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Her Name is James
When James Farrow's father decided he wouldn't have his 15 year old son under his roof any more, the boy was taken into care. Now James is 18 and is no longer the responsibility of Social Services. He returns home to an uncertain reception.
His volatile father has mellowed over time but his son seems intent to challenge his restraint. In the three years apart, James has taken the first steps toward the future he wants. He wants to make the transition to being the girl he wishes he had been born as.
With a defiant brother and a vicious former friend opposing him, James resumes a relationship with Tina, his friend since they were small and she is the only support he feels he can rely on.
When Tina declares her love for James, he is thrown into greater confusion and realises he has feelings for her.
His volatile father has mellowed over time but his son seems intent to challenge his restraint. In the three years apart, James has taken the first steps toward the future he wants. He wants to make the transition to being the girl he wishes he had been born as.
With a defiant brother and a vicious former friend opposing him, James resumes a relationship with Tina, his friend since they were small and she is the only support he feels he can rely on.
When Tina declares her love for James, he is thrown into greater confusion and realises he has feelings for her.
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2014
4 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Heath
6 books23 followersLiving in England on the Hampshire / Surrey border, CJ is a married father of three grown sons and has written for pleasure for more decades than he cares to admit. Growing up on an old fashioned country estate, he would often be found among the trees of a nearby wood with a book for company.
After receiving a generous payment to leave the Ministry of Defence in one of the rounds of Government budget economies, he turned his attention to writing with an aim to publish. His first work ‘Her Name is James’ has finally been published after a long delay and Dark Angel is the second complete work but the first to be published. Dark Angel is the first of three stories and though he wants to return to what he terms as “Rip ya heart out” stories that are character driven, he is firmly focused on completing his current trilogy first.
CJ is acquiring a following for erotic poetry but his first passion is as a storyteller. News of his current and future works can be found at his website
After receiving a generous payment to leave the Ministry of Defence in one of the rounds of Government budget economies, he turned his attention to writing with an aim to publish. His first work ‘Her Name is James’ has finally been published after a long delay and Dark Angel is the second complete work but the first to be published. Dark Angel is the first of three stories and though he wants to return to what he terms as “Rip ya heart out” stories that are character driven, he is firmly focused on completing his current trilogy first.
CJ is acquiring a following for erotic poetry but his first passion is as a storyteller. News of his current and future works can be found at his website
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 15, 2014
Klaire Sutherland of Two ordinary girls and their books
Her Name Is James - C J Heath - 5/5 - Klaire Sutherland
Now and again a book comes along that just leaves a profound impression on you, for me this is that book. Now I read a lot and perhaps 4 or 5 books this year have had me totally enthralled and at a loss for words, yes, the book hangover, and this one has been added to that list!
I went to bed thinking about this, I woke up thinking about this! I've never read anything on this topic before although I am familiar with it, and C J heath had sucked me in totally at about 8%. I seldom cry but had the tissues out at this point! I thought I would be getting a piece of silly, self indulgent literature when in fact I got a cleverly written emotional rollercoaster to rival many!
So what's it about? James, it's in the title really, and I'm not one for spoilers so I will have to word this carefully. James is struggling to break from the confines of who he is to become who he really wants. You are plunged into many different dynamics and scenarios, both good and bad, as he tries to navigate his way through life and come out the other end a happy person with the acceptance of those that matter the most to him.
There are so many poignant moments that sometimes you just want to crawl right into the pages and somehow be there for him. The main crux I guess would be the family, he has very different relationships with his Mum, Dad and Brother and it's heart breaking to watch the fallout and the make ups of these relationships. There's a father and son struggling to understand each other but for me their relationship offered some of the most awkwardly beautiful moments of the book, yes, tissue moments!
James himself struggles with the words he needs to explain himself at times. There is a love story in here too, and it is a love born of total acceptance, it's quite something to watch it blossom. James finds it hard to put him and Tina together but she also feeds him the fuel he needs to be stronger.
Then there's the brother, and the loss he feels when he realises that his James is not the brother he thought he was. He doesn't know how to feel, or even why he feels how he does but it is a destructive force that culminates in a tragic way. You feel everyones emotions and struggles throughout the whole process and that
is something hard to get right. There is some violence and love making in this but they are not over the top and not the main focus of the book which pleased me greatly.
This book makes you ask questions of yourself, and yes most likely uncomfortable ones. Whilst this won't be everyone's cup of tea it was certainly mine and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book. There was no skipping pages and no detached reading from me. It's not as hard a read as you would think considering the subject, this one will leave it's mark on me for sure. Highly recommended and a huge 5/5 for me
Her Name Is James - C J Heath - 5/5 - Klaire Sutherland
Now and again a book comes along that just leaves a profound impression on you, for me this is that book. Now I read a lot and perhaps 4 or 5 books this year have had me totally enthralled and at a loss for words, yes, the book hangover, and this one has been added to that list!
I went to bed thinking about this, I woke up thinking about this! I've never read anything on this topic before although I am familiar with it, and C J heath had sucked me in totally at about 8%. I seldom cry but had the tissues out at this point! I thought I would be getting a piece of silly, self indulgent literature when in fact I got a cleverly written emotional rollercoaster to rival many!
So what's it about? James, it's in the title really, and I'm not one for spoilers so I will have to word this carefully. James is struggling to break from the confines of who he is to become who he really wants. You are plunged into many different dynamics and scenarios, both good and bad, as he tries to navigate his way through life and come out the other end a happy person with the acceptance of those that matter the most to him.
There are so many poignant moments that sometimes you just want to crawl right into the pages and somehow be there for him. The main crux I guess would be the family, he has very different relationships with his Mum, Dad and Brother and it's heart breaking to watch the fallout and the make ups of these relationships. There's a father and son struggling to understand each other but for me their relationship offered some of the most awkwardly beautiful moments of the book, yes, tissue moments!
James himself struggles with the words he needs to explain himself at times. There is a love story in here too, and it is a love born of total acceptance, it's quite something to watch it blossom. James finds it hard to put him and Tina together but she also feeds him the fuel he needs to be stronger.
Then there's the brother, and the loss he feels when he realises that his James is not the brother he thought he was. He doesn't know how to feel, or even why he feels how he does but it is a destructive force that culminates in a tragic way. You feel everyones emotions and struggles throughout the whole process and that
is something hard to get right. There is some violence and love making in this but they are not over the top and not the main focus of the book which pleased me greatly.
This book makes you ask questions of yourself, and yes most likely uncomfortable ones. Whilst this won't be everyone's cup of tea it was certainly mine and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book. There was no skipping pages and no detached reading from me. It's not as hard a read as you would think considering the subject, this one will leave it's mark on me for sure. Highly recommended and a huge 5/5 for me
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November 11, 2021Honestly I really wanted to love this book. I love the main chatacter but the way the author handled situations in this book is awful.
I don't want to post "spoilers" but how James is treated is appalling as no one seems to think it is wrong in the book? I am not transgender so I cannot say things from personal experience etc but honestly how some things were written was awful. There are things that happen to James in the book that then get twisted and not spoken about. Everyone twists the situation into something it is not and tries to blame James for things she is NOT responsible for and should NOT feel guilty about. Don't even get me started on her whole family situation and how that was handled.
How author wrote some things into this book honestly made me go from a 4/5 to a 1/5 for me. I'm really disappointed.
TW: Abuse, Transphobia, Homophobia, Rape.
I don't want to post "spoilers" but how James is treated is appalling as no one seems to think it is wrong in the book? I am not transgender so I cannot say things from personal experience etc but honestly how some things were written was awful. There are things that happen to James in the book that then get twisted and not spoken about. Everyone twists the situation into something it is not and tries to blame James for things she is NOT responsible for and should NOT feel guilty about. Don't even get me started on her whole family situation and how that was handled.
How author wrote some things into this book honestly made me go from a 4/5 to a 1/5 for me. I'm really disappointed.
TW: Abuse, Transphobia, Homophobia, Rape.
January 21, 2015
Usually, trans books fall into two categories, advice or erotica. This one is different though. It explores relationships with family, which I'm sure many will be able to relate to. I think the book would help non-trans people without jeopardising a real life relationship. It’s not too heavy going as well which is a real boon !
January 19, 2015
This is the first book I have read by this author and I was delighted to find a beautifully written tale of love and acceptance. I would recommend this heartwarming tale to anyone who doesn't mind a good cry and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...
July 21, 2015
Unusual subject, unusual read, and it's beyond worth it, it's a real romance novel, so give it a try and keep your mind open please. It was a wonderful read and the first for me in that genre! Try!!
for adults and possibly 17-18 years old kids quite grown up in their minds.
for adults and possibly 17-18 years old kids quite grown up in their minds.
October 27, 2015
Review coming!
October 15, 2014
Previously reviewed for book blog.
Make this one of your reads for 2014, it's one of those books that leaves it's mark for a long time :) Exceptional!!
Make this one of your reads for 2014, it's one of those books that leaves it's mark for a long time :) Exceptional!!
November 19, 2021
This book had so much potential, and had it taken a different route it could've been a 5/5 for me, but the abuse and unrealistic reaction to the abuse is a no for me.
If after being half beaten to death the reaction is along the lines of no prob and all is well I find it weird. I get the angle of forgiveness but that has to come after redemption, Tom shows no redemption, he has been awful from start till the epilogue. Even him ending up with Jess somehow manages to piss me off as any amount of happiness seems wasted on him.
Btw get raped and blackmailed and then no further action is also totally fine.
Back to the review the writing was really good besides these plotpoints that butchered it for me. The characters are not really likeable, the entire story is based upon the family being awful. The mother is either evil or weak, why did she not take her kid and leave her husband? Why didn't the father get jail time? How come 2/3 of her family beats her up?
Okay it was still an enjoyable read and I really wanted to like it but I have kinda come to hate the story for these reasons.
Oh the constant misgendering by literally everyone on purpose is also kinda not really that nice and polite.
If after being half beaten to death the reaction is along the lines of no prob and all is well I find it weird. I get the angle of forgiveness but that has to come after redemption, Tom shows no redemption, he has been awful from start till the epilogue. Even him ending up with Jess somehow manages to piss me off as any amount of happiness seems wasted on him.
Btw get raped and blackmailed and then no further action is also totally fine.
Back to the review the writing was really good besides these plotpoints that butchered it for me. The characters are not really likeable, the entire story is based upon the family being awful. The mother is either evil or weak, why did she not take her kid and leave her husband? Why didn't the father get jail time? How come 2/3 of her family beats her up?
Okay it was still an enjoyable read and I really wanted to like it but I have kinda come to hate the story for these reasons.
Oh the constant misgendering by literally everyone on purpose is also kinda not really that nice and polite.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2015
This was a really good book and makes the mind wonder but it just missed important issues as well as was really vague in certain areas...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews