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kristinafh's review
1.0
Based upon the reviews for this book, I thought this would be a great read for me. Ugh. It was bad. Rarely do I give one star reviews for a book but this one deserves it.
My issues:
* I get how grief can make you lose your head but to go from being engaged to someone for four years, that person dying, and then insta-love with that person's best friend (who you just met) - that's beyond far-reaching.
* I didn't understand Jimmy. He drew the line with Dare on drugs but then he ends up taking his life with those same drugs? Also, why would Jimmy stay with a mother who was so abusive? It doesn't make any sense.
* The character of Matt was all over the map.
Ugh. So disappointed that I paid full price for this book.
My issues:
* I get how grief can make you lose your head but to go from being engaged to someone for four years, that person dying, and then insta-love with that person's best friend (who you just met) - that's beyond far-reaching.
* I didn't understand Jimmy. He drew the line with Dare on drugs but then he ends up taking his life with those same drugs? Also, why would Jimmy stay with a mother who was so abusive? It doesn't make any sense.
* The character of Matt was all over the map.
Ugh. So disappointed that I paid full price for this book.
nicola949's review
4.0
"Know that I loved you more than the stars have power to kiss the night sky."
I put off reading this for such a long time. I was worried about the subject matter and the unhappiness of the story. Yes, it was sad. How could it not be when dealing with the suicide of a young man? But it wasn't the tearjerker I expected.
This was such a unique look at one man's life and the people he left behind. Jamie left behind two men who mourned him - his best friend Matt and his fiance Darian - two very different men. They have never met (in fact Matt doesn't even know of Darian) who come together in their grief.
Through reading Jamie's journals, we come to understand some of what lead to him taking his life and a lot about his feelings for Matt and Darian, both men whom he loved.
Sometimes sweet, lots of times sad, this story is quite emotional. I also loved the way we see the different POV of Matt and Darian....
"I didn't expect to fall in love in the aftermath of life-shattering sorrow, but I met Darien and my heart could not resist his warm lips and beautiful brown eyes.There is no happy ending - this is a Bittersweet title - maybe the possibility of a tentative happy-in-the-future for Matt and Darian? Luckily book 2, The Costs of Living, is available to continue the story.
Matt swept into my life like a hurricane on AMP, and suddenly I was freefalling...away from the paralyzing anguish of my loss and into the warm shelter of unexpected tenderness."
"The morning holds what comes next."
"Will this all fade into nothing?"
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
meghanreadsmm's review against another edition
5.0
This story was intense and heart-wrenching. I was a bit confused at the beginning but it became moot soon after that. By the time I finished and reread the beginning, it made a lot of sense and was quite touching. While I liked the writing enormously, I almost had to find enough courage to finish the story. The point of view probably had something to do with that. It's such a well-written story that it was worth it, just be sure to keep your tissue box at hand.
emma_srak's review against another edition
5.0
This has been one of the best books I've read so far, I won't even say this year I'm putting it in my top 10 of best of all time. IT WAS THAT GOOD!!!! I was taken in from the very first page and put through a rollercoaster ride of emotions based off the words Jamie/James left written in his journals.
Ultimatley I felt sorry for Jamie, he was always trying to make everyone around him happy except for himself. Even in the end how he killed himself was more for his mother than for himself.
Darian was his own mixed bag of ups and downs, literally. Pills and heroine came into the picture after getting beat up yet again and it took years to finally come clean and find a better a place with his addiction. I hated seeing his weakness for it return when Jamie died, I felt like he was a coward when he was holding that needle to his arm and only hearing Jamie's voice pleading him not to do it was what stopped him. That entire scene just about killed me.
Matt... what to say. Even though he was also someone who had had his ups and downs he was everyones rock. Does that make sense? He had his flaws, he was in the closet, he had commitment issues, the random/ anonymous sex, and his very own rape to deal with. But he still supported Jamie when his mother beat him and had no memory of doing it later, he supported Jamie in death when his mother tried to put down Darian's feelings about losing Jamie. He also took care of Darian before and after he realised who he was. He faced his entire congregation and told them he was gay after making a beautiful speech about love and Jesus. To me Matt was such a hero in his own way and my favorite character.
I could say more but then this would go on and on, I wished Jamie could have been stronger for both Darian and Matt but it is what it is and Jamie was always trying to please his horrible mother.(That bitch deserved a beating! Sorry I could'nt help myself) I'm not sure if this got a HEA or HFN ending but I was happy that Darian and Matt were at least willing to try to be happy together.
Spoiler
Jamie was a very complex character, he struggled with coming out to his mother and that side of the family living a lie until his last day, while being out and in a loving relationship with Darian his boyfriend of 6 years and fiancé. Even his father and that entire side of the family was aware of Jamie being gay. And then there was Matt, his best friend his entire life and the love of his life and yet Jamie couldn't come out to him even though he knew Matt was gay also.Ultimatley I felt sorry for Jamie, he was always trying to make everyone around him happy except for himself. Even in the end how he killed himself was more for his mother than for himself.
Darian was his own mixed bag of ups and downs, literally. Pills and heroine came into the picture after getting beat up yet again and it took years to finally come clean and find a better a place with his addiction. I hated seeing his weakness for it return when Jamie died, I felt like he was a coward when he was holding that needle to his arm and only hearing Jamie's voice pleading him not to do it was what stopped him. That entire scene just about killed me.
Matt... what to say. Even though he was also someone who had had his ups and downs he was everyones rock. Does that make sense? He had his flaws, he was in the closet, he had commitment issues, the random/ anonymous sex, and his very own rape to deal with. But he still supported Jamie when his mother beat him and had no memory of doing it later, he supported Jamie in death when his mother tried to put down Darian's feelings about losing Jamie. He also took care of Darian before and after he realised who he was. He faced his entire congregation and told them he was gay after making a beautiful speech about love and Jesus. To me Matt was such a hero in his own way and my favorite character.
I could say more but then this would go on and on, I wished Jamie could have been stronger for both Darian and Matt but it is what it is and Jamie was always trying to please his horrible mother.(That bitch deserved a beating! Sorry I could'nt help myself) I'm not sure if this got a HEA or HFN ending but I was happy that Darian and Matt were at least willing to try to be happy together.
jerseygirl2912's review
5.0
What a sad, moving, heartbreaking but beautiful story! It's the story of three friends and their growing up and coming to terms with their sexuality. It's a story about coming out, fear, families, homophobia, secrets and lies.
The story starts with Jamie's suicide and his story is told in a series of flashbacks and journal entries in his own voice.
A very emotional read: I cried a lot while reading it. I cried for Jamie and for his friends. And I was incredible angry about Jamie's mother.
I won't say that this book ends with a HEA or a HFN ending. But it held out the promise of a happing ending. I can't wait for the sequel because I really want to know how this story ends for the remaining two boys.
The story starts with Jamie's suicide and his story is told in a series of flashbacks and journal entries in his own voice.
A very emotional read: I cried a lot while reading it. I cried for Jamie and for his friends. And I was incredible angry about Jamie's mother.
I won't say that this book ends with a HEA or a HFN ending. But it held out the promise of a happing ending. I can't wait for the sequel because I really want to know how this story ends for the remaining two boys.
kaje_harper's review against another edition
5.0
*4.5 stars.
This is a very emotional book that demands that you accept two premises. First, that love can take root in a guy at first sight of his beloved, in the middle of what was meant to be a random hook-up, and be immediately strong enough to change the habits of years. Second, that a man mourning his lover might accept and use sex, not just once but repeatedly, as antidote for his pain and a way to connect with an otherwise empty world. Because that describes the situation for Matt, who has spent ten years in one-night stands, and Darian, who has lost his lover to suicide. If you can accept this, or at least suspend your disbelief, then this book will be a gripping and emotional read.
These two men meet for the first time outside the funeral of Jamie, who was Matt's best friend and Darian's lover. Jamie committed suicide, and the men both try to assuage their pain in a bout of random sex, which immediately turns into an emotional relationship. The book explores how Jamie had related to them both since they were teenagers, and the events and emotions that brought them to this point, one dead, two wounded.
This was a well-written book with interesting characters who have their share of flaws. There were two factors which kept it from being a full five-star read for me. The first was the structure, which is built around a large number of flashbacks and diary entries. There were a few times when I was not sure where a scene was placed in time, relative to the ones I'd already read. The second was the revelation of Jamie's thoughts before his death - despite the difficulties of his situation, the drop into despair and resolute suicide seemed abrupt. I felt like Jamie wasn't depressed enough or invested enough for that precipitating event to tip him over. I was expecting more. But suicide is a tricky thing, and often seems to come out of nowhere and catch us by surprise. Perhaps this was true to life.
In any case, I was caught up in this book, able to suspend my issues with love-at-first-sight and enjoy it, and moved by the emotions. I look forward to this author's next book.
This is a very emotional book that demands that you accept two premises. First, that love can take root in a guy at first sight of his beloved, in the middle of what was meant to be a random hook-up, and be immediately strong enough to change the habits of years. Second, that a man mourning his lover might accept and use sex, not just once but repeatedly, as antidote for his pain and a way to connect with an otherwise empty world. Because that describes the situation for Matt, who has spent ten years in one-night stands, and Darian, who has lost his lover to suicide. If you can accept this, or at least suspend your disbelief, then this book will be a gripping and emotional read.
These two men meet for the first time outside the funeral of Jamie, who was Matt's best friend and Darian's lover. Jamie committed suicide, and the men both try to assuage their pain in a bout of random sex, which immediately turns into an emotional relationship. The book explores how Jamie had related to them both since they were teenagers, and the events and emotions that brought them to this point, one dead, two wounded.
This was a well-written book with interesting characters who have their share of flaws. There were two factors which kept it from being a full five-star read for me. The first was the structure, which is built around a large number of flashbacks and diary entries. There were a few times when I was not sure where a scene was placed in time, relative to the ones I'd already read. The second was the revelation of Jamie's thoughts before his death - despite the difficulties of his situation, the drop into despair and resolute suicide seemed abrupt. I felt like Jamie wasn't depressed enough or invested enough for that precipitating event to tip him over. I was expecting more. But suicide is a tricky thing, and often seems to come out of nowhere and catch us by surprise. Perhaps this was true to life.
In any case, I was caught up in this book, able to suspend my issues with love-at-first-sight and enjoy it, and moved by the emotions. I look forward to this author's next book.
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
5.0
With the sequel soon to come you should check out this book if you haven't already. This is a beautiful coming of age novel and though it is a HFN ending, the sequel is due out this year from Dreamspinner. Check out Tina's review in full at The Novel Approach.
http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2013/07/17/wade-kelly-offers-a-kernel-of-hope-in-when-love-is-not-enough/
http://thenovelapproachreviews.com/2013/07/17/wade-kelly-offers-a-kernel-of-hope-in-when-love-is-not-enough/
ktomp17's review
5.0
Wow. This book was so touching, beautiful, heartbreaking, and brilliantly written. I liked how the story shifted back and forth between the past and present to give a more thorough understanding of all the events that occurred along with how it was relevant to the now. The relationship between the guys seemed to happen very quick, especially for how much Darian said he was in love with Jamie but I can understand how much the suicide and not really knowing Jamie could have shaken him to his core. The only thing that left me unsettled is the open ended potential for Matt and Darian to be a rebound relationship for D. The epilogue was the same day that the last chapter ended...I would have gotten more satisfaction if it has been a year later to see how things were going. This was so well written though. Despite all my tears, I was cheering for Matt and Darian through the book and my heart was breaking for Jamie to read his struggle.
meghanreadsmm's review
5.0
This story was intense and heart-wrenching. I was a bit confused at the beginning but it became moot soon after that. By the time I finished and reread the beginning, it made a lot of sense and was quite touching. While I liked the writing enormously, I almost had to find enough courage to finish the story. The point of view probably had something to do with that. It's such a well-written story that it was worth it, just be sure to keep your tissue box at hand.
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