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Openly Straight #1.5
Openly, Honestly
Can't wait to read Honestly Ben, which Jay Asher called "hilarious" and "touching"? Dive into the world of Rafe and Ben with an all new ebook that picks up right where the award-winning Openly Straight left off!
Rafe Goldberg was planning to spend winter break at home in Colorado openly mourning what he almost had with Ben. He wasn't expecting his best friend, Claire Olivia, to kidnap him. And he definitely wasn't expecting what she has planned to cheer him up...
Ben Carver was honestly planning to spend winter break at home in New Hampshire not thinking about Rafe. But he wasn't expecting to run into his ex-girlfriend, who's still interested in him. And he wasn't expecting to find himself still attracted to her...
Openly, Honestly tells two funny, sad, beautiful stories that were made for anyone who has longed for one person to see you, to understand you, and to love you exactly as you are.
Rafe Goldberg was planning to spend winter break at home in Colorado openly mourning what he almost had with Ben. He wasn't expecting his best friend, Claire Olivia, to kidnap him. And he definitely wasn't expecting what she has planned to cheer him up...
Ben Carver was honestly planning to spend winter break at home in New Hampshire not thinking about Rafe. But he wasn't expecting to run into his ex-girlfriend, who's still interested in him. And he wasn't expecting to find himself still attracted to her...
Openly, Honestly tells two funny, sad, beautiful stories that were made for anyone who has longed for one person to see you, to understand you, and to love you exactly as you are.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2017
108 people are currently reading
3136 people want to read
About the author
Bill Konigsberg
10 books2,044 followersBill Konigsberg was born in 1970 in New York City. Expectations were high from birth - at least in terms of athletics. His parents figured he'd be a great soccer player, based on his spirited kicking from inside the womb. As it turned out, the highlight of his soccer career was at Camp Greylock in 1978, when he was chosen for the Camp's "D" team. There were only four levels. Bill played alongside the likes of the kid who always showered alone, the chronic nosebleeder and the guy with recurrent poison ivy.
Early in his life, Bill decided he wanted to be a disc jockey, a professional baseball player, or the Construction Worker from The Village People. None of these career paths worked out for him. Yet. He still holds out hope for a Village People revival and has set up a Google Alert in case it happens.
A B- student throughout high school, Bill was voted Most Likely to Avoid Doing Any Real Work In His Life by a panel of his dismissive peers. He proved them wrong with a series of strange-but-true jobs in his 20s - driver recruiter for a truck driving school, sales consultant for a phone company, and temp at Otis Elevators.
He moved to Denver in 1996 and was voted Least Stylish Gay Guy in the Metro Denver Area (including Loveland!) for each of the years from 1996-98. His fashion-free wardrobe robbed him of prospective dates countless times, as did his penchant for wearing a mustache that didn't suit him.
He worked at ESPN and ESPN.com from 1999-2002, where he developed a penchant for sharing too much information about himself. That character flaw earned him a GLAAD Media Award in 2002, for his column "Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays." That coming out essay made him a household name to tens of people across the country.
He continued oversharing in graduate school at Arizona State, where he added People Pleasing to his growing list of character defects and parlayed that into the title of Most Chill Teacher of freshman composition.
As a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press in New York from 2005-08, Bill once called his husband, who was at the time working a desk job, from the New York Mets dugout before a game. "I'm so bored," Bill whined. He slept on the couch for a week after making that call.
He wrote a novel called Audibles at Arizona State, and sold that novel to Dutton Books for Children in 2007. His editor asked him to change the title so that it would appeal to people other than "football players who read." The resulting novel, Out of the Pocket, received strong reviews from his mother, father, significant other and one girl who had a crush on him in high school. It won the Lambda Literary Award in 2009.
His second novel, Openly Straight, hit the bookshelves in late May of 2013. He describes the novel as "Twilight-like, only without vampires and wolves and angsty teenage girls. Also, set in an all-boys boarding school in Massachusetts. Otherwise, it's like an exact replica."
His third novel, The Porcupine of Truth, was released in May of 2015. He chose to put a porcupine in the title because this is America, and no one here knows what a platypus is. The novel won the Stonewall Book Award and PEN Center USA Literary Award.
Next came Honestly Ben, a companion book to Openly Straight. He wrote it so people would stop yelling at him about Openly Straight's ending. Honestly Ben received three starred reviews and made lots of people swoon over Ben some more, which irks Bill to no end as Ben is loosely based on his husband, Chuck. No one seems to swoon over Rafe, who is loosely based on Bill. Harrumph, says Bill.
The Music of What Happens arrives in February of 2019, and it's a romance between two boys, and it includes a food truck that makes cloud eggs. Bill has an egg phobia.
Bill currently lives in Chandler, Arizona, which is the thinking man's Gilbert, Arizona. He has a husband who is clearly too good for him, and two cute dogs, Mabel and Buford, who complete him.
His bl
Early in his life, Bill decided he wanted to be a disc jockey, a professional baseball player, or the Construction Worker from The Village People. None of these career paths worked out for him. Yet. He still holds out hope for a Village People revival and has set up a Google Alert in case it happens.
A B- student throughout high school, Bill was voted Most Likely to Avoid Doing Any Real Work In His Life by a panel of his dismissive peers. He proved them wrong with a series of strange-but-true jobs in his 20s - driver recruiter for a truck driving school, sales consultant for a phone company, and temp at Otis Elevators.
He moved to Denver in 1996 and was voted Least Stylish Gay Guy in the Metro Denver Area (including Loveland!) for each of the years from 1996-98. His fashion-free wardrobe robbed him of prospective dates countless times, as did his penchant for wearing a mustache that didn't suit him.
He worked at ESPN and ESPN.com from 1999-2002, where he developed a penchant for sharing too much information about himself. That character flaw earned him a GLAAD Media Award in 2002, for his column "Sports World Still a Struggle for Gays." That coming out essay made him a household name to tens of people across the country.
He continued oversharing in graduate school at Arizona State, where he added People Pleasing to his growing list of character defects and parlayed that into the title of Most Chill Teacher of freshman composition.
As a sports writer and editor for The Associated Press in New York from 2005-08, Bill once called his husband, who was at the time working a desk job, from the New York Mets dugout before a game. "I'm so bored," Bill whined. He slept on the couch for a week after making that call.
He wrote a novel called Audibles at Arizona State, and sold that novel to Dutton Books for Children in 2007. His editor asked him to change the title so that it would appeal to people other than "football players who read." The resulting novel, Out of the Pocket, received strong reviews from his mother, father, significant other and one girl who had a crush on him in high school. It won the Lambda Literary Award in 2009.
His second novel, Openly Straight, hit the bookshelves in late May of 2013. He describes the novel as "Twilight-like, only without vampires and wolves and angsty teenage girls. Also, set in an all-boys boarding school in Massachusetts. Otherwise, it's like an exact replica."
His third novel, The Porcupine of Truth, was released in May of 2015. He chose to put a porcupine in the title because this is America, and no one here knows what a platypus is. The novel won the Stonewall Book Award and PEN Center USA Literary Award.
Next came Honestly Ben, a companion book to Openly Straight. He wrote it so people would stop yelling at him about Openly Straight's ending. Honestly Ben received three starred reviews and made lots of people swoon over Ben some more, which irks Bill to no end as Ben is loosely based on his husband, Chuck. No one seems to swoon over Rafe, who is loosely based on Bill. Harrumph, says Bill.
The Music of What Happens arrives in February of 2019, and it's a romance between two boys, and it includes a food truck that makes cloud eggs. Bill has an egg phobia.
Bill currently lives in Chandler, Arizona, which is the thinking man's Gilbert, Arizona. He has a husband who is clearly too good for him, and two cute dogs, Mabel and Buford, who complete him.
His bl
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
March 24, 2017
I was Rafe freakin' Goldberg, and I could hold my antlers high with the thought that I'd always have my best friend in the world, and I'd always have my parents, and one time, I was lucky enough to be loved by Ben Carver.AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
March 23, 2017
It was okay.
I actually cared much more about Ben's chapters than Rafe's, but it's totally a personal thing. I think after having read Openly Straight I, as an introvert, was completely fed up with Rafe's extremely extroverted parents (and best friend), if that even makes sense.
But now I'm really excited to read the sequel with Ben's PoV!
I actually cared much more about Ben's chapters than Rafe's, but it's totally a personal thing. I think after having read Openly Straight I, as an introvert, was completely fed up with Rafe's extremely extroverted parents (and best friend), if that even makes sense.
But now I'm really excited to read the sequel with Ben's PoV!
March 1, 2017
Well this was...unexpected, to be honest. I had no idea it was even a thing, and then I was searching Amazon to see when Honestly, Ben comes out and Amazon was like "Not until the end of March, dude. But in the meantime, maybe consider this novella that goes between Openly Straight and Honestly, Ben?" and I was like "OMG YES GIVE IT TO ME".
Look, it's a 50 page novella that's meant to tell you what happened in between the two books. There isn't a huge amount I can say about it, except that I love both of these characters and I'm really excited to see where their story goes from here.
Look, it's a 50 page novella that's meant to tell you what happened in between the two books. There isn't a huge amount I can say about it, except that I love both of these characters and I'm really excited to see where their story goes from here.
April 4, 2018
If Honestly Ben wrecks me like this novella and Openly Straight did, I'm in trouble
----------------
HAHAHAHA GUESS WHO'S TABLET HAS REFUSED TO WORK SINCE I POSTED THIS SO I HAVEN'T READ IT ASDFGHJKL
WHY IS LIFE LIKE THIS
BUT ALSO...... thanks Obama (miss u)
THIS JUST DOWNLOADED ON MY KINDLE AHHHH I'M SO READY HERE WE GO
Me on February 28th:
----------------
HAHAHAHA GUESS WHO'S TABLET HAS REFUSED TO WORK SINCE I POSTED THIS SO I HAVEN'T READ IT ASDFGHJKL
WHY IS LIFE LIKE THIS
BUT ALSO...... thanks Obama (miss u)
THIS JUST DOWNLOADED ON MY KINDLE AHHHH I'M SO READY HERE WE GO
Me on February 28th:
March 29, 2017
A cute novella, but I don't think it was really necessary. Nothing substantial really happened, it was more like a very short intro into Ben's life at home. If you really love Rafe and Ben, you might enjoy this more than I did.
July 27, 2019
Agape no so much...
A short story that takes place after book 1. It shows were Ben and Rafe are after their big blow up. They're both working on getting over how it ended.
A short story that takes place after book 1. It shows were Ben and Rafe are after their big blow up. They're both working on getting over how it ended.
August 7, 2018
This was a good short in between story. I cannot wait to get to Honestly Ben. It was nice seeing more of Ben's family. I don't know how I feel about his dad. Ben seems scared of him, but maybe not physically 100%. His dad comes across as very hard, focused on work, money and not having fun. Ben being with a guy...I don't think he will approve and fear he would toss Ben out. Time will tell.
June 21, 2018
Amazing! So happy we get Bens POV in some of these chapters. We get a short glimpse at his family life and it explains why he is scared to admit to himself that he might be bisexual.
Also, Claire Olivia is starting to grow on me. She is so sweet to Rafe and is there for him when he is so vulnerable.
... On to Honestly Ben now ! I neeeeed to know how this ends.
Also, Claire Olivia is starting to grow on me. She is so sweet to Rafe and is there for him when he is so vulnerable.
... On to Honestly Ben now ! I neeeeed to know how this ends.
February 28, 2017
I am so excited for Honestly Ben, but I'm nervous too. The pragmatist in me knows that Ben being happy and healthy is the main objective, but the other part of me who loves Rafe selfishly wants them together, whatever the price.
August 1, 2017
For such a short book, this really gave me a lot of feelings. And provoked a lot of tears. I'd love more exposition, but I can understand that this wan't intended to be a novel and I appreciate it for what it is.
March 26, 2017
This is a free short story, in between Openly Straight and the soon-to-be-released Honestly Ben. It doesn't open a lot of new ground, but it does give us a feel for where these two guys are at, in the weeks after the end of the first book. It also gives us a look at Ben's family, which will no doubt inform our understanding of the next novel.
The biggest complaint I have here is that it is in alternating first person POV, and at least in my epub version, there is no warning of that. The second chapter opens with Ben's POV without the name being shown - I ended up back-tracking about three paragraphs in, when I figured out why I was so confused. This is a formatting issue that should not happen - please, authors, if you do this, label your protag's chapters!
Having said that, I'm not complaining about the actual format. I was hoping to hear from Ben, and to get another look at Rafe's dealing with his own somewhat morally ambiguous behavior. This book whets my appetite for the next, while being just a taste of color and context, although a fun one.
The biggest complaint I have here is that it is in alternating first person POV, and at least in my epub version, there is no warning of that. The second chapter opens with Ben's POV without the name being shown - I ended up back-tracking about three paragraphs in, when I figured out why I was so confused. This is a formatting issue that should not happen - please, authors, if you do this, label your protag's chapters!
Having said that, I'm not complaining about the actual format. I was hoping to hear from Ben, and to get another look at Rafe's dealing with his own somewhat morally ambiguous behavior. This book whets my appetite for the next, while being just a taste of color and context, although a fun one.
March 20, 2018
Cute little post-holiday holiday short story. It doesn't really add anything to the series as a whole, but it was fun to spend a little time with Claire Olivia as she tries to cheer up Rafe, and we get to meet Ben's family which was nice.
August 14, 2019
I really enjoyed getting the see more of Ben’s home life- though I really wish it had been longer, hopefully we get to see more in the next book!
October 21, 2020
A short story of how Ben and Rafe spent their Christmas (separately). Ben's story provided a little more insight into his family but Rafe's story didn't offer much new information about himself.
Both stories weren't spectacular or very enjoyable for me, so I was a little disappointed.
2.5 Stars
May 1, 2018
A Good Bridge Over the Gap
A very good follow up to lead into the true sequel. Not much happens, but we do get a good look into the differences between Race and Ben and their respective families, and Christmases. And I think we get a good amount of character depth and introspection. Not development per se, but definitely some insight into Ben and Rafe as characters
A very good follow up to lead into the true sequel. Not much happens, but we do get a good look into the differences between Race and Ben and their respective families, and Christmases. And I think we get a good amount of character depth and introspection. Not development per se, but definitely some insight into Ben and Rafe as characters
May 19, 2017
Cuando termine de leer “Openly Straight” tuve muchos sentimientos encontrados por aquel final tan amargo que nos dio el autor e incluso en mi reseña escribí que era uno de esos libros que no quieres que termine por lo mucho que gusta e incluso fue de mis mejores lecturas del año pasado; así que cuando supe que la historia continuaría no podía estar más feliz, pero entre “Openly Straight” y “Honestly Ben” que es el segundo libro de la bilogía, esta “Openly, Honestly” un libro que nos deja conocer un poco lo que asumo encontraremos en “HB”, "OH" se sitúa poco después del final del primero y nos muestra a Rafe y como es su vida después de decirle la verdad a Ben y como lidia con su dolor, pero lo más interesante es comenzar a saber lo que siente Ben con los capítulos desde su perspectiva y conocer sus sentimientos, lo que piensa, el cómo es su vida, etc.
Sin duda un libro aunque corto que sirve de antesala para lo que nos encontraremos en “Honestly Ben”, lo cual me tiene entusiasmado y con el hype a todo lo que da, pero a la vez nervioso porque no se que es lo que encontrare y cuál será el final de Rafe y Ben…
Sin duda un libro aunque corto que sirve de antesala para lo que nos encontraremos en “Honestly Ben”, lo cual me tiene entusiasmado y con el hype a todo lo que da, pero a la vez nervioso porque no se que es lo que encontrare y cuál será el final de Rafe y Ben…
May 16, 2018
Short and bittersweet story about Rafe and Ben spending time with their families. (How come I read a lot of christmas stories right now?)
September 10, 2024
Pretty short but good, gives a bit of backstory for the next book
July 1, 2023
2.5 stars
March 20, 2017
I love hearing Ben's voice, as well as Rafe's and this makes me so excited for the new book!
February 14, 2024
Entretenido y fue bueno ver los dos puntos de vista.
July 20, 2017
3.75 stars rounded up
Basically a short visit to Rafe and Ben during Christmas break at two different places (geographically). It offers a glimpse about their state of mind and what might happen ahead before moving forward with Ben's story in Honestly Ben.
I forgot how I enjoyed Konigsberg's writing. I'm in a terrible book funk for the past week and this helped a bit.
Though I'm not jumping into Honestly Ben soon, afraid that my current mood will ruin it :(
Basically a short visit to Rafe and Ben during Christmas break at two different places (geographically). It offers a glimpse about their state of mind and what might happen ahead before moving forward with Ben's story in Honestly Ben.
I forgot how I enjoyed Konigsberg's writing. I'm in a terrible book funk for the past week and this helped a bit.
Though I'm not jumping into Honestly Ben soon, afraid that my current mood will ruin it :(
March 14, 2017
I'd forgotten how much I liked Rafe and Ben. This was a sweet little in-between short story to get us ready for book 2 of the series.
It got me excited about the new book coming out and also pumped to reread book 1, Openly Straight!
July 20, 2017
A glimpse into the lives of Rafe and Ben that fits between their novels. I am saving my pennies (a 'mum' expression), until I can justify the purchase of Ben's book, which I desperately want.
Although, there is lots to read about it, while I wait to actually read it.
Although, there is lots to read about it, while I wait to actually read it.
June 16, 2020
Actual rating: 2.5
I can't say this was bad. It just wasn't much of anything. I guess it was a nice enough holiday story and maybe I'll have more fun rereading it around that time of year. But there didn't seem to be much of a point to it.
I can't say this was bad. It just wasn't much of anything. I guess it was a nice enough holiday story and maybe I'll have more fun rereading it around that time of year. But there didn't seem to be much of a point to it.
April 2, 2017
A cute little short story that I would have enjoyed more if I had read it at Christmastime, I guess.
May 23, 2022
I might not read the sequel soon so I read this #1.5 book. Both Rafe and Ben try and move on. I loved how Claire tries her best to make Rafe feel good and Rafe calls himself out sometimes for being selfish. He tries to go along with Claire Olivia and move on from Ben's love, or lackthereof now.
Ben on the other hand, finds himself still attracted to Cindy but could not bring himself to get closer to her. They just don't match well as Cindy doesn't understand him at all, not like Rafe did - Well, you could explain to her, Ben. Why assume she wouldn't understand at all when you don't even bother to explain your interests to her, huh? We see Ben, his brother Luke and his mom build a Snowman. That was cute.
Nothing more going on here. It was enjoyable.
Ben on the other hand, finds himself still attracted to Cindy but could not bring himself to get closer to her. They just don't match well as Cindy doesn't understand him at all, not like Rafe did - Well, you could explain to her, Ben. Why assume she wouldn't understand at all when you don't even bother to explain your interests to her, huh? We see Ben, his brother Luke and his mom build a Snowman. That was cute.
Nothing more going on here. It was enjoyable.
January 15, 2020
This was super short. As in *super short*, really.
But you know what else it was? Super enjoyable. I remember little about Openly Straight, but what I do remember very vividly is that I disliked Rafe a lot. This book worked on that, and I feel like maybe eventually, one day soon, I will be able to read the continuation of this story. This short thing was a step in that direction, and it worked for me. It also helps that the next book, I believe, focuses more on Ben, who I do remember appreciating a lot.
We'll see what the future holds for me in relation to these characters.
But you know what else it was? Super enjoyable. I remember little about Openly Straight, but what I do remember very vividly is that I disliked Rafe a lot. This book worked on that, and I feel like maybe eventually, one day soon, I will be able to read the continuation of this story. This short thing was a step in that direction, and it worked for me. It also helps that the next book, I believe, focuses more on Ben, who I do remember appreciating a lot.
We'll see what the future holds for me in relation to these characters.
September 21, 2017
Al terminar Openly Straight quedan unas ganas de querer más y este relato ayuda a saciar un poco esas ganas. Aquí no hay un verdadero desarrollo de la historia en sí, comienza justo en donde termina el primer libro y lo que hace es mostrar, con algo más de detalle, el estado emocional en el que se encuentran los protagonistas luego de los sucesos que recién experimentaron.
February 19, 2018
This was a cute little quick read as a sort of (I'm assuming) prequel to the second book in the Openly Straight series. I really liked Ben's POV and I care for him much more after reading this than I had prior to now. I'm excited for book 2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews