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Gay Honeymoon
Ever wonder how gay men in sparcely populated rural areas find love and romance? Kismit, serendipity, synchronicity, faith?
Toby lives in the remote reaches of California’s Lost Coast in Humboldt County. He tends a country store, post office, and fishing resort in Honeydew with his Uncles Butch and Jimmy, a married couple. Toby turns twenty and comes out to his uncles on his birthday- just before Halloween 2012. Together they all scheme to find him a boyfriend.
Along comes twenty-five-year-old Jacob, college grad and a former LDS missionary. Jacob is a delivery driver out of Eureka, newly assigned to ride in once a week with merchandise for their general store. The four men become fast friends and Jacob reveals that he had fallen in love with his missionary companion who dumped him at the conclusion of their mission in order to marry his high school sweetheart. Jacob came out after finishing college, was disowned by his parents and left the church. After grieving his losses he is looking for true love.
The country gentlemen woo Jacob as a suitable suiter for Toby and sparks fly.
A first kiss at Thanksgiving leads to a whirlwind romance, a Christmas Eve engagement, a community coming out on New Year’s Eve and a Valentine’s Day wedding in New York.
Join Toby and Jacob both in and out of the bedroom. Watch their romance unfold while the nation is poised to start the tidal wave of LGBT Marriage Equality state by state that began with the 2012 election.
Toby lives in the remote reaches of California’s Lost Coast in Humboldt County. He tends a country store, post office, and fishing resort in Honeydew with his Uncles Butch and Jimmy, a married couple. Toby turns twenty and comes out to his uncles on his birthday- just before Halloween 2012. Together they all scheme to find him a boyfriend.
Along comes twenty-five-year-old Jacob, college grad and a former LDS missionary. Jacob is a delivery driver out of Eureka, newly assigned to ride in once a week with merchandise for their general store. The four men become fast friends and Jacob reveals that he had fallen in love with his missionary companion who dumped him at the conclusion of their mission in order to marry his high school sweetheart. Jacob came out after finishing college, was disowned by his parents and left the church. After grieving his losses he is looking for true love.
The country gentlemen woo Jacob as a suitable suiter for Toby and sparks fly.
A first kiss at Thanksgiving leads to a whirlwind romance, a Christmas Eve engagement, a community coming out on New Year’s Eve and a Valentine’s Day wedding in New York.
Join Toby and Jacob both in and out of the bedroom. Watch their romance unfold while the nation is poised to start the tidal wave of LGBT Marriage Equality state by state that began with the 2012 election.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2013
2 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 3, 2016
This book is bad. Bad bad bad bad bad. While the author seems to have a decent grip on basic grammar, the actual storytelling was abysmal. Horrible. Boring. Tedious.
Also creepy. Because a mother describing a fifteen year olds pubes and the erection of her teenage son that they caused, is just fucking creepy. And nauseating. Also, the Uncles are uncomfortably obsessed with their nephews sex life.
And then there is Toby. Freaky, stalker in the making, Toby. The dude was planning his married life with Jacob in detail when he didn't even know the dude for more than a couple days. And his uncles were totally getting in on that, instead of telling the dude to cool the fuck off, your coming off like a serial killer.
The story was pointless, there was no plot to speak off, and I'm pretty sure my cats could write better dialogue. All in all, I would run the other way as fast as you can. I know I wish I had.
Also creepy. Because a mother describing a fifteen year olds pubes and the erection of her teenage son that they caused, is just fucking creepy. And nauseating. Also, the Uncles are uncomfortably obsessed with their nephews sex life.
And then there is Toby. Freaky, stalker in the making, Toby. The dude was planning his married life with Jacob in detail when he didn't even know the dude for more than a couple days. And his uncles were totally getting in on that, instead of telling the dude to cool the fuck off, your coming off like a serial killer.
The story was pointless, there was no plot to speak off, and I'm pretty sure my cats could write better dialogue. All in all, I would run the other way as fast as you can. I know I wish I had.
September 3, 2014
The premise sounds interesting and while the location of the book certainly caught my interest, I found the book itself a bit tedious and more than a little cliche. I also found it somewhat unbelievable. What mother leaves her son a letter telling him how wonderful it felt to come to climax in his father’s arms? I could believe the idea behind the letter, that at 20 she hoped he’d figured himself out and was happy. I could even believe that she hoped he’d found his special happily ever after. But the climax thing, not to mention discussing the pair of them watching his teenaged best friend get a blow job in the woods (What mother does that? You come across that while berry picking, you lead your son away, geeze!) was simply a step too far in the belief stakes.
There was also an excess of inner monologuing with all four characters giving their inner viewpoints, and usually for the most trite of reasons. These monologues read like they were lifted from public service announcement for a PC Youth Brigade campaign. Another words, just to tell us how wonderful it all was, how right, how this, how that, and how it was all roses and champagne and rainbow sparkles. I know that sounds sarcastic, but I’m honestly not trying to be; the inner dialogue was couched in the most trite of PC terms one could possibly imagine and served no purpose other than to ram down our throats how fabulous true love can be, especially if it is between two men. I think by getting this book to read, we’d all already gotten that memo, thanks. I didn’t need it recited Hallmark card fashion with such frequent abandon.
Another nitpick for me is that this is supposed to be a contemporary tale, not a fantasy. Yet as these two lovers come out to the world around them, not one person they encounter has anything but joy to share with them. Well, one of the young men has a past situation with his parents, but despite how close they supposedly had been, he’s just, “Meh. That happened. I’ve moved on. Too bad, so sad, got a boyfriend now and his uncles for family.” Sure, the author says he felt sad, but not once did he show it, not even with an angsty scene before his wedding, despite having invited said parents. Not that bigotry is right, but come on, EVERYONE is riding the rainbow train?! It’s unrealistic. Even if it is a simple case of someone getting up to leave a cafe, or a look of disgust before turning away, it happens.
Then there is the religious thing. I know some people are religious, and that there are Christian romances out there. This would rightly fall in that category, as the two men literally prayed to God to find their future husband, and lots of related prayer occurs during the story. I have no problem with that, especially as an integral part of the story is how one of the two fell from the grace of the Mormon church (again, he’s rather “meh” acting about that too). I did find it overused though, given that out of the four men, only the excommunicated Mormon lad are actually religious. They even outright say so several times, but then go on to pray themselves, seemingly at the drop of a hat. I also found it more than a bit odd that after hot and heavy sex that a person would actually do an deeply sincere prayer couched in reverent tones, thanking their Heavenly Father for giving them a guy who was so good at sex.
And while talking about unexpected dialogue, I am also going to mention another thing that I found very annoying. In several instances, the characters don’t merely speak, they give speeches. Even worse is the timing of said speeches. For example, the two lovers have a nice breakfast alone, hurrying because they can’t wait to get into each other’s pants. Once the door is closed, it is however a different story. We get a seriously long speech by one character, roughly an entire page’s worth on my Kindle,and only then do they go on to make slow love. It quite simply did not follow a logical progression from the set up given for the situation.
The sex itself is another thing I had a major issue with. It’s all rather insta-lust and insta-love, explained away as that it is the way of that family- they meet someone and know immediately that this is their destined love, and it’s love happily ever after, no water needing to be added. This leads our once closeted and extremely shy protagonist happily jumping into the sack with his fellow practically from the get go. They have lots and lots of sex. That aside, it’s the way the sex is described that I have a real issue with. Take a 70′s or even an ’80′s bodice ripper a la Mills and Boon. Substitute the female half of the duo for a man. This is what you get, along with cringe worthy expressions such as “his man hole” (What? Is he entering a sewer?!) and other such misguided attempts at coy euphemisms.
These issues not only show the inexperience of the author (this is their debut) but the lack of having a professional editor go through the book prior to publication. This was also driven glaringly home by the presence of several grammatical errors throughout the book. Tenses were mixed up, adverbs used incorrectly, there were numerous misspellings (take a close look at the provided blurb and you’ll see even that wasn’t vetted thoroughly) as well as a few other errors that would have been trivial had they not happened with enough frequency that I began taking notes of just how many times the errors were popping up. I cannot stress this enough, if you are going to self publish, please pay for the services of a professional editor. It is not a huge investment, but it is one that will pay you large dividends. Also, use beta readers who are NOT close friends and family. Your buddies are not likely to to be impartial enough to tell you what needs ripping out, what needs re-writing, and what needs to be deleted in its entirety and forever forgotten.
As this books stands, I cannot recommend it. It has a good premise with some great ideas for a story within it. It is a story that needs a quality professional editor and quite a bit of a rewrite before it can realise its potential, however. Until then, I advise giving this one a pass.
There was also an excess of inner monologuing with all four characters giving their inner viewpoints, and usually for the most trite of reasons. These monologues read like they were lifted from public service announcement for a PC Youth Brigade campaign. Another words, just to tell us how wonderful it all was, how right, how this, how that, and how it was all roses and champagne and rainbow sparkles. I know that sounds sarcastic, but I’m honestly not trying to be; the inner dialogue was couched in the most trite of PC terms one could possibly imagine and served no purpose other than to ram down our throats how fabulous true love can be, especially if it is between two men. I think by getting this book to read, we’d all already gotten that memo, thanks. I didn’t need it recited Hallmark card fashion with such frequent abandon.
Another nitpick for me is that this is supposed to be a contemporary tale, not a fantasy. Yet as these two lovers come out to the world around them, not one person they encounter has anything but joy to share with them. Well, one of the young men has a past situation with his parents, but despite how close they supposedly had been, he’s just, “Meh. That happened. I’ve moved on. Too bad, so sad, got a boyfriend now and his uncles for family.” Sure, the author says he felt sad, but not once did he show it, not even with an angsty scene before his wedding, despite having invited said parents. Not that bigotry is right, but come on, EVERYONE is riding the rainbow train?! It’s unrealistic. Even if it is a simple case of someone getting up to leave a cafe, or a look of disgust before turning away, it happens.
Then there is the religious thing. I know some people are religious, and that there are Christian romances out there. This would rightly fall in that category, as the two men literally prayed to God to find their future husband, and lots of related prayer occurs during the story. I have no problem with that, especially as an integral part of the story is how one of the two fell from the grace of the Mormon church (again, he’s rather “meh” acting about that too). I did find it overused though, given that out of the four men, only the excommunicated Mormon lad are actually religious. They even outright say so several times, but then go on to pray themselves, seemingly at the drop of a hat. I also found it more than a bit odd that after hot and heavy sex that a person would actually do an deeply sincere prayer couched in reverent tones, thanking their Heavenly Father for giving them a guy who was so good at sex.
And while talking about unexpected dialogue, I am also going to mention another thing that I found very annoying. In several instances, the characters don’t merely speak, they give speeches. Even worse is the timing of said speeches. For example, the two lovers have a nice breakfast alone, hurrying because they can’t wait to get into each other’s pants. Once the door is closed, it is however a different story. We get a seriously long speech by one character, roughly an entire page’s worth on my Kindle,and only then do they go on to make slow love. It quite simply did not follow a logical progression from the set up given for the situation.
The sex itself is another thing I had a major issue with. It’s all rather insta-lust and insta-love, explained away as that it is the way of that family- they meet someone and know immediately that this is their destined love, and it’s love happily ever after, no water needing to be added. This leads our once closeted and extremely shy protagonist happily jumping into the sack with his fellow practically from the get go. They have lots and lots of sex. That aside, it’s the way the sex is described that I have a real issue with. Take a 70′s or even an ’80′s bodice ripper a la Mills and Boon. Substitute the female half of the duo for a man. This is what you get, along with cringe worthy expressions such as “his man hole” (What? Is he entering a sewer?!) and other such misguided attempts at coy euphemisms.
These issues not only show the inexperience of the author (this is their debut) but the lack of having a professional editor go through the book prior to publication. This was also driven glaringly home by the presence of several grammatical errors throughout the book. Tenses were mixed up, adverbs used incorrectly, there were numerous misspellings (take a close look at the provided blurb and you’ll see even that wasn’t vetted thoroughly) as well as a few other errors that would have been trivial had they not happened with enough frequency that I began taking notes of just how many times the errors were popping up. I cannot stress this enough, if you are going to self publish, please pay for the services of a professional editor. It is not a huge investment, but it is one that will pay you large dividends. Also, use beta readers who are NOT close friends and family. Your buddies are not likely to to be impartial enough to tell you what needs ripping out, what needs re-writing, and what needs to be deleted in its entirety and forever forgotten.
As this books stands, I cannot recommend it. It has a good premise with some great ideas for a story within it. It is a story that needs a quality professional editor and quite a bit of a rewrite before it can realise its potential, however. Until then, I advise giving this one a pass.
Read
August 3, 2013The author is very ernest in her writing and I believe she is trying to be authentic. However this book was almost a DNF as it is overly simplistic for my taste. Even though both MC's have lost their parents, one literally and the other emotionally, EVERYTHING else in the time span of this story is without complication or trouble. EVERYTHING works out PERFECTLY. Am I just jaded to think this is impossible? There are some very sweet moments and a lot that are achingly sweet. Several fairytale moments, maybe it is a modern day fairytale?
I am not rating it as I still need to evaluate if I should give it something for trying or be blunt with an extremely low rating.
I am not rating it as I still need to evaluate if I should give it something for trying or be blunt with an extremely low rating.
September 6, 2013
Gay Honeymoon is a same sex love story set in rural northern California. Toby is twenty years old when he comes out as gay to his uncles. They are a same-sex couple who raised him after Toby's parents died. Living so far removed from civilization, Toby fears he has little chance of finding a life partner, so he and his uncles pray that God will send the right man into his life.
Lo and behold, Jacob arrives. He's a twenty-five year old driver who delivers supplies to the general store that Toby's uncles own. It is practically love at first sight, and the couple fall head over heels, eventually get married, and live happily ever after.
That is the whole story. There is no conflict whatsoever. Nothing bad happens. There are no challenges, pitfalls, and never even a disagreement or argument of any kind. Every character in this story is full of joy and sunshine. All the secondary characters are 100% supportive of the young gay couple. It's as if this story were being told in a parallel universe.
I did like the main character. He was very sweet, and I thought the wedding proposal and many of the lovemaking scenes to be very romantic and endearing. But there was no compelling reason to continue reading this story because it really didn't have a plot. (But I did finish it.)It was simply boy meets boy, boy marries boy, happily ever after, end of story.
There were some technical issues as well, including constant point of view shifts, back and forth within scenes in and out of the heads of each character. Also, the dialogue mainly consisted of long speeches, sometimes two or three pages, all one long paragraph. I had to wonder who on earth would stand there and listen to someone drone on like that without interrupting. It just wasn't natural conversation.
In spite of my criticisms, I'd have to also say that I enjoyed the writer's optimistic, authentic voice. I found the love scenes very romantic and well written, and I sincerely cared about both protagonists. For those who like feel-good, happy-ever-after stories, this book would be a worthwhile read.
Lo and behold, Jacob arrives. He's a twenty-five year old driver who delivers supplies to the general store that Toby's uncles own. It is practically love at first sight, and the couple fall head over heels, eventually get married, and live happily ever after.
That is the whole story. There is no conflict whatsoever. Nothing bad happens. There are no challenges, pitfalls, and never even a disagreement or argument of any kind. Every character in this story is full of joy and sunshine. All the secondary characters are 100% supportive of the young gay couple. It's as if this story were being told in a parallel universe.
I did like the main character. He was very sweet, and I thought the wedding proposal and many of the lovemaking scenes to be very romantic and endearing. But there was no compelling reason to continue reading this story because it really didn't have a plot. (But I did finish it.)It was simply boy meets boy, boy marries boy, happily ever after, end of story.
There were some technical issues as well, including constant point of view shifts, back and forth within scenes in and out of the heads of each character. Also, the dialogue mainly consisted of long speeches, sometimes two or three pages, all one long paragraph. I had to wonder who on earth would stand there and listen to someone drone on like that without interrupting. It just wasn't natural conversation.
In spite of my criticisms, I'd have to also say that I enjoyed the writer's optimistic, authentic voice. I found the love scenes very romantic and well written, and I sincerely cared about both protagonists. For those who like feel-good, happy-ever-after stories, this book would be a worthwhile read.
November 21, 2013
Definitely DNF material, though I did struggle through to the bitter end, and it was a struggle. Syrupy sweet and unrealistic in so many respects. One reviewer called it a fairy tale, I agree, but in a fairy tale there's a villain or some conflict.
November 23, 2013
There was moments in this book that was cheesy cute, for that it has received one star rating. (Jacob and Toby's make out on the sofa, for one). Then I read the book to the end and found it to be disappointing. I waited and hoped for the realism to kick in, it never did.
dnf
August 19, 2013So much over-sharing in this family. TMI, indeed.
December 21, 2013
Oh my God! I absolutely loved this novel! Gay Honeymoon stars Toby. Now, Toby lost his dad at the World Trade Center in 9/11 and his mom a few years later. He was left all alone, but his Uncle Butch took him in and raised him as his own along with his loving partner, Jimmy. Toby, now twenty, is looking for the love of his life and he finds it, the amazing and incredible Jacob.
I loved Toby. He was very shy and quiet, but really loving and caring. I was left heartbroken after reading about his parents. That was just so tragic and sad. However, I was so happy that his Uncle Butch and Jimmy took him in. Those two were just so amazing and loving, the coolest uncles walking the face of the planet! Now, Jacob was the bomb! I fell for him instantly and I was saddened by his past as well. I was so glad that Toby and Jacob found each other because those two deserved each other.
What I liked the most about this novel was the fact that it was so realistic. There wasn't any bizarre plot or crazy storyline that made you turn left and right, losing your way. The writing was perfect and engaging. It really showed that the author took her time doing her research and editing it thoroughly. Another thing that I loved was how religious and united the characters were. Yes, life has been hard with them, but they still kept pushing forward. I must warn you though, this novel is steamy hot. There are so many sex scenes that they will leave you at the edge of your seat.
All in all, this was an amazing little read. I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read a very loving story about family, friendship, love, religion, life and hot steamy sex.
I loved Toby. He was very shy and quiet, but really loving and caring. I was left heartbroken after reading about his parents. That was just so tragic and sad. However, I was so happy that his Uncle Butch and Jimmy took him in. Those two were just so amazing and loving, the coolest uncles walking the face of the planet! Now, Jacob was the bomb! I fell for him instantly and I was saddened by his past as well. I was so glad that Toby and Jacob found each other because those two deserved each other.
What I liked the most about this novel was the fact that it was so realistic. There wasn't any bizarre plot or crazy storyline that made you turn left and right, losing your way. The writing was perfect and engaging. It really showed that the author took her time doing her research and editing it thoroughly. Another thing that I loved was how religious and united the characters were. Yes, life has been hard with them, but they still kept pushing forward. I must warn you though, this novel is steamy hot. There are so many sex scenes that they will leave you at the edge of your seat.
All in all, this was an amazing little read. I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to read a very loving story about family, friendship, love, religion, life and hot steamy sex.
August 5, 2013
I would have quoted for more stars but if also the plot is nice sometimes it is too sappy and naive .
Read
February 27, 2014Almost an utopian story, even if, both men had to go through some layers of homophobia, one more than the other. In the author’s note, she wanted to let the reader know that Honeydew is actually a real place, small and enclosed like she described it in the story. Many times I read about the difficulties of being gay in a small town, but sometime it’s the opposite, being an enclosed community, everyone knows their neighbor and so they don’t judge you for your chosen companion, but for who you have always been and your role in the community. It was like that for Butch and Jimmy, first partners and then husbands, they met in the Army in the only occasion Butch had to go out Honeydew, and they came back there to build their home. They were accepted not only by Butch’s family, but also by all the community, of which they are primary members. And now their own nephew, Toby, has come out to them, the problem is that, Toby has always lived at Honeydew, and aside from Butch and Jimmy, there aren’t any other gay people there. Not until, like sent by their prayers, Jacob, the new delivery guy, enters the scene: a former LDS missionary, he lost all his family when he decided to be true to himself and not follow his church’s rules.
As I said, this is like an utopian story, everything seems to click in a perfect way, Butch and Jimmy are perfect fairy godfathers to Toby and Jacob; Toby and Jacob like each other and basically nothing is against their love; as soon as a trouble tries to pop out, there is immediately the right stick to burst it into nothing: Toby and Jacob are destined to be together and nothing and no one will prevent them to walk hand in hand towards their happiness.
Nice, comforting and sweet comedy, if you want to wish for every young boy an happily ever after.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1VTTTC/?...
As I said, this is like an utopian story, everything seems to click in a perfect way, Butch and Jimmy are perfect fairy godfathers to Toby and Jacob; Toby and Jacob like each other and basically nothing is against their love; as soon as a trouble tries to pop out, there is immediately the right stick to burst it into nothing: Toby and Jacob are destined to be together and nothing and no one will prevent them to walk hand in hand towards their happiness.
Nice, comforting and sweet comedy, if you want to wish for every young boy an happily ever after.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1VTTTC/?...
January 24, 2015
Too much perfection in this book. There was zero conflict for these two lovers to overcome. Everything worked out perfectly with these two. While not a DNF for me, I did skim a lot of it towards the end. This book had 52 chapters which is about 30 too many since there's no drama happening. I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the cheesy dialogue. I would have liked Jacob's first love to come back and admit he was wrong and have Jacob make a choice between his first love and Toby. I just didn't find this book realistic in anyway and not sure if I would be willing to read something else from this author.
January 5, 2015
Wow what a very sweet story
At first I want sure about this book it seemed too sweet but after I got into it I was hooked. This is a very sensual love story and a sort of coming of age sexually story between the two main characters. I really loved this book.
At first I want sure about this book it seemed too sweet but after I got into it I was hooked. This is a very sensual love story and a sort of coming of age sexually story between the two main characters. I really loved this book.
January 18, 2015
This is a gay fairy tale.
Its a sweet romance that follows 2 young men meet fall love and marry.
Everything is all good and nothing goes wrong. Life is perfect for them. That's why it's a fairy tale.
I also didn't like the writing style. I can't say what was wrong with it but it wasn't right.
Its a sweet romance that follows 2 young men meet fall love and marry.
Everything is all good and nothing goes wrong. Life is perfect for them. That's why it's a fairy tale.
I also didn't like the writing style. I can't say what was wrong with it but it wasn't right.
Want to read
March 30, 2015Concerned I may have just read the entire plot within the blurb, but it's free atm, so I'll give it a go.
August 11, 2013
A SWEET BOOK
August 9, 2013
I really liked this book. It was a fairytale romance. It was an easy read with characters that captured your heart.
March 8, 2014
I totally loved it!!! Everything is just perrrrfect and sweet. Just what i like in my books.
August 9, 2015
DNF
Almost painful to read. Over the top, syrupy sweet with some praying and a touch of creepy mum advice. Couldn't force myself to finish this.
Almost painful to read. Over the top, syrupy sweet with some praying and a touch of creepy mum advice. Couldn't force myself to finish this.
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