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Un encuentro inevitable
La vida de Logan Crane cambió radicalmente cuando, ciego de furia, le hizo daño a su esposa. Ahora está en un programa de asesoramiento para maltratadores y debe enfrentarse a la verdadera fuente de su infelicidad: siempre se ha sentido atraído por hombres, pero se ha negado a aceptarlo por haber presenciado un acto de violencia en su juventud.
Durante su tratamiento, Logan conoce a Nick Zales, consejero en un refugio para víctimas de violencia doméstica. Nick desconfía de Logan, pero siente una atracción irrevocable hacia él. Logan siente lo mismo y se enfrenta a una lucha interna cuando se da cuenta de que se ha enamorado de ese enigmático hombre.
Ambos se ven atormentados por fantasmas y maltratos que recuerdan del pasado. ¿Podrán ayudarse mutuamente si siguen ignorando sus propias heridas?
Durante su tratamiento, Logan conoce a Nick Zales, consejero en un refugio para víctimas de violencia doméstica. Nick desconfía de Logan, pero siente una atracción irrevocable hacia él. Logan siente lo mismo y se enfrenta a una lucha interna cuando se da cuenta de que se ha enamorado de ese enigmático hombre.
Ambos se ven atormentados por fantasmas y maltratos que recuerdan del pasado. ¿Podrán ayudarse mutuamente si siguen ignorando sus propias heridas?
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2011
14 people are currently reading
922 people want to read
About the author
Felicia Watson
6 books73 followersFelicia Watson started writing stories as soon as they handed her a pencil in first grade. She’s especially drawn to character driven tales, where we see people we recognize, people who struggle with their mistakes and shortcomings, acknowledge them, and use that knowledge to grow into wiser human beings.
When not writing, Felicia spends her time chasing after her not-so-brilliant, but darling and beloved dogs, is chased by her truly brilliant, darling and beloved husband, is known to friends and family as an amateur pastry chef, and still finds time for swimming and her day job as a scientist.
When not writing, Felicia spends her time chasing after her not-so-brilliant, but darling and beloved dogs, is chased by her truly brilliant, darling and beloved husband, is known to friends and family as an amateur pastry chef, and still finds time for swimming and her day job as a scientist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
September 24, 2013
4 stars.****Review completed September 24, 2013
Let the anger wash away…
Logan has anger management issues.
Nick and Logan are restoring a red Thunderbird.
Logan doesn't sleep good because…
...Nick is always on his mind…and other problems.
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela was my first read by Felicia Watson and I'm very sure it won't be my last.
What I loved as much as Nick and Logan's great chemistry was the book title. It's absolutely perfect and leaves room for your own interpretation. Although I liked Nick's explanation, my take on it while reading the book was a little bit different. I always felt that the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers
Also, I felt it was pretty easy and I really enjoyed the long journey it took him to admit that he is gay. He had to deal with his past and family issues to acknowledge and appreciate his personality as well as his attraction to Nick.
I *think* this story provides a realistic look at domestic violence and abuse and the complex aftermath thereof. Also, I believe that talking about the abuse in therapy is as painful and difficult as the physical abuse itself because it's not easy to face up to the consequences. Besides, victims must be willing to make fundamental changes in their lives. This assumes that they take back control over their lives and feelings. It's about getting back on their feet and feeling worthy of themselves again. And in doing so, it's essential to getting closure because without closure it will never really be over. However, this story is also testament that not
Friendly heads up, WtAMtM includes a lot of counseling which I found interesting, and I enjoyed to see Nick at work. By counseling victims, he found his vocation and he really thrived on helping abused women. It gave his life meaning. Yet at the same time I got the impression that Nick were insightful and I loved to be the fly on the wall, establishing my train of thoughts. WtAMtM is a wonderful occasion to play shrink. It’s fascinating to immerse myself in a problem, trying to understand where the author was headed with Nick and Logan’s minds. Besides, I like to dissect a character’s mindset.
As a side note
Whilst reading Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela a very tragic and cruel incident hit the headlines in our country. I'm telling you this because it reminds me of HUGE spoiler This kind of job is no walk in the park.
Aside from the scene, the first half of the plot is pretty quiet, but then you're going to arrive at a certain point where the shit really hits the fan and a lot of things will happen and pan out eventually.
The attraction between Nick and Logan is strong and irresistible. Witnessing their bond grow stronger over time was beautiful and something that shouldn't be missed. Even though the sex wasn't all that explicit I didn't mind at all because their passion for each other was so palpable and electrifying.
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela is an intriguing story about abuse, past hurt, letting go of the guilt, making amends, coming out, acceptance, passion and love. It is a journey of enabling yourself and taking back the power over your life. A journey of self-discovery.
Define Me by LGBT musician Ryan Amador (featuring Jo Lampert). Check it out, it’s a beautiful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyNSGf...
Recommended read.
Let the anger wash away…
And suddenly he was moving towards Logan, who was already on a collision course with him. In seconds, he was hugging the solid warmth of that man to him with a fierce, desperate need. Nick buried his face in Logan's neck, knowing that their problems loomed as large as ever but also knowing that this feeling, this solace, this rightness was worth fighting for.
Logan has anger management issues.
Nick and Logan are restoring a red Thunderbird.
He took a second to acknowledge that when he awoke there would be questions, problems, maybe even awkwardness, but for now, there was only the sound of rain against the window and Nick's warm body snug against his.
Logan doesn't sleep good because…
...Nick is always on his mind…and other problems.
Before Logan could turn around, Nick had grabbed him from behind and nuzzled his neck. In a husky whisper, he said, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, eh?"
The feel of Nick's right hand trailing down to his groin caused Logan to gasp, "That ain't my stomach."
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela was my first read by Felicia Watson and I'm very sure it won't be my last.
What I loved as much as Nick and Logan's great chemistry was the book title. It's absolutely perfect and leaves room for your own interpretation. Although I liked Nick's explanation, my take on it while reading the book was a little bit different. I always felt that the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers
Also, I felt it was pretty easy and I really enjoyed the long journey it took him to admit that he is gay. He had to deal with his past and family issues to acknowledge and appreciate his personality as well as his attraction to Nick.
I *think* this story provides a realistic look at domestic violence and abuse and the complex aftermath thereof. Also, I believe that talking about the abuse in therapy is as painful and difficult as the physical abuse itself because it's not easy to face up to the consequences. Besides, victims must be willing to make fundamental changes in their lives. This assumes that they take back control over their lives and feelings. It's about getting back on their feet and feeling worthy of themselves again. And in doing so, it's essential to getting closure because without closure it will never really be over. However, this story is also testament that not
Friendly heads up, WtAMtM includes a lot of counseling which I found interesting, and I enjoyed to see Nick at work. By counseling victims, he found his vocation and he really thrived on helping abused women. It gave his life meaning. Yet at the same time I got the impression that Nick were insightful and I loved to be the fly on the wall, establishing my train of thoughts. WtAMtM is a wonderful occasion to play shrink. It’s fascinating to immerse myself in a problem, trying to understand where the author was headed with Nick and Logan’s minds. Besides, I like to dissect a character’s mindset.
As a side note
Whilst reading Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela a very tragic and cruel incident hit the headlines in our country. I'm telling you this because it reminds me of HUGE spoiler This kind of job is no walk in the park.
Aside from the scene, the first half of the plot is pretty quiet, but then you're going to arrive at a certain point where the shit really hits the fan and a lot of things will happen and pan out eventually.
The attraction between Nick and Logan is strong and irresistible. Witnessing their bond grow stronger over time was beautiful and something that shouldn't be missed. Even though the sex wasn't all that explicit I didn't mind at all because their passion for each other was so palpable and electrifying.
"I thought Nick Zales didn't believe in love."
(…)
"Yeah, well…could be that love believes in Nick Zales."
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela is an intriguing story about abuse, past hurt, letting go of the guilt, making amends, coming out, acceptance, passion and love. It is a journey of enabling yourself and taking back the power over your life. A journey of self-discovery.
"This is hard stuff. Fixin' your life." He turned solemn eyes on Nick. "Ain't it?"
Define Me by LGBT musician Ryan Amador (featuring Jo Lampert). Check it out, it’s a beautiful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyNSGf...
Recommended read.
June 13, 2015
Written June 9, 2015
4 Stars - A strong contemporary M/M that kept my interest
This is the M/M novel with the very BEAUTIFUL title.
— Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela — Just feel it. I remember when a girl here read it long ago and I asked what that title ment. ~ Now I know.
My sincerely approval, this was touching.
I really enjoyed this 9:10 hrs audiobook narrated by Jeff Gelder (a voice I already liked since before). The one and only book by this author, Felicia Watson what I can see, and she impressed. I hope it will be more from her in the future.
*********************************************************
Logan Crane’s life changed dramatically the day a blind fit of temper resulted in him accidentally injuring his wife. During his therapy, Logan meets Nick Zales, a counselor at a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
*********************************************************
A topic / plot with a lot about women-abuse (domestic violence), guilt, bad memories and soul deep wounds is hard to take in, but even here, in a still quite lighthearted contemporary romance, it's always good to hear about it over and over again. Even if it hurts. ~ Important.... and scary.
I wish I had the energy and time to write a proper review, this book is really worth that, but I have one single hour to read today, so there will be no more review-writing tonight.
All in all was Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela an emotional memorable "read". But don't be scared, this is light, romantic and sweet too. ~ Recommended in that quite nice, GFY, well done (with a proper important storyline), yummy romantic (but not overly smexy erotic), M/M genre. Try it. ~ The audiobook edition was great as well.
*********************************************************
I LIKE - very much "important" topics in a CR novel
4 Stars - A strong contemporary M/M that kept my interest
This is the M/M novel with the very BEAUTIFUL title.
— Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela — Just feel it. I remember when a girl here read it long ago and I asked what that title ment. ~ Now I know.
My sincerely approval, this was touching.
I really enjoyed this 9:10 hrs audiobook narrated by Jeff Gelder (a voice I already liked since before). The one and only book by this author, Felicia Watson what I can see, and she impressed. I hope it will be more from her in the future.
*********************************************************
...the spot where the two rivers Allegheny and Monongahela meet in Pittsburgh and become Ohio River. The City of Bridges with its 446 bridges.
Logan Crane’s life changed dramatically the day a blind fit of temper resulted in him accidentally injuring his wife. During his therapy, Logan meets Nick Zales, a counselor at a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
*********************************************************
A topic / plot with a lot about women-abuse (domestic violence), guilt, bad memories and soul deep wounds is hard to take in, but even here, in a still quite lighthearted contemporary romance, it's always good to hear about it over and over again. Even if it hurts. ~ Important.... and scary.
I wish I had the energy and time to write a proper review, this book is really worth that, but I have one single hour to read today, so there will be no more review-writing tonight.
All in all was Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela an emotional memorable "read". But don't be scared, this is light, romantic and sweet too. ~ Recommended in that quite nice, GFY, well done (with a proper important storyline), yummy romantic (but not overly smexy erotic), M/M genre. Try it. ~ The audiobook edition was great as well.
*********************************************************
I LIKE - very much "important" topics in a CR novel
February 22, 2018
4.5 stars
Logan is married with two kids. He’s denied his sexually all his life. This has made his a very frustrated and angry person. He ends up injuring his wife during an argument when he pushes her.
Nick grew up witnessing his father abuse his mother. He’s now a counselor for victims of domestic violence.
When these two meet, there is an instant attraction. But Logan just wants to bury those feelings, and Nick doesn’t want to be attacked to an abuser. Until, they are forced into a situation that has them working together, and getting to know each other.
I ended up loving this book, angst and all. Nick and Logan together made me *sigh*. It wasn’t an easy journey for these two, but they had each other’s back.
Amazing debut novel by Felicia Watson. I'm so disappointed to see she hasn't written more books.
Logan is married with two kids. He’s denied his sexually all his life. This has made his a very frustrated and angry person. He ends up injuring his wife during an argument when he pushes her.
Nick grew up witnessing his father abuse his mother. He’s now a counselor for victims of domestic violence.
When these two meet, there is an instant attraction. But Logan just wants to bury those feelings, and Nick doesn’t want to be attacked to an abuser. Until, they are forced into a situation that has them working together, and getting to know each other.
I ended up loving this book, angst and all. Nick and Logan together made me *sigh*. It wasn’t an easy journey for these two, but they had each other’s back.
Amazing debut novel by Felicia Watson. I'm so disappointed to see she hasn't written more books.
July 20, 2012
4.5 Stars
Hmm, I've been sitting here for a few hours pondering what to write and I'm still really not sure what to say about this book other than it was not something that I would have normally chosen to read. It had all kinds of subjects that would usually freak me out . Even with all of that, I still really, really enjoyed this book.
I still loved Logan regardless of his "mistake". He was a great character and I spent the first half of the book actually feeling bad for him. I just wanted to give him a big hug and say "Its ok to just be yourself." The conflicts between him and Nick mostly resulted from external sources and it wasn't quite as angsty as I expected. There were a few sad moments but nothing horrible enough to make me cry. It was actually really sweet and had a lot of sexual tension and hot moments. These guys really were perfect for each other.
This was not a fast paced book! There was a lot of talking and a lot of therapy. So be prepared and bring a little patience. Its is so worth it!
On the other hand, I honestly can't recommend this book to everyone; especially to those who have difficulty with forgiving and allowing second chances.
Well, I guess I did figure out something to say...
Hmm, I've been sitting here for a few hours pondering what to write and I'm still really not sure what to say about this book other than it was not something that I would have normally chosen to read. It had all kinds of subjects that would usually freak me out . Even with all of that, I still really, really enjoyed this book.
I still loved Logan regardless of his "mistake". He was a great character and I spent the first half of the book actually feeling bad for him. I just wanted to give him a big hug and say "Its ok to just be yourself." The conflicts between him and Nick mostly resulted from external sources and it wasn't quite as angsty as I expected. There were a few sad moments but nothing horrible enough to make me cry. It was actually really sweet and had a lot of sexual tension and hot moments. These guys really were perfect for each other.
This was not a fast paced book! There was a lot of talking and a lot of therapy. So be prepared and bring a little patience. Its is so worth it!
On the other hand, I honestly can't recommend this book to everyone; especially to those who have difficulty with forgiving and allowing second chances.
Well, I guess I did figure out something to say...
September 8, 2013
First I must say that this is one of my favorite book titles. It sounds so poetic and made me very curious about the book. The two rivers that come from different directions to join into the Ohio river are furthermore a great metaphor for the two main characters of this story. They both have had very different, complicated pasts and there are a lot of issues that they need to deal with. When they meet, one MC is in counseling for badly hurting his wife in a fit of rage and the other one counsels women, who got out of a violent domestic situation and doesn't believe that offenders should be given a second chance. They are forced together and when those two powerful and different rivers meet, their direction changes and a new path opens up for them. The past, while difficult is important for the person each MC has become. Their journey was formed by every stream that flowed into them and every obstacle they had to overcome to get where they are. This book tackles those difficult issues with honesty and without being afraid to show the characters' mistakes and faults, but also with a lot of hope.
I really, really loved this book and the characters and though the plot and the MCs were very realistic and sympathetic. I was worried about the story being to dark when I started it. It wasn't to me. I thought it tackled some very complicated issues that I haven't often seen in m/m romance novels and by having two MCs who come from so very different directions and are on the opposite of these issues in the beginning, the author managed to create a well-balanced point of view that respects (imo) the different positions ppl will have on these issues. A difficult theme and flawed characters surprisingly made for a smooth and engaging story :)I listened to this story on audio book and really enjoyed it. I'm so thankful for Dreamspinner Press for turning so many of their m/m novels into audio books. They are doing a great job with them!
Highly recommend this book
*****
5 stars
I really, really loved this book and the characters and though the plot and the MCs were very realistic and sympathetic. I was worried about the story being to dark when I started it. It wasn't to me. I thought it tackled some very complicated issues that I haven't often seen in m/m romance novels and by having two MCs who come from so very different directions and are on the opposite of these issues in the beginning, the author managed to create a well-balanced point of view that respects (imo) the different positions ppl will have on these issues. A difficult theme and flawed characters surprisingly made for a smooth and engaging story :)I listened to this story on audio book and really enjoyed it. I'm so thankful for Dreamspinner Press for turning so many of their m/m novels into audio books. They are doing a great job with them!
Highly recommend this book
*****
5 stars
July 28, 2012
This book feels real in both characters and situation. It deals effectively and truthfully, although not to the level of deep or painful intimacy, with issues of partner-abuse. The need to make Logan sympathetic means that his abuse episode is as low-key and close to an accident as it is possible to get and still have the legal consequences needed for the story. For that reason, the deeper emotional connection with the fallout from abuse seems to be with Nick, in his position as counselor to abused women and even more as the son of an abuser.
I give the author a lot of credit for not sounding preachy while dealing with this difficult topic as the framework for her romance. There is a realistic depiction of the consequences for the partners involved and for the children in those families. The author does a good job of tackling the thorny issues of guilt and responsibility, while integrating them into a slowly-developing out-for-you love story. I liked both MC's, and the way they came together was sweet and heated, if just a touch easy given the problems that potentially lay between them. And this story has my favorite book title for 2011.
I give the author a lot of credit for not sounding preachy while dealing with this difficult topic as the framework for her romance. There is a realistic depiction of the consequences for the partners involved and for the children in those families. The author does a good job of tackling the thorny issues of guilt and responsibility, while integrating them into a slowly-developing out-for-you love story. I liked both MC's, and the way they came together was sweet and heated, if just a touch easy given the problems that potentially lay between them. And this story has my favorite book title for 2011.
February 8, 2013
Might contain light spoilers.
What a fantastic read!
Two very different men meet in a very unlikely scenario for romance, but fall in love slowly and beautifully against all odds.
Nick who is openly gay is a counselor for abuse victims, when he meets Logan, who is a convicted abuser (of his wife). Both have unresolved issues, but Logan was the one who really touched me. It was hard in the beginning to overcome the violence he committed in the beginning, but with the course of his story and his development he became a complex and very likable character - not perfect, far away from that - but striving to make amends. Vulnerable and struggling, but also brave enough to fight his way through his coming out.
The way Logan tried to resist the attraction in the beginning, the euphoria he felt when he connected with Nick made for a very engaging romance.
I also loved the citations before each chapter - normally I don't appreciate this much, but here the pieces were brilliant and well chosen.
Absolutely recommended - I can only repeat, a fantastic read.
What a fantastic read!
Two very different men meet in a very unlikely scenario for romance, but fall in love slowly and beautifully against all odds.
Nick who is openly gay is a counselor for abuse victims, when he meets Logan, who is a convicted abuser (of his wife). Both have unresolved issues, but Logan was the one who really touched me. It was hard in the beginning to overcome the violence he committed in the beginning, but with the course of his story and his development he became a complex and very likable character - not perfect, far away from that - but striving to make amends. Vulnerable and struggling, but also brave enough to fight his way through his coming out.
The way Logan tried to resist the attraction in the beginning, the euphoria he felt when he connected with Nick made for a very engaging romance.
I also loved the citations before each chapter - normally I don't appreciate this much, but here the pieces were brilliant and well chosen.
Absolutely recommended - I can only repeat, a fantastic read.
August 22, 2012
This was beautiful. Just beautiful. And you wouldn't think a book that deals with domestic violence could be anything but horrendously ugly, which is why I avoided it in the first place, that and the seemingly awkward title. But after reading this, the title is exactly right.
Oh, Watson is a master at finding the perfect quotes with which to preface her chapters, and since I am a huge fan of insightful quotes (I collect them in a folder on my laptop), her doing so really, really appealed to me and made my experience of this book even richer. They are all now highlighted and in my Clippings file on my Kindle. But aside from the way each of her selected quotes resonated with me, they also exemplified her command over her work. Watson knows the lessons her chapters are imparting and makes no bones about it.
This adroitness is another feature that recommended itself highly to me in reading this book. The author knows what she's writing about and wields her knowledge well, whether it's on the subject of cars' engines, psychology, victimisation, domestic - physical and emotional - abuse, Pittsburgh...whatever it is, the reader benefits from the writer's knowledge and trusts, thereby, her impartations. It's hard to read books where authors have ideas but haven't conducted the requisite research to fulfill the work. It was a pleasure finding this wasn't the case here.
And yet none of this, car anatomy 101 or psychology of abused women 305, was ever heavy-handed, didactic or self-serving. Every bit of information fit seamlessly into the story and enriched it, provided it with greater depth and range. I love romance novels, but they have to be about something.
This book is about something. Very much so.
It speaks mainly to the need to fix one's life before (and thereby allowing) forward progression to occur. At one point, Logan says to Nick, "This fixing your life shit is hard, huh?" And it's damn true. But necessary. Both characters are 32 years old and they have to tackle the influences of their past to come to their truths by which means they will be set free. Except, that maxim is so not a cliche here. It's an absolute truism. And these two are at the perfect age to know this...to learn this, to recognise how the past must be shunted off if they are ever to stop living reactionary lives and find happiness. (Being 32, I know this myself).
This truism connects everyone in the book, from counselor and abuser - Nick and Logan, two men who should be on the opposite side of the fence but are joint in their humanity and the need to heal, as we all are - to the women of the centre, Nick's and Logan's family members etc. Everyone has to go back to go forward. Some make it out alive and thrive and some do not.
It's not a spoiler to say that Nick and Logan do make it out and that their relationship thrives...though I was tense for the first half of the book wondering if Logan was gonna continue to be obstinate and stand in his own way...but it simply isn't a spoiler to say that they find their way because the beauty and power of this book is in the journey.
Oh, Watson is a master at finding the perfect quotes with which to preface her chapters, and since I am a huge fan of insightful quotes (I collect them in a folder on my laptop), her doing so really, really appealed to me and made my experience of this book even richer. They are all now highlighted and in my Clippings file on my Kindle. But aside from the way each of her selected quotes resonated with me, they also exemplified her command over her work. Watson knows the lessons her chapters are imparting and makes no bones about it.
This adroitness is another feature that recommended itself highly to me in reading this book. The author knows what she's writing about and wields her knowledge well, whether it's on the subject of cars' engines, psychology, victimisation, domestic - physical and emotional - abuse, Pittsburgh...whatever it is, the reader benefits from the writer's knowledge and trusts, thereby, her impartations. It's hard to read books where authors have ideas but haven't conducted the requisite research to fulfill the work. It was a pleasure finding this wasn't the case here.
And yet none of this, car anatomy 101 or psychology of abused women 305, was ever heavy-handed, didactic or self-serving. Every bit of information fit seamlessly into the story and enriched it, provided it with greater depth and range. I love romance novels, but they have to be about something.
This book is about something. Very much so.
It speaks mainly to the need to fix one's life before (and thereby allowing) forward progression to occur. At one point, Logan says to Nick, "This fixing your life shit is hard, huh?" And it's damn true. But necessary. Both characters are 32 years old and they have to tackle the influences of their past to come to their truths by which means they will be set free. Except, that maxim is so not a cliche here. It's an absolute truism. And these two are at the perfect age to know this...to learn this, to recognise how the past must be shunted off if they are ever to stop living reactionary lives and find happiness. (Being 32, I know this myself).
This truism connects everyone in the book, from counselor and abuser - Nick and Logan, two men who should be on the opposite side of the fence but are joint in their humanity and the need to heal, as we all are - to the women of the centre, Nick's and Logan's family members etc. Everyone has to go back to go forward. Some make it out alive and thrive and some do not.
It's not a spoiler to say that Nick and Logan do make it out and that their relationship thrives...though I was tense for the first half of the book wondering if Logan was gonna continue to be obstinate and stand in his own way...but it simply isn't a spoiler to say that they find their way because the beauty and power of this book is in the journey.
July 16, 2012
If someone asked me what I hope for most in a romance, I would immediately say character depth and growth (without annoying levels of internal angst). With this story I quickly knew I had hit the jackpot and was amazed at how the author built these two characters as well as their journey.
Logan and Nick couldn't have felt more authentic to me as I watched them deal with the aftermath of abuse. I was completely sympathetic to their struggle and delighted to watch them become lovers and work so hard on themselves and their relationship to make it last.
I can't imagine any author taking on the many psychological aspects of this story without actually being in the field themselves. I feel like I just took an advanced course in psychology, loving every minute of it.
Amazing read - highly recommend!
Logan and Nick couldn't have felt more authentic to me as I watched them deal with the aftermath of abuse. I was completely sympathetic to their struggle and delighted to watch them become lovers and work so hard on themselves and their relationship to make it last.
I can't imagine any author taking on the many psychological aspects of this story without actually being in the field themselves. I feel like I just took an advanced course in psychology, loving every minute of it.
Amazing read - highly recommend!
July 2, 2019
I'm not sure that I've ever been more undecided about about a book...as in so undecided I can't even decided on a rating so I'm going to continue to ponder this before I actually commit to something.
I've been thinking about this one and I have to admit I'm still feeling a torn about how I feel about this story. I think it's admirable that the author tackled the subject matter that she did and yes, this was a longer than usual story, but, I think it needed to be in order to appropriately deal with the issues. At just over 9 hours it was by no means the longest audio book that I've encountered and overall I didn't find my attention wandering so definitely points in the books favor.
There were aspects of the story that I struggled with and I think that at least some of this is a case of geographical issues. I'm from Canada so I'm really not well versed in the differences in laws and guidelines followed by agencies in the US but in my part of the world Logan would never...I repeat never have been allowed to run a class for victims of domestic violence as he was in this story...regardless of whether it happened one time or a dozen he abused his wife and 'anger management issues' does not excuse it. If anything it increases the odds of the abuse being repeated.
Yet at the same time I felt badly for Logan...he's a character who is very much a product of his environment and sadly had he been raised in a different environment than he was it's very possible that for one thing the abuse might never have happened and two...Logan wouldn't have been raised in an environment that fostered homophobia and in his own way Logan's behavior was motivated by homophobic ideals but thankfully he was also able to re-evaluate his ideals and see them for what they were.
I also had an issue with Trudy, Logan's counselor...truthfully more often than not I felt like she was pushing her agenda more so than helping Logan to deal with his problems and work through his issues and while he was in counselling because it was court mandated I never seemed to reach that point where it felt like Logan was beginning to understand that he did have issues that he needed help dealing with and that things were shifting from a must do situation in Logan's mind to a situation of 'I need this and it's helping me'. Logan's relationship with Trudy never held the positive or constructive sense that a patient/counselor relationship should hold. Logan consistently conveyed a sense of resentment when it came to Trudy with his anger at having to attend the sessions and at Trudy's 'intrusive' questioning of how he felt about things and for less tangible reasons I found that I wasn't overly impressed with Trudy and quite honestly if I'd been Logan I'm not sure that I wouldn't have asked for a change of counselor...overall this relationship just didn't work for me.
While some things didn't work for me there were also things that worked such as how much Logan wanted to be able to see his daughters again and ultimately his realization of how his behavior could impact his daughter's ideas of how a relationship should be. The picture we are given of how much Logan's children meant to him was for me a really big redeeming quality in his favor along with his realization that irregardless of how he felt about his wife, he wasn't the only one who deserved better...so did she.
Nick's relationship with his mother and how things between he and his father were portrayed along with this the part of the story what really worked the best for me was the relationship development between Nick and Logan. Overall, I was comfortable with how things played out between them and that it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows made for a very realistic relationship between these two men and yes, I have to admit it 'thank the writing gods it wasn't insta-love, it seems like a number of the books that I've read lately have been based on this and it was just really nice to read a story where it took some time and effort for the MCs to get to know each other, like each other and have that become something deeper with a stronger bond. I'm not saying there's no such thing as love-at-first-sight but sometimes the things that are real and worth having also take time and effort and that's what it felt was happening in this story.
Just one more thing to mention before I chase move on to the next story and that's the narrator for this one...it was Jeff Gelder and while Mr. Gelder isn't a new to me narrator this is somewhere around the 8th of his audio book narrations that I've listened to and while I've enjoyed them all this one for me was definitely one of the better ones and he truly did an awesome job with the narration. I don't doubt that I'll listen to this one again in future.
And here I am at the end of things and finally feeling like I can give this a rating that I'm comfortable with so I'm going to go back up and give this 4 stars because there's still no 1/2 stars here on GR and when I compare this to other stories that I've given 3.5 stars to for me it's really a bit better than that so we're going with 4 well thought upon stars.
I've been thinking about this one and I have to admit I'm still feeling a torn about how I feel about this story. I think it's admirable that the author tackled the subject matter that she did and yes, this was a longer than usual story, but, I think it needed to be in order to appropriately deal with the issues. At just over 9 hours it was by no means the longest audio book that I've encountered and overall I didn't find my attention wandering so definitely points in the books favor.
There were aspects of the story that I struggled with and I think that at least some of this is a case of geographical issues. I'm from Canada so I'm really not well versed in the differences in laws and guidelines followed by agencies in the US but in my part of the world Logan would never...I repeat never have been allowed to run a class for victims of domestic violence as he was in this story...regardless of whether it happened one time or a dozen he abused his wife and 'anger management issues' does not excuse it. If anything it increases the odds of the abuse being repeated.
Yet at the same time I felt badly for Logan...he's a character who is very much a product of his environment and sadly had he been raised in a different environment than he was it's very possible that for one thing the abuse might never have happened and two...Logan wouldn't have been raised in an environment that fostered homophobia and in his own way Logan's behavior was motivated by homophobic ideals but thankfully he was also able to re-evaluate his ideals and see them for what they were.
I also had an issue with Trudy, Logan's counselor...truthfully more often than not I felt like she was pushing her agenda more so than helping Logan to deal with his problems and work through his issues and while he was in counselling because it was court mandated I never seemed to reach that point where it felt like Logan was beginning to understand that he did have issues that he needed help dealing with and that things were shifting from a must do situation in Logan's mind to a situation of 'I need this and it's helping me'. Logan's relationship with Trudy never held the positive or constructive sense that a patient/counselor relationship should hold. Logan consistently conveyed a sense of resentment when it came to Trudy with his anger at having to attend the sessions and at Trudy's 'intrusive' questioning of how he felt about things and for less tangible reasons I found that I wasn't overly impressed with Trudy and quite honestly if I'd been Logan I'm not sure that I wouldn't have asked for a change of counselor...overall this relationship just didn't work for me.
While some things didn't work for me there were also things that worked such as how much Logan wanted to be able to see his daughters again and ultimately his realization of how his behavior could impact his daughter's ideas of how a relationship should be. The picture we are given of how much Logan's children meant to him was for me a really big redeeming quality in his favor along with his realization that irregardless of how he felt about his wife, he wasn't the only one who deserved better...so did she.
Nick's relationship with his mother and how things between he and his father were portrayed along with this the part of the story what really worked the best for me was the relationship development between Nick and Logan. Overall, I was comfortable with how things played out between them and that it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows made for a very realistic relationship between these two men and yes, I have to admit it 'thank the writing gods it wasn't insta-love, it seems like a number of the books that I've read lately have been based on this and it was just really nice to read a story where it took some time and effort for the MCs to get to know each other, like each other and have that become something deeper with a stronger bond. I'm not saying there's no such thing as love-at-first-sight but sometimes the things that are real and worth having also take time and effort and that's what it felt was happening in this story.
Just one more thing to mention before I chase move on to the next story and that's the narrator for this one...it was Jeff Gelder and while Mr. Gelder isn't a new to me narrator this is somewhere around the 8th of his audio book narrations that I've listened to and while I've enjoyed them all this one for me was definitely one of the better ones and he truly did an awesome job with the narration. I don't doubt that I'll listen to this one again in future.
And here I am at the end of things and finally feeling like I can give this a rating that I'm comfortable with so I'm going to go back up and give this 4 stars because there's still no 1/2 stars here on GR and when I compare this to other stories that I've given 3.5 stars to for me it's really a bit better than that so we're going with 4 well thought upon stars.
February 18, 2011
When I first saw the title of this book, my eyebrows jumped in surprise. It's not every day I find a M/M romance story set in my town (the 'Burgh!) let alone one with the names of two of our beloved but unpronounceable rivers right in the title. After reading the blurb, I was definitely interested in more than just the title. This sounded like quite a difference from most romances and I was eager to see how all these unconventionalities worked together.
Under Felicia Watson's authorship, they worked perfectly.
As a lifelong, native Pittsburgher, I was really thrilled to see that Felicia understood the city well enough to know that when you set a story in Pittsburgh, you don't just have a setting, you have a whole character to bring to life. That's what Pittsburgh is, a character in and of itself. It was a great experience that made the story especially real for me, especially since some of the settings are in favorite local neighborhoods of mine, and one is actually half a mile from my home!
The actual human characters are just as real and outstanding. They are all exactly the sort of people that make up a city like this - genuine people, faults and imperfections and insecurities all included. The romance between Logan and Nick starts out as a wary one and is quite unlikely, each man being on his guard around the other. They both have some real personal issues to contend with and Felicia doesn't sugar coat any of that.
This story could be an allegory for Pittsburgh life in general. It is a gritty, sooty tale of two men who are immensely proud but not always comfortable with themselves, who have some bitterness about their past and doubt about their future. It's not at all your usual love story, it's far more real, but just like Pittsburghers, what we lack in "glitz and glam" we more than make up for in heart.
"Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela" is excellently written and compelling on several levels. The characters are real and sympathetic, and the setting alive. I started reading on a Saturday afternoon and finished on Sunday morning (only stopping to sleep since that Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday!) Logan and Nick are a testament that love doesn't need a pristine place to flourish, it grows just as strongly in the cracked sidewalks and Belgian bricks of steep city streets as anywhere else!
Under Felicia Watson's authorship, they worked perfectly.
As a lifelong, native Pittsburgher, I was really thrilled to see that Felicia understood the city well enough to know that when you set a story in Pittsburgh, you don't just have a setting, you have a whole character to bring to life. That's what Pittsburgh is, a character in and of itself. It was a great experience that made the story especially real for me, especially since some of the settings are in favorite local neighborhoods of mine, and one is actually half a mile from my home!
The actual human characters are just as real and outstanding. They are all exactly the sort of people that make up a city like this - genuine people, faults and imperfections and insecurities all included. The romance between Logan and Nick starts out as a wary one and is quite unlikely, each man being on his guard around the other. They both have some real personal issues to contend with and Felicia doesn't sugar coat any of that.
This story could be an allegory for Pittsburgh life in general. It is a gritty, sooty tale of two men who are immensely proud but not always comfortable with themselves, who have some bitterness about their past and doubt about their future. It's not at all your usual love story, it's far more real, but just like Pittsburghers, what we lack in "glitz and glam" we more than make up for in heart.
"Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela" is excellently written and compelling on several levels. The characters are real and sympathetic, and the setting alive. I started reading on a Saturday afternoon and finished on Sunday morning (only stopping to sleep since that Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday!) Logan and Nick are a testament that love doesn't need a pristine place to flourish, it grows just as strongly in the cracked sidewalks and Belgian bricks of steep city streets as anywhere else!
January 21, 2012
I loved this story. Probably one of the more interesting plots I've encountered. The author did an excellent job with the realism in this piece. I'm blown away with how much I adored the MCs. Definitely recommended. I especially like that Logan was very adult about the eventual self acceptance issue. The author didn't let him get trapped in that overgrown-fratboy-grasping-at-his-manhood caricature that seems to be prevalent in M/M romance when it comes to the "straight" man coming to terms with his sexuality. It was much more believable and made me believe that they were being adults about their relationship so an HEA wasn't a hard sell.
Small bit of confusion when it comes to other people's thoughts on the book. I've seen that this book is considered by some to be Gay For You, even shelved in the category... wishful thinking much? It's made pretty clear that Logan's always been gay. I'm just gonna point this out.
Definitely a 4.5 star read.
Small bit of confusion when it comes to other people's thoughts on the book. I've seen that this book is considered by some to be Gay For You, even shelved in the category... wishful thinking much? It's made pretty clear that Logan's always been gay. I'm just gonna point this out.
Definitely a 4.5 star read.
July 6, 2011
Yes, it was the title that initially attracted me to the book. But, I avoided it for a long time since I doubted I could buy into romance with an abuser as one of the protagonists. When I finally found the courage, I realized I shouldn't have worried. I ended up loving it: the realism, the complexity, the fact that not everything was neatly resolved, because life rarely is neat. I loved the characters - Logan and Nick as well as the secondary characters. In spite of dealing with heavy subjects, with violence and its consequences, the strong emotions, this was actually a quiet book and I liked that too. This book is a journey for both the protagonists and the reader and I can see myself taking it again in the future and not only once. I think that is the greatest compliment I can give to this novel. Highly recommended.
April 21, 2018
I've been on an m/m kick lately. I wanted to see how the author would tackle a blue collar/working class romance. This is what first drew me to this story. After reading the story I feel like I could use counseling for some of my issues :-)
Nick and Logan were great. I loved their first kiss in the garage. That was hotter than hot! The secondary characters were just as enticing as the lead. I really enjoyed the relationship between Nick and Trudy.
Reread: April 2018 This was one of the first M/M books I ever bought and read. This is a long book and this time around I would give the story 3 stars. I can appreciate the counseling aspect of the story but there was romance lacking between the guys but I definitely believe that they'll make it as a couple.
Nick and Logan were great. I loved their first kiss in the garage. That was hotter than hot! The secondary characters were just as enticing as the lead. I really enjoyed the relationship between Nick and Trudy.
Reread: April 2018 This was one of the first M/M books I ever bought and read. This is a long book and this time around I would give the story 3 stars. I can appreciate the counseling aspect of the story but there was romance lacking between the guys but I definitely believe that they'll make it as a couple.
October 6, 2013
I would have given this book a much higher if Logan could have looked Linda in her eye and apologized saying what he did instead of hinting around it. He did not say the words "hit her" until I was 80% into the book.
I am a daughter of an abuser and Logan's answers at times reminded me of my dad as everything was someone else's fault and everyone did something to make him mad.
But I give him credit for doing the work and growing from that incident. He was and is a good man and father.
I will write a review later when I can express myself better
I am a daughter of an abuser and Logan's answers at times reminded me of my dad as everything was someone else's fault and everyone did something to make him mad.
But I give him credit for doing the work and growing from that incident. He was and is a good man and father.
I will write a review later when I can express myself better
May 31, 2018
Another re-read that shows that some books stand the test of time. I still like it very much and fervently wish the author would finally write another one because this is a talent too good to go to waste.
September 5, 2012
Audiobook....loved it, will review later, too tired now:(
January 12, 2020
Audiobook reviewI loved this story. It was different. Important. It really highlighted that everyone does deserve a second chance and a chance to be heard. Even the ones who majorly screws up. And Logan screwed up royally, there is no doubt about that, no excuses. It wasn’t okay then, and it’s not okay now. But more than that, that single moment shouldn’t be the ones that described or define him either. I loved how Felicia Watson didn’t make excuses or sweep it under the rug. Logan really had to work for forgiveness. Work to change and to accept himself.
Domestic abuse is not a new topic. I know I’ve read many books with survivors of all kinds of abuse. However, this time we follow the abuser instead of the victim. This is not something I think I’ve come across before, at least not this defined. Sure, Logan might not have been the worst abuse out there, the systematic and cruel and who got off hurting others. But he was no angel either. He had issues, secrets, and anger that just kept building and building. Until the one day he just flew apart and injured his wife in the process. It might have been mostly accidental, but it didn’t change the fact that he did hurt her, scared his kids and ended up in counselling for anger management in an abuser counselling program. Where he meets Nick, a counsellor that pushes every button he has and making him think of things long buried.
I believed in Logan’s journey. We were there for every step, watched and felt his struggles and how he tried to change, to do better. And more, it felt genuine. He wasn’t just going through the motions to get back with his wife and kids. Sure, in the very beginning he did that, but gradually that changed. He changed. I loved him and Nick together, their romance was a sweet one, slow-burn until that one day where it all just exploded. I loved how this story and these characters all felt credible to me – well except for Trudy the therapist. I couldn’t stand her, she was too judgemental and unprofessional to be a therapist. But then again, those most likely exists too.
This beautiful book was narrated by Jeff Gelder and I have to say that he’s not my favourite narrator out there. It wasn’t always easy to follow the POV switches as he only used the one voice and tone for the entire book. Gelder read the book, start to finish, he didn’t add any emotion into it, even the arguments and shouting were read in a dull-like tone. In this case, the story carried him and sadly he didn’t really do anything to enhance or elevate the listening experience.
Now, this audiobook was produced back in 2012, so it’s got some years on it. The story and characters are very much current, but the production of the book was not. I’m soo thankful that today’s audiobooks don’t have that musical interlude before every single chapter, and that said chapter don’t begin with “Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela. Chapter X” (or some derivative thereof). Because man does that have the power to drive me absolutely bonkers, not to say distract and detract from the story the listener should be immersed in.
I absolutely loved this story. It was beautiful, honest and refreshing. While the narration wasn’t the best – far from it – I still would recommend listening, or reading this book. It’s a story that deserves more credit, attention and love.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
February 28, 2011
I found this an interesting story because it doesn't feel like a traditional romance fiction. In fact if the protagonists was a man and a woman instead of two men, I doubt if this would be shelved in the romance section. This is a story of two men, Nick & Logan, both fighting demons from their past who form a friendship which eventually leads to love. It is also a story about domestic violence, its abusers and its victims. It's also a coming out story of sorts for Logan who is married with two kids. The writer is tackling some pretty big issues here and she is mostly successful in interweaving all this in a compelling story.
Some things that could be improved: Perhaps give us more closure on the relationship between Nick & Adam (Nick's ex). For quite a while he's not in the story and then is mentioned in the end. I think the writer could have taken out one of the abused women story and replaced it with something on Nick, Adam, & Logan.
There is as much focus on each man figuring things out separately as there is on the two men coming together. If you prefer a very couple centric story, you would probably be disappointed in this. Other hot buttons for some may be infidelity issues. There is a romance in here, but it's very much reality based with two imperfect people. The novel doesn't leave with all issues resolved (just like in real life) but with the two men in a good solid place together.
I do recommend this book for those who like modern, gritty romantic fiction, with all the caveats above.
Some things that could be improved: Perhaps give us more closure on the relationship between Nick & Adam (Nick's ex). For quite a while he's not in the story and then is mentioned in the end. I think the writer could have taken out one of the abused women story and replaced it with something on Nick, Adam, & Logan.
There is as much focus on each man figuring things out separately as there is on the two men coming together. If you prefer a very couple centric story, you would probably be disappointed in this. Other hot buttons for some may be infidelity issues. There is a romance in here, but it's very much reality based with two imperfect people. The novel doesn't leave with all issues resolved (just like in real life) but with the two men in a good solid place together.
I do recommend this book for those who like modern, gritty romantic fiction, with all the caveats above.
August 2, 2025
Nick Zales est un jeune psychologue trentenaire, ouvertement gay, qui a choisi de travailler dans un centre qui s'occupe de femmes victimes de violences conjugales. C'est un sujet qu'il connait bien, puisqu'il est lui même une victime collatérale, sa mère souffre de démence depuis que son père l'a frappée à cause d'un bêtise qu'il avait faite quand il était gamin. Depuis, il s'occupe de sa mère, de ses patients, passe quelques moments avec Adam, son sex-friend et pense avoir digéré le drame qu'il a vécu.
Logan Crane a vu sa vie basculer quand il a, dans un accès de colère, molesté sa femme devant ses deux petites filles. Condamné, il doit suivre une thérapie dans ce centre et semble bien décidé à tout faire pour reprendre une vie normale.
Quand Nick monte un atelier mécanique permettant aux femmes d'apprendre à entretenir leurs voitures, c'est Logan que la responsable du centre envoie, comme une sorte de volontariat thérapeutique.
Et c'est la vie des deux hommes qui va prendre un tournant radical.
Et peu à peu, entre cours de mécaniques et rénovation d'une voiture que Nick a achetée, les deux hommes vont apprendre à se connaître, à s'apprivoiser, à se faire confiance et à céder, finalement, à ce qui bouillonne entre eux.
Mais le passé doit toujours être digéré pour pouvoir avancer.
Le travail fait par l'auteur sur ce roman est vraiment intéressant, parce qu'on arrive à comprendre ce qui a mené à l'explosion de Logan, sans bien sûr minimiser et excuser les faits.
Et on s'attache à ces deux hommes, à leur évolution personnelle et commune, et le titre français de ce roman prend vraiment tout son sens, pour l'un comme pour l'autre.
Peut-être que la romance passe un peu au second plan, tant la personnalité et le passé de Logan et de Nick prend de la place, tout comme la galerie de personnages secondaires prend aussi de la place, que ce soit la patronne de Nick et son mari, Adam, les parents de Nick, la famille de Logan, que ce soit sa femme, ses filles et sa fratrie. D'ailleurs, il m'a manqué un moment important pour l'histoire, le coming out de Logan avec ses filles, pour enfin pouvoir avancer.
Même la voiture que les deux hommes retapent joue un rôle d'importance.
Mais j'ai vraiment passé un moment très fort avec ces deux hommes et j'ai eu chaud au coeur de les voir avancer, ensemble.
Bref, une lecture forte, dont je me souviendrais je pense, pour les personnages travaillés et le sujet abordé de ce point de vue.
Logan Crane a vu sa vie basculer quand il a, dans un accès de colère, molesté sa femme devant ses deux petites filles. Condamné, il doit suivre une thérapie dans ce centre et semble bien décidé à tout faire pour reprendre une vie normale.
Quand Nick monte un atelier mécanique permettant aux femmes d'apprendre à entretenir leurs voitures, c'est Logan que la responsable du centre envoie, comme une sorte de volontariat thérapeutique.
Et c'est la vie des deux hommes qui va prendre un tournant radical.
Et peu à peu, entre cours de mécaniques et rénovation d'une voiture que Nick a achetée, les deux hommes vont apprendre à se connaître, à s'apprivoiser, à se faire confiance et à céder, finalement, à ce qui bouillonne entre eux.
Mais le passé doit toujours être digéré pour pouvoir avancer.
Le travail fait par l'auteur sur ce roman est vraiment intéressant, parce qu'on arrive à comprendre ce qui a mené à l'explosion de Logan, sans bien sûr minimiser et excuser les faits.
Et on s'attache à ces deux hommes, à leur évolution personnelle et commune, et le titre français de ce roman prend vraiment tout son sens, pour l'un comme pour l'autre.
Peut-être que la romance passe un peu au second plan, tant la personnalité et le passé de Logan et de Nick prend de la place, tout comme la galerie de personnages secondaires prend aussi de la place, que ce soit la patronne de Nick et son mari, Adam, les parents de Nick, la famille de Logan, que ce soit sa femme, ses filles et sa fratrie. D'ailleurs, il m'a manqué un moment important pour l'histoire, le coming out de Logan avec ses filles, pour enfin pouvoir avancer.
Même la voiture que les deux hommes retapent joue un rôle d'importance.
Mais j'ai vraiment passé un moment très fort avec ces deux hommes et j'ai eu chaud au coeur de les voir avancer, ensemble.
Bref, une lecture forte, dont je me souviendrais je pense, pour les personnages travaillés et le sujet abordé de ce point de vue.
September 13, 2014
Solid. Really solid book. But somehow it didn’t hit fabulous for me. I really enjoyed the read, but it didn’t move me the way I was hoping it would. I was glad that both men had issues to deal with though. This was definitely not a case where one man needed to help the other overcome their difficulties without dealing with anything themselves.
Logan Crane loves his daughters but the secrets he keeps locked away inside are potentially dangerous. He walks such a fine high wire act to keep everything under control and away from his family. But when his temper boils over the pain he feels causes him to lash out at the nearest target and ends with him accidentally injuring his wife. Now he’s in an abuser counseling program doing everything he can to get back to his status quo. Everything that is except facing exactly what caused the problem in the first place; the wishes he truly has for himself.
Nick Zales had an incredibly abusive father. While he never really laid much of a hand to Nick himself he injured Nick’s mother permanently. Nick’s rage at his father still boils underneath and means he has no faith in the rehabilitation of an abuser. He loves his job as a counselor providing therapy and safety to woman and their families coming from abusive homes. He helps get them back on their feet and into new situations where they can learn to be strong on their own. Meeting Logan though throws Nick for a bit of a loop. He’s drawn to the other man despite his abusive history. So much so that he agrees to let the man teach a class on auto maintenance to his abuse victims. Maybe his own preconceptions needed a little work of their own.
Now I liked this book. I liked that both men really had to deal with their issues, things that neither man really admitted to themselves before hand. I’m not really sure what kept this from a 5 star read for me. It was well written and the characters were interesting. I particularly liked how clearly the location was delineated. The dialogue and local descriptors were wonderfully colorful and really gave the reader a sense of place.
I think I actually liked Nick’s journey better than Logan’s in the end. Logan knew he had issues and things he wasn’t dealing with. His homosexuality was an unacknowledged secret and lancing that boil freed his soul. Just the act of owning up to the things he wanted in life was going to make things better. But Nick, Nick was so oblivious to the things he was ignoring. It actually made a lot of sense considering his career. In order to counsel others you have to be comfortable with yourself. He buried his issues deep and digging them back up was going to be a real challenge. With Logan to help Nick was finally strong enough to face those old fears head on. In fact seeing the kind of man that Logan is and yet knowing he became an abuser if even for a moment, may have been just the catalyst Nick needed.
At the same time I felt like there were a few things left dangling here. I didn’t like the way Nick’s long term relationship with Adam got shoved to the side. Even though it was an open relationship, the tiny mention in the epilogue wasn’t enough for me. I would have liked to have seen Nick talking to Adam about it and seen those reactions. I also would have liked to have gotten closer with Logan’s daughters.
The men here beautifully mirrored the metaphor in the book of the rivers and their confluence. As I said the writing was superb. Two distinctive personalities coming together and creating something stronger because of it. This story could have easily gotten very dark and depressing and it never drops into that. It’s beautiful and the issues were handled very well. I liked that both men had to put in the work to get better, to face their pasts and to overcome their own inner struggles.
This story does tell a wonderful tale of inner growth and redemption. I enjoyed the book and would probably round it up to 4.5 stars in the end.
Logan Crane loves his daughters but the secrets he keeps locked away inside are potentially dangerous. He walks such a fine high wire act to keep everything under control and away from his family. But when his temper boils over the pain he feels causes him to lash out at the nearest target and ends with him accidentally injuring his wife. Now he’s in an abuser counseling program doing everything he can to get back to his status quo. Everything that is except facing exactly what caused the problem in the first place; the wishes he truly has for himself.
Nick Zales had an incredibly abusive father. While he never really laid much of a hand to Nick himself he injured Nick’s mother permanently. Nick’s rage at his father still boils underneath and means he has no faith in the rehabilitation of an abuser. He loves his job as a counselor providing therapy and safety to woman and their families coming from abusive homes. He helps get them back on their feet and into new situations where they can learn to be strong on their own. Meeting Logan though throws Nick for a bit of a loop. He’s drawn to the other man despite his abusive history. So much so that he agrees to let the man teach a class on auto maintenance to his abuse victims. Maybe his own preconceptions needed a little work of their own.
Now I liked this book. I liked that both men really had to deal with their issues, things that neither man really admitted to themselves before hand. I’m not really sure what kept this from a 5 star read for me. It was well written and the characters were interesting. I particularly liked how clearly the location was delineated. The dialogue and local descriptors were wonderfully colorful and really gave the reader a sense of place.
I think I actually liked Nick’s journey better than Logan’s in the end. Logan knew he had issues and things he wasn’t dealing with. His homosexuality was an unacknowledged secret and lancing that boil freed his soul. Just the act of owning up to the things he wanted in life was going to make things better. But Nick, Nick was so oblivious to the things he was ignoring. It actually made a lot of sense considering his career. In order to counsel others you have to be comfortable with yourself. He buried his issues deep and digging them back up was going to be a real challenge. With Logan to help Nick was finally strong enough to face those old fears head on. In fact seeing the kind of man that Logan is and yet knowing he became an abuser if even for a moment, may have been just the catalyst Nick needed.
At the same time I felt like there were a few things left dangling here. I didn’t like the way Nick’s long term relationship with Adam got shoved to the side. Even though it was an open relationship, the tiny mention in the epilogue wasn’t enough for me. I would have liked to have seen Nick talking to Adam about it and seen those reactions. I also would have liked to have gotten closer with Logan’s daughters.
The men here beautifully mirrored the metaphor in the book of the rivers and their confluence. As I said the writing was superb. Two distinctive personalities coming together and creating something stronger because of it. This story could have easily gotten very dark and depressing and it never drops into that. It’s beautiful and the issues were handled very well. I liked that both men had to put in the work to get better, to face their pasts and to overcome their own inner struggles.
This story does tell a wonderful tale of inner growth and redemption. I enjoyed the book and would probably round it up to 4.5 stars in the end.
May 9, 2017
4.5-5 stars
Phew! What a read! I read this book in one sitting, all through sunday, and really really enjoyed it, although it was in no way an easy reading experience. I was shocked, angry, sad, felt compelled to slap both MCs and happy as well. So many emotions. I feel tired!
The story revolves around Logan, who is in court appointed anger management therapy after abusing his wife, and Nick, who is a counselor at a crisis center for abused women. Nick is openly gay, whereas Logan is so deeply closeted he cannot even admit to himself that he is gay. The couple meet when Logan is being told to do volunteer work for the center, as part of his rehabilitation.
The pair bond over a vintage sportscar. These meetings leave both of them confused. Logan because he cannot admit, even to himself, what it is he really wants. And Nick because his world is highly compartmentalised and Logan is supposed to fit into the role of "abuser" and not someone he could be attracted to.
I was quite shocked when the story started out, as the very first chapter retells the evening which landed Logan in therapy. And how do you go from that? When you have introduced one of your heroes as a short tempered bastard who badly hurts his wife? But ms Watson manages this feat very nicely, and although I may not agree with Logan's actions, I could sympathise with the strain the poor guy couldn't voice and yet had to live with every day for the last many many years.
There is great character growth throughout the story and you really start rooting for both heroes. Although I must admit, that there were times when I also wanted to slap them! But I guess the evasiveness and failing to recognise the truth, behaving cowardly etc. is a lot more real and human than anything else would have been.
All in all, a very emotional but very recommendable story. For days when you want a bit more, than a bit of fluff. Be warned though that there are some very heavy topics being discussed here. Wife battery, murder, suicide, GBH and violence both on and off page.
PS. I love the title!
Phew! What a read! I read this book in one sitting, all through sunday, and really really enjoyed it, although it was in no way an easy reading experience. I was shocked, angry, sad, felt compelled to slap both MCs and happy as well. So many emotions. I feel tired!
The story revolves around Logan, who is in court appointed anger management therapy after abusing his wife, and Nick, who is a counselor at a crisis center for abused women. Nick is openly gay, whereas Logan is so deeply closeted he cannot even admit to himself that he is gay. The couple meet when Logan is being told to do volunteer work for the center, as part of his rehabilitation.
The pair bond over a vintage sportscar. These meetings leave both of them confused. Logan because he cannot admit, even to himself, what it is he really wants. And Nick because his world is highly compartmentalised and Logan is supposed to fit into the role of "abuser" and not someone he could be attracted to.
I was quite shocked when the story started out, as the very first chapter retells the evening which landed Logan in therapy. And how do you go from that? When you have introduced one of your heroes as a short tempered bastard who badly hurts his wife? But ms Watson manages this feat very nicely, and although I may not agree with Logan's actions, I could sympathise with the strain the poor guy couldn't voice and yet had to live with every day for the last many many years.
There is great character growth throughout the story and you really start rooting for both heroes. Although I must admit, that there were times when I also wanted to slap them! But I guess the evasiveness and failing to recognise the truth, behaving cowardly etc. is a lot more real and human than anything else would have been.
All in all, a very emotional but very recommendable story. For days when you want a bit more, than a bit of fluff. Be warned though that there are some very heavy topics being discussed here. Wife battery, murder, suicide, GBH and violence both on and off page.
PS. I love the title!
October 21, 2014
A very well-written novel about a man forced into therapy after he lashes out at his wife during an argument one night, and eventually forced to acknowledge the fact that he's gay. During his therapy, he falls in love with a therapist - not HIS therapist, specifically, but one who works at the center. There is some connection between them, so one can question the professional ethics of the therapist, but I seriously didn't consider that to be a huge deal.
My biggest criticism of the novel (besides a title I had one hell of a time trying to remember) is length. Yes, I know there are plenty of readers who love long novels. Not me. It took me a year to get through it, because I kept putting it down. At the end,
Overall, an excellent novel with a lot of care and detail put into the therapy scenes, giving it a very realistic feel, while still packing an emotional punch.
My biggest criticism of the novel (besides a title I had one hell of a time trying to remember) is length. Yes, I know there are plenty of readers who love long novels. Not me. It took me a year to get through it, because I kept putting it down. At the end,
Overall, an excellent novel with a lot of care and detail put into the therapy scenes, giving it a very realistic feel, while still packing an emotional punch.
November 10, 2012
I’ve been trying to decide on how to review this book. I usually avoid reading stories dealing with abuse issues because I get annoyed when a book is preachy on the topic, and/or doesn’t really show how the MCs deals with the effect of abuse. This book successfully dealt with the abuse, recovery/therapy for the MCs and secondary characters and the effect of abuse on children, their families and friends without being a depressing read. The book felt real to me because a close friend of mine dealt with verbal/emotional abuse from her stepfather and verbal/physical abuse from an ex that she eventually left and with a lot of therapy (still continuing) is overcoming major issues and finding herself again. I like the fact that the relationship developed over time as they each had issues they needed to deal with. I like the quotes at the beginning of the chapters. I didn’t like is how the author made Logan “speak” in the story. I know it shows that Logan is less educated than Nick but it wasn’t necessary in the story, it distracted me at times.
March 26, 2015
I bought this book on Amazon with the added Audible version. I definitely recommend READING this book. I listened in my car but got so frustrated with the narrator I had to finish the book on my kindle. I am so glad I did! Once I got the narrator's voice out of my head, I really liked the story.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
September 13, 2013
Really excellent m/m romance involving therapists and spousal abuse. Not necessarily happy subjects but this is well-written and compelling. Loved it.
September 22, 2014
A confusing but somehow solid 4-star read.
But he's in therapy, slowly working on the problems that led to that incident. His therapist Trudy urges him to volunteer and help some of the women at ACC learn to take care of their cars, give them a stepping stone in their life without abuse. The garage has always been his solace, and the chance to be in one again isn't something he can turn down.
It's there that he meets Nick Zales, a counselor at ACC who is immediately apprehensive about Logan. Nick not only sees abuse every day at work, but he's experienced it up close and personal. It left his mom gravely injured and his dad in prison... and him... well, it left him with a lot of baggage.
Logan challenges Nick's definition of the typical abuser, and they fall into an irreversible pattern of friendship that winds its way up into so much more.
As someone who is going into counseling/social welfare, I know my ethics pretty well, and I know for certain that Logan and Nick's relationship would've been deemed highly unethical. The consequences of it were really made to seem like nothing in this, but in reality, it is often much more dire. People do lose their jobs, and honestly, it's for a good reason.
While Logan wasn't directly Nick's client, he had knowledge of his case and there was still a power differential there that made me very uncomfortable. So, if I had to rate this for reality sake, the rating would be much lower than the four stars I gave this.
I also had some issues with Logan. I don't know if it just didn't hit me or what, but I never felt that he truly owned up to what he did. Also, Nick said a few times that he didn't think Logan was "like that" (or like all the other abusers), which bothered me. In the end there was a moment that he said he was in that moment, but still. Logan really needed to understand that even if it was just once, he still did it. Again, this may just be something I am more attuned to, and something I continue to work on in practice as well. Is an abuser always an abuser? Should we work to put back together these relationships that ended so badly? There's a lot to think about, and it's really, really hard to answer.
On top of all that, some of the practice used was unconventional for me and made me pause. There are some exchanges that I really didn't think were quite appropriate between client and clinician. Still, this had a lot of good parts.
I think my absolute favorite moment was also one of the saddest ones in this. It was toward the end after Nick went to . Earlier on in the story, he had said how weak he thought his mother had been, and in that moment, for him to was really heartbreaking to me, while at the same time being unbelievably sweet and nice.
Overall, this is a mixed bag for me. But I gave it four stars because despite my ethical concerns, I enjoyed it, and I thought that there were some really great parts of it that serve as great lessons.
Nick thought of those posters they had hung up all over ACC stating Love doesn’t have to hurt. Maybe it didn’t have to, but as far as he had seen, it usually did.For most of his life, Logan Crane has been a ticking time bomb. As the days progressed, anger seemed to continue to build inside him, until finally it all came rushing out in one heartbreaking incident that left his wife seriously injured and him with the title of an abuser and a long road back to normal, whatever that was.
But he's in therapy, slowly working on the problems that led to that incident. His therapist Trudy urges him to volunteer and help some of the women at ACC learn to take care of their cars, give them a stepping stone in their life without abuse. The garage has always been his solace, and the chance to be in one again isn't something he can turn down.
It's there that he meets Nick Zales, a counselor at ACC who is immediately apprehensive about Logan. Nick not only sees abuse every day at work, but he's experienced it up close and personal. It left his mom gravely injured and his dad in prison... and him... well, it left him with a lot of baggage.
Logan challenges Nick's definition of the typical abuser, and they fall into an irreversible pattern of friendship that winds its way up into so much more.
“How many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb?”This one is a confusing one for me to rate. I really enjoyed the story, but I'm very mixed about some aspects of it.
Logan cocked his head at Nick, his expression almost suspicious. “I don’t know, how many?”
“Just one—but the light bulb really has to wanta change.”
With furrowed brows, Logan answered, “Huh?”
“It’s what we always say about our patients. They can only change if they really want to. There’s no magic to it, just a lotta hard work.”
As someone who is going into counseling/social welfare, I know my ethics pretty well, and I know for certain that Logan and Nick's relationship would've been deemed highly unethical. The consequences of it were really made to seem like nothing in this, but in reality, it is often much more dire. People do lose their jobs, and honestly, it's for a good reason.
While Logan wasn't directly Nick's client, he had knowledge of his case and there was still a power differential there that made me very uncomfortable. So, if I had to rate this for reality sake, the rating would be much lower than the four stars I gave this.
I also had some issues with Logan. I don't know if it just didn't hit me or what, but I never felt that he truly owned up to what he did. Also, Nick said a few times that he didn't think Logan was "like that" (or like all the other abusers), which bothered me. In the end there was a moment that he said he was in that moment, but still. Logan really needed to understand that even if it was just once, he still did it. Again, this may just be something I am more attuned to, and something I continue to work on in practice as well. Is an abuser always an abuser? Should we work to put back together these relationships that ended so badly? There's a lot to think about, and it's really, really hard to answer.
On top of all that, some of the practice used was unconventional for me and made me pause. There are some exchanges that I really didn't think were quite appropriate between client and clinician. Still, this had a lot of good parts.
I think my absolute favorite moment was also one of the saddest ones in this. It was toward the end after Nick went to . Earlier on in the story, he had said how weak he thought his mother had been, and in that moment, for him to was really heartbreaking to me, while at the same time being unbelievably sweet and nice.
Overall, this is a mixed bag for me. But I gave it four stars because despite my ethical concerns, I enjoyed it, and I thought that there were some really great parts of it that serve as great lessons.
May 5, 2015
Questa recensione è presente sul blog.
https://emozionifralepagine.wordpress...
Nessun genere di violenza, né fisica né mentale, è ammissibile.
A volte però ci sono casi eccezionali in cui si deve avere il coraggio di perdonare, come nel caso del nostro protagonista, Logan.
Che sia chiaro, l’atto che ha commesso resta e il ricordo non potrà mai essere cancellato, ma se la vittima delle percosse, sua moglie, fosse anche una carnefice “passiva”, certo non è un buon pretesto però…
Logan è un uomo pieno di rabbia, una rabbia covata dentro di sé per anni, un sentimento che è scaturito dal fatto che non ha mai potuto vivere la vita come desiderava, o meglio ancora, non è mai stato possibile per lui essere completamente libero di uscire allo scoperto.
La mia antipatia per Linda è stata istantanea, non sono riuscita a provare pena o tenerezza per questa donna che umilia in continuazione il marito. Quello che ha subito è grave, ma…
Quindi, vedete, non c’è alcuna differenza tra i due tipi di violenza, in entrambi i casi le ferite restano indelebili.
I personaggi di contorno hanno a loro modo storie simili, non aspettatevi quindi un romanzo semplice perché non lo è, di certo dividerà i lettori.
Siamo abituate a romance in cui i protagonisti sono uomini con i loro pregi e difetti, si, ma mai uno di loro ha mai osato arrivare a tanto. Forse arriverete a odiare Logan, o forse fin da subito mostrerete comprensione nei suoi confronti così come ho fatto io, fatto sta che non vi lascerà completamente indifferenti.
L’altro protagonista è Nick, l’uomo si occupa di seguire il percorso che porta le vittime di violenza dal loro arrivo al centro accoglienza fino alla guarigione.
Vent’anni prima la sua vita ha subito un tragico cambiamento e, ancora oggi, non ha superato la questione.
Personaggio interessante anche Nick, pian piano verremo a conoscenza dei suoi turbamenti e anche per lui la strada per una nuova esistenza non sarà fatta tutta in discesa.
Ma arriviamo ai momenti più piacevoli. Certo non avrete pensato che venissero a mancare, vero?
La relazione clandestina tra Logan e Nick è fatta di scene calde e attimi di dolcezza; una dolcezza che a entrambi è quasi sconosciuta. La loro storia parte a rilento, i due uomini si studiano come è giusto che sia e, diciamocelo, sarebbe stata ben poco realistica se fossero partiti subito in quarta. Ogni cosa a suo tempo…
“La confluenza di due fiumi” entra dritta, dritta nella mia personale classifica dei preferiti in assoluto, sia per la difficoltà di come è trattato l’argomento principale, sia per come mi è arrivato dentro, ve lo consiglio ma con un’ avvertenza: non giudicate ancora prima di essere giunti alla parola fine.
https://emozionifralepagine.wordpress...
Nessun genere di violenza, né fisica né mentale, è ammissibile.
A volte però ci sono casi eccezionali in cui si deve avere il coraggio di perdonare, come nel caso del nostro protagonista, Logan.
Che sia chiaro, l’atto che ha commesso resta e il ricordo non potrà mai essere cancellato, ma se la vittima delle percosse, sua moglie, fosse anche una carnefice “passiva”, certo non è un buon pretesto però…
Logan è un uomo pieno di rabbia, una rabbia covata dentro di sé per anni, un sentimento che è scaturito dal fatto che non ha mai potuto vivere la vita come desiderava, o meglio ancora, non è mai stato possibile per lui essere completamente libero di uscire allo scoperto.
La mia antipatia per Linda è stata istantanea, non sono riuscita a provare pena o tenerezza per questa donna che umilia in continuazione il marito. Quello che ha subito è grave, ma…
Quindi, vedete, non c’è alcuna differenza tra i due tipi di violenza, in entrambi i casi le ferite restano indelebili.
I personaggi di contorno hanno a loro modo storie simili, non aspettatevi quindi un romanzo semplice perché non lo è, di certo dividerà i lettori.
Siamo abituate a romance in cui i protagonisti sono uomini con i loro pregi e difetti, si, ma mai uno di loro ha mai osato arrivare a tanto. Forse arriverete a odiare Logan, o forse fin da subito mostrerete comprensione nei suoi confronti così come ho fatto io, fatto sta che non vi lascerà completamente indifferenti.
L’altro protagonista è Nick, l’uomo si occupa di seguire il percorso che porta le vittime di violenza dal loro arrivo al centro accoglienza fino alla guarigione.
Vent’anni prima la sua vita ha subito un tragico cambiamento e, ancora oggi, non ha superato la questione.
Personaggio interessante anche Nick, pian piano verremo a conoscenza dei suoi turbamenti e anche per lui la strada per una nuova esistenza non sarà fatta tutta in discesa.
Ma arriviamo ai momenti più piacevoli. Certo non avrete pensato che venissero a mancare, vero?
La relazione clandestina tra Logan e Nick è fatta di scene calde e attimi di dolcezza; una dolcezza che a entrambi è quasi sconosciuta. La loro storia parte a rilento, i due uomini si studiano come è giusto che sia e, diciamocelo, sarebbe stata ben poco realistica se fossero partiti subito in quarta. Ogni cosa a suo tempo…
“La confluenza di due fiumi” entra dritta, dritta nella mia personale classifica dei preferiti in assoluto, sia per la difficoltà di come è trattato l’argomento principale, sia per come mi è arrivato dentro, ve lo consiglio ma con un’ avvertenza: non giudicate ancora prima di essere giunti alla parola fine.
April 6, 2011
In Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela Nick thought he had a firm grasp on his life. That is, until Logan Crane, mechanic and abuser, rocked Nick’s world. Counselor Nick Zale is pretty firm on women’s rights and works against abusers. Yet his rigid beliefs are put to the test when Logan volunteers at the center. Although Logan is in therapy for an abusive encounter with his wife, he breaks all of Nick’s preconceived notions. Both men have a lot of issues to work out but they discover that being together may just be worth all the pain.
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela is a complex and very complicated romance. The characters are not easy men but they are in some ways very relatable and blue collar. Logan is a mechanic dealing with his closeted sexuality, a wife and marriage he feels trapped in but kids he adores and misses. Nick has an ailing mother with dementia, brought on by domestic abuse when Nick was a teenager. Together they each much deal with their own internal problems and then perhaps work on being together.
The romance is the easiest part of the story as the two men get together and are genuinely happy and easy together. It’s the internal conflicts within each and the complicated relationships to a variety of secondary characters that cause all the tension and problems. The story is full of angst and low level drama while offering a vivid and detailed setting in Pittsburgh. The title refers to two rivers that run through Pittsburgh and each plays a role in the men’s lives.
The writing is very engaging and the dialogue tends to be rougher and reflect the local dialect. It creates a graphic setting that comes alive throughout the story and never lets your attention waiver. The only compliant is that the problems last up to almost the last page so there is very little calm time where the men can just be together and not deal with more complications. It would have been nice to see the men mature and get past this difficult time but perhaps that is for upcoming stories. Either way, those readers that like meaty, angst driven romances with very detailed city settings will be happily satisfied with this one.
Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
Where the Allegheny Meets the Monongahela is a complex and very complicated romance. The characters are not easy men but they are in some ways very relatable and blue collar. Logan is a mechanic dealing with his closeted sexuality, a wife and marriage he feels trapped in but kids he adores and misses. Nick has an ailing mother with dementia, brought on by domestic abuse when Nick was a teenager. Together they each much deal with their own internal problems and then perhaps work on being together.
The romance is the easiest part of the story as the two men get together and are genuinely happy and easy together. It’s the internal conflicts within each and the complicated relationships to a variety of secondary characters that cause all the tension and problems. The story is full of angst and low level drama while offering a vivid and detailed setting in Pittsburgh. The title refers to two rivers that run through Pittsburgh and each plays a role in the men’s lives.
The writing is very engaging and the dialogue tends to be rougher and reflect the local dialect. It creates a graphic setting that comes alive throughout the story and never lets your attention waiver. The only compliant is that the problems last up to almost the last page so there is very little calm time where the men can just be together and not deal with more complications. It would have been nice to see the men mature and get past this difficult time but perhaps that is for upcoming stories. Either way, those readers that like meaty, angst driven romances with very detailed city settings will be happily satisfied with this one.
Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
February 7, 2011
Where the Allegheny meets the Monongahela looks at the lives of two men who brush against each other by pure chance. When one act out of the ordinary puts Logan on a path to treatment, Nick happens to be a fellow counsellor at the same treatment centre. At first not giving each other the time of day, forced into contact these men soon learn there is more in their lives than meets the other's first impression.
Logan is a confused, twisted mass of emotion, unsure of where and when his obligations end and true needs are allowed to begin. Pushed beyond the limits of some people's emotional understanding, the label of 'wife beater' comes at a cost that is more than financial. Just trying to deal with the basic repercussions of his actions, Logan needs to come face-to-face with the true reason why he acted out in the first place, before the additional moniker of 'repeat offender' is added to his name.
Nick not only experienced abuse as a child, but watched helplessly as his own mother remained a victim. Finally free of the vicious cycle, Nick uses his smarts and skills to help women and children who have also found themselves in untenable situations. This dedication, more than anything else, gave me the greatest insight into Nick, as he too must face up to his past before he is able to move forward into his possible future.
Where the Allegheny meets the Monongahela is a complex novel, built with an impressive amount of detail. The information about abuse is so skilfully interwoven within the dialogue, I didn't realise until I finished the story how educated I had become through the course of reading while still staying in tune with the plot line and characters. Felicia writes her characters with dignity, and although certain realities within this story won't be for everyone, each piece of information only built my repartee with these men and their impending collision.
I recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys reality, the true knowledge of someone finding and learning about their true selves, a mixed style of writing, drama and romance. Nx
Note: Reviewed for Queer Magazine Online.
Logan is a confused, twisted mass of emotion, unsure of where and when his obligations end and true needs are allowed to begin. Pushed beyond the limits of some people's emotional understanding, the label of 'wife beater' comes at a cost that is more than financial. Just trying to deal with the basic repercussions of his actions, Logan needs to come face-to-face with the true reason why he acted out in the first place, before the additional moniker of 'repeat offender' is added to his name.
Nick not only experienced abuse as a child, but watched helplessly as his own mother remained a victim. Finally free of the vicious cycle, Nick uses his smarts and skills to help women and children who have also found themselves in untenable situations. This dedication, more than anything else, gave me the greatest insight into Nick, as he too must face up to his past before he is able to move forward into his possible future.
Where the Allegheny meets the Monongahela is a complex novel, built with an impressive amount of detail. The information about abuse is so skilfully interwoven within the dialogue, I didn't realise until I finished the story how educated I had become through the course of reading while still staying in tune with the plot line and characters. Felicia writes her characters with dignity, and although certain realities within this story won't be for everyone, each piece of information only built my repartee with these men and their impending collision.
I recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys reality, the true knowledge of someone finding and learning about their true selves, a mixed style of writing, drama and romance. Nx
Note: Reviewed for Queer Magazine Online.
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