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The Cranberry Hush
Vince Dandro might be going through the quietest quarter-life crisis of all time. He lives alone, works in a comic book shop, and has a crush on his coworker he can't seem to act on. Like an old comic book, his life's colors have started to fade. Everything brightens when Vince's long-lost friend Griff appears on his doorstep in the middle of a blizzard. They were roommates in college, so close back then that Griff's girlfriend called them "lifebuddies" -- but Vince's love for Griff had ended the friendship, he thought, forever. They haven't spoken in years. Why has Griff shown up again? And, more importantly, can Vince handle his return?
Vince and Griff are two twentysomethings struggling to find their places in the world and in each other's lives. This is a story of friendship and love, both unrequited and requited, and of learning how to fly through the post-college void, which just might hold more than a cranberry hush.
Vince and Griff are two twentysomethings struggling to find their places in the world and in each other's lives. This is a story of friendship and love, both unrequited and requited, and of learning how to fly through the post-college void, which just might hold more than a cranberry hush.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2011
28 people are currently reading
1548 people want to read
About the author
Ben Monopoli
6 books440 followersBen Monopoli lives in Boston with his husband, Chris. His newest book is Mateo Was Here: A Novella.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 211 reviews
April 8, 2016
*Price drop to $0.99 at Amazon US, 3/31/16!*
Do you remember that time that you had an aching crush on someone incredibly unattainable? You must be able to think of someone right away- everyone has that one person. Whether it was a person who was so out of your league it was not even funny or someone who only saw you as a friend- the "what ifs" about that guy or girl can haunt you.
Thank you Ben Monopoli for putting into words that experience, that purgatory of crush-dom.
"The Cranberry Hush" is not really what I expected but I'm not sure why. I think I am understanding this author's style more after reading this book. Ben Monopoli does not do a straightforward, easy romance. There are side love-interests, there is indecision, there is uncertainty. It is so freaking real. This is how people fall in and out of love in real life, people. There are relapses, fears, lust, confusions, mixed-signals- not everything is black and white. This author specializes in gray zones.
I loved each character in their own flawed way. I understood each of them and their unique points of view. Vince, Zane, Griff- they all sang to me. I think I liked Griff most of all. I really got his state of mind, his trying to recapture a happy place in his life and make it permanent.
This book wasn't depressing but it wasn't uplifting either. It is complicated, it is sweet, and it is bittersweet. I cried a little at the end, I'll admit.
This book was an outstanding, memorable read.
Do you remember that time that you had an aching crush on someone incredibly unattainable? You must be able to think of someone right away- everyone has that one person. Whether it was a person who was so out of your league it was not even funny or someone who only saw you as a friend- the "what ifs" about that guy or girl can haunt you.
Thank you Ben Monopoli for putting into words that experience, that purgatory of crush-dom.
"The Cranberry Hush" is not really what I expected but I'm not sure why. I think I am understanding this author's style more after reading this book. Ben Monopoli does not do a straightforward, easy romance. There are side love-interests, there is indecision, there is uncertainty. It is so freaking real. This is how people fall in and out of love in real life, people. There are relapses, fears, lust, confusions, mixed-signals- not everything is black and white. This author specializes in gray zones.
I loved each character in their own flawed way. I understood each of them and their unique points of view. Vince, Zane, Griff- they all sang to me. I think I liked Griff most of all. I really got his state of mind, his trying to recapture a happy place in his life and make it permanent.
This book wasn't depressing but it wasn't uplifting either. It is complicated, it is sweet, and it is bittersweet. I cried a little at the end, I'll admit.
This book was an outstanding, memorable read.
June 11, 2011
I'm still incapable of writing a coherent review, because I literally sobbed through the last 20-30 pages (it's difficult to say when you read e-book). Two things are for certain - one, this is not a book I would reread often, because it's heartbreaking and two, I will, without any doubt at all, buy the next Monopoli's book.
The book is heartbreaking as only growing up can be - that age when you are finally leaving your youth behind. It is also hopeful, as hopeful as this age, when you finally start to really live, can be. The writing style was beautiful, the characters - magnificent. Griff was larger than life; Vince reminded me that there are pains that make us into who we are and that people can't be put into nice, little, convenient boxes; Zane was a sweetheart, but never a doormat (Zane carrying that aloe plant says everything about him). The resolution was realistic, which will not make some readers happy. But, there is happiness in real life too and I believe Monopoli gave us enough to convince me that Vince and Griff and Zane have found/will find it in the future. The book made me laugh, it made me sob. The love for comics was just an added bonus. Lovely, lovely novel. Recommended with all my heart.
The book is heartbreaking as only growing up can be - that age when you are finally leaving your youth behind. It is also hopeful, as hopeful as this age, when you finally start to really live, can be. The writing style was beautiful, the characters - magnificent. Griff was larger than life; Vince reminded me that there are pains that make us into who we are and that people can't be put into nice, little, convenient boxes; Zane was a sweetheart, but never a doormat (Zane carrying that aloe plant says everything about him). The resolution was realistic, which will not make some readers happy. But, there is happiness in real life too and I believe Monopoli gave us enough to convince me that Vince and Griff and Zane have found/will find it in the future. The book made me laugh, it made me sob. The love for comics was just an added bonus. Lovely, lovely novel. Recommended with all my heart.
February 16, 2015
but nothing happens without a million pieces falling into place beforehand
I'm in love with this book, with this quiet but very emotionally intense story.
I'm in love with Vince, Zane and Griffin.
I'm in love with the writing of Ben Monopoli. I don't know how to describe his writing style, but it's something that you don't come across very often. It's exceptional. It feels three-dimensionally, you're not an observer, you're inside the story, it feels so NORMAL and unbelievably REAL.
And I'm grateful to him for this ending. Though I can imagine that some readers won't share my opinion on this case.
What it's about(my personal blurb):
Vince, one of the main protagonists and a first person narrator, bisexual, falls in love in college with his straight roommate Griffin. They are best friends, but after two years being lifebuddies, they split up. After graduating Vince works in Cabe Cod near Boston in a comic book store, when Griffin surprisingly stands at his door. Vince hasn't spoken to him since graduation two years ago, though it is actually 4 years since the last time they were close. It follows a dramatic week in the middle of snowy days. And at the end of this week questions that have been long overdue for an answer will be finally answered. But to know HOW, you have to read it.
The Cranberry Hush is not a romance, it is a LOVE story, a life story about love and friendship, reciprocated and unrequited, about hopes and fears, about many "what ifs" and Ben Monopoli has implemented this topic A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y GREAT.
A SENSITIVE DEEPLY HONEST AND NOSTALGICALLY WONDERFUL BOOK ABOUT LIFE GOALS AND LOVE WITH ITS MANY FACES AND FACETS.
Highly recommended!
August 21, 2013
When I first saw the title of this one I really had no idea what it meant.
Did I miss another pop culture drive by? Is this some new drug the crazy college kids are taking? Where's my Urban Dictionary? Am I too old to know what's going on? Nah, that can't be it. *yells out window* "You kids get off my lawn!!!"
The title refers to none of those stupid things and is only relevant to this amazingly wonderful book. To explain would give away spoilers and no description can do it justice as the way it is written is utterly charming. That sounds totally trite, but in this instance it works.
It's kind of funny to use "spoiler" here because not a lot is really happening. I don't mean this is a book about nothing, I mean that, there are no shifters, vampires, cowboys, etc. So, giving away a spoiler isn't going to ruin the thread of the action in this case. It would however detract from a well written story about regular people that's already been told here perfectly.
The blurb already tells you what you need to know and a story about one week in the life of two college friends really shouldn't be as engrossing as it was, but man I didn't want to walk away from it. This is one of those authors who can take an entire tub of emotions that would take me 13 pages to explain and he can sum it up in one sentence that conveys more than any visual or 13 page essay of random ever could. So, no real plot talk here, just musings about characters, themes and me gushing about how much I loved it.
Vince is a manchild stuck in the past and hopelessly in love with his straight best friend from college. They've fallen out of touch, Vince's doing, and end up reuniting for one week. Vince is bi and the author portrayed his feelings in a way that I had never considered. Being bi, Vince could fall in love with anyone. Any new person could potentially be the One. He finds this prospect overwhelming which really makes sense. Can you imagine the thought of no one being off limits? Instead of sexual tension with 1/2 the population, it's potentially with everyone. Now, if you're good with being slutty, that could be awesome, but that's not Vince so more often than not he's just confused.
Griff is a hopelessly hopeful romantic. He's honestly jealous of Vince's 'bi-ness' and is enamored of the thought of possible falling in love with anyone. But, biology can be a bitch and you can't make a truly straight man gay no matter what our beloved GFY novels tell us. Thank God the Kinsey scale makes all manner of love possible.
So, Vince can't totally understand not being able to be attracted to anyone and thus the unrequited love he has had for Griff from day one has a little element of hope attached that tells him if Griff would kiss him just the once he could see how perfect they were for each other. This keeps Vince stuck in the past and unable to take advantage of what is being offered to him in Zane. And oh, poor Zane. He's the third wheel in this nonexistent love affair and even though he's the youngest MC here, he's probably the most mature of the bunch.
The author captured so well the all consuming emotions of that first love. Especially in all the little day to day things that Griff and Vince did. I'm not much of an e-reader highlighter, but I was all over it with this one. He can take something so seemingly innocuous and make it the most relevant moment on the page. For instance, Griff hands Vince his keys and Vince notes, “they were warm from his pocket”. That came in between all manner of pertinent information to what was going on. Does it matter that they keys were warm to the activity of the story? No. Is it logical? Of course, they were in his pocket, of course they’re warm. But when they are warm from HIS pocket and you love him and you have loved him since you met him and he can’t love you the way you want in return, it matters. It matters a lot.
The ending felt slightly rushed, but nothing was missing and all questions were answered. I think the gushing girl in me just wanted more of Zane. Though to be honest that's not what this book was about and that expanded part of the story really wouldn't have belonged, it would be just me being greedy. It's just amazing to know what difference 16 seconds can make in a life.
Highly recommended to anyone who breathes. You should go read it immediately.
BTW - Thanks to Justin2 for the rec, he gives good shelf :).
Did I miss another pop culture drive by? Is this some new drug the crazy college kids are taking? Where's my Urban Dictionary? Am I too old to know what's going on? Nah, that can't be it. *yells out window* "You kids get off my lawn!!!"
The title refers to none of those stupid things and is only relevant to this amazingly wonderful book. To explain would give away spoilers and no description can do it justice as the way it is written is utterly charming. That sounds totally trite, but in this instance it works.
It's kind of funny to use "spoiler" here because not a lot is really happening. I don't mean this is a book about nothing, I mean that, there are no shifters, vampires, cowboys, etc. So, giving away a spoiler isn't going to ruin the thread of the action in this case. It would however detract from a well written story about regular people that's already been told here perfectly.
The blurb already tells you what you need to know and a story about one week in the life of two college friends really shouldn't be as engrossing as it was, but man I didn't want to walk away from it. This is one of those authors who can take an entire tub of emotions that would take me 13 pages to explain and he can sum it up in one sentence that conveys more than any visual or 13 page essay of random ever could. So, no real plot talk here, just musings about characters, themes and me gushing about how much I loved it.
Vince is a manchild stuck in the past and hopelessly in love with his straight best friend from college. They've fallen out of touch, Vince's doing, and end up reuniting for one week. Vince is bi and the author portrayed his feelings in a way that I had never considered. Being bi, Vince could fall in love with anyone. Any new person could potentially be the One. He finds this prospect overwhelming which really makes sense. Can you imagine the thought of no one being off limits? Instead of sexual tension with 1/2 the population, it's potentially with everyone. Now, if you're good with being slutty, that could be awesome, but that's not Vince so more often than not he's just confused.
Griff is a hopelessly hopeful romantic. He's honestly jealous of Vince's 'bi-ness' and is enamored of the thought of possible falling in love with anyone. But, biology can be a bitch and you can't make a truly straight man gay no matter what our beloved GFY novels tell us. Thank God the Kinsey scale makes all manner of love possible.
So, Vince can't totally understand not being able to be attracted to anyone and thus the unrequited love he has had for Griff from day one has a little element of hope attached that tells him if Griff would kiss him just the once he could see how perfect they were for each other. This keeps Vince stuck in the past and unable to take advantage of what is being offered to him in Zane. And oh, poor Zane. He's the third wheel in this nonexistent love affair and even though he's the youngest MC here, he's probably the most mature of the bunch.
The author captured so well the all consuming emotions of that first love. Especially in all the little day to day things that Griff and Vince did. I'm not much of an e-reader highlighter, but I was all over it with this one. He can take something so seemingly innocuous and make it the most relevant moment on the page. For instance, Griff hands Vince his keys and Vince notes, “they were warm from his pocket”. That came in between all manner of pertinent information to what was going on. Does it matter that they keys were warm to the activity of the story? No. Is it logical? Of course, they were in his pocket, of course they’re warm. But when they are warm from HIS pocket and you love him and you have loved him since you met him and he can’t love you the way you want in return, it matters. It matters a lot.
The ending felt slightly rushed, but nothing was missing and all questions were answered. I think the gushing girl in me just wanted more of Zane. Though to be honest that's not what this book was about and that expanded part of the story really wouldn't have belonged, it would be just me being greedy. It's just amazing to know what difference 16 seconds can make in a life.
Highly recommended to anyone who breathes. You should go read it immediately.
BTW - Thanks to Justin2 for the rec, he gives good shelf :).
October 31, 2020
Two mid-twenties guys who graduated from college but can't seem to figure out adulthood. Not usually my cup of tea, but Ben Monopoli knows how to break my heart in a good way. Vince, who is bi, had an unrequited crush on his straight best friend Griff that was so painful, he ended their friendship before college graduation without explanation. He's been kind of floating through life ever since. When Griff shows up unexpectedly at Vince's house during a snowstorm, Vince can't help but hope (against logic!) that it means more than Griff needing a place to stay. But if anything, Griff's more lost than Vince, since inheriting money means he doesn't even need a job to help tether him to reality.
As the two spend time together, and with Vince's other crush Zane, Vince has to figure out how to untangle his grief and his various kinds of love for the two men in his life. IMHO this is the antithesis of the gay-for-you trope in romance novels, and it honors lifelong love that is not romantic or sexual as well as the difficulty of having people in your life in a way that doesn't match society's script for how love and family should be organized. Sometimes hard to read, but well worth it.
As the two spend time together, and with Vince's other crush Zane, Vince has to figure out how to untangle his grief and his various kinds of love for the two men in his life. IMHO this is the antithesis of the gay-for-you trope in romance novels, and it honors lifelong love that is not romantic or sexual as well as the difficulty of having people in your life in a way that doesn't match society's script for how love and family should be organized. Sometimes hard to read, but well worth it.
November 18, 2017
Graduating from high school is one of the most exhilarating and terrifying times in our lives. Maybe it was a year or two ago, maybe it was a decade or two ago. Regardless, I’m sure you remember it. Freedom is thrown into your lap and suddenly tough decisions must be made. Where will you go? What do you want to do with the rest of your life? Gah! Growing up is not easy.
Choosing which fork in the road you should take can be scary as hell. If you choose college, heading off to a University is something you’ll never forget….or at least I certainly haven’t. I went to a Big Ten University, I lived in the dorms, and I loved every single minute of it.
One word sums it up for me…Discovery.
It's very liberating being in control and choosing your destiny.
Vince, a quiet retro nerd is attempting to do this and looking for his path when suddenly…
*cue the spotlight and angel chorus*
…he sees the man of his dreams.
Everything about him is perfect. It's love at first sight. Griffin captures his heart that day, although he is unaware of the prize he collected.
Now you see- Vince has a secret- he's bi. The insights we are given into the struggles of bisexuality are simply fascinating. I’ve never read a book that interprets such clarification. He is never truly comfortable with women; most seem to perceive him as half in the closet. He’s a token triumph to gay guys who believe he is secretly straight with a curious streak. He truly doesn’t understand why something as insignificant as gender should limit your soulmate. His concept of love is so simple it makes me think the rest of world are the ones confused.
But I digress, where were we? Oh yes, love at first sight.
Vince wants Griff more with each breath he takes. As fate would have it, Vince gets Griff but not in the package he was hoping for. Not a lover…Not a partner…But a lifebuddy or the truest of best friends.
As time passes Vince falls deeper in love with Griff. Unable to take it anymore, Vince walks away. The pain is too great. Years pass and life goes on, but neither Vince nor Griff are complete.
One day the skies open bringing a blizzard and a long lost face. Just when Vince thought he was moving forward he is thrown back into the past.
I like Vince; he was fairly lost, but aren't we all at times? I enjoyed the trek down memory lane....fair warning- it does flip back and forth between past and present without notice. It’s also first person. These things didn't bother me, but I’ll put it out there in case you have concerns.
I won’t lie, there were times, I was thinking ‘well now, that’s….different’ and others when it lulled a tad too much. It’s not a bed of roses. Actually, it’s pretty prickly at times.
I thought I knew what was coming. All I can say is, I was proven oh-so-very-wrong. The writing is great, very detailed focused but in a way that simply... worked. It’s not exactly what I wanted, but I believe that is precisely the point. Everything happens for a reason and rather than try and figure out ‘why’, live for the moment and have no regrets.
Cranberry Hush and I?
Sixteen seconds and well, I have absolutely no regrets.
I think this book will pull a solid gold for most readers. Me? I gotta vote for the silver even if I desperately think you should read it. Which is okay because silver is pretty happy.
*4 veracious-vibrant-valuable stars*
Choosing which fork in the road you should take can be scary as hell. If you choose college, heading off to a University is something you’ll never forget….or at least I certainly haven’t. I went to a Big Ten University, I lived in the dorms, and I loved every single minute of it.
One word sums it up for me…Discovery.
It's very liberating being in control and choosing your destiny.
Vince, a quiet retro nerd is attempting to do this and looking for his path when suddenly…
*cue the spotlight and angel chorus*
…he sees the man of his dreams.
Everything about him is perfect. It's love at first sight. Griffin captures his heart that day, although he is unaware of the prize he collected.
Now you see- Vince has a secret- he's bi. The insights we are given into the struggles of bisexuality are simply fascinating. I’ve never read a book that interprets such clarification. He is never truly comfortable with women; most seem to perceive him as half in the closet. He’s a token triumph to gay guys who believe he is secretly straight with a curious streak. He truly doesn’t understand why something as insignificant as gender should limit your soulmate. His concept of love is so simple it makes me think the rest of world are the ones confused.
But I digress, where were we? Oh yes, love at first sight.
Vince wants Griff more with each breath he takes. As fate would have it, Vince gets Griff but not in the package he was hoping for. Not a lover…Not a partner…But a lifebuddy or the truest of best friends.
As time passes Vince falls deeper in love with Griff. Unable to take it anymore, Vince walks away. The pain is too great. Years pass and life goes on, but neither Vince nor Griff are complete.
One day the skies open bringing a blizzard and a long lost face. Just when Vince thought he was moving forward he is thrown back into the past.
I like Vince; he was fairly lost, but aren't we all at times? I enjoyed the trek down memory lane....fair warning- it does flip back and forth between past and present without notice. It’s also first person. These things didn't bother me, but I’ll put it out there in case you have concerns.
I won’t lie, there were times, I was thinking ‘well now, that’s….different’ and others when it lulled a tad too much. It’s not a bed of roses. Actually, it’s pretty prickly at times.
I thought I knew what was coming. All I can say is, I was proven oh-so-very-wrong. The writing is great, very detailed focused but in a way that simply... worked. It’s not exactly what I wanted, but I believe that is precisely the point. Everything happens for a reason and rather than try and figure out ‘why’, live for the moment and have no regrets.
Cranberry Hush and I?
Sixteen seconds and well, I have absolutely no regrets.
I think this book will pull a solid gold for most readers. Me? I gotta vote for the silver even if I desperately think you should read it. Which is okay because silver is pretty happy.
*4 veracious-vibrant-valuable stars*
August 14, 2014
This morning I woke up and thought, "I wonder how Griff is doing." Funny, since I don't know anyone named Griff, but after reading The Cranberry Hush, I feel like I do. Monopoli pulled me effortlessly into the world he created, first by his lush descriptions that had my imagination working overtime, and later by the subtle wit that had me smiling and sighing in equal measure. His characters are just as seductive as his writing style, all of them so real and human that you'll swear you know someone just like them. Most of all, I felt comfortable stepping into Vince's shoes, reliving past experiences through him and getting the chance to go further than I ever did in real life. Monopoli has hit the ground running, and I can't wait until he dazzles us with another story.
May 21, 2011
Damn. This book was just as difficult to read as it was wonderful. I think I'm still too close to read about that period of my life that was eerily similar to Vince's and be able to really look back on it in retrospect. Plus, for anyone who has ever felt the empty heaviness of unrequited love -- this book really hits that sore spot. Well done, Ben Monopoli. I look forward to your second novel.
November 11, 2025
✰ 3.75 stars ✰
Stories that speak of longing for closure of unsettled relationships will never not speak to me. it's the essence of my existence - sounds ominous - but, it's a part of me. And when characters are able to still that heartbeat that has echoed as almost a chain, I cannot not be happy when they do get the reward of satisfaction, because it's a feeling you'll never want to let go. 😢 Even if it takes only sixteen seconds to calm that desire (iykyk) - whether it hurts you or heals you.
And that is the tragedy of a college friendship between two roommates/best friends, a wayward confession that never really saw its full fruition. What could be worse than falling for your straight best friend, that you believe in your heart that you truly are soulmates? 🥺 That is the curse of being Vince Dandro, content in his unexciting life, until Griff's return that like a shaken, not stirred cocktail resurfaces the past that he's tried so hard to forget, when it all fell apart.
“How could you love me and just cast me aside like that?”
“It was too hard.”
“You never stopped to think that I loved you too!”
I wanted to bathe in the sea of colors that enveloped the writing. I did not want to see what would happen when that final confrontation, or should I say confession took place, the elephant in the room, dogging their dynamic. 💔 The build-up, the trajectory, the blossoming of friendship tinged with Vince's current crush, I was gliding through the nonlinear narrative. never out of touch, out of time, beautiful and realistic emotions with messy choices, but still sincere decisions. 🥹
Points of annoyances, because, well, it's me. Yes, Vince being too hung up on Griff by constantly comparing him to spiky-haired, quarter-Japanese, comic book–loving, do-gooder gay boys on Cape Cod that is totally into him, did get a tad aggravating and unfair. 😮💨 The whole enchilada with Zane's parents also felt out of sorts, even if the comic book tandem came full circle, and sometimes Vince really could have thought more with his head rather than y'know, and that meet-up at Beth was so awk-weird; but in his own right, I understand that Griff needed to sever his ties his own way.
“I have learned, though, that memories aren’t things that have to pile up and overwhelm you. They’re just colors, like Griff’s colors, that shade all the new things you feel.”
I'm one who is typically averse to road-trip-esque scenarios, but the tone was so gentle, like The Cranberry Hush that speaks of nostalgic vibes and relatable touches - immersing you into their time machine of memories. ⏳ It was more than just Vince and Griff attacking head-on the collision that tore them apart - rocky hurdles, but tender tumbles. One that invites you into the slow falling of cozy snow that contrasts with the sharp sting of their hazy actions - of letting go of childish whims and a life that won't come back, because the allure of the future promises something so much more worth their while. 💝🫂
It's a game of chance and love that the author captured the wistful yearning for wanting someone to care for you - even though it feels impossible - with such heart that I wish Griff's pov had been included, as well. So yes, not perfect, but not at all a regret. 🙏🏻 I felt a lot and my heart felt full at the end. That knowledge felt like a gift. Like a deep breath to end years of gasping. It wasn't what I was hoping for, but we can't always have what we want, so at least we can still have them in our hearts. And I suppose sometimes that's all that really matters. 🌸
“And I still missed him even though he was here, his shoulder almost touching mine. I missed him from those years that were gone and that I could never get back.”
Stories that speak of longing for closure of unsettled relationships will never not speak to me. it's the essence of my existence - sounds ominous - but, it's a part of me. And when characters are able to still that heartbeat that has echoed as almost a chain, I cannot not be happy when they do get the reward of satisfaction, because it's a feeling you'll never want to let go. 😢 Even if it takes only sixteen seconds to calm that desire (iykyk) - whether it hurts you or heals you.
And that is the tragedy of a college friendship between two roommates/best friends, a wayward confession that never really saw its full fruition. What could be worse than falling for your straight best friend, that you believe in your heart that you truly are soulmates? 🥺 That is the curse of being Vince Dandro, content in his unexciting life, until Griff's return that like a shaken, not stirred cocktail resurfaces the past that he's tried so hard to forget, when it all fell apart.
“How could you love me and just cast me aside like that?”
“It was too hard.”
“You never stopped to think that I loved you too!”
I wanted to bathe in the sea of colors that enveloped the writing. I did not want to see what would happen when that final confrontation, or should I say confession took place, the elephant in the room, dogging their dynamic. 💔 The build-up, the trajectory, the blossoming of friendship tinged with Vince's current crush, I was gliding through the nonlinear narrative. never out of touch, out of time, beautiful and realistic emotions with messy choices, but still sincere decisions. 🥹
Points of annoyances, because, well, it's me. Yes, Vince being too hung up on Griff by constantly comparing him to spiky-haired, quarter-Japanese, comic book–loving, do-gooder gay boys on Cape Cod that is totally into him, did get a tad aggravating and unfair. 😮💨 The whole enchilada with Zane's parents also felt out of sorts, even if the comic book tandem came full circle, and sometimes Vince really could have thought more with his head rather than y'know, and that meet-up at Beth was so awk-weird; but in his own right, I understand that Griff needed to sever his ties his own way.
“I have learned, though, that memories aren’t things that have to pile up and overwhelm you. They’re just colors, like Griff’s colors, that shade all the new things you feel.”
I'm one who is typically averse to road-trip-esque scenarios, but the tone was so gentle, like The Cranberry Hush that speaks of nostalgic vibes and relatable touches - immersing you into their time machine of memories. ⏳ It was more than just Vince and Griff attacking head-on the collision that tore them apart - rocky hurdles, but tender tumbles. One that invites you into the slow falling of cozy snow that contrasts with the sharp sting of their hazy actions - of letting go of childish whims and a life that won't come back, because the allure of the future promises something so much more worth their while. 💝🫂
It's a game of chance and love that the author captured the wistful yearning for wanting someone to care for you - even though it feels impossible - with such heart that I wish Griff's pov had been included, as well. So yes, not perfect, but not at all a regret. 🙏🏻 I felt a lot and my heart felt full at the end. That knowledge felt like a gift. Like a deep breath to end years of gasping. It wasn't what I was hoping for, but we can't always have what we want, so at least we can still have them in our hearts. And I suppose sometimes that's all that really matters. 🌸
dnf
May 26, 2016DNF al 25 %
No es lo mío, y mira que me fastidia dejarlo con tanta reseña positiva, pero ese clima nostálgico a mi no me llega, los flashback acaban de empezar y ya me aburren y los MC... cero empatía por ellos (Griff no me gusta naaaaaaada, pero es que Vince ¬¬)
Con todo lo que tengo por leer, ni me molesto :(
No es lo mío, y mira que me fastidia dejarlo con tanta reseña positiva, pero ese clima nostálgico a mi no me llega, los flashback acaban de empezar y ya me aburren y los MC... cero empatía por ellos (Griff no me gusta naaaaaaada, pero es que Vince ¬¬)
Con todo lo que tengo por leer, ni me molesto :(
July 16, 2011
A terribly powerful and painful book. It's a story experienced as much as read. It reached into me and found all the strands of remembered loneliness and longing, gathered them together, and crushed them until I could hardly breathe.
I experienced the sad and lonely holding pattern of Vince's life, and his forlorn hope as he is confused and tormented by the return of the boy he could never have, but could never fully let go of.
The first night after reading, I couldn't sleep because I myself couldn't let go of the story. And if I let myself recall it, I still can't breathe easy.
It's true to life, I think – probably too much so for my comfort. The ending is merciless.
If you like a story that makes you ache with the protagonist, do not miss this one.
I experienced the sad and lonely holding pattern of Vince's life, and his forlorn hope as he is confused and tormented by the return of the boy he could never have, but could never fully let go of.
The first night after reading, I couldn't sleep because I myself couldn't let go of the story. And if I let myself recall it, I still can't breathe easy.
It's true to life, I think – probably too much so for my comfort. The ending is merciless.
If you like a story that makes you ache with the protagonist, do not miss this one.
May 25, 2015
This one didn’t work for me.
The story had potential to be something I’d enjoy: Vince (25 yo now) has been in love with Griffin since their first year in college but it’s an unrequited love. Just when he’s about start dating another guy, Griffin shows up at his door after 4 years of no communication. It’s a good conflict that could lead the story in different directions – past and present intertwine, and friendship and love get mixed up. So I was interested to see where this would go.
But it was the writing that prevented me from connecting with the characters and their journeys. I just didn’t like it at all. I knew what each sentence and each paragraph wanted me to feel but they didn’t bring out any emotional response from me.
The story had potential to be something I’d enjoy: Vince (25 yo now) has been in love with Griffin since their first year in college but it’s an unrequited love. Just when he’s about start dating another guy, Griffin shows up at his door after 4 years of no communication. It’s a good conflict that could lead the story in different directions – past and present intertwine, and friendship and love get mixed up. So I was interested to see where this would go.
But it was the writing that prevented me from connecting with the characters and their journeys. I just didn’t like it at all. I knew what each sentence and each paragraph wanted me to feel but they didn’t bring out any emotional response from me.
September 25, 2019
rep: bi mc, gay side character
this is a bizarre little book. it's not the fairy tale romance you've come to expect from lgbt novels (the ones that aren't tragedy porn, that is), which isn't to say this story is tragic or underwhelming. it's actually just very real thanks to all the indecisions, the detours, the small flashbacks & finally - the overpowering feeling of having a crush on someone you probably shouldn't have a crush on.
if it's still not clear, by bizarre i mean lovely and overwhelming in the best way, and resonating with ur gay soul.
this is a bizarre little book. it's not the fairy tale romance you've come to expect from lgbt novels (the ones that aren't tragedy porn, that is), which isn't to say this story is tragic or underwhelming. it's actually just very real thanks to all the indecisions, the detours, the small flashbacks & finally - the overpowering feeling of having a crush on someone you probably shouldn't have a crush on.
if it's still not clear, by bizarre i mean lovely and overwhelming in the best way, and resonating with ur gay soul.
April 1, 2011
I really like this book.
It was different than anything I have read in a while.
I could identify with the MC, and felt for them, and i was wondering how the author would pull of an ending that made me happy.
It ended well, and left me hoping for another story.... somewhere down the road.
It was different than anything I have read in a while.
I could identify with the MC, and felt for them, and i was wondering how the author would pull of an ending that made me happy.
It ended well, and left me hoping for another story.... somewhere down the road.
January 17, 2016
This story is one among many, many contemporary first-person m-m novels. Vince is pining for Giff. Giff is Pining for the ‘true one’. Zane is pining for Vince. Vince is a whiny, self-indulgent obsessive lunatic. It’s all so predictable, if it was teenagers, but with adult characters it’s almost absurd. Just shut the fuck up you’all.
With flashbacks we learn, once Griff does a snowy, and at the end seemly undeveloped surprised visit to Griff—a trip no less from Boston to the Cape even though their relationship is, well nothing much and he’s never visited before and really he had to look Vince up—all about their silly trials and tribulations.
Vince spotted Giff across his first college class, and so marks the beginning of obsession and the needless invasion of privacy and boundaries. His love is startlingly in its haste, and his stalkerness quickly develops into something that borderlines on clinical.
We learn that Giff and Vince had only really fostered a year-long relationship, until Vince, all inappropriate with one instance of non-consensual sexual touch, finally figures out he really has crossed boundaries. The two part abruptly, and Griff can’t really figure out why and what contributed to the ending of a seemingly functioning and loving friendship. It was really only one year, and while Griff really did appear to have affection for Vince, weighed against Vince’s feelings it just seemed like a typical roommate situation. Griff’s relationship with Vince had elements of relationships with roommates I could relate to, but nothing beyond a strong friendship. To counter a lack of emotional content, the story should have expanded their cohabitation to two years, rather than one. Given the final, abrupt reason for severing the relationship, I as a reader NEEDED more, maybe a few mutual instances of sexual exploration, or some sort of deeper reciprocation of affection beyond the common friendship.
Intermingled in the present is Zane, who is an all-together loving, charming, and somewhat broken but in a very honest way. He is in love with Vince, and Vince, even though he can’t dispatch his feelings for Griff, adores Zane. However, because Vince has yet to get it through his head that Giff doesn’t love him, that he will never have Giff sexually, he continues to ignore his feelings for Zane and really shatters the poor fellows heart. Zane character, motivation, and drives were really the only successful part of this book.
Vince and Giff end up on some sort of self-discovery, but precarious, uneven writing and an unrealized plot plunder the novel’s intended meaning. It seems that the author was trying to examine the very nature of relationships, and in particular that silly trendy thing called a ‘bromance’. The idea of being at home with another individual and figuring out and defining this particular concept, and finally realizing it. Unfortunately this was only really laid bare at the very end, and without really understanding how obsessive Vince further integrated this new knowledge I was left with a feeling of emptiness. He spent so much time infatuated with this man that I expected, no required some exploration in the ways this affected him. An epilogue, like usual, even when five months after the ending of the book, was neither effective nor successful in answering important questions.
The novel was ultimately underwhelming and underdeveloped. It left me as a reader neither relating to the character’s personality or motivations. The past and present were combined in a way that was confusing and troublesome. The writing style itself was simplistic, but this too was unfocused. Sentences seemed to meander. Thoughts weren’t clarified. It felt, coupled with the use of past and present, very cumbersome.
With flashbacks we learn, once Griff does a snowy, and at the end seemly undeveloped surprised visit to Griff—a trip no less from Boston to the Cape even though their relationship is, well nothing much and he’s never visited before and really he had to look Vince up—all about their silly trials and tribulations.
Vince spotted Giff across his first college class, and so marks the beginning of obsession and the needless invasion of privacy and boundaries. His love is startlingly in its haste, and his stalkerness quickly develops into something that borderlines on clinical.
We learn that Giff and Vince had only really fostered a year-long relationship, until Vince, all inappropriate with one instance of non-consensual sexual touch, finally figures out he really has crossed boundaries. The two part abruptly, and Griff can’t really figure out why and what contributed to the ending of a seemingly functioning and loving friendship. It was really only one year, and while Griff really did appear to have affection for Vince, weighed against Vince’s feelings it just seemed like a typical roommate situation. Griff’s relationship with Vince had elements of relationships with roommates I could relate to, but nothing beyond a strong friendship. To counter a lack of emotional content, the story should have expanded their cohabitation to two years, rather than one. Given the final, abrupt reason for severing the relationship, I as a reader NEEDED more, maybe a few mutual instances of sexual exploration, or some sort of deeper reciprocation of affection beyond the common friendship.
Intermingled in the present is Zane, who is an all-together loving, charming, and somewhat broken but in a very honest way. He is in love with Vince, and Vince, even though he can’t dispatch his feelings for Griff, adores Zane. However, because Vince has yet to get it through his head that Giff doesn’t love him, that he will never have Giff sexually, he continues to ignore his feelings for Zane and really shatters the poor fellows heart. Zane character, motivation, and drives were really the only successful part of this book.
Vince and Giff end up on some sort of self-discovery, but precarious, uneven writing and an unrealized plot plunder the novel’s intended meaning. It seems that the author was trying to examine the very nature of relationships, and in particular that silly trendy thing called a ‘bromance’. The idea of being at home with another individual and figuring out and defining this particular concept, and finally realizing it. Unfortunately this was only really laid bare at the very end, and without really understanding how obsessive Vince further integrated this new knowledge I was left with a feeling of emptiness. He spent so much time infatuated with this man that I expected, no required some exploration in the ways this affected him. An epilogue, like usual, even when five months after the ending of the book, was neither effective nor successful in answering important questions.
The novel was ultimately underwhelming and underdeveloped. It left me as a reader neither relating to the character’s personality or motivations. The past and present were combined in a way that was confusing and troublesome. The writing style itself was simplistic, but this too was unfocused. Sentences seemed to meander. Thoughts weren’t clarified. It felt, coupled with the use of past and present, very cumbersome.
May 31, 2013
Ben Monopoli must have looked into my head, foraged around and then put together all the chaotic and disjointed pieces, added lots of new ones that make SENSE of them and brushed them into one little piece of art.
It was eerie sometimes to hear my own thoughts - for which I very often don't even have words, only dimly but still weirdly distinct feelings - in someone else's voice and in someone else's head. To see someone else experience maybe not exactly the same situations as I have, but the same general category of situations and see him react in thoughts and feelings the same way I so often have done.
Vince and Griff are both very average and very special at the same time. Vince's fanboydom struck a chord with me, both of their intense introspection and reflection of everything they do and feel, their general ideas of life, their insecurities, their very basic ambitions - I related to all of that. I loved the realism in every sentence, every word. Vince and Griff are real people, small and insignificant, but very great and important for each other, and that's all they really need to be.
They struggle a lot - the concept of bisexuality and that Vince just doesn't understand how anyone could limit their own feelings by something as ordinary as gender is very interesting here - and they both have to learn
And on the way to that place, even when you're usually a good person, you do some bad stuff, hurtful things, selfish things. Because you're not perfect, and you don't even see what you do sometimes. And so do both of them and you want to slug them for it because it's awful, but maybe also because it hits home and is so hauntingly close to what you might have done as well.
I loved that all the side characters were real people too. The exes weren't the mean b**ches from hell, and Zane was simply lovely, very patient and very mature.
The idea of the comic book store was fantastic; I loved the whole geekiness involved. Everything was so damn normal, so undramatic somehow, and yet so incredibly complicated, just as life tends to be.
This is one of the books that is so very insightful, so very real in a world where not everything works out, but where not everything has to - because there are so many ways to go, why would only this one path be the right one? It touched me deeply because of it, because I felt with every one of the characters and they all seemed familiar, seemed true, like people I could and would want to be friends with - not because they're super awesome or super successful or super beautiful or super smart, but because they're my kind of people.
Very very very very recommended!
It was eerie sometimes to hear my own thoughts - for which I very often don't even have words, only dimly but still weirdly distinct feelings - in someone else's voice and in someone else's head. To see someone else experience maybe not exactly the same situations as I have, but the same general category of situations and see him react in thoughts and feelings the same way I so often have done.
Vince and Griff are both very average and very special at the same time. Vince's fanboydom struck a chord with me, both of their intense introspection and reflection of everything they do and feel, their general ideas of life, their insecurities, their very basic ambitions - I related to all of that. I loved the realism in every sentence, every word. Vince and Griff are real people, small and insignificant, but very great and important for each other, and that's all they really need to be.
They struggle a lot - the concept of bisexuality and that Vince just doesn't understand how anyone could limit their own feelings by something as ordinary as gender is very interesting here - and they both have to learn
And on the way to that place, even when you're usually a good person, you do some bad stuff, hurtful things, selfish things. Because you're not perfect, and you don't even see what you do sometimes. And so do both of them and you want to slug them for it because it's awful, but maybe also because it hits home and is so hauntingly close to what you might have done as well.
I loved that all the side characters were real people too. The exes weren't the mean b**ches from hell, and Zane was simply lovely, very patient and very mature.
The idea of the comic book store was fantastic; I loved the whole geekiness involved. Everything was so damn normal, so undramatic somehow, and yet so incredibly complicated, just as life tends to be.
This is one of the books that is so very insightful, so very real in a world where not everything works out, but where not everything has to - because there are so many ways to go, why would only this one path be the right one? It touched me deeply because of it, because I felt with every one of the characters and they all seemed familiar, seemed true, like people I could and would want to be friends with - not because they're super awesome or super successful or super beautiful or super smart, but because they're my kind of people.
Very very very very recommended!
June 5, 2011
Slight spoilers may be scattered here and there. I'm not quite sure about the quality of this review - this is more of a reflective thing than something recollecting the finer points about this book, but hopefully I may be able to share with you the wonder it brought to me, and maybe - somewhere along the way when you yourselves are reading this book - you'll feel the same way too, or maybe feel different.
There aren't a lot of coherent things I can say about this book. More than anything, though, I can safely say that I grew up with Vince along the way, that I learned the same things that he did the same time he learned them. I learned that not everything can go the way I want them to be the same time Vince learned that not everything can go his way. And it's hard, it's hard to finish a book you've invested so much time in and learn that it didn't end the way you want it to end, knowing that you just have to accept things the way they are. It struck me like lighting - a couple of pages left, and Griff was still holding his ground. And I knew then, felt that this was inevitable. Because guess what? It didn't end the way I would've wanted it to end.
But there's something in a good book that makes you love it regardless of what happens in the end, regardless of this deep feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, knowing that there would've been a smile on your face had it ended differently. As of this moment I know my face is red, dried tears painting marks on my cheeks. And yet, despite the feelings of pain this book has reopened, the feelings of a lost love I'm forced to reconcile with, I'm in love with this book. Is it the writing? Is it the characters? When I think about it, yes, maybe the writing and the characters have contributed to this syndrome I have - this feeling of a pounding heart and uneven breath I got as I read the last sentence.
It was nostalgic, first and foremost. It's a known fact among my friends and family that I go weak in my knees whenever nostalgia is involved. I cry, I laugh, I reminisce. And in this case, Vince not only reminded me of my own personal brand of baggage and nostalgia, but he fueled it, too. I moved across the world almost a year back, left a lifetime of memories and growing-up in the country I've learned to love despite its shortcomings. Vince left it all behind too, in that one room he occupied with Griff for two semesters. It's at this point that I'd like to say that there's a piece of Vince in all of us, no matter what age we may be.
And love. How do I describe this vivid picture of love that Ben Monopoli has painted in this book? As I've said before, I've learned my lessons the same time Vince learned his. I've learned that love comes in all forms, and not just the romantic and familial kinds of love that we all so crave, that I crave. In the end, I've learned to accept the love Griff feels for Vince, because how can I not? How can I not when it's beautiful? When it's probably much better in spirit and form than half the ones we see everyday?
The Cranberry Hush is what it is. For me the end felt unforgiving, like a knife through the gut. But young as I am, it's hard not to have a idealistic view on everything I read. The ending felt right though, that had it ended any other way it would've taken away the whole essence of the story. It was more of a bittersweet ordeal for me - not only because of the ending, but because of the emotional twists and turns I've experienced through the six hours I've read this book. Read it; it may be different for you guys, but I assure you, it's going to take your breath away nevertheless.
There aren't a lot of coherent things I can say about this book. More than anything, though, I can safely say that I grew up with Vince along the way, that I learned the same things that he did the same time he learned them. I learned that not everything can go the way I want them to be the same time Vince learned that not everything can go his way. And it's hard, it's hard to finish a book you've invested so much time in and learn that it didn't end the way you want it to end, knowing that you just have to accept things the way they are. It struck me like lighting - a couple of pages left, and Griff was still holding his ground. And I knew then, felt that this was inevitable. Because guess what? It didn't end the way I would've wanted it to end.
But there's something in a good book that makes you love it regardless of what happens in the end, regardless of this deep feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, knowing that there would've been a smile on your face had it ended differently. As of this moment I know my face is red, dried tears painting marks on my cheeks. And yet, despite the feelings of pain this book has reopened, the feelings of a lost love I'm forced to reconcile with, I'm in love with this book. Is it the writing? Is it the characters? When I think about it, yes, maybe the writing and the characters have contributed to this syndrome I have - this feeling of a pounding heart and uneven breath I got as I read the last sentence.
It was nostalgic, first and foremost. It's a known fact among my friends and family that I go weak in my knees whenever nostalgia is involved. I cry, I laugh, I reminisce. And in this case, Vince not only reminded me of my own personal brand of baggage and nostalgia, but he fueled it, too. I moved across the world almost a year back, left a lifetime of memories and growing-up in the country I've learned to love despite its shortcomings. Vince left it all behind too, in that one room he occupied with Griff for two semesters. It's at this point that I'd like to say that there's a piece of Vince in all of us, no matter what age we may be.
And love. How do I describe this vivid picture of love that Ben Monopoli has painted in this book? As I've said before, I've learned my lessons the same time Vince learned his. I've learned that love comes in all forms, and not just the romantic and familial kinds of love that we all so crave, that I crave. In the end, I've learned to accept the love Griff feels for Vince, because how can I not? How can I not when it's beautiful? When it's probably much better in spirit and form than half the ones we see everyday?
The Cranberry Hush is what it is. For me the end felt unforgiving, like a knife through the gut. But young as I am, it's hard not to have a idealistic view on everything I read. The ending felt right though, that had it ended any other way it would've taken away the whole essence of the story. It was more of a bittersweet ordeal for me - not only because of the ending, but because of the emotional twists and turns I've experienced through the six hours I've read this book. Read it; it may be different for you guys, but I assure you, it's going to take your breath away nevertheless.
May 2, 2011
The self-publishing bubble has not only created some new names as surprising best-sellers, it has also loaded genre lists on Amazon and B&N with a whole lot of crap. I've been burnt so frequently since buying my Kindle that I won't buy anything anymore if I haven't previewed it. So, yesterday, I was doing a whole lot of previewing when I came across this story, and I was pleasantly surprised. Only my glancing up at the clock at 1:00am last night prevented me from reading it in one sitting.
If you read reviews about this book, you'll roll your eyes and think, "Okay, typical gay male fantasy - gay guy falls in love with straight guy - things happen, and they live happily ever after (or at least have a really hot roll in the hay)." Author Ben Monopoli knows that's what you're going to think, so you spend the first several minutes getting to know the protagonist - Vince, a geek out of college a few years, managing a comic store with two other geeks, one with whom there seems to a romance in the making. At the pace Vince starts his day and lives his life, you get the feeling that any romance he might be contemplating will probably pass him by before he acts on it. And, then someone comes dragging up a snow-filled street, someone he thought he had buried in his past, and in his heart - forcing Vince to confront a desire that was holding him back from getting on with his life.
Vince, of course, being half-gay, is a person well in touch with his emotions - slightly. He feels things deeply, interprets everything emotionally - but, if you knew him in real life, he would never let you know it. There's a stoic wall around him, and he's been hurt enough not to trust anyone near his heart - even the guy that always seemed like he might be "the one."
For fans of gay or m/m romance, this is not a "fantasy boyfriend rides up on white horse and saves the day" book. It is real. It is gritty. The emotional maturity of the characters seem slightly more evolved than the average twenty-something (for some reason, they always popped in my head as youngish thirty-somethings), but it is impossible to dwell on that - the mental torment Vince puts himself through with the men he wants, the men who want him, and the man he can't have ... it will leave you feeling emotionally spent, and never wanting to be reading too much of it without tissues nearby. It's like Brokeback Mountain without cowboys or the Nicholas Sparks ending.
This book succeeds where so many among the new emerging self-pubbed authors fail. This was not written by some hack who vomits out 12-15 books (should I say "booklets?") a year without the benefit of a second draft, or an editor. Ben spent time with these characters, with this story, and I for one will sit in eager anticipation for the next book that leaves his mind, his heart, and his fingertips.
This book was a JOY to read, and I happily recommend it!
"I have learned ... that memories aren't things that have to pile up and overwhelm you. They're just colors ... that shade all the new things you feel." (Ben Monopoli, The Cranberry Hush)
If you read reviews about this book, you'll roll your eyes and think, "Okay, typical gay male fantasy - gay guy falls in love with straight guy - things happen, and they live happily ever after (or at least have a really hot roll in the hay)." Author Ben Monopoli knows that's what you're going to think, so you spend the first several minutes getting to know the protagonist - Vince, a geek out of college a few years, managing a comic store with two other geeks, one with whom there seems to a romance in the making. At the pace Vince starts his day and lives his life, you get the feeling that any romance he might be contemplating will probably pass him by before he acts on it. And, then someone comes dragging up a snow-filled street, someone he thought he had buried in his past, and in his heart - forcing Vince to confront a desire that was holding him back from getting on with his life.
Vince, of course, being half-gay, is a person well in touch with his emotions - slightly. He feels things deeply, interprets everything emotionally - but, if you knew him in real life, he would never let you know it. There's a stoic wall around him, and he's been hurt enough not to trust anyone near his heart - even the guy that always seemed like he might be "the one."
For fans of gay or m/m romance, this is not a "fantasy boyfriend rides up on white horse and saves the day" book. It is real. It is gritty. The emotional maturity of the characters seem slightly more evolved than the average twenty-something (for some reason, they always popped in my head as youngish thirty-somethings), but it is impossible to dwell on that - the mental torment Vince puts himself through with the men he wants, the men who want him, and the man he can't have ... it will leave you feeling emotionally spent, and never wanting to be reading too much of it without tissues nearby. It's like Brokeback Mountain without cowboys or the Nicholas Sparks ending.
This book succeeds where so many among the new emerging self-pubbed authors fail. This was not written by some hack who vomits out 12-15 books (should I say "booklets?") a year without the benefit of a second draft, or an editor. Ben spent time with these characters, with this story, and I for one will sit in eager anticipation for the next book that leaves his mind, his heart, and his fingertips.
This book was a JOY to read, and I happily recommend it!
"I have learned ... that memories aren't things that have to pile up and overwhelm you. They're just colors ... that shade all the new things you feel." (Ben Monopoli, The Cranberry Hush)
May 19, 2013
For a short time in college Vince Dandro and Griff Neal were best friends. Inseparable. What one of their friends even called 'Lifebuddies.' But then one day Vince walked away from the friendship – his love for Griff just too much for him to take.
Now, a few years later, it's Griff who suddenly walks back into Vince's life. Literally. Unknown to each other, they've both been struggling in navigating the post-college void, unable to move forward with their lives. Over the course of the next week you see them reconnect and learn what happened to them in college.
I had a hard time reading parts of this book, especially the last 70 pages or so, not because it's poorly written, but rather because it's so well-written. I desperately wanted the book to end one way but there really was no other way the book could have ended other than the way it does, and I'm not too proud to say that I snotsobbed my way to the end.
There are sentences and passages in this book that are so beautifully written that I wished I'd made them up. Several times I found myself going back and re-reading them, awed by the sheer simplicity and honesty of the words the author uses to masterfully tell this story.
Now, a few years later, it's Griff who suddenly walks back into Vince's life. Literally. Unknown to each other, they've both been struggling in navigating the post-college void, unable to move forward with their lives. Over the course of the next week you see them reconnect and learn what happened to them in college.
I had a hard time reading parts of this book, especially the last 70 pages or so, not because it's poorly written, but rather because it's so well-written. I desperately wanted the book to end one way but there really was no other way the book could have ended other than the way it does, and I'm not too proud to say that I snotsobbed my way to the end.
There are sentences and passages in this book that are so beautifully written that I wished I'd made them up. Several times I found myself going back and re-reading them, awed by the sheer simplicity and honesty of the words the author uses to masterfully tell this story.
September 24, 2015
Taco flavored kisses for the people who read this.
This book made me kind of cry.
This book is realistic.
This book made me want to jump my roommates.
There is no HEA here, just a HFN... with a lot of potential at the end. I feel really sorry for the other love interest as... well, he will probably never be truly happy. There is a lot of nostalgia, as one of the characters misses college... a lot, and mentions it nearly every other chapter. If you find yourself the type of person who misses the past, you will love this. If you want to read a book that reminds you of real life, read this.
If you are the Cinderella type, read something else :(
This book made me kind of cry.
This book is realistic.
This book made me want to jump my roommates.
There is no HEA here, just a HFN... with a lot of potential at the end. I feel really sorry for the other love interest as... well, he will probably never be truly happy. There is a lot of nostalgia, as one of the characters misses college... a lot, and mentions it nearly every other chapter. If you find yourself the type of person who misses the past, you will love this. If you want to read a book that reminds you of real life, read this.
If you are the Cinderella type, read something else :(
April 29, 2011
Charming and unexpected. This story didn't go in the direction it could so easily have gone, and I loved it for that. It's beautifully written; I hope to read more from this author in the future.
March 4, 2015
*Long Review*
Ben Monopoli's The Cranberry Hush is a magnificent love story. No, not a romance, but a story about love: love between friends, unrequited love, idealized love, and the bond between soul mates. It is real and wonderful, tender and painful all wrapped up together, and I will never forget this story.
Our bisexual main character Vince is drifting through his life, living alone, working in a comic book store and mired in his own nostalgia. His best college friend, Griffin, shows up during a blizzard and the novel follows them over the course of a week as they sort out the directions of their lives.
This book is slow paced, quiet, and deeply affecting; which makes complete sense, as it is told through Vince’s POV. He finds beauty in the ordinary, and every corner of his house is filled with memories. When Griffin arrives, each detail, picture, and remark brings to life the love for Griff he’s held for years; the narration is incredibly true to that first-love feeling. And the flashbacks, placed perfectly throughout the story, flush out and give depth to the reunion in current time.
”But doesn’t it feel weird to have the potential to fall in love with every person you meet? All your friends?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I think it’s weirder to only be able to fall in love with half of the people you meet.”
Vince’s bisexuality is an integral part of his personality and how he lives his tranquil life. There was one point where he saw shapes in his sleeping friend’s hair, and that very simple, tender moment was when I became hooked. And it was only the first of many.
A coworker at the bookstore, Zane, proves to be a vital addition to the pair. The youngest in age but clearly the wisest, his presence is the anchor in the trio: an alternate reflection of the love between the two.
Above all, Monopoli's writing is exquisite. I felt what Vince felt and saw what he saw. The friendship was ideally depicted on the page, and humor conveyed effortlessly. Griffin lives with synesthesia, where he sees emotion in color – unusual but essential in the atmosphere of the novel. Vince’s records, the snow, the lighthouse, the ‘green eyes with flecks of brown,’ they all fit continuously in the quiet hush of Vince’s life. The imagery here is stunning.
”I have learned, though, that memories aren’t things that have to pile up and overwhelm you. They’re just colors, like Griff’s colors, that shade all the new things you feel.”
This book left me raw, hurting and boundlessly happy. When it ended I was in that space between laughter and sobs. "Tears filled my eyes but I wasn’t crying, not really," said Vince early on in the book, and I know precisely what he means.
This is why I love bittersweet endings. They show us that life can be beautiful despite imperfection, happy even when it’s painful, and fulfilling although there’s loss. A mixed ending is so hopeful – dare I say better than traditional HEAs – because it’s real! And life isn’t a fairy tale. These characters have the happiest ending they could hope for, and it’s so beautiful it hurts.
"Silver can be pretty great,” he added. "Silver is a happy color."
To go into the plot is to reveal the beauty of the story, but I will say it gives insight on young adulthood, true love and true friendships. It is an emotional journey I cherished each step of the way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tangential Commentary:
This book struck a chord on a personal level. I am in my 20s and finding my way through the "post-college void;" I’ve lost touch and reconnected with close friends who scattered after graduation; I’m bisexual and have that acute memory of falling for a straight girl. I saw so much of myself in this story.
For that reason I found the Cranberry Hush to be incredibly validating. I’ve never met a character like Vince, who was such an honest portrayal of a young bisexual person: someone I could identify with. Those characters I’ve encountered who are bisexual – if not coming out – tend to be abused, confused and/or sociopathic (for example, Toreth from The Administration, Emilio and Hsin from Evenfall (ICoS), Darlington in Untamed). But Vince… he could be someone I know. And while it’s certainly not hard for anyone to empathize with Vince, he'll always have a special place in my heart.
Thank you for making this character, Ben. Thank you for writing such an astounding, beautiful and honest story.
"I was bi and my heart was off-limits to no one, at least not for any reason like what they had between their legs or whether their chests were flat or round. And maybe because of that I never really could believe or understand that Griff, or anyone else, could be deterred from falling in love by such a trivial thing as gender."
Ben Monopoli's The Cranberry Hush is a magnificent love story. No, not a romance, but a story about love: love between friends, unrequited love, idealized love, and the bond between soul mates. It is real and wonderful, tender and painful all wrapped up together, and I will never forget this story.
Our bisexual main character Vince is drifting through his life, living alone, working in a comic book store and mired in his own nostalgia. His best college friend, Griffin, shows up during a blizzard and the novel follows them over the course of a week as they sort out the directions of their lives.
This book is slow paced, quiet, and deeply affecting; which makes complete sense, as it is told through Vince’s POV. He finds beauty in the ordinary, and every corner of his house is filled with memories. When Griffin arrives, each detail, picture, and remark brings to life the love for Griff he’s held for years; the narration is incredibly true to that first-love feeling. And the flashbacks, placed perfectly throughout the story, flush out and give depth to the reunion in current time.
”But doesn’t it feel weird to have the potential to fall in love with every person you meet? All your friends?”
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I think it’s weirder to only be able to fall in love with half of the people you meet.”
Vince’s bisexuality is an integral part of his personality and how he lives his tranquil life. There was one point where he saw shapes in his sleeping friend’s hair, and that very simple, tender moment was when I became hooked. And it was only the first of many.
A coworker at the bookstore, Zane, proves to be a vital addition to the pair. The youngest in age but clearly the wisest, his presence is the anchor in the trio: an alternate reflection of the love between the two.
Above all, Monopoli's writing is exquisite. I felt what Vince felt and saw what he saw. The friendship was ideally depicted on the page, and humor conveyed effortlessly. Griffin lives with synesthesia, where he sees emotion in color – unusual but essential in the atmosphere of the novel. Vince’s records, the snow, the lighthouse, the ‘green eyes with flecks of brown,’ they all fit continuously in the quiet hush of Vince’s life. The imagery here is stunning.
”I have learned, though, that memories aren’t things that have to pile up and overwhelm you. They’re just colors, like Griff’s colors, that shade all the new things you feel.”
This book left me raw, hurting and boundlessly happy. When it ended I was in that space between laughter and sobs. "Tears filled my eyes but I wasn’t crying, not really," said Vince early on in the book, and I know precisely what he means.
This is why I love bittersweet endings. They show us that life can be beautiful despite imperfection, happy even when it’s painful, and fulfilling although there’s loss. A mixed ending is so hopeful – dare I say better than traditional HEAs – because it’s real! And life isn’t a fairy tale. These characters have the happiest ending they could hope for, and it’s so beautiful it hurts.
"Silver can be pretty great,” he added. "Silver is a happy color."
To go into the plot is to reveal the beauty of the story, but I will say it gives insight on young adulthood, true love and true friendships. It is an emotional journey I cherished each step of the way.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tangential Commentary:
This book struck a chord on a personal level. I am in my 20s and finding my way through the "post-college void;" I’ve lost touch and reconnected with close friends who scattered after graduation; I’m bisexual and have that acute memory of falling for a straight girl. I saw so much of myself in this story.
For that reason I found the Cranberry Hush to be incredibly validating. I’ve never met a character like Vince, who was such an honest portrayal of a young bisexual person: someone I could identify with. Those characters I’ve encountered who are bisexual – if not coming out – tend to be abused, confused and/or sociopathic (for example, Toreth from The Administration, Emilio and Hsin from Evenfall (ICoS), Darlington in Untamed). But Vince… he could be someone I know. And while it’s certainly not hard for anyone to empathize with Vince, he'll always have a special place in my heart.
Thank you for making this character, Ben. Thank you for writing such an astounding, beautiful and honest story.
"I was bi and my heart was off-limits to no one, at least not for any reason like what they had between their legs or whether their chests were flat or round. And maybe because of that I never really could believe or understand that Griff, or anyone else, could be deterred from falling in love by such a trivial thing as gender."
June 18, 2013
This is a story about Vince and Griff who are both trying to find their place in the world and about a kiss that ought to solve everything. This is a story about friendship, love and life. As we know, life is a series of difficult questions that rarely have easy answers to them. Sometimes, when looking for those answers, you feel both happy and sad at the same time. And that's how this book made me feel. Immensely happy and desperately sad. But the feeling that remained when the last page was read was quiet, serene, hopeful happiness.
I read a quote somewhere that life is about using the whole box of crayons. What Vince and Griff are learning to do during this story is just that, I think. They pick up the crayons they haven't used before and color over the lines, too. I was impressed by the everyday things, everyday beauty Ben Monopoli captured with his writing and the smart, insightful way he drew his characters. I love the fresh feel of his writing and all the delicate details in it. This author always keeps me on my toes, because I can never predict how the story will end.
The story has such unexpected beauty in it that I guess it was no surprise that I sobbed my way through the very last pages. The Cranberry Hush left me thinking about the things that truly matter in life and how our happiness depends on the people around us. And the fact that in the end of our lives we'll only regret the chances we didn't dare to take, right? I highly recommend this book. It will make a difference. It will change the way you look at the world around you.
And yes, that kiss changes everything — but not the way you would have expected.
I read a quote somewhere that life is about using the whole box of crayons. What Vince and Griff are learning to do during this story is just that, I think. They pick up the crayons they haven't used before and color over the lines, too. I was impressed by the everyday things, everyday beauty Ben Monopoli captured with his writing and the smart, insightful way he drew his characters. I love the fresh feel of his writing and all the delicate details in it. This author always keeps me on my toes, because I can never predict how the story will end.
The story has such unexpected beauty in it that I guess it was no surprise that I sobbed my way through the very last pages. The Cranberry Hush left me thinking about the things that truly matter in life and how our happiness depends on the people around us. And the fact that in the end of our lives we'll only regret the chances we didn't dare to take, right? I highly recommend this book. It will make a difference. It will change the way you look at the world around you.
And yes, that kiss changes everything — but not the way you would have expected.
December 26, 2018
Repost 2012 Review:
This is a book about a young bi-sexual man named Vince. Vince has people who love him. But Vince is in an abusive relationship with his imagination. I spent most of this book wanting to stage an intervention. Cranberry Hush tells the story of what happens when the object of Vince's fantasies drops into his life again.
There are a lot of reviews already, so I'm not going to say a lot. Cranberry Hush is well written. I feel like it's a really good book about a really bad situation. In my younger days I'd have probably given it 5 stars. But I reserve 5 star ratings for books that I would re-read, and the emotional space this book inhabits is not one I want to visit again. Been there, done that, don't want to go back. But Ben Monopoli can write, and I will definitely give due consideration to his works from here on.
This book did bring to mind a recent thread on cliches and constraints of the M/M Romance genre. People tired of that and looking for something different might want to try this. But be warned this is not M/M Romance, this is gay fiction. As another reviewer said, it is a love story, but it is most definitely not a romance. This book is intensely angsty. Bittersweet.
I think I need something with a nice, happy murder to read next.
This is a book about a young bi-sexual man named Vince. Vince has people who love him. But Vince is in an abusive relationship with his imagination. I spent most of this book wanting to stage an intervention. Cranberry Hush tells the story of what happens when the object of Vince's fantasies drops into his life again.
There are a lot of reviews already, so I'm not going to say a lot. Cranberry Hush is well written. I feel like it's a really good book about a really bad situation. In my younger days I'd have probably given it 5 stars. But I reserve 5 star ratings for books that I would re-read, and the emotional space this book inhabits is not one I want to visit again. Been there, done that, don't want to go back. But Ben Monopoli can write, and I will definitely give due consideration to his works from here on.
This book did bring to mind a recent thread on cliches and constraints of the M/M Romance genre. People tired of that and looking for something different might want to try this. But be warned this is not M/M Romance, this is gay fiction. As another reviewer said, it is a love story, but it is most definitely not a romance. This book is intensely angsty. Bittersweet.
I think I need something with a nice, happy murder to read next.
March 3, 2017
Bit of an unexpected read, really. It's a tale of two friendships, happening four years apart, between the same two fellows. I really enjoyed the well written story, though it took me a while to warm to a few of the characters and to fall into step with the the book's pace. Once there, however, it really grew on me. There's a comprehensible structure to the novel, and it does not (in my opinion) meander. Good writing craft at work here, I think.
The Cranberry Hush has a mood: nostalgic, reminiscent and quiet but with an intensity that caught me unaware. I thought characters were well developed and believable: they have their flaws, but are not without humour. A bit angst-ridden, to be sure, but without spoiling the story, that's not the point of the book. The resolution is unusual (for gay novels), but by no means unhappy. But then I'm not sure it's as much a gay novel as a novel with gay characters, anyway. That, to me, is not a bad thing at all.
The Cranberry Hush has a mood: nostalgic, reminiscent and quiet but with an intensity that caught me unaware. I thought characters were well developed and believable: they have their flaws, but are not without humour. A bit angst-ridden, to be sure, but without spoiling the story, that's not the point of the book. The resolution is unusual (for gay novels), but by no means unhappy. But then I'm not sure it's as much a gay novel as a novel with gay characters, anyway. That, to me, is not a bad thing at all.
Read
March 25, 2012I don't know how many stars to slap on this novel, because the fact it deserves five and I can't bring myself to award it five gives me the guilts. This is an extraordinary story, beautifully crafted and laced with unpretentious wisdom. I love its quiet intensity. I really, REALLY love the author's writing. But for the odd and jarring device of using "..." to indicate (I think?) dumbfounded silences, or something, this story was a joy to read. Except, except (and this seems so damned petty of me)--
I didn't like the POV character, Vince, being bi. Although I fully understood the thematic significance of his bisexuality, it gave me the kind of unease I feel after having been outside in the spring or fall and wondering if a tick is skulking somewhere beneath my hair or clothing. Throughout the story, it undermined my enjoyment of watching the two central relationships unfold, as well as my appreciation of their optimistic resolutions.
And I adored the character of Zane, so couldn't help but feel he got shortchanged by having to accept second place, as it were.
I suspect my reaction is the result of being so immersed for so long, both as a reader and writer, in m/m fiction. I want gay characters to be, well, gay. Thoroughly and unapologetically. Even if their stories come with no HEA or HFN. I don't want even the slightest breath of a possibility that a supposedly gay protag will ultimately bail into a more or less traditional hetero partnership/marriage. It feels almost like a betrayal.
But, hey, that's me. This is a fabulous book. Read it.
I didn't like the POV character, Vince, being bi. Although I fully understood the thematic significance of his bisexuality, it gave me the kind of unease I feel after having been outside in the spring or fall and wondering if a tick is skulking somewhere beneath my hair or clothing. Throughout the story, it undermined my enjoyment of watching the two central relationships unfold, as well as my appreciation of their optimistic resolutions.
And I adored the character of Zane, so couldn't help but feel he got shortchanged by having to accept second place, as it were.
I suspect my reaction is the result of being so immersed for so long, both as a reader and writer, in m/m fiction. I want gay characters to be, well, gay. Thoroughly and unapologetically. Even if their stories come with no HEA or HFN. I don't want even the slightest breath of a possibility that a supposedly gay protag will ultimately bail into a more or less traditional hetero partnership/marriage. It feels almost like a betrayal.
But, hey, that's me. This is a fabulous book. Read it.
September 14, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Even though this books was released in 2011, it still stands out as an intriguing story about understanding relationships and recognizing that even though you may not get the end result you desire, there is still hope. For instance, Vince, a twenty-something post grad, lives in a sort of childish existence, remembering yet avoiding the idea of being in love with his former college roommate. When Griff shows up on his doorstep, essentially forcing Vince to confront his still active feelings about the guy, there is a realization that Griff will always be straight and never feel about Vince as he would like him too.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Even though this books was released in 2011, it still stands out as an intriguing story about understanding relationships and recognizing that even though you may not get the end result you desire, there is still hope. For instance, Vince, a twenty-something post grad, lives in a sort of childish existence, remembering yet avoiding the idea of being in love with his former college roommate. When Griff shows up on his doorstep, essentially forcing Vince to confront his still active feelings about the guy, there is a realization that Griff will always be straight and never feel about Vince as he would like him too.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
September 10, 2011
Not what I was expecting. In this case, that was a good thing. Could've done with a few less flashbacks even as informative and important as they were. Not that big of an issue, though. My heart hurts and it feels both full and empty. I need to make a couple of calls, reach back 20 years, reconnect, go down memory lane, laugh, cry and torture myself some more. Lovely reviews already, check them out.
September 8, 2015
This is perfect.
Nostalgic and sweet, it tells a story about a love that is unconventional but beautiful all the same. It's as much a lesson as it is a story - about life not always working out the way a movie might and about friendship, and how it is as a form of love - all wrapped up in beautiful prose. The story can be overlong at places, but the last 30 or so pages managed to make-up for just about anything. It's not a romance novel; it's a love story, and a very beautiful one at that.
Nostalgic and sweet, it tells a story about a love that is unconventional but beautiful all the same. It's as much a lesson as it is a story - about life not always working out the way a movie might and about friendship, and how it is as a form of love - all wrapped up in beautiful prose. The story can be overlong at places, but the last 30 or so pages managed to make-up for just about anything. It's not a romance novel; it's a love story, and a very beautiful one at that.
July 2, 2011
This novel is both the first I've read by Ben Monopoli and the first time I've read a story about unrequited love. I worried that this might be a depressing read, and there were some sad moments, but they were far outweighed by the wonderful friendship that Griff and Vince enjoyed. That foundation made the story perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will look for more titles by this author.
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