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A Southern Thing #1
Pray The Gay Away
Star football player, Jack Miller, had it all. The perfect family, looks, girls hanging on his every word, and the respect of most people in his town. But one thing was missing—a man to be his own.When Andrew Collins showed up in small town, conservative Sweet, Georgia, he looked more scrawny mutt than high school senior. Andrew’s plan was to keep his head down and graduate high school, leaving his family behind to start his real life.When he meets Andrew, Jack thinks he has found heaven, but reality holds him in check until one night when his lips gently slide across Andrew’s mouth and fireworks go off.As lust and something a little deeper brings them together, compelling them to take chances, people start to notice. Then the unthinkable happens, and Jack’s parents find out he likes guys. The battle lines are drawn, and his parents vow to pray the gay away.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
March 20, 2014
DNF @ 46%
I tried, I really did, but I couldn't make myself read any further. This book is poorly written with terrible dialogue, unbelievable scenarios, and instalove. If I had to guess, I'd say it was written by a 16 year old girl, though I know that's unlikely.
I tried, I really did, but I couldn't make myself read any further. This book is poorly written with terrible dialogue, unbelievable scenarios, and instalove. If I had to guess, I'd say it was written by a 16 year old girl, though I know that's unlikely.
March 25, 2014
Pray the Gay Away is the first book in the “A Southern Thing” series and it’ s the story that we, the supporters of LGBTQ rights fight against. You know the story, the one about young kids who are told they are wrong just because of who they love and/or their identity. It’s the story we never want to hear again and the story that we hope will become a distant memory.
Now as for the MCs, they’re both very likeable. Both are lovely guys (18yo) with good heads on their shoulders. They’re both caring, responsible, astute and focused on their studies. They’re both from devout Christian families that abhor homosexuality. They’ve both tried to “Pray the Gay Away”, but well, they’re gay and very attracted to each other. They fall in love and then they try to manage their lives as best they can while loving each other secretly while hiding in the shameful homo closet. It’s terrible.
I would have liked to see what each of them saw in the other. Why did they become so irreplaceable to one another? It would have also been nice to see their relationship progress sloooowly. Jack become infatuated by Andrew immediately and pursues him without a lick of self doubt… but just because they’re both gay, that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily a good fit, right? And so, I didn’t feel there was any info that helped me see why they were such a great fit from the very start.
There are parts I could have done without; it’s incredibly corny and the insta-love is hard to swallow. I couldn’t imagine two young guys saying words like “forever” and “I’ll miss you until I see you tomorrow” over and over again within a couple of weeks of meeting. Add to that their ideas about the future and the sometimes rigid dialogue, well I kept on being pulled out of the reading experience.
“The moon was high in the sky and he could almost make out Jack’s expression as he hung above him. “I swear, I’ll find a way for us to be together. It might take a while, but I want to spend my life with you.”…
“Do you really mean that? I’m nothing special.”
“You are special. To me, you’re the world. I can’t exist without you.”
There was also a lot of repetition and errors which should have been picked up by the editor. Perhaps those issues were dealt with in the final version as I’m pretty sure I received a ARC copy for review.
Now as for the MCs, they’re both very likeable. Both are lovely guys (18yo) with good heads on their shoulders. They’re both caring, responsible, astute and focused on their studies. They’re both from devout Christian families that abhor homosexuality. They’ve both tried to “Pray the Gay Away”, but well, they’re gay and very attracted to each other. They fall in love and then they try to manage their lives as best they can while loving each other secretly while hiding in the shameful homo closet. It’s terrible.
I would have liked to see what each of them saw in the other. Why did they become so irreplaceable to one another? It would have also been nice to see their relationship progress sloooowly. Jack become infatuated by Andrew immediately and pursues him without a lick of self doubt… but just because they’re both gay, that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily a good fit, right? And so, I didn’t feel there was any info that helped me see why they were such a great fit from the very start.
There are parts I could have done without; it’s incredibly corny and the insta-love is hard to swallow. I couldn’t imagine two young guys saying words like “forever” and “I’ll miss you until I see you tomorrow” over and over again within a couple of weeks of meeting. Add to that their ideas about the future and the sometimes rigid dialogue, well I kept on being pulled out of the reading experience.
“The moon was high in the sky and he could almost make out Jack’s expression as he hung above him. “I swear, I’ll find a way for us to be together. It might take a while, but I want to spend my life with you.”…
“Do you really mean that? I’m nothing special.”
“You are special. To me, you’re the world. I can’t exist without you.”
There was also a lot of repetition and errors which should have been picked up by the editor. Perhaps those issues were dealt with in the final version as I’m pretty sure I received a ARC copy for review.
no
March 14, 2016lololololol nooooooope
Read
June 21, 2017
Audible
DNF
I've already noticed that I'm much less critical with audio-books than with my ebooks.
But I still have my limits.
April 4, 2014
I don't know what to make of this book. It was a good read and I enjoyed it, but still something bothers me. On one side we have Jack, the son of a minister who knows he is gay but not out. On the other side we have Andrew who was caught by his parents kissing a boy and forced to move.
They meet and within 24 hours Jack asks him to be his boyfriend and he says yes. And from there on they quickly fall in love. Hard to understand, but it could happen.
But whats up with all the crap about constantly being hard, wanting to kiss and touch and whining about not being able to do so. These boys are supposed to be 18 or so, but they act like 12 year olds when they can't get what they want.
I'll have to think about part 2 and 3.....
They meet and within 24 hours Jack asks him to be his boyfriend and he says yes. And from there on they quickly fall in love. Hard to understand, but it could happen.
But whats up with all the crap about constantly being hard, wanting to kiss and touch and whining about not being able to do so. These boys are supposed to be 18 or so, but they act like 12 year olds when they can't get what they want.
I'll have to think about part 2 and 3.....
April 17, 2014
Terrible book. It didn't even have an actual ending. DO NOT READ! I got through it and promptly returned it for a refund (kindle version) Sequels are okay but to just stop writing and say, "Read the next one." is just crap.
August 9, 2014
This ended so abruptly that I nearly threw my Kindle across the room - not a good idea. I hate it when an author brings a novel to a cliff-hanger ending in the expectation that you will fork out even more money just to find out what happen. I have no idea who this is aimed at. YA or adults, but I didn't enjoy it. The whole 'religion/punishment/homophobic' thing was creepy beyond belief.
March 29, 2014
2.5 stars. Lots of cliched characterisations, mediocre writing, but there is still something intriguing enough to keep me reading.
November 13, 2015
If there is one explosive combination that guarantees frayed tempers, ranting, unbelievable diatribes and preposterous rhetoric then it must be religion and homosexuality. Basically a potential minefield of bigotry and hate. Sara York’s Pray The Gay Away navigates these stormy waters on a subject that affects many and magnificently deals with an extremely sensitive issue.
Jack is the son of the local minister for Sweet and is the shining star and example for his high school football team. I mean seriously, you couldn’t get anything more manly than that and of course football is guaranteed to have no gays *rolls eyes*.However, not everything is as perfect as it always appears. Jack is gay and that in an area and in a family that are extremely religious, it would just not be accepted. He is also the eldest of ten children and his younger brother Billy at the tender age of seven also is starting to show signs of things that would not be considered normal for a boy.
OMG! Jack is the eldest of ten siblings. Ten children? Jack’s mother must be run ragged but she appears to be a strong and formidable woman, caring for her children as best she can, everything organised like a military operation. However, how far will she go in loving her children? Even if it means going against her strict religious beliefs? This still remains to be seen. As for the father? Well, no surprises there.
Oh my, when this book started it already had me in tears in the first chapter or so. There is just such a beautiful scene where Billy’s mother holds him in her lap and he tells her that he thinks he should be a girl. Geez, I nearly wept at this! However, this story isn’t about Billy it’s about Jack, although Billy plays a major role in the story. Jack’s story I guess is just one of many when religious zealousness is involved. The constant pain and torture of having to pretend to be something you’re not, always watching your back, covering your tracks and making sure you don’t do anything that will give your secret away. This is the horror and reality of gay teenagers growing up in such backgrounds.
A new family arrives in town and Jack’s father teams him up with the son of the Collins family, Andrew. They have moved to Sweet as Andrew was caught *shock and horror* kissing a boy and they’re trying to make sure he doesn't fall into these sinful ways again. This is completely abominable, disgusting and perverted behaviour in the eyes of Andrew’s parents. Andrew’s story is even more heart breaking. His parents have been abusing him, not physically, but there are all kinds of abuse and it’s all justified in the name of doing God’s work and trying to exorcise him of his evil affliction. My what a pair of lunatics Andrew’s parents are. I hated them, I hurt for Andrew, I wanted to beat them, it just left me speechless, sad and dumbfounded at how any parent can do this to their own child. Nothing can be said of love here.
The two boys first of all form a friendship but the physical attraction is there and at first they both try to hide it from each other. Until the first tentative questions are asked and signals given which leaves no doubt that there is something going on that is more than friendship. I didn’t find it was exactly insta-love as you have to remember that they are two horny 18 year old teenagers being denied what they really want to do. I mean any 18 year old boy is as horny as hell and having to live in a cast iron closet can’t be easy for either of them. I think to enjoy this book you really have to put yourself back to being eighteen again. Yes, it can be argued that the dialogues were a little cheesy but to be honest when I was eighteen and had my first real love I dread to think what cheesy, romantic drivel was coming out of my mouth at the time too - lol! So I could cope with this no problem to be honest as they are two teenagers with their first big love, promising forevers and a day to each other plus having to cope with keeping everything unconditionally under wraps. So in a way beautiful to see that at least they have each other for support and due to this probably have to be a lot more mature than most for their age.
It’s not long though before the closet explodes as you can only keep such an attraction secret for so long. You are bound to slip up at some time as Jack does. When his father finds out then I was really shocked! It’s horrifying but also realistic at the same time that these attitudes exist. How anyone can be so caught up in religion that they lose sight of the basic love and care for their own children is just beyond words for me. I just wanted to run in there and tell the boys to run away, run away as far as they can to escape all this abuse. Hell, I would have even given them a room at my place and taken care of them. Both boys are so sweet, they don’t deserve this but standing up to your parents is never easy, the love is still there even if in a subservient form and some parents don’t deserve the love of their children. This is especially true of Jack’s and Andrew’s parents for sure. Of course this is all exacerbated when Jack confronts his mum with all the lies his father has been telling everyone in the name of being the “perfect” family.
The book ended a little abruptly for me too as I hadn’t realised there is a second book. I was left so afraid for little Billy and what his father threatened to do to him if Jack doesn’t change his ways. Jack’s mother is not so fanatical, due to the love of a mother she sometimes can see things differently to Jack’s father, but she is nonetheless no great support either. So yes, I have to move straight on to the next book as I can’t stand not knowing how this situation will play out as there is definitely no happy ever in sight for both boys at the end of this book. Sara has handled this whole troublesome and difficult area very well and I just hope Jack’s mother will see the light and come around to a different kind of thinking. The potential is there with her for sure. As for Andrew’s parents and Jack’s father? I’m certainly not expecting any reconciliation there at the moment if at all.
NARRATION
This is an extremely difficult book to narrate as you have so many different generations to act out for one person. You have little Billy who is only seven, Jack and Andrew who are eighteen and the adult parents. The narrator has a very young voice or is young himself, so this is perfect match for Jack and Andrew as the story is told mainly from both boy’s points of view, a young man’s voice is what is needed for this story. He gets a lot of emotion out of the words and off page of these two teenagers and you can feel the intense feelings that Jack and Andrew have for each other.
However, I just felt that the voice characterizations of the adults, especially Jack’s father, the football coach and Andrew’s social worker unfortunately just didn’t sound “mature” or “manly” enough. Especially in the case of Jack’s father where a much more deeper and threatening voice was needed. Billy’s voice I found was characterised well, again difficult to imitate a child’s voice when you are an adult but it endeared me to the little boy immediately. I enjoyed the narration very much despite the small things mentioned here. As I said an extremely difficult book to narrate in my opinion. So I decided it is like listening to a teenager telling his own distressing story from his point of view, went with that and it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.
Jack is the son of the local minister for Sweet and is the shining star and example for his high school football team. I mean seriously, you couldn’t get anything more manly than that and of course football is guaranteed to have no gays *rolls eyes*.However, not everything is as perfect as it always appears. Jack is gay and that in an area and in a family that are extremely religious, it would just not be accepted. He is also the eldest of ten children and his younger brother Billy at the tender age of seven also is starting to show signs of things that would not be considered normal for a boy.
OMG! Jack is the eldest of ten siblings. Ten children? Jack’s mother must be run ragged but she appears to be a strong and formidable woman, caring for her children as best she can, everything organised like a military operation. However, how far will she go in loving her children? Even if it means going against her strict religious beliefs? This still remains to be seen. As for the father? Well, no surprises there.
Oh my, when this book started it already had me in tears in the first chapter or so. There is just such a beautiful scene where Billy’s mother holds him in her lap and he tells her that he thinks he should be a girl. Geez, I nearly wept at this! However, this story isn’t about Billy it’s about Jack, although Billy plays a major role in the story. Jack’s story I guess is just one of many when religious zealousness is involved. The constant pain and torture of having to pretend to be something you’re not, always watching your back, covering your tracks and making sure you don’t do anything that will give your secret away. This is the horror and reality of gay teenagers growing up in such backgrounds.
A new family arrives in town and Jack’s father teams him up with the son of the Collins family, Andrew. They have moved to Sweet as Andrew was caught *shock and horror* kissing a boy and they’re trying to make sure he doesn't fall into these sinful ways again. This is completely abominable, disgusting and perverted behaviour in the eyes of Andrew’s parents. Andrew’s story is even more heart breaking. His parents have been abusing him, not physically, but there are all kinds of abuse and it’s all justified in the name of doing God’s work and trying to exorcise him of his evil affliction. My what a pair of lunatics Andrew’s parents are. I hated them, I hurt for Andrew, I wanted to beat them, it just left me speechless, sad and dumbfounded at how any parent can do this to their own child. Nothing can be said of love here.
The two boys first of all form a friendship but the physical attraction is there and at first they both try to hide it from each other. Until the first tentative questions are asked and signals given which leaves no doubt that there is something going on that is more than friendship. I didn’t find it was exactly insta-love as you have to remember that they are two horny 18 year old teenagers being denied what they really want to do. I mean any 18 year old boy is as horny as hell and having to live in a cast iron closet can’t be easy for either of them. I think to enjoy this book you really have to put yourself back to being eighteen again. Yes, it can be argued that the dialogues were a little cheesy but to be honest when I was eighteen and had my first real love I dread to think what cheesy, romantic drivel was coming out of my mouth at the time too - lol! So I could cope with this no problem to be honest as they are two teenagers with their first big love, promising forevers and a day to each other plus having to cope with keeping everything unconditionally under wraps. So in a way beautiful to see that at least they have each other for support and due to this probably have to be a lot more mature than most for their age.
It’s not long though before the closet explodes as you can only keep such an attraction secret for so long. You are bound to slip up at some time as Jack does. When his father finds out then I was really shocked! It’s horrifying but also realistic at the same time that these attitudes exist. How anyone can be so caught up in religion that they lose sight of the basic love and care for their own children is just beyond words for me. I just wanted to run in there and tell the boys to run away, run away as far as they can to escape all this abuse. Hell, I would have even given them a room at my place and taken care of them. Both boys are so sweet, they don’t deserve this but standing up to your parents is never easy, the love is still there even if in a subservient form and some parents don’t deserve the love of their children. This is especially true of Jack’s and Andrew’s parents for sure. Of course this is all exacerbated when Jack confronts his mum with all the lies his father has been telling everyone in the name of being the “perfect” family.
The book ended a little abruptly for me too as I hadn’t realised there is a second book. I was left so afraid for little Billy and what his father threatened to do to him if Jack doesn’t change his ways. Jack’s mother is not so fanatical, due to the love of a mother she sometimes can see things differently to Jack’s father, but she is nonetheless no great support either. So yes, I have to move straight on to the next book as I can’t stand not knowing how this situation will play out as there is definitely no happy ever in sight for both boys at the end of this book. Sara has handled this whole troublesome and difficult area very well and I just hope Jack’s mother will see the light and come around to a different kind of thinking. The potential is there with her for sure. As for Andrew’s parents and Jack’s father? I’m certainly not expecting any reconciliation there at the moment if at all.
NARRATION
This is an extremely difficult book to narrate as you have so many different generations to act out for one person. You have little Billy who is only seven, Jack and Andrew who are eighteen and the adult parents. The narrator has a very young voice or is young himself, so this is perfect match for Jack and Andrew as the story is told mainly from both boy’s points of view, a young man’s voice is what is needed for this story. He gets a lot of emotion out of the words and off page of these two teenagers and you can feel the intense feelings that Jack and Andrew have for each other.
However, I just felt that the voice characterizations of the adults, especially Jack’s father, the football coach and Andrew’s social worker unfortunately just didn’t sound “mature” or “manly” enough. Especially in the case of Jack’s father where a much more deeper and threatening voice was needed. Billy’s voice I found was characterised well, again difficult to imitate a child’s voice when you are an adult but it endeared me to the little boy immediately. I enjoyed the narration very much despite the small things mentioned here. As I said an extremely difficult book to narrate in my opinion. So I decided it is like listening to a teenager telling his own distressing story from his point of view, went with that and it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.
June 12, 2014
I don’t know about this one. I’m conflicted. The story itself wasn’t bad, but it did suffer from insta-love and cheesy dialog. This story is about Jack, a high school football star and son of the local minister. He lives in ultra-conservative Sweet, Georgia with his family, including 9 siblings. Jack is secretly gay.
Andrew’s family moves to town after his parents find him kissing another boy. They believe that the church can help Andrew see the error of his ways and set him on a path to being straight. Jack’s father calls him to the church and introduces the two boys so Jack can be Andrew’s “mentor”…. you know, introduce him to the right kind of guys at school, the “manly” kind of guys that play football.
(the ignorance of the parents in this story was enough to make me want to hit something)
I’m sure you can see where this is going. Jack and Andrew meet and pretty much instantly fall in love. They are boyfriends within a week and start throwing around words like “forever.”
Do 18-year-old boys talk like that? Maybe they do, but it all sounded kind of cheesy to me. Anyway, it was a good read, but it did end with a cliffy. The remaining 2 books in the series are already out, so you can continue on if you want to know what happens with Jack and Andrew. I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do yet. I may come back to this series at a later date.
Andrew’s family moves to town after his parents find him kissing another boy. They believe that the church can help Andrew see the error of his ways and set him on a path to being straight. Jack’s father calls him to the church and introduces the two boys so Jack can be Andrew’s “mentor”…. you know, introduce him to the right kind of guys at school, the “manly” kind of guys that play football.
(the ignorance of the parents in this story was enough to make me want to hit something)
I’m sure you can see where this is going. Jack and Andrew meet and pretty much instantly fall in love. They are boyfriends within a week and start throwing around words like “forever.”
"I really like you. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don't know how I'd ever exist without you."
Andrew's face softened and he slid his leg over so his foot was touching Jack's. No one outside of the car could see that they were connected. He loved the contact but wanted more.
"I can't believe that you want me."
"Every second of my day, I want you."
Do 18-year-old boys talk like that? Maybe they do, but it all sounded kind of cheesy to me. Anyway, it was a good read, but it did end with a cliffy. The remaining 2 books in the series are already out, so you can continue on if you want to know what happens with Jack and Andrew. I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do yet. I may come back to this series at a later date.
August 12, 2016
I really struggled to finish this book. I only kept reading to get to the HEA. Unfortunately, there isn't one! It is to be continued... but not by me. This was poorly written and overly dramatic. I didn't feel much of a connection with the characters and all of them were seriously cliched and over the top. This book dragged and needs a good bit of editing. The author needs more practice with writing. She had a good story idea, but maybe needs a writer to take the idea and run with it.
Over all I wish I hadn't started reading it. It was a total waste of my time and money.
Over all I wish I hadn't started reading it. It was a total waste of my time and money.
September 2, 2014
My biggest issue with this book is that I don’t want to be told how to feel, and that’s what the author did here. It was quite preachy but it didn’t allow me to draw my own conclusions and it was also one-dimensional.
Jack Miller was the son of a small Georgia town’s preacher and also the star of the high school football team. He had everything, except the freedom to love who he wanted. It seems that his father had noticed some traits that were “sinful” about Jack, so his father really pushed him to be a “man”.
When a new family, the Collins moved to town, they asked the preacher to help them start over. Their son Andrew Collins has afflicted with the sin of gayness and they are hoping being around good people will redirect Andrew’s sinful ways. If Jack could mentor Andrew and show him how a real man was, maybe Andrew could be saved. Now Jack finally found a kindred spirit, but they have to bide their time. Jack is being recruited to play football by many colleges around the country, so if they can keep their love a secret, once they get out of Sweet, Georgia, they can finally be free to be together.
But Jack’s father found some incriminating things on Jack’s computer. What will happen to Jack, the preacher’s son and town football star if anyone found out he was gay?
This story was written in an elementary manner. It also ended in a silly cliff hanger designed to make you quickly pick up the next one. Unfortunately I didn’t find the story compelling enough to want book 2. It wasn’t the grammar errors that bothered me; the story just lacked the requisite emotion to draw me. I didn’t “feel” the plight and that prevented me from truly connecting with the characters. I am glad it was free.
Jack Miller was the son of a small Georgia town’s preacher and also the star of the high school football team. He had everything, except the freedom to love who he wanted. It seems that his father had noticed some traits that were “sinful” about Jack, so his father really pushed him to be a “man”.
When a new family, the Collins moved to town, they asked the preacher to help them start over. Their son Andrew Collins has afflicted with the sin of gayness and they are hoping being around good people will redirect Andrew’s sinful ways. If Jack could mentor Andrew and show him how a real man was, maybe Andrew could be saved. Now Jack finally found a kindred spirit, but they have to bide their time. Jack is being recruited to play football by many colleges around the country, so if they can keep their love a secret, once they get out of Sweet, Georgia, they can finally be free to be together.
But Jack’s father found some incriminating things on Jack’s computer. What will happen to Jack, the preacher’s son and town football star if anyone found out he was gay?
This story was written in an elementary manner. It also ended in a silly cliff hanger designed to make you quickly pick up the next one. Unfortunately I didn’t find the story compelling enough to want book 2. It wasn’t the grammar errors that bothered me; the story just lacked the requisite emotion to draw me. I didn’t “feel” the plight and that prevented me from truly connecting with the characters. I am glad it was free.
Read
March 14, 2016If I hear the word faggot or fag just once more, I'll scream this house down!! I HATE that word and won't listen to any more of this garbage, I know people like these bigots exist in the US and elsewhere, but I won't be party to their narrow-mindedness and hatred. I normally like Jason's narration, but even HE can only work with what he's given. I've returned the audio book to Audible for a refund. AVOID at all costs!!
August 21, 2015
http://www.platypire.com/j-hooligan/p...
I picked this book up a bit ago, when I saw it was free. I've been meaning to read it for a while, but the RT signing coming up in Houston is what gave me the final push to start it.
Before I say anything else, I want it known that I did enjoy most of what I read. It was an interesting story, and I'm glad the author decided to write this topic. It brings up a lot of important issues that children of closed minded parents come up against.
I really wanted to love this book, but there were really too many issues to overlook. First of all, there is a small, but noticeable, amount of typos. The most obvious of them being someone's name. Example: "Like" instead of "Luke". More commonly is the abundance of contradictions I found.
The part that bothered me the most was how gay males were depicted. It was a bit ignorant at times, almost offensively at points. I have no doubt this was not intentional, but it would have helped to run this story by an editor that could have fixed the typos, contradiction, and hopefully the representation of gay males.
I mentioned closed minded parents earlier. That is a very important topic this book addresses. There are too sets of parents depicted in this book that are homophobic. One has alternative methods of punishment, limiting food/sleep, the other is said to be more physical, except there is really only one instance of it happening. There is lots of talk about it though, so I felt that it was underplayed.
My biggest issue would be with Jack's mother. She supposedly assumes Jack is gay, yet thinks he's having sex with a girl and doesn't find it odd when she asks him about it, he said, "I did not have sex with a girl" multiple times. She is known for keeping the dad from hurting the kids, yet the dad is known as someone who hurts them and the mom sends Jack home alone to deal with the dad alone when the dad is very angry.
As I've said before, it's an interesting book, and I am planning on continuing the series because of that. I feel this could have done such a better service with it's message had more work gone into making sure this was of a higher quality.
I picked this book up a bit ago, when I saw it was free. I've been meaning to read it for a while, but the RT signing coming up in Houston is what gave me the final push to start it.
Before I say anything else, I want it known that I did enjoy most of what I read. It was an interesting story, and I'm glad the author decided to write this topic. It brings up a lot of important issues that children of closed minded parents come up against.
I really wanted to love this book, but there were really too many issues to overlook. First of all, there is a small, but noticeable, amount of typos. The most obvious of them being someone's name. Example: "Like" instead of "Luke". More commonly is the abundance of contradictions I found.
The part that bothered me the most was how gay males were depicted. It was a bit ignorant at times, almost offensively at points. I have no doubt this was not intentional, but it would have helped to run this story by an editor that could have fixed the typos, contradiction, and hopefully the representation of gay males.
I mentioned closed minded parents earlier. That is a very important topic this book addresses. There are too sets of parents depicted in this book that are homophobic. One has alternative methods of punishment, limiting food/sleep, the other is said to be more physical, except there is really only one instance of it happening. There is lots of talk about it though, so I felt that it was underplayed.
My biggest issue would be with Jack's mother. She supposedly assumes Jack is gay, yet thinks he's having sex with a girl and doesn't find it odd when she asks him about it, he said, "I did not have sex with a girl" multiple times. She is known for keeping the dad from hurting the kids, yet the dad is known as someone who hurts them and the mom sends Jack home alone to deal with the dad alone when the dad is very angry.
As I've said before, it's an interesting book, and I am planning on continuing the series because of that. I feel this could have done such a better service with it's message had more work gone into making sure this was of a higher quality.
April 30, 2018
The start to a totally heartbreaking but fantastic series.
This First book ends in a cliffhanger so be prepared to have book 2 ready to read/listen afterwards.
This book is set in a small conservative, religious southern town. Jack plays football, has lots of friends, and is the "perfect" eldest son of a preacher. But things are not exactly perfect. Jack knows he is gay, but is not "out", and knows that his father and family will not allow it, and might possibly kill him when they find out. His main concern is getting out of the small town and making sure his younger brother 8/yo Billy is safe from homophobes and hate as well, since Billy is extremely feminine and doesn't realize the hate and ignorance people have in them.
One day Andrew and his family move to town and join the church. Jack is instantly enthralled with Andrew, and is supposed to "befriend" him. But they both realize pretty quick that they want way more from each other. Its a little bit of insta-love between the two, which is fine since they are both young it also qualifies as a First Love as well. There's also Some really horrible parenting methods going on in this book. Some adorable kids who just want to be themselves whether that means wearing jeans/shirts or Pretty Dresses. There's a lot of homophobic ignorant close-minded bullshit that is really hard to hear at times, but as hard as it is to hear, its even harder knowing that these things DO Actually Happen in real life, whether people want to believe it happens or not. While Jack and Andrew have both recently turned 18 in this book, they are both still pretty immature, and it seems mostly due to the way they grew up and how sheltered they were.
Audio - It took me a few minutes to get into this audiobook. But once I did, it grew on me and I came to appreciate Jason's narration for these characters. He puts a lot of emotion into this one especially when the emotions are really needed. He did a Good job on this one and I hope he narrates the rest of this series.
This First book ends in a cliffhanger so be prepared to have book 2 ready to read/listen afterwards.
This book is set in a small conservative, religious southern town. Jack plays football, has lots of friends, and is the "perfect" eldest son of a preacher. But things are not exactly perfect. Jack knows he is gay, but is not "out", and knows that his father and family will not allow it, and might possibly kill him when they find out. His main concern is getting out of the small town and making sure his younger brother 8/yo Billy is safe from homophobes and hate as well, since Billy is extremely feminine and doesn't realize the hate and ignorance people have in them.
One day Andrew and his family move to town and join the church. Jack is instantly enthralled with Andrew, and is supposed to "befriend" him. But they both realize pretty quick that they want way more from each other. Its a little bit of insta-love between the two, which is fine since they are both young it also qualifies as a First Love as well. There's also Some really horrible parenting methods going on in this book. Some adorable kids who just want to be themselves whether that means wearing jeans/shirts or Pretty Dresses. There's a lot of homophobic ignorant close-minded bullshit that is really hard to hear at times, but as hard as it is to hear, its even harder knowing that these things DO Actually Happen in real life, whether people want to believe it happens or not. While Jack and Andrew have both recently turned 18 in this book, they are both still pretty immature, and it seems mostly due to the way they grew up and how sheltered they were.
Audio - It took me a few minutes to get into this audiobook. But once I did, it grew on me and I came to appreciate Jason's narration for these characters. He puts a lot of emotion into this one especially when the emotions are really needed. He did a Good job on this one and I hope he narrates the rest of this series.
August 15, 2014
I tried to like it, but this was not what I was expecting. I was hoping for a deeper story, maybe a little more internal struggle. Not "omg babe I wanna do it and luuuv you (insert cute emoji)". For someone so closeted, that was a foolish risk to come out to a total stranger and ask him out within a day. And the other football player who comes out... Just a contrite plot twist. I hate saying I don't like a book, but I has trouble finishing it. Sorry.
February 13, 2020
Ummm ... I finally gave up when one of the 18 yr old MCs started 'getting into' red women's underwear because the other MC found that to be all kinds of hot.
March 22, 2014
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
This book gave me anger issues. I seriously wanted to kill someone!
Why does anybody have to live like these poor boys? How can parents (I use that term very loosely) treat their children this way? How can a human being treat another this way?
This book left me angry and frustrated. The author has done such a fantastic job giving Jack and Andrew their story but omg what a story it is. The heart ache and abuse they have to suffer for something as simple as falling in love is devastating. I have such trouble getting my head round how anyone can have such strong hatred over something so simple as their child being gay. And it is simple. Some kids have blue eyes, some kids have dark hair and some kids are gay. They are not ill they are not bad they are not less. It doesn’t matter who you are or what God you believe in you do not have the right to treat people with such hatred.
Jack Miller is the eldest of ten children and to anyone looking he is the perfect 18 year old. He is captain of the football team and the players love him. He is compassionate to his peers and all the girls love him. He is the son of the Church Pastor in Sweet, Georgia. But outward looks can be deceiving and only Jordan knows who he really is. Jordan is gay but knows with absolute certainty that his family would never accept it so he is counting down the days until he can escape to University.
Andrew Collins was caught kissing a boy and his ultra conservative and quite frankly evil parents have moved him to the small town of Sweet in a bid to remove temptation. Part of his punishment (and don’t even get me started on that) has been hours and hours of prayers and starvation. When Jack is asked to introduce Andrew around and help him settle into school the boy is so weak from lack of food that he barely functions. Andrew is intimidated by Jack at first. He sees him as a popular jock and is certain when he realises that Andrew is gay he will end up getting beaten.
Imagine Andrews shock when he realises that not only is Jack caring, protective and decent but that he is also gay and wants Andrew to be his boyfriend. They fall hard and quick for each other aware that if they are found out it their relationship may just get them killed.
There is an easy flow to this book where secondary characters are concerned. Pastor Nathaniel Miller rules his family with an iron rod and is all about appearance. He is smarmy, controlling and hears nobodys voice but his own. Billy is 7 years old and Jacks favourite brother. He is effeminate and beautiful and wants to be a princess. My heart ached for the trouble he was no doubt going to run into in future and Jordan was always doing his best to protect him.
The whole time I was reading this book I had my fingers crossed that the boys wouldn’t be found out but of course the more risks they took the less likely it was that they could keep their secret. When Jacks father finds out Jacks life as he knew it ended along with any respect he had for his father.
This book gave me anger issues. I seriously wanted to kill someone!
Why does anybody have to live like these poor boys? How can parents (I use that term very loosely) treat their children this way? How can a human being treat another this way?
This book left me angry and frustrated. The author has done such a fantastic job giving Jack and Andrew their story but omg what a story it is. The heart ache and abuse they have to suffer for something as simple as falling in love is devastating. I have such trouble getting my head round how anyone can have such strong hatred over something so simple as their child being gay. And it is simple. Some kids have blue eyes, some kids have dark hair and some kids are gay. They are not ill they are not bad they are not less. It doesn’t matter who you are or what God you believe in you do not have the right to treat people with such hatred.
Jack Miller is the eldest of ten children and to anyone looking he is the perfect 18 year old. He is captain of the football team and the players love him. He is compassionate to his peers and all the girls love him. He is the son of the Church Pastor in Sweet, Georgia. But outward looks can be deceiving and only Jordan knows who he really is. Jordan is gay but knows with absolute certainty that his family would never accept it so he is counting down the days until he can escape to University.
Andrew Collins was caught kissing a boy and his ultra conservative and quite frankly evil parents have moved him to the small town of Sweet in a bid to remove temptation. Part of his punishment (and don’t even get me started on that) has been hours and hours of prayers and starvation. When Jack is asked to introduce Andrew around and help him settle into school the boy is so weak from lack of food that he barely functions. Andrew is intimidated by Jack at first. He sees him as a popular jock and is certain when he realises that Andrew is gay he will end up getting beaten.
Imagine Andrews shock when he realises that not only is Jack caring, protective and decent but that he is also gay and wants Andrew to be his boyfriend. They fall hard and quick for each other aware that if they are found out it their relationship may just get them killed.
There is an easy flow to this book where secondary characters are concerned. Pastor Nathaniel Miller rules his family with an iron rod and is all about appearance. He is smarmy, controlling and hears nobodys voice but his own. Billy is 7 years old and Jacks favourite brother. He is effeminate and beautiful and wants to be a princess. My heart ached for the trouble he was no doubt going to run into in future and Jordan was always doing his best to protect him.
The whole time I was reading this book I had my fingers crossed that the boys wouldn’t be found out but of course the more risks they took the less likely it was that they could keep their secret. When Jacks father finds out Jacks life as he knew it ended along with any respect he had for his father.
August 29, 2014
Religion gone amuck, justifying beatings, withholding food, and threats of murder to cure young men and boys of their evil. What happened to "Love Thy Neighbor" and "Do Unto Others....". Forgotten apparently. Prepare to be angry that this truly happens in our world.
Andrew and Jack were so sweet together, but both sets of parents were appalled to think their sons might be gay and made their life miserable. The book ends on a promising note, but it is far from an HEA or even a HFN. Both young men are simply determined to make it through the last few months of high school and soon leave home to be together. My heart goes out to them both.
I believe this kind of attitude is diminishing now as the old guard bigots die off and the younger generations are more understanding of those that are different from them. Can I have an AMEN?
Note: This was a free e-book on Amazon, which allowed me to purchase the audio version for $1.99. Nicely done!
Andrew and Jack were so sweet together, but both sets of parents were appalled to think their sons might be gay and made their life miserable. The book ends on a promising note, but it is far from an HEA or even a HFN. Both young men are simply determined to make it through the last few months of high school and soon leave home to be together. My heart goes out to them both.
I believe this kind of attitude is diminishing now as the old guard bigots die off and the younger generations are more understanding of those that are different from them. Can I have an AMEN?
Note: This was a free e-book on Amazon, which allowed me to purchase the audio version for $1.99. Nicely done!
April 19, 2022
I resisted long enough... I anticipated high angst, and it is a tough subject - but I adore Jason Frazier and I knew he'd make it worth my while.
Not going to spoil it, but when you're ready to take the plunge, definitely do the audio version! Jason Frazier delivers a beautiful performance. The variety of voices he comes up with for the boys and their peers, the younger siblings, and the wide range of adults is amazing. And he adds all the emotion. Truly lovely.
Just don't start this series unless you've got them all loaded up and ready to go.
Not going to spoil it, but when you're ready to take the plunge, definitely do the audio version! Jason Frazier delivers a beautiful performance. The variety of voices he comes up with for the boys and their peers, the younger siblings, and the wide range of adults is amazing. And he adds all the emotion. Truly lovely.
Just don't start this series unless you've got them all loaded up and ready to go.
October 16, 2016
I was really disappointed in this book and gave it 2.5 stars overall. I've read a number of books by Sara York in the past and enjoyed them. I was expecting more of the same here and just didn't find what I was looking for.
This felt like all the gay religious stereotypes you could ever meet. It all makes me shudder. Add in that this book has a severe case of insta-love and I'm cringing. Even by the end of the book I couldn't tell why Jack and Andrew were "so in love" with each other. It's like the met the first boy they could know was gay in their little home town and decided he must be the one. Their meeting and obsession with each other was a bit over the top for me. I did enjoy how Jack tried to take care of Andrew at times, but the lack of genuine-ness of the relationship detracted from me really getting to enjoy it.
The religious aspects of this story bothered me. I'm a minister's kid so I always go into religious stories feeling a little awkward and like their going to feel off for me. I think in large part because I grew up in a very loving and openly accepting family. My father is an incredibly liberal minister and these type of closed minded, bigoted churches anger me greatly. I'm not saying that this sort of church doesn't exist or that this might not be some people's experience of growing up in a religious household, but a lot of the reactions of Jack's dad and the way he dealt with both his congregation and his family felt stereotypical and lacked the nuance I would have liked.
I also felt like Andrew's parents religious extremism was a little much. Starving your child in the name of teaching them and using religion as an excuse is still child abuse and child services handling of things felt very lackadaisical and not as forceful as I would expect them to be under the circumstances, even if Andrew was 18.
I'm not going to get into the rather abrupt ending or the way the reveal came about, but everything here just felt a bit off for me. I know this is part of a series, and I actually own the rest of it, but I don't know whether I'll be too quick to pick up the rest of the story.
This felt like all the gay religious stereotypes you could ever meet. It all makes me shudder. Add in that this book has a severe case of insta-love and I'm cringing. Even by the end of the book I couldn't tell why Jack and Andrew were "so in love" with each other. It's like the met the first boy they could know was gay in their little home town and decided he must be the one. Their meeting and obsession with each other was a bit over the top for me. I did enjoy how Jack tried to take care of Andrew at times, but the lack of genuine-ness of the relationship detracted from me really getting to enjoy it.
The religious aspects of this story bothered me. I'm a minister's kid so I always go into religious stories feeling a little awkward and like their going to feel off for me. I think in large part because I grew up in a very loving and openly accepting family. My father is an incredibly liberal minister and these type of closed minded, bigoted churches anger me greatly. I'm not saying that this sort of church doesn't exist or that this might not be some people's experience of growing up in a religious household, but a lot of the reactions of Jack's dad and the way he dealt with both his congregation and his family felt stereotypical and lacked the nuance I would have liked.
I also felt like Andrew's parents religious extremism was a little much. Starving your child in the name of teaching them and using religion as an excuse is still child abuse and child services handling of things felt very lackadaisical and not as forceful as I would expect them to be under the circumstances, even if Andrew was 18.
I'm not going to get into the rather abrupt ending or the way the reveal came about, but everything here just felt a bit off for me. I know this is part of a series, and I actually own the rest of it, but I don't know whether I'll be too quick to pick up the rest of the story.
October 25, 2014
I love Sara York and her books. I do. From the title of this first book in the series I was expecting some religious bigotry, but this was way extreme. And that's not the only thing.
First of all, the instalove made me shake my head in disbelief. Here is Andrew, a new boy in town, with evil parents and he doesn't know anybody. He hears in toilet stalls that Jack is probably planning something bad to do to him, but when Jack expresses his feelings toward him and asks him to be his boyfriend, his answer is yes. What the actual fuck?
Secondly, there is way too much hardons and semen swallowing (I know from Sara's books she describes sexual scenes raw and hardcore).
Andrew's parents are starving him, which is unacceptable, but he doesn't do anything even if protective services are contacted, he tries to hide it. WHY?
Also, why didn't Jack just fucking leave and live with Andrew? In the foster parent's house? He has several thousand dollars in his bank account, right? Oh yes, because of his little brother Billy, who is possibly transgender. Jack's father would destroy the child if Jack leaves. So Jack just stands there and allows his father to beat him with fists and kick him black and blue.
Lastly, it's the writing. On one page Jack says something to his date to the extend: "I will not have sex with a girl before marriage," and then he thinks he wants to add "and not after marriage either," but he keeps his thoughts to himself. Only to read nearly the same sentence and thought process several pages later when he is talking to his mother.
I'd give this 3 stars, but 2.5 is enough, rounding it up, I'll stick with three.
Second book's name is something about sending Jack to Jesus. Jesus Camp or something. Makes me shiver. I don't think I'll continue with the series.
First of all, the instalove made me shake my head in disbelief. Here is Andrew, a new boy in town, with evil parents and he doesn't know anybody. He hears in toilet stalls that Jack is probably planning something bad to do to him, but when Jack expresses his feelings toward him and asks him to be his boyfriend, his answer is yes. What the actual fuck?
Secondly, there is way too much hardons and semen swallowing (I know from Sara's books she describes sexual scenes raw and hardcore).
Andrew's parents are starving him, which is unacceptable, but he doesn't do anything even if protective services are contacted, he tries to hide it. WHY?
Also, why didn't Jack just fucking leave and live with Andrew? In the foster parent's house? He has several thousand dollars in his bank account, right? Oh yes, because of his little brother Billy, who is possibly transgender. Jack's father would destroy the child if Jack leaves. So Jack just stands there and allows his father to beat him with fists and kick him black and blue.
Lastly, it's the writing. On one page Jack says something to his date to the extend: "I will not have sex with a girl before marriage," and then he thinks he wants to add "and not after marriage either," but he keeps his thoughts to himself. Only to read nearly the same sentence and thought process several pages later when he is talking to his mother.
I'd give this 3 stars, but 2.5 is enough, rounding it up, I'll stick with three.
Second book's name is something about sending Jack to Jesus. Jesus Camp or something. Makes me shiver. I don't think I'll continue with the series.
March 10, 2014
Oh my gosh!! I loved this book. Sara York you are AAMAZZING!!! This book was packed full of raw emotions and so very real to the core. You see, this book is a very close look at what it means to be a southern preacher's son and "Gay". There were some points in this book that had me thinking-yep I can totally relate to these views. I am a southern girl to the core and this story is so true around here.
The characters of Jack and Andrew will have you begging them to just hold out til the end of the school year. You will be cheering --you can do it- I promise you. Sara did such a fantastic job in writing these two young men. Jack is the preacher's son in a very small southern town where the Church has all the power. He is the ultimate protector of those who can't protect themselves and when Andrew comes to town his heart is just stolen. Andrew is the young man that was caught being gay and his overzealous parents believe he should be punished to the core and he will be cured. Kinda silly huh? Well I can tell you it really happens like that in south. (in some places it does) After these two admit their feelings for each other they have to be very careful not to get caught or there will be Hell to pay. They both are just holding out til graduation but will they make it?
I was so engrossed in this story I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. It just seems to captivate you and I love when that happens in a book. This book is a cliffhanger, I just cant wait to devour the next one up. What a fabulous read so go get it everyone you won't be disappointed.
The characters of Jack and Andrew will have you begging them to just hold out til the end of the school year. You will be cheering --you can do it- I promise you. Sara did such a fantastic job in writing these two young men. Jack is the preacher's son in a very small southern town where the Church has all the power. He is the ultimate protector of those who can't protect themselves and when Andrew comes to town his heart is just stolen. Andrew is the young man that was caught being gay and his overzealous parents believe he should be punished to the core and he will be cured. Kinda silly huh? Well I can tell you it really happens like that in south. (in some places it does) After these two admit their feelings for each other they have to be very careful not to get caught or there will be Hell to pay. They both are just holding out til graduation but will they make it?
I was so engrossed in this story I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. It just seems to captivate you and I love when that happens in a book. This book is a cliffhanger, I just cant wait to devour the next one up. What a fabulous read so go get it everyone you won't be disappointed.
November 3, 2014
4.5 Zealot Stars
Nothing against church. Well, nothing against most churches. But some are a little over the top for my taste. That's wrong...they are a LOT over the top for my tastes. This is the story of one of those churches that gives "church" a bad name.
Jack is the son a preacher. One who preaches hell, fire, and hatred. Jack is a senior football player who is pretty sure he is gay. But if he is, then his dad hates will hate him. He's pretty sure dad already hates him.
At school, it would be called bullying; in church , it was known as business as usual.
Andrew is new in town. His parents caught him kissing another guy, so they picked up and moved the family to the epi-center of Gay Hatred. Lucky Andrew. Andrew's parents are cold and cruel. They don't just worry about Andrew, they actively torment and abuse him.
Jack and Andrew give each other the strength and hope they need in a bad time. They learn that not everyone is as spiteful and narrow minded as their families.
The real life he wanted was getting harder and harder to hide from the fake people who pretended to like him.
This is the first in a series that will give you a book hangover. Jack and Andrew are compelling, sweet, dangerous, heartbreaking and hopeful. I could not stop with the first book.
Nothing against church. Well, nothing against most churches. But some are a little over the top for my taste. That's wrong...they are a LOT over the top for my tastes. This is the story of one of those churches that gives "church" a bad name.
Jack is the son a preacher. One who preaches hell, fire, and hatred. Jack is a senior football player who is pretty sure he is gay. But if he is, then his dad hates will hate him. He's pretty sure dad already hates him.
At school, it would be called bullying; in church , it was known as business as usual.
Andrew is new in town. His parents caught him kissing another guy, so they picked up and moved the family to the epi-center of Gay Hatred. Lucky Andrew. Andrew's parents are cold and cruel. They don't just worry about Andrew, they actively torment and abuse him.
Jack and Andrew give each other the strength and hope they need in a bad time. They learn that not everyone is as spiteful and narrow minded as their families.
The real life he wanted was getting harder and harder to hide from the fake people who pretended to like him.
This is the first in a series that will give you a book hangover. Jack and Andrew are compelling, sweet, dangerous, heartbreaking and hopeful. I could not stop with the first book.
November 15, 2017
This is a truly amazing emotional story. I don't normally read m/m stories. I'm not really sure why that is as I'm a pretty open minded person. I'm thinking it's because I never came across a m/m read in paperback before I had my kindle. This will certainly be changing after reading this brilliant book.
Jack is a pastors son. Jack is gay and his dad abhors gays. Andrew is also from a family that doesn't accept gays. Both these young men are from Christian backgrounds. This is the truly remarkable story about Jack and Andrew.
This book pulled on a lot of my emotions. I was so angry with the family and community. It's so sad that prejudices like this are still going on.
Be warned this ends in a cliffhanger but I'm not going to shout about that as I'm about to jump into book two.
Received in return for an honest review.
Jack is a pastors son. Jack is gay and his dad abhors gays. Andrew is also from a family that doesn't accept gays. Both these young men are from Christian backgrounds. This is the truly remarkable story about Jack and Andrew.
This book pulled on a lot of my emotions. I was so angry with the family and community. It's so sad that prejudices like this are still going on.
Be warned this ends in a cliffhanger but I'm not going to shout about that as I'm about to jump into book two.
Received in return for an honest review.
August 14, 2014
DNF. I tried and tried but this book has few to no redeeming qualities.
While I thought it was interesting that this book addressed things like gay teens approaching sex for the first time and admitting apprehension about it, I found the instant love between Andrew and Jack hard to believe. Other than being the only gay boys in their town, they really have nothing in common except religious, overbearing parents. They don’t know each other at all, and Andrew even admits this while Jack is planning their future together. Their relationship has no core to hold them together.
The constant repetition of “we just to need to hide until graduation and then we can be together” got so old. In places, the writing contradicts itself, the dialogue is lengthy and unrealistic, and I have a problem with the some of the gay stereotypes that the author enforces with this book.
While I thought it was interesting that this book addressed things like gay teens approaching sex for the first time and admitting apprehension about it, I found the instant love between Andrew and Jack hard to believe. Other than being the only gay boys in their town, they really have nothing in common except religious, overbearing parents. They don’t know each other at all, and Andrew even admits this while Jack is planning their future together. Their relationship has no core to hold them together.
The constant repetition of “we just to need to hide until graduation and then we can be together” got so old. In places, the writing contradicts itself, the dialogue is lengthy and unrealistic, and I have a problem with the some of the gay stereotypes that the author enforces with this book.
August 11, 2014
I found this book through the Apple book store in the free books and I thought I would give it a shot. It was not the best written book I have ever read. The book was a bit flat in that these two boys meet and then become boyfriends and planning a future all within days? weeks? of meeting each other. It was also hard to read through sections describing Andrew's punishments from his parents just for being caught kissing another boy. While I am interested to see what happens with Jack and Andrew, I do not think I will be reading the next book in the series.
October 26, 2014
I very rarely do this but I've DNF at 49%. I couldn't handle the insta love. The way the MCs behaved, it was like they are tweenagers rather than 18 year old lads.
I loved the idea of the book, but the writing needed work for me.
I loved the idea of the book, but the writing needed work for me.
August 21, 2014
DNF. Very probably the worst thing I have ever attempted to read. Characters are bland, plot is practically non-existant, and the writing is that of a 7th grader.
July 2, 2021
Stories like this one of Jack and Andrew make me so angry and disgusted that parents could and in all too many instances still treat their children like this. Jack is the eldest son of a self righteous preacher man who regularly spews bile and hatred from his pulpit against any number of perceived wrongs including homosexuality. Jack is living in the closet knowing that coming out will not go well, when he's asked to meet Andrew and introduce him to the right kind of people. Andrew is thin and scared, his parents, also strictly religious, caught him kissing a boy. Jack is instantly taken by Andrew and the two boys gradually become more than friends. Keeping their secret becomes increasingly difficult. Then when it comes out unintentionally things go south quickly. There are times when I wish that I could read more of my books closer to the date of purchase as the second of this series is now only in audio and I really hate audio books.
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