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Into the Skid
Patrick Bowman and Isaiah Sage grew up together in Henry Sage’s barber shop, surrounded by love and stability of family. But they weren’t Patrick’s family. Over the years, as the boys grew close, then closer, Patrick’s longing for a family to call his own grew too. It was a different time, though, and he couldn’t see a future with Isaiah. On the cusp of adulthood, in the dark of night, fueled by a desperate need, Patrick fled.
Now, fifteen years later, Patrick’s carefully constructed life is falling apart. His company is under investigation, his marriage to Liz is becoming increasingly strained, and his son Wes is struggling with depression. When back-to-back tragedies draw him back into Isaiah’s world, he finds himself torn between the life he thought he wanted and the happiness he was willing to sacrifice to get it.
Acclaimed author J.H. Trumble explores the hidden struggle of a passion that refuses to die, a marriage that lives on well past its expiration date, and a family trapped in the present by a past that no longer exists.
Now, fifteen years later, Patrick’s carefully constructed life is falling apart. His company is under investigation, his marriage to Liz is becoming increasingly strained, and his son Wes is struggling with depression. When back-to-back tragedies draw him back into Isaiah’s world, he finds himself torn between the life he thought he wanted and the happiness he was willing to sacrifice to get it.
Acclaimed author J.H. Trumble explores the hidden struggle of a passion that refuses to die, a marriage that lives on well past its expiration date, and a family trapped in the present by a past that no longer exists.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2016
11 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Trumble
4 books489 followersJ.H. Trumble is a Texas native and graduate of Sam Houston State University. You can visit the author online at http://www.jhtrumble.com and on Facebook and Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 1, 2017
At 311 pages, wow, this one had a bit of everything and the kitchen sink.
Childhood loves, a 15 year separation, sudden death of a father figure, reunions, rekindling of old feelings, a surly, hearing-impaired pre-teen, another adorable, well-adjusted son, a sleazy taekwondo instructor, cheating, UTI's, a batshit crazy soon-to-be-ex-wife, vile in-laws and a murder mystery, with a side of extortion. Sort of. Oh, and a puppy.Whew, that's a lot to cover in one book. So yeah, kitchen sink.
I've read all of Trumble's published works to date and while I always enjoy the writing, this one wasn't really my favorite of her books, mainly due to the romance sharing so much page time with "everything else" that was going on.
I didn't feel that the reader was shown (or even told) nearly enough of Patrick and Isaiah's backstory as young lovers and best friends for me to just buy their love as 'a thing,' then run with that, unquestioning. I needed more investment in them as something completely inevitable.
Maybe the inclusion of some intimate scenes that did not fade to black would've helped me make that connection, but I really just needed *something more* here.
Patrick spent a lot of on-page time worrying about his sons, which I enjoyed reading, but not the way that he allowed one work commitment after another to push them to the back burner. For a man whose main motivation for leaving Isaiah at 18 was his desire for a family, once he had them, he didn't seem to make much time for them.
This story felt really angsty, but had lots of feels, so if you're in the mood for some drama, with a wee bit less focus on the romance, then I'd definitely suggest giving this one a go.
In spite of the drawbacks (for me) that I mentioned, this was still a very strong 3.5 star read, with superb writing, pretty decent editing and well-paced timing throughout.
October 26, 2016
How to get out of a skid?
Keep both hands on the wheel. If anyone — including a state driver's manual — ever tells you that if you skid you should select neutral, that advice is potentially very dangerous. Keep both hands on the wheel!
If you can, remove the cause of the skid. (For example, if you skid because you accelerated too hard, come off the gas pedal.)
Look where you want your car to go and keep looking there, even if your car starts to spin. Eye-hand coordination is incredibly important and incredibly powerful.
Aside from a little driving advice the term skid is appropriate for this book as one married man awakens from his perfect dream of two sons and a wife to the reality of a past love that would not die & the 'adopted' family he ran from years seeking what the society calls a normal existence.
The emotions unleashed by his awakening threatens to destroy everything and everyone in it's path.This book contains no sex and though it is a romance it has a heavy family theme as each character struggles to survive when their lives go into a skid.
Keep both hands on the wheel. If anyone — including a state driver's manual — ever tells you that if you skid you should select neutral, that advice is potentially very dangerous. Keep both hands on the wheel!
If you can, remove the cause of the skid. (For example, if you skid because you accelerated too hard, come off the gas pedal.)
Look where you want your car to go and keep looking there, even if your car starts to spin. Eye-hand coordination is incredibly important and incredibly powerful.
Aside from a little driving advice the term skid is appropriate for this book as one married man awakens from his perfect dream of two sons and a wife to the reality of a past love that would not die & the 'adopted' family he ran from years seeking what the society calls a normal existence.
The emotions unleashed by his awakening threatens to destroy everything and everyone in it's path.This book contains no sex and though it is a romance it has a heavy family theme as each character struggles to survive when their lives go into a skid.
April 29, 2017
At 311 pages, wow, this one had a bit of everything and the kitchen sink.
Childhood loves, a 15 year separation, sudden death of a father figure, reunions, rekindling of old feelings, a surly, hearing-impaired pre-teen, another adorable, well-adjusted son, a sleazy taekwondo instructor, cheating, UTI's, a batshit crazy soon-to-be-ex-wife, vile in-laws and a murder mystery, with a side of extortion. Sort of. Oh, and a puppy.Whew, that's a lot to cover in one book. So yeah, kitchen sink.
I've read all of Trumble's published works to date and while I always enjoy the writing, this one wasn't really my favorite of her books, mainly due to the romance sharing so much page time with "everything else" that was going on.
I didn't feel that the reader was shown (or even told) nearly enough of Patrick and Isaiah's backstory as young lovers and best friends for me to just buy their love as 'a thing,' then run with that, unquestioning. I needed more investment in them as something completely inevitable.
Maybe the inclusion of some intimate scenes that did not fade to black would've helped me make that connection, but I really just needed *something more* here.
Patrick spent a lot of on-page time worrying about his sons, which I enjoyed reading, but not the way that he allowed one work commitment after another to push them to the back burner. For a man whose main motivation for leaving Isaiah at 18 was his desire for a family, once he had them, he didn't seem to make much time for them.
This story felt really angsty, but had lots of feels, so if you're in the mood for some drama, with a wee bit less focus on the romance, then I'd definitely suggest giving this one a go.
In spite of the drawbacks (for me) that I mentioned, this was still a very strong 3.5 star read, with superb writing, pretty decent editing and well-paced timing throughout.
September 21, 2017
There is one reason and one reason alone that this is getting a three-star rating rather than a two, and that is because I love the author's other books with a passion and I know she can do better.
My main problem with this book? The editing. After I noticed a couple of editorial mistakes not far into the book, I started counting. 65. Sixty five editorial mistakes, and those are just the ones I picked up on. If you'd told me this was her first book and the other three followed it, I'd understand. But it makes no sense to me that she wrote three almost flawless books and then released this mess. Sometimes it felt like reading a first-draft that even the author hadn't glanced back over again. And the worst part is I know that she can do better. She can do so so so much better, as evident in her previous three novels. And yet, at least 65 mistakes. (Yes, I'm going to list all those mistakes under a spoiler cut, because if I was anal enough to notice and write them down, I'm gonna bloody share them.) Not actually spoilers, just compacted for sanity's sake:
Another big problem I had with this book was that it was written in third person, and past tense. I always struggle with third person, because it adds another unnecessary name to the page, where there could just be 'I' in first person, and it clearly was a struggle for the author too, as pointed out in my editorial mistakes section. Past tense is also unappealing to me as it makes you feel disconnected from the story in a way present tense doesn't. Present tense makes the reader feel like they're in on the action and part of the story. Past tense just feels like reading something that has already happened and is therefore far less suspenseful.
The story progression was also way off. Barely anything happened for the first half of the book, and all the action was compacted into the final handful of chapters, and thus felt rushed.
And what about I'm disappointed in the lack of background character development her other books were so full of. There was some, we got to know Henry and Momma Sage a bit, but there wasn't nearly as much depth as even more minor characters had in her other books.
I enjoyed the writing style, and I semi-enjoyed the story once the first half was over, but god, was it a struggle with the lack of editing. I will likely reread her other books in the future, and I'll definitely give her next book a chance, but I doubt I'll be picking this one up again.
My main problem with this book? The editing. After I noticed a couple of editorial mistakes not far into the book, I started counting. 65. Sixty five editorial mistakes, and those are just the ones I picked up on. If you'd told me this was her first book and the other three followed it, I'd understand. But it makes no sense to me that she wrote three almost flawless books and then released this mess. Sometimes it felt like reading a first-draft that even the author hadn't glanced back over again. And the worst part is I know that she can do better. She can do so so so much better, as evident in her previous three novels. And yet, at least 65 mistakes. (Yes, I'm going to list all those mistakes under a spoiler cut, because if I was anal enough to notice and write them down, I'm gonna bloody share them.) Not actually spoilers, just compacted for sanity's sake:
Another big problem I had with this book was that it was written in third person, and past tense. I always struggle with third person, because it adds another unnecessary name to the page, where there could just be 'I' in first person, and it clearly was a struggle for the author too, as pointed out in my editorial mistakes section. Past tense is also unappealing to me as it makes you feel disconnected from the story in a way present tense doesn't. Present tense makes the reader feel like they're in on the action and part of the story. Past tense just feels like reading something that has already happened and is therefore far less suspenseful.
The story progression was also way off. Barely anything happened for the first half of the book, and all the action was compacted into the final handful of chapters, and thus felt rushed.
And what about I'm disappointed in the lack of background character development her other books were so full of. There was some, we got to know Henry and Momma Sage a bit, but there wasn't nearly as much depth as even more minor characters had in her other books.
I enjoyed the writing style, and I semi-enjoyed the story once the first half was over, but god, was it a struggle with the lack of editing. I will likely reread her other books in the future, and I'll definitely give her next book a chance, but I doubt I'll be picking this one up again.
March 27, 2017
Ms. Trumble has once again stole my heart with the characters she has created. The main character Patrick is this beautiful father and person. Always trying to do the right thing despite his upbringing. Thank you for the novel.
I gave this book four stars out of five due to grammatical errors that were not corrected in the editing phase.
I gave this book four stars out of five due to grammatical errors that were not corrected in the editing phase.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2017
I was so excited to get a hold of this book. The author is normally a 5-star author for me.
Where this book went wrong? Editing. IF this had been gone over by a professional editor, he or she needs to be fired. Quotation marks were in the wrong places, words were incorrect. There was even a part when the wrong character's name was used (he wasn't even in the scene). I counted over 20 mistakes (yes, I kept a tally).
Normally the words flow, but there were portions that were clunky and had me rereading because I wasn't quite sure what the author was trying to say. This was also something that could have been fixed in editing.
So, the first half of the book was a complete mess and I thought I was for sure on my way to a 1 star review. Then, surprisingly, it improved and I had a hard time putting the book down. And the poor edits became less.
That being said, the characters were all over the place. One character, a child, was spewing some major verbal gay-bashing. Then...he got over it. I don't think that level of hatred you can over come with a tiny bit of therapy. Anger, maybe, but the words...
Other characters, ones that we were supposed to be sympathetic towards, would go into fits of yelling that made the sympathy go right out the window.
We got a nice selection of POVs, and even a small chapter about one of the sons, which I think was the best one
Where this book went wrong? Editing. IF this had been gone over by a professional editor, he or she needs to be fired. Quotation marks were in the wrong places, words were incorrect. There was even a part when the wrong character's name was used (he wasn't even in the scene). I counted over 20 mistakes (yes, I kept a tally).
Normally the words flow, but there were portions that were clunky and had me rereading because I wasn't quite sure what the author was trying to say. This was also something that could have been fixed in editing.
So, the first half of the book was a complete mess and I thought I was for sure on my way to a 1 star review. Then, surprisingly, it improved and I had a hard time putting the book down. And the poor edits became less.
That being said, the characters were all over the place. One character, a child, was spewing some major verbal gay-bashing. Then...he got over it. I don't think that level of hatred you can over come with a tiny bit of therapy. Anger, maybe, but the words...
Other characters, ones that we were supposed to be sympathetic towards, would go into fits of yelling that made the sympathy go right out the window.
We got a nice selection of POVs, and even a small chapter about one of the sons, which I think was the best one
December 5, 2016
Loved. Loved. Loved. LOVED. Not as romantic as Trumble's previous works, but still so, so, so wonderful and angsty and real. Loved it.
June 9, 2022
2.5* rounded up because of a half-decent story line which kept me turning the page of my Kindle. But the writing was uninspiring at best and the Kindle typos/misprints gross.
M/M ‘romance’, incidentally white on black, though not that obvious. The white families were generally inadequate – shallow, nasty and mean. A loving black family is centre stage. Hard to say too much more without spoiling. The two most interesting characters for me are Wes and Oliver, the children of a ‘failed’ marriage. They are the future, the wise ones who offer hope and (imo) redeem this book.
M/M ‘romance’, incidentally white on black, though not that obvious. The white families were generally inadequate – shallow, nasty and mean. A loving black family is centre stage. Hard to say too much more without spoiling. The two most interesting characters for me are Wes and Oliver, the children of a ‘failed’ marriage. They are the future, the wise ones who offer hope and (imo) redeem this book.
October 28, 2016
I didnt hate it but it didn't reach me 3 1/2 stars
This is definitely not my fav type of mm romance. Amazing writer but I always have a hard time enjoying a couple's happiness at the expense of another's heartbreak.
SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...
SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...
SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...
I've read a story similar to this and though the couple was a m on m couple, the one left broken hearted was a gay guy and I honestly wanted a story for him and could not really be happy for the two who found each other again because he was so hurt by it.
So, I just couldn't enjoy this story. Although Liz lost her mind and became ugly, I honestly sympathized with her.
1. Patrick worked so much, he neglected his wife and children
emotionally, a lot. Not a bad father but not a good husband.
2. He walked away from his true love and made Liz an unwilling
and painful part in finding his true love again.
3. Liz's ugliness when Patrick walked away was disgusting but:
a. she didn't get her nasty parents involved.
b. she was still in love with Patrick, still being a good wife and
stay at home mom when he chose to walk away.
c. gay or straight, a broken heart can make SOME people ugly
and react in horrible ways. (not everyone is strong enough
to go through what Patrick put Liz through. Liz was de-
finitely emotionally weak)
d. Liz was heartbroken and depressed and rightfully so.
Anyone who truly loves their spouse and then one day is
told out of the blue u aren't loved and someone is taking
your space would be.
4. Patrick's nonchalant attitude towards her being a stay at home
mom, and disregarding the years she put into being a good
mom and wife to him was disgusting to me (but she had
become a nasty person by then)
5. His happily ever after came at the expense of breaking Liz's
heart and left her emotionally and physically depressed
(happens all the time in life though)
Anyone who has ever truly been broken hearted by being cheated on and or left (out of the blue) knows how absolutely
painful it is. And its a physical pain that can truly affect you emotionally and physically.
So, I had a hard time with Patrick's new found happiness (awakening) with his first love. And though the author made Liz become a monster once Patrick decided she wasn't worth his time anymore (though she did nothing wrong) my heart just broke for her.
She gave Patrick everything he always wanted, and he decided he wanted something more than she could give him and she was the one destroyed emotionally because he decided late in life, he really wanted his BF now that a woman gave him children.
His anger towards her was absolutely understandable but so was her anger towards him. While he got his 2nd chance to true love, he destroyed her emotionally and her reaction to that was to fight back the only way she knew how and it was ugly. Yet, I just wanted to hold her and help her get through that heart aching blow Patrick blindsided her with.
The one unforgivable thing for me was Patrick saying it was her choice to be a house wife and stay at home mom and implied that wasn't work. From experience, both are the hardest job's a woman can have, especially if she is doing it right as Liz had done. It wasn't her fault she wasn't a guy nor was it her fault Patrick decided to be selfish and made her a pawn to his selfish needs.
Liz's nastiness to being left was uncalled for but even had she been left for a woman, those same angry, hurtful, and disgusting actions would have been the same except Isaiah would have been called a wh*re instead of the ugly nasty gay slurs.
Shame on Liz for that, but shame on Patrick for thinking he could just walk away and not expect any heartache on Liz's part especially as all this took place within a short amount of months.
And for the record, it wont matter if you're left for a man or woman, seeing your spouse (ex spouse romantically with someone who isn't you, especially when you decided to up and walk away out of the blue) it's going to be hard and painful.
Feelings of love and betrayal doesn't just shut off because you decide your happily ever after is with someone else. And it annoyed me to no end that Patrick expected (or wanted) for Liz to just get over seeing him with Isiah in just a short few months. It was easy for him to move on, because he did it while still married to her and her believing they were still happily in love.
Ugh! This is just not my cup of romance whether gay or straight.
-----------
Dangit Raj, didnt we have this argument with Just A Little Bit Twisted? -loving sigh- Still love ya though, thanks for the recommend love.
This is definitely not my fav type of mm romance. Amazing writer but I always have a hard time enjoying a couple's happiness at the expense of another's heartbreak.
SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...
SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...
SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...SPOILERS...
I've read a story similar to this and though the couple was a m on m couple, the one left broken hearted was a gay guy and I honestly wanted a story for him and could not really be happy for the two who found each other again because he was so hurt by it.
So, I just couldn't enjoy this story. Although Liz lost her mind and became ugly, I honestly sympathized with her.
1. Patrick worked so much, he neglected his wife and children
emotionally, a lot. Not a bad father but not a good husband.
2. He walked away from his true love and made Liz an unwilling
and painful part in finding his true love again.
3. Liz's ugliness when Patrick walked away was disgusting but:
a. she didn't get her nasty parents involved.
b. she was still in love with Patrick, still being a good wife and
stay at home mom when he chose to walk away.
c. gay or straight, a broken heart can make SOME people ugly
and react in horrible ways. (not everyone is strong enough
to go through what Patrick put Liz through. Liz was de-
finitely emotionally weak)
d. Liz was heartbroken and depressed and rightfully so.
Anyone who truly loves their spouse and then one day is
told out of the blue u aren't loved and someone is taking
your space would be.
4. Patrick's nonchalant attitude towards her being a stay at home
mom, and disregarding the years she put into being a good
mom and wife to him was disgusting to me (but she had
become a nasty person by then)
5. His happily ever after came at the expense of breaking Liz's
heart and left her emotionally and physically depressed
(happens all the time in life though)
Anyone who has ever truly been broken hearted by being cheated on and or left (out of the blue) knows how absolutely
painful it is. And its a physical pain that can truly affect you emotionally and physically.
So, I had a hard time with Patrick's new found happiness (awakening) with his first love. And though the author made Liz become a monster once Patrick decided she wasn't worth his time anymore (though she did nothing wrong) my heart just broke for her.
She gave Patrick everything he always wanted, and he decided he wanted something more than she could give him and she was the one destroyed emotionally because he decided late in life, he really wanted his BF now that a woman gave him children.
His anger towards her was absolutely understandable but so was her anger towards him. While he got his 2nd chance to true love, he destroyed her emotionally and her reaction to that was to fight back the only way she knew how and it was ugly. Yet, I just wanted to hold her and help her get through that heart aching blow Patrick blindsided her with.
The one unforgivable thing for me was Patrick saying it was her choice to be a house wife and stay at home mom and implied that wasn't work. From experience, both are the hardest job's a woman can have, especially if she is doing it right as Liz had done. It wasn't her fault she wasn't a guy nor was it her fault Patrick decided to be selfish and made her a pawn to his selfish needs.
Liz's nastiness to being left was uncalled for but even had she been left for a woman, those same angry, hurtful, and disgusting actions would have been the same except Isaiah would have been called a wh*re instead of the ugly nasty gay slurs.
Shame on Liz for that, but shame on Patrick for thinking he could just walk away and not expect any heartache on Liz's part especially as all this took place within a short amount of months.
And for the record, it wont matter if you're left for a man or woman, seeing your spouse (ex spouse romantically with someone who isn't you, especially when you decided to up and walk away out of the blue) it's going to be hard and painful.
Feelings of love and betrayal doesn't just shut off because you decide your happily ever after is with someone else. And it annoyed me to no end that Patrick expected (or wanted) for Liz to just get over seeing him with Isiah in just a short few months. It was easy for him to move on, because he did it while still married to her and her believing they were still happily in love.
Ugh! This is just not my cup of romance whether gay or straight.
-----------
Dangit Raj, didnt we have this argument with Just A Little Bit Twisted? -loving sigh- Still love ya though, thanks for the recommend love.
February 27, 2017
Into The Skid was the first second chance gay romance I've read and....as soon as I'm done with this review I'm going to go looking for more! I absolutely loved Patrik and Isiah's story....rekindled love after 15 years...sigh. Patrick left Isaiah (with a broken heart) when he was 18 in search of a family of his own with his DNA. He married Liz, had two beautiful boys and started a successful buisniss. But everything was destined to fall apart. Slowly he befriends his old love again and discovers that his feelings never went away. After 15 years they're still as strong as when they were teenagers.
"He wasn’t so sure anymore that there was enough time left in his life to control his feelings for Isaiah".I loved this. But I really could have done without all the ugliness. Liz's whole family was fucking psycko's all of them. Liz was a crazy bitch herself but I guess I can cut her some slack, a bit anyway. It can't be easy finding out you married a gay man and that your whole marriage is a shame and a lie. And the whole mr. Hwang thing makes me sick. So disgusting. There's a special place in hell for people like him. I wouldn't wish him on anyone, even Liz.
"I am from blueberry pancakes, from Amiibo and hearing aids.This is the perfect mix between family and romance. I especially loved Patrick's son Wes point of view. It was heartbreaking to read how hard of a time he had and how kids can be so mean.
I am from the big house at the end of the street with the shiny 29 on front.
I am from trucks, and adoption.
I am from the graffiti wall and freckles, From Patrick and Liz and people we never met.
I am from commercial roofing and self-determination.
I am from “you look just like your dad” and “you are a good brother.”
I am from bullying, from the belief that people shouldn’t be mean to each other.
I am from Austin and Houston and countries across the pond, from tacos and root beer floats. From the adoption of my father when he was just a baby, from cancer and Nintendo.
I am from waterfalls on swimming pools, and the rooftops my dad took me to.
I am from my dog Scamper who gave me love when I was scared.
I am from my brother Oliver who thinks the Easter Bunny is real, but not Santa and the Tooth Fairy, and from Mr. Henry and his red fire truck that I was too big to sit in."
"For the first time in his life, he felt like the world was spinning exactly the way it should."I love all of this author's books. But why are there so few of them. I NEED more! Just look at all her covers. So beautiful. And her writing is flowing so naturally, so effortlessly. All books should be written this way. They're just so easy to read. You don't even feel that you're that you're reading and boooom-you're done.
May 31, 2017
Well, first of all let me say J.H. Trumble is the one MM author I'm most hyped about, because I've loved a bit too much all of her books. That said, let's talk about Into The Skid.
This was a little different from her previous works. Obviously, MCs are not teenagers, for a start. But what is most clear now that I've read it, is that this is not a story about a MM relationship. Patrick and Isaiah already know each other for a long time, and have already been through the relationship phases. They know they are in love and have been for years, this is set. But Patrick is married - and this is about what this story is about, the broken marriage of Patrick and Liz.
It has really upset me that Liz got a few chapters from her POV, because it would be easier to see her as the one keeping Patrick and Isaiah apart. But as she got to be a MC as well, we have her side of the story, and we feel for her. And here comes my biggest problem with the story: Liz was neglected A LOT.
The solution to the Rivera problem felt a bit rushed... It could be more explored, I'd say. A good plot point unused.
But other than that, it was a beautiful read. Mama Sage was a nice, wise character. Isaiah deserved more page time, as did his and Patrick's relationship - but again, I don't think this was much about their relationship as it was about Patricks and Liz's. And the kids were nicely written as well. Wes and Oliver could get a book of their own, IMO. And it was a nice touch to have a band teacher in the beggining, just so we can make a loose connection to J.H.'s other novels.
This was a little different from her previous works. Obviously, MCs are not teenagers, for a start. But what is most clear now that I've read it, is that this is not a story about a MM relationship. Patrick and Isaiah already know each other for a long time, and have already been through the relationship phases. They know they are in love and have been for years, this is set. But Patrick is married - and this is about what this story is about, the broken marriage of Patrick and Liz.
It has really upset me that Liz got a few chapters from her POV, because it would be easier to see her as the one keeping Patrick and Isaiah apart. But as she got to be a MC as well, we have her side of the story, and we feel for her. And here comes my biggest problem with the story: Liz was neglected A LOT.
The solution to the Rivera problem felt a bit rushed... It could be more explored, I'd say. A good plot point unused.
But other than that, it was a beautiful read. Mama Sage was a nice, wise character. Isaiah deserved more page time, as did his and Patrick's relationship - but again, I don't think this was much about their relationship as it was about Patricks and Liz's. And the kids were nicely written as well. Wes and Oliver could get a book of their own, IMO. And it was a nice touch to have a band teacher in the beggining, just so we can make a loose connection to J.H.'s other novels.
February 17, 2017
I love JH Trumble. "Don't Let Me Go" is one of my favorite books. That said, this was a very enjoyable, quick read. I love the setting, having spent a bit of time in Austin, the layout made sense. The characters were great, and while some of the plotting seemed a bit predictable, it was still fun to read. The only teeny-tiny criticism I have is in the editing. (That's just the teacher in me- I'd have handed this back for corrections if a student turned it in!) Just some random closing quotation marks for paragraphs that had no dialogue, a missing pronoun, and incorrect pronoun, and peach ice cream suddenly turning to peppermint. But besides that, a fun, feel-good read.
July 24, 2017
I am a huge admirer of J.H. Trumble. I think she has a great gift and that she has an amazing writing style. All her other books, "Where you are"/ "Just between us" / "Don't let me go" were absolutely beautiful and I will definitely not stop reading her books and checking out her new releases.
But, this one didn't do it for me.
I was really excited to see she would be publishing a new book after such a long time. And honestly, the cover looks absolutely wonderful, so that got me excited even more. Unfortunally, I was a little disappointed. It's hard to say that because J.H. Trumble really adresses themes that deserve to be adressed and that should be adressed, and because I still see her as one of my all time favorite writers.
My main problem with the book were the spelling errors: sentences that missed words, the wrong name (a great number of times, Patrick's name was used when it should have been Isaiah's), sentences that began without a capital letter, ... It felt like I was reading some kind of draft instead of a real book. If this had occurred just one time, I wouldn't have minded, but the errors were so frequent that they began to really bother me.
Another point, but this is just a personal opinion, is that this was a particularly hard book to read for me. I'm 19, but there is a lot of pain in this book that I wasn't ready for.
I also felt like there wasn't enough focus on Patrick and Isaiah's backstory. The romance just needed *something more* in my opinion.
I probably won't re-read this book.
But, this one didn't do it for me.
I was really excited to see she would be publishing a new book after such a long time. And honestly, the cover looks absolutely wonderful, so that got me excited even more. Unfortunally, I was a little disappointed. It's hard to say that because J.H. Trumble really adresses themes that deserve to be adressed and that should be adressed, and because I still see her as one of my all time favorite writers.
My main problem with the book were the spelling errors: sentences that missed words, the wrong name (a great number of times, Patrick's name was used when it should have been Isaiah's), sentences that began without a capital letter, ... It felt like I was reading some kind of draft instead of a real book. If this had occurred just one time, I wouldn't have minded, but the errors were so frequent that they began to really bother me.
Another point, but this is just a personal opinion, is that this was a particularly hard book to read for me. I'm 19, but there is a lot of pain in this book that I wasn't ready for.
I also felt like there wasn't enough focus on Patrick and Isaiah's backstory. The romance just needed *something more* in my opinion.
I probably won't re-read this book.
February 12, 2017
Although i loved the book!!! and J.H. Trumble is easily one of my favorite GLBT Authors, i have to admit he really left me wanting to know more, i was a bit let down we never got to know about Patrick and Isaiah's love story from there past.... It was really a great read though i read it in a day could not put it down....
October 27, 2016
Spectacular
She's done it again and written something that has heart and doesn't fit into just one genre. Awesome work, highly recommended
She's done it again and written something that has heart and doesn't fit into just one genre. Awesome work, highly recommended
January 8, 2017
3.5 stars
September 28, 2017
This could have been a really great book, but the outrageous number of typos and missing words made it almost impossible to read. I wanted to tear the editors eyes out! So disappointing!
May 1, 2020
Having read Trumbles other 3 books, this was the natural progression for me. The other three novels are entwined in different ways - and I was expecting this to be the same. I was almost a little disappointed that it wasn't, but by the end of it - I was incredibly happy that this was it's own stand alone story.
Expecting the gay love story between Patrick and Isaiah to be the main focus, I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that the story would instead be focussing on Patricks relationships with his wife, children, colleagues and extended family. Of course, Isaiah still played a big part of that - as did Henry and Mama Sage. But not in the way I was expecting.
This was a realistic look at the damage that secrets surrounding sexuality can sometimes cause. Patrick and Liz lead a charmed life - but it's important that we see that Patrick came from nothing, and he had to work hard to get there. Reading the feelings that Liz's family had for Patrick was heart wrenching - considering all he had done and sacrificed to give Liz the mansion she wanted, and her parents expected. She leads a charmed life, and doesn't have to work - instead being the one to keep the family home running. But she doesn't seem to understand that she and Patrick are both working hard to ensure a safe and good quality of life for their boys.
The tangent onto the Master Huang assault against Liz, really changed things. She knew what she was doing was wrong, and was prepared to go ahead with an affair. But then after the assault, it was almost as if she was above Patrick - instead focussing on his misgiving with the kiss he shared with Isaiah. What she failed to see, was the extreme differences in the situation. One was a rushed attempt at an lurid affair that saw her being assaulted, and the other was a love that had grown some 15 years before, and was still viable. The sad part was the fact that she threw his sexuality in his face, and turned it into a venom that it shouldn't have been - all the while hiding what she had done.
Seeing Wes and Oliver become pawns in their mothers twisted game - moving schools, denying access, her parents threatening Patrick, that was hard to read. But in actual face, its one of the hidden things that can and does happen in divorces around the world. The manipulation is staggering. But it shows the complexities of custody and residential status when marriages and relationships break down.
I can see what Trumble meant, when saying that this book was pushing the boundaries, and challenging us to look at a situation that no one really experiences unless they go through it themselves. It shows us just how messy life can be. But it also shows us that love can survive - the true love between Patrick and Isaiah survived, the love between Patrick and his boys, with Mama Sage, and eventually with Liz when she healed.
This is such an important topic, and Trumble did an amazing job at taking us through the journey with the characters. Another 5* read.
Expecting the gay love story between Patrick and Isaiah to be the main focus, I was pleasantly surprised when I realised that the story would instead be focussing on Patricks relationships with his wife, children, colleagues and extended family. Of course, Isaiah still played a big part of that - as did Henry and Mama Sage. But not in the way I was expecting.
This was a realistic look at the damage that secrets surrounding sexuality can sometimes cause. Patrick and Liz lead a charmed life - but it's important that we see that Patrick came from nothing, and he had to work hard to get there. Reading the feelings that Liz's family had for Patrick was heart wrenching - considering all he had done and sacrificed to give Liz the mansion she wanted, and her parents expected. She leads a charmed life, and doesn't have to work - instead being the one to keep the family home running. But she doesn't seem to understand that she and Patrick are both working hard to ensure a safe and good quality of life for their boys.
The tangent onto the Master Huang assault against Liz, really changed things. She knew what she was doing was wrong, and was prepared to go ahead with an affair. But then after the assault, it was almost as if she was above Patrick - instead focussing on his misgiving with the kiss he shared with Isaiah. What she failed to see, was the extreme differences in the situation. One was a rushed attempt at an lurid affair that saw her being assaulted, and the other was a love that had grown some 15 years before, and was still viable. The sad part was the fact that she threw his sexuality in his face, and turned it into a venom that it shouldn't have been - all the while hiding what she had done.
Seeing Wes and Oliver become pawns in their mothers twisted game - moving schools, denying access, her parents threatening Patrick, that was hard to read. But in actual face, its one of the hidden things that can and does happen in divorces around the world. The manipulation is staggering. But it shows the complexities of custody and residential status when marriages and relationships break down.
I can see what Trumble meant, when saying that this book was pushing the boundaries, and challenging us to look at a situation that no one really experiences unless they go through it themselves. It shows us just how messy life can be. But it also shows us that love can survive - the true love between Patrick and Isaiah survived, the love between Patrick and his boys, with Mama Sage, and eventually with Liz when she healed.
This is such an important topic, and Trumble did an amazing job at taking us through the journey with the characters. Another 5* read.
November 29, 2020
I have now read all four of Trumble's books and this one will have to be my least favourite.
It is a slight departure from her normal fare in that the book is centering on adults rather than teens (though these are present too). Otherwise, the usual M/M romance (although perhaps a little more diluted) and tragic back story elements are there. It is however a more ambitious book I think, with an attempt to expend the canvas.
But first I have to mention the obvious and deeply annoying lack of proper editing. What jumped at me most were the dozens of missing words and the mid-scene swaps of character name (where Isaiah suddenly becomes Patrick, when it's clear from the context that Patrick is not there in the first place and the character IS Isaiah). This happens three times in the book. Other reviewers have spotted more mistakes.
Beyond that, Trumble remains a good narrator although the first half of the book felt rather slow and not particularly interesting. Thankfully the second part picks up pace and became more engrossing, to the point that I read the book in one day.
I like the diversity Trumble has introduced to the story (race, disability), although that felt a little tokenistic perhaps. Not explored enough, certainly in the case of race. The characters are also all interesting, although Liz could have been developed more, particularly at the beginning. However I somehow didn't really care that much about them and what was happening to them. I can't really explain why but that's the main reason why this book doesn't rate as high for me as Trumble's other efforts.
I see in the reviews that she is reworking the book, so there is hope for the new version.
It is a slight departure from her normal fare in that the book is centering on adults rather than teens (though these are present too). Otherwise, the usual M/M romance (although perhaps a little more diluted) and tragic back story elements are there. It is however a more ambitious book I think, with an attempt to expend the canvas.
But first I have to mention the obvious and deeply annoying lack of proper editing. What jumped at me most were the dozens of missing words and the mid-scene swaps of character name (where Isaiah suddenly becomes Patrick, when it's clear from the context that Patrick is not there in the first place and the character IS Isaiah). This happens three times in the book. Other reviewers have spotted more mistakes.
Beyond that, Trumble remains a good narrator although the first half of the book felt rather slow and not particularly interesting. Thankfully the second part picks up pace and became more engrossing, to the point that I read the book in one day.
I like the diversity Trumble has introduced to the story (race, disability), although that felt a little tokenistic perhaps. Not explored enough, certainly in the case of race. The characters are also all interesting, although Liz could have been developed more, particularly at the beginning. However I somehow didn't really care that much about them and what was happening to them. I can't really explain why but that's the main reason why this book doesn't rate as high for me as Trumble's other efforts.
I see in the reviews that she is reworking the book, so there is hope for the new version.
December 28, 2019
I first fell for J.H Tumble's writing with Just Between Us as it absolutely gutted me. So when I saw this in Kindle Unlimited I had to read it.
"Don't squander your life on lies and fears. Time meant nothing to Henry. Don't let it mean everything to you."
Patrick is a married man with two great kids. He tried to do the 'right' thing. The normal societal thing, but his heart had a different want. Patrick eventually comes home and to his past where he makes his wrongs right. However, that doesn't always come easy. For one because Patrick is married to a woman but his heart belongs to his first love whom happens to be a man.
As Patrick starts to realize what he truly wants and who he truly his, his world starts to crumble and his wife goes bat shit crazy. At first you felt for her but when she jumped on the cray cray train you started to to sympathize with her anymore and you were rooting for Patrick all the way. Sure he went about it the wrong way but he never meant to hurt anyone in the process. All he wanted to do was love his children and heal his heart.
There were some name and word errors which threw me off some times but otherwise it was a heartfelt story.
loc 1376 patrick should be isiah
loc 2901 patrick should be isiah
loc 2903 patrick should be isiah
loc 2907 patrick should be isiah
loc 5898 peach ice cream loc 5922 peppermint supposed to be peach
June 18, 2018
Trumble always hits it out of the park. With story lines tied to school, teaching, and students, is one of the authentic strands. I bet good money Trumble teaches full-time - or has. However, oddly enough, the editing left much to be desired. It was autocorrect at its worst:
"Fifty are so are roofers"
"How are doing...really?"
"...then turned the screen to Aziza?" / "...when we got her?"
"fit in the truck of his car."
"food for your to take back"
"That would explain while he's shooting off"
"then welcomed a hug him to"
One reference out of left field that seemed inconsistent with the MC's voice - comparing something to a "Kenneth Copeland revival"
And, a character who goes to fetch homemake peach ice cream on one page... only to have a visitor on the next page praise the "peppermint ice cream"
Maybe Trumble just uploaded an earlier version of the manuscript to Kindle Unlimited. Now I'll purchase the title to add the my full shelf from this author.
So, when's the next gem, Trumble?
"Fifty are so are roofers"
"How are doing...really?"
"...then turned the screen to Aziza?" / "...when we got her?"
"fit in the truck of his car."
"food for your to take back"
"That would explain while he's shooting off"
"then welcomed a hug him to"
One reference out of left field that seemed inconsistent with the MC's voice - comparing something to a "Kenneth Copeland revival"
And, a character who goes to fetch homemake peach ice cream on one page... only to have a visitor on the next page praise the "peppermint ice cream"
Maybe Trumble just uploaded an earlier version of the manuscript to Kindle Unlimited. Now I'll purchase the title to add the my full shelf from this author.
So, when's the next gem, Trumble?
July 5, 2017
Overall, a good love story. I love it when people who love each other are reconnected after being absent for so long. In some ways, it seemed to be a bit of a murder mystery, demonstrating that people will do anything for financial gain. I did not like Liz, Patrick's wife, and wished her an unhappy ending, even though she received one. This novel did not get five stars as there were too many editing errors. Missing or misspelled words and incorrect names distracted from the story. It felt as if the book were rushed and the editor did not do his job. The cover art did not reflect the story, as a passed out young man with a beer in his hand never appeared in the story.
May 11, 2019
Another great J.H. Trumble. There was a lot of things happening in this book, and while that can either help or hinder the overall book, in this case, I feel that I helped it. Once again, the characters felt very real and fleshed out and I liked the fact that while Patrick and Isaiah are in an interracial relationship race is more of an afterthought, not a plot point. I do wish there would have been a more detailed mention of Patrick and Isaiah's childhood together, or some flashbacks, but as it is, the book is great. I could not put it down.
April 23, 2022
First of all: I enjoyed this book. The writing was great similar to the other books of this author.
I also liked that the MC were human beings ((I.e. were flawed).
My only point of criticism is about the ending. I understand that a novel should have some dramatic events before the end, but I think the dramatic scenes here were a little bit artificial. And the ending seemed a little bit artificial as well to me.
In conclusion I’d guess that the author tried to put too much(good and true() statements in this book. But again, I really enjoyed it.
I also liked that the MC were human beings ((I.e. were flawed).
My only point of criticism is about the ending. I understand that a novel should have some dramatic events before the end, but I think the dramatic scenes here were a little bit artificial. And the ending seemed a little bit artificial as well to me.
In conclusion I’d guess that the author tried to put too much(good and true() statements in this book. But again, I really enjoyed it.
June 24, 2017
Liz as a character... Fails in the saddest ways
Further, the book is plagued by a serious failure on the part of the editor - the high number of errors continuously forces the reader out of the story
A shame given the relationships between Patrick, Isaiah, and Patrick's children are excellent elements of the novel - failed by the environment that surrounds them
Further, the book is plagued by a serious failure on the part of the editor - the high number of errors continuously forces the reader out of the story
A shame given the relationships between Patrick, Isaiah, and Patrick's children are excellent elements of the novel - failed by the environment that surrounds them
January 28, 2018
This is a talented author, which is why this book is such a disappointment. Uninspiring characters. I wasn't invested in either of them. Too many errors. Shockingly poor knowledge of the subject matter, but then I am a custody lawyer, so I wouldn't necessarily expect authors who are not lawyers to get this right.
It was painful to read.
It was painful to read.
March 2, 2019
The male hypocracy was irritating
So spoiler alert. He threatens her alleged lover whilst excusing his own because it was "true love"? I have the enjoyed this authors books in the past but l agree with another reviewer - the spelling and grammatical errors were annoying and the story overall was somewhat "tropey" at its best.
So spoiler alert. He threatens her alleged lover whilst excusing his own because it was "true love"? I have the enjoyed this authors books in the past but l agree with another reviewer - the spelling and grammatical errors were annoying and the story overall was somewhat "tropey" at its best.
November 1, 2016
Genuinely beautiful to read.
Great book, loved the authors style of writing as it allowed a great insight into all of the characters. Not going to lie, there are some aspects which should have been addressed plot wise but I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Great book, loved the authors style of writing as it allowed a great insight into all of the characters. Not going to lie, there are some aspects which should have been addressed plot wise but I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
January 24, 2025
If there was only one word I could say about Trumble’s books, it would have to be “real.” The stories themselves, they aren’t perfect, and maybe perfection isn’t all it’s cut out to be anyway. But it’s good. Really good. ;)
May 29, 2018
I enjoy this author very much and I have read her first three books many times. I thought this one was a unique story and I liked how a lot of the events unfolded. The only issue I had was the ending felt a bit rushed.
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