Making It Happen

by S.J. Eller

Small town farm-boy Garrett Delroy has always known his future lies on the fields of his father’s farm. When life’s circumstances further confirm his belief, Garrett is forced to consider that perhaps the silly “romantic notions” he’s always heard and brushed off have some value. After all, he’s in love with his best friend, Liam Johnson, and Garrett would do almost anything for him.

Liam Johnson, on the other hand, is anything but a farm-boy. He’s got big dreams and the drive to make them all come true. He also has a reason to stay in his small town and settle for a local college. But Garrett’s not about to be the reason that Liam doesn’t achieve all his dreams. For once in his life, he decides to listen to those romantic notions— let Liam go and hope for the best.

But as Garrett finds out, life isn’t anything like a romance novel, and sometimes you have to make things happen.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Short Stories, Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary Romance

47 pages, ebook

First published August 2, 2013

Reviews

[SheReadsALot · Rating 4 out of 5]

*indescribable sounds*

First things first, there are maybe a handful of books that have made me full out bawl or even tear up. It takes the right kind of something to make me get to that level.

I may or may not have spilled water droplets from somewhere around the area between my forehead and nose. Kudos to you, S.J. Eller.

This story? It's such a sweet and heartfelt friends to lovers story between best friends, farm boy Garrett and future physicist Liam. They both were each others first loves and the journey they take through a five year period (with some adorable flashbacks) was a bumpy one.

Garrett did a major boneheaded move and so did Liam. I like when people talk with words rather than punches even in the heat of the moment. That part I didn't hate because they were not implausible reactions for those main characters. I kind of wished Garrett developed more of a backbone a little sooner.

All in all a pretty great read. A happy ending and smexy epilogue. Continue writing, S.J. That is a direct order. ;)

No, those are not tears in my eyes. I just installed a sprinkler system in my eyeballs, you see, and I am testing the pipes for leaks which I have apparently sprung.

So I'm just going to go fix this situation...um yeah.

3.95 Stars rounded up

[Exina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible, dry, factual writing style, plus I really hated the storyline. It was really stupid and frustrating. 5 years!!?

[Mandy*reads obsessively*]

Friends forever then lovers.
Two boys who go in and out of each others families and then one of them decides to do the 'right thing' and call it quits.
There is a lot to like about this short and lots of emotions.
I did have a major peeve of mine in this one and one question that kept nagging at the back of my mind, but still an all around sweet story.

I have MAJOR issues with hitting/slapping/punching ANYONE and especially someone you love/ed. Garrett lost his mother for heavens sake and all that Liam cares about is that he didn't call him and tell him so he punches him. Wonderful. So caring, and let's just forget Garrett lost HIS mother and is grieving, let's just punch him in the face and care about his own hurt feeling. Grrrrr...and why isn't he mad at his parents? If I read it right they told him when he was on break? Why didn't they call him right away and tell him, why did they wait till he was on break??? I would have been mad at them, not my ex whom I haven't spoked to in years. And then he punches him AGAIN! Ok, he has a right to be angry, Garrett was stupid and immature, but it is just a major peeve of mine, the physical violence being ok. It's not. If Garrett had been a woman and everything else the same, people would NOT accept it as ok to punch her?!. ..

So that's just my personal issue, totally mine and mine alone. Ignore me and enjoy this contribution to the LHNB event.

[Gigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was nice and pretty calm and sweet, but the fact that the MCs were separated so long was hard for me to handle. Otherwise, a pretty good book!

[Mirjam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet story about childhood-friends-turn-lovers and one of them has decided that he would listen to romantic notions— let Liam go and hope for the best.

“I swear to God, Garrett, if you take any more advice from preteen girls, I will wring your neck. So don’t. Got it?”

Five years after breaking up with Liam, Garrett gets his ass handed to him by Liam's mother “Now you listen here, you little asshole. I love you like my own— I do, but if you don’t get your ass in gear and go see my boy, I’ma skin your hide. Ben seems to think you’re just nervous, and well, guess what? I don’t give a rat’s ass. If you don’t get your ass over there soon, I’ll be setting up a little dinner date, and you will be coming, whether you choose to or not.” and goes to finally apologise to Liam.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this was so emotional and beautiful. I'll be honest, I actually cried my eyes out. I recently lost my Grandad and a certain couple of scenes reminded me of that, which then made me cry even more! But seriously, this was such a moving short story. I adored Liam and my heart completely broke for Garrett, who only wanted to do what was best for Liam. He was a bit of an idiot, but his heart was in the right place!

This was yet another great story from the LHNB event. Many thanks to S.J. Eller for writing such a sweet story :)

[Gavin Stephenson-Jackman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving story of self sacrifice for love. Garrett pushes Liam, the love of his life, away so that Liam can fulfill his dreams, while hoping against hope that Liam will return to him and that they can recover their love for each other. Garrett suffers many setbacks while Liam is studying and when he returns Garrett is afraid to face him.

In many ways my husband is much like Garrett in that he sacrificed his career so that I could pursue mine. We've never been separated as these two were but still there is the sacrifice for love.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! This is exactly right for the picture I submitted - thank you for telling their story so beautifully! Full of emotion - I cried, I chuckled, and I crossed my fingers for their happy ever after. One word to describe this story - perfection!!!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, so good. How I managed to weep that much in such a short amount of time shocks me. Sweet, sexy, sad, heartbreaking then happy. All my favorites in a little bundle. Fantastic!

[vLadimiR · Rating 2 out of 5]

A friends-to-lovers story between childhood sweethearts Garrett and Liam.


Don't let my rating keep you from reading the story because it was quite enjoyable. The conflict born of Garrett's decision to stay away instead of being honest with Liam bugged me. I've just been encountering too much books with I-love-you-but-I-don't-think-I-deserve-you plot lately so I'm needing to read something different.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

O.M.GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE I loved this one. I laughed, I cried, I yelled at my kindle, a perfect story for me!!!!!! Sometimes with short stories I feel like I don't get background just where we are in that point, not this one, this one I got it all. My only problem with this story is that it is not a full length novel. :'(

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY goodness woman you can write! I loved this so much, sexy men with a soft side are just what I wanted. I haven't read a book that's made me cry in a LONG LONG time.

This would have been perfect if we'd seen a little bit more of Liam I think but other then that it was so good.

[Hey Hey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow was all that story really in only 47 pages??
I could of kept on reading about these two.

I was kind of surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.
I stay away from YA, they tend to do silly things like push away lovers. (Ha!)
But, this one worked.

[Rissa (an M/M kinda Girl!!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love someone set them free...Who the Hell came up with that?! Whomever it was, if they never said it we wouldn't of had this story.

For being a short story it'll pack a punch..be ready to go on a angsty journey with best friends!

LHNB event has done it again!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It made me cry... It takes a lot to make me cry! I was invested in these two and loved how the story ended. Might I just say though that as much of an idiot Garret was, so too was Liam for taking Garret at his obviously false words and walking away.... But then we wouldn't have a story...

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good and yes, I cried!

[Bogusia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
I'm glad a friend recommended this to me. Great read :)

[Kinga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much emphasis on the not-happy moments. And come on, 5 year separation with that kind of family around, and that kind of love? Oh no. Nope.

[Jyanx · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some perfect for summer vacation sweet fluffy hammock reading.

[Julesmarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was in a tbr shelf on my phone, so I just decided to read it without reminding myself what the blurb said--or that it was a LHNB freebie. So I'm adding a bonus star for it being free. And reining in a lot of the ranting I was all set to do.

This just had so many things I don't ever like in books, plus some extras that I've never seen before and was incredibly disturbed by.

First, Garrett broke up with Liam "for Liam's own good". Huge pet peeve of mine. And then waited five years for Liam to come to his senses and come back to him (completely spontaneously, of course. In Garrett's head, this scenario requires no work from him).

Also, the non-linear storytelling at the beginning of this just REALLY didn't work. The flashbacks weren't well-timed and felt like they interrupted and confused the narrative rather than adding anything.

The extras: 1- the way Garrett's mom's death was handled, with nobody letting Liam know, and then Liam getting so angry at Garrett. Another reviewer already addressed the punching, so I'll not add my rant on that.

2- the cat in the classroom. This one was so jarring that I actually found myself thinking about it throughout the rest of the story instead of being at all immersed. What point was the teacher trying to make? What sort of person could cuddle a cat in front of a room full of teenagers, then put it down and kick it? Is that really the sort of person who would be allowed to still be teaching? What point really was the author trying to make with the scene, and why didn't they choose literally ANY OTHER WAY to make it?

[Meep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kindle-Sort-ReRead

I quite liked the story, though bleak, in many ways. Emotion too distant at times but writing able to carry you along. BUT I hated the 'perfect' 'clever' Liam and couldn't excuse his behaviour punching someone you supposedly love is NEVER ok. Punching that loved one a week after their mother has died... punching again at start of a making up... NO. That's abusive, cruel and WRONG. Not ok. Not ok at all A very big NO.

Garret gave up everything to care for his parents and their farm. He deserved someone to care and love him.
Instead it's all about Liam. The 'moral' of the story was a sour one.

[DC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written coming-of-age/friends-to-lovers story. Two surprises for me, first that this took place in small farmtown America and that there was not just one, but two sets of loving and accepting parents; and second, that according to the author’s bio, this was a first time published piece. If that is true...well done! This was better written and better edited than many pieces by established M/M authors.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of this. Too much tell and nearly no Show and the plot was somewhat stupid and predictable. One of the characters was too idiolized, the other one had no character development at all. I'll Show some mercy, because this is a debut - so 2 stars

[Louan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humph! Garrett you’re an idiot! Five fing years? Really? Angst was on full throttle.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

LHNB Story released 2.8.13
Just heading over 4 stars
Well written story following two young men who have been friends since childhood and lovers since their mid teens. When Garrett's father has a series of strokes he realises his dream of attending college with Liam is over. Liam has other ideas, to stay home rather than go to the college he's always dreamed of. Garrett effectively sacrifices their relationship to give Liam the future he wanted... it takes five years for reconciliation and to reach the HEA with a touch of angst on the way. Really nice story from a first time author who I hope continues writing.

[Annika · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this story started out promising I came to dislike Liam as well as his family. Everything that happened was blamed on one (stupid) decision from Garreth, Liam didn't even question let alone fight. But it gave Liam the justification to treat Garreth like sh... And his family wasn't much better in the end. All the apologizing was done by Garreth which I do not agree with. Especially for Liam's reaction to Garreth's mothers death I was at least expecting an apology in the end. Actually I don't know what Garreth saw in Liam.
And attention, tear jerker.

[Sandra]

Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love Has No Boundaries Anthology: Volume 4. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!

That pic, just... yum.

[melek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garrett and Liam childhood sweethearts always been together. Families wee best the of friends as well. They day came Liam was accept to university of course he didn't want to go and leave Garrett. But garret had this idea set Liam free as they say "If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're your's" So yeah that what garret done. He was stupid and it was mistake. But it was for Liam's future .Years later garretts mum died Liam appeared and that where the emotions come back and the hurt and the whys.

[Katy Beth Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garret throws it all away in the name of love and Liam doesn't understand or care. And Liam sure isn't coming back. It takes some parental intervention and threats to get Garret to face Liam and confess it all. I like how the story doesn't just zip to a happy ending. Like real life it takes a while to rebuild a relationship that has been lost for years. There is no quick fix but a hope at the end.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! Wow this was excellent. I loved the writing style. I loved the guys. I loved the secondary characters. I loved the idea and plot. I loved the amount and depth of emotion poured into the pages. For such a short story, it was very complete. All I can say is Wow! This author needs to start cranking out stories because I for one will read them all!