Reviews

Names Can Never Hurt Me by Wade Kelly

rose_d's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This book has many good things about it, though also a few things that annoyed me. It seemed like the writer wanted to add to many subjects to the story, which made me sometimes confused about what really was going on, or what really the major storyline was. I feel like maybe there wasn't one major storyline. A good thing for me definitely was how one character changed during the story and has really grown as a person.

liza5326's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

The second I finished this book, I just looked at my screen and said "that was awesome." I was completely enthralled by this story, probably because I see a lot of myself in RC. Yes, Nick was unbearable at some points in the story, but overall, he wasn't a bad guy. He was a confused boy in an over-sexed man's body. Watching him grow and learn who he really is was a journey.

the_novel_approach's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

After reading the blurb for Names Can Never Hurt Me, I knew that I had to read it. I am already a HUGE Wade Kelly fan, and this seemed to be something kinda new from her. I have read her funny and heartwarming work, and her heartbreaking work, so I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us next. What I found was a very well written, personal journey from a young man’s point of view that you just might find difficult to like.

Nick Jones was not someone I would want to associate with when he is first introduced in the book. He’s gorgeous and he knows it. He seems to be trying to bed every willing female in town, and he doesn’t ever make personal attachments. While attending another party with his rich friends Nick, is dared to kiss Corey Parrish and WOW, he really liked it. This leads to Nick spending some quality horizontal time with Corey, as well as still sleeping around with women. He and Corey are just friends with benefits, until Nick gets himself a girlfriend and that is fine with both of them.

One day a new customer comes into the restaurant where Nick works, and he realizes that he may have been doing things wrong all along. RC, Raffael Coppola, is scruffy, overweight and sweaty. This is not what Nick would usually classify as his type, but what the hell does he know? After a few starts and stops, Nick and RC begin a super cute, comfortable friendship. They eat together a few times a week, and they don’t even speak much sometimes. Their silences together are usually more comfortable than any interactions Nick has with his other friends.

As far as the journey I mentioned before, that belonged to Nick. Not too long after he begins his friendship with RC, it becomes clear that Nick’s so called friends are shallow and sometimes just downright mean. Nick also begins to see himself through RC’s eyes, and he isn’t loving that image too much either.

RC has never had a healthy relationship, and his trust has been broken horribly in the past so he makes Nick take it slow with him. Nick has trouble being platonic friends with RC but close to the end of the book he realizes why it had to be that way, and he is so happy that it led them to a great place together.

Wade Kelly did a fabulous job with this story, and I loved most of the characters by the end of the book. The ones I didn’t like weren’t meant to be liked, and I loved how she made these characters unlikable but realistic. Once Nick realized which friends were good for him and which ones were leading him down the wrong road, he had a decision to make and some serious soul searching to do. I completely believed the struggle he went through, and I believe he is well on his way to redemption. I don’t think he has finished his journey, but for this story I believe he did all he could.

Out of all the secondary characters in this book, Corey Parrish was my absolute fave. I will just be devastated if Ms. Kelly doesn’t give Corey his very own HEA. If anyone earned one in this book, it was Corey.

I would highly recommend this book, and I double dare you not to love it!

description

lory_blanco's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

3.5 stars

squirrely007's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I loved this book! Nick was a major pain in the ass, but so very lovable. 4.5 stars!
More...