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Bills
With marlins, money, danger, and love on the line, prepare to be hooked!
Bills invites readers on a thrilling adventure where the breathtaking beauty of the sea meets the high-stakes excitement of competitive billfishing.
This gripping coming-of-age story follows Jason Baymont, a young fisherman from Destin, Florida, as he charts his own path through the unpredictable waters of life. Though he is drawn to the adrenaline-fueled excitement and glamour of catching the world’s most powerful game fish—the mighty blue marlin—he must first confront his fear of disappointing his father, who expects him to take over the family’s commercial fishing business. Choosing to pursue his passion, Jason takes on the dangerous role of a wireman, where a single misstep could send him overboard, dragged into the depths by a massive marlin. Meanwhile, his growing attraction to the boat owner’s daughter complicates matters as he contends with a wealthy rival vying for her affection.
Bills invites readers on a thrilling adventure where the breathtaking beauty of the sea meets the high-stakes excitement of competitive billfishing.
This gripping coming-of-age story follows Jason Baymont, a young fisherman from Destin, Florida, as he charts his own path through the unpredictable waters of life. Though he is drawn to the adrenaline-fueled excitement and glamour of catching the world’s most powerful game fish—the mighty blue marlin—he must first confront his fear of disappointing his father, who expects him to take over the family’s commercial fishing business. Choosing to pursue his passion, Jason takes on the dangerous role of a wireman, where a single misstep could send him overboard, dragged into the depths by a massive marlin. Meanwhile, his growing attraction to the boat owner’s daughter complicates matters as he contends with a wealthy rival vying for her affection.
341 pages, Hardcover
Published August 28, 2025
9 people are currently reading
5317 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 20, 2025
This was a fun read, with humor, romance, action and suspense. It reads like a feel-good movie, heavier on the adventure and action and with a deep appreciation for nature and the technical skill that is sport fishing. It's a heart warming story that is wholesome and centers a main character who strives to live by his values. You will finish it quickly because the pace is well done and the characters are really accessible, especially if you've lived in the south. Readers who live on the gulf coast will especially delight in the familiar experiences, culture and places.
October 29, 2025
I honestly expected to hate this book, but I ended up really enjoying it!! There’s family, romance, heartbreak, and of course, fishing! I did learn a lot about fishing from this book, but it was a really good story.
September 11, 2025
Author leaves little to the imagination and dampens the storytelling with unsolicited and patronizing over-explanations throughout the novel. I lost count of how many know many times I read the phrase “known as” or “referred to as”. If a reader wants to submerse themselves into the world an author attempts to create, they can seek out this very basic information. Really disrupted the flow and seal this story tries to portray.
The dialogue between characters improved through the book but did not seem to capture the southern, coastal charm it was going for in this book. Dialogue feels formally and forcefully written at times. The first 100 pages did not strike me as dialogue that would be shared between career fisherman in the Deep South named Soda and Cricket. Builds into something more natural as camaraderie on the team builds.
An exciting story with a predictable, feel-good plot. Enjoyable, easy read if you can get past the novelism.
The dialogue between characters improved through the book but did not seem to capture the southern, coastal charm it was going for in this book. Dialogue feels formally and forcefully written at times. The first 100 pages did not strike me as dialogue that would be shared between career fisherman in the Deep South named Soda and Cricket. Builds into something more natural as camaraderie on the team builds.
An exciting story with a predictable, feel-good plot. Enjoyable, easy read if you can get past the novelism.
September 10, 2025
I just finished reading Bill’s by John Yelverton, and what a ride! This fiction book truly has something for everyone. It’s not just about fishing, it weaves in a touch of romance, a tough competitor, and even a raging storm. Set right here in the panhandle, Yelverton‘s writing style made me feel like I was right there on the boat with them.
I actually started reading it and the doctors office and was annoyed when I had to stop. As soon as I got home, I picked it back up and couldn’t put it down. The intense scenes had my blood pressure rising right along with the characters’!
This is a must read for anyone looking for an engaging, well told story that hooks you from the first page.
I actually started reading it and the doctors office and was annoyed when I had to stop. As soon as I got home, I picked it back up and couldn’t put it down. The intense scenes had my blood pressure rising right along with the characters’!
This is a must read for anyone looking for an engaging, well told story that hooks you from the first page.
January 6, 2026
Good book
November 20, 2025
I won Bills: A Fishing Adventure with Marlins, Money, and Love on the Line in a goodreads giveaway, thank you to goodreads.com. Unfortunately that is where my appreciation ends.
As a Floridian fisherman myself, I was looking forward to reading a story about catching Marlins. I usually target barracuda and snapper. However, this book is not an original story, nor is it written by a human hand. It was very obviously made by AI generation.
The sanitized and one-dimensional cast of adult characters, who spoke and acted like they belonged in a g-rated children's movie, were like faceless clones without personality beyond character archetypes such as "Trust fund kid" and "Dude bruh". The bewildering fishing homework lessons throughout I can only imagine were used to fluff up the word count, because there is nothing else of substance here. Spewing facts just for the sake of it is a telltale sign of AI. Where are the literary devices? The Old Man and The Sea is referenced a few times; do you know that book is often criticized for being TOO symbolic? What are we symbolizing in Bills? Nothing. When the flying fish started dying on the deck I though wow, are we actually doing something here? Are we alluding to something? Foreshadowing? No. It just happens, and we move on, and we smile in various ways.
I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt in the beginning. I was like let me not jump to conclusions before giving them a chance. I shouldn't've. I was in the middle of typing a fair and honest review with some friendly tips on pacing and foreshadowing. But I realized it was all for nothing and I was wasting my time, because the author is a soulless machine.
Go ahead, read the first chapter, I dare you. I double dog dare you to read the whole thing like I did, all ten chapters, and tell me it's not AI. Tell me a real human wrote out all those descriptions of smiles. You know who's not smiling? Me.
As a Floridian fisherman myself, I was looking forward to reading a story about catching Marlins. I usually target barracuda and snapper. However, this book is not an original story, nor is it written by a human hand. It was very obviously made by AI generation.
The sanitized and one-dimensional cast of adult characters, who spoke and acted like they belonged in a g-rated children's movie, were like faceless clones without personality beyond character archetypes such as "Trust fund kid" and "Dude bruh". The bewildering fishing homework lessons throughout I can only imagine were used to fluff up the word count, because there is nothing else of substance here. Spewing facts just for the sake of it is a telltale sign of AI. Where are the literary devices? The Old Man and The Sea is referenced a few times; do you know that book is often criticized for being TOO symbolic? What are we symbolizing in Bills? Nothing. When the flying fish started dying on the deck I though wow, are we actually doing something here? Are we alluding to something? Foreshadowing? No. It just happens, and we move on, and we smile in various ways.
I was willing to give the author the benefit of the doubt in the beginning. I was like let me not jump to conclusions before giving them a chance. I shouldn't've. I was in the middle of typing a fair and honest review with some friendly tips on pacing and foreshadowing. But I realized it was all for nothing and I was wasting my time, because the author is a soulless machine.
Go ahead, read the first chapter, I dare you. I double dog dare you to read the whole thing like I did, all ten chapters, and tell me it's not AI. Tell me a real human wrote out all those descriptions of smiles. You know who's not smiling? Me.
November 20, 2025
Excellent read
Bills is a captivating blend of big-game fishing and unexpected romance. The author’s vivid descriptions make you feel like you’re right there in the boat, chasing massive marlin under the sun-soaked skies of Destin, FL. It’s an easy, immersive read that leaves you smelling the salt air and craving just one more chapter.
Bills is a captivating blend of big-game fishing and unexpected romance. The author’s vivid descriptions make you feel like you’re right there in the boat, chasing massive marlin under the sun-soaked skies of Destin, FL. It’s an easy, immersive read that leaves you smelling the salt air and craving just one more chapter.
December 28, 2025
Cute story. This a another giveaway from Goodreads and it didn't disappoint. Great description without bring overly detailed. Budding romance with zero vulgarity. This story follows a young man through the growth that happens when we grow up. Lessons are taught, lessons are learned lessons are applied, and we get to go along for the ride.
This book was signed by the author. The personal touch was nice. But my name was misspelled.
UPDATE: Today, I received a personal note from the author apologizing for the misspelled name and an updated version of the novel. I never expected that. I just wanted to let the author know. Class act sir. Thank you very much. I look forward to reading the updated story.
This book was signed by the author. The personal touch was nice. But my name was misspelled.
UPDATE: Today, I received a personal note from the author apologizing for the misspelled name and an updated version of the novel. I never expected that. I just wanted to let the author know. Class act sir. Thank you very much. I look forward to reading the updated story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews