The Wild Ones

by Daniel Elijah Sanderfer

Joey and Hunter have been best friends since they were little. Now that they're in their teens, their relationship is starting to change. Despite their openness, they each have something in common the other never knew. They've been hiding a secret, and neither is brave enough to tell the other. At least not yet.

Meanwhile, as their families come to know what's going on, the boys find themselves at a crossroads in life. Could what they have to say change the path they will choose? Maybe. Wild country boys like them are strong. However, they could be even stronger together.

Join number one best-selling author Daniel Elijah Sanderfer for this fresh, new, coming-of-age story about honesty, friendship, and love.

Genres: Romance

80 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 17, 2023

About the author

Daniel Elijah Sanderfer is an internationally best-selling author of more than one hundred fifty books. He was born in Stuart, Virginia, and raised in the Southside region. He's lived in numerous places across the eastern United States but now resides in rural Lee County, where he lives with his husband of twenty years, William.

His books feature LGBTQIA+ characters from all walks of life but primarily focus on rural living. He's received several award nominations, including Best Author on Goodreads and Best Y.A. Short Story. His works can be found primarily on Amazon, as well as other retailers nationwide. Several of his works are also available in audiobook format.

Before he became a writer, he worked in the hospitality industry for fifteen years, where he received the R.O.S.E. award nomination two consecutive years in the Louisville, Kentucky Metropolitan Area. His works showcase queer and other characters living their authentic truths. They always contain messages of hope, as well as life lessons. He's a proud, gay own voices author with a large fan following on social media.

You can find information about his life, as well as news on upcoming releases, in his Facebook fan group, Sanderfer's Socialites.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well it seems like it’s written by an adult for an adult.

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best love ad ice that I have ever found!

Joey and Hunter are best friends. They are rapidly growing up and learning about life, responsibilities, and the small community that they live in very close to each other. Their parents grew up there with their friends and families, living in their grandparents' houses and struggling with the same frustrations and irritations as things to do seemed limited.

But their parents found each other and drugs to do as a way to get away while not really going far enough to avoid the depression and down sides of their small group. The lack of money did not stop their experiences and experimentation with each other. When the dust finally settled, some were missed, some were messed up, some jailed, and just a few left to clean the remains: The wee Wild Ones left in the broken homes that still needed to be cared for and raised.

As they grew and bonded, they were faced with similar diversions with their lives, but they developed a strong love for each other, the Wild Ones proved that they could overcome the tragedies of their parents with the help of one "father" and one grandmother (mother in jail long term) to be the best that they could be.

Joey and Hunter are overcoming the odds of survival by sharing and caring totally with each other while loving and caring for family and friends. Just trust the one you love.

[JOSEPH K LLANOS · Rating 1 out of 5]

All’s well that ends well

I am just a bit hesitant to place all yellow stars. The story however had so many LGBT characters that might not be true at all.
Does the author want this Utopian idea in place of reality? I liked the story between the grandma and Joey, as this reflects what happens in reality, a conflict between lifestyle choices then at the and its resolution. I guess the author just wants the story to be simple

[Ben Pound · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish it was longer

As far as short stories go, this is a good one. My only wish is that Hunter and Joey were explored more in depth as characters with more of their back story leading up to where we fins them in the book. I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel. There is more depth to be discovered in these characters, I just hope Daniel Elijah Sanderfer writes it.

[Avril Reid · Rating 1 out of 5]

Umm... no. Just no. One star rating because I have to give at least one star to rate this book. There was no story! There was no real depth, no real build-up, and no real emotions. I felt like I was being lectured for something I didn't even do or ask for. And that lecture took a very long hour to sit through.

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kinda feels like it’s written by Ai at times. Don’t know if it’s just the Ai art cover that’s giving me this feeling but also the fact the book is really short and the author has 80 books over the course of a few years all self published. All of this pointed to that the book could’ve been written with Ai. If that doesn’t bother you then go ahead but it made me not want to get the book. But out of curiosity on whether or not I could tell if it was Ai writing I bought it.

My conclusion, I think it is Ai but edited by the authors own input. The writing style fluctuates and you can tell when it starts to sound way more specific. There were times I was like “oh the author must’ve written this paragraph” because it just felt different from the rest.

Just the way some sentences are put together feel pretty predictable or generic. The story itself is fine. The two main characters is where it shines. I enjoy the pages of them together talking and thinking the other is cute but not saying it. The side characters personally I think is where it falls. Without spoiling anything, within the space of a chapter a side character does a 180 on their personality and everything we come to know that they are which feels unrealistic and unbelievable. I get it’s a short book. But still it felt forced just to wrap things up before the book ended.

I enjoyed parts of the book but a lot of the writing felt too generic and cliche at times and it would pull me out of immersion with the characters. I also could be wrong but when I started reading this I was under the impression both boys were quite masculine for this later to be retconned for one of the boys. I may just be misremembering the start of the book though. To me I think the book is mostly written by Ai and tweaked by the author and that comes across in the moments where it feels too impersonal in the writing, too cliche or characters doing things out of character, going against everything we’ve been told about them up to that moment. Personally with this subject matter I’d love to read a human story written by a human not a computer pretending it knows what it’s like to be human.

[M's ☆~HEA~☆ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This came up as a suggestion on GR while I was looking at YA books. I love a good YA romance so add in the sweet boys on the cover, the cool title, and sold! Fairly early on I began getting the impression this wasn't a typical YA book...

His uncut dude glistened with the nectar I desired. I rubbed it across my dewy lips like a tube of Chapstick.

😅YA book, where are you??? GR, you suck with your recs. Not that I have virgin eyeballs obviously but I was in the mood for a cute YA book.

"Mmm...oh, yeah. Come on, bro. Come on. Pound my ass till you blow."

😆Joey & Hunter, aside from acknowledging their feelings, have messy messy families. Drugs, death, homophobia, bi/gay parents that intertwine prior to their births. This was also written like a creative writing paper from a high school class and not an actual book. I can't recommend.

[Blue Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been binge reading Mr. Sanderfer’s books this week. They follow a similar format of first person storytelling in a rural location and between at least one gay teen couple; sometimes a queer parent(s). There is also a fair amount of gay/queer affirmation which some reviews think is “preachy” though I am glad to see it.

I liked this book. It is a fun and quick read. It sets up the characters well and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel. Gay identity is normal (as in real life) and the boys quickly bond and begin a shared life. Love is love.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt like home

As someone whose mother was from the same country as where this book takes place, I could really understand the struggles of Joey and Hunter and their family. This story is cute and deals with lifelong buddies who were always in love with each other but hesitated in saying so out loud.

The writing is only so-so. It's a bit simplistic and reads well enough, but it's not polished enough to be great.

This is a Christmas story that was unexpected and has all the usual good feels.

[Mr Kenneth L Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Story

This is the first book that I have read by this author but it will not be the last. Great storyline and very good characters. You get the impression that there will be more to come in this series.Looking forward to reading more.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

Reading g one of Daniel's stories always brings a tear to my eye. The story just brings back memories that may have been long forgotten but they remain in your heart.

[Mike Oaks · Rating 2 out of 5]

good start

Good story. Would have like the characters a bit more flushed out, it I didn’t write this story. Easy read. 2.5 for besties.

[James Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is the perfect gift!

This short, sweet story reminds us that everyone has their own tale of heartbreak and redeeming love. Love is always the best gift.

[Sofia Dimas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm that sure was something

[Trace Hagemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story

The Wild ones is a cute little story about first loves, old hurts, and moving on. If you like stories of teens falling in live this is perfect for you. Enjoy

[Aj Converse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gay little boys falling in love ❤️