Alone Together

The Dawnwalker Cycle #2

by Wes Boyd

Jon Chladek and Tanisha Blythe have a lot in common despite the fact that he's white and she's black. As exceptional engineering students at Georgia Tech, they see a lot of things the same way, but their dysfunctional families have their own ideas about what the two should be doing, and would go ballistic if they knew they were seeing each other. When the chance of a lifetime comes, they're faced with a big decision -- whether to take the chance and pay the price they know they'll have to pay, or lose their dreams by following what their families want them to do. A reader "A great story, wonderfully told! A well crafted tale of two people brought together by life and adversity that then rise above their respective trials and come out on top." Another "The ending was perfect; the story rather special. You took two people and made their lives mean something as they worked hard to achieve their goals while finally reaping the rewards of friendship and family."

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2012

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this book roughly 15 years ago, back when it was available on the author's website for free. I randomly thought about it yesterday and decided to seek it out again.

To be honest, Alone Together (as well as many of the other books by this author) has a lot of issues - literally nobody in the history of the planet has ever spoken like these characters; it reads very dated (which, well, it is, but the dated feeling is enhanced here - it gives Stephen King vibes, kind of feeling like the characters came of age in the '60s or '70s rather than the '90s); there are some pacing issues (it gets mired in obscure engineering speak for page after page); and in general it reads very amateur.

That being said, its representation and discussion of race and interracial relationships were waaaaay ahead of its time; I actively like the two main characters, Jon and Tanisha; and something about the book has just stuck with me. For whatever reason I reread this book every few years, enjoying my time with these painfully anachronistic characters and the frankly rather twee writing. These characters, with their earnestness and obsessive avoidance of using obscene language, brings me back to a very specific time and place in my life - one that I don't know if I miss, but I do enjoy thinking about.

Is this book worth a read? Ehh, I'm not sure. Frankly, if someone somehow came across this review (for an obscure web novel from 15+ years ago that is the second in a series, that is currently only available online for purchase on Amazon, and that has only 18 ratings on Goodreads), I'd say... go for it. You clearly know what you're in for: a great snapshot of online writing from a couple decades ago. If you somehow stumbled across this book having read only recent (~2010s/2020s traditionally/indie published) literature, then nah, skip it.

[Richard Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 in the Dawnwalker series by Mr Boyd and while each of his books can be read as stand alone books it would, in my opinion, help the reader to know more about some of the characters if they read the Book Dawnwalker first.

When Jon Chladek and Tanisha Blythe saw each other in the lunchroom of Georgia Tech during the holidays they never expected they were meeting their soulmates. While they had seen each other in the engineering courses they were each taking that was it. As they sat and talked about why each was there over the holidays, he because he couldn't stand the fighting at home regarding his sister Crystal and she because she could no longer take her family saying that all she should do is work in the church child care center and go into social work, they had no idea that it would lead to Lambdatron. an engineering and R&D company or that they would become soulmates despite their families. Oh yes there is one more problem, Jon is as white as he can be and Tanisha is as black as night. The book tells of their work to be together, how they jelled into a team that no one else could understand but were happy about because of how it worked and how they met, came together, developed and finally became fulfilled and happy.

Mr Boyd writes tales that while able to stand alone also follow the adventure of people that end up connected in one way or another.

[Rob Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful coming of age story about Tanisha Blythe and John Chladek. Two college students who were acquaintances, but after spending a holiday in their dorm, learned they were more alike then different. Over the course of the school year they become friends and study partners and over time, lovers. Their relationship blooms and they find companionship, love and strength to endure their families in each other. It is a tender and heart warming tale of love shared between to unlikely people. It is well written, some may find the pace a bit slow...but the story telling is strong and the characters are well developed. It is worth the taking the time to explore this author's story.

[Paul]

Another winner, so far Wes Boyd has never disappointed.