Runaway

Rough Boys #1

by J. Vaughn

A runaway, a dreamer, a gorgeous femme … are they rough enough to survive the brutal city?

Ty is only seventeen when he flees in terror from his homophobic father, but surviving on the streets is more difficult than he could possibly have imagined. When bad choices send Ty spiraling toward ruin, can he be saved by love?

Dani leaves home with stars in his eyes but his feet on the ground, fully expecting his road to success to be long and difficult. What he doesn't expect is to fall head-over-heels in love with a gorgeous, self-centered rock star. Can Dani find happiness with the arrogant Englishman or will his heart be broken?

Kaeden is banished by his conservative Asian parents when he comes home with extreme hair, false eyelashes, and glittering fingernails. He naively accepts a position with a male escort service, dreaming of fancy parties and wealthy men. Instead he finds himself playing Russian roulette with his heart.

This gritty urban romance follows the lives of these three young men as they forge strong bonds of friendship in spite of, or maybe because of, the challenges they face.

Publisher’s Note: This story contains content which may be offensive to some readers: extreme violence, substance abuse, offensive language, and detailed descriptions of M/M sex. No underage sex.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT, Young Adult, Abuse, Amazon

332 pages, ebook

First published October 31, 2013

About the author

Jay Vaughn lives in sunny Seattle, a clean, progressive city that is way too expensive for a writer’s income. Therefore, Jay holds down a full-time, computer-industry day job, but writing is her passion. It’s a hobby-gone-wild, so much so that her teenage kids accuse her of being an addict.

Jay carries her laptop everywhere and can often be seen combining other favorite activities with writing. For example, you can find Jay sitting at a small table in the back of the gay bar around the corner from her house, drinking wine and writing. Or waking up early while camping, dragging out the laptop, and writing. Or writing in the truck on the way to and from concerts, ski-trips, visits to relatives ... wherever.

Jay’s favorite genres are sci-fi, fantasy, and M/M erotic romance. She discovered M/M quite by accident when she was writing a traditional fantasy novel, and one of her characters ended up in an all-male prison for a bit too long. Whoops!

Find out what Jay is working on next at authorjvaughn.com, follow her on Facebook (Jay Vaughn in Seattle), or drop her a line at jayvaughn@live.com. She’d love to hear from you.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5 stars

***This book was provided free by the author in exchange for an honest review, through the Goodreads “Don't Buy My Love” program***

I am a typically a huge fan of realism when I'm reading contemporary MM (or anything, for that matter). I can suspend my disbelief sometimes when the characters are exceptionally well drawn and I connect to them emotionally, or I can forgive a few out there plot twists as long as the rest of the story is well paced and persuasive. This book fell short on both counts.

There are 3 MCs – Ty is the runaway, arriving in Heartland City after being horrifically beaten by his father, who is suggested to be mentally ill in addition to being extremely homophobic. Dani is a young musician who has come to the city to make it big, with only a suitcase in tow. Kaeden is already on the scene, a flamboyant young man who left his traditional Asian home because he did not feel accepted. They are loosely connected through Tommy, a hustler who picks up boys at the bus stop and introduces them to Miss Sally, who is a madam of sorts.

Ty's story was the most compelling to me, at least initially. His father is a former policeman with extensive contacts in the town and a reputation as an upright citizen, his mother is subservient and never stands up to him even though she has a good idea of what is going on, so I was able to buy Ty's decision to run away rather than report the abuse. Shortly after arriving at the city he is picked up by Abe, an ICU nurse with a soft spot for beautiful, vulnerable boys. But from the point that Ty left Abe's apartment, I couldn't connect with him at all. I couldn't reconcile the extreme partying in penthouse suites and fancy clubs with the boy who was sleeping under a bush and begging for food.

I started out feeling respect for Dani, who was unwilling to become a prostitute and seemed quite pragmatic about life. But he met Nigel, and despite being essentially raped in front of a room full of people, he can think of nothing more than having sex with him. Which they do. Hourly. And apparently he is capable of producing buckets of precum. It was insta-love with copious sex and constantly dripping cocks – maybe hot the first time or two, but it got to the point that I was skipping all the sex scenes. I saw no particular reason for them to even like each other, much less love each other.

Kaeden is a much more minor character than the other two. He seems at times almost complacent about being a prostitute, and by the end of the book I felt I knew quite a lot about his hair and makeup, but very little about him.

I short, I felt that the plot meandered, and was quite random. I found the situations mostly contrived and unrealistic. I was unable to emotionally connect with the MCs. Several potentially interesting side characters were introduced, then dropped. The point at which the book ended also felt more like the author met a certain quota of pages, rather than a logical wrapping up point. This is yet another book that shows a lot of promise, but was ruined from lack of focus and good editing.

[Roger - president of NBR United - · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not an easy read and it deals with topics that are hard to read. This is also a book where there is a long list of characters and sometime I felt like I had to have a crib sheet with the characters name and how they are connected to each other and who knows whom.

That aside the book was gripping and kept me engaged even though with some of the scene I wanted them to be over with. if you can't handle dub con and non con sex this is a book you should avoid then. As rough and hard as life is for the main characters I am glad they have some happiness and seem to be more together than I think many people would be.

If you want a light fluffy read go elsewhere but If you don't mind a walk on the darkside this is full of great and memorable characters and while dealing with many issue and tries to keep it positive in general doesn't just sugarcoat and gloss over the bad aspects.

Take the warnings seriously but if you can handle it, I recommend it.

[SheReadsALot]

I'm all over that cover.



Free this month:

http://www.divergentpublishing.com/?p...

[Margo - Putting the Mmmmmm back in Menage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary – 4.5 stars
The Rough Boys series by J. Vaughn is a three book series which is a cross between The Basketball Diaries and Almost Famous. The series features three boys all dealing with the challenges growing up gay, and the constant threat of homelessness. The first book, Runaway, features Ty who runs away from home after being tortured by his father. Living on the streets is hard, and simply getting food is a challenge. Ty does his best, but harsh conditions and depression drive him to depths he never imagined. Runaway is a riveting story, and don't be surprised if you can't stop at just one Rough Boys story. I one-clicked to buy the next one without even hesitating to take a breath. This book is currently being offered for FREE on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, so go grab it while you can! It's also a bargain at the $.99 list price.

Fantasy World
The world of Runaway is gritty and disturbing. Some elements are surprising and others are heartbreakingly real.

Tingle Factor
For all its angst and suffering, there are also some hot moments especially as Ty discovers his long repressed sexuality.

Romance
Ty is befriended by a man who tries to help him, but he's so consumed by fear he doesn't even know how to recognize any feelings he might have. There is a romantic storyline, but don't expect it to be any easier than the rest of Ty's life.

Drama
Staying alive every day is its own drama in addition to ongoing family issues. There are also multiple sub plots featuring Ty's friends and acquaintances. There is plenty of angst, but it's not overdone or inappropriate.

Hero
Ty is a teenager in an impossible situation. He does the best he can, but his options are limited. Ty's father has left deep scars on him both physically and emotionally. At first he is left with only the desire to survive, and eventually even that seems like too much for which to hope.

Supporting Cast
Runaway is rich with fabulous characters, and I do mean fabulous. There are gay boys who dress like girls, and rock band members on the edge of fame. Drug dealers, homeless people, therapists, and crazy parents round out the cast. They are all riveting in their own way, and they all appear again throughout the series. The author does a wonderful job of creating individual character arcs for all of them.

For access to all links in this review, please visit http://www.damesunrestrained.blogspot...

[Tali Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within the first paragraphs of reading this story, I knew I was in good hands. And that was before it was published. The author has tightened and brightened the story and I'm now in love all over again. The writing is smart and nuanced, vivid and emotional, and I adored it. The story starts off with Ty, a young man in a world of trouble thanks to a violent father, and I was already engrossed with his story when I was introduced to Dani and Kaeden. I loved them all. Ty's story is especially gritty, but there's a haunting and beautiful sense of ennui about the lives of all three protagonists that brings to life their hopes, dreams, and exactly what they're up against in a world that consigns beautiful young homeless men to very narrow choices. The allure, danger, and numbing reality of sex for pay hangs over them all like the sword of Damocles. I ached for these boys and their choices, their successes and mistakes as they grapple with poverty, sex, drugs, the attractions of the big city, themselves and their hearts. Highly recommended to readers who can't get enough of boys in peril, hurt-comfort, runaways in danger, gorgeous femmes, hopes and dreams, hearts of gold, great characters, and exciting, well-spun plots. Five gorgeous, heartfelt stars.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runaway is the first in a series of Rough Boys books centering on the lives of three gay men: Ty, Dani and Kaedan. This book describes the intersections of their lives in Heartland City as they strike out away for home for the first time.

Ty comes to the city a runaway after surviving his homophobic father's horrifying abuse. Ty doesn't even think he's gay, but his psychotic father senses he MIGHT be and seeks to beat the "weakness" out of him. Having barely survived his latest assault, Ty (who is 17) runs away from school and catches a bus to the city depleting his meager funds. He is propositioned by a young man, Tommy, to come live in a "boys house", but Ty is suspicious of the flamboyant man and suspects he's a prostitute. Ty opts to sleep on the streets, but the weather takes a freak turn for the cold and he nearly dies--would have except for his discovery by Abraham, a giant, black ICU nurse, who birings the fever-addled homeless Ty to his apartment. Abe is gay (because nearly everyone in the story is gay) and attracted to his new charge, though he makes no effort to seduce him. Abe nurses Ty back to health and it seems all is going well until one early morning kiss sends Ty on the run. Good thing too because his father had a lead on Abe's apartment.

Dani has come to the city to find a job and perhaps make his name in entertaining. He's young, blonde and brash. He takes Tommy up on an offer for a free week's stay at Sally's--a brothel of sorts for gay boys. There he meets Kaedan--a Chinese-American femme who is getting ready to begin his career as a rent-boy. Dani and Kaedan experiment a bit--to help Kaedan's technique--and become close friends. Dani doesn't want to be a prostitiute, so he moves on and finds a job at a cafe where he sells coffee and performs. One day he catches a young man running for cover and shields him from an angry older man--turns out it's Ty, and he was running from his dad. Dani and Ty become friends and, realizing Ty is living on the streets, Dani offers to let him wash his clothes and shower at his place.

There are then some interludes where the three boys party together (Ty, Dani and Kaedan) particularly with a local band called Leather. Two of the musicians, Nigel and Sean, are enamored with Dani and Kaedan, respectively. Ty's attractive, but asexual. Of course, with Rock-n-roll comes drugs and Ty gets wrapped up in it. He manages to get a job at a grocery unloading trucks, but he spends his money on booze.

Mostly this book sets up the relationships that will be further explored in later sections. It is clear that Ty's father Richard is a menace that will continue to hound Ty--and Abe hasn't given up looking for the lost boy. Nigel wants Dani, but nearly loses him by assuming he was a rent-boy like Kaedan. Sean wants Kaedan, but Kaedan wants money so they aren't going anywhere...yet. In the background we have abuse, both physical and drug, and a lot of heartfelt moments. It's a fast read with interesting characters and finishes the story arcs enough to have resolution but leaves enough open to entice readers on to the next book.

[Alicja · Rating 2 out of 5]

rating: 2/5

I received a free copy for an honest review.

There are aspects that I enjoyed but too much of the story was one dimensional. Let's start with what I liked and that's Ty. Even though there were three main characters Ty, Dani, and Kaeden, Ty was the only one I connected with. He ran away from home, from an abusive ex-cop of a father. Ended up living on the streets until one snowy night as he shivered near death Abe, a nurse, took pity on him. But his story isn't that simple, he doesn't stay with Abe that long ending up on the streets again. We get to see inside him as he struggles with identity, self-esteem, friendships, new experiences (not all positive), etc. I would like to have seen more depth to the character, more complexity to his emotions and reactions but his story is compelling. However, that's where it ends for me.

Despite tackling topics like prostitution, drug abuse, and rape it shallowly explores the emotions and actions when dealing with such trauma. The reactions seem to be the most dramatic in nature, and the most predictable.

The POV changes and random jumps into people's heads (like the girl at the part who flirted with Ty who received a full two lines of introspection) made my head spin.

And then there is Dani. Poor kid has zero street smarts and gets himself into vulnerable situations. I can sympathize with that. But then he does something so outrageous I couldn't connect with him anymore. Dani goes to a party and allows Nigel, a drummer he has the hots for, finger rape him in front of an audience for a bet. I can see that happening and Dani had every right to be pissed off and hurt. But then in a short couple of weeks Dani gets over it and goes on to have a very shallow and lustful romance with Nigel (which is called love). That's it, never mentioned again. And speaking of Nigel, he's a grown man, a rocker, and apparently a whore but he instantly falls in love with Dani. The emotional maturity of Nigel and Dani's relationship seems to be that of pre-teens, except with sex.

And Kaeden. Well, he likes to wear heels, makeup, and crazy hair. Oh, and he doesn't seem to have any problems with being a prostitute even though he just started because apparently its fun. Seemed more like a secondary character too.

All these older men (even those that claim to be straight) seem to fall into insta-love with the boys (and all are big, alpha males and the boys (of legal age, except for Ty through part of the story) ate twinks. There are so many references to "the large man" with "large hands" I think the word editing program ate the thesaurus. They follow the oh-he's-so-cute-I'll-give-him-drugs-to-just-see-him-smile and similar formulas. Their internal thoughts make it seem like they're all the same character.

And lastly the stereotypes, oh my, so many stereotypes. I understand that everyone fits some kind of stereotype but so many of these characters are just cardboard cutouts.

Overall, it was okay. I did enjoy Ty's story and think I'll try the second story because I do want to know what's next for him. I foresee drama; issues he'll have to face, internal and external.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plot is pretty good, but reading the sex scenes, you can tell the author has absolutely no idea how men nor their penises work. It had the potential to be super steamy, but ended up reading like a bunch of women with penises rather than actual gay men.

Lots of triggering content as well- the author can’t write fleshed out characters without making them suffer through all sorts of trauma.

[Bookjunkie12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review.

Wow! Oh wow! I can tell you now I didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as I did, it's pretty damn good! Definitely going on the best book I read this week list. I usually don't read books that have the mains so young because I don't really connect to the characters. Ms. Vaughn put some really tough subject matter in this story and wrote it so well that I couldn't stop reading. If the MCs were females dealing with these issues with men I'm pretty sure it would be a movie or a t.v. series. From the first page I knew I was in deep. This is the first book in a series of three, get them all at once trust me!

There are three MCs, Ty, Dani, and Kaeden, and there stories are so different but all the same; they want to feel safe and loved. There are a lot of POV jumps but it's not very confusing who's head your in.

Ty comes from a well to do family that from the outside seems "normal". But his father, for lack of a better word, is crazy. His father verbally and physically abuses Ty while his mother and sister look the other way. After a really horrific beating Ty makes up his mind to run away from home to the big city. Of course things aren't easy for him when he gets there because now he's homeless with no job, friends, or support. After a week on the streets his meager belongings have been stolen and he's very close to freezing to death. Then along comes Abe, the gentle giant of a nurse, who takes him in and cares for him. At this point you think Ty just might be ok but his confusion and uncertainty about his sexuality has him running again. From there Ty's life becomes a downward spiral and the entire time I'm muttering to my kindle, 'just say no, just say no'. It's not all bad he meets Dani when his father is chasing him down to bring him back home; and thru Dani he meets Kaeden. Also thru Dani he meets others that fastrack his downward spiral. Like they say the first hit's free the next one'll cost you...

Dani comes from a single parent home, never knowing his father, raised by his mother who loves and supports him. At nineteen he decides it's time for him to take his chances in the big city in hopes of getting into the entertainment industry. A little more street smart than Ty, he takes advantage of a free week of lodging with the understanding that if he stays he has to work for lodging. His first day at his temp-housing he meets Kaeden and they become fast friends. Assumptions are made about Dani because of where he's living and he finds himself getting the wrong kind of attention.

Kaeden left home because his parents wouldn't accept his very feminine way of dressing and caring himself. He thought working as a high end male escort wouldn't be so bad because he would have a place to stay. He's in an exclusive contract so it's not so bad for him.

This story takes you thru their growing friendship with each other and there very separate lives. Ty is homeless, Kaeden is a prostitute, and Dani is a barista and on the surface the only thing they have in common is that they are gay; even though Ty has yet to admit that to himself. But at the end of the day they all want the same thing; to be safe and loved. By the end of Runaway Dani may have found his HEA.

This was a really really good book and I don't think my review will do it justice because in the middle of writing this I had to stop because I really wanted to ready the second book Redemption. And oh let me tell ya it was worth it...

Just noticed Runaway is currently free on Amazon; like I said the first hit is always free :-)(05/02/14)

[Alex Akira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovers of Yaoi and Male/Male Romance alike will love this enchanting, but angst-ridden episodic story that pits three young men against the sordid jungle of the big city—I know I did. This first book in the series introduces us to Ty Iverson, the teenage runaway of the title, Dani, a young man who has come to the city hoping to start a singing career, and Kaeden, a twenty-year-old Chinese boy, who left home after his parents’ negative response to his coming out.

Battered and bruised, seventeen–year-old Ty Iverson is on the run from his abusive father, regretfully leaving his mother and younger sister behind. With little money and a hastily stuffed backpack he heads to the city hoping his policeman father’s influence will be less formidable outside of his jurisdiction. He doesn’t hold much hope for that—Richard Iverson is an esteemed member of the force. No one will believe he regularly punches and whips his son, let alone that he chained Ty up and locked him in his room for days without food or care. His mother doesn’t have a clue and his sister only realizes what has been happening when Ty runs. But the city has its own form of abuse. Afraid that his father will find him, Ty refuses all offers of help and lives on the streets where his pretty boy looks draw too much attention. One cold, rainy night when Ty has lost all he owns and is violently ill he accepts the help of a male nurse, Abe, and a tentative friendship is born.

There is a lot of action in this engaging story as Ty tries to stay one step ahead of his father who uses his position to track his son. Ty’s idyllic time with Abe is cut short when Abe kisses him—a not unpleasant experience, but Ty isn’t gay…is he? Conflicted, but certain his father will only cause Abe trouble, Ty returns to living on the streets. He is literally running from his father when he meets Dani, who offers him a place to stay. But terrified of his growing internal conflict Ty refuses Dani’s offer and sticks to the street-life. A friendship is struck nonetheless and through Dani, Ty meets Kaeden. From that point on the boys’ fates are forever entwined.

I found the story to be a scrumptious feast for the emotional and visual senses. Beautifully woven into what initially appears to be Ty’s story, are the stories of Dani and Kaeden. Multiple storylines and intriguing twists and turns are skillfully aligned in a fast-paced, non-stop parade of adventures that read like a sweet dream, thanks to the author’s clear, concise writing. There is plenty of sweet, hot smex and some not-so-sweet brutality, as the boys each learn that big city life is full of sordid traps and predators, perhaps more so for pretty young things like these boys. There is also a large supporting cast of memorable characters, include the members of Leather, a band on the brink of breaking into the big time, Tommy the charismatic femme prostitute who prowls the bus station looking for young runaways to recruit, and Sally, the landlord of a large house, who finds “clients” for her young lodgers.

To my mind the story read with the ease of Jet Mykles’s Heaven Sent series, and the camaraderie of HBO’s Entourage with a hint of ABC’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager tossed in. This heady combination worked really well for me. Be warned—all storylines are not resolved at the book’s end. I was ecstatic to find the adventures continue in two additional books, Redemption and Revenge, and immediately purchased them.

Thank you, J. Vaughn, for penning this smashing “coming of age in the big city” tale.

“Trippy, Smexy, Love”

[William Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, the first of a trilogy, is a marvelous story of three young men moving from the suburbs to the big city, looking for a society that is more compassionate about their sexuality. There is Kaeden, aged 20, who works as a male prostitute under a kind and generous madam and Dani, aged 19, who, with his mother’s support, has moved to try to break into acting. Both are gay and freely accept their sexual orientation. Then there is Tiberius, or Ty as he prefers, just a few short months of his 18th birthday. His father is a sadistic homophobe who is convinced his son is gay and is determined to beat it out of him. Ty also seeks refuge in the city, soon meeting Kaeden and Dani and we follow them through their adventures.

While Ty’s friends both believe he is gay, Ty has subconsciously adopted his father’s homophobia and strongly rejects any gay advances. He is, however, confused with the absence of any sexual attraction to women. Even when he is making out with a girl at a party, the passion comes only from her. Ty feels a total lack of emotion while kissing and finally has to break off and hide to escape.

There is a considerable amount of gay sex, both consensual and rape, in this book. The consensual sex is presented in a very thorough manner through the emotions of the individuals. The standard cliches and terminology often used in “erotic” narrative are avoided and this results in passages becoming truly erotic as all dimensions of love, passion, desire, and respect are explored.

J. Vaughn has written a memorable story about gay love and life.

[Robyn Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a complete pleasure to review this book by J Vaughn, especially after some wretched plagiarizing thief attempted to pass it as their own. Phew, glad I got that out! Back to what matters, this wonderful story. For me, it's got everything; drama, passion, lust, conflict, angst and, of course, true love. This book ticks just about every M/M fiction box for me. It's well written, with a huge deal of heart and commitment; that is very evident to me from the flow and depth of the characters Jay has created. I love to read a book where I know the author has given something of themselves; yes, authors do that anyway, I realize, but there is something special about Rough Boys: Runaway that really affected me. Perhaps it was the incredibly like-able characters, who I was rooting for right from the first page. It is credit to the author that I could not stop reading this story, even as the hours ticked by and endless cups of tea were drank. Also, the character Abe is one of the best alpha males I've read about in the M/M genre; strong yet sensitive, noble of heart, passionate of nature and splendid of aspect! It is not easy to create characters, I find, who are so well crafted that they do appear as living, breathing beings. Certainly, in the imagination they are, and hurrah for that. The pace of the writing is excellent, the content often deeply challenging, without the reader never losing faith in the story or the characters. Highly recommended.

[Calila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice enjoyable read. There's a lot going on but it never gets too busy. I didn't realize it would end the way it did, so that's disappointing, but probably my own fault. It just kind of ends, as if this is just Part One. It's a little jarring but at least there IS a Part Two out. I just want to both hug and shake Ty. He's not making good choices, but he's so lost you can't really get angry at him. I think Dani forgave Nigel WAY too easily. A pair of leather pants and persistence does not make up for sexual assault. I love that Kaeden has his own set of morals. He's probably the one I relate to most in that aspect. I appreciate him not letting Sean off the hook, and also for sticking to the contract with Yoshi. I could've done without Yoshi being a drunken jerk. You don't have to make one guy a "bad" guy to get sympathy for a "rival". I can't wait to read Part Two!

[David Colley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for free through Don't Buy Me Love program in exchange for an honest review.

Three teens meet on the streets of a large city. Tye is escaping the emotional and physical abuse of his father. Dani is looking for success. Kaeden is kicked out for expressing his true self. These are three main characters looking for a story that tells the ups and down of their lives.

Friendship is created on the streets as these three create their own family. As with any family, we get to witness the successes, failures, day to day experiences from each of their unique experiences.

The author gives each one of the main characters a well developed voice and integrates them into a cohesive storyline full of interesting secondary characters.

While the book is part of a series, it stands on its own merits. I enjoyed Roughboys #1 and looked forward to reading the next in the series. While it stands alone, the author made we want to know more!

[Christine Lacombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book in a giveaway that I entered. I had already read an excerpt of the beginning in a blog and was so excited to be able to read it. These boys really got to my heart. Each one has a story and they are intertwined together. You get graphic and emotional scenes and yes, a lot are sexual, but there is violence also. There is also some drug use here too. Ty's dad is an abuser, Kaeden's parents are jerks and Dani wears his heart on his sleeve. J gives you a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows and twists and turns in this story of these boys and their relationships. And yes, I did shed some tears on some of these scenes. I am now going to look up the next installment of this series. I just so totally loved this book. I am not going to say more, don't want to give away the plot but you need to read this series.

[Sue Milkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

April 11th to April 12th

This is the first story in the HOT new series Rough Boys. This story introduced Dani and Nigel. In depth and in some very interesting hot situations. We also saw the torture and reason Ty ranaway from home. How Abe finding him saved his life for the moment. This story continues with great supporting characters that make it just fantastic. It's very interesting to see how these vulnerable young men handle the problems of one being underage, all on there own, some for the first time in life. Struggling against drinking, drugs, prostitution and homelessness. I can't wait to see where this journey leads for all of them. What lessons they learn. If they find love. How they continue alone. Who they can really trust. This has really taken me by storm. Love this new series. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AFFORDABLE SERIES AND THIS BOOK!!!

[Eliezer Priest · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first moments to the last, this book never stopped to surprise me. It deals with many social issues while at the same time gives an exciting and interesting story to the reader. I'm glad, really glad, I got this book. I completed it on one sit. Ty's character is interesting though a bit boring. Abe and Ty's suspending romance is something to look forward too. Richard's character is very strong. And all of Ty's friends, exotic friends, apart from Daniel, are fun. Daniel's relationship with Nigel is all sugary sweetness with a bitter a beginning, which I completely adore. All in all, the story and the characters are like no other gay fiction out there. I love this so much. I told the author how awesome it would be if this was a movie. I still and will always stand by that... I can't wait for more..!

[Taintedskyee (Books Books&More Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not for me.I selected the book as I was greedy for scores but do regret reading about teenagers suffering.To suffer from self loathing is not my cup of tea.I love to believe in good after bad and hea is my weak point but when I am kept in loop hole it totally sucks.To read about all those teenagers going through such harsh life makes me cringe inside.To be so helpless to do much for such teens and realizing self-defeat as its not possible to help everyone is sad for me. When I read a story I want a happy grin not think about asshole parents who are really a curse to our society.To realize, I am one of many who failed to rescue all these abused children doesn't fill me with joy.Reality bites and it bites hard.

[Madisonkai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Written drama/romance with realistic themes facing a lot of individuals in the LBGT Community. I loved the flow of this book and all the characters were unique and lent credibility to the book. There were multiple story lines that were easy to follow because the author was detailed in the execution. It was neither rushed nor drawn out. I could not put it down and I read it all in one night. You know that book you read and want it to never end......this is one of those for me...lol I will most definitely read future works by this author!

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t end the book there! Oh dear I was so enjoying the stories of these three boys. Ty a 17 year old runaway, unsure of his sexuality and running from an abusive father. Dani a 19 year old musician sexually inexperienced and finding a semblance of love and acceptance in the older and more experienced Nigel. Finally, Kaedan a beautiful femme with a strong sense of sense of self and a distinct moral compass.
The journey these boys make is at times convoluted but it is enjoyable.

I will definitely look at the rest of this series.

[Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free book. Starts off pretty dark with seventeen year old Ty being tortured by his psychotic cop father causing him to run away to the city. He meets various characters and then the story switches to mostly Dani and his relationship with band drummer Nigel. Explicit m/m and drug use. The storylines continue to the next book in the series.

[Antonella · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5

Uprounded because of the effort. I found the book full of stereotypes, unbelievable details, obnoxious inner monologues. The writing is also very plain and follow the rule ''tell-don't-show''. The plot is predictable, the good characters are too good and the bad too bad. I'm not interested in reading the rest of the series.

[Libbsmm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover almost scared me away from this one but I am so glad I did not pass it by. I picked this up free off of Amazon and as soon as I finished this one I went online and bought book 2.

[Rennie Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Definitely an amazing read! I enjoyed it a lot.

[Tim Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have two novels in one, maybe three. Ty's story interested me the most and seemed to be the least of the book.

Dani's story is odd, in that while he's the hero he's also not as three dimensional as I hoped he would be.

The third novel is the weaving of these two characters together.

I'm sorry for Ty, and for Dani. I adore Abe. And intermingled with this is a steamy gay erotic novel. It wasn't what I expected from the cover nor from the blurb, and is well worth reading.

[✿-Anna-✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 boys from different back grounds become friends in the big city.

Ty - who ran away from his abusive father, almost died living on the streets, but was found by a Abe who works as a nurse... They became friends, and Abe thought Ty would stay with him but Abe got too comfortable having Ty around he forgot Ty wasn't gay and accidentally kissed him... that freaked Ty out so he ran away again, not because he didn't have feeling and cared about Abe but because he didn't KNOW he what it meant to have "those kind" of feeling for him and he didn't want to hurt Abe so he left... but lucky for he left Abe just before his father found him. Now back on the streets, Ty seems to be doing okay but it kind of seems drugs and alcohol might become a problem that most teenage runaways fall into... hope Abe finds him and helps him in book 2 before its too late.

Dani - wanted to make it big in the city, but he kind of found himself in two unhappy situations, first at a party where he drank too much and a guy forced him to go down on him or rape him... second was at another party where he again drank too much and found himself the center of a joke where he was made to jerk off in front of a crowd of party goers... you'd think Dani would learn not to drink.. but unlike the first encounter where the guy didn't give a shit about Dani's feelings thinking he was just a whore anyway... the 2nd guy felt real bad about what he did too Dani and went out of his way to make it up too him... Turns out the two Dani and Nigel liked each other and soon become a couple... hope they last cause they seem to really get off on each other, which we'll find out in book 2.

Kaeden - is a rent boy, who whores himself out exclusively to a rich man who travels a lot... though we don't learn much about Kaeden except that his family can't except that he is a very flamboyant young man who wears heels, make-up and crazy sexy colors in his hair to the point he looks more female then male... so they kicked him out. Kaeden does seem to be a strong minded young man, who isn't afraid to speak his mind, who considers his body his temple so he doesn't destroy it with drugs or alcohol and is dangerously close to breaking Rule 1 of being a Rent (whore) boy... don't fall in love with a client... hopefully book 2 still finds him happy, but after his last encounter with his client Yoshi.... I'm not too sure.

So off to read what happens to these 3 young men as they try to survive on the streets, in life and love.

[Harry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

As the blurb describes, this book is about three young men in a big city, all struggling to make ends meet. Their experiences vary differently - Kaeden provides for himself through hustling, Dani lands a "respectable" job, and Ty sleeps on the streets. There are also drugs, alcohol, degradation, coerced sexual encounters (even sexual assault), and, yes, friendship and romance to be encountered. The subjects of LGBT runaways and homeless youth need more addressing in popular literature, and I appreciate how J. Vaughn has tried to tell their stories, good and bad, regardless of whatever moral judgment we, the privileged with jobs and food and shelter, might want to lay down on Kaeden, Dani, and Ty. Do they do things good society might frown upon? Absolutely. Do they always have a choice? Not entirely. J. Vaughn does a fantastic job of letting these characters inhabit their own world, with its own rules, and it's our job as the reader to accept that world.

Apart from its subject matter, the book has a meandering plot with no real arc. The omniscient point of view jumps around and asks us to empathize with characters who only exist for a scene or two and gets in the way of telling the story of the three main characters. It also takes too long to get to the story of two of the characters. There's a fair amount of detail that could be cut or edited into a separate story, and it's tough to wade through that to get to the three main plots...and discover two of them really climax and resolve before the book ends.

This was a frustrating read by many accounts, both in terms of its composition and its subject matter. I'm willing to put up with the former for the sake of the latter.

[Elisa Rolle]

fair warning, I bought the whole series (3 books) since I was curious about the cover (especially the one for the last book). I thought that, if a newbie author was willing to spend so much about their first series, they were quite confident of it. second warning, as stated in the blurb, this is a series and each book doesn't work well as standalone, at the end of the first book, you have still much to learn about the three boys who are main characters. main impression? I found a dichotomy between the realism of living as a runaway on the streets (finally, and unfortunately, a young boy who will face drugs, bad johns, alchoolism...) and the sometime unrealism of the love relationships, a little bit too much yaoi-tinted to be true in a western environment. but all in all I will read book 2 and 3... peacock kae is my favorite character and his story is in book 3.

[Tay · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was a hard pill to swallow. i was sad for every single character and the casual way they took drugs and got raped is really not my style. the book was a very depressing read for me as i prefer HEA. i wish i knew the conclusion for all the characters but reading the other book my just be even more depressing for me.

[Sunne]

Not going to rate because I DNF.

Even after 60% I couldn't connect to the mass of main and side characters, could only shake my head because of their ovbious stupidity and random acts.

There was not real story line etc.etc...It's not for me.