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Jay's River: A Young Adult M/M Romance
A past he’d like to forget.
A future he’d like to start.
Jay, a second-year student at university in Thailand, is haunted by his past. After a traumatic senior high school experience where he was humiliated for coming out as gay, Jay has sworn off relationships and is committed to keeping to himself.
Then River moves in next door.
The beautiful American surfer boy is a few years older than him and is in the same class at university. There’s undeniable chemistry between the two, but can Jay work up the courage to put himself out there again? Is River even into him?
He could find love, or be disappointed and hurt once again. And even if they do hit it off, Jay’s past is lurking around the corner. And this time it could physically endanger both him and River.
Follow Jay’s coming of age story of love and overcoming the odds in Jay’s River. Featuring a supportive family, a gay main character dealing with a bully, and a love that transcends two cultures, this LGBTQ+ romance shows the importance of being true to oneself and following one’s heart.
A future he’d like to start.
Jay, a second-year student at university in Thailand, is haunted by his past. After a traumatic senior high school experience where he was humiliated for coming out as gay, Jay has sworn off relationships and is committed to keeping to himself.
Then River moves in next door.
The beautiful American surfer boy is a few years older than him and is in the same class at university. There’s undeniable chemistry between the two, but can Jay work up the courage to put himself out there again? Is River even into him?
He could find love, or be disappointed and hurt once again. And even if they do hit it off, Jay’s past is lurking around the corner. And this time it could physically endanger both him and River.
Follow Jay’s coming of age story of love and overcoming the odds in Jay’s River. Featuring a supportive family, a gay main character dealing with a bully, and a love that transcends two cultures, this LGBTQ+ romance shows the importance of being true to oneself and following one’s heart.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 11, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 11, 2023
From the start we’re introduced to a young man, Jay, who wars between his desire for love and fear of rejection. But going deeper than just your typical rejection, the harassment, embarrassment, and even potential violence faced by members of the LGBTQ community are a strong deterring factor.
The supportive friends, Chip and Third, are the comedic relief the book needs but also the kind of friends a queer person needs. Instead of being put off by their friends orientation, they love him for who he is and do their best to offer support, advice, and ears to listen.
I enjoyed the little glimpses into Thai culture and I think the author did a good job of explaining certain customs and phrases for those of us who are unfamiliar without getting too bogged down in details.
Jay’s story was such an open and beautiful transformation. However, I didn’t get a sense of closure on the external threat. The romance felt complete and resolved. There’s hope for Jay’s future in love. But the external threat that comes in the end didn’t feel very resolved. Perhaps this is on purpose, it’s a romance after all and the main point is that our hero gets his love and his happy ending, which we definitely have!
I also really enjoyed the illustrations throughout. Just a nice little touch.
In all a sweet and touching boy love romance.
The supportive friends, Chip and Third, are the comedic relief the book needs but also the kind of friends a queer person needs. Instead of being put off by their friends orientation, they love him for who he is and do their best to offer support, advice, and ears to listen.
I enjoyed the little glimpses into Thai culture and I think the author did a good job of explaining certain customs and phrases for those of us who are unfamiliar without getting too bogged down in details.
Jay’s story was such an open and beautiful transformation. However, I didn’t get a sense of closure on the external threat. The romance felt complete and resolved. There’s hope for Jay’s future in love. But the external threat that comes in the end didn’t feel very resolved. Perhaps this is on purpose, it’s a romance after all and the main point is that our hero gets his love and his happy ending, which we definitely have!
I also really enjoyed the illustrations throughout. Just a nice little touch.
In all a sweet and touching boy love romance.
July 13, 2023
I’m a sucker for romance, old; young; straight; gay; cross cultural; interracial—it doesn’t matter. Love has no boundaries or stipulations. It’s universal in all its complications and complexities. I found this to be true in reading “Jay’s River”. In this story the author gives us glimpses of reality wrapped in his version of fiction. A cross cultural/interracial romance, Jay is a young gay man tormented by his past, frozen and unable to move forward. A confession of young love to the wrong person ends in disaster and crushes Jay’s confidence in himself, or trust in others. When a new neighbor rekindles his desire for love and affection, an internal battle begins. The author does an excellent job of taking the reader into the mind and heart of a terrified yet hopeful Jay.
Anyone who’s ever gone through the back-and-forth and pros and cons of the decision making process can relate. Especially in love. With his present still entrenched in the pain from his past, Jay is conflicted. But with the support of friends and family and a true desire to leave his past behind, Jay takes a chance. With his pride and with his heart. His journey, littered with steps forward and setbacks, will draw you in and keep you holding on and rooting for his happily-ever-after ending.
Anyone who’s ever gone through the back-and-forth and pros and cons of the decision making process can relate. Especially in love. With his present still entrenched in the pain from his past, Jay is conflicted. But with the support of friends and family and a true desire to leave his past behind, Jay takes a chance. With his pride and with his heart. His journey, littered with steps forward and setbacks, will draw you in and keep you holding on and rooting for his happily-ever-after ending.
July 15, 2023
Sweet, satisfying coming of age romance!
Hits all the right teen romance notes. A cross-cultural teen romance between a lonely, bullied young man and a gorgeous foreigner next door.
Jay has a solid (if small) and understanding friend group, and wonderful supportive mom. But, when he confessed his affections to the hot teen idol in his HS, he became the victim of bullying. And felt ashamed and guilty about who he is.
Skip ahead to his time in University, and it’s a fresh start - same friends, but enemies? MIA. Phew.
Then a hot foreign guy moves in next door, and enrolls in the same university. Their connection was almost immediate, although it took some time to navigate their way through teen life and angst to realize and act on it.
Trouble’s waiting just around the corner. But it all ends up neatly wrapped with a HEA bow - so you won’t despair for long!
Hits all the right teen romance notes. A cross-cultural teen romance between a lonely, bullied young man and a gorgeous foreigner next door.
Jay has a solid (if small) and understanding friend group, and wonderful supportive mom. But, when he confessed his affections to the hot teen idol in his HS, he became the victim of bullying. And felt ashamed and guilty about who he is.
Skip ahead to his time in University, and it’s a fresh start - same friends, but enemies? MIA. Phew.
Then a hot foreign guy moves in next door, and enrolls in the same university. Their connection was almost immediate, although it took some time to navigate their way through teen life and angst to realize and act on it.
Trouble’s waiting just around the corner. But it all ends up neatly wrapped with a HEA bow - so you won’t despair for long!
July 12, 2023
Great story!
I stayed up late to finish this book because I wanted to know how things turned out! I really felt for Jay throughout the whole story and wanted him to find happiness. I honestly wasn’t sure how everything would pan out for him until close to the end. The conflict near the end was intense and had me on the edge of my seat (thus, keeping me up way past my bedtime!).
I also loved how the author interwove pertinent aspects of Thai culture into the story, giving the reader interesting information without lecturing.
This is the first book I’ve read in this genre, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I stayed up late to finish this book because I wanted to know how things turned out! I really felt for Jay throughout the whole story and wanted him to find happiness. I honestly wasn’t sure how everything would pan out for him until close to the end. The conflict near the end was intense and had me on the edge of my seat (thus, keeping me up way past my bedtime!).
I also loved how the author interwove pertinent aspects of Thai culture into the story, giving the reader interesting information without lecturing.
This is the first book I’ve read in this genre, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
July 12, 2023
Heartwarming love story!
This book is full of hope, love, triumph and really shows what we as humans go through as we navigate love, and all the things that go with it. Reese did fabulous bringing us along and making us feel like we are Jay and empathize with what he goes through! I could not love this book more for its raw emotion and the wonderful journey Reese takes us on!
This book is full of hope, love, triumph and really shows what we as humans go through as we navigate love, and all the things that go with it. Reese did fabulous bringing us along and making us feel like we are Jay and empathize with what he goes through! I could not love this book more for its raw emotion and the wonderful journey Reese takes us on!
July 11, 2023
Wow! I saw this book advertised on Facebook and liked it, so I pre-ordered it on Amazon. I started in on it while driving with friends to the beach, and got so into it that I ended up binging on it and finished it in the car on the way home. It was so on, and could've been a story about how my coming out and finding a boyfriend went! I could really sympathise with Jay! I really liked this book and you should to!
July 16, 2023
A combination love story and coming of age (and maybe a bit of billionaire boyfriend too), Jay’s River is told from the perspective of Jay, the main character. The author captured the feelings of the characters as well as teen angst about love with the inevitable ups and down that causes. I liked the cultural interactions given a Thailand setting and American love interest. The characters feel real with a twist I didn’t see coming at the end.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews