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Every Time I Think of You #1
Every Time I Think of You
After an abrupt encounter in a small woods of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Reid Conniff, a shy and studious high school distance runner, becomes swept up in the adventurous world of Everett Forrester, a privileged and capricious charmer. Overcoming the distance of their separate schools, parental interference, and a nearly fatal accident, the two young men find a way to be together in spite of their own doubts and fears. Set in 1979-1980, 'Every Time I Think of You' recalls a halcyon era in America's past with a personal voice.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 26, 2011
22 people are currently reading
1249 people want to read
About the author
Jim Provenzano
14 books137 followersJim Provenzano is the author of the novels Finding Tulsa, Now I'm Here, PINS, Monkey Suits, Cyclizen, the 2012 Lambda Literary Award-winning Every Time I Think of You, its sequel Message of Love (a Lammy finalist), and the stage adaptation of PINS (a Bay Area Theatre Critics awardee). His short fiction collection Forty Wild Crushes includes new and previously published stories.
He edited and published his late uncle John Rigney Jr.'s 1950s novel, The Lost of New York, in 2022. His latest work is the YA novella, Lessons in Teenage Biology, out May 6 (ebook) and June 1 (paperback), 2024.
A journalist in LGBT media for more than three decades, and the guest curator of Sporting Life, the world's first gay athletics exhibit, he also wrote the award-winning syndicated Sports Complex column for ten years. He's currently the Arts Editor at the Bay Area Reporter.
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He edited and published his late uncle John Rigney Jr.'s 1950s novel, The Lost of New York, in 2022. His latest work is the YA novella, Lessons in Teenage Biology, out May 6 (ebook) and June 1 (paperback), 2024.
A journalist in LGBT media for more than three decades, and the guest curator of Sporting Life, the world's first gay athletics exhibit, he also wrote the award-winning syndicated Sports Complex column for ten years. He's currently the Arts Editor at the Bay Area Reporter.
jimprovenzano.com
jimprovenzano.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/JimProvenzanoAuthor
www.amazon.com/author/jimprovenzano
twitter.com/jim_provenzano
www.instagram.com/jimprovenzano
YouTube Channel
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 28, 2018
5++ Stars.
"Every time i think of you,it always turns out good...
I stumbled across this one quite by accident after seeing a friend's status update and I just knew from the beginning this was going to be special.This Author can write and I'm still surprised by how many wonderful MM Authors that are out there that don't have more recognition.
I feel as though I'm repeating myself here but if you're interested in reading this don't read reviews because quite a few give indications about the subject matter.
This one completely stole my heart
It starts with a strange sexual encounter that will connect two characters and have a profound effect on their young lives.
Everett is beautiful,popular,enigmatic and has an easy charm about him.
Reid is a bit awkward,no one really sees him.
Their story is quite beautiful but not always easy to read but I just loved it.I read this in one sitting,I couldn't read it fast enough.Trust me,even if YA isn't your thing but you love MM ,this one will captivate you,“There are so many things we can’t do, places we can’t be ourselves. Here,” his upward glance drew me to the dark tree branches, oaks mostly, canopied above us, “God sees us and likes it.”But, you know, I hope you don’t mind me calling you my boyfriend. I’m not sure what we are, except you’re the most important person to me.(...)
…” I couldn’t explain how he’d inspired me, driven me to grow, and by loving him love myself. “(...)
“Are you happy?” “Every time I think of him.” Helen folded a sweater and said, “I guess people who are meant to be together will always find their way.”
And that last quote really is what this book is about
I can't really put into words how much I loved this book.The story is narrated by Reid but at no point did I feel the need to hear Everett's voice because Reid's voice is really all you need here.
It's a powerful story.A powerful love with all the insecurities that are inevitable with young love.
Highly Recommended.
March 12, 2021
4.25 Giraffe and Monkey stars
This is one beautiful coming of age story told in the POV of a quirky teen named Reid. I enjoyed Reid's voice.
The writing was good and engaging. The story is so beautiful and enjoyable. Not your typical YA story, but I found it so damn beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. The humor so good too.
The characters well developed and so damn likable.
I loved Reid and Everett so much.
This is one of the best YA books I have ever read to date.
This is one beautiful coming of age story told in the POV of a quirky teen named Reid. I enjoyed Reid's voice.
The writing was good and engaging. The story is so beautiful and enjoyable. Not your typical YA story, but I found it so damn beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. The humor so good too.
The characters well developed and so damn likable.
I loved Reid and Everett so much.
This is one of the best YA books I have ever read to date.
August 5, 2016
I can be prude when it comes to sex scenes, needing time to get to know the characters before matters progress too far. Every Time I Think of You starts with a sex scene, but one so beautifully written that I wasn’t put off at all. In fact, it’s a fantasy that regularly went through my mind as I was growing up. I wonder how many other boys in the woods were having similar dreams. Regardless, the writing style is what first lured me into this book, and the characters of Everett and Reid kept me coming back for more. The relationship between the two characters develops almost instantaneously, and even though I’m a sucker for a long build, Jim Provenzano masterfully weaves the lives of two very different characters together. Everett is educated, strange and aloof, and his counterpart Reid is so earnest in his feelings that the reader can’t help but sympathize with him.
The happy couple is put through the wringer toward the end of the novel, and I have to give the author kudos for not skirting around the gruesome details. Disabilities are often treated with a manic optimism in many stories, I suppose with the intent of putting a positive spin on a difficult situation. Provenzano doesn’t avoid the shadows, allowing his characters to struggle, which feels refreshingly real and fair. He also provides a light at the end of the tunnel, so those that need their happily-ever-after should be okay by the end of the novel. I understand a sequel is in the works, which I think could be great. I finished the book still uncertain about who Everett was. Things like the Polaroid made me wonder if he was ever as dedicated as Reid. And Reid seemed to grow strongest on his own, although some of that surely came from his feelings for Everett. I’d love to see these two characters again, to discover what kind of relationship they have when the world isn’t keeping them apart.
There’s a reason this book is a 2012 Lambda Literary Award finalist, and Jim Provenzano has certainly earned the honor with this wonderful tale. Check it out yourself and see what you think. You won’t be disappointed.
The happy couple is put through the wringer toward the end of the novel, and I have to give the author kudos for not skirting around the gruesome details. Disabilities are often treated with a manic optimism in many stories, I suppose with the intent of putting a positive spin on a difficult situation. Provenzano doesn’t avoid the shadows, allowing his characters to struggle, which feels refreshingly real and fair. He also provides a light at the end of the tunnel, so those that need their happily-ever-after should be okay by the end of the novel. I understand a sequel is in the works, which I think could be great. I finished the book still uncertain about who Everett was. Things like the Polaroid made me wonder if he was ever as dedicated as Reid. And Reid seemed to grow strongest on his own, although some of that surely came from his feelings for Everett. I’d love to see these two characters again, to discover what kind of relationship they have when the world isn’t keeping them apart.
There’s a reason this book is a 2012 Lambda Literary Award finalist, and Jim Provenzano has certainly earned the honor with this wonderful tale. Check it out yourself and see what you think. You won’t be disappointed.
maybe-later
September 7, 2014Edit:
Just to clear things up, because of the way GR formats editions, I didn't realize that the paperback edition had an actual description. I was responding to the original list of advanced praise excerpts in the description on this edition, which has since been changed to an actual description. That seems to have caused some confusion. That's what the sentence below is commenting on.
*
Huh. Turns out the paperback edition actually had a description.
original response to the reviews in the description pane in lieu of an actual, you know, description
the blurb sucks and is total bullshit because it's not a blurb. I don't want any of that advanced praise mumbo jumbo. Don't goddamn tell me what to fucking think; I can think for myself, fuck you very much.
Also, it's against GR's Terms.
Edit: Seeing as the above was perceived as an attack, let me rephrase:
I think this blurb sucks and is bullshit because it doesn't qualify under what I think a blurb should do (i.e. be a short description of the story). I don't want any of that advanced praise mumbo jumbo. I dislike it because it presumes to tell me what to think of the story before I read it, and I don't want any other goddamn person to tell me what the fuck to think; I can think for myself, fuck you very much (which I direct to the Advanced Praise entity itself, addressing its existence where I do not want it, and not the author or any of the affiliated persons).
Also, advanced praises are still against GR's Terms, so they shouldn't have been here in the description. Someone wants to put them in the beginning of the story? Fine. You're allowed to do that. I'll still ignore it and comment on how they annoy me in the beginning of my review because they would be in the text of the work and I, as a reviewer in my reviewing space, would be entitled to comment on that however I wished.
Just to clear things up, because of the way GR formats editions, I didn't realize that the paperback edition had an actual description. I was responding to the original list of advanced praise excerpts in the description on this edition, which has since been changed to an actual description. That seems to have caused some confusion. That's what the sentence below is commenting on.
*
Huh. Turns out the paperback edition actually had a description.
original response to the reviews in the description pane in lieu of an actual, you know, description
Also, it's against GR's Terms.
Edit: Seeing as the above was perceived as an attack, let me rephrase:
I think this blurb sucks and is bullshit because it doesn't qualify under what I think a blurb should do (i.e. be a short description of the story). I don't want any of that advanced praise mumbo jumbo. I dislike it because it presumes to tell me what to think of the story before I read it, and I don't want any other goddamn person to tell me what the fuck to think; I can think for myself, fuck you very much (which I direct to the Advanced Praise entity itself, addressing its existence where I do not want it, and not the author or any of the affiliated persons).
Also, advanced praises are still against GR's Terms, so they shouldn't have been here in the description. Someone wants to put them in the beginning of the story? Fine. You're allowed to do that. I'll still ignore it and comment on how they annoy me in the beginning of my review because they would be in the text of the work and I, as a reviewer in my reviewing space, would be entitled to comment on that however I wished.
January 21, 2015
5+++++ FANTASTIC EMOTIONAL STARS!!!
Ev, Ever, Every, Everything, Everett.
I don't think I can review this book.
I won't be able to find the words that can do it justice.
Maybe I'll try it later, but right now...
I'm overwhelmed with emotions and feelings.
Can you simply believe that this book is great?
This quote, out of the book, can probably explain in the best way the story:
"People who are meant to be together will always find their way."
It was one of the best gay young adult books I've ever read.
Highly highly highly recommended.
Reed Silvio's Reviews, my favourite.
Don's Reviews, if you prefer the short but helpful reviews.
Marshall's Reviews, it hits the nail.
couldn-t-get-into-it
April 19, 2014DNF @20 %, no rating.
The writing was nice enough. I guess this is a case of it's not the book, it's me. I was secretly hoping it would remind me a little bit of Memorizing You, my favorite YA M/M read. While Memorizing You drew me in from the beginning and never let go, Every Time I Think of You simply bored me to tears.
I will gladly move onto the next one…
P.S. The formatting is off (the size of the font differed constantly).
The writing was nice enough. I guess this is a case of it's not the book, it's me. I was secretly hoping it would remind me a little bit of Memorizing You, my favorite YA M/M read. While Memorizing You drew me in from the beginning and never let go, Every Time I Think of You simply bored me to tears.
I will gladly move onto the next one…
P.S. The formatting is off (the size of the font differed constantly).
July 16, 2015
Every time I think of you I remember why I read books.
I couldn’t shake the feeling this book was a kind of therapy for me after reading Memorizing You. The plots have some similarities, in both of them the MC are teens discovering the first/true love, both are set in the 70s and both have an accident that changes their lives forever since. It’s unfair but for me was almost like a series in which this one is the second part you must not fail to read. I don't really feel sorry for that but I apologize for my twisted thoughts.
One of the things I most liked of this story was that it’s totally unusual. The beginning is weird as hell and you wonder how two people can fall in love in those circumstances because they’re far from romantic. At first sight, that is.
In the first pages I thought Everett was an asshole. Yes, I know, it doesn’t start well if you don’t get on with the MC. If I meet someone that irresponsible and reckless and cocky and dishonest I’d think he’s jerk whose only aim is to have fun and don’t give a damn about other people’s feelings. And that’s true, in a way, but not when it’s related to Reid. Because that casual and nervy façade hides a heart mesmerized by his love for Reid. That confused me like it did for Reid, it was a mixture of disappointment, pain and joy. Everett makes you feel everything in the space of two seconds but in the end you give in to his charm because when he lays his heart on the ground for Reid you only can do two things: forgive him or thank him, or both at the same time.
That's why at the beginning I thought Reid is the one who is really into the relationship and that it’s a game for Everett to just have a good time. But with the following pages you wonder if that’s really true, and you finish them convinced that it’s just the opposite: for Everett it was a big deal from the start and for Reid it get more serious with each passing day.
Reid is a normal guy who was closed in his inner world, shy and extinct until Everett appears in his life. And then there is no turning back. He is ruined forever and he knows it. It’s his POV we know during the story, and he is a memorable narrator, with his feelings and his letters and his way of seeing the world and the his shining bliss of having Everett in his life. In spite of all the obstacles trying to make them apart, they get stronger defying them all.
I found this book utterly daring, like challenging the reader to say something against the circumstances. That writing confidence captivated me and I only wanted to feel trapped in its pages. I have thought about it and haven’t found any page that felt missing or in excess. Every one of them serves a purpose and... is there something more perfect than that?
The personalities of both MC are so well captured what I could almost touch them. And I wanted to touch them, because they felt so real and so ideal at the same time I needed assurance of their existence even though I coulnd’t deny it because, you like it or not, they make their seats in your heart.
I grew up with them and I laughed with them and I wanted to cry with them (the tear didn’t drop but I felt my throat like being squeezed). I really felt close to the MC, and I could easily put myself in their shoes.
In the end I hugged my paperback and thought about how the world would be a better place if people could see the wonder of making this magic from naught. I know, cheap philosophy and all of that, but this is my review!
I couldn’t shake the feeling this book was a kind of therapy for me after reading Memorizing You. The plots have some similarities, in both of them the MC are teens discovering the first/true love, both are set in the 70s and both have an accident that changes their lives forever since. It’s unfair but for me was almost like a series in which this one is the second part you must not fail to read. I don't really feel sorry for that but I apologize for my twisted thoughts.
One of the things I most liked of this story was that it’s totally unusual. The beginning is weird as hell and you wonder how two people can fall in love in those circumstances because they’re far from romantic. At first sight, that is.
Where the hell have you been all these years?
In the first pages I thought Everett was an asshole. Yes, I know, it doesn’t start well if you don’t get on with the MC. If I meet someone that irresponsible and reckless and cocky and dishonest I’d think he’s jerk whose only aim is to have fun and don’t give a damn about other people’s feelings. And that’s true, in a way, but not when it’s related to Reid. Because that casual and nervy façade hides a heart mesmerized by his love for Reid. That confused me like it did for Reid, it was a mixture of disappointment, pain and joy. Everett makes you feel everything in the space of two seconds but in the end you give in to his charm because when he lays his heart on the ground for Reid you only can do two things: forgive him or thank him, or both at the same time.
“We’re gonna be great together.”
That's why at the beginning I thought Reid is the one who is really into the relationship and that it’s a game for Everett to just have a good time. But with the following pages you wonder if that’s really true, and you finish them convinced that it’s just the opposite: for Everett it was a big deal from the start and for Reid it get more serious with each passing day.
“I’m okay! I finally found the person I’ve been searching for!”
Reid is a normal guy who was closed in his inner world, shy and extinct until Everett appears in his life. And then there is no turning back. He is ruined forever and he knows it. It’s his POV we know during the story, and he is a memorable narrator, with his feelings and his letters and his way of seeing the world and the his shining bliss of having Everett in his life. In spite of all the obstacles trying to make them apart, they get stronger defying them all.
About a week later, a small box arrived in return. Fortunately, my parents respected my privacy and hadn't opened it. Inside a large plastic bag was one of his jock straps.
I found this book utterly daring, like challenging the reader to say something against the circumstances. That writing confidence captivated me and I only wanted to feel trapped in its pages. I have thought about it and haven’t found any page that felt missing or in excess. Every one of them serves a purpose and... is there something more perfect than that?
“You know what I need? If you have any other boyfriends who take trains and bang up cars and break into houses and get drunk and practically fuck in front of your parents, one at a time, if you recall, just to be with you, I’d really like to meet him. He sounds like a great guy.”
The personalities of both MC are so well captured what I could almost touch them. And I wanted to touch them, because they felt so real and so ideal at the same time I needed assurance of their existence even though I coulnd’t deny it because, you like it or not, they make their seats in your heart.
"Be good. And if you can't be good..."
"Be perfectly wicked!"
I grew up with them and I laughed with them and I wanted to cry with them (the tear didn’t drop but I felt my throat like being squeezed). I really felt close to the MC, and I could easily put myself in their shoes.
I knew with every postcard Everett imagined just such a gazebo, except we were two cute little bike messengers, without the girl, or the Nazis, or even the bike, but definitely the rain.
“That day… in the forest?”
“Mmm,” I mumbled.
“… was like I conjured you.”
“Hmm?”
“I wasn’t just doing that to do it. I was hoping for someone as daring, as crazy as me. And there you were.”
In the end I hugged my paperback and thought about how the world would be a better place if people could see the wonder of making this magic from naught. I know, cheap philosophy and all of that, but this is my review!
August 8, 2016
Lo primero que me viene a la mente cuando pienso en este libro es que está bien escrito, la narración está muy por encima de muchos de los libros de M/M que yo al menos he leído. Sin embargo, no me ha calado todo lo que me gustaría, probablemente por el tipo de historia, más por una cuestión de gustos que porque el libro no lo merezca.
La historia de Reid y Everett es emotiva, divertida y muy triste al mismo tiempo. Quizás esa tristeza ha sido demasiado para mi, o quizás es el personaje de Ev, que no me transmitido todo lo que yo creo que debería sentir por Reid, los que han hecho que no haya podido disfrutar tanto este libro. Una pena.
Probablemente recomendable.
La historia de Reid y Everett es emotiva, divertida y muy triste al mismo tiempo. Quizás esa tristeza ha sido demasiado para mi, o quizás es el personaje de Ev, que no me transmitido todo lo que yo creo que debería sentir por Reid, los que han hecho que no haya podido disfrutar tanto este libro. Una pena.
Probablemente recomendable.
April 23, 2014
I’m not sure how or why this book sat on my TBR shelf for so long, but if it’s sitting on yours, pick it up immediately (it’s that good).
Told from Reid’s POV, Every Time I Think of You is a sweeping study of the mechanics of young love: the lust, the angst, the desperation, the embarrassment, the innocence, the all.
High school seniors Reid and Everett have been raised as differently as two kids could be. Reid’s parents are interested and involved in his life. Before he ever comes out to them, it’s clear they’ll accept him. They’re firmly middle class, where Everett’s family is privileged, elite and unaffected by the things their son does to get their attention (and believe me, he’s begging for it at just about every turn).
Reid and Everett met in one of the most unconventional and freaking awesome ways two people ever could, with lust playing into their relationship from the very start. But listen. It’s not gratuitous or too much or not enough; it works so well for each of their personalities, and it left my heart fluttering all over the place.
And the personalities, god! So, so well written are these two boys. I knew who they were and what they stood for very early in, and they were so consistent, so relatable, so complicated. With this book, Provenzano has either written about something close to his own heart, or he’s studied the human psyche extensively somewhere along the line. The character development and growth are simply phenomenal.
I won’t hint about an HEA or not. I want you to have the feeling I did. The will-they-won’t-they question propels you forward beautifully, complete with a couple of very large, uncomfortable lumps in your throat along the way.
What I will say is this: Every Time I Think of You isn't a book that will quickly fall away from your memory banks when you put it down. Quite the opposite. It will haunt you, but not in the ways you might expect. See, the whole time I was reading, I felt...looming. Reid tells the story that way, with lots of foreshadowing and suggestion of the heartbreak/tragedy to come. And it takes place long ago and far away (I mean, it’s like totally the early 80’s, wink), so there’s this sense of something unsettled and not in the now.
What I’m left with, personally, is the urge to gobble up more of Provenzano’s back list. Turns out, though, it’s not huge--just a few books, plus, bless, a sequel to this one, which I can promise you will not be featured in next year’s Spring Cleaning Week. Not by me, anyway. (I'm going for it asap!)
I read this as part of our Spring Cleaning Week over at BioB. Have something that's been sitting on your TBR shelf forever? Tackle it, and enter our giveaway, too!
Told from Reid’s POV, Every Time I Think of You is a sweeping study of the mechanics of young love: the lust, the angst, the desperation, the embarrassment, the innocence, the all.
High school seniors Reid and Everett have been raised as differently as two kids could be. Reid’s parents are interested and involved in his life. Before he ever comes out to them, it’s clear they’ll accept him. They’re firmly middle class, where Everett’s family is privileged, elite and unaffected by the things their son does to get their attention (and believe me, he’s begging for it at just about every turn).
Reid and Everett met in one of the most unconventional and freaking awesome ways two people ever could, with lust playing into their relationship from the very start. But listen. It’s not gratuitous or too much or not enough; it works so well for each of their personalities, and it left my heart fluttering all over the place.
And the personalities, god! So, so well written are these two boys. I knew who they were and what they stood for very early in, and they were so consistent, so relatable, so complicated. With this book, Provenzano has either written about something close to his own heart, or he’s studied the human psyche extensively somewhere along the line. The character development and growth are simply phenomenal.
I won’t hint about an HEA or not. I want you to have the feeling I did. The will-they-won’t-they question propels you forward beautifully, complete with a couple of very large, uncomfortable lumps in your throat along the way.
What I will say is this: Every Time I Think of You isn't a book that will quickly fall away from your memory banks when you put it down. Quite the opposite. It will haunt you, but not in the ways you might expect. See, the whole time I was reading, I felt...looming. Reid tells the story that way, with lots of foreshadowing and suggestion of the heartbreak/tragedy to come. And it takes place long ago and far away (I mean, it’s like totally the early 80’s, wink), so there’s this sense of something unsettled and not in the now.
What I’m left with, personally, is the urge to gobble up more of Provenzano’s back list. Turns out, though, it’s not huge--just a few books, plus, bless, a sequel to this one, which I can promise you will not be featured in next year’s Spring Cleaning Week. Not by me, anyway. (I'm going for it asap!)
I read this as part of our Spring Cleaning Week over at BioB. Have something that's been sitting on your TBR shelf forever? Tackle it, and enter our giveaway, too!
July 13, 2013
OMG I can't believe I finally finished this book. It so reminded me of my experience with Acclamation. I thought this would be a DNF. The first 35% of the book the writing was so out there that it was hard to read. The next 65% of the book doesn't even seem like it was written by the same author.
I continued to read this book because of the high reviews and the "turning point" in the story. I'm glad I did eventually finish it. Reid was a likable character, but Everett was selfish, did not like him at all. I liked Reid's parents reaction to him being gay. I just don't see Reid and Everett's relationship lasting forever.
I continued to read this book because of the high reviews and the "turning point" in the story. I'm glad I did eventually finish it. Reid was a likable character, but Everett was selfish, did not like him at all. I liked Reid's parents reaction to him being gay. I just don't see Reid and Everett's relationship lasting forever.
May 5, 2013
This turned into a quick read, because, well, I could not put it down. A sudden burst of summer weather meant I finished it outside under a tree, which of course, made everything so much better.
This book appears to be self-published, which usually means "needs an editor." Not here. In fact either Provenzano is one of those rare writers who is able to edit himself, or had other skilled editors work on the manuscript. The result is a text which is more polished than many books I've read lately from professional houses.
Back to the story. One has to wonder how the relationship would have developed, absent the accident. It seemed doomed. Everett would have moved on. The world the boys lived in felt a bit like a fantasy -- everyone (except for Mrs. Forrester) was very accepting. Perhaps the world without prejudice was necessary in order to focus on the development of the relationship, post-accident.
In any event, this is a novel which sweeps the reader along. Entertaining and satisfying.
This book appears to be self-published, which usually means "needs an editor." Not here. In fact either Provenzano is one of those rare writers who is able to edit himself, or had other skilled editors work on the manuscript. The result is a text which is more polished than many books I've read lately from professional houses.
Back to the story. One has to wonder how the relationship would have developed, absent the accident. It seemed doomed. Everett would have moved on. The world the boys lived in felt a bit like a fantasy -- everyone (except for Mrs. Forrester) was very accepting. Perhaps the world without prejudice was necessary in order to focus on the development of the relationship, post-accident.
In any event, this is a novel which sweeps the reader along. Entertaining and satisfying.
December 11, 2012
To say that Every Time I Think of You is a brilliant novel would be an understatement. I don't think I can do this book any justice, my words are too limited to praise it the way it deserves. But I can say that it's engrossing, passionate, at once tender and beautiful. I can say that I.L.O.V.E.D.I.T!!! In fact, I fell in love with this book right after chapter 1.
Sometimes I read a book and didn't realize how much I'd be going to love it until a few days after (or at least, a day after). But apparently this wasn't the case. 3 pages into this book, and I remember I thought, Oh, I'm going to love it so hard. It was the first time I felt like that about a book. Maybe it was a premonition, or maybe just because it has a sweetest, most adorable beginning I ever read. 1/3 of the book, it still made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
But it's not just that, cute, sweet, that is. The journey of the MCs isn't easy, they maybe met easily, 2 boys in the woods, fell in love easily, many readers may say that's insta love, but honestly, it's not. They have difficulties, they have obstacles to overcome, like distance, like illness. To fall in love with someone isn't very hard, therefore love at first sight exists; but to maintain and develop, that requires caring, patience, and understanding. At times it's very hard to read, it's almost painful.
Usually I don't give 'the best' to a mostly love story. I want to read something else as well, something that make me think, and think hard. But I guess it's an exception, because my love for this book won't let me do anything less.
This book, this remarkable book, should be read by all.
November 19, 2015
"What we got up to over the next several months was a blossoming of my new life, my first attempt at knowing another boy by his gestures, his sound, his taste. I would dare to dive headfirst into another world of clumsy, passionate and impulsive acts.
I would borrow my mother's car to visit Everett's rebellious sister in Pittsburgh. I would secretly drive him into the poorer section of that city where, hooded like a gang member, he would purchase marijuana. I would commit several minor crimes in the service of our almost unstoppable appetite for having sex is unusual places. I would collude with Everett to drive his mother to the point of hysteria. I would nearly ruin my chances for a college scholarship by staying up into the early morning hours with Everett the night before a placement exam. I would connive and conspire, break and enter.
I would learn the varying temperature of erratic desire, the caloric output of longing, and the previously undefined and eventually unbearable weight of first love."
This is not a coming out story. This isn't even a story that despite being set in 1978, addresses the true prejudice of homosexuality at the time. This is the story of Reid and Everett. This is the story of two clumsy, funny, bright, clever, daring, strong boys who met in the woods and fell in love. This is the story of two guys who despite being torn apart by reality, school, and tragedy, have the best sexual innuendos. The tale of two boys who evolve into men, who make out to fleetwood mac and write love letters.
It's also a story with tragedy, highlighting the unjustness of life. The narrative of two people who despite being left in the wake of uncertainty and misfortune, show us that the most beautiful love stories don't just end when two lovers walk off into the sunset or in this case, the woods. The most beautiful stories end when even after facing separation and the realities of life, the two lovers keep coming back to the woods, the same place where it all began.
You'll cry both from laughter and just...feels. You will be changed because these characters are impossible to forget. And you will finish with a smile on your face.
READ. IT....like YESTERDAY.
"Ev, I have these feelings for you that just won't go away. I know we have to be apart, and I don't know what's gonna happen, but just know, every time I think of you..."
I would borrow my mother's car to visit Everett's rebellious sister in Pittsburgh. I would secretly drive him into the poorer section of that city where, hooded like a gang member, he would purchase marijuana. I would commit several minor crimes in the service of our almost unstoppable appetite for having sex is unusual places. I would collude with Everett to drive his mother to the point of hysteria. I would nearly ruin my chances for a college scholarship by staying up into the early morning hours with Everett the night before a placement exam. I would connive and conspire, break and enter.
I would learn the varying temperature of erratic desire, the caloric output of longing, and the previously undefined and eventually unbearable weight of first love."
This is not a coming out story. This isn't even a story that despite being set in 1978, addresses the true prejudice of homosexuality at the time. This is the story of Reid and Everett. This is the story of two clumsy, funny, bright, clever, daring, strong boys who met in the woods and fell in love. This is the story of two guys who despite being torn apart by reality, school, and tragedy, have the best sexual innuendos. The tale of two boys who evolve into men, who make out to fleetwood mac and write love letters.
It's also a story with tragedy, highlighting the unjustness of life. The narrative of two people who despite being left in the wake of uncertainty and misfortune, show us that the most beautiful love stories don't just end when two lovers walk off into the sunset or in this case, the woods. The most beautiful stories end when even after facing separation and the realities of life, the two lovers keep coming back to the woods, the same place where it all began.
You'll cry both from laughter and just...feels. You will be changed because these characters are impossible to forget. And you will finish with a smile on your face.
READ. IT....like YESTERDAY.
"Ev, I have these feelings for you that just won't go away. I know we have to be apart, and I don't know what's gonna happen, but just know, every time I think of you..."
September 15, 2017
Tengo debilidad por los amores adolescentes, por los años 70 y, desde que leí The Front Runner (suspiro), por los corredores de fondo.
Así que empecé el libro con expectativas, y la verdad es que no me ha decepcionado en absoluto, está muy bien escrito, los personajes maravillosamente bien montados y el sexo narrado de forma que la intimidad entre ellos te asalta. (Y no por lo caliente, sino por lo real, lo cercano)
No sé por qué le doy cuatro estrellas y no cinco... El final me ha parecido un poco atropellado, y algunas situaciones del último cuarto de la historia no me cuadraban... Pero, a quién quiero engañar... he dado cinco estrellas a libros con peores faltas. Y es que no tengo un criterio con las estrellas, doy lo que me sale en el momento... (Además luego voy y las cambio) También os diré que el sistema de estrellitas me parece un poco chorrada, pero entiendo que cumple su función.
Lo que he sentido al leer este libro lo he experimentado con otros (The Front Runner, sin ir más lejos) y mi frustración es no encontrar la palabra para describirlo. Es amor, desazón, angustia, felicidad, nostalgia, envidia, tristeza... y más cosas que no acierto a expresar. Es un asdfgrx y un yo también quiero, un deberían estar vivos en algún lugar, un por qué tengo que cumplir con mis obligaciones si lo que quiero es hacerme bicho bola y mirar al techo hasta que se me pase?
Creo que voy a crear una nueva categoría: Bicho bola. Yo misma ya me entiendo...
Así que empecé el libro con expectativas, y la verdad es que no me ha decepcionado en absoluto, está muy bien escrito, los personajes maravillosamente bien montados y el sexo narrado de forma que la intimidad entre ellos te asalta. (Y no por lo caliente, sino por lo real, lo cercano)
No sé por qué le doy cuatro estrellas y no cinco... El final me ha parecido un poco atropellado, y algunas situaciones del último cuarto de la historia no me cuadraban... Pero, a quién quiero engañar... he dado cinco estrellas a libros con peores faltas. Y es que no tengo un criterio con las estrellas, doy lo que me sale en el momento... (Además luego voy y las cambio) También os diré que el sistema de estrellitas me parece un poco chorrada, pero entiendo que cumple su función.
Lo que he sentido al leer este libro lo he experimentado con otros (The Front Runner, sin ir más lejos) y mi frustración es no encontrar la palabra para describirlo. Es amor, desazón, angustia, felicidad, nostalgia, envidia, tristeza... y más cosas que no acierto a expresar. Es un asdfgrx y un yo también quiero, un deberían estar vivos en algún lugar, un por qué tengo que cumplir con mis obligaciones si lo que quiero es hacerme bicho bola y mirar al techo hasta que se me pase?
Creo que voy a crear una nueva categoría: Bicho bola. Yo misma ya me entiendo...
September 3, 2014
ETA: after re-reading this I'm still a fan of the book, but the problems in the writing became much more apparent. Still, 4 solid stars.
"I want to have adventures with you. I want more."
One snowy day in the woods, 17 years old Reid catches Everett "wanking in a winter wonderland". This is the fairy tale beginning of Reid getting to know "another boy by his gestures, his sound, his taste [...] and to dive headfirst into another world of clumsy, passionate and impulsive acts."
Other reviewers already pointed out how wonderful and wild the MCs are together, how sweet and tender the story is (if you need some fluff minus the angst, here it is), how funny at times, and how this is later contrasted with the horrific reality of an accident and its consequences: "The truth was, I had begun to consider whether I had to let him go, and if so, how to do that."
So what made it special for me?
Definitely how the story deals with nature (Reid describes himself as a nature perv) and the beautiful language that comes with it. And because the book is so open and honest about a lot of things, it's also pretty explicit for a teen romance and - have I mentioned it already? - so sooo funny. So let's combine the fun and the sex:
"I want to have adventures with you. I want more."
One snowy day in the woods, 17 years old Reid catches Everett "wanking in a winter wonderland". This is the fairy tale beginning of Reid getting to know "another boy by his gestures, his sound, his taste [...] and to dive headfirst into another world of clumsy, passionate and impulsive acts."
Other reviewers already pointed out how wonderful and wild the MCs are together, how sweet and tender the story is (if you need some fluff minus the angst, here it is), how funny at times, and how this is later contrasted with the horrific reality of an accident and its consequences: "The truth was, I had begun to consider whether I had to let him go, and if so, how to do that."
So what made it special for me?
Definitely how the story deals with nature (Reid describes himself as a nature perv) and the beautiful language that comes with it. And because the book is so open and honest about a lot of things, it's also pretty explicit for a teen romance and - have I mentioned it already? - so sooo funny. So let's combine the fun and the sex:
Everett: "Mmm. Cream of Reid."The writing style might seem strange at times, the author has a thing for starting a scene backwards which messes with the sequence of things. And it's true, that the first part of the book would benefit from less description and more dialogue/action. But it doesn't matter, because then, a paragraph of three lines packs a punch:
Or Reid: "I wanted to say how something so clearly human endeared him to me even more, but I guessed it would hardly be romantic to compliment his farting."
"Well, I love you like I want to."
- "Just go home. We'll talk later."
We didn't, for three months."
Meet Everett's father:"So, you're bringing a case for the right to...make out with my son with scientific evidence? That's certainly a bit more dry than that jerk who asked for Holly's hand in marriage."
Or Reid's mum: "On special nights, hams appeared topped with pineapples and pink cherries, or roasts were adorned with amusingly trimmed potatoes. It wasn't until I'd dined at boyhood friends' homes that I realized such meals weren't a joke to other people."
I'm afraid the cover doesn't help this book much. I would have loved a Ryan McGinley type photo of two naked bums in snowy woods. Maybe for the next edition?
September 11, 2014
2.5
Bathed in contrivances, an awkward, obsessive focus on sexual activity and written in a forced and belabored style, Every Time I Think of You tells the story of Everett and Reid. These two star-struck lovers meet in one of the most absurd book introductions in history. Reid, succumbed to teenage hormones, escapes to his favorite masturbation vacation spot; the woods. Of course he stumbles across someone who is masturbating at the same exact time at the same exact place. It’s winter. There is snow. This pretty much establishes the lengths to which this novel is devoid of reality.
Reid and Everett are from different socio-economic backgrounds. Reid the poor-isher, and Everett the privileged one. Of course with the variations in social makeup comes with the obligatory liberal, easy going, accepting family and the republican, hard-arsed, critical family. The classic characterizations of these two groups, and the clash between the two is presented as expected.
Reid and Everett’s budding relationship, cemented in the flexing of their right hands, travels the typical trajectory of a love story, that is it starts off good, and to be jaded and cynical we have to endure some sort of devastation. Reid musters up his one-dimensional whining personality and becomes overly reliant on Everett. Everett confidence and his rebellious attitude doesn’t jive well for the inexperienced Reid, and rather than grow within the love, they both remain stagnant…. for about 100 pages. It is very cute, fluffy, warm, and all cookies and milk, but barely much else.
The pages turn and Everett continues to roll on with a seductive dance with his own dares—because we haven’t read the young, white son rebelling against his rich family… like ever—and Reid whines about the sand papery relationship. What results, at least on Reid’s end is this ‘he loves me he loves me not flower peddle pulling’ repetitive inner-dialog. Without his own construct of love, Reid struggles with understanding Everett’s need for lets say, just for example, blowjobs on a golf course. He of course never questions the fact that he and Everett first met when he stumbled across him ‘walking the dog’ in the middle of snowy forestness. There is intimacy here, but it’s poorly developed and lacks depth.
Boom… shocking plot device… The already labored, but reasonably comfortable relationship must have its misery. No love is safe. Everett has an accident and Reid is forced to navigate his own hesitations, anger, sense of loss, sadness, and also Everett’s loss of personal integrity and personhood. Rather than explore this delicate and difficult terrain, we are assaulted by a precarious combination of libido, family dynamics, friendship, betrayal condoned by he who is betrayed, and depression. Nothing is really developed thoroughly, other than the reoccurring theme of sex. This isn’t to say that the remainder of the book focused exclusively on sex, but the ratio was a bit lopsided towards ‘can we still have sex and how has this changed’. The over-arching theme here, as with the rest of the book, is a study on how sex can clot a hemorrhaging relationship. Even when apart, and communicating through letters—which, seriously goes on for ever and ever and I screamed at the thought of having to read more of Reid’s whiny little attempts to sustain the relationship. Pulling at straws—, every other piece of correspondence referenced something sexual.
We encounter a simplistic, vague, and otherwise vapid overhaul of a relationship torn asunder by an unusual, and downright ugly life event. The knitting of two lives, the before the accident and after, failed to solidify into anything other than something superficial and grossly overrated. The plot focused seldom on the contrast of the before and after, and the loss of abandoning the relationship or pulling forward, and more on the language of physical touch between ‘able-bodied’ and ‘non-abled bodied’ people. There were scant periods of introspection, personal strife, observations on resiliency, and only a few squints at empathy. The problem here is that the relationship between Everett and Reid was ill conceived from the onset, so when things broke away from sexual rendezvouses, and rough explorations into family, self, and the essentials of love, it was a little difficult to truly immerse myself in the notion of ‘we love one another beyond thrashes between the sheets’.
The travesty is that this book escaped the really gritty shit of disabilities and the way sudden life changes annihilate lives. Every Time I Think of You did venture into a unique and novel territory, but it did so with poor execution and a writing style that was perfectly suited as a replacement for sleeping pills.
Unfortunately, there exists only a minimal amount of offerings from this sub-genre of gay lit, thus increasing the competition. The novel Two Boys Kissing, with its keen observation on gender issues and suicide, and The Hours with its raw examination of HIV and suicide, dwarf Every Time I Think of You under their much larger, impressive shadows.
And my rant….
Gay themed health related literature is a slender departure from those offered by the larger gay genre. This leaves a wide landscape of creativity and ingenuity, and permits a space to explore territory beyond the sadness, jealousy, and fractured relationships that typifies and stains the larger gay romance genre. Why then do we find the same dreaded over sexualized, emotionally strained relationships observed in this book? The status quo, even with the novelty of the dynamics between able bodied and non-abled bodied, is becoming excessively redundant.
So… stop that.
Visual representation is…
Bathed in contrivances, an awkward, obsessive focus on sexual activity and written in a forced and belabored style, Every Time I Think of You tells the story of Everett and Reid. These two star-struck lovers meet in one of the most absurd book introductions in history. Reid, succumbed to teenage hormones, escapes to his favorite masturbation vacation spot; the woods. Of course he stumbles across someone who is masturbating at the same exact time at the same exact place. It’s winter. There is snow. This pretty much establishes the lengths to which this novel is devoid of reality.
Reid and Everett are from different socio-economic backgrounds. Reid the poor-isher, and Everett the privileged one. Of course with the variations in social makeup comes with the obligatory liberal, easy going, accepting family and the republican, hard-arsed, critical family. The classic characterizations of these two groups, and the clash between the two is presented as expected.
Reid and Everett’s budding relationship, cemented in the flexing of their right hands, travels the typical trajectory of a love story, that is it starts off good, and to be jaded and cynical we have to endure some sort of devastation. Reid musters up his one-dimensional whining personality and becomes overly reliant on Everett. Everett confidence and his rebellious attitude doesn’t jive well for the inexperienced Reid, and rather than grow within the love, they both remain stagnant…. for about 100 pages. It is very cute, fluffy, warm, and all cookies and milk, but barely much else.
The pages turn and Everett continues to roll on with a seductive dance with his own dares—because we haven’t read the young, white son rebelling against his rich family… like ever—and Reid whines about the sand papery relationship. What results, at least on Reid’s end is this ‘he loves me he loves me not flower peddle pulling’ repetitive inner-dialog. Without his own construct of love, Reid struggles with understanding Everett’s need for lets say, just for example, blowjobs on a golf course. He of course never questions the fact that he and Everett first met when he stumbled across him ‘walking the dog’ in the middle of snowy forestness. There is intimacy here, but it’s poorly developed and lacks depth.
Boom… shocking plot device… The already labored, but reasonably comfortable relationship must have its misery. No love is safe. Everett has an accident and Reid is forced to navigate his own hesitations, anger, sense of loss, sadness, and also Everett’s loss of personal integrity and personhood. Rather than explore this delicate and difficult terrain, we are assaulted by a precarious combination of libido, family dynamics, friendship, betrayal condoned by he who is betrayed, and depression. Nothing is really developed thoroughly, other than the reoccurring theme of sex. This isn’t to say that the remainder of the book focused exclusively on sex, but the ratio was a bit lopsided towards ‘can we still have sex and how has this changed’. The over-arching theme here, as with the rest of the book, is a study on how sex can clot a hemorrhaging relationship. Even when apart, and communicating through letters—which, seriously goes on for ever and ever and I screamed at the thought of having to read more of Reid’s whiny little attempts to sustain the relationship. Pulling at straws—, every other piece of correspondence referenced something sexual.
We encounter a simplistic, vague, and otherwise vapid overhaul of a relationship torn asunder by an unusual, and downright ugly life event. The knitting of two lives, the before the accident and after, failed to solidify into anything other than something superficial and grossly overrated. The plot focused seldom on the contrast of the before and after, and the loss of abandoning the relationship or pulling forward, and more on the language of physical touch between ‘able-bodied’ and ‘non-abled bodied’ people. There were scant periods of introspection, personal strife, observations on resiliency, and only a few squints at empathy. The problem here is that the relationship between Everett and Reid was ill conceived from the onset, so when things broke away from sexual rendezvouses, and rough explorations into family, self, and the essentials of love, it was a little difficult to truly immerse myself in the notion of ‘we love one another beyond thrashes between the sheets’.
The travesty is that this book escaped the really gritty shit of disabilities and the way sudden life changes annihilate lives. Every Time I Think of You did venture into a unique and novel territory, but it did so with poor execution and a writing style that was perfectly suited as a replacement for sleeping pills.
Unfortunately, there exists only a minimal amount of offerings from this sub-genre of gay lit, thus increasing the competition. The novel Two Boys Kissing, with its keen observation on gender issues and suicide, and The Hours with its raw examination of HIV and suicide, dwarf Every Time I Think of You under their much larger, impressive shadows.
And my rant….
Gay themed health related literature is a slender departure from those offered by the larger gay genre. This leaves a wide landscape of creativity and ingenuity, and permits a space to explore territory beyond the sadness, jealousy, and fractured relationships that typifies and stains the larger gay romance genre. Why then do we find the same dreaded over sexualized, emotionally strained relationships observed in this book? The status quo, even with the novelty of the dynamics between able bodied and non-abled bodied, is becoming excessively redundant.
So… stop that.
Visual representation is…
March 3, 2017
Brilliant book. Spare, evocative, and wickedly funny, it just felt spot on. Sure there were a few tissue moments, but they're not where you expect them. Like a lot in this book, they creep up on the reader with an unexpected power.
October 7, 2012
Excellent.
not-that-i-would-rather-die-but
September 8, 2014Note to self: I don't think this is for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 4, 2013
A big thank you to Johanna who's the reason I read this book in the first place. From the blurb, this wasn't a story that I usually would have chosen to read - it seemed too much of a Coming of Age story and that's not really my cup of tea. But, boy, am I ever glad I read this. 'Cause it was absolutely great!
To be honest, I had a bit of a problem getting into it at first - I needed to get used to the language, the whole setting, the protagonists' age (that might seem weird, but I'm just not used to reading about teenagers any more). I couldn't really see where the story was going and felt impatient. But suddenly, and I can't say when exactly, it just changed. I was pulled in and wanted to read more and more and more. It all seemed to fit suddenly - even things I had problems with at the beginning - the protagonists, the events, the writing style. Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, always very authentic. It was just perfect.
The best thing about this book, though, was the character development. At the end, there's a maturity in Reid and Everett that wasn't there in the beginning, and you could feel that in every sentence. It was most noticeable in Reid since he is the first person narrator, but it really shone through in both of them.
Definitely recommended!!
To be honest, I had a bit of a problem getting into it at first - I needed to get used to the language, the whole setting, the protagonists' age (that might seem weird, but I'm just not used to reading about teenagers any more). I couldn't really see where the story was going and felt impatient. But suddenly, and I can't say when exactly, it just changed. I was pulled in and wanted to read more and more and more. It all seemed to fit suddenly - even things I had problems with at the beginning - the protagonists, the events, the writing style. Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, always very authentic. It was just perfect.
The best thing about this book, though, was the character development. At the end, there's a maturity in Reid and Everett that wasn't there in the beginning, and you could feel that in every sentence. It was most noticeable in Reid since he is the first person narrator, but it really shone through in both of them.
Definitely recommended!!
December 16, 2012
What I loved about this book was how natural, joyful, real and strong the love was between the two boys. There was no shame, just discovery, exploration, tenderness and the natural unfolding of love and sexual expression. It's among the most uplifting and positive expressions of gay sexuality that I've read and that made me immensely happy. In its exploration of coming to terms with disability, this book is important and informative and wonderfully frank and balanced. Provenzano takes the things that separate people and shows us how small they really are. The characters are both funny and likable and immensely realistic, and though they are regular guys, they are given an opportunity to move beyond the mundane and banal, and they take that opportunity and it's a victory for them and anyone who reads this. This is a book that should be taught in classrooms; it has wise things to teach about priorities, about what a moral universe really looks like, and about the power of love and goodness.
October 26, 2015
2012 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
January 8, 2013
Full review at www.madisonparklove.com.
These boys really tugged at my heartstrings. I wasn't so sure about Everett at first. I feared he would be a bad influence on Reid with his thrill-seeking and smooth-talking behavior. But really, these two are so right together. Everett is able to pull Reid out of his shell. Although Reid is more sensible, he loves the excitement he feels with Everett, and Everett makes him feel special. He quickly finds himself falling in love with the mischievous and charming boy who lives just on the other side of the woods.
Despite his sometimes cool exterior, Everett falls hard for Reid as well, and in between their boys-will-be-boys shenanigans, there are moments of such sweetness, it wasn't long before I fell in love with Everett, too.
Reid is such a wonderful character, full of unconditional love for his boy, Everett, even after tragedy strikes. Knowing that their relationship might never be the same, Reid is still determined to hold on to Everett and show him how much he really loves him. I love the way Reid never gave up on Everett, even when Ev pushed him away. Time and distance are no match for true love!! The letters and gifts exchanged over their time apart were so sweet. I was completely swept up by their love story.
I also love the way Reid didn't lose track of himself. He continued to pursue his dreams of working the summer job in the park and pursuing his education, despite how hard it was to be separated from Everett. There were times he was tempted to walk away from his dreams and throw himself into helping Everett, but Everett loved him too much to let him do that. They both showed a great deal of courage and maturity in dealing with their tragic circumstances. Everett, in particular, showed tremendous growth by the end of the story.
I wish these two many happy and slightly naughty years together!
September 26, 2014
Jim Provenzano is one of the most ingenious writers I've ever encountered. His skill alone deserves all the praise it can get. The writing style is so captivating that it's impossible to put the book down. The only issue I had was with the story itself (and it's entirely my fault, I admit). Having jumped into it without any glimpse into the blurb or other hints, I have misjudged it completely for the most part of the book. I kept thinking of Everett as a temporary feature, expecting some more favorable man to appear on a horizon for our Reid. Perhaps, it was partly due to the time when the story was being unfolded. I thought that this was about Reid's first unfortunate romantic experience, and then we'll meet him when he's grown up and trying to find his happiness again. Maybe even with the more mature and reformed Everett. So, my imagination got the worst of me this time. And I was slightly shocked when the story ended while the boys were still, well, the boys. But after my initial confusion evaporated, I got to appreciate the result anyway. It's a great, masterfully weaved story. 4.5 stars!
January 1, 2013
Every Time I Think of You is a coming of age novel about young love and coming to terms with disability. Reid and Everett meet by happenstance at seventeen, and their relationship develops very quickly. The boys discover the joys of love while overcoming difficulties of family, peers and a tragic event that leaves Everett disabled.
I don't know that I can do this book justice in a review. I loved it. The characters are real and grow through their hardships. It's clever, poignant and beautifully written. I wish more people new about this book!
I don't know that I can do this book justice in a review. I loved it. The characters are real and grow through their hardships. It's clever, poignant and beautifully written. I wish more people new about this book!
January 4, 2017
WOW! This novel is full of surprises, but the most amazing one is the power of love between two people who are just meant to be together. I give it a 4.5, only because there were a few chapters that felt more informative than narrative. But the portrayal of Giraffe and Monkey, as they affectionately call themselves, is vivid and engaging; the portrayal of their bond, inspiring. This is also a novel of hope and faith against pretty high odds. Find a grove of trees somewhere and take the plunge! Especially if you've ever made love in the wilderness, or wanted to!
March 8, 2012
When people tell me that they fall in love with my characters, I am always grateful that they have something nice to say about my writing, but I was never sure what they really meant. Now I do. I fell in love with Jim Provenzano's characters in this book from the first pages and didn't want it to end. What a wonderful story! Thank you for creating it.
March 5, 2012
This was a great read. Though some of the plot may be a bit cliche, and other parts perhaps unrealistic, I was enamored by the easy flow, the pacing, the voice. I felt for the characters, laughed out loud at times, and choked up once or twice. I recommend this one.
December 20, 2012
A wonderfully written, beatuiful, story. Words do not do it justice.
Thank you Jim.
Thank you Jim.
October 22, 2014
Here's a link and excerpt of a great new review of Every Time I Think of Youby Jenni at Boys In Our Books:
"I’m not sure how or why this book sat on my TBR shelf for so long, but if it’s sitting on yours, pick it up immediately (it’s that good). Told from Reid’s POV, Every Time I Think of You is a sweeping study of the mechanics of young love: the lust, the angst, the desperation, the embarrassment, the innocence, the all.
High school seniors Reid and Everett have been raised as differently as two kids could be. Reid’s parents are interested and involved in his life. Before he ever comes out to them, it’s clear they’ll accept him. They’re firmly middle class, where Everett’s family is privileged, elite and unaffected by the things their son does to get their attention (and believe me, he’s begging for it at just about every turn).
Reid and Everett met in one of the most unconventional and freaking awesome ways two people ever could, with lust playing into their relationship from the very start. But listen. It’s not gratuitous or too much or not enough; it works so well for each of their personalities, and it left my heart fluttering all over the place.
And the personalities, god! So, so well written are these two boys. I knew who they were and what they stood for very early in, and they were so consistent, so relatable, so complicated. With this book, Provenzano has either written about something close to his own heart, or he’s studied the human psyche extensively somewhere along the line. The character development and growth are simply phenomenal."
"I’m not sure how or why this book sat on my TBR shelf for so long, but if it’s sitting on yours, pick it up immediately (it’s that good). Told from Reid’s POV, Every Time I Think of You is a sweeping study of the mechanics of young love: the lust, the angst, the desperation, the embarrassment, the innocence, the all.
High school seniors Reid and Everett have been raised as differently as two kids could be. Reid’s parents are interested and involved in his life. Before he ever comes out to them, it’s clear they’ll accept him. They’re firmly middle class, where Everett’s family is privileged, elite and unaffected by the things their son does to get their attention (and believe me, he’s begging for it at just about every turn).
Reid and Everett met in one of the most unconventional and freaking awesome ways two people ever could, with lust playing into their relationship from the very start. But listen. It’s not gratuitous or too much or not enough; it works so well for each of their personalities, and it left my heart fluttering all over the place.
And the personalities, god! So, so well written are these two boys. I knew who they were and what they stood for very early in, and they were so consistent, so relatable, so complicated. With this book, Provenzano has either written about something close to his own heart, or he’s studied the human psyche extensively somewhere along the line. The character development and growth are simply phenomenal."
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews