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nicola949's review against another edition
5.0
This book is definitely worth reading. It is a well crafted story of what happens after Dan meets Adam. In the story we also meet Mark and Sullivan. All four characters are unique and all are hurting in some way. Life and relationships are not easy.
"It made him think about fate, about timing, and about how people appeared to one another at times when they most needed each other. His mother used to say that people came into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime."
It was a beautiful story, very sad at times but also very inspiring.
Update in February 2014 after listening to the audio book.....
This re-read was so interesting because it was via listening to the audio book. I still loved this story the second time around - it was beautiful, sad and inspiring.
There was a real sense of the time and place provided by the references to music of the time and wonderful descriptions of the hot and humid Tampa location.
I was totally swept up into the life of Dan and the unexpected journey he finds himself on. From meeting Adam, his AIDS Alliance buddy, to dealing with Mark, his very troubled and drug addicted boyfriend, to befriending Sullivan, Adam's boyfriend as they both deal with Adam's struggle.
Adam is a highlight of the book as he confronts the ravages of his disease. From the first moment he is introduced, he makes an impression. Everyone should be so lucky to have an Adam in their life - obviously not the heartbreak and death - but someone who can show what life is really all about, someone who can teach us about love and courage.
In terms of the audio, I think Taavi Mark did a wonderful job of narrating this story. I enjoyed the quality of his voice and found it suited the style of the book and the characters. He provided good distinction between the character voices and the pacing was excellent.
Visit my blog if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place! Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
"It made him think about fate, about timing, and about how people appeared to one another at times when they most needed each other. His mother used to say that people came into our lives for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime."
It was a beautiful story, very sad at times but also very inspiring.
Update in February 2014 after listening to the audio book.....
This re-read was so interesting because it was via listening to the audio book. I still loved this story the second time around - it was beautiful, sad and inspiring.
There was a real sense of the time and place provided by the references to music of the time and wonderful descriptions of the hot and humid Tampa location.
I was totally swept up into the life of Dan and the unexpected journey he finds himself on. From meeting Adam, his AIDS Alliance buddy, to dealing with Mark, his very troubled and drug addicted boyfriend, to befriending Sullivan, Adam's boyfriend as they both deal with Adam's struggle.
Adam is a highlight of the book as he confronts the ravages of his disease. From the first moment he is introduced, he makes an impression. Everyone should be so lucky to have an Adam in their life - obviously not the heartbreak and death - but someone who can show what life is really all about, someone who can teach us about love and courage.
In terms of the audio, I think Taavi Mark did a wonderful job of narrating this story. I enjoyed the quality of his voice and found it suited the style of the book and the characters. He provided good distinction between the character voices and the pacing was excellent.
Visit my blog if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place! Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
bibliophile24's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best books I've read. I cried, I smiled, I got mad, and I rooted for the characters. And I stayed up until 2:30 am to finish it! Rick R. Reed is quickly becoming a favorite.
crtsjffrsn's review against another edition
4.0
Dan has recently moved to Florida with his boyfriend, Mark, for a new start. When he starts volunteering with the Tampa AIDS Alliance, he finds a fast friend in Adam - and a piqued interest in Adam's boyfriend, Sullivan. When it turns out the new start isn't as fresh for Dan and Mark as they hoped and Adam hits some hard times of his own, Dan realizes that the new start might be waiting for him but in different ways than he ever expected.
I laughed, I cried, I smiled - this invoked a whole range of real emotions for me. There's an authenticity to these characters and the story that I don't know I see very consistently from other authors. And even though this book is not all sunshine and rainbows, it did leave me with a sense of fulfillment and hope.
I laughed, I cried, I smiled - this invoked a whole range of real emotions for me. There's an authenticity to these characters and the story that I don't know I see very consistently from other authors. And even though this book is not all sunshine and rainbows, it did leave me with a sense of fulfillment and hope.
suze_1624's review
4.0
This was a thought provoking read. Whilst it is a love story - on a number of levels, its not the run of the mill one.
I found the book very well written, helping the pace of the book to move along briskly and really form the characters, especially Adam. The wild rides that brought all four main characters to Florida stay in your mind.
All this sounds a bit grim, but the book is actually quite amusing in its descriptions at times and hopeful for Dan and Sullivan.
If you like an engaging story that stays a while and gets you thinking, then you'll enjoy this one.
I found the book very well written, helping the pace of the book to move along briskly and really form the characters, especially Adam. The wild rides that brought all four main characters to Florida stay in your mind.
All this sounds a bit grim, but the book is actually quite amusing in its descriptions at times and hopeful for Dan and Sullivan.
If you like an engaging story that stays a while and gets you thinking, then you'll enjoy this one.
robv's review
4.0
Really enjoyed this one, though I was hoping for more of an emotional impact. Adam didn't allow him and Dan to forge the connection that we later have to assume was there. I also didn't feel much between Dan and Sullivan, just not enough time on page together. It's a great story but overall it fell a little flat.
Spoiler
going to jailkaje_harper's review
5.0
One of the best things about this book is that, despite the mock protest in the prologue, it does read exactly like a memoir. The plot is complex, the characters imperfect, and the resolution is satisfying despite some bittersweet moments. That prologue put me off slightly (it's hard to hit the right tone when pretending to write from the outside about your own book) but stick with this story - as soon as the narrative actually began I was hooked.
This is an account of Dan, a young man who moved to a new city to help his boyfriend escape addiction, and who volunteers for the AIDS Alliance buddy program as a way to meet people and be useful as he looks for work. His assigned buddy, Adam, meets him at the door on Dan's first visit in a black dress, pearls and kitten heels. Adam is funny and wry and acerbic and brave and foolish. He lights up the story in the scenes he is in, and drives much of the rest of it. A wonderful character, even though he's not one of the romantic leads.
One of the reasons this also feels like memoir to me is that there is just a slight distance in the writing, so that the sometimes agonizingly painful moments here are intense but not all-encompassing, at least for me. It is emotional, but not angsty. It feels true, and is an engaging read, and probably my favorite work from the talented Rick Reed. Recommended.
This is an account of Dan, a young man who moved to a new city to help his boyfriend escape addiction, and who volunteers for the AIDS Alliance buddy program as a way to meet people and be useful as he looks for work. His assigned buddy, Adam, meets him at the door on Dan's first visit in a black dress, pearls and kitten heels. Adam is funny and wry and acerbic and brave and foolish. He lights up the story in the scenes he is in, and drives much of the rest of it. A wonderful character, even though he's not one of the romantic leads.
One of the reasons this also feels like memoir to me is that there is just a slight distance in the writing, so that the sometimes agonizingly painful moments here are intense but not all-encompassing, at least for me. It is emotional, but not angsty. It feels true, and is an engaging read, and probably my favorite work from the talented Rick Reed. Recommended.
mjqueen's review
2.0
I enjoyed the story of love, friendship, and what it truly means to be a caregiver. However, it really felt as though all of that took a backseat to it being an almost erotica LGBTQ novel. I wish that it could have gone more than a few pages without some reference to sex, masturbation, or porn. Just too explicit for me.
knrt_17's review
4.0
I’ve read this author before. This is a mm story set in the 1990s in Florida USA. It’s told from the POV of Dan. This story covers drugs, AIDS, honesty, trust, grief, faith and love. A very real experience, with love winning in the end.
nightcolors's review against another edition
4.0
I bought Caregiver back in 2011, and only read it now because I was afraid this book would break my heart. And it did make me cry, but the whole story was about love, so it didn't make me feel too sad. Adam absolutely sparkled. I wish we got to see more of him.
This story's timeline was set in the 1990s. When Mark had that beach encounter in earlier chapter, I wasn't sure of what was happening and why. Between that incident and the AIDS treatments, it made me glad for how far we've come since then. I often feel so impatient at all the inequalities in the world right now: homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, racism and more. But we apparently have made some progress. That made me happy.
This story's timeline was set in the 1990s. When Mark had that beach encounter in earlier chapter, I wasn't sure of what was happening and why. Between that incident and the AIDS treatments, it made me glad for how far we've come since then. I often feel so impatient at all the inequalities in the world right now: homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, racism and more. But we apparently have made some progress. That made me happy.