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Catch Me When I Fall
Being an ex-soldier, Jake doesn't know much about angels, but shouldn't they be...angelic?
What would you do if your guardian angel fell into your backyard? When an angel, Gabriel, falls from heaven, Jake takes him in. Unfortunately, the presence of this beautiful creature stirs passions in Jake that should have remained buried in the mountains of Afghanistan.Why has Gabriel come to earth? Is he being entirely truthful about his mission? Gabriel's presence forces Jake to make the hardest decision of his life: rekindle a relationship left bruised by the Taliban, or take a leap of faith on the promise of a creature made of sunlight and love.
What would you do if your guardian angel fell into your backyard? When an angel, Gabriel, falls from heaven, Jake takes him in. Unfortunately, the presence of this beautiful creature stirs passions in Jake that should have remained buried in the mountains of Afghanistan.Why has Gabriel come to earth? Is he being entirely truthful about his mission? Gabriel's presence forces Jake to make the hardest decision of his life: rekindle a relationship left bruised by the Taliban, or take a leap of faith on the promise of a creature made of sunlight and love.
110 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2014
5 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
John Wiltshire
29 books816 followersJohn Wiltshire is the fictional persona of the author of the More Heat Than The Sun series. After spending twenty-two years in the military perfecting the art
of looking busy whilst secretly writing, John left as a senior officer
when a hastily dug tunnel was ready for use. Now living in New
Zealand (at least until enough money can be raised to leave) John has no plans to return to the army. Unless the world situation gets considerably worse, that is.
of looking busy whilst secretly writing, John left as a senior officer
when a hastily dug tunnel was ready for use. Now living in New
Zealand (at least until enough money can be raised to leave) John has no plans to return to the army. Unless the world situation gets considerably worse, that is.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 5, 2016
I love angels so I knew I was going to like this one a lot. But even without the personal bias, Catch Me When I Fall is an interesting story and a well-written one at that. It is told in Jacob's perspective and follows a rather fast-paced plot which was funny and heartwarming at the same time.
What will really touch you though are the characters.
Although there were times when I found Jacob infuriating and vain, John Wiltshire certainly has a way of making you genuinely invested in his life and making him more human with his many imperfections and at times unwise decisions. In the end, you just feel for Jake.
And then there's Gabriel.
Sweet, otherworldly Gabe who is so pure and embodies love. There is nothing to hate about Gabe because he exudes an innocence which is inherent. It just felt natural and sincere.
When I ponder upon the story though, I think of redemption and second chances. Although there were heavenly characters in this story, I was a tad disappointed for the ending which was unfortunately deus ex machina. It felt like the well-written plot and narration was not duly justified, although I can assure you that it's HEA.
Other than that, this novella is highly recommended especially to those who believe in heavenly beings and the afterlife.
February 23, 2015
This was funny and emotional, and it had Angels AND it was written by my current fav author John Wiltshire!!!
Highly recommended!!
Highly recommended!!
February 23, 2015
This was a brand new author to me and I read this book as part of the Author of the Month challenge.
I really enjoyed this book.
Jake wakes up one morning and finds a naked man on his lawn, it turns out to be his guardian angel, Gabriel.
The dialogue between the main characters was funny and quite snarky. However, as time goes on, Gabriel needs to return to heaven and leaves Jake on the top of the mountain when they are out hiking.
There is some angst until Gabe re-appears and I admit too having a tear or so.
A great first book as an introduction to a new author. I will certainly be reading more of his books in the future.
I really enjoyed this book.
Jake wakes up one morning and finds a naked man on his lawn, it turns out to be his guardian angel, Gabriel.
The dialogue between the main characters was funny and quite snarky. However, as time goes on, Gabriel needs to return to heaven and leaves Jake on the top of the mountain when they are out hiking.
There is some angst until Gabe re-appears and I admit too having a tear or so.
A great first book as an introduction to a new author. I will certainly be reading more of his books in the future.
October 13, 2014
I guess when you really love a certain series by an author it's hard to accept that a new book isn't one of those. I remember when the Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon finished I was heartbroken and found it very hard to accept any new characters or series by that author. (I did though and love all his books)
Fortunately, John Wiltshire hasn't finished the More Heat Than the Sun series about Ben Rider and Nikolas Mikkelsen, and according to his website there is another Royal Affair coming out too, so I'm a happy bunny and could read this standalone novel without being too grief-stricken!
This is a short novel, more a novella, I guess. It's about an ex-solider Jake who is working as a ranger in a national park. He's got issues. These issues aren't helped by an angel falling into his backyard one day--his guardian angel at that.
If you're a fan of John's work as I am you can spot lots of his favourite themes in this little book--there's the requisite wolfhound (Bob, although that's not what he calls himself), for example. I think Bob and Radulf would get along famously. There's angst and humour in equal measure and wonderful, wonderful writing. Seriously, this man can tug the heartstrings.
This is the first book I've read of John Wiltshire's that's been set in the States rather than England and which has American characters rather than English (A Royal Affair is historical and has a very strong English theme, I think), and I'll be interested to see how American fans think he's pulled it off. The setting is almost like a third main character, the national park, the trees, the feeling of everything falling, entropy and dissolution. Because don't be fooled by the jokey, very funny start to this little story--it gets pretty bleak and angsty, trust me.
I put this one down feeling I'd been side-swiped by what I thought was going to be a bit of easy fluff reading. It made me cry!
It's...brilliant and I'm re-reading it immediately now I know the end.
All I can say is wow. Yes, I'm desperate for some more of Ben and Nik, but until then this was a very, very acceptable stopgap. 5 stars with no hesitation.
Fortunately, John Wiltshire hasn't finished the More Heat Than the Sun series about Ben Rider and Nikolas Mikkelsen, and according to his website there is another Royal Affair coming out too, so I'm a happy bunny and could read this standalone novel without being too grief-stricken!
This is a short novel, more a novella, I guess. It's about an ex-solider Jake who is working as a ranger in a national park. He's got issues. These issues aren't helped by an angel falling into his backyard one day--his guardian angel at that.
If you're a fan of John's work as I am you can spot lots of his favourite themes in this little book--there's the requisite wolfhound (Bob, although that's not what he calls himself), for example. I think Bob and Radulf would get along famously. There's angst and humour in equal measure and wonderful, wonderful writing. Seriously, this man can tug the heartstrings.
This is the first book I've read of John Wiltshire's that's been set in the States rather than England and which has American characters rather than English (A Royal Affair is historical and has a very strong English theme, I think), and I'll be interested to see how American fans think he's pulled it off. The setting is almost like a third main character, the national park, the trees, the feeling of everything falling, entropy and dissolution. Because don't be fooled by the jokey, very funny start to this little story--it gets pretty bleak and angsty, trust me.
I put this one down feeling I'd been side-swiped by what I thought was going to be a bit of easy fluff reading. It made me cry!
It's...brilliant and I'm re-reading it immediately now I know the end.
All I can say is wow. Yes, I'm desperate for some more of Ben and Nik, but until then this was a very, very acceptable stopgap. 5 stars with no hesitation.
November 26, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
I’m not sure I can even put into words why I loved this book. Because I really did, from start to finish. The writing was fantastic. It was funny and thoughtful and flowed really well. I loved the characters and the way Jake, our narrator, viewed the world. I loved going on this journey with him. But I’m not sure I can pinpoint exactly why I adored it. When I was done, though, I gave that happy sigh of a book well done.
I’m going to start with Gabriel because this guy, oh man you guys, he was awesome. Funny, snarky, sarcastic, and with a wonderful, beautiful heart underneath. He’s an angel, and there was some kind of pull he exerted over me as well. I just loved him and the way he viewed the world, and he had me engaged just as deeply as he did Jake. I loved the way Wiltshire portrayed him. We got an awesome sense of who he was and his motivation. And truly, he was just a sweetheart.
And Jake? My heart ached for him, and for the way he was denying his true self. We get the entire story from his POV and we get to be privy to his thoughts as he works out what he feels and what he wants. Yes, Gabriel awakens something in him, but he works it out on his own, accepting himself in the process. I didn’t know how the author was going to work it out in the end. How does one end up with an angel? But I have to say that I was satisfied with the conclusion, even if it seemed a little pat.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
I’m not sure I can even put into words why I loved this book. Because I really did, from start to finish. The writing was fantastic. It was funny and thoughtful and flowed really well. I loved the characters and the way Jake, our narrator, viewed the world. I loved going on this journey with him. But I’m not sure I can pinpoint exactly why I adored it. When I was done, though, I gave that happy sigh of a book well done.
I’m going to start with Gabriel because this guy, oh man you guys, he was awesome. Funny, snarky, sarcastic, and with a wonderful, beautiful heart underneath. He’s an angel, and there was some kind of pull he exerted over me as well. I just loved him and the way he viewed the world, and he had me engaged just as deeply as he did Jake. I loved the way Wiltshire portrayed him. We got an awesome sense of who he was and his motivation. And truly, he was just a sweetheart.
And Jake? My heart ached for him, and for the way he was denying his true self. We get the entire story from his POV and we get to be privy to his thoughts as he works out what he feels and what he wants. Yes, Gabriel awakens something in him, but he works it out on his own, accepting himself in the process. I didn’t know how the author was going to work it out in the end. How does one end up with an angel? But I have to say that I was satisfied with the conclusion, even if it seemed a little pat.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
November 25, 2014
What a wonderful book, but the cover is all wrong. It should have angel wings and an Irish wolfhound! I had no idea what to expect when I bought and read this. I'd just finished reading the first book Love is a Stranger in the series about an ex SAS guy and a Spetznaz (which brought back many memories of Special Forces) so I was expecting a bit of the same.
This story is also about an ex-soldier but it is starts off as an amusing comedy, but morphs into something more serious which brought tears to my eyes. Once again there is an adorable wolfhound, but this time being owned by a park Ranger whose job it was to reintroduce wolves into a National Park.
It's a story about a man acknowledging the truth about himself and finding love along the way.
It all starts when his guardan angel falls to earth outside his back door and his life is never the same again.
I could explain the plot and the characters, but I think part of the charm of this book was that I didn't know what was going to happen next and I was kept guessing right to the end. Thoroughly recommended.
This story is also about an ex-soldier but it is starts off as an amusing comedy, but morphs into something more serious which brought tears to my eyes. Once again there is an adorable wolfhound, but this time being owned by a park Ranger whose job it was to reintroduce wolves into a National Park.
It's a story about a man acknowledging the truth about himself and finding love along the way.
It all starts when his guardan angel falls to earth outside his back door and his life is never the same again.
I could explain the plot and the characters, but I think part of the charm of this book was that I didn't know what was going to happen next and I was kept guessing right to the end. Thoroughly recommended.
August 25, 2015
Catch Me When I Fall is one funny book and one that is equally poignant. Just how do we deal with choices in our lives? How do we know which things to sacrifice? Is love truly worth sacrificing? How do we deal with something that isn’t there physically but knew about its existence? There are a lot of things one could ask regarding this book if you’re the philosophical type. I am not or not really, but I’d like to think that there really are angels in our lives. Either on a romantic or religious point of view, it’s up to you which one to believe but I fervently believe their existence.
The story here flows easily from the beginning until the appearance of Jono (Jake’s bestfriend from the military). I would’ve given this an easy five star rating if not for that near-end conflict that didn’t sit well with me involving Jono and the supposed plan of Gabriel to have him as a fallback for Jake. I honestly didn’t get that and refused to accept the logic behind it.
John Wiltshire without question is one of the most artistic writers of this genre. He has a unique writing style and knows how to put soul into his characters. If you’ve read any of his novels prior to this title, you can easily see how he creates each character with unique individuality but if this is your first book from Mr. Wiltshire, you won’t be disappointed one bit.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
The story here flows easily from the beginning until the appearance of Jono (Jake’s bestfriend from the military). I would’ve given this an easy five star rating if not for that near-end conflict that didn’t sit well with me involving Jono and the supposed plan of Gabriel to have him as a fallback for Jake. I honestly didn’t get that and refused to accept the logic behind it.
John Wiltshire without question is one of the most artistic writers of this genre. He has a unique writing style and knows how to put soul into his characters. If you’ve read any of his novels prior to this title, you can easily see how he creates each character with unique individuality but if this is your first book from Mr. Wiltshire, you won’t be disappointed one bit.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
January 24, 2016
Sweet.
Not being the religious type, this story left me with that "Awww-fluffy-bunny" feel overall.
Cannot fault the writing as J.W. shows us his writing-in-American-English skills, which are believably good.
Short story and although I enjoyed it, somehow I was left feeling down. Not depressed per se, more disappointed in the realities of life. Although Jake and Gabe get their Happy Ever After, the author leaves us pondering the fairness or unfairness of the situation, " Sometimes, bad things happen to good people; but sometimes very good things happen for bad people "
Nice little read, 4 x stars
Not being the religious type, this story left me with that "Awww-fluffy-bunny" feel overall.
Cannot fault the writing as J.W. shows us his writing-in-American-English skills, which are believably good.
Short story and although I enjoyed it, somehow I was left feeling down. Not depressed per se, more disappointed in the realities of life. Although Jake and Gabe get their Happy Ever After, the author leaves us pondering the fairness or unfairness of the situation, " Sometimes, bad things happen to good people; but sometimes very good things happen for bad people "
Nice little read, 4 x stars
April 29, 2015
Cute storyline and concept, and I enjoyed the characters. This was my first read by this author, and I'd check out his work again.
September 14, 2018
3.5 stars rounded down because I can’t do anything else after that stupid, unnecessary, annoying trope. 😡
Like all the other books by John Wiltshire I’ve read so far, the narrating voice is quite distinctive.
It’s likely you’ll either like it or find it tiring or maybe you’ll fall somewhere in the middle, like me. The sarcasm was constant and pretty heavy at first, so much so that I was worried it would be too much for the entire book. It got toned down after a while, though, or I got used to it.
Jake had a rather down-to-earth and snarky approach to a naked angel falling from Heaven on his front yard while he’s having coffee one morning and at times his reactions were completely unrealistic, but then, this isn’t the right book if you’re looking for realism...did I mention the fallen angel?
Although the story may seem light at first, there’s a lot more meat than you’d expect given the silly beginning. Gabriel is a very entertaining kind of angel and Jake has more than his share of flaws and faults, which isn’t a problem, imperfect MCs are the best ones after all.
Overall, I really liked this story and I was ready to round it up to 4 stars. I want to round it up to 4 stars and I’m so mad that I can’t.
I can’t explain it without going into spoiler territory, so I advice against reading further if you plan to read this book. Also, it might become ranty.
It was a very small part of the story and I wish I could’ve just ignored it, but it was also so utterly unnecessary, the same result could’ve been achieved with a tiny adjustment. and I’m sick of seeing this sort of things flying under the radar, like it’s perfectly acceptable.
Like all the other books by John Wiltshire I’ve read so far, the narrating voice is quite distinctive.
It’s likely you’ll either like it or find it tiring or maybe you’ll fall somewhere in the middle, like me. The sarcasm was constant and pretty heavy at first, so much so that I was worried it would be too much for the entire book. It got toned down after a while, though, or I got used to it.
Jake had a rather down-to-earth and snarky approach to a naked angel falling from Heaven on his front yard while he’s having coffee one morning and at times his reactions were completely unrealistic, but then, this isn’t the right book if you’re looking for realism...did I mention the fallen angel?
Although the story may seem light at first, there’s a lot more meat than you’d expect given the silly beginning. Gabriel is a very entertaining kind of angel and Jake has more than his share of flaws and faults, which isn’t a problem, imperfect MCs are the best ones after all.
Overall, I really liked this story and I was ready to round it up to 4 stars. I want to round it up to 4 stars and I’m so mad that I can’t.
I can’t explain it without going into spoiler territory, so I advice against reading further if you plan to read this book. Also, it might become ranty.
It was a very small part of the story and I wish I could’ve just ignored it, but it was also so utterly unnecessary, the same result could’ve been achieved with a tiny adjustment. and I’m sick of seeing this sort of things flying under the radar, like it’s perfectly acceptable.
April 29, 2015
I liked the fish-out-of-water angle and the humor elements, but I didn't like Jake. He's another Wiltshire POV character that has a high opinion of his looks and appeal. On top of that, he reacts to a friend's kiss by beating him up. Not my kind of guy. This would've been fine as the lite comedy it starts as, but then there's . Not what I was looking for.
January 22, 2015
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
Jake, a forest ranger and former Army Ranger, is shocked when what he thought was a meteor landed in his front yard. He was more shocked to discover that it wasn't a meteor, but a man. In fact, it's not really even a man—it’s an angel named Gabriel, not THE Gabriel, but it turns out to be Jake's personal guardian angel, and he's been kicked out of heaven for killing another angel in defense of a human—his human.
It seems Gabe loves Jake and, unfortunately, he let that be known up there so he’s gotten on the wrong side of the gates, so to speak. Actually, this is a great love story with both humor and angst and it caught me off-guard when I was expecting it to be very light and fluffy. It is, but it also has depth and character and becomes a gripping drama before it’s complete.
When Gabe forces Jake to remember an event that happened with a fellow soldier during the time he was deployed, an event in which the other soldier made a sexual advance and Jake rejected him, Jake starts to question his sexuality. Jake wants no part of being gay, no matter what—at least, that’s what he keeps saying. And even though it’s evident Gabriel is attracted to Jake, Jake refuses to acknowledge a reciprocal attraction.
Gabe arranges for Jono, the man who made the sexual overtures to Jake years before, to come to visit Jake for a hiking trip and to bring his boyfriend along with him. When the foursome hit the woods, things change, and Jake starts to see that his outsides haven’t matched his insides in a number of years. He is attracted to Jono, but it turns out that it’s Gabe he wants. And he can’t have him. Gabe has to go back. He’s inhabited the body of a young man who’s being kept in a dream state, and Gabe knows that’s wrong.
What happens and how it all works out makes this a story well worth reading. It’s fun. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s magical. I have to add a side note here about Bob, the dog. Gabe’s conversations with Bob were classic! Between those, his earlier conversation with a bear, and later conversations with other critters, I couldn’t stop smiling.
I’d recommend this story to all those who enjoy a visit from the angels and those who love to see true love overcome all obstacles—earthly and otherwise.
Jake, a forest ranger and former Army Ranger, is shocked when what he thought was a meteor landed in his front yard. He was more shocked to discover that it wasn't a meteor, but a man. In fact, it's not really even a man—it’s an angel named Gabriel, not THE Gabriel, but it turns out to be Jake's personal guardian angel, and he's been kicked out of heaven for killing another angel in defense of a human—his human.
It seems Gabe loves Jake and, unfortunately, he let that be known up there so he’s gotten on the wrong side of the gates, so to speak. Actually, this is a great love story with both humor and angst and it caught me off-guard when I was expecting it to be very light and fluffy. It is, but it also has depth and character and becomes a gripping drama before it’s complete.
When Gabe forces Jake to remember an event that happened with a fellow soldier during the time he was deployed, an event in which the other soldier made a sexual advance and Jake rejected him, Jake starts to question his sexuality. Jake wants no part of being gay, no matter what—at least, that’s what he keeps saying. And even though it’s evident Gabriel is attracted to Jake, Jake refuses to acknowledge a reciprocal attraction.
Gabe arranges for Jono, the man who made the sexual overtures to Jake years before, to come to visit Jake for a hiking trip and to bring his boyfriend along with him. When the foursome hit the woods, things change, and Jake starts to see that his outsides haven’t matched his insides in a number of years. He is attracted to Jono, but it turns out that it’s Gabe he wants. And he can’t have him. Gabe has to go back. He’s inhabited the body of a young man who’s being kept in a dream state, and Gabe knows that’s wrong.
What happens and how it all works out makes this a story well worth reading. It’s fun. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s magical. I have to add a side note here about Bob, the dog. Gabe’s conversations with Bob were classic! Between those, his earlier conversation with a bear, and later conversations with other critters, I couldn’t stop smiling.
I’d recommend this story to all those who enjoy a visit from the angels and those who love to see true love overcome all obstacles—earthly and otherwise.
December 9, 2014
4 1/2 and only because of some logistics issues at the end.
This books was really snarky and funny, at times almost too "rich" and I had to put it down. Jacob's "voice" is most of the charm of the book so it will be interesting to see if the author continues this same voice/style in other books. If so, it won't work for me as much.
My issues at the end were just the type of stuff that bugs me -
Overall, a really good book, I'll definitely try more from this author.
This books was really snarky and funny, at times almost too "rich" and I had to put it down. Jacob's "voice" is most of the charm of the book so it will be interesting to see if the author continues this same voice/style in other books. If so, it won't work for me as much.
My issues at the end were just the type of stuff that bugs me -
Overall, a really good book, I'll definitely try more from this author.
October 28, 2014
This was a surprise. Given the intensity of 'more heat than the sun' I wasn't expecting something that made me laugh so much from the start. Not than Ben and Nik don't have genius comedy moments, this was just more, like someone had taken off the brakes. The depth of feeling wasn't lost in the interest of chuckles, I cried so much. All good tears though. Wolf deserves a special mention, he's like Radulf with a voice. His parts are very like Radulf's blog and that's only a good thing. My only concern after finishing this is that Wolf might not be heard anymore.
December 8, 2014
Exquisite. Perfect short story to overcome a stressful day, when you just want to forget everything and dream. Perfect story for this time of the year, when you just want to believe.
Just perfect
Just perfect
November 27, 2021
Zaczęło się naprawdę obiecująco i zabawnie. Jednakże dość szybko wszystko poszło w dziwną stronę, nie podobały mi się rozwiązania, które zostały zastosowane - a już zwłaszcza nie podobał mi się w całości wątek byłego kumpla z wojska i wszystkie wydarzenia z nim związane. Głównego bohatera lubiłam z rozdziału na rozdział coraz mniej i wyszło mi, że w sumie to dość marny z niego człowiek był. Do tego jeden POV, który rzadko się sprawdza i na końcu niezmiernie przydatny i wygodny zbieg okoliczności, żeby dobrze móc zakończyć historię - i mamy opowieść, która miała potencjał na naprawdę coś fajnego, a który został zmarnowany... Przynajmniej według mnie.
August 27, 2017
I super duper did not like that ending.
February 28, 2015
This is a very engaging story from the author of the stunning series More Heat Than the Sun and the wonderful historical novel A Royal Affair. I bought this on the strength of loving those works and certainly wasn't disappointed. There is just something about John Wiltshire's prose that pulls me in. I read fairly widely and often come back to favourite books. And so it's not plot necessarily pulling me toward a book (after all, once you've read the book, you know what's going to happen), but the words and the way they make me feel. Wiltshire's writing can take me to a very good place, and as his books have gay main characters, that's a really incredible thing to say, because I've not read any other gay books quite like these. It's as if the gayness isn't really the point--which it seems to be in all other gay novels I've read. They are always written to explore the being gay thing, which is pretty boring really, as if every heterosexual novel was only written to explore what it's like to be straight. John Wiltshire seems to take these men and their sexuality in his stride and have worked past what that means to just putting them into damn good stories.
In this one, again, the emphasis isn't on either Jake or Gabriel being gay. After all, Gabriel is an angel, fallen to earth, so his sexuality is entirely coincidental (he even thinks he's in a female body for a while until he works out that the dreams his "body" is having are the dreams of a gay man. LOL). And that seems to me to sum up what Wiltshire is trying to say in all his books: we love, it doesn't matter who we love.
There are definite themes in Wiltshire's novels and this short story is no exception. I actually wonder whether this was an early book which formed the basis for the Ben/Nik stories in the long series. Jake seems to resemble Ben in many ways--he's ex-military for a start--and there is the requisite Wolf Hound, Bob (or Wolf Who Comes In the Night to give him his real name).
You have to read John Wiltshire carefully--his sense of humour is very dry. Take this exchange as an example. Gabriel has just rescued an abused dog. Jake says they can't keep him. Gabriel has other ideas.
“If you turn around, I’ll get out with him.”
“Yeah? Well at the moment, I’m not thinking that’ll be a bad idea.”
He turned to me. “Jake.” I was so totally distracted by his use of that name that I missed the first half of his very reasoned argument as to why we had to keep the dog. I tuned in when he promised to take him to a shelter the next day. I began to laugh. He pursed his lips mutinously.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m not that far gone on you, angel, that I’ll fall for that crap.”
He narrowed his eyes. It was a standoff. The dog didn’t help by making another awful smell. Even Gabriel winced and murmured something about the wrong kind of food.
I stared off into the trees for a while. It was getting dark. It was cold. If we took the dog back, he’d probably have his escape taken out on him. Shit. I pulled back out and continued on for home.
Gabriel chuckled.
“What?”
“He says you’re a sucker.”
I nearly pulled back over, but something about the situation had suddenly made a bad day better. I began to laugh and leaned over to give Gabriel a kiss. “What does he say about that?”
“Something along the same lines only with different emphasis.”
Ah, that last line had me chuckling for ages.
So, as I say, there's just something about the writing and the world John Wiltshire conjurers which is very, very satisfying. I want to be in that jeep with Jake and Bob and Gabriel. At least I have these wonderful books to return to time and time again.
February 12, 2015
I've just realised that this is the last of the John Wiltshire novels currently published and it's very short! I've just started it and I'm already on 5% or something. Ahhh. I was hoping this would tide me over until Book 5 of the Ben and Nik series came out. I'll have to
read
very
slowly
one
word
at
a
time.
Actually, that's how John Wiltshire should be read to be honest. Whether you like gay fiction or not, one thing can't be denied, this guy can write. He can turn a phrase to make you laugh and despair both in the same sentence. Love it.
Done.
Wow, laugh and despair in the same sentence was about right! I've just finished this one (real life popped up and smacked me in the face, so I was a bit slow, even for me). Jake is an ex-military guy (this is a real theme of Wiltshire's writing and personally one I hope never changes) who now works as a forest ranger in the mountains. Wherever this (fictional?) place is, I'd love to visit! One day his guardian angel, Gabriel (common name in heaven, apparently; I loved that) falls to earth. There's some confusion on both their parts, as to why he's there. That he looks like a runway model doesn't help Jake's confusion because Jake is straight--so he shouldn't be admiring six feet of perfection with feathery black hair and green eyes, should he?
Gabe and Jake rub along as best they can while they try to find out why Gabe is there. Their relationship is helped by saving and adopting an abused dog together, who turns out to be a wolfhound. I absolutely love Wiltshire's use of recurring themes in his novels, although I notice from some reviews that other people find it annoying (similar names often, descriptions of men the same, always a dog). I find this utterly comforting and reassuring in a world where things are stressful for no good reason. Maybe I'm a sad old romantic guy but I feel a sense of continuity across the ages with Wiltshire's writing. You dive into his world and are encased in a very pleasant warmth. That's not to say his books are sweet and sugary--they most definitely aren't. As I said, I was laughing and despairing at the same time with this one. I mean, who could bring violent rape/sexual aggression into the same scene as an angel ascending to heaven, and get away with it? John Wiltshire apparently can. So, not only do I love the consistency of his novels, I actually love his basically amoral view of the world. If you want to be told what to think, if you want a novel to agree with your world view, then I suspect you'll find Wiltshire's books a little too challenging for you. His world isn't black and white. Good people die, bad people get rewarded, murders are committed by heroes, rape is used as a forgiveable expression of traumatised psyche in men. This is the real world that I suspect Wiltshire has lived and breathed being in wars in the army himself.
I actually put off reading the end of this story because I just couldn't see how it was going to be resolved satisfactorily for everyone.
Bravo John Wiltshire, again.
All I'll say is if I could give it more than 5-stars I would.
I'm very hopeful he might write a sequel to this. Jake and Gabe have set up home in my heart along with Benjamin and Nikolas, Aleksey and Nikolai and of course Wolf and Radulf and Falon(?). And you just have to love a guy who has dogs called wolves and wolves called dogs. He's messing with us, having fun, and I, for one, am very willing to go along for the ride.
read
very
slowly
one
word
at
a
time.
Actually, that's how John Wiltshire should be read to be honest. Whether you like gay fiction or not, one thing can't be denied, this guy can write. He can turn a phrase to make you laugh and despair both in the same sentence. Love it.
Done.
Wow, laugh and despair in the same sentence was about right! I've just finished this one (real life popped up and smacked me in the face, so I was a bit slow, even for me). Jake is an ex-military guy (this is a real theme of Wiltshire's writing and personally one I hope never changes) who now works as a forest ranger in the mountains. Wherever this (fictional?) place is, I'd love to visit! One day his guardian angel, Gabriel (common name in heaven, apparently; I loved that) falls to earth. There's some confusion on both their parts, as to why he's there. That he looks like a runway model doesn't help Jake's confusion because Jake is straight--so he shouldn't be admiring six feet of perfection with feathery black hair and green eyes, should he?
Gabe and Jake rub along as best they can while they try to find out why Gabe is there. Their relationship is helped by saving and adopting an abused dog together, who turns out to be a wolfhound. I absolutely love Wiltshire's use of recurring themes in his novels, although I notice from some reviews that other people find it annoying (similar names often, descriptions of men the same, always a dog). I find this utterly comforting and reassuring in a world where things are stressful for no good reason. Maybe I'm a sad old romantic guy but I feel a sense of continuity across the ages with Wiltshire's writing. You dive into his world and are encased in a very pleasant warmth. That's not to say his books are sweet and sugary--they most definitely aren't. As I said, I was laughing and despairing at the same time with this one. I mean, who could bring violent rape/sexual aggression into the same scene as an angel ascending to heaven, and get away with it? John Wiltshire apparently can. So, not only do I love the consistency of his novels, I actually love his basically amoral view of the world. If you want to be told what to think, if you want a novel to agree with your world view, then I suspect you'll find Wiltshire's books a little too challenging for you. His world isn't black and white. Good people die, bad people get rewarded, murders are committed by heroes, rape is used as a forgiveable expression of traumatised psyche in men. This is the real world that I suspect Wiltshire has lived and breathed being in wars in the army himself.
I actually put off reading the end of this story because I just couldn't see how it was going to be resolved satisfactorily for everyone.
Bravo John Wiltshire, again.
All I'll say is if I could give it more than 5-stars I would.
I'm very hopeful he might write a sequel to this. Jake and Gabe have set up home in my heart along with Benjamin and Nikolas, Aleksey and Nikolai and of course Wolf and Radulf and Falon(?). And you just have to love a guy who has dogs called wolves and wolves called dogs. He's messing with us, having fun, and I, for one, am very willing to go along for the ride.
January 2, 2015
4 star review by Amber
This was such an interesting read. I was a little put off at first because of the 1st person point of view style of writing but I very quickly got use to it and eventually rather enjoyed it. The whole story is told from Jake’s point of view and his witty, inner monologue and banter become infectious and I laughed out loud on several occasions.
Jake is an Army vet, turned Park Ranger. He lives in the middle of nowhere and thoroughly enjoys his seclusion. One day while in his cabin he hears a loud commotion outside and witnesses something falling from the sky. When he goes out to investigate he sees that it wasn’t something falling from the sky but someone, the Angel Gabriel.
Gabriel is a cast out angel. He was sent to Earth as punishment for wrongs he believes he committed in the angel realm. Gabriel is very much drawn to Jake since he’s been his personal angel, most of his life.
Jake, on the other hand, has pushed his attraction to men way down deep so much so that he still sleeps with only women. But something about Gabriel calls to him and makes him want to explore his natural attractions.
They hit it off and love soon follows, but they both know eventually Gabriel will have to return to Heaven because his stint on Earth was only temporary.
Add in a meddling angel brother, a long lost Army buddy love interest, and a constant human shell 3rd wheel and you have the makings of a funny, touching, sweet, emotional, at times sexy story.
I had a lot of fun reading this story. There were parts that I didn’t really get, however. I’m not sure the whole Jono situation was necessary. The emotional pain that came from that encounter was upsetting. I loved the fact that Gabriel still comforted him afterwards.
Overall, I did enjoy this and would recommend!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
This was such an interesting read. I was a little put off at first because of the 1st person point of view style of writing but I very quickly got use to it and eventually rather enjoyed it. The whole story is told from Jake’s point of view and his witty, inner monologue and banter become infectious and I laughed out loud on several occasions.
Jake is an Army vet, turned Park Ranger. He lives in the middle of nowhere and thoroughly enjoys his seclusion. One day while in his cabin he hears a loud commotion outside and witnesses something falling from the sky. When he goes out to investigate he sees that it wasn’t something falling from the sky but someone, the Angel Gabriel.
Gabriel is a cast out angel. He was sent to Earth as punishment for wrongs he believes he committed in the angel realm. Gabriel is very much drawn to Jake since he’s been his personal angel, most of his life.
Jake, on the other hand, has pushed his attraction to men way down deep so much so that he still sleeps with only women. But something about Gabriel calls to him and makes him want to explore his natural attractions.
They hit it off and love soon follows, but they both know eventually Gabriel will have to return to Heaven because his stint on Earth was only temporary.
Add in a meddling angel brother, a long lost Army buddy love interest, and a constant human shell 3rd wheel and you have the makings of a funny, touching, sweet, emotional, at times sexy story.
I had a lot of fun reading this story. There were parts that I didn’t really get, however. I’m not sure the whole Jono situation was necessary. The emotional pain that came from that encounter was upsetting. I loved the fact that Gabriel still comforted him afterwards.
Overall, I did enjoy this and would recommend!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
October 21, 2014
This is a brilliant short novel. It's a story about a fallen guardian angel and the relationship with Jake a former soldier working through some emotional damage. The story involves the two main characters, Bob the dog and the wonderful location. The author has brought the national park setting alive to such a degree that you can smell the mountains and the woods and the pine fresh air, uncanny. This book will absorb you and you it. I can't recommend it highly enough, I was enthralled, 5 golden stars from me. By the way folks Bob the dog is a wonderful character too and the kind of companion I'm sure we'd all love to have in our lives. Mr Wiltshire more Bob the dog please..
November 16, 2014
3 stars - If you don't think to hard and just want something sweet, then this story will work for you. Gabe, Jake and Bob are so adorable and sweet (just a touch of angst). I was suprised since the other stories I've read by this author had troubled, twisted MCs (who I absolutely love). I do think the dog stole the story though ;)
August 30, 2015
Sweet and funny fairytale with two ex-soldiers, angels (one dorky, one badass), a poor shmuck and an adorable dog named "Wolf who comes in the night" aka Bob.
April 22, 2015
Delightful and entertaining book. I quite enjoyed.
November 16, 2019
I found the book exhausting. It's short, but I found it hard to follow the narrators voice, and sometimes I had no idea what was going on.
It was certainly an interesting and gloomy twist on the loving an angel story. It starts out humorous, but it's actually pretty sad and rater tangled most of the time. I liked that it was going for a more realistic angle that considered the moral implication of just taking over a body, though.
I didn't really get the falling in love. At first Jake is in complete denial about his sexuality and then he falls for Gabe in a matter of days, but even though we have his PoV, I felt it seriously lacked depth. It's not explained, it's just something that happens. I just couldn't relate to it at all.
But I also really did not like Jake much. He makes a bunch of bad decisions and he just seemed like an inconsiderate, thoughtless person most of the time.
It was certainly an interesting and gloomy twist on the loving an angel story. It starts out humorous, but it's actually pretty sad and rater tangled most of the time. I liked that it was going for a more realistic angle that considered the moral implication of just taking over a body, though.
I didn't really get the falling in love. At first Jake is in complete denial about his sexuality and then he falls for Gabe in a matter of days, but even though we have his PoV, I felt it seriously lacked depth. It's not explained, it's just something that happens. I just couldn't relate to it at all.
But I also really did not like Jake much. He makes a bunch of bad decisions and he just seemed like an inconsiderate, thoughtless person most of the time.
March 2, 2020
I loved it. Just as I knew I would. Beautiful writing with strong and flawed characters you can't not care for.
But damn, this is one of those books where I would give almost anything to know the other MC's point of view.
But damn, this is one of those books where I would give almost anything to know the other MC's point of view.
March 12, 2017
If a story can make me both laugh out loud and later sniffle with tears, then I am obviously totally engaged in the characters and their story. A fallen Angel who stays just long enough for former soldier Jake to fall madly in love before Gabriel has to leave. My heart bled for Jake and Gabriel both. The author took pity on his readers though and gave us a happy ending. Loved the dog in this story too. Great read.
March 20, 2015
synopsis:
gabriel is a guardian angel, but he's not that gabriel. he comes to earth because of something that he did that was wrong, and his guardee (ward? person?), jake, sees him for the first time. gabe has appropriated a man's body and his soul is asleep, but he's only there temporarily until he sees the error of his ways. jake was in the army, but after being captured and tortured, he is now a park ranger. he is also trying to convince himself that he's not attracted to men. when gabe shows up and basically tells him that he wanted to just be around jake because he has feelings for him, jake goes into serious denial. along the way, gabe collects a dog, jake's best friend from the army , jono, shows up with his partner in tow and jake's orderly life is turned upside down.
what i liked: gabe and jake. i liked that gabe was evasive, and i liked that the angels swore and lied. i liked the snarky humour, and i liked how jake had everything perfect for his army buddy's arrival and things conspired to make everything not perfect at all. i liked that, in spite of his denial that he might be attracted to men, jake wasn't physical with it . i liked wolf, too. i also liked the ending and how .
what i didn't like: not much, except
gabriel is a guardian angel, but he's not that gabriel. he comes to earth because of something that he did that was wrong, and his guardee (ward? person?), jake, sees him for the first time. gabe has appropriated a man's body and his soul is asleep, but he's only there temporarily until he sees the error of his ways. jake was in the army, but after being captured and tortured, he is now a park ranger. he is also trying to convince himself that he's not attracted to men. when gabe shows up and basically tells him that he wanted to just be around jake because he has feelings for him, jake goes into serious denial. along the way, gabe collects a dog, jake's best friend from the army , jono, shows up with his partner in tow and jake's orderly life is turned upside down.
what i liked: gabe and jake. i liked that gabe was evasive, and i liked that the angels swore and lied. i liked the snarky humour, and i liked how jake had everything perfect for his army buddy's arrival and things conspired to make everything not perfect at all. i liked that, in spite of his denial that he might be attracted to men, jake wasn't physical with it . i liked wolf, too. i also liked the ending and how .
what i didn't like: not much, except
January 22, 2017
Oh my God, a good fallen angel story, I must be dreaming!
I loved this book so much. The writing was splendid, but that's John Wiltshire for you; he has definitely become one of my favorite M/M authors in the past few months.
The book was on the shorter side, but it was jam-packed with so many emotions, so much love and heartbreak. Despite some of the pretty serious and depressing themes, the tone wasn't gloomy, there was plenty of fun and humor there. Jake and Gabriel had sizzling chemistry from the get-go and while the steam level was pretty low, I was not disappointed.
A pretty amazing read, definitely deserves more attention!
I loved this book so much. The writing was splendid, but that's John Wiltshire for you; he has definitely become one of my favorite M/M authors in the past few months.
The book was on the shorter side, but it was jam-packed with so many emotions, so much love and heartbreak. Despite some of the pretty serious and depressing themes, the tone wasn't gloomy, there was plenty of fun and humor there. Jake and Gabriel had sizzling chemistry from the get-go and while the steam level was pretty low, I was not disappointed.
A pretty amazing read, definitely deserves more attention!
November 20, 2015
I couldn't put this book down. It made me laugh and cry. I fell in love with Jacob and Gabriel, felt their pain and absolutely needed to know, how their story would end.
This is definitely one of my favorites.
This is definitely one of my favorites.
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