shine as Wiley's lover and Noah's other father. The weird over-the-top style of Jackson's mother makes her more a caricature than believable, and although she turns out to have reasons for her actions, they failed to make her likable or truly plausible.
Pawpaw, however, continued to brighten the novel with irreverent inappropriate humor, clearly overlying a love of his family and in particular of Wiley. That's quite a feat, to make his underlying humanity so clear through the crazy. And Wiley's love for his grandfather provides some of the sweetest parts of the story.
There is both a lot happening in the present and a lot of revealed back story in this book. Relationships change. Noah is growing up, and moving from sweet little boy to a pre-teen with all the challenges that entails. The end of the book is fairly satisfying. This is not a cliffhanger, but a good place to rest the narrative for a while. It's hopeful.
But there is a long way to go for this little family to have a HEA. I'm going to be eagerly awaiting a third book in this series. I hope things work out (with appropriate complications which I fully trust this author to provide), and I'll look forward to seeing Wiley work his way toward something of the security, self-acceptance, and happiness he deserves.
February 2, 2015
I am not sure how much one person can take. Wiley sure was put through the mill in this one. This book was hard, vicious at times, mean, but also so full of love and family, and mistakes - OH SO MANY MISTAKES. But in the end, forgiveness was the message even if it was the hardest thing to hear. Also, you just know, I cried from 63% to the end...there were some tears in the beginning, but the second half was just a big heartache.
With out a doubt, I will continue to read stories by Nick Wilgus.
With out a doubt, I will continue to read stories by Nick Wilgus.
February 4, 2015
This was me throughout most of this book:
Yes, Stones in the Road was everything. In fact it was just as good as Shaking the Sugar Tree, which was one of my top five best books of 2014.
I laughed often and cried just as often.
I wanted to hug Wiley as much as I wanted to punch Jackson in the face.
I loved Noah to pieces, as if he was a real person; he was that vivid.
I also loved me some Pawpaw.
I hated Jackson's mom at first but ended up liking her.
I felt the same way about some other characters too. As Wiley would say: "And you know what they say about family- you can't kill them, it would dull the axe blade."
This book is a veritable roller coaster of emotions. I could not put it down. It was as heartwrenching as it was beautifully written.
If you're looking for a book that will take you away from your problems into a fantasyland of hot men with perfect abs, then this is not the book for you. If you want something chock full of gripping realism that will take you on a journey, well enjoy.
Previously:
OHHH SHIT!! How did I not know about this??
Yes, Stones in the Road was everything. In fact it was just as good as Shaking the Sugar Tree, which was one of my top five best books of 2014.
I laughed often and cried just as often.
I wanted to hug Wiley as much as I wanted to punch Jackson in the face.
I loved Noah to pieces, as if he was a real person; he was that vivid.
I also loved me some Pawpaw.
I hated Jackson's mom at first but ended up liking her.
I felt the same way about some other characters too. As Wiley would say: "And you know what they say about family- you can't kill them, it would dull the axe blade."
This book is a veritable roller coaster of emotions. I could not put it down. It was as heartwrenching as it was beautifully written.
If you're looking for a book that will take you away from your problems into a fantasyland of hot men with perfect abs, then this is not the book for you. If you want something chock full of gripping realism that will take you on a journey, well enjoy.
Previously:
OHHH SHIT!! How did I not know about this??
February 27, 2015
5 hundred stunning bright stars!!
To say this book was good, is going to be a shameful understatement !!
Do you know what I love about Nick Wilgus's writing?
It feels like it just poured brilliantly easy from him, like he didn't "work" to write it.
I hate writing reviews, yes, I'm just not a writer (as much as I secretly wished), and when it's an amazing book like that one, it makes it even harder. How can I transfer my thoughts and feelings, and do it justice?
But how can I not at least try, after receiving such a great gift?
Oh how I loved Shaking The Sugar Tree!
I loved this one just as much.
This is the story of the most sweet boy- Noah, and his daddy- Wiley, the people in their lives, the difficult existence of being a gay, poor, single dad, to a child with "special needs" in the south.
This is a story about beautiful and ugly people. And I don't mean beautiful people, and ugly people, but about people who are both beautiful AND ugly.
All the characters have ugly moments, when you want to choke them to death, but then they show you their opposite side.
With one exception- Father Ginderbach! Let me tell you, if the world had more priests like him, we would have been living in a much much better place!
This book was funny, sad, heart-breaking, heart-warming... It made me laugh out loud, cry, angry...
It was perfect!
I really really hope we will get more of Noah and Wiley!
I'm blabbing like crazy... Don't mind me. READ IT!!!
To say this book was good, is going to be a shameful understatement !!
Do you know what I love about Nick Wilgus's writing?
It feels like it just poured brilliantly easy from him, like he didn't "work" to write it.
I hate writing reviews, yes, I'm just not a writer (as much as I secretly wished), and when it's an amazing book like that one, it makes it even harder. How can I transfer my thoughts and feelings, and do it justice?
But how can I not at least try, after receiving such a great gift?
Oh how I loved Shaking The Sugar Tree!
I loved this one just as much.
This is the story of the most sweet boy- Noah, and his daddy- Wiley, the people in their lives, the difficult existence of being a gay, poor, single dad, to a child with "special needs" in the south.
This is a story about beautiful and ugly people. And I don't mean beautiful people, and ugly people, but about people who are both beautiful AND ugly.
All the characters have ugly moments, when you want to choke them to death, but then they show you their opposite side.
With one exception- Father Ginderbach! Let me tell you, if the world had more priests like him, we would have been living in a much much better place!
This book was funny, sad, heart-breaking, heart-warming... It made me laugh out loud, cry, angry...
It was perfect!
I really really hope we will get more of Noah and Wiley!
I'm blabbing like crazy... Don't mind me. READ IT!!!
September 26, 2015
4.25 stars
Even though I pouted and procrastinated and threw a big baby fit because I didn't feel like reading this, once I started I couldn't put it down. These characters are so freaking amazing I can barely stand it. I even found myself liking the one character that no one else seemed to be able to tolerate - Mrs. Ledbetter, Jackson's mom. There is so much depth to every single one of the characters in this story. I highlighted just about every page. I really hope Mr. Wilgus is planning to write a third book in this series because, while this is certainly not a cliffhanger, there are avenues that were left open that I most certainly want to pursue. I gotta know what else happens to these fascinating people!
January 31, 2015
The Blogger Girls
I did not have high expectations for the sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree because, in my humble opinion, equally amazing sequels following a 5 star book are just about impossible to write. I could not have been more wrong. I would give this book more than 5 stars, if possible. Nick Wilgus took it to the next level with Stones in the Road, and he became my newest auto-buy author.
The continuation of Wiley, Jackson, and Noah’s story has them all going in the right direction, until they aren’t, and until Jackson’s “Mommy Dearest” comes for a visit. That woman was wicked evil from the get-go and I was floored that she was still alive and kicking by the end of the book. I was stricken with heartfelt pain for the way she spoke to Wiley and about Noah…and with Jackson appearing to not back them up. What kind of man allows that to happen to the man you are about to marry? But, everything is a not all as it seems...gotta keep reading.
Mommy Dearest plays a huge role in this story, and if you thought Wiley was witty wait until you get a load of this broad. Dayum. But she’s only one of the many plot twists and turns that we need to navigate before everything falls, finally, into place. Wiley is still suffering from the badgering from his brother, Bill. He is still consumed by guilt for his part in Noah’s disability, and he is forever fearful of losing his son. But, during all of these heavy topics, the author sprinkles on his own form of southern humor to help soften the blow. The belly laughs make the unfairness that is Wiley’s life easier to handle. How he can take such difficult topics and make you laugh is pure genius.
Stones in the Road is an amazing story of tragedy and triumph; the coming together as a family and a community; perseverance and acceptance. It’s love and fortitude in the face of bigotry and poverty. All written in a way that makes me want to jump in my car and drive to Mississippi and meet this amazing man named Wiley and his honking son Noah, and the man he plans to spend his life with, Jackson. No review, without spoilers, can ever do this book, this series, justice, but I implore you to pick it up and give it a try. You will be enriched in a way that you never knew you needed, and walk away with a smile in your heart and a laugh on your lips.
Highly recommended to EVERYONE.
I did not have high expectations for the sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree because, in my humble opinion, equally amazing sequels following a 5 star book are just about impossible to write. I could not have been more wrong. I would give this book more than 5 stars, if possible. Nick Wilgus took it to the next level with Stones in the Road, and he became my newest auto-buy author.
The continuation of Wiley, Jackson, and Noah’s story has them all going in the right direction, until they aren’t, and until Jackson’s “Mommy Dearest” comes for a visit. That woman was wicked evil from the get-go and I was floored that she was still alive and kicking by the end of the book. I was stricken with heartfelt pain for the way she spoke to Wiley and about Noah…and with Jackson appearing to not back them up. What kind of man allows that to happen to the man you are about to marry? But, everything is a not all as it seems...gotta keep reading.
Mommy Dearest plays a huge role in this story, and if you thought Wiley was witty wait until you get a load of this broad. Dayum. But she’s only one of the many plot twists and turns that we need to navigate before everything falls, finally, into place. Wiley is still suffering from the badgering from his brother, Bill. He is still consumed by guilt for his part in Noah’s disability, and he is forever fearful of losing his son. But, during all of these heavy topics, the author sprinkles on his own form of southern humor to help soften the blow. The belly laughs make the unfairness that is Wiley’s life easier to handle. How he can take such difficult topics and make you laugh is pure genius.
Stones in the Road is an amazing story of tragedy and triumph; the coming together as a family and a community; perseverance and acceptance. It’s love and fortitude in the face of bigotry and poverty. All written in a way that makes me want to jump in my car and drive to Mississippi and meet this amazing man named Wiley and his honking son Noah, and the man he plans to spend his life with, Jackson. No review, without spoilers, can ever do this book, this series, justice, but I implore you to pick it up and give it a try. You will be enriched in a way that you never knew you needed, and walk away with a smile in your heart and a laugh on your lips.
Highly recommended to EVERYONE.
February 5, 2015
Ya know, I read Shaking The Sugar Tree (twice) and highly anticipated this 2nd installment in the Southern saga of Wiley and Jackson. I was also a little wary, because the first book was so good, and I wasn't quite sure that the 2nd would not have bad sequel syndrome.
I shouldn't have worried!!
With unapologetic frankness and wicked humor, Nick Wilgus delivered an outstanding sequel that's immediately going to my re-read list.
We meet up with Wiley and Jackson again, two years or so after Sugar Tree ended. They're living together in Jackson's house, Noah is approaching his teenage years, and things are about as good and scary with that as they can get.
Papaw is still a riot, Wiley's momma is still the same as she was, his brother Bill is still a bit homophobic (or so Wiley thinks), and Jackson is still off the drugs, and they're engaged and looking forward to getting married, soonish. Wiley still hates his job and his boss, and worries about Noah.
But now Jackson's parents are coming down for a visit.
Holy shitballs, people, if y'all thought Southerners are bad with the judgmental shit, you haven't met Jackson's mother. The woman sweeps into town and immediately establishes herself as a Jugdy McJudgerson, deriding everything and anything, including Wiley and Noah. I hated her on sight.
But I was meant to hate her. She's so offensive, so outrageous, there's really no other reaction possible. Until you see behind her meanness. She's blunt, she's not afraid to speak her mind, and in the end, I actually admired her for her convictions, even if I couldn't necessarily agree with her actions.
When the tornado blows through town (in more than one way), lives are changed forever. And it turns out that Wiley and Jackson both still have some major lessons to learn.
The novel isn't a romance as such, and there's not a single bedroom scene in this book. It's not really about their romantic love story, you see, but about their everyday relationships, and Wiley's struggle with not only Jackson's addiction, but his fears about Noah. There are moments when Wiley nearly buckles under the pressure, when he loses hope entirely and almost makes a stupid decision, and finally learns that despite their disapproval, his family does love him.
And so do the Ledbetters.
What stands out in this novel, as well as the first one, is the unconditional and irrevocable love Wiley has for his son. I don't think that can be emphasized enough. Their relationship and Wiley's feelings for his kid are breathtakingly beautiful.
With tons of snark and sarcasm, typical southern statements and ideologies set against northern frankness, and a heavy dose of realism, this novel delivered on its promise, and then some. I bow to you, Mr. Wilgus. This was extraordinary!
Highly recommended, but do yourself a favor and read the books in sequence. Please though, do read them. You'll miss out on greatness otherwise.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
I shouldn't have worried!!
With unapologetic frankness and wicked humor, Nick Wilgus delivered an outstanding sequel that's immediately going to my re-read list.
We meet up with Wiley and Jackson again, two years or so after Sugar Tree ended. They're living together in Jackson's house, Noah is approaching his teenage years, and things are about as good and scary with that as they can get.
Papaw is still a riot, Wiley's momma is still the same as she was, his brother Bill is still a bit homophobic (or so Wiley thinks), and Jackson is still off the drugs, and they're engaged and looking forward to getting married, soonish. Wiley still hates his job and his boss, and worries about Noah.
But now Jackson's parents are coming down for a visit.
Holy shitballs, people, if y'all thought Southerners are bad with the judgmental shit, you haven't met Jackson's mother. The woman sweeps into town and immediately establishes herself as a Jugdy McJudgerson, deriding everything and anything, including Wiley and Noah. I hated her on sight.
But I was meant to hate her. She's so offensive, so outrageous, there's really no other reaction possible. Until you see behind her meanness. She's blunt, she's not afraid to speak her mind, and in the end, I actually admired her for her convictions, even if I couldn't necessarily agree with her actions.
When the tornado blows through town (in more than one way), lives are changed forever. And it turns out that Wiley and Jackson both still have some major lessons to learn.
The novel isn't a romance as such, and there's not a single bedroom scene in this book. It's not really about their romantic love story, you see, but about their everyday relationships, and Wiley's struggle with not only Jackson's addiction, but his fears about Noah. There are moments when Wiley nearly buckles under the pressure, when he loses hope entirely and almost makes a stupid decision, and finally learns that despite their disapproval, his family does love him.
And so do the Ledbetters.
What stands out in this novel, as well as the first one, is the unconditional and irrevocable love Wiley has for his son. I don't think that can be emphasized enough. Their relationship and Wiley's feelings for his kid are breathtakingly beautiful.
With tons of snark and sarcasm, typical southern statements and ideologies set against northern frankness, and a heavy dose of realism, this novel delivered on its promise, and then some. I bow to you, Mr. Wilgus. This was extraordinary!
Highly recommended, but do yourself a favor and read the books in sequence. Please though, do read them. You'll miss out on greatness otherwise.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
February 1, 2015
What can I say? I don't have the words to share with you how this book made me feel but I'll try to put a few thoughts out there anyway! Anyone who has read the first book in this series will know that Wiley and Noah have not had an easy journey through life. I'm one of those people who like to think at the end of a book the HEA will carry on and everything will be perfect so parts of this second book were incredibly hard to bear. I want to wrap Wiley and Noah and Jackson up and transport them to a place where they can have a perfect happy-ever-after and they don't have to deal everyday with other people's pettiness and prejudices. I think this book shows me that families come in all shapes and sizes and that loving someone doesn't necessarily stop a person from saying the most outrageous and hurtful things. Love is expressed in all different ways and looking at something from the outside doesn't allow you to fully understand it. OK, I've said more than I thought I would, so I'll finish by saying if you haven't read these books and you're looking for stories that pack some punch and aren't full of sweetness and light, give this series a chance and I doubt you'll be disappointed. Put the effort in to surviving the bad times with this family and they'll reward you with a whole heap of loving and a few laughs, too.
February 14, 2015
3.5 stars
The first book of this series, "Shaking the Sugar Tree", had a profound effect on me. It was listed as "humor", and it definitely had some funny parts. But, it was very emotional and the characters of Wiley Cantrell and his son Noah burrowed their way into my heart and my mind and I couldn't get free of them. So, it was with great anticipation, and a tiny bit of fear, that I tackled book 2.
"Stones in the Road" lived up to it's predecessor with continued humor, the inspiration to live life the best one can, and Wiley and Noah were no less lovable...possibly even more so. Again, I found myself sobbing throughout the book and went back to read the Noah bits because I love him so.
We start the book with Wiley and Jackson engaged to be married. And Noah now having 2 dads to love and help raise him. The kid is just...gawwww...too much. So freaking adorable and fun and steals the show. But Wiley & Jackson go through some of their own struggles & uncertainties...and it was HARD to read. I was SCARED that Wiley wasn't gonna get his HEA. And he deserves it!
Wiley's crazy southern family make a return appearance and they are no easier to like than in book 1. But, I was used to them by now. Didn't make me want to punch some of 'em any less. But here's where book 2 kinda takes it over-the-top for me...the visit from Jackson's parents from Boston. They're snooty. They're condescending. And they're just plain cruel. His mom, especially, really...I get disapproval. I even get disdain. But she was straight up hate-spewing. And where Wiley's family was similar in book 1, it felt a bit more of a cultural revelation to how things are in the South. With Jackson's parents, it just felt...ABUSIVE. And it didn't make me uncomfortable so much as it made me MAD.
I think the book would have lost me if it was this one-dimensional. But the author layers so many other challenges and emotions and lessons on top of it that I got past my anger and let the story and the characters have their way with me again. And yes, lots and lots of tears.
I will NEVER get over the scene when Noah sees Wiley after the tornado. (no spoilers). But that sweet child's fear manifested in punches and screams...MY HEART WILL NEVER RECOVER.
I don't know if there will be another book, but if not, man will I miss Wiley and Noah so very much.
If you haven't started the series yet, I highly recommend it.
February 3, 2015
WOW Talk about an emotional roller coaster.
I will never understand Wiley's family. Talk about knock you down with one hand and help you up with another. Most of the time I really did not like them, and Bill I despised and wanted to physically harm. And yet when it comes to the crunch they rally round. Such a confusing bunch.
From the start I did not like Jacksons mum. How dare she say what she did. By the end I was left with mixed feelings. She might of come good for Wiley and Noah, but the way she treated her own son still left me mad.
Jackson gave me such a shock I'm still not over it. Why why why would he do that?
Noah is still my favorite. He again had me sobbing my heart out.
This one was as full of emotion as book one, and as real. Wiley and his struggles as a single father on minimum wage hits home.
Tissues very definitely needed. I hope we get another look a few years down the line.
January 3, 2016
I'm not ready for the third book and I already have my heart broken, knowing what GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAINS will be about
Jackson Ledbetter + Wiley Clarence Cantrell
review @ Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words
Nick Wilgus made it again!
I can confess I was eager and at the same time scared to read Stones In The Road cause I loved the first one and I was afraid this second installment couldn’t live it up.
I was so wrong! This book is amazing, I loved it more that Shaking The Sugar Tree. This series will stay in my heart for long and I’m so happy to know there will be a third book. I was willing to beg for it. Let’s just hope to read it really soon.
The hard part with books like this one is writing a worthy review and I don’t even know where to start. I should simply say to buy this series and read it.
First, you have to be ready for some gun fire, tornado and pie throwing, but most of all you have to be ready for a story full of love (in every way love can be shown).
I know I’m an emotional person but it was really hard to read. At the end I was in my bed crying all the tears I had, trying to read more, listening to a twelve years old boy breaking my heart.
This is not a book to read when you’re looking for some fun and light reading, but surely it will not boring you for one second. There are no pauses, it’s a continuous of engaging and funny dialogues (sometimes incomprehensible to me since I’m Italian) and so addictive I can’t put the story down for a minute. Some dialogues between Noah and Wiley are hilarious, others heartbreaking. Everything is so real, sometimes it’s almost surreal. Every sentence is serious and at the same time full of humor.
This is exactly the kind of book I love to read, emotional, funny, heartbreaking, full of characters with a lot of background and a huge cast of great second characters. I discovered some dark sides of the (not so) perfect Jackson. I met Jack’s mom and I hated her during all the story and then at the end I loved her so much, because I understood she came to WiIey and his son to rescue all of them. I wanted to have her in my life.
Wiley is our usual Wiley and he is so full of guilt right now it was hard to just look at him in some parts and don’t hug him. He needs to deal with all his fears but his guilt for Noah’s disabilities brings him to almost lose himself and his son. But as Tonya said Wiley is the Superdad of the World. Till the end I asked to myself if Wiley would be able to forgive Jackson and first of all himself.
Shortly Stones In The Road is never boring, always entertaining and so well written I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!
Cover artist Anne Cain.I liked the artist followed the idea chosen for the cover of the first book and most of all she followed this story. You can look at the cover and understand exactly what will happen in the book. Perfect but melancholic cause the three Mcs aren’t all together
Jackson Ledbetter + Wiley Clarence Cantrell
review @ Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words
Nick Wilgus made it again!
I can confess I was eager and at the same time scared to read Stones In The Road cause I loved the first one and I was afraid this second installment couldn’t live it up.
I was so wrong! This book is amazing, I loved it more that Shaking The Sugar Tree. This series will stay in my heart for long and I’m so happy to know there will be a third book. I was willing to beg for it. Let’s just hope to read it really soon.
The hard part with books like this one is writing a worthy review and I don’t even know where to start. I should simply say to buy this series and read it.
First, you have to be ready for some gun fire, tornado and pie throwing, but most of all you have to be ready for a story full of love (in every way love can be shown).
I know I’m an emotional person but it was really hard to read. At the end I was in my bed crying all the tears I had, trying to read more, listening to a twelve years old boy breaking my heart.
This is not a book to read when you’re looking for some fun and light reading, but surely it will not boring you for one second. There are no pauses, it’s a continuous of engaging and funny dialogues (sometimes incomprehensible to me since I’m Italian) and so addictive I can’t put the story down for a minute. Some dialogues between Noah and Wiley are hilarious, others heartbreaking. Everything is so real, sometimes it’s almost surreal. Every sentence is serious and at the same time full of humor.
This is exactly the kind of book I love to read, emotional, funny, heartbreaking, full of characters with a lot of background and a huge cast of great second characters. I discovered some dark sides of the (not so) perfect Jackson. I met Jack’s mom and I hated her during all the story and then at the end I loved her so much, because I understood she came to WiIey and his son to rescue all of them. I wanted to have her in my life.
Wiley is our usual Wiley and he is so full of guilt right now it was hard to just look at him in some parts and don’t hug him. He needs to deal with all his fears but his guilt for Noah’s disabilities brings him to almost lose himself and his son. But as Tonya said Wiley is the Superdad of the World. Till the end I asked to myself if Wiley would be able to forgive Jackson and first of all himself.
Shortly Stones In The Road is never boring, always entertaining and so well written I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended!
Cover artist Anne Cain.I liked the artist followed the idea chosen for the cover of the first book and most of all she followed this story. You can look at the cover and understand exactly what will happen in the book. Perfect but melancholic cause the three Mcs aren’t all together
March 1, 2015
I loved this one even more than the first book of the series, Shaking the Sugar Tree. Stones in the Road is a beautiful, emotional, humorous love story, and in my opinion the main focus isn’t on Wiley and his lover Jackson, first and foremost it’s Wiley’s declaration of love to his son Noah.
Usually I’m giving M/M romances with kids a wide berth. Most of the time kids don’t fit in the kind of romances I love to read. Noah, born deaf and with several birth defects is different, though. This little, smart guy with a heart bigger than the sky just touched me deeply.
You asked me why you were deaf… well, the answer is, you’re deaf because I did something bad. Both your mother and I did… we did something really bad. We didn’t know your mother was pregnant. We didn’t know we were hurting you. But we did, sweetie.
You didn’t hurt me.
Yes, we did. The reason you’re deaf is not because God hates you and not because anyone hates you. It’s my fault. It’s your mother’s fault. We were doing something we shouldn’t have been doing.
I know, Daddy.
If we hadn’t done that, you might be a normal boy.
It’s all right, Daddy.
No, it’s not all right, sweetie. And I hate myself for what I did. I’m so sorry about it, but I can’t fix it.
You don’t have to fix me, Daddy, because I’m not broken.
OMG... reading the quote above made me cry all over again...
This story has everything I love. Plenty of humor, hurt and feelings… OMG… I felt like sitting on a emotional roller coaster ride while reading Wiley, Jackson and Noah’s continuing journey to love and acceptance. Wiley’s willingness to make sacrifices just blew me away.
One moment I was crying buckets of tears… the next moment I was snorting with rage or exploding with laughter. Stones in the Road is definitely a book that is very different from anything I’ve ever read and it will surely get a place on my top favorite shelf of 2015.
Even though I'm a bit scared what is going to happen with my favorite little guy I look forward to reading the third book of the series. It’s called Go Tell It On The Mountains and should be out sometime next year. I can’t wait!
February 8, 2015
OMG OMG OMG OMG!!
I absolutely loved this book, i read it in one sitting, could not put it down! Now I am sad it's over, give me more please!
Highly recommended!
I absolutely loved this book, i read it in one sitting, could not put it down! Now I am sad it's over, give me more please!
Highly recommended!
February 25, 2015
I did not think that Nick Wilgus could ever write a sequel comparable to Shaking the Sugar Tree. Rarely do sequels to 5 star books live up to the original. But I believe Mr. Wilgus has got another winner with Stones In The Road.
Stones In The Road takes place two years later with Wiley’s snobbish future in-laws coming for a month long visit to get reacquainted with their son Jackson and to get to know Wiley and his special needs son, Noah.
But Nobody should have to endure a month long visit from anyone, much less from Jackson’s rude, insulting, in-your-face mother and stoic, tightlipped father. Wiley and his future mother-in-law are about as cordial to one another as a sack of feral cats. And when Wiley is pushed to his limits she meets her match. But a month of this venomous, insulting, passive aggressive behavior from Jackson’s mother may be too much. Especially since Wiley isn’t getting much help in smoothing things over from Jackson.
Jackson, a pediatric nurse, with a past history of drug abuse appears aloof. His relationship with Wiley and Noah is strained. And a surprised visit from DHS does nothing to bring the family together.
Bring together Wiley’s God fearing, homophobic, modern day “walton family” and Jackson’s hoity-toity Boston socialite parents and you have the makings of a disaster. It’s North versus South.
The wise cracking, vulgar mouthed Papaw has met his match with Jackson’s in-you-face mother and her heartless comments.
Wiley’s is consumed with fear of Noah’s health. At the cusp of puberty, he has lived past what his doctors expected. And Noah’s unexplained illnesses have Wiley in a panic.
A tornado touches down in the small town where Wiley’s mother lives. Taking with it in it’s path of destruction something special that Wiley can never get back.
Jackson has done something bad enough to make Wiley fire-breathing mad and furious enough to take Noah and flee to his brother Bill’s family home.
Ending any future marriage plans between them.
Nick Wilgus is a great storyteller. And this is a great story of tragedy and hope. A story of family and the community coming together in tough times. A story of acceptance and tolerance. A story of a father’s love, and mostly this is a story of forgiveness.
I definitely recommend this book to all my friends.
Now let me tell you why I loved reading this book. It’s kind of personal to me because I’m a gay man living in a small Mississippi town. But what’s crazy is I live in the town where this fictional story takes place.
When people ask me where I live I usually say Tupelo, but really I live in a little town near Tupelo named New Albany. Yea……….New Albany, the town where Wiley’s family lives. At times I thought Mr. Wilgus had interviewed my own family because of so many crazy similarities. And yes, we do put the crazies out on the porch for the world to see!
It was awesome recognizing so many thing in the book, Food World, Ballard Park and the ducks, Elvis Presley lake, Fairpark and the statue of Elvis, The Tupelo Automobile Museum, Hotty Toddy and Ole Miss, and my little ole town of New Albany. And I thought I was the only gay man in this small town. Maybe I need to be spending more time shopping a Food World!
The one thing that was brilliantly written in both Shaking The Sugar Tree and Stones In The Road was Noah’s sweet character and his loving relationship with Wiley. Noah was the star of the book for me. With his toothy grins and happy hoots and haws it wasn't hard to fall in love with Noah. And the dialogue between he and Wiley throughout the book was genuine and heartfelt. I would love another book where Noah grows and matures into a young man…..please Nick?
* * * * FIVE GIGANTIC SOUTHERN STARS * * * * *
Thanks for a great sequel Mr. Wilgus.
I think you out did yourself….you goofus!!!
Stones In The Road takes place two years later with Wiley’s snobbish future in-laws coming for a month long visit to get reacquainted with their son Jackson and to get to know Wiley and his special needs son, Noah.
But Nobody should have to endure a month long visit from anyone, much less from Jackson’s rude, insulting, in-your-face mother and stoic, tightlipped father. Wiley and his future mother-in-law are about as cordial to one another as a sack of feral cats. And when Wiley is pushed to his limits she meets her match. But a month of this venomous, insulting, passive aggressive behavior from Jackson’s mother may be too much. Especially since Wiley isn’t getting much help in smoothing things over from Jackson.
Jackson, a pediatric nurse, with a past history of drug abuse appears aloof. His relationship with Wiley and Noah is strained. And a surprised visit from DHS does nothing to bring the family together.
Bring together Wiley’s God fearing, homophobic, modern day “walton family” and Jackson’s hoity-toity Boston socialite parents and you have the makings of a disaster. It’s North versus South.
The wise cracking, vulgar mouthed Papaw has met his match with Jackson’s in-you-face mother and her heartless comments.
Wiley’s is consumed with fear of Noah’s health. At the cusp of puberty, he has lived past what his doctors expected. And Noah’s unexplained illnesses have Wiley in a panic.
A tornado touches down in the small town where Wiley’s mother lives. Taking with it in it’s path of destruction something special that Wiley can never get back.
Jackson has done something bad enough to make Wiley fire-breathing mad and furious enough to take Noah and flee to his brother Bill’s family home.
Ending any future marriage plans between them.
Nick Wilgus is a great storyteller. And this is a great story of tragedy and hope. A story of family and the community coming together in tough times. A story of acceptance and tolerance. A story of a father’s love, and mostly this is a story of forgiveness.
I definitely recommend this book to all my friends.
Now let me tell you why I loved reading this book. It’s kind of personal to me because I’m a gay man living in a small Mississippi town. But what’s crazy is I live in the town where this fictional story takes place.
When people ask me where I live I usually say Tupelo, but really I live in a little town near Tupelo named New Albany. Yea……….New Albany, the town where Wiley’s family lives. At times I thought Mr. Wilgus had interviewed my own family because of so many crazy similarities. And yes, we do put the crazies out on the porch for the world to see!
It was awesome recognizing so many thing in the book, Food World, Ballard Park and the ducks, Elvis Presley lake, Fairpark and the statue of Elvis, The Tupelo Automobile Museum, Hotty Toddy and Ole Miss, and my little ole town of New Albany. And I thought I was the only gay man in this small town. Maybe I need to be spending more time shopping a Food World!
The one thing that was brilliantly written in both Shaking The Sugar Tree and Stones In The Road was Noah’s sweet character and his loving relationship with Wiley. Noah was the star of the book for me. With his toothy grins and happy hoots and haws it wasn't hard to fall in love with Noah. And the dialogue between he and Wiley throughout the book was genuine and heartfelt. I would love another book where Noah grows and matures into a young man…..please Nick?
* * * * FIVE GIGANTIC SOUTHERN STARS * * * * *
Thanks for a great sequel Mr. Wilgus.
I think you out did yourself….you goofus!!!
February 23, 2015
I decided to use my FB status update as my review of this book because it sums up my gut reaction immediately after reading Stones in the Road.
Ok, so I normally I don't do this (and I normally share these thoughts on Goodreads) but I can't contain myself. Ever read a book that's so freakin awesome, heartwarming and so ridiculously funny that you have to tell fellow bookworms to stop what they're doing and read it like yesterday?.... this is me telling you to stop what you're doing and start reading Shaking the Sugartree by Nick Wilgus, so that you can enjoy its amazing followup Stones in the Road. Absolutely brilliant writing! Can't get enough of these awesome and strangely very relatable characters. Enjoy!
Kid that melts your heart. CHECK
Single father struggling to make ends meet. CHECK
Handsome leading man. CHECK
Meddlesome family that will embarrass you every single chance they get. CHECK
and if that weren't enough:
Humor on par w/ George Carlin and enough political talk to make you want to throw someone across the room and after all that. You'll come to appreciate every single one of Wilgus' characters. At least I did.
Ok, so I normally I don't do this (and I normally share these thoughts on Goodreads) but I can't contain myself. Ever read a book that's so freakin awesome, heartwarming and so ridiculously funny that you have to tell fellow bookworms to stop what they're doing and read it like yesterday?.... this is me telling you to stop what you're doing and start reading Shaking the Sugartree by Nick Wilgus, so that you can enjoy its amazing followup Stones in the Road. Absolutely brilliant writing! Can't get enough of these awesome and strangely very relatable characters. Enjoy!
Kid that melts your heart. CHECK
Single father struggling to make ends meet. CHECK
Handsome leading man. CHECK
Meddlesome family that will embarrass you every single chance they get. CHECK
and if that weren't enough:
Humor on par w/ George Carlin and enough political talk to make you want to throw someone across the room and after all that. You'll come to appreciate every single one of Wilgus' characters. At least I did.
March 3, 2015
"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."
Edgar Allan Poe
Many buried memories, the structure of family, love and the force that is Mother Nature all compose the stones that litter the road that is the second book in this series. Some are pebbles, other boulders as Wiley makes his way through life. Through it all, Wiley has had the one indomitable force that is his deaf son, Noah. Even Noah's light has a hard time illuminating Wiley's path this time. Wiley is faced with what to do with his past. Does he let it rule his life or does he rise above it, and take charge of his destiny.
This story is darker than the first, which only serves to make it even more powerful. An amazing story. The best I have read in a long time.
Edgar Allan Poe
Many buried memories, the structure of family, love and the force that is Mother Nature all compose the stones that litter the road that is the second book in this series. Some are pebbles, other boulders as Wiley makes his way through life. Through it all, Wiley has had the one indomitable force that is his deaf son, Noah. Even Noah's light has a hard time illuminating Wiley's path this time. Wiley is faced with what to do with his past. Does he let it rule his life or does he rise above it, and take charge of his destiny.
This story is darker than the first, which only serves to make it even more powerful. An amazing story. The best I have read in a long time.
February 18, 2015
Mr. Wilgus did it again. I couldn't put it down.
Want to read
January 14, 2015Dancing with Glee!!
February 6, 2017
I don't believe I've wept my way through a novel as much as I did this one for quite some time! I hasten to add I also laughed out loud at a lot of this book too.
Some great new secondary characters introduced. I could tell, right from her introduction that Madam Ledbetter, super-bitch extraordinaire was going to be a much loved, major player in this plot. Brilliant character!
Sadness, tension, happiness, humour, confrontation.....this second in the series is every bit, if not better than "Shaking the Sugar Tree".
At times the politically incorrect humour is shockingly brutal and I profess to guilt for laughing at the brutality of Jackson's Mother....the devil is a senator's daughter and her name is Eunice!
I purchased this novel at the time it was first published and it sat on my Kindle since then.
I have already downloaded book three. Hopefully it won't take eleven months until I get round to reading it.
Brilliant! 5 Stars and more
Some great new secondary characters introduced. I could tell, right from her introduction that Madam Ledbetter, super-bitch extraordinaire was going to be a much loved, major player in this plot. Brilliant character!
Sadness, tension, happiness, humour, confrontation.....this second in the series is every bit, if not better than "Shaking the Sugar Tree".
At times the politically incorrect humour is shockingly brutal and I profess to guilt for laughing at the brutality of Jackson's Mother....the devil is a senator's daughter and her name is Eunice!
I purchased this novel at the time it was first published and it sat on my Kindle since then.
I have already downloaded book three. Hopefully it won't take eleven months until I get round to reading it.
Brilliant! 5 Stars and more
February 7, 2015
This excellent sequel to Shaking the Sugar Tree is just as heartbreaking, funny, touching, and genuine as the original. However, the author digs a little deeper with this one, uncovering old wounds, and unleashing monsters we didn't even know were there. I loved it all. The dark humor, the authentic dialogue, the visceral feel of time and place that I get whenever I pick up one of this author's books. His secondary characters add so much to the story, and even the crazy, bigoted ones get under your skin and take up residence. If you haven't read either book you're missing out on a wonderful experience. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2015
Is is really possible to read your top book of the year in Febuary? I DO!! When I bought "Shaking the Sugar Tree" last year, it only had a few reviews, but the story sounded interesting to me. It ended up being my Top 2 read of 2014. Now Mr. Wilgus has hit me with Book 2, all I can say is "butter my butt and feed me a buscuit" this book is astounding. I laughed my ass off at Wiley and Jackson's Mom, I also blubbered like a baby. Wiley completes me, Wiley entertains me, and Wiley gets ME. Well done Mr. Wilgus, well done indeed.
January 17, 2026
“This is important to me,” he said, clenching the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were turning white. “I need my mom and my dad to approve of what I’m doing. For once in my life. I want them to be part of our family, and I don’t want you fighting over fetuses or the Civil War or body shame or the social construction of sexual identities or how Sarah Palin needs to masturbate more or God knows what else it is with you. And it’s always something with you.”
I was literally five pages into 'Stones in the Road' when I realized how much I had missed Nick Wilgus's writing. I mean, what author can keep me so entertained and laughing, with fabulous, witty, repartee, and a minute later I'm absolutely furious, on behalf of Wiley and Noah. What, or who, pray tell, caused steam to come bursting out of my ears? Well, that would be Jackson's wealthy, snobby, ultra-conservative, and very rude parents who came to visit. Why, Nick? Why would you subject me to these people? *grins*
As I stated in my review of 'Shaking the Sugar Tree', volume one in this series, these books truly boil down to a story about a father and his son. Wiley's relationship with Noah is one of the most powerful that I have ever seen. His constant struggle, particularly in this book, to keep Noah with him and prove that he's a good father, is heartbreaking. There are so many parents in this world who would've given up on a child like Noah, who would have determined it was just too hard, and who would've walked away. For Wiley, and Noah, they are each other's number one priority, and sometimes that truly humbled me.
I was positive when I started this book that the author couldn’t possibly make me feel more than he had in the first book. I was so very, very wrong.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
I was literally five pages into 'Stones in the Road' when I realized how much I had missed Nick Wilgus's writing. I mean, what author can keep me so entertained and laughing, with fabulous, witty, repartee, and a minute later I'm absolutely furious, on behalf of Wiley and Noah. What, or who, pray tell, caused steam to come bursting out of my ears? Well, that would be Jackson's wealthy, snobby, ultra-conservative, and very rude parents who came to visit. Why, Nick? Why would you subject me to these people? *grins*
As I stated in my review of 'Shaking the Sugar Tree', volume one in this series, these books truly boil down to a story about a father and his son. Wiley's relationship with Noah is one of the most powerful that I have ever seen. His constant struggle, particularly in this book, to keep Noah with him and prove that he's a good father, is heartbreaking. There are so many parents in this world who would've given up on a child like Noah, who would have determined it was just too hard, and who would've walked away. For Wiley, and Noah, they are each other's number one priority, and sometimes that truly humbled me.
I was positive when I started this book that the author couldn’t possibly make me feel more than he had in the first book. I was so very, very wrong.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
July 25, 2015
After reading Shaking the Sugar Tree, I was over the moon when I heard that there was a second book coming along. When I got my hands on Stones in the Road, I thought "oh no, isn't that the same as hitting bumps in the road?" ... I just didn't know how I'd take to Noah and Wiley having anymore challenges thrown their way. The two of them are living their day to day life along with Jackson, Wiley's fiancé. Noah is almost twelve, Noah still works at Food World and Jackson is still a nurse. The story starts out with the three of them on a road trip to the airport to pick up Jackson's rich, snooty Northern parents. When Jackson refers to his mother as the Bride of Chuckie, he is not wrong. I liken it to Joan Crawford meets Norma Bates and there you have it ~ a slightly altered Something Wicked This Way Comes ... Saying that I was shocked, appalled and murderous in my feelings towards this woman would be putting it mildly. But ...one thing I've learned from this book is, as much as these characters keep it real ~ what you see is what you get ~ and most of them wear their hearts on their sleeves, be aware that nothing is as it seems. Twists and turns, along with some new added heartache, wind up making its home in Tupelo, Mississippi. That being said, there were new hero's who stepped in to the rescue. But through it all, the one constant was Wiley's unconditional love for his son. This book made me laugh as much as much as it made me cry. It's made me feel emotionally exhausted and completely drained. I wouldn't want it any other way. This is a must read. Nick Wilgus is my hero. Brilliantly written by one incredibly talented author ...
September 7, 2015
I didn't care very much for the first book and this one even less so. I was totally turned off by Jackson's mother. She was highly offensive, hateful, and racist. I knew I wouldn't suffer through this book when she started to refer to Noah as "it." WTF? Why would Jackson subject his new family to his mother's prejudicial attitude? Just because she has money and he might one day inherit it??
Also this book was too preachy for me. Didn't we already get that in the first book? Why do we have to rehash Obamacare? Obama being a Marxist? Southerners being obese? I also feel as if Wiley's grandfather did a complete 180 in this book compared to the previous one. He was a homophobic asshole in the first one. But now we're suppose to believe he was a saint because he believed Wiley when he was raped by that priest. If the grandfather knew this had happened to his grandson and that his grandson was gay, why all the hateful, homophobic jokes in the first book? I'm not buying this turnabout. Only thing that would have been better would have been if Jackson's mother had died in the book as well.
Where was the joy in this novel? Where was the romance? When I read stories I don't want to feel like I'm being preached to. I'm baffled why so many five star reviews. Did we really need this second book?
Also this book was too preachy for me. Didn't we already get that in the first book? Why do we have to rehash Obamacare? Obama being a Marxist? Southerners being obese? I also feel as if Wiley's grandfather did a complete 180 in this book compared to the previous one. He was a homophobic asshole in the first one. But now we're suppose to believe he was a saint because he believed Wiley when he was raped by that priest. If the grandfather knew this had happened to his grandson and that his grandson was gay, why all the hateful, homophobic jokes in the first book? I'm not buying this turnabout. Only thing that would have been better would have been if Jackson's mother had died in the book as well.
Where was the joy in this novel? Where was the romance? When I read stories I don't want to feel like I'm being preached to. I'm baffled why so many five star reviews. Did we really need this second book?
January 31, 2015
What absolutely mystifies me, after reading Nick Wilgus, is that I love a little smut (OK maybe a smidge more than a little). I used to be all 'you don't need smut' or if 'it fits into the story then its OK'.
I have now made peace with my inner smut slut. We likely the sexy times and we don't likey the no sexytimes.
Why am I going about this? Because Nick Wilgus doesn't write sexytimes into his books. OK I've read two of his books, yet neither had any. Everything was closed door. Even to the point that its a toss up who is top or bottom. Seriously this book should just piss me off.
It does not. I love Wiley. He is a hot mess of anger, sadness, grace and unconditional love. This is not a romance but a story with romance. Look at me paying attention! All proud of me and stuff.
I'd love to run this all down for you, no really I would, but it would be so much better for you to just read this and predecessor 'Shaking the Sugar Tree'. This is me putting out the tough love. If I just gave it to you it wouldn't mean as much as if you discovered on your own. Yes yes, even without the sexytimes.
I have now made peace with my inner smut slut. We likely the sexy times and we don't likey the no sexytimes.
Why am I going about this? Because Nick Wilgus doesn't write sexytimes into his books. OK I've read two of his books, yet neither had any. Everything was closed door. Even to the point that its a toss up who is top or bottom. Seriously this book should just piss me off.
It does not. I love Wiley. He is a hot mess of anger, sadness, grace and unconditional love. This is not a romance but a story with romance. Look at me paying attention! All proud of me and stuff.
I'd love to run this all down for you, no really I would, but it would be so much better for you to just read this and predecessor 'Shaking the Sugar Tree'. This is me putting out the tough love. If I just gave it to you it wouldn't mean as much as if you discovered on your own. Yes yes, even without the sexytimes.
February 28, 2015
I simply cannot review this book objectively or coherently. Best I can do is this...
February 2, 2015
Now that's some real honest to God shit right there, ya'll.
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