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The Boys of Summer
David McIntyre has been enjoying the heck out of his current touring the Hawaiian Islands in search of the ideal shooting locations for a series of film company projects. What’s not to like? Stunning scenery, great food, sunny beaches...and a secret crush on his hot, ex-Air Force pilot, Rick Sutton.Everything changes when a tropical storm and engine failure force a crash landing on a deserted atoll with a WWII listening post. Rick’s injuries, and a lack of food and water, make rescue imperative, but it takes an intensely vivid dream about the war to make David see that Rick is more than just a pilot to him. Will David gather his courage to confess his feelings to Rick—before it’s too late?
294 pages, Paperback
First published April 14, 2013
7 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Madison
441 books292 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
April 17, 2013
It is always difficult to write one of the early reviews because I want to be fair as possible to the story and for the next readers. So bear with me, the explanation will be quite long ...
I guess whether you will like the book or not will highly depend on how much you can enjoy the dream sequence. See, after I read Sarah Madison's blog prior to reading this, I knew that there would be a 'dream sequence' that became significant to the story.
Unfortunately, the execution didn't really work for me.
I really enjoyed the book up until around 38% -- before the dream sequence started. It was different; it was sort-of a survival/adventure story, as David and Rick were stranded in the off-island of Hawaii, after their plane crashed. I liked how David and Rick had different personalities, their banters were quite amusing (David's working inner brain was quite funny).
I also liked the strong sense of World War 2 aura, because David was doing a lot of research of it for his job, and he had also been reading about Alan Turing (side note: Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing as Alan Turing?!? MUST SEE THE MOVIE WHEN IT IS MADE!).
... then the dream sequence started (Ms. Madison named this chapter "Interlude" to mark it as different timeline with the rest of the chapters, which set in the contemporary setting). That was when the story started to lose its grip for me...
See, the dream sequence was about 22k out of 74k story, so it was quite long. The events in the dream happened for several weeks (and wow that was quite a lengthy timeline for one night dream). It might work better on audio visual medium, like a movie or TV ... but on paper, the transition of the events in the dream felt choppy. In results, I lost the emotional connection I have built up with David and Rick. I didn't even feel sad or moved with the ending of the dream sequence.
On top of that, when the story returned to the contemporary setting, it felt like David was still "influenced" with his dream (in the dream he called Rick, "Sutt", while prior to the dream, he always thought of Rick as "Sutton"). This nickname was used several times in the contemporary chapters. Again, it just ruined the rapport I had with the two men.
... and the ending? It didn't felt like HEA to me. It didn't even felt like a promising HFN. It was rushed, and well, the romance wasn't very convincing (maybe because the story was 'cut off' with the dream sequence?). I thought the two men would have need to work things out if they wanted to be in a relationship.
Having said all that, I must take off my hat for the research Ms. Madison did. Seemed like she was quite passionate with the idea (and you could felt it). I just wish she writes the story separately though. It might work better for me.
So, in the end, it is just an okay book. I don't dislike it but I can't say I like it as well. It is just so-so. Please note, your mileage may vary...
I guess whether you will like the book or not will highly depend on how much you can enjoy the dream sequence. See, after I read Sarah Madison's blog prior to reading this, I knew that there would be a 'dream sequence' that became significant to the story.
Unfortunately, the execution didn't really work for me.
I really enjoyed the book up until around 38% -- before the dream sequence started. It was different; it was sort-of a survival/adventure story, as David and Rick were stranded in the off-island of Hawaii, after their plane crashed. I liked how David and Rick had different personalities, their banters were quite amusing (David's working inner brain was quite funny).
I also liked the strong sense of World War 2 aura, because David was doing a lot of research of it for his job, and he had also been reading about Alan Turing (side note: Benedict Cumberbatch will be playing as Alan Turing?!? MUST SEE THE MOVIE WHEN IT IS MADE!).
... then the dream sequence started (Ms. Madison named this chapter "Interlude" to mark it as different timeline with the rest of the chapters, which set in the contemporary setting). That was when the story started to lose its grip for me...
See, the dream sequence was about 22k out of 74k story, so it was quite long. The events in the dream happened for several weeks (and wow that was quite a lengthy timeline for one night dream). It might work better on audio visual medium, like a movie or TV ... but on paper, the transition of the events in the dream felt choppy. In results, I lost the emotional connection I have built up with David and Rick. I didn't even feel sad or moved with the ending of the dream sequence.
On top of that, when the story returned to the contemporary setting, it felt like David was still "influenced" with his dream (in the dream he called Rick, "Sutt", while prior to the dream, he always thought of Rick as "Sutton"). This nickname was used several times in the contemporary chapters. Again, it just ruined the rapport I had with the two men.
... and the ending? It didn't felt like HEA to me. It didn't even felt like a promising HFN. It was rushed, and well, the romance wasn't very convincing (maybe because the story was 'cut off' with the dream sequence?). I thought the two men would have need to work things out if they wanted to be in a relationship.
Having said all that, I must take off my hat for the research Ms. Madison did. Seemed like she was quite passionate with the idea (and you could felt it). I just wish she writes the story separately though. It might work better for me.
So, in the end, it is just an okay book. I don't dislike it but I can't say I like it as well. It is just so-so. Please note, your mileage may vary...
February 12, 2020
Poignant. The WWII setting and the lives of those young RAF pilots during the Battle of Britain really captured my attention, more so than the current day scenes. You sense the heartbreak and the weariness of the pilots, little more than boys really, who turned the tide in the early days of the war. I would love to read a full-on historical novel from the author.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 5, 2013
What a roller-coaster ride of emotion this book is. A plane crash, stranded on a tropical island, a fight for survival, a journey back to WWII and a HEA for good measure.
David McIntyre is a location scout for movie companies and is looking for suitable locations in the Hawaiian Islands. He has hired pilot Richard Sutton to fly him around the islands looking for locations. A storm comes up and they are forced to crash land on a remote island, now the fight for survival begins. They both survive the crash but Rick has a bad arm injury which becomes infected, so time is of the essence to be rescued. They leave the wreckage of the plane and start the fight for survival, but they discover they have landed on an old, abandoned WWII airstrip and the outbuildings of the old runway provide shelter for them while awaiting rescue. Here the story started for me at a solid 3 stars, I was still a little apprehensive about the "stranded on a tropical island" cliché, but thank goodness no basketballs with drawn on faces in sight. I was also very wary about the old plot device of relationships being formed under extreme stress situations and how this would pan out. Richard is your strong silent type who keeps his emotions well gaurded and David your impetuous, spontaneous type. The MCs balance each other out wonderfully and the author's writing matches their thoughts and feelings perfectly although they are two very different types. David discovers strengths he never realised he had and Richard your strong silent type depends more on David as his infection steadily becomes worse.
After an exhausting day looking for water, trying to find medication and anything that might help them survive in the old buildings they collapse one evening in exhaustion and fall asleep in each others arms for comfort after Richard eludes to the fact that he is ex-military and gay. Here we are taken back to WWII and the UK in the 1930s in David's dream.
This part of the book was titled Interlude and was relatively lengthy as one piece of writing goes. I feel that this could have been titled differently and maybe divided a little into smaller chapters. It wasn't completely obvious whether this was a dream or not and felt the transition could have been handled a little smoother.
In the dream we find the same characters again but in different roles, David is a puzzle solver working at Bletchley park trying to break the German codes produced by The Enigma Machine and Richard is a Spitfire pilot, flying sorties out of RAF Cranfield. They meet one evening in a pub, Rick being there every evening with his pilot buddies letting off steam. They become fascinated with each other as Rick is also a mathematical genius and David becomes interested in him romantically and also his ability to solve puzzles. The attraction develops and it is obvious that the feelings are mutual and soon are reciprocated by Rick. Well, needless to say that this is the 1930s in the UK and in the middle of WWII. Again we find Rick very emotionally guarded and reluctant to form any ties or a relationship out of the basic fact that life then was so uncertain and short lived which for a WWII pilot was totally normal. Not forgetting that their attraction has to stay under wraps due to the legal situation about homosexuality at that time too. But every night David is waiting in the pub for Rick to return, but one evening he doesn't come in with the rest of his squadron. There is an unspoken rule among the pilots that you never ask where someone is if they are not there out of respect. A this point my heart jumped into my throat and my tissue consumption shot through the roof. I'm not going to eloborate more, but just to implore you to read this part of the story if you dont read anything else from the book.
I found the dream was a beautiful and emotional short story in its own right. Well concepted, well rounded, beautifully written and left me emotionally wrung out at the tragic, but beautiful end. It was a crushing and harrowing end to the dream, but realistic and very true to this time reflecting the anguish that so many suffered at that time. The story hit home. I could have closed the book here and would have been happy, revelling in the emotional tidal wave that swept over me. For me personally the peak of this book had been reached and at that moment I had been sent through an emotional roller-coaster loop and left me at 5 stars for this read. The dream sequence for me is almost a book within a book and could easily have been a successful stand-alone short story in its own right. Having many beautiful and poignant moments.
The historical aspects are well researched and the descriptions take you back to this time. I did get the feeling that maybe the connection between David and Bletchley Park was probably based on the real life of Alan Turing. Also the exhaustion and hopelessness of the pilot's situation, if they weren't shot down they were worked to the bone.
Sarah draws on a lot of parallels in the dream from the real world, Richard is still the same character as in real life with his emotional aloofness. Also the use of the old notebook they discovered on the island makes its appearance as David's for entering and sketching his code breaking ideas for Bletchley Park.
So, we're literally jolted back to the present day as David awakes. After being left emotionally drained from this dream I found it difficult to get back into the story on the island to be honest. David wakes up still feeling the effects of his dream, me as well. The dream makes him realise how much he feels for Richard and now the fight to keep him alive and to get back to the mainland is even more imperative. Needless to say, they are rescued thanks to modern times and both taken to the nearest hospital. Now David only has a couple of days to make Richard realise now much he means to him and to convince him that they have a chance together.
Although this part of the story is also well written with a Hollywood style HEA, I felt I was still left reeling from the power and force of the dream and wishing for maybe some tangible connection between the dream and the present day. The dream spurns David on to win Richard over, but maybe a mysterious clue, a photo, a journal entry, a dog tag, connecting their theoretical "past " or "former" lives to the present situation for me was missing. This would have rounded the story off for me completely and would have given the dream a more secure hold on the present, but this is only the way I felt about the book and my personal preferences / wishes. Therefore by the end of the book it was a wonderful 4 star read for me.
As I said, a roller-coaster ride of emotion that went from 3 stars to 5 stars and then ending with 4. A great book, packed full of wonderful and poignant moments, along with action and adventure elements, what more could anyone wish for.
David McIntyre is a location scout for movie companies and is looking for suitable locations in the Hawaiian Islands. He has hired pilot Richard Sutton to fly him around the islands looking for locations. A storm comes up and they are forced to crash land on a remote island, now the fight for survival begins. They both survive the crash but Rick has a bad arm injury which becomes infected, so time is of the essence to be rescued. They leave the wreckage of the plane and start the fight for survival, but they discover they have landed on an old, abandoned WWII airstrip and the outbuildings of the old runway provide shelter for them while awaiting rescue. Here the story started for me at a solid 3 stars, I was still a little apprehensive about the "stranded on a tropical island" cliché, but thank goodness no basketballs with drawn on faces in sight. I was also very wary about the old plot device of relationships being formed under extreme stress situations and how this would pan out. Richard is your strong silent type who keeps his emotions well gaurded and David your impetuous, spontaneous type. The MCs balance each other out wonderfully and the author's writing matches their thoughts and feelings perfectly although they are two very different types. David discovers strengths he never realised he had and Richard your strong silent type depends more on David as his infection steadily becomes worse.
After an exhausting day looking for water, trying to find medication and anything that might help them survive in the old buildings they collapse one evening in exhaustion and fall asleep in each others arms for comfort after Richard eludes to the fact that he is ex-military and gay. Here we are taken back to WWII and the UK in the 1930s in David's dream.
This part of the book was titled Interlude and was relatively lengthy as one piece of writing goes. I feel that this could have been titled differently and maybe divided a little into smaller chapters. It wasn't completely obvious whether this was a dream or not and felt the transition could have been handled a little smoother.
In the dream we find the same characters again but in different roles, David is a puzzle solver working at Bletchley park trying to break the German codes produced by The Enigma Machine and Richard is a Spitfire pilot, flying sorties out of RAF Cranfield. They meet one evening in a pub, Rick being there every evening with his pilot buddies letting off steam. They become fascinated with each other as Rick is also a mathematical genius and David becomes interested in him romantically and also his ability to solve puzzles. The attraction develops and it is obvious that the feelings are mutual and soon are reciprocated by Rick. Well, needless to say that this is the 1930s in the UK and in the middle of WWII. Again we find Rick very emotionally guarded and reluctant to form any ties or a relationship out of the basic fact that life then was so uncertain and short lived which for a WWII pilot was totally normal. Not forgetting that their attraction has to stay under wraps due to the legal situation about homosexuality at that time too. But every night David is waiting in the pub for Rick to return, but one evening he doesn't come in with the rest of his squadron. There is an unspoken rule among the pilots that you never ask where someone is if they are not there out of respect. A this point my heart jumped into my throat and my tissue consumption shot through the roof. I'm not going to eloborate more, but just to implore you to read this part of the story if you dont read anything else from the book.
I found the dream was a beautiful and emotional short story in its own right. Well concepted, well rounded, beautifully written and left me emotionally wrung out at the tragic, but beautiful end. It was a crushing and harrowing end to the dream, but realistic and very true to this time reflecting the anguish that so many suffered at that time. The story hit home. I could have closed the book here and would have been happy, revelling in the emotional tidal wave that swept over me. For me personally the peak of this book had been reached and at that moment I had been sent through an emotional roller-coaster loop and left me at 5 stars for this read. The dream sequence for me is almost a book within a book and could easily have been a successful stand-alone short story in its own right. Having many beautiful and poignant moments.
It was as though the war were some terrible, evil force of nature that fed on the life's blood of the young men who battled it. Those that it did not outright kill were still drained of their youth and vitality.
"Mac." Sutt's voice broke on his name.
"I'm so tired. I'm so fucking tired of it all."
David rolled onto his elbow and wiped away the silently coursing tears with his hand. Rick lay unresponsive, walled off in his misery and exhaustion, tears continuing to make their way down his face.
The historical aspects are well researched and the descriptions take you back to this time. I did get the feeling that maybe the connection between David and Bletchley Park was probably based on the real life of Alan Turing. Also the exhaustion and hopelessness of the pilot's situation, if they weren't shot down they were worked to the bone.
Sarah draws on a lot of parallels in the dream from the real world, Richard is still the same character as in real life with his emotional aloofness. Also the use of the old notebook they discovered on the island makes its appearance as David's for entering and sketching his code breaking ideas for Bletchley Park.
So, we're literally jolted back to the present day as David awakes. After being left emotionally drained from this dream I found it difficult to get back into the story on the island to be honest. David wakes up still feeling the effects of his dream, me as well. The dream makes him realise how much he feels for Richard and now the fight to keep him alive and to get back to the mainland is even more imperative. Needless to say, they are rescued thanks to modern times and both taken to the nearest hospital. Now David only has a couple of days to make Richard realise now much he means to him and to convince him that they have a chance together.
Although this part of the story is also well written with a Hollywood style HEA, I felt I was still left reeling from the power and force of the dream and wishing for maybe some tangible connection between the dream and the present day. The dream spurns David on to win Richard over, but maybe a mysterious clue, a photo, a journal entry, a dog tag, connecting their theoretical "past " or "former" lives to the present situation for me was missing. This would have rounded the story off for me completely and would have given the dream a more secure hold on the present, but this is only the way I felt about the book and my personal preferences / wishes. Therefore by the end of the book it was a wonderful 4 star read for me.
As I said, a roller-coaster ride of emotion that went from 3 stars to 5 stars and then ending with 4. A great book, packed full of wonderful and poignant moments, along with action and adventure elements, what more could anyone wish for.
August 19, 2013
4.5 stars. This book is really two stories, folded into one another. I was clued in to that by a posted comment about "Long dream sequence" and I was actually glad of the quasi-spoiler. It helped smooth the story when I read it, since otherwise I might have had a major WTF moment as the action shifted from present adventure to past dream.
Both stories are worth reading. Sarah Madison has a smooth, easy writing style that makes her work flow well. The past-historical dream-story was set in WWII which is one of my favorite historical periods, and it felt well done, with period detail that seemed authentic, and a nice wistful, tightly-anxious tone that fit the situation of a world at war. The characters in both versions were interesting guys and likable.
I don't know if the author chose to surround a historical story she wanted to tell, with bookends to make the history more palatable and romantic for a reader. I can see that writing the WWII part as a stand-alone would have had risks. At the same time, I felt as though both of these excellent and gripping stories were a bit short-changed by being combined this way. I would have loved for both to be a bit longer, particularly the modern one that formed the beginning and end of the book. There was a lot about these guys, particularly about Sutton, the pilot, that could have been explored more deeply and slowly, adding to the sense of their connection.
However, I did appreciate some of the realism in both stories. I loved the fact that the guys were sometimes too tired or too hurt or distracted to want sex. The plot worked without holes for me, other than a somewhat rushed feel to the ending. I became invested in her characters and wished them well, and particularly liked Sutton's gradual, unwilling opening to the possibilities of love. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it a lot, and will look for future books from this author. And isn't the cover lovely?
Both stories are worth reading. Sarah Madison has a smooth, easy writing style that makes her work flow well. The past-historical dream-story was set in WWII which is one of my favorite historical periods, and it felt well done, with period detail that seemed authentic, and a nice wistful, tightly-anxious tone that fit the situation of a world at war. The characters in both versions were interesting guys and likable.
I don't know if the author chose to surround a historical story she wanted to tell, with bookends to make the history more palatable and romantic for a reader. I can see that writing the WWII part as a stand-alone would have had risks. At the same time, I felt as though both of these excellent and gripping stories were a bit short-changed by being combined this way. I would have loved for both to be a bit longer, particularly the modern one that formed the beginning and end of the book. There was a lot about these guys, particularly about Sutton, the pilot, that could have been explored more deeply and slowly, adding to the sense of their connection.
However, I did appreciate some of the realism in both stories. I loved the fact that the guys were sometimes too tired or too hurt or distracted to want sex. The plot worked without holes for me, other than a somewhat rushed feel to the ending. I became invested in her characters and wished them well, and particularly liked Sutton's gradual, unwilling opening to the possibilities of love. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it a lot, and will look for future books from this author. And isn't the cover lovely?
January 1, 2016
The Boys of Summer, 2nd edition – by Sarah Madison:
Rating: 4 stars
The Blurb:
David McIntyre has been enjoying the heck out of his current assignment: touring the Hawaiian Islands in search of the ideal shooting location for a series of film-company projects. What’s not to like? Stunning scenery, great food, sunny beaches… and Rick Sutton, the hot, ex-Air Force pilot who is flying him around. Everything changes when a tropical storm and engine failure forces a crash landing on a deserted atoll with a WWII listening post. Rick’s injuries and a lack of food and water mean David has to step up to the plate and play hero. While his days are spent fighting for survival, and his nights are filled with worrying about Rick, the two men grow closer. David’s research for his next movie becomes intertwined with his worst fears, and events on the island result in a vivid dream about the Battle of Britain. On waking, David realizes Rick is more than just a pilot to him. The obstacles that prevented a happy ending in 1940 aren’t present today, and David vows that if they survive this stranding, he will tell Rick how he feels.
Personal Tags: Action/Adventure; Military; Historical; Older man/Younger man; Really funny; Really sad; High Angst; Hot Angst.
The Boys of Summer:
The Boys of Summer. This is a second, revised, edition by Dreamspinner Press on December 21st, 2015. It was originally published in 2013 by Createspace.
When I saw this come out, again, it called to me like a siren in the night. I don’t know why, but the blurb just got to me, as well as Sarah’s description: I was appalled at how little I knew of that time period, or just how great a sacrifice we asked of those young men. It became vitally important to me that I tell their story. Besides: Hawaii! I lived there for a year in my early and madcap youth (I always wanted to use madcap!) and it is truly heaven on Earth. Let’s see if I can convey how much I loved this story without too many spoilers. It’s hard as it is all intertwined and part of the story that makes this such a great read.
The Characters:
David McIntyre, ‘Mac’:
David, “Mac”, has a great job as a locations scout— touring exotic locales for a production company that specializes in finding the right scenery for the right price, no matter if you wanted to shoot an old-style Western, a Lord of the Rings clone, or a sci-fi movie set on Mars. His job means lots of travel, which he enjoys. He gets to indulge in his hobby of photography and lots of travel, which he enjoys. He gets to indulge in his hobby of photography, and he has plenty of time to work on his own projects. Not to mention, it gives him an “in” with the movers and shakers of Hollywood, which does more than just get him invited to some of the best parties in LA. It also means that people in the business take a personal interest in his projects. He doesn’t plan to be a location scout his entire career. One day he hopes to have a production company of his own— maybe even direct his own films.
Rick Sutton. ‘Sutt’:
Rick Sutton was arguably one of the most photogenic men ever. Sutton was the real deal. Sutton isn’t trying to carefully cultivate a certain look. He just is that look. The first time David had walked into the hangar where Sutton ran his charter service, Sutton had stepped out from behind the plane, wiping his hands on a greasy rag. David could have sworn his jaw hit the floor like that of some cartoon rabbit. It would have been a simple matter to get Sutton half a dozen roles without even trying. David could have cast him as an Indiana Jones type in unlimited adventure films, or as the world-weary private detective in a weekly drama. Sutton would have made the perfect drifter, the down-on-his-luck hero with a heart of gold, the newest video-game character turned into a movie.
The Story:
Here comes the most interesting part, the story. This is a modern M/M romance, with the crusty Alpha type, not too Alpha, just right, and a historical romance thrown in for an amazing, knock me down, effect. The beginning, and the end, of this is straight forward modern M/M, however in the middle of the book there’s this amazingly beautiful historical Easter Egg that is beyond description. The juxtaposition of the modern era story, with its own set of angst filled story lines, with the historical perspective of the WWII era characters is electrifying. Watching the characters in their era brings a feeling that can only best be experienced in the rear view mirror of time and history. Some things really are better in the 21st Century.
This book literally had me laughing and enjoying a modern era romance/action story and sobbing at the historical part of it all. Yes, sobbing. Like a little boy. That’s how good this is. The ending of this, back in the modern era, is phenomenal. Brilliant. What a way to drive the whole story home!
The Writing:
I’ve read a few of Ms. Madison’s books and this one is, by far, one of her very best. The writing is crisp and descriptive: David looked up to warn Sutton that he was allergic to mold, but his mouth gaped open as he saw him transformed. He looked for all the world like an RAF fighter pilot, and suddenly David could picture him leaning negligently against the side of a Spitfire, flirting outrageously with all the WAAFs. He would have had them eating out of his hand until the very last moment, the very last flight.
The pathos in her writing of this is off the scale, it had me weeping and sobbing. Such a beautiful love story: David watched him cross the compound, hoping he would turn, would do anything to acknowledge that this was a substantial parting of ways, but he did not. David was forced to stand at the open car door, gripping the frame tightly as he watched that straight, slim back disappear into the main building. It was the last time he ever saw him.
This is one of those rare books that I just can’t get out of my mind. It haunts me and persecutes me and this is such a good thing! The ending, in modern day, doesn’t disappoint and is such darn good reading. Ms. Madison really wraps this up and brings it home in such an excellent manner: Rick crushed him up against the wall. Taking David’s head into his hands, Rick kissed him with the fervor of a man who’d been dying of thirst upon finding water in a desert. David wondered briefly if that was what it had been like for Rick since his discharge— endless sand dunes and miles between each oasis. David wanted to slake Rick’s thirst so thoroughly that he would stop wandering for good.
This isn’t the end, though. You’ll have to find that out for yourself.
Reviewed for - Attention Is Arbitrary Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.com
Rating: 4 stars
The Blurb:
David McIntyre has been enjoying the heck out of his current assignment: touring the Hawaiian Islands in search of the ideal shooting location for a series of film-company projects. What’s not to like? Stunning scenery, great food, sunny beaches… and Rick Sutton, the hot, ex-Air Force pilot who is flying him around. Everything changes when a tropical storm and engine failure forces a crash landing on a deserted atoll with a WWII listening post. Rick’s injuries and a lack of food and water mean David has to step up to the plate and play hero. While his days are spent fighting for survival, and his nights are filled with worrying about Rick, the two men grow closer. David’s research for his next movie becomes intertwined with his worst fears, and events on the island result in a vivid dream about the Battle of Britain. On waking, David realizes Rick is more than just a pilot to him. The obstacles that prevented a happy ending in 1940 aren’t present today, and David vows that if they survive this stranding, he will tell Rick how he feels.
Personal Tags: Action/Adventure; Military; Historical; Older man/Younger man; Really funny; Really sad; High Angst; Hot Angst.
The Boys of Summer:
The Boys of Summer. This is a second, revised, edition by Dreamspinner Press on December 21st, 2015. It was originally published in 2013 by Createspace.
When I saw this come out, again, it called to me like a siren in the night. I don’t know why, but the blurb just got to me, as well as Sarah’s description: I was appalled at how little I knew of that time period, or just how great a sacrifice we asked of those young men. It became vitally important to me that I tell their story. Besides: Hawaii! I lived there for a year in my early and madcap youth (I always wanted to use madcap!) and it is truly heaven on Earth. Let’s see if I can convey how much I loved this story without too many spoilers. It’s hard as it is all intertwined and part of the story that makes this such a great read.
The Characters:
David McIntyre, ‘Mac’:
David, “Mac”, has a great job as a locations scout— touring exotic locales for a production company that specializes in finding the right scenery for the right price, no matter if you wanted to shoot an old-style Western, a Lord of the Rings clone, or a sci-fi movie set on Mars. His job means lots of travel, which he enjoys. He gets to indulge in his hobby of photography and lots of travel, which he enjoys. He gets to indulge in his hobby of photography, and he has plenty of time to work on his own projects. Not to mention, it gives him an “in” with the movers and shakers of Hollywood, which does more than just get him invited to some of the best parties in LA. It also means that people in the business take a personal interest in his projects. He doesn’t plan to be a location scout his entire career. One day he hopes to have a production company of his own— maybe even direct his own films.
Rick Sutton. ‘Sutt’:
Rick Sutton was arguably one of the most photogenic men ever. Sutton was the real deal. Sutton isn’t trying to carefully cultivate a certain look. He just is that look. The first time David had walked into the hangar where Sutton ran his charter service, Sutton had stepped out from behind the plane, wiping his hands on a greasy rag. David could have sworn his jaw hit the floor like that of some cartoon rabbit. It would have been a simple matter to get Sutton half a dozen roles without even trying. David could have cast him as an Indiana Jones type in unlimited adventure films, or as the world-weary private detective in a weekly drama. Sutton would have made the perfect drifter, the down-on-his-luck hero with a heart of gold, the newest video-game character turned into a movie.
The Story:
Here comes the most interesting part, the story. This is a modern M/M romance, with the crusty Alpha type, not too Alpha, just right, and a historical romance thrown in for an amazing, knock me down, effect. The beginning, and the end, of this is straight forward modern M/M, however in the middle of the book there’s this amazingly beautiful historical Easter Egg that is beyond description. The juxtaposition of the modern era story, with its own set of angst filled story lines, with the historical perspective of the WWII era characters is electrifying. Watching the characters in their era brings a feeling that can only best be experienced in the rear view mirror of time and history. Some things really are better in the 21st Century.
This book literally had me laughing and enjoying a modern era romance/action story and sobbing at the historical part of it all. Yes, sobbing. Like a little boy. That’s how good this is. The ending of this, back in the modern era, is phenomenal. Brilliant. What a way to drive the whole story home!
The Writing:
I’ve read a few of Ms. Madison’s books and this one is, by far, one of her very best. The writing is crisp and descriptive: David looked up to warn Sutton that he was allergic to mold, but his mouth gaped open as he saw him transformed. He looked for all the world like an RAF fighter pilot, and suddenly David could picture him leaning negligently against the side of a Spitfire, flirting outrageously with all the WAAFs. He would have had them eating out of his hand until the very last moment, the very last flight.
The pathos in her writing of this is off the scale, it had me weeping and sobbing. Such a beautiful love story: David watched him cross the compound, hoping he would turn, would do anything to acknowledge that this was a substantial parting of ways, but he did not. David was forced to stand at the open car door, gripping the frame tightly as he watched that straight, slim back disappear into the main building. It was the last time he ever saw him.
This is one of those rare books that I just can’t get out of my mind. It haunts me and persecutes me and this is such a good thing! The ending, in modern day, doesn’t disappoint and is such darn good reading. Ms. Madison really wraps this up and brings it home in such an excellent manner: Rick crushed him up against the wall. Taking David’s head into his hands, Rick kissed him with the fervor of a man who’d been dying of thirst upon finding water in a desert. David wondered briefly if that was what it had been like for Rick since his discharge— endless sand dunes and miles between each oasis. David wanted to slake Rick’s thirst so thoroughly that he would stop wandering for good.
This isn’t the end, though. You’ll have to find that out for yourself.
Reviewed for - Attention Is Arbitrary Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.com
May 27, 2013
Slow burn.
Two men and a plane crash as a catalyst for revealing truths isn't unique, but the storytelling makes it worthwhile. David, the happy-go-lucky Hollywood location scout finds himself surviving a harrowing crash landing with Rick Sutton, the pilot he's cast into his fantasies. Unlike his fantasies, reality kicked them around and David needs to rely on his knowledge gleaned from on-set experiences to help them get rescued and keep Sutton alive.
There is some great World War II history included in this story revolving around the Battle of Britain and Alan Turing--enigma fans say, "Woot!" Yep. If you're geeky enough to get that reference then the middle sequence of the book will be interesting.
At first the structure of the story was jarring with a contemporary sequence, dream, and return to contemporary sequence. Now a dream sequence doesn't seem like it should be that odd, except that this was a substantial portion of the story, not a single chapter. It was more like three act play, in fact it was a lot like Noh play with the two parts broken by a dream sequence.
Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot, but I like history and war. Now, whether or not the structure is successful in the storytelling is up for debate. I loved the dream sequence; it was to me more interesting than the contemporary portions and would have loved a book centered just around it.
Recommend for history buffs and readers who can wait for satisfaction.
Favorite quote:
"The young men came and went like dragonflies, so many, so fast, present for such a brief time that David could not remember their names before they were gone again."
~~ A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
Two men and a plane crash as a catalyst for revealing truths isn't unique, but the storytelling makes it worthwhile. David, the happy-go-lucky Hollywood location scout finds himself surviving a harrowing crash landing with Rick Sutton, the pilot he's cast into his fantasies. Unlike his fantasies, reality kicked them around and David needs to rely on his knowledge gleaned from on-set experiences to help them get rescued and keep Sutton alive.
There is some great World War II history included in this story revolving around the Battle of Britain and Alan Turing--enigma fans say, "Woot!" Yep. If you're geeky enough to get that reference then the middle sequence of the book will be interesting.
At first the structure of the story was jarring with a contemporary sequence, dream, and return to contemporary sequence. Now a dream sequence doesn't seem like it should be that odd, except that this was a substantial portion of the story, not a single chapter. It was more like three act play, in fact it was a lot like Noh play with the two parts broken by a dream sequence.
Overall, I enjoyed the book a lot, but I like history and war. Now, whether or not the structure is successful in the storytelling is up for debate. I loved the dream sequence; it was to me more interesting than the contemporary portions and would have loved a book centered just around it.
Recommend for history buffs and readers who can wait for satisfaction.
Favorite quote:
"The young men came and went like dragonflies, so many, so fast, present for such a brief time that David could not remember their names before they were gone again."
~~ A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
May 11, 2013
I do not know what I loved the most about this book. I am not usually too keen on "surviving the plane crash" story simply because it often serves as an artificial plot device to start a love story, but here it had just been so flawless IMO. Everything made sense - David and Rick turned out to be unexpectedly complex, the story just moved slowly and at the same time did not drag. The serving in the military and getting out theme was given not unexpected but not very often looked at in romances angle. Connection with second world war made so much sense that I was not even irritated at the story within the story - something that I usually dislike, but here I loved it. I thought ending was perfect too.
August 18, 2013
4.5 Stars rounded up
Sometimes it seemed to him that Sutt wanted to be caught, which made no sense to him at all. Still it was worth it, worth the risks that they took, worth it for the momentary pleasure that it brought.
A very romantic well written contemporary book with historical elements. Good characters, nice setting and strong writing. Beautifully integrated moments from the current to the historical and it certainly elicited strong emotions and bought more than a tear of two to my eyes.
Review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews
http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
Sometimes it seemed to him that Sutt wanted to be caught, which made no sense to him at all. Still it was worth it, worth the risks that they took, worth it for the momentary pleasure that it brought.
A very romantic well written contemporary book with historical elements. Good characters, nice setting and strong writing. Beautifully integrated moments from the current to the historical and it certainly elicited strong emotions and bought more than a tear of two to my eyes.
Review at On Top Down Under Book Reviews
http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
May 16, 2013
There are times you open a book and it is magic! That is what happened to me bringing home Boys of Summer to read over the Mother’s Day weekend. Sarah Madison, a new author to me, submitted her book for review and I accepted it sight unseen just by the name. Seemed it would be a flighty, casual read for my weekend. Sarah Madison brought me Magic…..
Before I tell you anything about the great story, or the wonderful fleshed out characters, or her description of the beautiful scenery of Hawaii, this author captured us in a book within a book, a story within a story. How did I not hear of such a talent? Color me green with envy that others have.
We meet David McIntyre, enjoying his job, traveling the Hawaiian Islands looking for shoot sites for film companies back in his home town of Los Angeles. What’s not to like, taking pictures of these exotic sites, the lush vegetation and secretly getting a few of the sexy pilot Rick Sutton upon whom he is seriously crushing. The weather started looking poorly, but he wheedled a few more minutes out of the trip, which became the worst idea ever. The quick front took over, and the small plane lost altitude. The pilot fought the storm and brought the plane down with a bang, on a very small strip of land on a small island in the Pacific.
I fly almost every month, and I was with David, white knuckling it till they touched down, hard! Our pilot Rick was injured, a tree limb piercing his arm and now David, the kidder, the one so unsure of himself, had to make strong decisions to try and assist Rick until help came. The place that Ms. Madison brought us to was a compound, possibly inhabited by soldiers during WWll. This was so plausible, so interesting. This story certainly held my interest at what they found, and what they had to work with. Due to conditions, Rick’s arm became infected, spiking a fever. David finally wrapped the man up in his arms as he trembled from chills.
Remember I said a book within a book? I turned the page for the next chapter and read INTERLUDE. We are now in London during WWll with young RAF pilots loudly carousing at a pub playing darts and drinking beer; and we meet dashing, handsome pilot Rick Sutton. The RAF pilots go out and fly by day and at night drink and wash away the horrors of war. Our Boys of Summer are joined by David McIntyre, an American working in London during the war telling this story from his POV. The interlude is a full story in itself and is painstakingly researched and heartbreaking in content. Suddenly as David awakens from this vivid dream he realizes he must tell Rick how he feels before Rick dies of his injuries,or they are saved and go their separate ways. Does he have the courage to risk his heart?
To say this book is excellent is an understatement. I cannot say enough for this author and look forward to reading more from her hand and heart.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
Before I tell you anything about the great story, or the wonderful fleshed out characters, or her description of the beautiful scenery of Hawaii, this author captured us in a book within a book, a story within a story. How did I not hear of such a talent? Color me green with envy that others have.
We meet David McIntyre, enjoying his job, traveling the Hawaiian Islands looking for shoot sites for film companies back in his home town of Los Angeles. What’s not to like, taking pictures of these exotic sites, the lush vegetation and secretly getting a few of the sexy pilot Rick Sutton upon whom he is seriously crushing. The weather started looking poorly, but he wheedled a few more minutes out of the trip, which became the worst idea ever. The quick front took over, and the small plane lost altitude. The pilot fought the storm and brought the plane down with a bang, on a very small strip of land on a small island in the Pacific.
I fly almost every month, and I was with David, white knuckling it till they touched down, hard! Our pilot Rick was injured, a tree limb piercing his arm and now David, the kidder, the one so unsure of himself, had to make strong decisions to try and assist Rick until help came. The place that Ms. Madison brought us to was a compound, possibly inhabited by soldiers during WWll. This was so plausible, so interesting. This story certainly held my interest at what they found, and what they had to work with. Due to conditions, Rick’s arm became infected, spiking a fever. David finally wrapped the man up in his arms as he trembled from chills.
Remember I said a book within a book? I turned the page for the next chapter and read INTERLUDE. We are now in London during WWll with young RAF pilots loudly carousing at a pub playing darts and drinking beer; and we meet dashing, handsome pilot Rick Sutton. The RAF pilots go out and fly by day and at night drink and wash away the horrors of war. Our Boys of Summer are joined by David McIntyre, an American working in London during the war telling this story from his POV. The interlude is a full story in itself and is painstakingly researched and heartbreaking in content. Suddenly as David awakens from this vivid dream he realizes he must tell Rick how he feels before Rick dies of his injuries,or they are saved and go their separate ways. Does he have the courage to risk his heart?
To say this book is excellent is an understatement. I cannot say enough for this author and look forward to reading more from her hand and heart.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild
August 6, 2013
4.5 Stars
I dived into the interlude. To quote Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise,” delayed gratification was worth it. The interlude is the best part of the story! The interlude is a vital part to this story, and I have to commend Madison on how well she did her research into WWII and how very well she incorporated it into this great romance. The second part of the story does finally give the reader some much-needed gratification, and the ending I found very sweet and enduring.
You can read the rest of Bruce's review at The Novel Approach
I dived into the interlude. To quote Gomer Pyle, “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise,” delayed gratification was worth it. The interlude is the best part of the story! The interlude is a vital part to this story, and I have to commend Madison on how well she did her research into WWII and how very well she incorporated it into this great romance. The second part of the story does finally give the reader some much-needed gratification, and the ending I found very sweet and enduring.
You can read the rest of Bruce's review at The Novel Approach
April 23, 2016
DNF page 128 of 292.
Can't believe I had this book in my currently-reading shelf for that long.
Bye bye.
Can't believe I had this book in my currently-reading shelf for that long.
Bye bye.
October 6, 2013
2,5 stars
Next time Simsy - listen to Ami
Next time Simsy - listen to Ami
November 14, 2017
Excellent story, both the modern one and the WWII one inside it. Good references to movies without a bunch of "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" cluttering up the dialog -- nice job! I particularly liked the Joe vs. the Volcano moment when David is possibly suffering heatstroke and starts talking to God -- good stuff, not silly in the slightest. I'll be reading more from this author!
May 3, 2013
This one has so much more than the usual boy meet boy, romance/sex, conflict and hea. There is a gem of a little story within the main story itself. Romance while marooned on an island is kind of old fashion but I like the idea and here the writer has done a great job developing the relationship between Rick, a hunk of a pilot and ex-military to boot, and David, a delightful hollywood guy with a little self deprecating. I enjoy their banter, the simmering tension bordering on the start of something called romance between these two guys. I also like their little adventure on the island as they strive to survive with little food. Rick being hurt certainly adds to their predicament.
Then there is that little story within the present story, which is suppose to be a dream but really so much more. Man! I cried myself out reading the chapter named interlude by the writer. This haunting and beautiful little story of forbidden love during WWII between a code scientist and an American pilot is just heart wrenching and poignant. A true gem of a story and really up this book for me. The story of Mac and Sutt will stick with me for a long time, as much as the WWII setting where these brave boys fight for freedom in the skies, their young precious lives doused before their time. Truly memorable and the writer's details add so much authencity to it that this little gem of a story or dream easily outweigh the main story.
Still I do enjoy the main story as both Rick and David are very likable and I just want them to be together as they dance around each other, more like David dancing around the stoic Rick and waving his arms infront of the hunk. Their first sex scene is nice. Maybe the ending is a bit too convenient but on the other hand I do like the direction these two are heading. Great stuff Sarah Madison!
Then there is that little story within the present story, which is suppose to be a dream but really so much more. Man! I cried myself out reading the chapter named interlude by the writer. This haunting and beautiful little story of forbidden love during WWII between a code scientist and an American pilot is just heart wrenching and poignant. A true gem of a story and really up this book for me. The story of Mac and Sutt will stick with me for a long time, as much as the WWII setting where these brave boys fight for freedom in the skies, their young precious lives doused before their time. Truly memorable and the writer's details add so much authencity to it that this little gem of a story or dream easily outweigh the main story.
Still I do enjoy the main story as both Rick and David are very likable and I just want them to be together as they dance around each other, more like David dancing around the stoic Rick and waving his arms infront of the hunk. Their first sex scene is nice. Maybe the ending is a bit too convenient but on the other hand I do like the direction these two are heading. Great stuff Sarah Madison!
June 28, 2013
What can I say? I adored Crying For the Moon and I adored this book. David and Rick have different personalities and Sarah handles both equally well. The Interlude for the time jump back to World War II Britain made me think of the bombers for which Robin Gibb and many others spent countless hours to honor by getting the Bomber Memorial set up in London. I almost cried when I read that part. Sarah has a brilliant grasp of narrative. You almost believe that you are there on that deserted island with Rick and David and you feel the infection in Rick's mangled arm as they search for a means to get rescued. It's from David's POV but it's done in 3rd person limited. Rick's demeanor is incredibly relaxed, and confident, as compared to David's, excuse the pun, flying by the seat of his pants. He's a go-getter, so the two sometimes butt heads. The love scenes in the story are few, but so well-written. I suck at writing love scenes, so I look to writer's like Sarah to help inspire me. I found the history, the research on the planes, all beautifully done. And David's sarcasm, though sometimes dripping, is not at all annoying to the reader, at least it wasn't for me. Ms. Madison has gained a fan in me. If she keeps popping out stories I'll keep reading them. I could actually see this story as a made-for-TV movie. With the historical aspect of it all, and the realism in which the characters are portrayed, it wouldn't surprise me if someday this story isn't taken up by a Hollywood producer. Okay, maybe that's a far-fetched idea, but I seriously was seeing it happen as I read the book. I can't speak for other readers, but for me... this one is a keeper. :D
May 15, 2013
I love anything to do with Hawaii and really wanted to enjoy this. I love this author's style and for the most part I did love this book.
I thought the conversation between the two men went on way too long as they're heading full speed into a crash, but overlooked it because once on the island, things seemed much more realistic.
The descriptions of fighting to survive on the island were gripping, though what the heck a cane spider was doing in a place where there were no cane fields took me aback. The mention of Hawaii's fair share of poisonous spiders is misleading. Only one is - the brown recluse and in all my years there I've never seen one.
The two guys were cute but I found the lengthy WWII dream sequence a bit odd. It cut right though their growing intimacy, even though it was fascinating. It was frankly my favorite section of the story and spoke of much better research and a lot more passion on the part of the author.
This book needed a proper edit. The numerous typos were very annoying starting from page 1.
Not a hugely romantic ending, but I suspect the author's gearing up her mighty pen for a sequel.
I thought the conversation between the two men went on way too long as they're heading full speed into a crash, but overlooked it because once on the island, things seemed much more realistic.
The descriptions of fighting to survive on the island were gripping, though what the heck a cane spider was doing in a place where there were no cane fields took me aback. The mention of Hawaii's fair share of poisonous spiders is misleading. Only one is - the brown recluse and in all my years there I've never seen one.
The two guys were cute but I found the lengthy WWII dream sequence a bit odd. It cut right though their growing intimacy, even though it was fascinating. It was frankly my favorite section of the story and spoke of much better research and a lot more passion on the part of the author.
This book needed a proper edit. The numerous typos were very annoying starting from page 1.
Not a hugely romantic ending, but I suspect the author's gearing up her mighty pen for a sequel.
January 31, 2016
This was an interesting book. There are two stories going on in this book. The first and primary story is of David and Rick and their plane crash. The two men are stranded on an island and we watch as they get to know each other as they're trying to stay alive. This was pretty good as far as the story but I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the two men. While they're on the island David has a dream that stars him and Rick in the past, in WWII. I liked this part of the story probably better than the main story. It was emotional and very bittersweet. My problem with the whole thing is they're never really tied together. I thought this was going to be either a reincarnation story or a plot device that makes the two men have some great epiphany about each other and their relationship. It did neither. It was just there and then we go back to the main story. There is never some great romance, some great love between the two and even the ending is a happily for now. It was disappointing to me because it had such potential. It's definitely not a bad read but I wasn't wow'd either.
November 1, 2015
I had the great good fortune to be involved with beta reading this book. It's a thoroughly enjoyable romance and adventure, a nostalgic look to the past while rooted firmly in the present. The present day will-he-won't-he dance between Hollywood location agent David McIntyre and pilot Rick Sutton is beautifully observed - great characters consistently portrayed, humour, tensions and a sexual charge that could light up cities... all the ingredients you want in an m/m romance. But it's the story this frames, the story of Mac (the scientist at Bletchley Park) and Sutt (the American volunteer in the RAF)that will tear your heart apart. As the Battle of Britain is fought out in the skies by those terribly young pilots, those Boys of Summer, this wonderful, emotional relationship plays out against air raids, losses, heartache and the certain knowledge that The Few, those gallant Few who held back Hitler's Luftwaffe, were like fireflies: a brief burst of life and energy, and snuffed out too soon.
Read it. It's a great book.
Read it. It's a great book.
June 16, 2013
What I liked about this story is that it wasn’t an “in your face” gay romance. It’s the story of two men trying to survive after a plane wreck on a deserted island, with a possibly gravely wounded charismatic ex-military pilot and a self depreciating Hollywood location scout. They use their humor and individual strengths to just make it out alive. Then comes the interlude: a dream based in WWII Germany that is sexually charged and filled with details that will delight any historian. This interlude seems to embolden the dreamer. Awakening his desires and making him realize how strongly he truly feels, and now he must decide if, when and how to act on these feelings.
The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing and intrigued, making this a great weekend read, if you don’t finish it sooner!
The author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader guessing and intrigued, making this a great weekend read, if you don’t finish it sooner!
August 19, 2013
The author kind of takes a shot at herself in that she has the MC talking of the cliche of getting stranded on an island in the pacific. Cliche yet interesting and believable too. Lots of detail about the setting, the injuries, the struggle to survive, the discovery of left over WWII forward base. Then we get this interesting take on modern writing to have a long "story within a story". I know some readers thought it took them out of the main story too much. I didn't think so, but for the longest time I was trying to figure out why it was there. At then end of the book, I really wanted the contemporary story to continue. Stand alone books don't always translate into a series, but by the end the guys were so real to me I really wanted to see the continuation of their story. We just got to the good part and it ended so to speak. All in all a really great story.
April 22, 2013
I absolutely fell in love with this book (and I know that I’ll be reading it again and again.) The author has developed a wonderfully imaginative and exciting framework for a truly beautiful romance. The characters are engaging and the skilful writing makes you really care about what happens to them. There’s humour, action and suspense - and a deeply satisfying (and at times almost heartbreaking) love story. I’m purposely not going into specifics as I don’t want to spoil this clever and intriguing plot – far better for the reader to immerse themselves in the fabulous world that Sarah Madison has created and enjoy the ride! I can thoroughly recommend ‘The Boys of Summer’ by Sarah Madison. Another amazing story from this very talented author.
August 25, 2020
I am still reeling over this novel. It had quite a few a twists that I was not expecting. I just thought that being stranded on an island would lead to some ... but I loved the way that the author didn't go there. I was on the edge of my seat during the entire book. I was captivated by both characters wanting to know more. I am a sucker for men with a rugged military background.
And don't forget the tears. Oh my gosh, I have not sobbed so much since finishing Abigail's last Cut & Run novel. In spite of all, I was given an ending that has only made me smile the rest of the day. Sarah Madison, I shall be looking forward to having more of your novels in my library. Good Job!
And don't forget the tears. Oh my gosh, I have not sobbed so much since finishing Abigail's last Cut & Run novel. In spite of all, I was given an ending that has only made me smile the rest of the day. Sarah Madison, I shall be looking forward to having more of your novels in my library. Good Job!
February 17, 2017
Well, Dorothy... we aren't in Kansas anymore! ;D
I will say up front that I didn't read the blurb... and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was actually set in present day and not back in time. But, imagine my surprise when I hit the "Interlude"... hmmm, now there was a twist I wasn't expecting!
I believe that this is my first time reading Ms. Madison's work and I hope to find more to read in the future! This was a well-written story with well-rounded characters and, as I said, it had quite the interesting twist! Rick and David lead us on adventure that was reminiscent of movies past and still yet with a fresh look at "stranded on a deserted island" with, yes, and interesting twist! haha
This was a story that evoked many emotions, from humor to tears of sadness... and what more can a reader ask for than an entertaining story that engages both our brain and our heart! Well done, Ms. Madison... well done!
I will say up front that I didn't read the blurb... and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was actually set in present day and not back in time. But, imagine my surprise when I hit the "Interlude"... hmmm, now there was a twist I wasn't expecting!
I believe that this is my first time reading Ms. Madison's work and I hope to find more to read in the future! This was a well-written story with well-rounded characters and, as I said, it had quite the interesting twist! Rick and David lead us on adventure that was reminiscent of movies past and still yet with a fresh look at "stranded on a deserted island" with, yes, and interesting twist! haha
This was a story that evoked many emotions, from humor to tears of sadness... and what more can a reader ask for than an entertaining story that engages both our brain and our heart! Well done, Ms. Madison... well done!
March 11, 2021
Book source ~ BBNYA and the author. My review is voluntary and honest.
David McIntyre hired Rick Sutton to fly him around the Hawaiian Islands scouting for film project locations. When they go down in a storm and crash land on a small island it’s up to Rick and David to survive until help arrives.
I found this gem through the BBNYA. It was a 2nd round excerpt that I read and when it didn’t advance to the final round I contacted the author asking if I could have a review copy to finish the book. I’m so glad I did because this is a great story.
David and Rick are complex entertaining characters. I don’t mean entertaining as in funny ha ha (though there is humor sprinkled generously throughout), I’m talking about they grab hold and don’t let go. Except for the plane crash which is adrenaline spiking, the rest of the story flows slow, hot, and unstoppable. Like lava. The characters of David and Rick are wonderful. I love them. The crash, survival, and rescue are believable. The one thing I’m on the fence about is the dream sequence in the middle. It has purpose and it’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming, but it was a bit of surprise since I didn’t know it was coming. It almost doesn’t fit? And yet it does. I can’t explain it. However, I do love this story and will be keeping an eye on this new-to-me author.
David McIntyre hired Rick Sutton to fly him around the Hawaiian Islands scouting for film project locations. When they go down in a storm and crash land on a small island it’s up to Rick and David to survive until help arrives.
I found this gem through the BBNYA. It was a 2nd round excerpt that I read and when it didn’t advance to the final round I contacted the author asking if I could have a review copy to finish the book. I’m so glad I did because this is a great story.
David and Rick are complex entertaining characters. I don’t mean entertaining as in funny ha ha (though there is humor sprinkled generously throughout), I’m talking about they grab hold and don’t let go. Except for the plane crash which is adrenaline spiking, the rest of the story flows slow, hot, and unstoppable. Like lava. The characters of David and Rick are wonderful. I love them. The crash, survival, and rescue are believable. The one thing I’m on the fence about is the dream sequence in the middle. It has purpose and it’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming, but it was a bit of surprise since I didn’t know it was coming. It almost doesn’t fit? And yet it does. I can’t explain it. However, I do love this story and will be keeping an eye on this new-to-me author.
November 2, 2017
I loved David's dream. So vivid, it felt like it was really happening. It was a better connection between him and Rick than in the present. I felt like I connected more with the dream Rick than the real Rick. Once the dream ended, it was hard to come back to the present.
May 5, 2013
4 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Well first of all I’d like to acknowledge the beautiful cover work for this book. It’s fantastic and put me into a proper mind-space for the book.
Second I’d like to stretch the fact that this is a self-pubed work, so the typos and grammar errors I found on the way, especially at the second half of the book I’m not going to count all that much, mostly because they were not horrible and did not affect my reading badly.
And now the story.
This is not the typical “we had a plane crash and fell in love while waiting rescue” story. From the very beginning it had an underlined humor and a slow-build of intensity that grabs your attention. David is the character from whose point we see things and his personality comes forth early on. He’s the typical Hollywood guy, or so it seems, and everything about him screams hilarious. He’s the guy that will come up with a line from a movie for everything happening in real life and his knowledge on things is great. He is actually very intelligent, something we rarely see on Hollywood-types. Rick on the other hand is quite the opposite. He rarely speaks unless what he has to say is worth hearing; he’s serious and keeps to himself. He’s something of a mystery almost through the entire book.
So when the plane crashes you expect that Rick will take matters on his hand fending off a crazed Hollywood drama queen. Right there we get pleasantly surprised with Rick of course doing all he can, since he’s wounded, but David shows some real strength and determination, and an iron will to survive and keep Rick alive.
The second surprise that I had not seen coming was the fact that there is total lack of the “only two people on earth and lets start screwing our brains out” factor. There is no jumping each other’s bones here while our characters are strangled in the island, only the slow build of emotions and feelings. On one hand I recognize the brilliance of this approach. It was damn invigorating to read a book where the realistic approach has been given proper weight. On the other hand though it made the ending somewhat surreal, but I’ll come back at that in a bit.
So the WWII historical story comes in in the form of a dream. David has been quite stressed and exhausted trying to keep Rick in health long enough till the rescue team can take over. He’s also suffering his own wounds albeit smaller that Rick’s. The entire desperation of their situation hits him and in his dream reality and fiction merge together. The story is quite wonderful indeed. It was partly inspired from Alan Turing’s life and work, partly on the WWII pilot’s and their sacrifices. I loved it. The thing that got me more was the fact that the author took parts of The prime story and blended them within the dream in a great way and indeed she gave life at the illusion of David hallucinating due to his circumstances.
So far I was utterly convinced that this was a 5 hearts read for me, unfortunately the end of the book didn’t satisfy me as much as I thought. David displays a side of him that I totally despised, a major drama-queen act that had my jaw hanging, and Rick, well I don’t know what to make for his final façade. If that was the real Rick than I’m very disappointed. Their relationship escalated in one go so fast, so furious that the “surreal” feeling didn’t let me go for many hours.
However, even though the end of this story let me down, I did enjoy the story in its entirety quite a lot. The writing skill was very good, the blending of contemporary and historical was of my taste and the intimate scenes as they were, were excellent for me. So if you love a good romance with a bit war desperation blending in this is a book you’d love to read. I certainly enjoyed it.
Thommie
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Well first of all I’d like to acknowledge the beautiful cover work for this book. It’s fantastic and put me into a proper mind-space for the book.
Second I’d like to stretch the fact that this is a self-pubed work, so the typos and grammar errors I found on the way, especially at the second half of the book I’m not going to count all that much, mostly because they were not horrible and did not affect my reading badly.
And now the story.
This is not the typical “we had a plane crash and fell in love while waiting rescue” story. From the very beginning it had an underlined humor and a slow-build of intensity that grabs your attention. David is the character from whose point we see things and his personality comes forth early on. He’s the typical Hollywood guy, or so it seems, and everything about him screams hilarious. He’s the guy that will come up with a line from a movie for everything happening in real life and his knowledge on things is great. He is actually very intelligent, something we rarely see on Hollywood-types. Rick on the other hand is quite the opposite. He rarely speaks unless what he has to say is worth hearing; he’s serious and keeps to himself. He’s something of a mystery almost through the entire book.
So when the plane crashes you expect that Rick will take matters on his hand fending off a crazed Hollywood drama queen. Right there we get pleasantly surprised with Rick of course doing all he can, since he’s wounded, but David shows some real strength and determination, and an iron will to survive and keep Rick alive.
The second surprise that I had not seen coming was the fact that there is total lack of the “only two people on earth and lets start screwing our brains out” factor. There is no jumping each other’s bones here while our characters are strangled in the island, only the slow build of emotions and feelings. On one hand I recognize the brilliance of this approach. It was damn invigorating to read a book where the realistic approach has been given proper weight. On the other hand though it made the ending somewhat surreal, but I’ll come back at that in a bit.
So the WWII historical story comes in in the form of a dream. David has been quite stressed and exhausted trying to keep Rick in health long enough till the rescue team can take over. He’s also suffering his own wounds albeit smaller that Rick’s. The entire desperation of their situation hits him and in his dream reality and fiction merge together. The story is quite wonderful indeed. It was partly inspired from Alan Turing’s life and work, partly on the WWII pilot’s and their sacrifices. I loved it. The thing that got me more was the fact that the author took parts of The prime story and blended them within the dream in a great way and indeed she gave life at the illusion of David hallucinating due to his circumstances.
So far I was utterly convinced that this was a 5 hearts read for me, unfortunately the end of the book didn’t satisfy me as much as I thought. David displays a side of him that I totally despised, a major drama-queen act that had my jaw hanging, and Rick, well I don’t know what to make for his final façade. If that was the real Rick than I’m very disappointed. Their relationship escalated in one go so fast, so furious that the “surreal” feeling didn’t let me go for many hours.
However, even though the end of this story let me down, I did enjoy the story in its entirety quite a lot. The writing skill was very good, the blending of contemporary and historical was of my taste and the intimate scenes as they were, were excellent for me. So if you love a good romance with a bit war desperation blending in this is a book you’d love to read. I certainly enjoyed it.
Thommie
January 20, 2014
In the modern day, David McIntyre, a Hollywood location scout, hires Rick Sutton of Sutton's Air Service to fly him around Hawaii's islands. A storm forces Sutton to crash land on a deserted island as the two are nearing the end of their working relationship. The two men take refuge in an abandoned World War II outpost and scavenge resources, battle the elements and injuries and try to attract the attention of potential rescuers before it is too late.
This is only part of the story. Roughly one third of the way into The Boys of Summer, the author introduces a lengthy dream sequence. For some people, this is a deal killer. In the past, I've been known to roll my eyes or worse put down a book with dream sequences lasting a page or two because they are irrelevant to the story. David dreams he and Sutton met and became romantically involved in London during World War II. About twenty pages in, the idea crossed my mind that it was a novella that could stand alone and apart from the contemporary frame, then the last third of the book, set once again in modern day Hawaii blew up that foolish conception. The dream sequence becomes integral to David's character arc and guides his actions. Major props to Sarah Madison for making a dream sequence that is worth reading AND relevant to the story.
I also commend the author for the judicious and effective use of detail. All too often in historical novels, superfluous detail describing the curtains or ruffles on a gown the sheen on a street take away from a character and deep point of view. The reader sees both settings through David's sharp eye. He is a man who notices detail as a profession, but his commentary on what he sees is honest, never showing off. Madison did her research and her accuracy shines as the RAF pilots discuss planes, but she never loses sight of her characters.
This is a character driven novel, in spite of having adventure scenes that would fit into one of the movies David loves. The male/male sex scenes are pretty tame compared to ones I've read in mainstream male/female romance and even sex scenes from literary works. I walked away with a sense of tenderness between partners rather than sex simply to titillate and push book sales.
All in all, I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this novel. The Boys of Summer certainly exceeded my expectations, although in truth, I wasn't sure what to expect other than "gay romance." The beauty in this story and writing go beyond a subcategory. I will seek out more of Sarah Madison's writing in the future.
This is only part of the story. Roughly one third of the way into The Boys of Summer, the author introduces a lengthy dream sequence. For some people, this is a deal killer. In the past, I've been known to roll my eyes or worse put down a book with dream sequences lasting a page or two because they are irrelevant to the story. David dreams he and Sutton met and became romantically involved in London during World War II. About twenty pages in, the idea crossed my mind that it was a novella that could stand alone and apart from the contemporary frame, then the last third of the book, set once again in modern day Hawaii blew up that foolish conception. The dream sequence becomes integral to David's character arc and guides his actions. Major props to Sarah Madison for making a dream sequence that is worth reading AND relevant to the story.
I also commend the author for the judicious and effective use of detail. All too often in historical novels, superfluous detail describing the curtains or ruffles on a gown the sheen on a street take away from a character and deep point of view. The reader sees both settings through David's sharp eye. He is a man who notices detail as a profession, but his commentary on what he sees is honest, never showing off. Madison did her research and her accuracy shines as the RAF pilots discuss planes, but she never loses sight of her characters.
This is a character driven novel, in spite of having adventure scenes that would fit into one of the movies David loves. The male/male sex scenes are pretty tame compared to ones I've read in mainstream male/female romance and even sex scenes from literary works. I walked away with a sense of tenderness between partners rather than sex simply to titillate and push book sales.
All in all, I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this novel. The Boys of Summer certainly exceeded my expectations, although in truth, I wasn't sure what to expect other than "gay romance." The beauty in this story and writing go beyond a subcategory. I will seek out more of Sarah Madison's writing in the future.
May 24, 2013
I enjoyed this book tremendously. It had so much going on, action, adventure, Hawaii, a plane crash, brief glimpses into the past, and two good looking men dancing around love while trying to survive in desperate and severe conditions.
There is a story within the story that added an extra layer, making it richer and fuller. It made sense, given the circumstances they were in and helped me to feel that there was more depth and length to their history than was really there.
I appreciated David's voice and artistic eye. He had a humor that is self-deprecating and sarcastic that at times had me chuckling out loud. His descriptions of Rick had me wishing this was a movie or that the book at least came with pictures. The emotional component moved quickly, but they're in extreme circumstances that reveal a lot about who a person is and would create a deep and lasting bond. Both men were already very attracted and attached to each other prior to the crash and it worked for me that it would develop into more.
Between David's history working for survival shows and Rick's armed forces background the guys do pretty well for themselves. David really steps up and helps keep them alive. I felt that in many ways seeing that side of David changed Rick's view of him and the possibility of a future for them.
One of the things that made me fall in love with this book was the quiet, vulnerable moments between the men. There were peeks into the soft, scared, damaged and mushy parts of each of them that were addictive. I needed more, of them, of the their pasts, and of them finally admitting how they felt about each other. Sarah Madison paced them out, always keeping me hooked. Think for a moment about how tedious so much of their days marooned on a tiny island could have been. But she painted a picture of struggle and had me scared for them while at the same time allowing me to see inside to who they really were. By the time they were rescued neither David nor Rick was who the other man, or the reader, thought they were when the plane crashed.
I am impressed that this book is self published. The author did an amazing job. Extra points for an excellent job with editing and presentation. This is a great book that I really enjoyed and would recommend. I’m already making Beans read it.
Reviewed by Nina
There is a story within the story that added an extra layer, making it richer and fuller. It made sense, given the circumstances they were in and helped me to feel that there was more depth and length to their history than was really there.
I appreciated David's voice and artistic eye. He had a humor that is self-deprecating and sarcastic that at times had me chuckling out loud. His descriptions of Rick had me wishing this was a movie or that the book at least came with pictures. The emotional component moved quickly, but they're in extreme circumstances that reveal a lot about who a person is and would create a deep and lasting bond. Both men were already very attracted and attached to each other prior to the crash and it worked for me that it would develop into more.
Between David's history working for survival shows and Rick's armed forces background the guys do pretty well for themselves. David really steps up and helps keep them alive. I felt that in many ways seeing that side of David changed Rick's view of him and the possibility of a future for them.
One of the things that made me fall in love with this book was the quiet, vulnerable moments between the men. There were peeks into the soft, scared, damaged and mushy parts of each of them that were addictive. I needed more, of them, of the their pasts, and of them finally admitting how they felt about each other. Sarah Madison paced them out, always keeping me hooked. Think for a moment about how tedious so much of their days marooned on a tiny island could have been. But she painted a picture of struggle and had me scared for them while at the same time allowing me to see inside to who they really were. By the time they were rescued neither David nor Rick was who the other man, or the reader, thought they were when the plane crashed.
I am impressed that this book is self published. The author did an amazing job. Extra points for an excellent job with editing and presentation. This is a great book that I really enjoyed and would recommend. I’m already making Beans read it.
Reviewed by Nina
November 7, 2014
I really liked that this book has a lot more plot than a lot of traditional contemporary m/m romance. It was more intriguing than the typical story of guy meets guy, guy dates guy, something happens, and they all live happily ever after.
It started off with Rick and David in a plane crash on a deserted island in Hawaii. The story of the two guys exploring the island and the discovery of an old abandoned military airbase was very interesting, and I loved the banter as they got to know each other better.
David's recent research into the Battle of Britain and the artifacts from the old airbase merged with his worry for an injured Rick, and resulted in a strange dream about World War II. Generally, I'm not fond of dream sequences, since to me they're not the "real" thing. However, this was not really a "dream" but more like a full-fledged story within the story, beautiful but heart-breaking. It was like it was the same two men, just in an alternate life as it might have been 70 years ago. In this case, the dream was long enough (25% of the book) that we really got to know our two main characters and the young WWII pilots who lived hard and loved hard, knowing that most of them would eventually fly out and not return. So beautiful, so sad. I went through four tissues.
When the story returned to present day and the guys were rescued (surely this would not be a spoiler, since we knew they would be!), David realized it would be easy to let their growing relationship lapse back to light friendship. But his dream had brought home to him that life is short and love is worth it--worth putting himself out there, worth taking a chance on. But would Rick take the chance, too?
I just loved the two stories here, and how they meshed together to make a lovely, satisfying whole.
It started off with Rick and David in a plane crash on a deserted island in Hawaii. The story of the two guys exploring the island and the discovery of an old abandoned military airbase was very interesting, and I loved the banter as they got to know each other better.
David's recent research into the Battle of Britain and the artifacts from the old airbase merged with his worry for an injured Rick, and resulted in a strange dream about World War II. Generally, I'm not fond of dream sequences, since to me they're not the "real" thing. However, this was not really a "dream" but more like a full-fledged story within the story, beautiful but heart-breaking. It was like it was the same two men, just in an alternate life as it might have been 70 years ago. In this case, the dream was long enough (25% of the book) that we really got to know our two main characters and the young WWII pilots who lived hard and loved hard, knowing that most of them would eventually fly out and not return. So beautiful, so sad. I went through four tissues.
When the story returned to present day and the guys were rescued (surely this would not be a spoiler, since we knew they would be!), David realized it would be easy to let their growing relationship lapse back to light friendship. But his dream had brought home to him that life is short and love is worth it--worth putting himself out there, worth taking a chance on. But would Rick take the chance, too?
I just loved the two stories here, and how they meshed together to make a lovely, satisfying whole.
December 21, 2013
I was drawn to this book initially, not necessarily because of its interesting synopsis, but its ghostly cover, which has so many intriguing connotations. I knew this was the book for me. Sarah Madison is a master storyteller and although for the majority of The Boys of Summer we only have two characters on one island, Rick and David are so animated and the description of the island is so vivid that we need nothing else.
I found myself turning the pages as quickly as I could because Sarah Madison made me care about these characters and this was not affected by their sexuality, but just by the eloquent and beautiful way in which she tells their story; they fall in love tentatively and defend themselves with a dry humor, yet when their defenses fall we see their true hearts.
I think Sarah Madison's narrative highlight is David's dream, in his weakened, delirious and dehydrated state. It is with the dream the author allows the idea of connecting with the paranormal to enter the plot, as we see both men in their parallel lives during World War 2. I found myself completely enraptured by the men's historical stories and had to reach for a tissue (or two!), finding the way Sarah Madison so seamlessly blended this into the present very clever, whilst also revealing the dream's effect on David.
This book is one of the best I have read this year, in its honesty and the way in which Sarah Madison develops the romance. I urge all readers to pick this up, whether they are fans of M/M relationships or not and just appreciate good writing!
I found myself turning the pages as quickly as I could because Sarah Madison made me care about these characters and this was not affected by their sexuality, but just by the eloquent and beautiful way in which she tells their story; they fall in love tentatively and defend themselves with a dry humor, yet when their defenses fall we see their true hearts.
I think Sarah Madison's narrative highlight is David's dream, in his weakened, delirious and dehydrated state. It is with the dream the author allows the idea of connecting with the paranormal to enter the plot, as we see both men in their parallel lives during World War 2. I found myself completely enraptured by the men's historical stories and had to reach for a tissue (or two!), finding the way Sarah Madison so seamlessly blended this into the present very clever, whilst also revealing the dream's effect on David.
This book is one of the best I have read this year, in its honesty and the way in which Sarah Madison develops the romance. I urge all readers to pick this up, whether they are fans of M/M relationships or not and just appreciate good writing!
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