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The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain
Sometimes dreams come true, whether you’re ready for them or not.
Shane was only fourteen when found a photo of a boy his age and became obsessed with it. Now, thirteen years later, he has a chance encounter with a man who bears a striking resemblance. Already in a happy relationship, Shane must keep his fantasies in check while attempting to solve the mystery, but little does he realize just how many connections they share. The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain is a heartwarming short story about love in its many forms, be they real or imagined.
Shane was only fourteen when found a photo of a boy his age and became obsessed with it. Now, thirteen years later, he has a chance encounter with a man who bears a striking resemblance. Already in a happy relationship, Shane must keep his fantasies in check while attempting to solve the mystery, but little does he realize just how many connections they share. The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain is a heartwarming short story about love in its many forms, be they real or imagined.
52 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 25, 2019
89 people are currently reading
340 people want to read
About the author
Jay Bell
47 books2,218 followersJay Bell is a proud gay man and the award-winning author behind dozens of emotional and yet hopelessly optimistic stories. His best-selling book, Something Like Summer, spawned a series of heart-wrenching novels, a musically driven movie, and a lovingly drawn comic. When not crafting imaginary worlds, he occupies his free time with animals, art, action figures, and—most ardently—his husband Andreas. Jay is always dreaming up new stories about boys in love. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can get the kettle boiling by visiting www.jaybellbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
July 9, 2020
Great premise but didn't care for the execution. This could have been so amazing. I re-wrote it my head the way I wanted and it's much more dramatic, lol.
December 27, 2019
A nice complete short story. For once I wasn’t left wanting the story to be expanded into a novel. Interesting characters but kind of a anticlimactic ending.
April 29, 2020
How does Jay Bell do it? He creates a short story so full of history and life it feels like an epic novel. I love the historical dance around three lives interwoven through the fabric of photo day rejections and promotion day decisions. This is a great coming of age story told through a tangled love and fate story. I hope things turn out ok for Shane!
January 7, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Jay Bell has released a truly lovely short story entitled The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain. Beginning thirteen years prior and interweaving three lives that all, by fate’s hand, have magically interconnected, the story maps those lives and brings them together for what is admittedly the sweetest yet saddest of love stories. Since this is not a ménage love triangle, someone is going to lose and that person must be willing to sacrifice so much in order for the other two to be happy and there, in a nutshell, you have a sweet, romantic ending while also having a real sense of loss. However, the way in which Jay Bell crafts this tale allows for lots of hope, even as you realize that one of these men will go away empty handed and a bit heart sore.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Jay Bell has released a truly lovely short story entitled The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain. Beginning thirteen years prior and interweaving three lives that all, by fate’s hand, have magically interconnected, the story maps those lives and brings them together for what is admittedly the sweetest yet saddest of love stories. Since this is not a ménage love triangle, someone is going to lose and that person must be willing to sacrifice so much in order for the other two to be happy and there, in a nutshell, you have a sweet, romantic ending while also having a real sense of loss. However, the way in which Jay Bell crafts this tale allows for lots of hope, even as you realize that one of these men will go away empty handed and a bit heart sore.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
May 4, 2024
What a story! Very surreal. How paths and people are connected and intersect with each other... a sweet little story of second chances. I finished reading it with a smile on my face, very heartwarming...
July 2, 2020
This was a short quick read that I liked. When he was 14 years old Shane finds a picture of a boy he becomes obsessed with him. This was a good heartwarming story I don't read a lot of YA. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling.
January 2, 2022
A heartwarming and sweet short story about second chances that will leave you with a content smile on your face and a small lump in your throat.
November 26, 2020
This is a story of three boys, now grown up and gone in different directions. But they have come together now and their life lines need to be unraveled and realigned. It's not a menage or poly, but there are three MCs.
Jay Bell has written it in a unique style with snippets from past and present mixed up. Also loved the mention of Indian family :-)
Recommended coming of age romance.
Jay Bell has written it in a unique style with snippets from past and present mixed up. Also loved the mention of Indian family :-)
Recommended coming of age romance.
March 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
It’s a very sweet slice of life story with a somewhat unique premise and a bittersweet but uplifting ending. Loved the execution even though it’s not a theme I usually enjoy much. I liked where all the characters ended up in the end.
It’s a very sweet slice of life story with a somewhat unique premise and a bittersweet but uplifting ending. Loved the execution even though it’s not a theme I usually enjoy much. I liked where all the characters ended up in the end.
April 21, 2020
So sweet
April 13, 2020
4.2/5
I found ‘The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain ‘to be a very enjoyable novella. It is written in the third person as a very long short story, all in one chapter. It covers two periods of time, separated by an undetermined number of years, in the lives of the characters. A soft romantic storyline. No hard jangly edges, just the slow awakening of your difference to others, about like life really, but with a romantic ending. I don’t know if Bell wrote ‘Boy’ as a YA work, but it could be enjoyed by anyone from teens through adults.
I found ‘The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain ‘to be a very enjoyable novella. It is written in the third person as a very long short story, all in one chapter. It covers two periods of time, separated by an undetermined number of years, in the lives of the characters. A soft romantic storyline. No hard jangly edges, just the slow awakening of your difference to others, about like life really, but with a romantic ending. I don’t know if Bell wrote ‘Boy’ as a YA work, but it could be enjoyed by anyone from teens through adults.
July 10, 2020
I am a Jay Bell fan and wow this was a short story filled with so much. I am not sure how Jay Bell did it, but it was awesome. Charlie David was phenomenal at bringing the characters to life and it was so good I listened twice. I highly recommend to all Jay Bell fans and those that like a good short love story.
December 31, 2025
I figured what the hell, let’s read another novella before 2025 comes to a close! This was the perfect gay and cozy read I needed to finish out the year. I remembered that I had this book in my Kindle library and at the same time I remembered that long, long ago I had gotten the first book in Jay Bell’s Something Like Summer series but have never gotten around to reading it! (Something for 2026!) Given how many books Jay has published he’s clearly an accomplished author who can tell a damn good story. I knew The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain would be a great way to finally be introduced to the author and his writing style.
Right off the bat you know this is going to be a great and bittersweet story. Shane is fourteen years old and shopping at the mall with his mom. Or, more like he’s helping hold all of her bags. His mom goes to finish up while he lounges on a bench with all of their purchases. He people watches and comes up with stories in his head about who they are. He glances at the coins in the fountain and sees something underneath the rippling surface. He plunges his hand in and he finds himself holding a picture of a boy who immediately makes his heart flutter. He knows that he’ll never truly know who this is a picture of but he can’t deny what this means for him when taking into account how he’s feeling.
Thirteen years fly by with a time jump that happens at just the right time, storytelling wise. If Jay Bell wanted to lengthen this story he certainly could by expanding on that timeframe but for a novella this time jump works perfectly. Shane is at a baby shower for his cousin and is taken aback when a man walks in to join the party. He has that same notch in his eyebrow as that boy did in the picture, as well as that charming smile. This guy, Luke, introduces himself to Shane and they get to talking. Shane comes clean and shows him the picture that he keeps in his wallet. From this point on I absolutely loved how natural and authentic the conversation felt! The fact that Luke was so understanding when Shane was explaining to him that this imaginary person he made up based off Luke’s picture helped him when he was younger was so sweet.
Shane circles back to wondering why the photo was in the fountain and as a result Luke is sent back in time thinking about a closeness he had with a friend of his in high school named Ryder. It’s a school tradition that after picture day, or photo day, and getting the envelope of pictures in various sizes you’re supposed to give someone who you’re interested in a photo of yourself. If they reciprocate and give you one of their photos then it means something special. After having bonded for months following Luke’s freshman year arrival, Ryder and Luke both dance around the subject that they’re interested in the other but drop some major hints.
Luke works up the courage to give Ryder his picture one day after school. Ryder takes it and Shane can tell by the way he reacts that it means the world to him. Ryder is close to doing the same before being interrupted by a girl named Madison, who we learn more about when in Ryder’s POV later. We end up seeing more of Ryder because after Shane hears Luke’s story at the baby shower he’s fairly confident that Luke is talking about the very guy who Shane is dating.
I was so in the moment with this story as I was reading that I never really thought about what would be next for these characters. Knowing it was a short read kept me from doing so, too. When choices are made and things manage to work out the way they do for all of the characters it had my heart feeling so heavy. Bittersweet happiness.
Like I said above, this novella was perfect. Short and sweet and moving enough that after fifty or so pages I found myself caring a lot about these characters. Reading this at the end of the year had me resonating with some of messages in the story, too. You can always linger on the past but the future has all the potential. Jay Bell, I can’t wait to dive into your other works!!
Right off the bat you know this is going to be a great and bittersweet story. Shane is fourteen years old and shopping at the mall with his mom. Or, more like he’s helping hold all of her bags. His mom goes to finish up while he lounges on a bench with all of their purchases. He people watches and comes up with stories in his head about who they are. He glances at the coins in the fountain and sees something underneath the rippling surface. He plunges his hand in and he finds himself holding a picture of a boy who immediately makes his heart flutter. He knows that he’ll never truly know who this is a picture of but he can’t deny what this means for him when taking into account how he’s feeling.
Thirteen years fly by with a time jump that happens at just the right time, storytelling wise. If Jay Bell wanted to lengthen this story he certainly could by expanding on that timeframe but for a novella this time jump works perfectly. Shane is at a baby shower for his cousin and is taken aback when a man walks in to join the party. He has that same notch in his eyebrow as that boy did in the picture, as well as that charming smile. This guy, Luke, introduces himself to Shane and they get to talking. Shane comes clean and shows him the picture that he keeps in his wallet. From this point on I absolutely loved how natural and authentic the conversation felt! The fact that Luke was so understanding when Shane was explaining to him that this imaginary person he made up based off Luke’s picture helped him when he was younger was so sweet.
Shane circles back to wondering why the photo was in the fountain and as a result Luke is sent back in time thinking about a closeness he had with a friend of his in high school named Ryder. It’s a school tradition that after picture day, or photo day, and getting the envelope of pictures in various sizes you’re supposed to give someone who you’re interested in a photo of yourself. If they reciprocate and give you one of their photos then it means something special. After having bonded for months following Luke’s freshman year arrival, Ryder and Luke both dance around the subject that they’re interested in the other but drop some major hints.
Luke works up the courage to give Ryder his picture one day after school. Ryder takes it and Shane can tell by the way he reacts that it means the world to him. Ryder is close to doing the same before being interrupted by a girl named Madison, who we learn more about when in Ryder’s POV later. We end up seeing more of Ryder because after Shane hears Luke’s story at the baby shower he’s fairly confident that Luke is talking about the very guy who Shane is dating.
I was so in the moment with this story as I was reading that I never really thought about what would be next for these characters. Knowing it was a short read kept me from doing so, too. When choices are made and things manage to work out the way they do for all of the characters it had my heart feeling so heavy. Bittersweet happiness.
Like I said above, this novella was perfect. Short and sweet and moving enough that after fifty or so pages I found myself caring a lot about these characters. Reading this at the end of the year had me resonating with some of messages in the story, too. You can always linger on the past but the future has all the potential. Jay Bell, I can’t wait to dive into your other works!!
September 27, 2023
This novella was the best discovery I made this month. Perhaps it would be more accurate/less menacing to call this one The Boy (in the Photo) at the Bottom of the Fountain. The title and the book cover image are actually a bit misleading. Since it's revealed in the first ten minutes, it's not MUCH of a spoiler to admit this.
The book is basically angst-free and yet there is a dramatic storyline that builds gradually and benignantly from segment to segment. We encounter several likable and quirky characters whose stories intermingle in a way that author Jay Bell seems to have perfected. There's an amazing and surprising HFN ending with an absolutely unique build-up of a type that I've never encountered before in all my years of reading. It's romantic and perhaps the sweetest thing I've read this year, while at the same time being a bit of a surprise ending and eureka moment combined.
Bell spent some time in Kansas, went to college there, and met his future husband there. This book, like many of his best, is a reflection of that time and is based there. While the location is a minor aspect of this story, it adds yet another facet to the tale and was a fun discovery for this fan of his earlier work.
This is the first novel by Jay Bell that Charlie David narrates and he was a good choice for this. He does his usual yeoman-like job with the narration. And this time he did it without once invoking the "If he mispronounces that word one more time I'm gonna have to hunt him down and end him" reactions that I've had to some of his earlier voice narration efforts.
Even better; Jay has put this one up on his website with a link to a free-you-tube audiobook copy https://youtu.be/aQaQX_Oxo8k?si=dmZ09...
The book is basically angst-free and yet there is a dramatic storyline that builds gradually and benignantly from segment to segment. We encounter several likable and quirky characters whose stories intermingle in a way that author Jay Bell seems to have perfected. There's an amazing and surprising HFN ending with an absolutely unique build-up of a type that I've never encountered before in all my years of reading. It's romantic and perhaps the sweetest thing I've read this year, while at the same time being a bit of a surprise ending and eureka moment combined.
Bell spent some time in Kansas, went to college there, and met his future husband there. This book, like many of his best, is a reflection of that time and is based there. While the location is a minor aspect of this story, it adds yet another facet to the tale and was a fun discovery for this fan of his earlier work.
This is the first novel by Jay Bell that Charlie David narrates and he was a good choice for this. He does his usual yeoman-like job with the narration. And this time he did it without once invoking the "If he mispronounces that word one more time I'm gonna have to hunt him down and end him" reactions that I've had to some of his earlier voice narration efforts.
Even better; Jay has put this one up on his website with a link to a free-you-tube audiobook copy https://youtu.be/aQaQX_Oxo8k?si=dmZ09...
November 29, 2022
Cute, fluffy, and fun! Jay Bell honestly never disappoints. This was a very sweet story about second chances, regrets, continuously realizing who you are and what you want.
Jay Bell always handles love triangles with so much dignity and without making any of the characters petty or villainous, they're all allowed to be thoughtful and mature about things which allows me to become emotionally invested instead of being left frustrated and bitter the entire time.
This is also a really funny story. The banter is charming and cute. I laughed out loud several times.
If you enjoy second chance romance or very sweet/wholesome content this will definitely yield rewards for you! I read it in one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it, definitely a feel-good easy read!
Also I liked how weirdly mall-oriented this was. It was random but nice. I can't help but love shopping malls even though they're bastions of rampant capitalism. I like stuff. I'm a stuff guy. And malls are where the stuff is. So, like Shane, I enjoy people watching, and they're good for that too!
Shane, Luke, and Ryder are very cute and I highly recommend this for an easy, positive read!
October 17, 2025
'The Boy at the Bottom of the Fountain' written by Jay Bell, (Audible) narrated by Charlie David
An interesting twist on a coming-of-age story featuring two teen guy friends that starts when they are in high school and follows through with them as young adults.
More a novella, or maybe a longish short story? Nonetheless, Bell's skillful writing crams a lot of story into a smallish space, complete with a good rep of gay characters or teens still trying to figure it all out. There's humor, sadness, and a lot of anxiety and doubt...but also friendships, both old and new.
There's a surprising quirk in what started out as a guy coming out to his best friend while standing by their lockers in the school hallway as he hands him one of his newly taken official school photographs.
At times heartbreaking and at times so sweet it'll give you cavities (yeah, yeah...clichés abound, lol).
That said, I very much liked all the convoluted ways in which this tale was woven, and the surprises that played out along the way.
Oh, and Charlie David does great narration!
(I'm feeling like delving back into this again, listening to it as a way to wind down for the evening, and engendering sweet dreams)
Two thumbs up! 👍👍
An interesting twist on a coming-of-age story featuring two teen guy friends that starts when they are in high school and follows through with them as young adults.
More a novella, or maybe a longish short story? Nonetheless, Bell's skillful writing crams a lot of story into a smallish space, complete with a good rep of gay characters or teens still trying to figure it all out. There's humor, sadness, and a lot of anxiety and doubt...but also friendships, both old and new.
There's a surprising quirk in what started out as a guy coming out to his best friend while standing by their lockers in the school hallway as he hands him one of his newly taken official school photographs.
At times heartbreaking and at times so sweet it'll give you cavities (yeah, yeah...clichés abound, lol).
That said, I very much liked all the convoluted ways in which this tale was woven, and the surprises that played out along the way.
Oh, and Charlie David does great narration!
(I'm feeling like delving back into this again, listening to it as a way to wind down for the evening, and engendering sweet dreams)
Two thumbs up! 👍👍
July 9, 2020
3.5-3.75 stars
Sweet story but NOT what I was expecting. Not sure how to review it.
** SPOILERS AHEAD**
**END SPOILER**
*****
POV... third person
Standalone or series... standalone
Hangover... no
Recommend... maybe
Reread... possibly
*****
Shane
Ryder
Luke/Colby
Sweet story but NOT what I was expecting. Not sure how to review it.
** SPOILERS AHEAD**
**END SPOILER**
*****
POV... third person
Standalone or series... standalone
Hangover... no
Recommend... maybe
Reread... possibly
*****
Shane
Ryder
Luke/Colby
December 30, 2021
Wow what an amazing book. I was honestly in between 4 1/2- 5 stars (so I went with 5 stars). This M/M coming to age story was amazing, funny, and bittersweet.
I am going to try not to spoil it (if I do, I apologize).
You have two high school boys and who are friends (Ryder and Luke), but realize it could be something more. But one of the friends is not sure if he is gay or straight.
Later in life, the boyfriend (Shane) of one of the high schooler friends meet the other person (the picture of boy in the fountain), at his cousin’s baby shower.
Stories are exchanged and Shane finds out that his imaginary crush was actually his boyfriends almost first high school boyfriend.
The ending of the story has a turn, and what a turn of events it is. The end of the story is bittersweet, but totally understandable.
I am going to try not to spoil it (if I do, I apologize).
You have two high school boys and who are friends (Ryder and Luke), but realize it could be something more. But one of the friends is not sure if he is gay or straight.
Later in life, the boyfriend (Shane) of one of the high schooler friends meet the other person (the picture of boy in the fountain), at his cousin’s baby shower.
Stories are exchanged and Shane finds out that his imaginary crush was actually his boyfriends almost first high school boyfriend.
The ending of the story has a turn, and what a turn of events it is. The end of the story is bittersweet, but totally understandable.
November 19, 2019
When I found out about this, Jay Bell releasing a book without a word of warning? I just had to drop everything.
This is a hard review to write. Simply because of the chance of slipping a spoiler. So this will likely be short.
This is told in 3rd person, just like most of Jay Bells books are told, but its done in a style that is easy to follow. Especially when coming from 3 different point of views. Just as the blurb has stated, a photo found at the bottom of a fountain, that is only the beginning. The events that follow is like a fun mystery. Expect some twists and turns. And yes, I read this all in one sitting, because Jay Bell has that way of keeping my interest highly invested.
This is what I love about Jay's books. I swear this man is a genius!
This is a hard review to write. Simply because of the chance of slipping a spoiler. So this will likely be short.
This is told in 3rd person, just like most of Jay Bells books are told, but its done in a style that is easy to follow. Especially when coming from 3 different point of views. Just as the blurb has stated, a photo found at the bottom of a fountain, that is only the beginning. The events that follow is like a fun mystery. Expect some twists and turns. And yes, I read this all in one sitting, because Jay Bell has that way of keeping my interest highly invested.
This is what I love about Jay's books. I swear this man is a genius!
July 20, 2020
Jay Bell provides a nice complete short story. I like the cast of characters and I could believe the premise. Though three characters are involved, Shane is the one I related to the most and I really liked the conclusion of this tale. Jay Bell is phenomenal story teller and Charlie David is a great narrator.
November 10, 2021
This was quite nice actually. I think this short story is well constructed, but the quality is not the greatest because we have seen this plot type over and over again. Nevertheless, the way Jay Bell writes the contemporany gay fiction has inspired me since I was just started to read and I came across Something like summer.
January 2, 2022
Have you ever sat in a public space making up stories about the people who pass? Imagine as a kid you found a photo of a stranger, and made up a whole life story for them. Then imagine you met them.
This story is about fantasies and relationships, growing up and recognizing yourself, dreams and finding the person you can dream with.
It's short, but intricately woven.
This story is about fantasies and relationships, growing up and recognizing yourself, dreams and finding the person you can dream with.
It's short, but intricately woven.
April 12, 2020
All the feels are here.
This book left me breathless. 3 lives intertwined since high school come together full circle as adults. This one will have you asking if you could do the same thing.
This book left me breathless. 3 lives intertwined since high school come together full circle as adults. This one will have you asking if you could do the same thing.
April 26, 2020
Although this was short it was so sweet. We get to see the coming of age of three people and how their stories intertwine. A little bittersweet but still we get the promise that somehow everything is going to be alright.
June 3, 2020
I don't read a number of YA male-male romances, but if I do, I'm often underwhelmed. As short as this novella is, it is good, fulfilling youthful fantasies many gay readers had in high school. Enjoy.
June 6, 2020
Brilliant story. Hit me in all the right places, even if I was sad by the end, and happy too.
We all have our regrets about choices we made, wondering what if... I loved how this story explored that premise and gave two people a second chance, even if a third was left adrift.
We all have our regrets about choices we made, wondering what if... I loved how this story explored that premise and gave two people a second chance, even if a third was left adrift.
February 23, 2021
I love this, I love they way it was told, I love the perspectives chosen, I loved the revelations. All of it.
If I'd have changed anything, my lil silly bum would have gone poly but whatever. This is a sweet-bittersweet 5 for me.
If I'd have changed anything, my lil silly bum would have gone poly but whatever. This is a sweet-bittersweet 5 for me.
April 17, 2022
First love
Shane, Luke (Colby) and Ryder: couples with pasts and futures. Bell fills this novella with the heartfelt musings and feelings of young men, painting the joys and pains of loves and partings, dreams and beginnings.
Shane, Luke (Colby) and Ryder: couples with pasts and futures. Bell fills this novella with the heartfelt musings and feelings of young men, painting the joys and pains of loves and partings, dreams and beginnings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews