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Motel. Pool.
In the mid-1950s, Jack Dayton flees his working-class prospects in Omaha and heads to Hollywood, convinced he’ll be the next James Dean. But sleazy casting couches don't earn him stardom, and despair leads to a series of poor decisions that ultimately find him at a cheap motel off Route 66, lifeless at the bottom of the pool.
Sixty years later, Tag Manning, feeling hopeless and empty, flees his most recent relationship mistake and takes to the open road. On a roundabout route to Las Vegas, he pulls over to rest at an isolated spot on Route 66. There’s no longer a motel or pool, but when Tag resumes his journey to Vegas, he finds he’s transporting a hitchhiking ghost. Jack and Tag come to find much-needed friends in each other, but one man is a phantom and the other is strangely cursed. Time is running out for each of them, and they must face the fact that a future together may not only be a gamble... it may not be in the cards.
Sixty years later, Tag Manning, feeling hopeless and empty, flees his most recent relationship mistake and takes to the open road. On a roundabout route to Las Vegas, he pulls over to rest at an isolated spot on Route 66. There’s no longer a motel or pool, but when Tag resumes his journey to Vegas, he finds he’s transporting a hitchhiking ghost. Jack and Tag come to find much-needed friends in each other, but one man is a phantom and the other is strangely cursed. Time is running out for each of them, and they must face the fact that a future together may not only be a gamble... it may not be in the cards.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2014
17 people are currently reading
774 people want to read
About the author
Kim Fielding
175 books1,303 followersKim Fielding lives in Oregon and travels as often as she can manage. A professor by day, at night she rushes into a phone booth to change into her author costume (which involves comfy clothes instead of Spandex and is, sadly, lacking a cape). Her superpowers include the ability to write nearly anywhere, often while simultaneously doling out assistance to her family. Her favorite word to describe herself is "eclectic" and she finally got that seventh tattoo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
January 29, 2015
Do you believe in ghosts?
Even if you don't, you'll believe in this story.
This is the best kind of book. Because it's about love, a love that waits, that saves, that sacrifices.
All Jack ever wanted was to matter, to be somebody, a Hollywood star, just like James Dean. Jack is young and beautiful, selling his body to the first hot-shot producer who makes him an empty promise.
In the 50s, being queer can get you killed, even in the city of angels. When Jack's hopes run empty, he dreams of a man with curly brown hair and an octopus tattoo...and then he drowns.
Being lucky isn't all it's cut out to be. Tag has fucked up every bit of luck he's been gifted. He finds no joy in life. His heart has long since stopped beating. He's going through the motions, wasting time...until he stops at an empty lot that used to be a town. A town with a Motel. A Motel with a Pool. And there Tag meets a ghost.
I'm not much for spirits or gods or angels. If I can't see it, I don't worry about it. But this book? It made me believe. This isn't so much a ghost story as a love story, and it will break your heart.
Tag and Jack travel the long road; they find Vegas, the city of sin and secrets. They meet a man who can see the Fade. In Vegas, Tag gives away his Luck for a Jack of Hearts. He finally FEELS. But Tag and Jack are running out of time.
I cried rivers of tears while reading this book. What hope can there be for a couple when one of them is dead, and the other depressed and losing his will to live? But Tag realizes that having known Jack but for a moment is everything, and Jack knows that he'll be remembered, which is all he's ever really wanted...to be remembered and to be loved.
This book reads like a tragedy, a dark fairy tale. In typical Kim Fielding fashion, it doles out heartache and pain. The MCs seem so real, you feel like you know them, and you want them, NEED them, to be happy.
This is a story about two lost souls, decades apart; it's a story about death, but mostly it's a story about life: the wonder of it, the JOY, the laughter, the moments we never anticipate and rarely appreciate.
It's the Grand Canyon. The open road. The lucky strike. The smell of your lover's hair. A drop of icy water on a really hot day. It's about loving enough to throw it all in.
And about the dreams you never knew you had, not when you were drowning in a motel pool in a broken-down Arizona town in 1956.
Read only if you must know:
"He didn't know why he still insisted on feeling surprised over the weirdness of life."
Even if you don't, you'll believe in this story.
This is the best kind of book. Because it's about love, a love that waits, that saves, that sacrifices.
All Jack ever wanted was to matter, to be somebody, a Hollywood star, just like James Dean. Jack is young and beautiful, selling his body to the first hot-shot producer who makes him an empty promise.
In the 50s, being queer can get you killed, even in the city of angels. When Jack's hopes run empty, he dreams of a man with curly brown hair and an octopus tattoo...and then he drowns.
Being lucky isn't all it's cut out to be. Tag has fucked up every bit of luck he's been gifted. He finds no joy in life. His heart has long since stopped beating. He's going through the motions, wasting time...until he stops at an empty lot that used to be a town. A town with a Motel. A Motel with a Pool. And there Tag meets a ghost.
I'm not much for spirits or gods or angels. If I can't see it, I don't worry about it. But this book? It made me believe. This isn't so much a ghost story as a love story, and it will break your heart.
Tag and Jack travel the long road; they find Vegas, the city of sin and secrets. They meet a man who can see the Fade. In Vegas, Tag gives away his Luck for a Jack of Hearts. He finally FEELS. But Tag and Jack are running out of time.
I cried rivers of tears while reading this book. What hope can there be for a couple when one of them is dead, and the other depressed and losing his will to live? But Tag realizes that having known Jack but for a moment is everything, and Jack knows that he'll be remembered, which is all he's ever really wanted...to be remembered and to be loved.
This book reads like a tragedy, a dark fairy tale. In typical Kim Fielding fashion, it doles out heartache and pain. The MCs seem so real, you feel like you know them, and you want them, NEED them, to be happy.
This is a story about two lost souls, decades apart; it's a story about death, but mostly it's a story about life: the wonder of it, the JOY, the laughter, the moments we never anticipate and rarely appreciate.
It's the Grand Canyon. The open road. The lucky strike. The smell of your lover's hair. A drop of icy water on a really hot day. It's about loving enough to throw it all in.
And about the dreams you never knew you had, not when you were drowning in a motel pool in a broken-down Arizona town in 1956.
Read only if you must know:
"He didn't know why he still insisted on feeling surprised over the weirdness of life."
September 21, 2016
Utterly depressing and inspiring, at the same time? It's a strange paradox.
I found the beginning slow, it started where I didn't expect. It was actually an extended prologue lasting approximately 10% of the book and I felt confused because I kept thinking where's the story I thought. That and Hollywood machine stories that chew and spit out people as a LA local really don't appeal to me, at all. So, that was a depressing backstory.
The road trip aspect really appealed to me. I love the dissolution of barriers in the confined enclosure of an extended car ride. There's a opening up that occurs in hostage situations and the fact that participants often can't look at each other while seated encourages revelations that aren't always possible in a face to face conversation.
The fact is, we all have our ghosts, ironically, including ghosts.
While Jack is pondering his situation, Tag is running from his. Both characters have lived with dissatisfaction, but together they find something they never had, never thought they'd get. There's some twists and turns, and some tears. Not gonna lie. I cried.
The end... well that was worth it.
Overall, an emotionally fraught tale of finding acceptance.
I found the beginning slow, it started where I didn't expect. It was actually an extended prologue lasting approximately 10% of the book and I felt confused because I kept thinking where's the story I thought. That and Hollywood machine stories that chew and spit out people as a LA local really don't appeal to me, at all. So, that was a depressing backstory.
The road trip aspect really appealed to me. I love the dissolution of barriers in the confined enclosure of an extended car ride. There's a opening up that occurs in hostage situations and the fact that participants often can't look at each other while seated encourages revelations that aren't always possible in a face to face conversation.
The fact is, we all have our ghosts, ironically, including ghosts.
While Jack is pondering his situation, Tag is running from his. Both characters have lived with dissatisfaction, but together they find something they never had, never thought they'd get. There's some twists and turns, and some tears. Not gonna lie. I cried.
The end... well that was worth it.
Overall, an emotionally fraught tale of finding acceptance.
November 28, 2014
“As long as you’re alive, you can do things, change things. But that stops the minute your heart stops beating.”
“Motel.Pool.” is a great story about love and life. It’s a story about enjoying life, appreciated it and appreciate what you have.
The story starts with Jack, a young man who wants to be a Hollywood star in the 50s. He is gay, practically prostitutes himself because he has hopes and dreams. He dreams to be famous and have money and to be with someone who loves him. He only wants to be someone, to matter for someone, to be remembered. A lost soul, Jack is lonely. He doesn’t have friends and he doesn’t have his family near. He gave up hope and wants to go back home. Unfortunately, he has a tragic end at a cheap motel off Route 66.
“If nobody remembers you, it’s like you never even existed.”
~2014~
Tag is a damaged man. He’s a damaged man who’d given up hope of finding his way. He thinks that he’ll never find happiness and that no matter how many chances he gets he’ll ruin them with bad decision. He’s on the road after he broke up with his boyfriend, hoping to find something...someone, to find his way, to find himself or to lose himself.
He wants to know if he’s capable of feeling something. Driving in the desert, Tag pulls over somewhere in the Arizona desert to rest for a while. There, he meets Jack who says he’s a ghost, a ghost who wants to stay with him for a while. If at first Tag thinks Jack is a hallucination, soon he figures out Jack didn’t lie to him. But how is that possible? He can see him, he can feel him, he can touch him...a ghost.
In the end, both men will find what they’re looking for, they’ll give each other what they need and more. They’ll give each other love. Because love heals, because love makes you forget, because love means hope.
They both know that they don’t have a future, that everything will end somehow, but they are determined to enjoy every moment together.
This was a very interesting read. It was emotional, heartbreaking and heartwarming at times. It was intense and despite the fact that is a PNR, it felt real somehow. The premise was great, but the execution was fantastic.
Both Jack and Tag are endearing characters. My heart broke for Jack. He is young and beautiful. He’s innocent and a little naïve, but he has so much love to give. Jack is a relatable character. No one wants to be forgotten, everyone wants to love and be loved. Everyone wants a second chance to feel and do and be. I liked the fact that he is grateful for what he has as a ghost. I must admit I had a hard time connecting with Tag’s character. At least in the beginning. However, his journey was emotional and so heart breaking.
Jack and Tag’s connection was amazing. I liked how their interact with each other, how they trust each other and how they love each other.
What I didn’t like was the ending. It was a HEA, but not what I expected and wanted.
Overall, a great read!
“Ain’t none of us can control everything that happens to us, and the world ain’t never gonna be perfect. So we do the best we can with what we have, and we appreciate what we have when we got it.”
July 6, 2020
I just reread this today during a long trip home from the east coast. Love it just as much, if not more, than the first time I read it.
---------Orig Review 27 Aug 2015-------
I don't believe in ghosts. But as my friend Dani said in her review, I do believe in this story. Even after reading some of my friends reviews of this book, Motel. Pool. was still somewhat unexpected. It's a ghost story, but it is so much more than that and I fucking loved it.
Jack Dayton left Omaha when he was about 20 to pursue a career in acting. He's gorgeous and quite naive, when he heads to LA, but it doesn't take him long to figure out that his only chance at a break, is the casting couch. He's willing, though, because Jack has big dreams of making it big and showing everyone he ever knew that he was better than they said. He wants to matter. To feel like he's important. But it didn't work out like he hoped and he ended up dead at the ripe old age of 22.
Sixty years later, Tag Manning is a man adrift. He's always had pretty good luck, in life, but very low self worth and he has thwarted or thrown away pretty much every chance he's ever been given.
He's cynical. He has no faith in himself or in anyone else really. He feels empty. He's giving himself one last chance to prove to himself that he can feel anything, or ... maybe he will just force luck's hand, and lose.
Tag was so lost and Jack was trapped. Until Jack manages to hitch a ride, so to speak, with Tag. Everything that happened in this story after that felt original and fresh. I loved it. Both Jack and Tag need a purpose. And they need to matter, to each other, and to themselves. I think that's the lesson here. Money does not buy happiness. You've got to take it where you can find it, and it isn't always where you might expect it.
Motel. Pool. is a beautiful story, and I loved the ending. After bringing me to the brink of tears, Kim Fielding brings me back with an ending most joyful. Gorgeous.
---------Orig Review 27 Aug 2015-------
I don't believe in ghosts. But as my friend Dani said in her review, I do believe in this story. Even after reading some of my friends reviews of this book, Motel. Pool. was still somewhat unexpected. It's a ghost story, but it is so much more than that and I fucking loved it.
Jack Dayton left Omaha when he was about 20 to pursue a career in acting. He's gorgeous and quite naive, when he heads to LA, but it doesn't take him long to figure out that his only chance at a break, is the casting couch. He's willing, though, because Jack has big dreams of making it big and showing everyone he ever knew that he was better than they said. He wants to matter. To feel like he's important. But it didn't work out like he hoped and he ended up dead at the ripe old age of 22.
Sixty years later, Tag Manning is a man adrift. He's always had pretty good luck, in life, but very low self worth and he has thwarted or thrown away pretty much every chance he's ever been given.
He's cynical. He has no faith in himself or in anyone else really. He feels empty. He's giving himself one last chance to prove to himself that he can feel anything, or ... maybe he will just force luck's hand, and lose.
Tag was so lost and Jack was trapped. Until Jack manages to hitch a ride, so to speak, with Tag. Everything that happened in this story after that felt original and fresh. I loved it. Both Jack and Tag need a purpose. And they need to matter, to each other, and to themselves. I think that's the lesson here. Money does not buy happiness. You've got to take it where you can find it, and it isn't always where you might expect it.
Motel. Pool. is a beautiful story, and I loved the ending. After bringing me to the brink of tears, Kim Fielding brings me back with an ending most joyful. Gorgeous.
August 15, 2014
4.25 May have made my eyes juicy Stars
I wish I could just say READ THIS! and that would be sufficient, but I don’t want to short change this book nor Ms. Fielding, so let me tell you why I liked it so much.
Tag is aimless and lost, drifting in the ennui. There’s nothing really wrong per se, but there’s nothing really right either.
He sets off on the open road, no goal, no real destination and finds himself pulled over by an affable police officer who encourages him to pull off at the next exit and sleep. Boy, was ever some great advice from a cop.
Jack has been stuck in what’s become a ghost town of Jasper, AZ where he died under some rather dubious circumstances sixty years ago until he hitches a ride with Tag.
Neither of these two have had an easy life and they quickly bond, become friends which evolves into something more. The problem is there’s an egg timer on their romance and that’s what made Motel. Pool. so affecting for me.
Jack only ever wanted to make something of himself, to be somebody, to be remembered. Maybe Tag will remember him and give his life some meaning. He won’t fad into obscurity. Someone will remember him.
Tag, on the other hand, is wondering what’s the point of living. Why does he have this stupid luck that never counts for anything meaningful? Why does he fuck everything good he’s been given up? Maybe Jack can make him value his life.
It’s the yin yang that got me. They’re good for each other. They fit. Separated by sixty years but meant to be even if it is for a moment in time.
It did get a little sappy at the end and you know what? I bought it hook, line and sinker. Actually, I dove off the high dive into the pool of sap and did the backstroke.
I’ve been on an Ed Sheeran kick lately and his song Kiss Me reminds me so much of Tag and Jack:
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We’re falling in love
Yeah I’ve been feeling everything
From hate to love
From love to lust
From lust to truth
I guess that’s how I know you
So I hold you close to help you give it up
So kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We’re falling in love
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We’re falling in love
Highly recommend this book. Read it. Have tissues ready for possible sudden onset of allergies or an invisible dust storm.
Reviewed for
I wish I could just say READ THIS! and that would be sufficient, but I don’t want to short change this book nor Ms. Fielding, so let me tell you why I liked it so much.
Tag is aimless and lost, drifting in the ennui. There’s nothing really wrong per se, but there’s nothing really right either.
But instead the numbness only spread, as if someone had given his soul a shot of novocaine.
He sets off on the open road, no goal, no real destination and finds himself pulled over by an affable police officer who encourages him to pull off at the next exit and sleep. Boy, was ever some great advice from a cop.
Jack has been stuck in what’s become a ghost town of Jasper, AZ where he died under some rather dubious circumstances sixty years ago until he hitches a ride with Tag.
Neither of these two have had an easy life and they quickly bond, become friends which evolves into something more. The problem is there’s an egg timer on their romance and that’s what made Motel. Pool. so affecting for me.
Jack only ever wanted to make something of himself, to be somebody, to be remembered. Maybe Tag will remember him and give his life some meaning. He won’t fad into obscurity. Someone will remember him.
Tag, on the other hand, is wondering what’s the point of living. Why does he have this stupid luck that never counts for anything meaningful? Why does he fuck everything good he’s been given up? Maybe Jack can make him value his life.
It’s the yin yang that got me. They’re good for each other. They fit. Separated by sixty years but meant to be even if it is for a moment in time.
He wanted this brief interlude to be forever, made more permanent than film could ever manage. He wanted his time with Tag to be more firmly placed than a tombstone, each little movement another star on an unending walk of fame.
It did get a little sappy at the end and you know what? I bought it hook, line and sinker. Actually, I dove off the high dive into the pool of sap and did the backstroke.
I’ve been on an Ed Sheeran kick lately and his song Kiss Me reminds me so much of Tag and Jack:
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We’re falling in love
Yeah I’ve been feeling everything
From hate to love
From love to lust
From lust to truth
I guess that’s how I know you
So I hold you close to help you give it up
So kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We’re falling in love
Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
We’re falling in love
Highly recommend this book. Read it. Have tissues ready for possible sudden onset of allergies or an invisible dust storm.
Reviewed for
June 7, 2014
inconsistently compelling.
took a few pages to get warmed-up, and until that point the prose didn't really agree with me. i found it really stiff and lacking in vibrancy.
then it got a lot smoother and richer.
then the little rinky-dink annoyances started pecking me to death, and i gave up.
they're petty, and i don't expect them to trouble anyone else but me, so i'll spoiler-tag them, to allow you to skip my whining if you prefer:
so.
too many missteps for me—but i expect many of you will like this, because when the writing is strong, it's lovely.
DNF'd at 65 percent, bcuz rageface is bad for your digestion.
took a few pages to get warmed-up, and until that point the prose didn't really agree with me. i found it really stiff and lacking in vibrancy.
then it got a lot smoother and richer.
then the little rinky-dink annoyances started pecking me to death, and i gave up.
they're petty, and i don't expect them to trouble anyone else but me, so i'll spoiler-tag them, to allow you to skip my whining if you prefer:
so.
too many missteps for me—but i expect many of you will like this, because when the writing is strong, it's lovely.
DNF'd at 65 percent, bcuz rageface is bad for your digestion.
March 22, 2025
1955. Young actor and wannabe Hollywood star Jack Dayton starts to realize that his life isn’t working out the way he had planned. Offering his body to a movie director in exchange for tiny roles as an extra doesn’t cut it if he wants to make a name for himself. When the director tells him he’s a good lay but lacks star quality—and will therefore never land a leading role—Jack decides to give up on his dream and return to his Omaha hometown to work at the meatpacking plant alongside his father.
On his way from Hollywood to Omaha, his car breaks down at a grimy motel. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol and pills. Taking a swim in the motel pool becomes the final decision of his life.
60 years later. Tag Manning, a young man with a genetic family history of mental illness, is on a road trip along Route 66. He takes a break at a remote, abandoned spot where a motel once stood decades ago. When he continues his journey the next day, he realizes he’s not alone in the car. A handsome young ghost appears and offers him company.
Jack and Tag spend a few weeks together—a time of healing for both men that ultimately serves a greater purpose.
This is a beautiful ghost story with a special message and a remarkable ending.
It’s very sad and very touching—an all-around moving read.
5 stars!
On his way from Hollywood to Omaha, his car breaks down at a grimy motel. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol and pills. Taking a swim in the motel pool becomes the final decision of his life.
60 years later. Tag Manning, a young man with a genetic family history of mental illness, is on a road trip along Route 66. He takes a break at a remote, abandoned spot where a motel once stood decades ago. When he continues his journey the next day, he realizes he’s not alone in the car. A handsome young ghost appears and offers him company.
Jack and Tag spend a few weeks together—a time of healing for both men that ultimately serves a greater purpose.
This is a beautiful ghost story with a special message and a remarkable ending.
It’s very sad and very touching—an all-around moving read.
5 stars!
December 16, 2020
It’s a little too spicy for me. I had no idea, lol. I skimmed a lot, but the storyline intrigued me so I continued. It was a very unique storyline and I had no idea how it was going to end. I like that. Can’t recommend it to my friends, but if you don’t mind spicy it’s a sweet story with a few tears.
May 25, 2019
A ghost love story is a new one for me, and not my usual kind of read, but as ever, Kim Fielding delivers a wonderful, character-driven story. As with Rattlesnake, this is a bit on the insta-love side but it's so adeptly written and the characters given such depth that it didn't bother it. She made me believe it, which is made even more surreal because Jack is a fricking ghost!
I'm also not usually one to go in for angsty stories, but I love angst when it's done well and it has meaning beyond just making the characters (and the readers) suffer. Jack is a ghost who doesn't know why he's lingering here but left behind a trail of bad decisions and unfulfilled dreams. Tag is a young man raised by alcoholic and mentally unstable parents. He expects the worst and so makes sure that it happens, also leaving behind a trail of bad decisions and unfulfilled dreams. Jack provides a temptation for Tag - the end of living and suffering - and Tag offers Jack an opportunity to get away from the lonely, shutdown motel he's been haunting for the last sixty years. They live in counterpoint to each other, and in each other find respite from their loneliness.
I had no idea where this story was going to go, which is a rare thing to say in m/m or any romance for that matter. I had no idea how it would be resolve - or if it even would be - and I admit to getting a little misty-eyed a time or two. Ok, maybe more than just a little, and that's rare for me too.
This story is a gem and even worth a reread at some point.
Edit 5/24/19: Saw this pop up in my feed out of nowhere, and felt the need to add that I thought the But it wasn't weird enough to lower the rating. 😆
I'm also not usually one to go in for angsty stories, but I love angst when it's done well and it has meaning beyond just making the characters (and the readers) suffer. Jack is a ghost who doesn't know why he's lingering here but left behind a trail of bad decisions and unfulfilled dreams. Tag is a young man raised by alcoholic and mentally unstable parents. He expects the worst and so makes sure that it happens, also leaving behind a trail of bad decisions and unfulfilled dreams. Jack provides a temptation for Tag - the end of living and suffering - and Tag offers Jack an opportunity to get away from the lonely, shutdown motel he's been haunting for the last sixty years. They live in counterpoint to each other, and in each other find respite from their loneliness.
I had no idea where this story was going to go, which is a rare thing to say in m/m or any romance for that matter. I had no idea how it would be resolve - or if it even would be - and I admit to getting a little misty-eyed a time or two. Ok, maybe more than just a little, and that's rare for me too.
This story is a gem and even worth a reread at some point.
Edit 5/24/19: Saw this pop up in my feed out of nowhere, and felt the need to add that I thought the But it wasn't weird enough to lower the rating. 😆
May 31, 2014
Life has an expiration date, and so do the memories we have of others. I don't try to kid myself and think I'll be remembered in two hundred years. I'll (hopefully) live a long life, might have children, and possibly grandchildren as well. Definitely nieces and nephews. Would they mourn my eventual passing? Perhaps. But eventually, I'll be forgotten. It's a fact of life, and only a few are able to escape this inevitability. It's just a matter of whether we care or not.
But for Jack Dayton, that's his worst fear.
And when his life is tragically cut short, it takes sixty years before he's able to hitch a ride as a ghost with Tag Manning, a man who's on the run from his own bad luck.
Motel. Pool. (MP) is a good, emotional read. It's a book about living, even though it deals with a lot of death. The beginning of the book is a setup for Jack Dayton and takes place in the 1950s. We see the life of a man who wants to be a star shining so bright, that even his death would bring about a supernova that no one will forget. He is young, but full of heart. Jack is definitely one of the reasons I enjoyed MP so much. He's relate-able in a way that most people would understand – he didn't want to be forgotten, but made some bad decisions after multiple setbacks (mistakes that we can attribute to him just being young and eager). We feel sorry for him, but also find his behavior endearing as he travels with Tag in all his excitement.
Unfortunately, I felt like Tag was one of the weaknesses in MP. While Kim Fielding focused a lot on Jack (e.g. the beginning of the novel), Tag felt like he was pushed to the back burner. We don't know too much about him, and when we do, it was more “telling” than “showing” and mostly towards the end. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was an okay character, but he felt flat in a world of 3D. His “good luck/bad luck” thing was a bit confusing, and was brought on pretty quickly towards the end of the book. While I had no issues with Kim Fielding's other paranormal works of fiction, MP felt the most sloppiest.
But even these complaints were overshadowed by the overall storytelling. The author has a clean way of writing – no flowery or poetic prose here. It's a very down-to-earth style that works even for a paranormal story about a ghost. Just the right amount of detail to the world, characters, and dialogue. She also makes wonderful secondary characters, though there was really only one other person that had a significant amount of word count...regardless, it was still quite lovely.
So overall, if you're looking for an emotional story about life, give MP a shot. While Tag was kind of bland, and the paranormal execution could have been better, it managed to still be an enjoyable read.
But for Jack Dayton, that's his worst fear.
And when his life is tragically cut short, it takes sixty years before he's able to hitch a ride as a ghost with Tag Manning, a man who's on the run from his own bad luck.
Motel. Pool. (MP) is a good, emotional read. It's a book about living, even though it deals with a lot of death. The beginning of the book is a setup for Jack Dayton and takes place in the 1950s. We see the life of a man who wants to be a star shining so bright, that even his death would bring about a supernova that no one will forget. He is young, but full of heart. Jack is definitely one of the reasons I enjoyed MP so much. He's relate-able in a way that most people would understand – he didn't want to be forgotten, but made some bad decisions after multiple setbacks (mistakes that we can attribute to him just being young and eager). We feel sorry for him, but also find his behavior endearing as he travels with Tag in all his excitement.
Unfortunately, I felt like Tag was one of the weaknesses in MP. While Kim Fielding focused a lot on Jack (e.g. the beginning of the novel), Tag felt like he was pushed to the back burner. We don't know too much about him, and when we do, it was more “telling” than “showing” and mostly towards the end. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was an okay character, but he felt flat in a world of 3D. His “good luck/bad luck” thing was a bit confusing, and was brought on pretty quickly towards the end of the book. While I had no issues with Kim Fielding's other paranormal works of fiction, MP felt the most sloppiest.
But even these complaints were overshadowed by the overall storytelling. The author has a clean way of writing – no flowery or poetic prose here. It's a very down-to-earth style that works even for a paranormal story about a ghost. Just the right amount of detail to the world, characters, and dialogue. She also makes wonderful secondary characters, though there was really only one other person that had a significant amount of word count...regardless, it was still quite lovely.
So overall, if you're looking for an emotional story about life, give MP a shot. While Tag was kind of bland, and the paranormal execution could have been better, it managed to still be an enjoyable read.
May 26, 2014
First off, I love Kim Fielding and
is one of my absolute fav books ever! And while I loved this one, it didn’t get to me like that one did. Perhaps my expectations were to high. Having gotten that out of the way, i will say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was quite interesting and I must say besides being a Kim Fielding book, that alone drew me into reading it.
The first part of this book is about Jack Dayton, set in the mid-1950’s he is trying to make it in Hollywood. He has dreams and fantasies of being a big star and thinks the “casting couch” is the way he is going to get there. What Jack ends up with is disappoint, despair and loneliness. Finally giving up on his dream he heads back home and circumstances find him stuck at a motel on route 66. Jack eventually dies on the bottom on the motel pool.
Jump to present day and we move onto Tag Manning, having broken up with his boyfriend he is driving to the Grand Canyon seeking something, anything to fill up his empty heart. When he finds himself getting some rest at a long abandoned motel site he finds he has picked up a ghost wanting to go along for the ride.
I found this story quite entertaining, interesting and emotionally satisfying. I can’t say it brought me to tears like i was expecting, but I did get awfully close a couple of times. Experiencing Jack’s wonder and excitement of the changes the world has made since his death was very entertaining. But at the other end his sadness and loneliness just about broke my heart. Throw in Tag’s emptiness and his search for something to bring his soul back to life was also heartbreaking to witness. As their feelings for one another grow and they both start to be happy, it comes apparent their time together will be short. How unfair is that!
Now i had a couple of issues with this story. Without giving anything away I will say if a ghost knocked on my front door you would be picking me off the floor, not offering him a drink. Secondly the ending didn't fill me with much emotion, which was a shocker. I expected/wanted more from the ending and it left me feeling rather unfulfilled.
Overall though, this was wonderful read, Kim Fielding is quite the talented writer and i can definitely recommend this story.
is one of my absolute fav books ever! And while I loved this one, it didn’t get to me like that one did. Perhaps my expectations were to high. Having gotten that out of the way, i will say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was quite interesting and I must say besides being a Kim Fielding book, that alone drew me into reading it.The first part of this book is about Jack Dayton, set in the mid-1950’s he is trying to make it in Hollywood. He has dreams and fantasies of being a big star and thinks the “casting couch” is the way he is going to get there. What Jack ends up with is disappoint, despair and loneliness. Finally giving up on his dream he heads back home and circumstances find him stuck at a motel on route 66. Jack eventually dies on the bottom on the motel pool.
Jump to present day and we move onto Tag Manning, having broken up with his boyfriend he is driving to the Grand Canyon seeking something, anything to fill up his empty heart. When he finds himself getting some rest at a long abandoned motel site he finds he has picked up a ghost wanting to go along for the ride.
I found this story quite entertaining, interesting and emotionally satisfying. I can’t say it brought me to tears like i was expecting, but I did get awfully close a couple of times. Experiencing Jack’s wonder and excitement of the changes the world has made since his death was very entertaining. But at the other end his sadness and loneliness just about broke my heart. Throw in Tag’s emptiness and his search for something to bring his soul back to life was also heartbreaking to witness. As their feelings for one another grow and they both start to be happy, it comes apparent their time together will be short. How unfair is that!
Now i had a couple of issues with this story. Without giving anything away I will say if a ghost knocked on my front door you would be picking me off the floor, not offering him a drink. Secondly the ending didn't fill me with much emotion, which was a shocker. I expected/wanted more from the ending and it left me feeling rather unfulfilled.
Overall though, this was wonderful read, Kim Fielding is quite the talented writer and i can definitely recommend this story.
May 20, 2016
For a few hours, he’d felt almost alive again. He could nearly feel his heart beating. And he had a friend. If Jack spent eternity alone in the desert, he’d have this time to treasure. He’d have a few precious memories to take out and admire over and over, like a dragon gloating over his gold.
But Tag was obviously sad. He was probably very tired…But it was more than that. Tag had been sad since Jack had first seen him, as Tag parked his car by the deserted road and settled in to sleep. He’d been sad at the Grand Canyon, and he’d been so sad at Hoover Dam that Jack suspected he was going to jump. Tag smiled sometimes, and even laughed, but he never shook the mantle of sorrow that hung heavy on his shoulders, haunting him more thoroughly than a ghost ever could.
Jack Dayton wanted to be a star…what he ended up being was a two-bit actor that was never going to make it, no matter how many directors he put up with-–or put out for. With his dreams in tatters he figures he might as well go home-–to a life of meatpacking plants, back-alley trysts, and loneliness. He never figured that life would end up wasted on the bottom of a cheap motel pool.
Tag Manning has all the luck in the world–-except for all its ups, the lows are three times as hard. Mostly because no matter how hard he tries, he always fucks it up. Like when his boyfriend got down on his knee and proposed…and Tag took a runner right out of the restaurant and their life together. Now months have gone by and Tag is on the road trying to find…something. A life. A feeling. Hell, maybe even his soul. He never figured he would find everything at a derelict pit stop just off of Route 66.
Jack wanted to be a star, Tag just wanted to feel human, but neither man seems able to find their hearts desire. Until they meet. But with sixty years, Jack’s death, and Tag’s inability to connect between them, what hope have they of a happy ending?
First off, I absolutely love this book cover. It is so perfect for this book, and it is one of the reasons that I picked this story up for review (other than, you know, it being written by the lovely Kim Fielding). So total props there.
Now the story…
I really do wish someone would remind me why I don’t normally go for the ghostly-romance stories before I start reading them and get hooked and then end up getting snot and tears all over my favorite pillow. That pillow has been good to me; it doesn’t deserve me blubbering all over it. But alas, I did not remember, and no one chose to warn me…so, to my pillow I must say: I am sorry. I didn’t mean to cry all over you like a teenage girl at the end of The Notebook (I will totally and forever deny any post-teenage crying over that movie. You can’t prove anything!).
It was all that damn list’s fault. That is all I am going to say on that matter.
Other than the totally gross blubbering (by me) at the end, I really liked this book.
Tag, for a long time, felt extremely closed off, but that was kinda the whole point. I wanted to shake him out of it, to tell him to just buck the fuck up, but I guess life-–and depression-–just don’t work like that. But even with all that I connected with the guy. Sure his reckless gambling pissed my broke-ass off. I mean, I spend days trying to justify the buying of a new book, while he just throws that cash around like it is nothing. Still…he knows that it isn’t nothing-–he grew up broke most of the time, so he knows just what it is like to want that security, that safety net, he just has come to a place in his life where he can’t care. He may want to, but he just can’t. And it takes meeting a dead guy for him to figure out why.
And for a dead guy, Jack seems to have life figured out. Granted, sixty years of down time, with not much else to do but think, can help a lot in figuring out some of that shit. And for all that his life went a bit cockeyed at the end there, he had a pretty good head on his shoulders. He may have went after his dreams with a little less thought than probably was wise, but at the end of the day he still went after it. He tried. Jack dreamed big, but at his core he also had just simple desires: to have a home, to have a man to grow old with, to be someone that other people remembered. Wanting to matter is something I think most of us can identify with.
Tag gives Jack that, as much as Jack gives Tag something that has nothing to do with luck, and everything to do with love. Even if that love comes with one hell of a heartbreak. Cause humans and ghosts, no matter how substantial they are, is always going to end in tears. I mean, how could it not? They get days, weeks, but they both know it can’t go anywhere. Maybe that is what gave them courage to actually fall. If you are going to end up tumbling off the cliff anyways, might as well hold hands as you go down.
And sometimes the landing is softer than you thought it’d be. Sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes the universe, or god, or fate takes pity and puts you back together after you’ve hit rock bottom. Sometimes “gay love can pierce through the veil of death and save the day” (yeah, yeah, I just totally quoted Supernatural, so what?).
I really enjoyed this book. Yeah it made me cry, but most of the time that is a good thing. I loved the characters, and the writing, and Vegas was fun to explore with Tag and Jack (even if I did expect Mitch, Sam, and Randy from Heidi Cullinan’s Special Delivery Series to pop up at some point). I’ve always enjoyed Fielding’s stories, but this has to be one of my favorites from her. Even if it tried to break my heart.
4.5 stars
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December 26, 2021
Do you believe in ghosts?
Hailing from arguably one of the most haunted parts of the country, I have been around "ghost stories" my whole life. And I can rattle off at least five family members or friends who've had a "sighting." I'm open-minded enough to believe in the existence of something.
So, you see, my GR friend, Dani, has been after me to read Kim Fielding for a while now. And when I asked her what I should read, THIS is what popped out of her mouth (or her keyboard).
So I read the blurb. A fucking ghost as an MC? Dani, are you serious? How do they have sex? Yes, I'm a perv. No shame. I go straight for that question with her. I mean, is there one part flesh and one part......mist?
And I can't imagine very sexy....but Dani says to trust her, the sex is just fine!
And see, then my other friend, Ele, jumped right on that train. Nods. Read it, Renee. I don't do ghosts in m/m, either. Read it.
Two trusted book buddies who pretty much share my reading tastes? Ok, I'm going in!
Our story begins with Jack as a young Hollywood actor from the mid 1950s, who is trying to get more than a handful of lines in the next big picture. He's struggling and doing a few things that scream at my moral compass to get those roles. It's Hollywood! And dies a tragic death at a very young age at a motel in the middle of nowhere. With a pool.
Then we have Tag - present day. Tag is sad and lost. Fucked up childhood. Fucked up life. Stops at an abandoned freeway exit to sleep a few hours in his car. He sees nothing other than a few abandoned buildings. But there is this old sign he notices. For a motel. And a pool. I'll let you pick up on those hints and understand that Jack and Tag's journey starts there.
I can't give a whole lot of details because pretty much anything else would be spoilery. I will say (for those who require it like me) that there is a HEA. And for the pervs (also like me), we do get smexy times. And they weren't awkward. They were quite beautiful.
This wasn't the best story I've read. What struck me most was Fielding's writing. She gripped me from the first chapter. It's so smooth and flawless. I read this book in one sitting! That should tell you something right there. I will definitely be picking up more from her. She has a contemporary coming out later this month. I will eat that shit up with a spoon!
Best moment of the book - Jack's letter. Gut me now! The feelz people! This woman can write!
Niggles - I felt the ILY came a bit too soon. And I thought the "job" at the end was not quite believable. But then I kinda smacked myself on the head. I mean, it's a ghost story - am I really worried about suspending my belief about those little parts?
So yeah, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read! I applaud Ms. Fielding. She can definitely tell a story! Put aside your preconceived notions of not wanting to read about a ghost MC in your m/m and dive in! And please check out Dani's review as well.
Thanks to Ele and Dani for never steering me wrong!
As a side note, that book cover did nothing for me going in. And now that I've finished.....let's just say goosebumps.
Hailing from arguably one of the most haunted parts of the country, I have been around "ghost stories" my whole life. And I can rattle off at least five family members or friends who've had a "sighting." I'm open-minded enough to believe in the existence of something.
So, you see, my GR friend, Dani, has been after me to read Kim Fielding for a while now. And when I asked her what I should read, THIS is what popped out of her mouth (or her keyboard).
So I read the blurb. A fucking ghost as an MC? Dani, are you serious? How do they have sex? Yes, I'm a perv. No shame. I go straight for that question with her. I mean, is there one part flesh and one part......mist?
And I can't imagine very sexy....but Dani says to trust her, the sex is just fine!
And see, then my other friend, Ele, jumped right on that train. Nods. Read it, Renee. I don't do ghosts in m/m, either. Read it.
Two trusted book buddies who pretty much share my reading tastes? Ok, I'm going in!
Our story begins with Jack as a young Hollywood actor from the mid 1950s, who is trying to get more than a handful of lines in the next big picture. He's struggling and doing a few things that scream at my moral compass to get those roles. It's Hollywood! And dies a tragic death at a very young age at a motel in the middle of nowhere. With a pool.
Then we have Tag - present day. Tag is sad and lost. Fucked up childhood. Fucked up life. Stops at an abandoned freeway exit to sleep a few hours in his car. He sees nothing other than a few abandoned buildings. But there is this old sign he notices. For a motel. And a pool. I'll let you pick up on those hints and understand that Jack and Tag's journey starts there.
I can't give a whole lot of details because pretty much anything else would be spoilery. I will say (for those who require it like me) that there is a HEA. And for the pervs (also like me), we do get smexy times. And they weren't awkward. They were quite beautiful.
This wasn't the best story I've read. What struck me most was Fielding's writing. She gripped me from the first chapter. It's so smooth and flawless. I read this book in one sitting! That should tell you something right there. I will definitely be picking up more from her. She has a contemporary coming out later this month. I will eat that shit up with a spoon!
Best moment of the book - Jack's letter. Gut me now! The feelz people! This woman can write!
Niggles - I felt the ILY came a bit too soon. And I thought the "job" at the end was not quite believable. But then I kinda smacked myself on the head. I mean, it's a ghost story - am I really worried about suspending my belief about those little parts?
So yeah, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read! I applaud Ms. Fielding. She can definitely tell a story! Put aside your preconceived notions of not wanting to read about a ghost MC in your m/m and dive in! And please check out Dani's review as well.
Thanks to Ele and Dani for never steering me wrong!
As a side note, that book cover did nothing for me going in. And now that I've finished.....let's just say goosebumps.
May 10, 2016
Jack Dayton died in a motel pool in the 1950's, tangled up with the drugs he'd taken and the failure of his plans to become a movie star. Sixty years later Tag Manning pulls into the parking lot of the abandoned and demolished motel for a nap, and when he drives away, Jack is riding shotgun. This is a very pragmatic ghost story. The characters' reactions feel pretty real, but they don't go for the deep questions. Jack's a ghost because he is, and can do things because that's how it works. It makes a fun story, but the underpinnings seem arbitrary and occasionally failed in the small details.
Still, it was an entertaining read. This book didn't quite go where I expected and I enjoyed the unexpected twists. I did find myself holding back from connecting with the MCs together as the story began. Tag's essential loneliness and self-doubts were poignant, but I didn't trust Jack's callow spirit to fully ease them. I should have trusted the author to pull it off, because the ending was satisfying.
Still, it was an entertaining read. This book didn't quite go where I expected and I enjoyed the unexpected twists. I did find myself holding back from connecting with the MCs together as the story began. Tag's essential loneliness and self-doubts were poignant, but I didn't trust Jack's callow spirit to fully ease them. I should have trusted the author to pull it off, because the ending was satisfying.
May 13, 2015
This was so good. I was hesitant for the longest time, now I'm kicking myself. I was like a hot mess around 80% and I was cursing my way thru ( I am not one for tears in my stories ) But then about 90% just YES!!!! It's on my favorites shelf and I may even do a re read one day I loved it that much!
July 8, 2014
What a terrific novel this is. It isn't your average ghost story. It's too happy and sweet and hopeful for that. Jack and Tag are made for each other, even if one is dead and the other's alive. With some incredibly creative plotting which doesn't seem forced in the least and somehow made perfect sense, the author managed to give Jack and Tag a happily-ever-after anyway, and I really loved that. There's nothing better than seeing two damaged people come together and find love and by working together set out to make all the wrongs in their lives right. I finished this book with a smile on my face, and all the time I was reading it I never thought that would happen. Sexy, thought-provoking, intelligent. Motel. Pool. is a great read. One of these days I just know I'll pick it up and lose myself in it again. Loved the cover by Paul Richmond too. Striking and different, just like the story itself.
May 14, 2014
I might be a little bias with my rating because I love ghost stories and I'm a Kim Fielding fanboy. The story was a bit slow at the beginning but the ending had me weeping. Please let there be sequel, I would love to read more of Tag and Jack's adventures.
4.5 stars!
4.5 stars!
June 3, 2018
I fell in love with a story. I hoped for the best and expected the worst. What I received was so much more.
A second chance. To look back upon the short life of a loved one and think that maybe, just maybe, he was also given a second chance.
Do I believe in ghosts? Oh, I don’t know. Do I believe in little green men? Same feelings. I’ll keep an open mind and an open heart.
This was more than just a love story. Honestly, it was so good that if it would have ended shortly after the final disappearance, I would have been okay with that. Why? Because for the short time that these men were together they truly LIVED. If we all could be so lucky.
I’ve learned it’s not the quantity but the quality. I’ve learned that there is always hope. I learned that a little magic is okay if it helps to clear the way. Give someone a second chance.
‘I believe in ... fate, I guess.’ Me too Buddy, me too.
Stars upon stars upon stars.
A second chance. To look back upon the short life of a loved one and think that maybe, just maybe, he was also given a second chance.
Do I believe in ghosts? Oh, I don’t know. Do I believe in little green men? Same feelings. I’ll keep an open mind and an open heart.
This was more than just a love story. Honestly, it was so good that if it would have ended shortly after the final disappearance, I would have been okay with that. Why? Because for the short time that these men were together they truly LIVED. If we all could be so lucky.
I’ve learned it’s not the quantity but the quality. I’ve learned that there is always hope. I learned that a little magic is okay if it helps to clear the way. Give someone a second chance.
‘I believe in ... fate, I guess.’ Me too Buddy, me too.
Stars upon stars upon stars.
May 31, 2014
4.5 Stars! I really enjoyed this book. Thanks Dani for recommending it because it’s not one I would have picked out on my own. I don’t normally read paranormal so I likely would have overlooked this.
It was a very sweet story, not really what I was expecting. I loved Jack from the very beginning. He’s from Omaha. I'm from Omaha. Case closed. I enjoyed his story set in the 50s. James Dean, pay phones, Brylcreem, everyone smoking like chimneys. He left Nebraska with his sights set on Hollywood and big dreams in his heart. Unfortunately things didn’t turn out the way he wanted :(
Then we fast forward to 2014 and meet Tag. He is a lost soul, all alone in the world because he pushes everyone away. Traveling cross country looking for something that will convince him life is worth living. Their love story was unlike anything I’ve read before since I’ve never read a love story between a human and a ghost. At times it was funny; at times it was sad.
Bottom line, I enjoyed the book and I’m glad I read it. Thanks Jen and Mishy for a great buddy read!!
It was a very sweet story, not really what I was expecting. I loved Jack from the very beginning. He’s from Omaha. I'm from Omaha. Case closed. I enjoyed his story set in the 50s. James Dean, pay phones, Brylcreem, everyone smoking like chimneys. He left Nebraska with his sights set on Hollywood and big dreams in his heart. Unfortunately things didn’t turn out the way he wanted :(
Then we fast forward to 2014 and meet Tag. He is a lost soul, all alone in the world because he pushes everyone away. Traveling cross country looking for something that will convince him life is worth living. Their love story was unlike anything I’ve read before since I’ve never read a love story between a human and a ghost. At times it was funny; at times it was sad.
Bottom line, I enjoyed the book and I’m glad I read it. Thanks Jen and Mishy for a great buddy read!!
July 9, 2022
”I want—I wanted to get out of Jasper. I wanted a little company. I wanted to be reminded what it was like to be alive.”
i don’t usually read paranormal especially with ghosts and NOW I REALLY SHOULD! this was actually so good 😩 if the 5 stars don’t say enough 🤣 i struggled a little with the story in the beginning, i was a little confused, but then it was just so so enjoyable! i’m happy Hugo pick this up for us to read together :)
i love Jack so much. i could relate to what he was feeling, the way he grieves life and his regrets were making me feel things. it was like Jack was talking to me, understand me. i love him so much, i was crying so hard. i love when books can give me all of those feels🥺 and the way he thinks was soo adorable. he lived in the 30s and 40s so he didn’t know a lot about modern stuff and when he got curious or excited about things that Tag knew, it was SO cute to handle. gosh, i need more stories of MCs from different generations like this. and i’m quite sad for everything that happened to Jack :( i want to give him a hug 🫂
Tag was adorable as well. the way he show his care for Jack was just something. it wasn’t that giving, but it was cute <3 ahh, they’re both adorable.
the pace of the story was perfect and the MCs were a little funny - made me smile a lot. love it! they were so cute all of it was funny and giddy 😙
also, both of them has their own struggles and it was so amazing to see how they communicate and understand each other. the strangers to friends to lovers was portrayed perfectly, which makes the relationship development feels so true to life. me and hugo can agree on the chemistry, they’re sweet i love them so much! the travelling trope made it so much better 🥺❤️ the way they were hanging out together, exchange jokes and stories. i’m jealous of what they have :’)) it was heartwarming and lovely.
”I’ll be damned if I blow the last chance I’ll ever get to have someone. Not even if I can only have you for a few days, not even if I truly do end up damned.”
“So now you’re broke and unlucky—“
“Or maybe just ordinarily fortunate.”
“—but you have me.”
“As long as I can keep you, I definitely got the better end of this trade.”
no matter how much i talk about this book being giddy because of the MCs, it also touches some sensitive topics where i had tears in my eyes. how Jack struggle with his life, it was terrifying and sad. like i said, it was like Jack understands me. it also touches topics like homosexuality in the 50s. gosh, i could just imagine how Jack was feeling when he started noticing how different modern days deal with people being gay 🥺 and he kept on being so curious with people ffuuuuuccckkkk :(( not only we get to see the cute romance, but how they try to find themselves in each other’s presence, and go through their pain, it was beautiful.
“What if…what if I do and I can’t come back?” Jack looked at him with eyes full of despair. “What if I find myself back in Jasper?”
“Then I’ll drive back there and pick you up again.”
TWs weren’t a big deal for me before, well up until lately at least, but stupidly, i guess it is. this was a horrendous experience for my triggers.. so PLEASE check TWs. it was a lovely journey nonetheless. the most beautiful destruction ever :’(
overall, this story brings tears, joy and relief all over again. the author just know when to make me cry, laugh and nervous. their love comes easy, but not insta and i can still see the way it develops. the plotline was fun, i’m not used to ghosts paranormal so this was a first. the travelling trope was executed perfectly and so vivid. i like it 🥺 the beginning didn’t sound so promising at first, but i stayed and OH BOY, it was so fking worth it <3
thank you Hugo for choosing this book for one of our paranormal reads this week and has always been so patient with me and my mood changes, along with keeping up with my rants. can't wait for next week! xx
August 6, 2014
I will say this ... Kim Fielding sure knows how to write different genres and topics. She writes about werewolves, contemporary, mix of fantasy romance, even alternate history -- and this, she brings Road Trip. With Ghost. My ...
I admit that I have soft heart for screwed-up characters (not necessarily those being abused or suffering from external torture). Simply someone who, well, emotionally messy. The two men in Motel. Pool are examples of that.
Jack wanted to be famous -- he probably taken a short path to do so, by sleeping with the director, hoping for getting a big part in a movie. But life didn't work the way he wanted ... and Jack ended up drowning in a motel pool, back in 1956. For me, Jack was relatable in a way of wanting to be 'someone'. Jack wanted to be remembered. I could definitely relate to Jack's fear. Tag also relatable for me -- because sometimes I also felt that I was emotionally displaced. Of course I didn't have the 'luck' that he was having, but Tag definitely felt close to my heart.
I loved the road trip. I loved how these two men connected (although the time seemed short but the relationship was built up in a very good pace). However, I wasn't really sure about the ending... (very spoilery plot under the tag)
It was beautiful story in overall -- and this would make a GREAT indie movie, don't you think?
PS: AND I SO LOVE THE COVER!!! Pretty, pretty cover. Like a vintage movie poster.
I admit that I have soft heart for screwed-up characters (not necessarily those being abused or suffering from external torture). Simply someone who, well, emotionally messy. The two men in Motel. Pool are examples of that.
Jack wanted to be famous -- he probably taken a short path to do so, by sleeping with the director, hoping for getting a big part in a movie. But life didn't work the way he wanted ... and Jack ended up drowning in a motel pool, back in 1956. For me, Jack was relatable in a way of wanting to be 'someone'. Jack wanted to be remembered. I could definitely relate to Jack's fear. Tag also relatable for me -- because sometimes I also felt that I was emotionally displaced. Of course I didn't have the 'luck' that he was having, but Tag definitely felt close to my heart.
I loved the road trip. I loved how these two men connected (although the time seemed short but the relationship was built up in a very good pace). However, I wasn't really sure about the ending... (very spoilery plot under the tag)
It was beautiful story in overall -- and this would make a GREAT indie movie, don't you think?
PS: AND I SO LOVE THE COVER!!! Pretty, pretty cover. Like a vintage movie poster.
May 12, 2014
Roadtrip with a ghost. The story unfurls slowly like a morning glory opening to the sun. I found it to be pretty restrained throughout but ending up weeping close to the end. I admit I was a bit unsure of this one because it seemed like I was setting myself up for a sad read but it tugged on my heartstrings without tearing my heart from my chest.
One thing that I questioned.
One thing that I questioned.
July 12, 2018
What a delightful ghostly tale Kim Dare whipped up for us! And that cover! Gorgeous!
We start in California the 1950’s with a young, wannabe star Jack playing his role on the casting couch. Unfortunately, it’s not really getting him anywhere. Spoiler alert! He becomes a ghost. See, this is a ghost story,so someone has to kinda die.
Welcome to now and Route 66 with Tag getting pulled over by a cop and making him rest at the next exit. Unbeknownst to Tag, he picks up a spectral passenger by the name of Jack.
Tag isn’t doing so hot. He’s depressed and uninspired by life. Jack, aside from being dead, couldn’t be happier to be leaving the defunct motel he has haunted for the past 60 years.
These characters took their sweet time trusting each other. They also took their sweet time hooking up. Did I forget to mention that sweet Jack has the ability to physically manifest? Even when they did begin slowly divulging secrets, you knew they were holding back. And this, folks, is what kept me interested. No spilling their guts. This worked for me. The timeline was insta-loveish, but it didn’t feel that way reading it.
The thing that gnawed at me , however, was how they would ever have an HEA. Jack seemed to be here still due to unfinished business. Once that happens, poof! How can he be unpoofed from heaven or wherever?
I had a bit of trouble digesting the easy acceptance of Jack by his sister (note that 60 years have passed and that he spent those as a ghost). She has noooo problem with this, nary an eyelash batted. Ah well.
I highly recommend this book. It was sweet, a little angsty, sexy, and funny. AND Kim Dare left us with an HEA for the lovers (I swear I had NO idea how that was gonna work itself out)!
We start in California the 1950’s with a young, wannabe star Jack playing his role on the casting couch. Unfortunately, it’s not really getting him anywhere. Spoiler alert! He becomes a ghost. See, this is a ghost story,so someone has to kinda die.
Welcome to now and Route 66 with Tag getting pulled over by a cop and making him rest at the next exit. Unbeknownst to Tag, he picks up a spectral passenger by the name of Jack.
Tag isn’t doing so hot. He’s depressed and uninspired by life. Jack, aside from being dead, couldn’t be happier to be leaving the defunct motel he has haunted for the past 60 years.
These characters took their sweet time trusting each other. They also took their sweet time hooking up. Did I forget to mention that sweet Jack has the ability to physically manifest? Even when they did begin slowly divulging secrets, you knew they were holding back. And this, folks, is what kept me interested. No spilling their guts. This worked for me. The timeline was insta-loveish, but it didn’t feel that way reading it.
The thing that gnawed at me , however, was how they would ever have an HEA. Jack seemed to be here still due to unfinished business. Once that happens, poof! How can he be unpoofed from heaven or wherever?
I had a bit of trouble digesting the easy acceptance of Jack by his sister (note that 60 years have passed and that he spent those as a ghost). She has noooo problem with this, nary an eyelash batted. Ah well.
I highly recommend this book. It was sweet, a little angsty, sexy, and funny. AND Kim Dare left us with an HEA for the lovers (I swear I had NO idea how that was gonna work itself out)!
September 19, 2015
This was recommended to me ages ago - thanks CC - and has been sat on my kindle along with a billion other books I want to read. I'm glad I finally got to it though.
This was so not your average ghost story. It was clever and sad and funny. It but left me a tad melancholy despite that. It made me think. It made me want to know more about all these characters.
Hmm, it's taken me a while to catch on, but I'm definitely on the Kim Fielding fangirl train now!
This was so not your average ghost story. It was clever and sad and funny. It but left me a tad melancholy despite that. It made me think. It made me want to know more about all these characters.
Hmm, it's taken me a while to catch on, but I'm definitely on the Kim Fielding fangirl train now!
April 20, 2015
Review later!!
May 30, 2017
4.5 Stars
(Gawd, my feelz are taking one hell of a beating this week!)
Okay, so there are quite a few books that are set in Las Vegas and they do a great job of painting my town as fun, quirky, interesting, sexy, etc. - but most of the time the setting descriptions seem kind of airbrushed. They are how a visitor would see this city, not necessarily how a resident does.
This book? OMG it's got to be the most accurate representation of its seedy underbelly. The ugly parts we steer the tourists away from. The scary, not so brightly lit or fun areas. The frustration, the pain, the fear, the heart-break...the desperation. For that alone I love this book.
But the rest of it? Oh it's just as wonderful, and I adored KF's characterizations. These guys are NOT perfect...and she left so much room to grow & develop.
(Honestly, I would have even loved the book without that ending, if KF had quietly faded out the story with just that bit she wrote after Jack helps the little girl ghost. Would have been a painful ending, to an extent, but still poignant. I think that's why I didn't rate it a full 5-stars: the rest was a little too wish-fulfillment happy.)
(Gawd, my feelz are taking one hell of a beating this week!)
Okay, so there are quite a few books that are set in Las Vegas and they do a great job of painting my town as fun, quirky, interesting, sexy, etc. - but most of the time the setting descriptions seem kind of airbrushed. They are how a visitor would see this city, not necessarily how a resident does.
This book? OMG it's got to be the most accurate representation of its seedy underbelly. The ugly parts we steer the tourists away from. The scary, not so brightly lit or fun areas. The frustration, the pain, the fear, the heart-break...the desperation. For that alone I love this book.
But the rest of it? Oh it's just as wonderful, and I adored KF's characterizations. These guys are NOT perfect...and she left so much room to grow & develop.
(Honestly, I would have even loved the book without that ending, if KF had quietly faded out the story with just that bit she wrote after Jack helps the little girl ghost. Would have been a painful ending, to an extent, but still poignant. I think that's why I didn't rate it a full 5-stars: the rest was a little too wish-fulfillment happy.)
March 24, 2019
This was really good until the plot took a turn for the improbable. And for a ghost story, that's really saying something. When Jack and Tag meet there is the usual denial, confusion, assumption of crazy. But then Tag got used to Jack and eventually came to believe Jack really was a ghost. They travel to Vegas together and get a room at a lesser hotel. The clerk, or whoever he is, Buddy, becomes friends with the duo and he too learns the truth about Jack. But isn't surprised!!! Like, really? Buddy has seen ghosts in the past and has some kind of mojo thing, but still....
And then there is the end of the story when
For those reasons, I bumped this down to 3 stars. The writing is good so I will be reading this author again. I just wish this had gone down a different path that made more sense.
And then there is the end of the story when
For those reasons, I bumped this down to 3 stars. The writing is good so I will be reading this author again. I just wish this had gone down a different path that made more sense.
December 27, 2021
4.5
Can a ghost story also be a sweet and heartwarming romance, when one of the guys IS the ghost? 🤔
YES!
I love Fielding’s writing. Her books are always a sure bet for me, but somehow I always end up saving them for later like a chipmunk when something new and shiny catches my attention. 🙈 I’m not proud of that; in fact, one of my ‘resolutions’ for 2022 is to read more of her work.
I really enjoyed this one, and didn’t even mind that some things were a little too convenient. Jack was adorable, and he and Tag were so good together. I loved the ending — the seemingly hopeless circumstances made it all the sweeter! Also, Buddy and Rick. 😍 I’m not into bears, but I’d love to read their story.
Can a ghost story also be a sweet and heartwarming romance, when one of the guys IS the ghost? 🤔
YES!
I love Fielding’s writing. Her books are always a sure bet for me, but somehow I always end up saving them for later like a chipmunk when something new and shiny catches my attention. 🙈 I’m not proud of that; in fact, one of my ‘resolutions’ for 2022 is to read more of her work.
I really enjoyed this one, and didn’t even mind that some things were a little too convenient. Jack was adorable, and he and Tag were so good together. I loved the ending — the seemingly hopeless circumstances made it all the sweeter! Also, Buddy and Rick. 😍 I’m not into bears, but I’d love to read their story.
August 18, 2016
Paranormal stories occasionally frustrate me. I mean, throw me in an alternate universe, give me shape shifters, sci-fi, etc., and I’ll buy-in. For some reason though, ghosts are a whole other ball park. I guess it’s that I need them to be solid and, umm...able to perform tasks…and things. The whole ghost/human relationship? Pft. Not. For. Me.
What? Oh, look. It’s Kim Fielding with a ghost story. Forget everything I just wrote. I had to read this, no questions. :D
Jack’s the ghost, Tag a human (but a lost soul just the same). As MCs often do, Jack and Tag had some baggage in common, and so began their story. Motel. Pool. was an awesome road trip of a read, with stops on Route 66, in the Grand Canyon and in Las Vegas. True, crazy coincidence: I happened to be vacationing in the Grand Canyon while reading Motel. Pool., but even without my ambiance, it was fun to imagine myself at each of Jack and Tag’s stops.
Jack was interesting, for sure, and I loved his back story. He was all 1950s-innocent, but he had a big, fat secret (gay? in Hollywood?) and had aspirations to be a famous movie star. Jack came off as a guy who had a hard time accepting what had been handed to him. I wanted him to realize, especially in death, that things—life—can’t always be perfect and turn out the way you expect. If I’m being honest, Tag frustrated me, too. He was depressed. He got some crap cards when it came to love, family, life. I wanted—no, I needed—a glimmer of hope for him beyond what he saw in Jack.
I loved the suspenseful build, but for me, Motel. Pool. was about acceptance. Not so much in the “accept yourself because you’re gay” mindset, but “accept who you are, who others are, what they think of you,” etc.
My (minor) letdown was that usually you get a “nurturer” and a “provider” with Kim Fielding. You know—that whole weak/strong thing. Not so much here. Personally, I thought both Jack and Tag were a teensy bit too needy and lost in their issues, so when they finally came together it wasn't as big of a celebration as what I've come to expect.
Did this one measly ghost, Jack, make Tag snap out of his funk? If there’s one thing you can count on from Fielding, it’s that her MCs fight all the way to the end. Motel. Pool. earned all its points for follow-through.
What? Oh, look. It’s Kim Fielding with a ghost story. Forget everything I just wrote. I had to read this, no questions. :D
Jack’s the ghost, Tag a human (but a lost soul just the same). As MCs often do, Jack and Tag had some baggage in common, and so began their story. Motel. Pool. was an awesome road trip of a read, with stops on Route 66, in the Grand Canyon and in Las Vegas. True, crazy coincidence: I happened to be vacationing in the Grand Canyon while reading Motel. Pool., but even without my ambiance, it was fun to imagine myself at each of Jack and Tag’s stops.
Jack was interesting, for sure, and I loved his back story. He was all 1950s-innocent, but he had a big, fat secret (gay? in Hollywood?) and had aspirations to be a famous movie star. Jack came off as a guy who had a hard time accepting what had been handed to him. I wanted him to realize, especially in death, that things—life—can’t always be perfect and turn out the way you expect. If I’m being honest, Tag frustrated me, too. He was depressed. He got some crap cards when it came to love, family, life. I wanted—no, I needed—a glimmer of hope for him beyond what he saw in Jack.
I loved the suspenseful build, but for me, Motel. Pool. was about acceptance. Not so much in the “accept yourself because you’re gay” mindset, but “accept who you are, who others are, what they think of you,” etc.
My (minor) letdown was that usually you get a “nurturer” and a “provider” with Kim Fielding. You know—that whole weak/strong thing. Not so much here. Personally, I thought both Jack and Tag were a teensy bit too needy and lost in their issues, so when they finally came together it wasn't as big of a celebration as what I've come to expect.
Did this one measly ghost, Jack, make Tag snap out of his funk? If there’s one thing you can count on from Fielding, it’s that her MCs fight all the way to the end. Motel. Pool. earned all its points for follow-through.
March 9, 2015
My first ever ghost romance! And it wasn't creepy at all.
Which is a good thing, because the only ghost I've ever liked is Casper.
Possible spoilers below!
Nearly sixty years ago, aspiring actor Jack Dayton drowned in a motel. In the present time, after breaking up with his boyfriend and quitting his job, Tag Manning is on his way to Las Vegas when he happens to take a rest at the site of the former motel. When he gets back on the road in the morning, he has an unexpected travel buddy in the form of Jack Dayton's ghost.
I'm glad that Kim Fielding devoted the first fifth of the book to telling us Jack's story. The hopes and dreams, and the naiveté, were portrayed excellently. And so was the realization of those dreams being crushed. It was sad and heartbreaking, but so very real.
Despite my expectations, this book isn't all that angst-filled. There's definitely a lot of emotions, particularly in the beginning and near the end, but it's not as bad as I'd expected. Which is okay, because the love story in between was satisfying and entertaining.
I didn't understand the luck thing, or the "trading luck" part. It just seemed like a very contrived and not at all relevant aspect. And who in their right mind would purposely, and repeatedly, spit on their good luck? Also, I could have done without that last chapter. It took the story a bit too over the top.
The romances I enjoy the most are the ones where two broken men find in each other that thing that makes them whole. Kim Fielding does a great job of delivering that kind of romance in her books, including here. Tag and Jack are soulmates in the most literal interpretation of the term. Even if it's not going to become my favourite kind of story, that type of love works here and it works well, which made for a quick and enjoyable read.
Which is a good thing, because the only ghost I've ever liked is Casper.
Possible spoilers below!
Nearly sixty years ago, aspiring actor Jack Dayton drowned in a motel. In the present time, after breaking up with his boyfriend and quitting his job, Tag Manning is on his way to Las Vegas when he happens to take a rest at the site of the former motel. When he gets back on the road in the morning, he has an unexpected travel buddy in the form of Jack Dayton's ghost.
I'm glad that Kim Fielding devoted the first fifth of the book to telling us Jack's story. The hopes and dreams, and the naiveté, were portrayed excellently. And so was the realization of those dreams being crushed. It was sad and heartbreaking, but so very real.
Despite my expectations, this book isn't all that angst-filled. There's definitely a lot of emotions, particularly in the beginning and near the end, but it's not as bad as I'd expected. Which is okay, because the love story in between was satisfying and entertaining.
I didn't understand the luck thing, or the "trading luck" part. It just seemed like a very contrived and not at all relevant aspect. And who in their right mind would purposely, and repeatedly, spit on their good luck? Also, I could have done without that last chapter. It took the story a bit too over the top.
The romances I enjoy the most are the ones where two broken men find in each other that thing that makes them whole. Kim Fielding does a great job of delivering that kind of romance in her books, including here. Tag and Jack are soulmates in the most literal interpretation of the term. Even if it's not going to become my favourite kind of story, that type of love works here and it works well, which made for a quick and enjoyable read.
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