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Finding Our Way #3
Drifting
What happens when the person you love is having doubts?
These two boyfriends have been through a lot. Best friends since childhood, fell in love in high school and thought they would be together forever. They stuck together even when their friends and family found out about their relationship. Struggling with challenge after challenge, they have finally made it to college and are living on their own. Living together is a whole new world and being open with their relationship is even more so.
Spending every day together as a couple they begin to learn about their differences. Things that never bothered them are now annoying traits driving a wedge between them. Can their relationship survive their differences? Can it handle new friends and new romances? Will they find their way together or will they drift apart?
These two boyfriends have been through a lot. Best friends since childhood, fell in love in high school and thought they would be together forever. They stuck together even when their friends and family found out about their relationship. Struggling with challenge after challenge, they have finally made it to college and are living on their own. Living together is a whole new world and being open with their relationship is even more so.
Spending every day together as a couple they begin to learn about their differences. Things that never bothered them are now annoying traits driving a wedge between them. Can their relationship survive their differences? Can it handle new friends and new romances? Will they find their way together or will they drift apart?
278 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2013
1 person is currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Jayson James
21 books66 followersAuthor of novels and short stories. Jayson James graduated from Western Washington University with a bachelor's degree in education. He was born and raised in Washington State, where he currently lives and teaches. Jayson's interests beyond writing include reading a variety of books, watching movies and drawing.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 9, 2014
I received a review copy of this book via the Goodreads Don't Buy My Love program in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars. Truthfully, if I had not committed to reading the whole book, I would have stopped two chapters in. I did complete the story, and found it had a decent plot arc but the technical issues with the writing turned me off from the beginning.
First, this story is told from four points of view. This wasn't a problem, of itself. What was a problem was the "character soup." Having ten characters introduced in the first several pages makes it super hard to connect with any of them. Also, the passive voice makes for dull prose. I felt, often times, as though I was reading four different journals--written by children. There was so little activity I was very bored until the characters began to interact.
Derrick and Justin are a couple, but they are separated at different colleges and pine for each other. They each decide to switch to the other's school and are each accepted, but Justin makes the move to join Derrick. At first, all is well. They are roommates and have a great time sharing their lives, but Justin is athletic and out-going and a social butterfly, whereas Derrick is an introvert. Derrick is jealous of Justin's easy-friendliness and doesn't seem to get along with Justin's new friends.
Justin feels frustrated by Derrick's unwillingness to branch into new friendships, and the sex--which had been plentiful and satisfying begins to ebb as time wears on. The two opposite personalities begin to grate upon each of these men, until they decide to break up--yet remain roommates. This causes some notable conflict.
Ian and Ryan tell some of the story as well; they are friends with both Derrick and Justin, but don't meet until late in the story. Each of them longs for a boyfriend. Their attempts to find a constant partner are unsuccessful. Ian is heavy, and nervous--with a habit of over talking when nervous, while Ryan is his opposite, slim and shy and nearly painfully quiet. These young men meet and, like Justin and Derrick, they find opposites attract.
With Justin and Derrick, they muddle through a couple of months as roomies, not lovers, and find they are not happy with their new relationships--or the loss of their friendship. They begin to rediscover the other--seeing positive changes as they grow into their adulthood. There are several happy moments, and, having slogged through to the end, I felt gratified at having correctly guessed the ending.
In truth, the book needs a thorough editing. There is virtually no graphic sex, with most encounters fading-to-black or over with rapidly. I did manage to bond with a couple characters: Ian and Ryan, but mostly I was as frustrated with Derrick and Justin as they were with each other. So many times I wanted to shake them and tell them to just open their mouths and TALK to each other....I was glad they finally did.
Learning hat this was the third book in the series, I am not encouraged to read the others--having no faith that earlier books will be better-written or edited.
2.5 stars. Truthfully, if I had not committed to reading the whole book, I would have stopped two chapters in. I did complete the story, and found it had a decent plot arc but the technical issues with the writing turned me off from the beginning.
First, this story is told from four points of view. This wasn't a problem, of itself. What was a problem was the "character soup." Having ten characters introduced in the first several pages makes it super hard to connect with any of them. Also, the passive voice makes for dull prose. I felt, often times, as though I was reading four different journals--written by children. There was so little activity I was very bored until the characters began to interact.
Derrick and Justin are a couple, but they are separated at different colleges and pine for each other. They each decide to switch to the other's school and are each accepted, but Justin makes the move to join Derrick. At first, all is well. They are roommates and have a great time sharing their lives, but Justin is athletic and out-going and a social butterfly, whereas Derrick is an introvert. Derrick is jealous of Justin's easy-friendliness and doesn't seem to get along with Justin's new friends.
Justin feels frustrated by Derrick's unwillingness to branch into new friendships, and the sex--which had been plentiful and satisfying begins to ebb as time wears on. The two opposite personalities begin to grate upon each of these men, until they decide to break up--yet remain roommates. This causes some notable conflict.
Ian and Ryan tell some of the story as well; they are friends with both Derrick and Justin, but don't meet until late in the story. Each of them longs for a boyfriend. Their attempts to find a constant partner are unsuccessful. Ian is heavy, and nervous--with a habit of over talking when nervous, while Ryan is his opposite, slim and shy and nearly painfully quiet. These young men meet and, like Justin and Derrick, they find opposites attract.
With Justin and Derrick, they muddle through a couple of months as roomies, not lovers, and find they are not happy with their new relationships--or the loss of their friendship. They begin to rediscover the other--seeing positive changes as they grow into their adulthood. There are several happy moments, and, having slogged through to the end, I felt gratified at having correctly guessed the ending.
In truth, the book needs a thorough editing. There is virtually no graphic sex, with most encounters fading-to-black or over with rapidly. I did manage to bond with a couple characters: Ian and Ryan, but mostly I was as frustrated with Derrick and Justin as they were with each other. So many times I wanted to shake them and tell them to just open their mouths and TALK to each other....I was glad they finally did.
Learning hat this was the third book in the series, I am not encouraged to read the others--having no faith that earlier books will be better-written or edited.
April 11, 2013
Drifting is the third book in the Finding our Way series that chronicles the lives of best friends and boyfriends, Justin and Derrick. Finding our Way started us on the journey with these two as they discovered their feelings for each other and explored the possibility of a relationship together. Tormented Discovery followed them through their senior year of high school as their relationship blossomed and they started thinking about colleges.
Drifting picks up where Tormented left off. Justin and Derrick are attending separate colleges in the beginning, but soon not only are they at college together but they are roommates. Differing schedules, friends and interests quickly drive a wedge between this previously strongly bound couple. Drifting further apart everyday, will Justin and Derrick be able to find a balance and salvage the relationship they struggled so hard to build? Or will their now obvious differences tear them apart?
What I love about this series is the depth, realism and rawness of the writing. James writes the books from both Justin and Derricks POV, so we always have both of their perspectives of current situations. The eclectic mix of secondary characters balances out the storyline and adds an outside view of what Justin and Derrick are telling us at times.
This is not your average M/M series. Justin and Derrick are very young, emotional, rough around the edges and yet sometimes naïve and James writes them that way. It's what sets his books apart from other's in the genre. The best word I can use to describe it is 'raw', his writing is very raw. If you haven't read this series, you should!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
Drifting picks up where Tormented left off. Justin and Derrick are attending separate colleges in the beginning, but soon not only are they at college together but they are roommates. Differing schedules, friends and interests quickly drive a wedge between this previously strongly bound couple. Drifting further apart everyday, will Justin and Derrick be able to find a balance and salvage the relationship they struggled so hard to build? Or will their now obvious differences tear them apart?
What I love about this series is the depth, realism and rawness of the writing. James writes the books from both Justin and Derricks POV, so we always have both of their perspectives of current situations. The eclectic mix of secondary characters balances out the storyline and adds an outside view of what Justin and Derrick are telling us at times.
This is not your average M/M series. Justin and Derrick are very young, emotional, rough around the edges and yet sometimes naïve and James writes them that way. It's what sets his books apart from other's in the genre. The best word I can use to describe it is 'raw', his writing is very raw. If you haven't read this series, you should!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *
September 9, 2016
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
3.75
This is the third in a series following the story of Justin and Derrick, friends turned best friends turned boyfriends who are now struggling to find their way together. They are now together away at college, out and living together in the dorm. Sounds perfect, right? Well, hmmmm.
As they being the journey to being real adults, real problems start to intrude. They have conflicting interests. Conflicting schedules. Friends who aren’t doing them any favors. They are trying to stay together but now every little thing is adding to the burden. And remember, this relationship, while not new, really is new in a way. They are away from family, old friends and the old routine.
The story is told in alternating point of view, so we get the emotions of both men. We are also introduced to a couple of new people (at least I think they are new to this book. I haven’t read the first two in the series but since they meet at college…). Ian and Ryan are lovely. Ryan is so shy and Ian so chattermouthed, they just are great characters.
What I liked about this couple is that it wasn’t really anything earth shattering that was causing problems. It was the real life stuff that splits apart couples all the time. Things that as a new love are cute - he leaves his towel on the floor - are entirely a different matter as an established couple. Especially one dealing with all new territory in life. I felt for both of them. They spend time hurting each other, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes on purpose. It was heart wrenching to read sometimes.
Something that dropped my rating just a little was the dialogue. At times, it was so formal sounding that it was difficult to imagine two college students, best friends and boyfriends, talking to each other this way. “We still have a couple of more issues to deliberate on…” just seemed stiff to be coming from Derrick while talking to friends. This happens often, so I am assuming this is the author’s writing style.
When they finally start communicating, they handle it as rational adults, even as some rash actions cause more problems. I admit, I was hoping their knee-jerk reactions to the dorm situation wouldn’t have been solved so easily. I wanted them to see the consequences but that’s not nearly as romantic, I suppose. This is a coming of age book of sorts, with not overdone sex. I absolutely loved their compromise on how to work things out because they were adult enough to see what they were doing to each other. You end up pulling for their long term.
3.75
This is the third in a series following the story of Justin and Derrick, friends turned best friends turned boyfriends who are now struggling to find their way together. They are now together away at college, out and living together in the dorm. Sounds perfect, right? Well, hmmmm.
As they being the journey to being real adults, real problems start to intrude. They have conflicting interests. Conflicting schedules. Friends who aren’t doing them any favors. They are trying to stay together but now every little thing is adding to the burden. And remember, this relationship, while not new, really is new in a way. They are away from family, old friends and the old routine.
The story is told in alternating point of view, so we get the emotions of both men. We are also introduced to a couple of new people (at least I think they are new to this book. I haven’t read the first two in the series but since they meet at college…). Ian and Ryan are lovely. Ryan is so shy and Ian so chattermouthed, they just are great characters.
What I liked about this couple is that it wasn’t really anything earth shattering that was causing problems. It was the real life stuff that splits apart couples all the time. Things that as a new love are cute - he leaves his towel on the floor - are entirely a different matter as an established couple. Especially one dealing with all new territory in life. I felt for both of them. They spend time hurting each other, sometimes unintentionally, sometimes on purpose. It was heart wrenching to read sometimes.
Something that dropped my rating just a little was the dialogue. At times, it was so formal sounding that it was difficult to imagine two college students, best friends and boyfriends, talking to each other this way. “We still have a couple of more issues to deliberate on…” just seemed stiff to be coming from Derrick while talking to friends. This happens often, so I am assuming this is the author’s writing style.
When they finally start communicating, they handle it as rational adults, even as some rash actions cause more problems. I admit, I was hoping their knee-jerk reactions to the dorm situation wouldn’t have been solved so easily. I wanted them to see the consequences but that’s not nearly as romantic, I suppose. This is a coming of age book of sorts, with not overdone sex. I absolutely loved their compromise on how to work things out because they were adult enough to see what they were doing to each other. You end up pulling for their long term.
July 11, 2016
I was given a free copy of this book by the author for an honest review as part of the M/M Romance Group's Don't Buy My Love event.
I really enjoyed this book. Let me start by saying I had not read the first two books in the series and I did not feel lost at all. The book jacket reads as if there are two MC's but the story is told from four different POVs with quite a few extra characters included. In the beginning it was a little hard to keep everyone straight in my head. Once I was able to do that the story started to flow better for me.
Ok so we have Derrick and Justin who are high school sweethearts, who after going to separate colleges realize that they miss each other to much and want to be in school together. Justin transfers from his school to Derricks and of course everything is great in the beginning but you know the break-up is coming. Even knowing that it's coming, I kept thinking they could fix this if they would just talk! Most of the time while I was reading the song Say Something by A Great Big World kept playing in the back of mind. I guess that's the reason most relationships fail...lack of communication. We watch the break-up and the pain of them trying to move on. I'm sure this was made more difficult by them still being roommates and watching the other move on with their life.
Ian and Ryan are the other POVs provided in this story. Ian is chubby and a little unsure of himself. He approaches Derrick in hopes of maybe having the relationship he longs for but instead they become friends. This in the end is what Ian really needed. Through Derrick he meets Ryan an extremely shy, good looking guy. I would have liked there to have been more of their story together; most of the book focused on their interactions with Derrick and Justin and less than successful dating with others.
The book also shows each of the four MC's having some good and some not so good dates with other guys before Justin and Derrick get back together and before Ian and Ryan meet. I think this helps Justin and Derrick grow up some and be able to really appreciate each other better. Ryan and Ian, I think, always knew what kind of guy they wanted they just didn't know how to go about finding that right guy.
This was a nice light read with an HEA for everyone.
I really enjoyed this book. Let me start by saying I had not read the first two books in the series and I did not feel lost at all. The book jacket reads as if there are two MC's but the story is told from four different POVs with quite a few extra characters included. In the beginning it was a little hard to keep everyone straight in my head. Once I was able to do that the story started to flow better for me.
Ok so we have Derrick and Justin who are high school sweethearts, who after going to separate colleges realize that they miss each other to much and want to be in school together. Justin transfers from his school to Derricks and of course everything is great in the beginning but you know the break-up is coming. Even knowing that it's coming, I kept thinking they could fix this if they would just talk! Most of the time while I was reading the song Say Something by A Great Big World kept playing in the back of mind. I guess that's the reason most relationships fail...lack of communication. We watch the break-up and the pain of them trying to move on. I'm sure this was made more difficult by them still being roommates and watching the other move on with their life.
Ian and Ryan are the other POVs provided in this story. Ian is chubby and a little unsure of himself. He approaches Derrick in hopes of maybe having the relationship he longs for but instead they become friends. This in the end is what Ian really needed. Through Derrick he meets Ryan an extremely shy, good looking guy. I would have liked there to have been more of their story together; most of the book focused on their interactions with Derrick and Justin and less than successful dating with others.
The book also shows each of the four MC's having some good and some not so good dates with other guys before Justin and Derrick get back together and before Ian and Ryan meet. I think this helps Justin and Derrick grow up some and be able to really appreciate each other better. Ryan and Ian, I think, always knew what kind of guy they wanted they just didn't know how to go about finding that right guy.
This was a nice light read with an HEA for everyone.
Read
January 2, 2014The main story is about Derrick and Justin, but this is more a choral book about college students. These are not adults, and indeed you can say that from the wrong decisions they take, mostly out of misunderstandings and too much emotional approach to life. They are cute in their mistakes, and an adult reader arrives to the point to want to cuddle them to make it better.
You can say at first there is past history between Derrick and Justin, and indeed I discovered at the end of the book it was a third chapter in a series, but truth be told, I didn’t miss the previous books, I suppose it can be good to go back and read about these two as best friends and high school students finding love, but it was also good to read about them as young adults facing the first odds of their relationship. And yes, there is a break-up and there are even other boyfriends, but that was right, it’s for sure nice and sweet to believe two boys met in high school and are forever together, but sometime I also wonder if it’s not better for them to have the chance to see that what they have together is good, better than what they can find out.
There is a lot talking about sex, and also doing it, after all these are barely legal boys just out from the shelter of their parents’ homes, but this is not an erotic romance; sex is there, but it’s not what moves the story; sometime sex is even comfort, and most of these boys take it lightly, like it was just another way to spend the time, and I found this to be truthful, they don’t have malice, like they don’t have prejudices. Strangely enough, the more “adult” about this matter is the younger of them, who decides he is not adult enough to have sex and decides to wait some more years.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1481291610/?...
You can say at first there is past history between Derrick and Justin, and indeed I discovered at the end of the book it was a third chapter in a series, but truth be told, I didn’t miss the previous books, I suppose it can be good to go back and read about these two as best friends and high school students finding love, but it was also good to read about them as young adults facing the first odds of their relationship. And yes, there is a break-up and there are even other boyfriends, but that was right, it’s for sure nice and sweet to believe two boys met in high school and are forever together, but sometime I also wonder if it’s not better for them to have the chance to see that what they have together is good, better than what they can find out.
There is a lot talking about sex, and also doing it, after all these are barely legal boys just out from the shelter of their parents’ homes, but this is not an erotic romance; sex is there, but it’s not what moves the story; sometime sex is even comfort, and most of these boys take it lightly, like it was just another way to spend the time, and I found this to be truthful, they don’t have malice, like they don’t have prejudices. Strangely enough, the more “adult” about this matter is the younger of them, who decides he is not adult enough to have sex and decides to wait some more years.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1481291610/?...
March 9, 2014
(This book was given free in return for an honest review)
Drifting away is mainly about a couple, Justin and Derrick, and how they attend college together, break up, and then return to being a couple. The story also includes the viewpoints and eventual romance of Ian and Ryan.
I find it hard to believe that this author is American. The writing style was very stilted and jumpy. Lots of editing errors and a gross misuse of spell-check. Spell-check has this nasty habit of taking every conjunction and making it into it's two separate words...leading to an awkward speak and writing pattern. There was not a single conjunction in this book. The wording in many places was just plain wrong too.
This is part 3 in a series, but the author did do a well enough job on "history" that I did not realize this until the end of the book where the author noted his other works.
Drifting away is mainly about a couple, Justin and Derrick, and how they attend college together, break up, and then return to being a couple. The story also includes the viewpoints and eventual romance of Ian and Ryan.
I find it hard to believe that this author is American. The writing style was very stilted and jumpy. Lots of editing errors and a gross misuse of spell-check. Spell-check has this nasty habit of taking every conjunction and making it into it's two separate words...leading to an awkward speak and writing pattern. There was not a single conjunction in this book. The wording in many places was just plain wrong too.
This is part 3 in a series, but the author did do a well enough job on "history" that I did not realize this until the end of the book where the author noted his other works.
October 26, 2013
Boy, if only more adults followed their way of thinking! Communication to solve disagreements and problems. What a simply marvelous love story! From beginning to end, from first book to third. Only a few things. I was sorry Stacy didn't find anyone, the twins I soooo expected. There was a bit too much crying. They all cried for every little thing. Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong with crying, or men crying, it was just too unbelievable that they resorted to tears all the time. However, it didn't detract from the book. What a good series.
Sorry for the contractions, I know the author hardly uses them. ;-)
Sorry for the contractions, I know the author hardly uses them. ;-)
December 5, 2013
Drifting is by far my favorite of the Finding Our Way series! Returning are Justin & Derrick who are now in college together and trying to figure out living together. Then we hear from their friend Ryan, his parts of the story are super! And we meet Ian, who goes to college with Justin and Derrick. Ian is lonely and looking for friends on campus. Ryan is still looking for the love of his life and someone to share everything with.
Justin and Derrick go through a lot of issues in Drifting. Will they be able to make it as a couple with everything they have going on?
Reading is the only way you will get that answer! I highly recommend the first two books in this series as well!
Justin and Derrick go through a lot of issues in Drifting. Will they be able to make it as a couple with everything they have going on?
Reading is the only way you will get that answer! I highly recommend the first two books in this series as well!
March 15, 2014
A free copy was given in exchange for a honest review.
This book was part three of a series. I am sure that I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first books. This was the continuing story of Derrick and Justin, who's relationship seems not to be able to handle moving in together after Justin changes Collages so they can be together. The book goes on to show each boy tries to date other people, stay best friends, and hide jealousy when they think the other one has moved on.
While the story show how important it is to communicate in a relationship, I think the book could be great book for 17-20 year old, which I have not been in a long time.
This book was part three of a series. I am sure that I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first books. This was the continuing story of Derrick and Justin, who's relationship seems not to be able to handle moving in together after Justin changes Collages so they can be together. The book goes on to show each boy tries to date other people, stay best friends, and hide jealousy when they think the other one has moved on.
While the story show how important it is to communicate in a relationship, I think the book could be great book for 17-20 year old, which I have not been in a long time.
March 22, 2014
2.5
So this book had been giving me headaches every time I thought about reviewing it, so much so I had to take a few days just to think about it before I started writing. There were things I liked about it but there were also things I disliked, I think I'm going to talk about what I did like first, as this is my comfort zone.
Straight off I have to say - I love the title and really liked the front cover. These may seem like little things but they are the first thing you see when browsing for books so it is a major plus. One of my favourite books I by-passed several times and nearly didn't buy at all because I didn't like the front cover or title.
Next, the premise of this book is fabulous. It's actually part of a series which I didn't realise until the end of the book, it most definitely works as a stand alone. It kind of turns the college boy experience on it's head as the two MC's were already in a steady, loving relationship so, instead of the college boy finding and experiencing love for the first time, we see it from the point of view of how a committed relationship becomes harder after the initial 'honeymoon' period is over. I really, really liked this, it was different and showed another side of the relationship
.
Derrick and Justin do love each other but they realise that this isn't necessarily enough. They try to make it work but it just won't go right. Little annoyances become cavernous differences and the couple split up. Yep I've seen this in books before, usually at the beginning then we see the rest of the book from one character's POV as they move on to their next love. Drifting isn't like that. For a start it is written from both Justin and Derrick's viewpoint, this gives us the opportunity to understand both characters and how they are feeling. As well as this though the book tells us about them drifting apart, their differences and arguments, it also tells us about them drifting together. We see the moments they share - memories, friends, understanding. This I really appreciated. This is real life, love is hard and sometimes it isn't enough. But sometimes it is. Do Derrick and Justin manage to resolve their issues? I'll let you find that out for yourselves.
So what didn't I like? There were four things really, firstly the two minor things. Contractions in modern speech are really important, no matter how it sounds in the author's head I'll stick my neck out and say that it never translates that way for the reader. The fact that a lot of speech wasn't contracted was really irritating, it wasn't a deal breaker but as an easy thing to fix it was annoying to read. The other minor point was that as well as Derrick and Justin's POV we also had Ryan and Ian's. Now frankly I didn't really care about these characters, maybe this is because I haven't read the other books in the series but really in the context I read it I only wanted the story of the main characters (Derrick and Justin) and would happily have only known about Ryan and Ian in so far as their interactions with the other two. So again only a minor irritant but it was an irritant - maybe it's just my opinion though.
The third thing that bugged me was that the characters all sounded the same, I kept losing track of which person's story I was hearing, despite each chapter being labeled with the character's name. (Also if you have a main character called Derrick, don't also have a Derek and an Eric.) There just was not enough differentiation in the characters despite being told about personality and physical differences.....
....and this segues nicely into my main bugbear. The one irritant that I found it hard to overlook, the one that meant I put the book down several times and took a break before resuming reading, I felt I was being told the story and frankly I wanted to be shown it. Show don't tell is writing 101 and I find when I'm constantly being told what is happening I don't feel involved in the story, I don't feel for the characters and the amount I care is seriously diminished. And this is a shame when the story really appeals to me. Because I was told what happened at times the characters seemed whiny and my empathy for them dwindled greatly - you get the idea??
Jayson James has a great premise for a story with characters that could be great, unfortunately the execution wasn't all it could be, that's not to say I won't be checking out future works of his.
An arc was provided by the author for an honest review
So this book had been giving me headaches every time I thought about reviewing it, so much so I had to take a few days just to think about it before I started writing. There were things I liked about it but there were also things I disliked, I think I'm going to talk about what I did like first, as this is my comfort zone.
Straight off I have to say - I love the title and really liked the front cover. These may seem like little things but they are the first thing you see when browsing for books so it is a major plus. One of my favourite books I by-passed several times and nearly didn't buy at all because I didn't like the front cover or title.
Next, the premise of this book is fabulous. It's actually part of a series which I didn't realise until the end of the book, it most definitely works as a stand alone. It kind of turns the college boy experience on it's head as the two MC's were already in a steady, loving relationship so, instead of the college boy finding and experiencing love for the first time, we see it from the point of view of how a committed relationship becomes harder after the initial 'honeymoon' period is over. I really, really liked this, it was different and showed another side of the relationship
.
Derrick and Justin do love each other but they realise that this isn't necessarily enough. They try to make it work but it just won't go right. Little annoyances become cavernous differences and the couple split up. Yep I've seen this in books before, usually at the beginning then we see the rest of the book from one character's POV as they move on to their next love. Drifting isn't like that. For a start it is written from both Justin and Derrick's viewpoint, this gives us the opportunity to understand both characters and how they are feeling. As well as this though the book tells us about them drifting apart, their differences and arguments, it also tells us about them drifting together. We see the moments they share - memories, friends, understanding. This I really appreciated. This is real life, love is hard and sometimes it isn't enough. But sometimes it is. Do Derrick and Justin manage to resolve their issues? I'll let you find that out for yourselves.
So what didn't I like? There were four things really, firstly the two minor things. Contractions in modern speech are really important, no matter how it sounds in the author's head I'll stick my neck out and say that it never translates that way for the reader. The fact that a lot of speech wasn't contracted was really irritating, it wasn't a deal breaker but as an easy thing to fix it was annoying to read. The other minor point was that as well as Derrick and Justin's POV we also had Ryan and Ian's. Now frankly I didn't really care about these characters, maybe this is because I haven't read the other books in the series but really in the context I read it I only wanted the story of the main characters (Derrick and Justin) and would happily have only known about Ryan and Ian in so far as their interactions with the other two. So again only a minor irritant but it was an irritant - maybe it's just my opinion though.
The third thing that bugged me was that the characters all sounded the same, I kept losing track of which person's story I was hearing, despite each chapter being labeled with the character's name. (Also if you have a main character called Derrick, don't also have a Derek and an Eric.) There just was not enough differentiation in the characters despite being told about personality and physical differences.....
....and this segues nicely into my main bugbear. The one irritant that I found it hard to overlook, the one that meant I put the book down several times and took a break before resuming reading, I felt I was being told the story and frankly I wanted to be shown it. Show don't tell is writing 101 and I find when I'm constantly being told what is happening I don't feel involved in the story, I don't feel for the characters and the amount I care is seriously diminished. And this is a shame when the story really appeals to me. Because I was told what happened at times the characters seemed whiny and my empathy for them dwindled greatly - you get the idea??
Jayson James has a great premise for a story with characters that could be great, unfortunately the execution wasn't all it could be, that's not to say I won't be checking out future works of his.
An arc was provided by the author for an honest review
July 22, 2016
A free copy of the book was provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Drifting is the third book in this series about Derrick, Jason and their assorted friends. Although I had read the first two books a while ago, I think Drifting could be read as a stand-alone. However, it will probably make it more difficult to follow all the different characters and the changing POVs.
Unfortunately, for me, the first book Finding Our Way was the best in the series. I also enjoyed the second book Tormented Discovery. This third one disappointed me. The majority of Jason and Derrick's story was spent with dealing their bickering, selfishness and extreme immaturity. They seemed more like 13-year-olds than college students. Some of it was so over-the-top that it felt contrived. Also, Ryan - a character I enjoyed in the other books - came off as a jerk until the very end.
The ray of sunshine in the story for me was Ian. I applaud Jayson James for creating this new character who is not a perfect specimen, but is the sweetest, most honest, adorable character in the book. It was good to read about him gaining some confidence and making friends (without having to remake himself into that perfect specimen).
This book also needs some serious editing. I believe the first two books also had editing issues, but I do not remember them being as pronounced as in Drifting. Some of the writing is stilted - partially because contractions are not used when they normally would be to portray the natural way people speak and think. For example: "...I still am in love with him" instead of "...I'm still in love with him." There are also missing words, incorrect words used and incorrect forms of words used (e.g. adjective when an adverb should have been used). I can generally overlook a few editing issues, but there were so many that they became intrusive.
I hope Jayson James focuses on characters like Ian in the future as I did enjoy his portion of this book.
Drifting is the third book in this series about Derrick, Jason and their assorted friends. Although I had read the first two books a while ago, I think Drifting could be read as a stand-alone. However, it will probably make it more difficult to follow all the different characters and the changing POVs.
Unfortunately, for me, the first book Finding Our Way was the best in the series. I also enjoyed the second book Tormented Discovery. This third one disappointed me. The majority of Jason and Derrick's story was spent with dealing their bickering, selfishness and extreme immaturity. They seemed more like 13-year-olds than college students. Some of it was so over-the-top that it felt contrived. Also, Ryan - a character I enjoyed in the other books - came off as a jerk until the very end.
The ray of sunshine in the story for me was Ian. I applaud Jayson James for creating this new character who is not a perfect specimen, but is the sweetest, most honest, adorable character in the book. It was good to read about him gaining some confidence and making friends (without having to remake himself into that perfect specimen).
This book also needs some serious editing. I believe the first two books also had editing issues, but I do not remember them being as pronounced as in Drifting. Some of the writing is stilted - partially because contractions are not used when they normally would be to portray the natural way people speak and think. For example: "...I still am in love with him" instead of "...I'm still in love with him." There are also missing words, incorrect words used and incorrect forms of words used (e.g. adjective when an adverb should have been used). I can generally overlook a few editing issues, but there were so many that they became intrusive.
I hope Jayson James focuses on characters like Ian in the future as I did enjoy his portion of this book.
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