South of Bixby Bridge in Q&A with Ryan Winfield

May 10, 2012 Shelly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

My review was originally posted on my blog {Dive} Under The Cover

I should start this by saying that it was kind of a fluke that I stumbled upon this book. I saw a Facebook ad that was a kindle daily deal, one of those "if you liked Fifty Shades of Grey, you will like this book". I clicked through it and ended up buying the book on Amazon after I read some reviews on Goodreads. I will also say that I am fairly shallow and when I saw Ryan Winfield's profile image on Goodreads I decided that I wo My review was originally posted on my blog {Dive} Under The Cover

I should start this by saying that it was kind of a fluke that I stumbled upon this book. I saw a Facebook ad that was a kindle daily deal, one of those "if you liked Fifty Shades of Grey, you will like this book". I clicked through it and ended up buying the book on Amazon after I read some reviews on Goodreads. I will also say that I am fairly shallow and when I saw Ryan Winfield's profile image on Goodreads I decided that I would read anything he wrote if that was really him in the picture!! Hey, I said I was shallow! Turns out, I was right so it all paid off in the end.

I will also say that this book really shouldn't be compared to Fifty Shades. The only similarities are that one of the characters happens to be very wealthy and the character of Paul is controlling, but it a way very dissimilar to Christian. That said, without the recommendation I probably wouldn't have read this book and I am very glad that I did.

Trevor is one of those guys that you can't help but like even though he is incredibly frustrating. He is written in a way that you just can't help but feel for everything he is going through. He is struggling with pretty severe addiction. The story opens with him being released from a 28 day stay in a treatment facility. The events that landed him there are told in a flashback style. It seems that he had hit bottom and has nowhere to go but up, but Trevor isn't totally convinced that he is an addict.

He's a smart guy who had great potential, he ended up in the financial world making lots of money. He had a house, his girlfriend was living with him while she finished school. He was pulled into the world of excess and ended up tanking when his addiction took over to the point that he was selling everything he had to get more booze, cocaine, pills, etc... He had lost his job, his girlfriend left him because he didn't want to face his addiction, he overdosed and ended up in treatment.

Now he is out of rehab. He is literally on his own, with his car and what little he has in the bag he is carrying. He has nowhere to go, no money, no prospects really. He goes from the lowest low to the highest high in the space of less than 2 weeks when he meets Paul. Paul hires him to work for his company, lets him live on his yacht, gives him access to money, clubs, his beautiful wife and Paul essentially leads him right back into the life he lived before. Trevor was able to stay sober for a couple of weeks, but Paul is controlling enough and Trevor is still not admitting that he is an addict. It's just so easy for Paul to pull him back in with a glass of expensive wine.

Trevor is selling his soul for the power that he wants and he goes along with it for a little while, but you always get this sense that he is balking a bit. He knows that what he is doing isn't right and he wants to change he just hasn't reached that point quite yet. Reading Trevor's story is a bit like a car crash, you don't want to look because you know you won't be able to forget what you saw, but you just can't help it. (view spoiler)

This book is so beautifully written! This is the first book by a first time author that I have enjoyed this much. I was a little thrown off by the lack of quotation marks in the dialogue, but it didn't take me long to adjust to it. I also agree with other readers that it was perfect for this story. I think it fit Trevor and it fit the overall tone of the story. It moved the story along faster for sure. Ryan Winfield has taken the readers on a very emotional journey. Even if you have no experience with addiction you will be emotionally caught up with Trevor as he faces these issues. It's a bit of a roller coaster ride and it seems somewhat unbelievable, but I think that's what makes it so good. It's a life that most of us will never experience, but we can certainly feel for Trevor and that's what makes the story so compelling.

As far as content is concerned there is a fair amount of profanity, it's not overused though. There is drug use and some sexual content. I don't agree with some other readers that it was too explicit though, it wasn't racy either. If anything it was more clinical in it's description, especially for those readers that enjoyed the Fifty Shades series. It was written as more of a bodily function as opposed to something done for pleasure, if that makes any sense!

I definitely recommend this book and it's one that I would read again for sure. I am (not so) patiently awaiting the release of Ryan Winfield's next book!! ...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Ryan Winfield rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

[ A review from Stewart Stern, the Emmy award winning screenwriter of "Sybil" and "Rebel Without a Cause." ]

"Ryan Winfield has been preparing himself all his life to produce the wonder to which this first novel ascends. It is a glorious debut for an artist who has never stopped inhaling all he sees or feels empathically for others during his own long climb out of the dark. He obeys Goya's caution that to be able to draw a man plunging off a roof the artist must complete the drawing before the j ...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Dick rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 29, 2012 Marsha rated it really liked it

I bought this book due to the amazon Kindle referral and discount. I was leery as it is not my usual genre. I was reminded of the book "A Million Little Pieces" in some ways, with out all of the accusations of lies. This is good old fiction with a capital "F" The subject matter can be more than risque and may make some squirm. I believe there is an active underbelly of society that many narcissistic sociopaths indulge in. In my book club we refer to this as- DWS. (dirty weird s#*t)You would use ...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Linda Smith rated it really liked it

Dark subject matter, but I could not put this book down! It gripped me right from page 1. A terrifying look into the nightmarish world of addiction.

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Dec 11, 2011 Anne Pfeffer rated it it was amazing

I don't usually read books with this kind of subject matter, but I downloaded a sample of this one when I saw the amazing reviews it was getting. The reviews were spot on. When the writing's this good, you find yourself in for the read, even if it's not your usual type of book.

The main character, Trevor, is an alcoholic who was checked into rehab by his girlfriend and her mother. Just released from rehab as the book opens, he's only partially committed to staying sober. The story follows him thr ...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Swalsh1227 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I think I came to read this thru a Facebook recommendation & then it was a free read for Amazon Prime members. It had gotten good reviews on Amazon so I thought I would give a shot. I am very glad that I did. I thought the main character, Trevor, was very well written. He's an addict and the way that Winfield writes his as he comes out of rehab - earnestly wanting to stay sober and getting his life together - makes Trevor very likeable. As a reader, I found myself invested in his sobriety as wel ...more

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May 26, 2012 Lori Horne rated it it was amazing

This is a roller coaster journey for a young man named Trevor who falls from society’s grace due to excessive addiction. He finds himself in a struggle to regain a life he’s lost, but will he succeed without losing himself in the process? Tormenting memories from childhood with an addictive father and heartbreak from a lost love compound this man’s troubles, challenging his internal beliefs and his entire outlook on life.

Ryan Winfield brilliantly guides us through Trevor’s journey from the dept ...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Camelia Skiba rated it it was amazing

I'm not an addict. I'm not. Never been drunk in my life. Never seen drugs in real life, let alone touching or inhaling/injecting them. I only play a few games (Scrabble, Lines, Words with Friends, Chinese Chess) and that’s if my son joins me.
And yet there is something I'm in danger of becoming addicted to--Ryan Winfield's work.

By the way his debut novel is acclaimed I probably won't say anything that hasn't already been said, but SOBB is by a mile one of the best books I've read. It's not as muc I'm not an addict. I'm not. Never been drunk in my life. Never seen drugs in real life, let alone touching or inhaling/injecting them. I only play a few games (Scrabble, Lines, Words with Friends, Chinese Chess) and that’s if my son joins me.
And yet there is something I'm in danger of becoming addicted to--Ryan Winfield's work.

By the way his debut novel is acclaimed I probably won't say anything that hasn't already been said, but SOBB is by a mile one of the best books I've read. It's not as much the story, which brings to mind a dalliance between Wall Street, Limitless and Two for the Money, but the author's voice. For that alone I give it more stars than I can count. Never read anything even remotely close to it. Refreshing, engaging, inspiring, through and through pure art at its best.

There are people out there for which telling stories comes natural, captivating audience in a matter of minutes. Ryan Winfield is one of them—a painter if you will, masterfully and effortlessly painting vivid scenes not by using brushes, but with words instead. Reading the first paragraph I was surprised how easily I could imagine the scene. By the time I finished the first page I was hooked. Coffee and chocolate helped me stay up all night to finish it. No way I could put it down!

Unfortunately I can never describe a book without giving away the story (what can I say? I'm not perfect). But let me tell you this: as one who has never tried drugs or been drunk in my entire life, the journey addict Trevor Roberts embarks on is a riveting life lesson. It's not about where he goes, but how he makes it there. You're down, hitting rock bottom with the hero, feeling his struggle, denial, torment, and sorrow. You're up with him, high, rooting for him to get on the other side of the bridge, one step at a time. Rarely does a book embody a range of emotions such as this.

There are no quotation marks in this book, but I promise you, you'll know who’s talking. It might be difficult in the beginning, but once you grasp it, you won't even notice it. The connection between present time and past memories is smoothly created, without jarring the reader away from the storyline. The book is entirely written from Trevor's point of view without one second of monotony, but rather engaging and intriguing. The story is paced, building up, until the climax with a comforting aftermath.

I sure hope I won't have to wait too long until his next release...
...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Conchie Fernandez rated it it was amazing

Absolutely stellar!

Ryan Winfield does not need my review - hundreds of us are already singing him praises - but I just don't want to wrap up my reading without leaving at least a comment for the author. Two words: absolutely stellar. Congratulations to the author for a raw, gritty, bloody, ravaging tale. I'm in awe, and he just won a fan in me. My best wishes to the author; thank you for gifting us with your words. Namaste! ...more

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May 18, 2012 Jen Newby rated it really liked it

This was a really good book. I really enjoyed it! First off, I'm a Sac State grad so I loved reading about the references in and around Sacramento. Second, I grew up in the East Bay (Area), so I could totally picture so much of what the author was writing. I don't think I've ever read a book that was so much like "my home" than this book! So all of that was really a neat read for me. I think Amazon's book description of this being an "erotic love story" isn't very accurate, in my opinion. But it ...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Lori Feeney rated it it was amazing

I never write book reviews. Well, not beyond a few sentences. But I am making an exception for Ryan Winfield’s book, “South of Bixby Bridge.” Why? Because it is simply one of the best, most moving books I’ve read in a long time – maybe ever.

Through his cross-addicted protagonist Trevor, Winfield takes us on a journey through the dark underbelly of high finance, hedge funds, and the rich and not-so-famous characters that operate within the industry's mirrored-glass towers. What a ride it is! As ...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Dawna Raver rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved South of Bixby Bridge and here's why. Even though it was tough to read because of what the character of Trevor goes through, the story had a nice journey of hope, failure, degradation, and hope again. Ryan's voice and story telling techniques are unique which is a nice change. I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author. ...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Ryan Winfield rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author)

[ A review from Stewart Stern, the Emmy award winning screenwriter of "Sybil" and "Rebel Without a Cause." ]

"Ryan Winfield has been preparing himself all his life to produce the wonder to which this first novel ascends. It is a glorious debut for an artist who has never stopped inhaling all he sees or feels empathically for others during his own long climb out of the dark. He obeys Goya's caution that to be able to draw a man plunging off a roof the artist must complete the drawing before the j ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 23, 2011 Joalby Phoenix rated it it was amazing

Let me preface this by saying that the past few months the majority of what I've been reading is political pundits books and memoirs as works of fictions rarely have the ability to pull me in.
This book was reccomended to me and I bought it to check it out & I'm glad I did. From the minute I started reading it I became wrapped up in the struggles of the characters. Their flaws and quirks and control of power or assumed control of power had me waiting to see what would happen next.
It kept me hoo ...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Gina's Escape and Reality rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book intrigued me from the high reviews on Amazon. It was free on my kindle but I would have paid for it. It gives a realistic view of a man's struggle with the evils of addiction. It was sad, inspiring, sweet, scary and true to life as they come. So many great quotes and advice I highlighted a lot of this book. It was a refreshing change from my usual romance womens/lit that I normally read. It was a little difficult to read in the beginning due to the lack of quotation marks, and there is ...more

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May 10, 2012 Nikki Beaudreau rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

South of Bixby Bridge was a wonderful and impressive debut novel. SOBB is not usually the type of book I would normally pick up and read, but I'm so glad I did! I needed a change and this did the trick. First of all, it was written beautifully. SOBB was an emotional and fast paced read. One thing about this book that I have never come across is that the author does not use any quotation marks in any of the dialogue. At first it came across as strange, but after I read the book and had time to di ...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Tina rated it it was amazing

Not my typically chosen genre but having thoroughly enjoyed some of Ryan's work (poems, short stories and video quips), I was eager to experience his first novel. I should say, I am not accustomed to abrasive language. However without the chosen, shall we say "risque' language" peppered lightly throughout, it truly would not have been realistic. And realistic is what this novel is folks. I found myself anxiously anticipating what would happen next in Trevor's life. This is a page turner. Steppin ...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Lori Leger rated it it was amazing

Personally, I loved the book. It held my interest and made me wish I could jump inside Trevor's life to shake some sense into him. It deals with serious issues...drug and alcohol addiction, child abuse, emotional instabilities that come from the previously mentioned occurences. This book is not for the faint of heart, but well worth it if you stick with it. Well done, Mr. Winfield! ...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Laurie Traverse rated it really liked it

Giving this 3.75 stars. Disturbing scenarios, riveting read, decent end. Didn't care for the format it was written in but considering it was related in first person I suppose that was how it was intended. If you want a quick intense story, read this! ...more

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Jan 10, 2012 Kelly rated it really liked it

Fast paced and entertaining but so poignant; I will be reflecting upon this story for some time, I suspect.

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Jan 11, 2012 Jackie Murphy rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorite

I definitely wouldn't call it "erotic love story" but the other descriptions fit the bill. I thought it was a good story of a young man (under 30) finding himself and going through recovery, relapse and temptation. It sucked me in and I wanted to find out how it would end. This would be a movie I would watch. I would recommend the book! ...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Rachael marked it as to-read

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