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Coming out and family-not supposed to be a lethal combination.
Roger Cook and Steve Koemer have been dating. Their world is turned upside down when Steve's father and mother find out he's gay and throw him out of the house. Then the ugliness and fear begin to build. Steve's father is murdered. The Church he was pastor of was in financial trouble, but the man was also involved in a plot against the two boys. A plot which was designed to destroy their relationship and which continues even after his death. The boys must race to find out who the killer is and who is plotting against them. When the whole world seems against them, they have the hope of their love to sustain them.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 11, 2019
This one was a little more preachy that the first one. Some of the details about what was going on at the church financially made me have to work to keep my eyes from rolling up in my head out of boredom. It was a good book, just not as good as the first one. It was enjoyable for the most part.
April 13, 2015
4.5 heart review by Dan
An excellent sequel to Safe. Mark has done a great job giving us the story of what happens next to Roger and Steve. Of course our other favorite characters, Jack, Darlene and Bill Singleton are back, plus some new characters as well. I really liked the two over the top gay boys, Marty and Bryce…I’ve got some friends who could easily have been the models for these two. Sometimes over the top isn’t a bad thing!
Poor Steve. His parents are those ultra conservative evangelicals you all see on the news. You know the type, hate everyone who isn’t an evangelical, gays are going to hell type people. The ones where the pastor usually has a private jet, an over the top mansion and tons of money. Or if they don’t they come out with the “God will call me home if y’all don’t send in at least a dollar by next Thursday” comments. Imagine growing up gay in that sort of family!
Steve walks in one night, after a date with Roger, to find his parents ranting in the living room. Harold from next door has given them photos of Roger and Steve kissing in a car. When Steve says he is love with Roger, he is told to leave and never return. His parents didn’t know he was gay until this point.
So Steve calls Roger and long story short, after talking to Roger’s parents Steve goes to their house to stay. Luckily that happened, because in the small hours of that same night, Steve’s father is killed and hung on the cross in his own church!
That sets off another great mystery, the resolution of which we don’t find out until the very end of the book. Mr. Zubro is great at stringing us along with a mystery, and giving us false leads which lead us to suspect others along the way. I kind of had my suspicions this time and I was correct, but I could easily have been wrong.
Along the way we find out the rotten core of the church and the infighting between different groups within it. It doesn’t come down to who had a motive to kill Steve’s father, it comes down to who had the biggest motive! Can Steve and Roger stay ahead of the people who are trying to get them? What is up with the creepy police detectives? And why does Harold seem to hate them so much? Why does Steve’s Mom want him back all of a sudden? All these little sub-plots kept me reading and I couldn’t put it down until I finished!
I really liked this two book YA series. I’m not sure if we’ll get more about Roger and Steve and their host of friends in these books, but I know that I would still like to see what happens next!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
An excellent sequel to Safe. Mark has done a great job giving us the story of what happens next to Roger and Steve. Of course our other favorite characters, Jack, Darlene and Bill Singleton are back, plus some new characters as well. I really liked the two over the top gay boys, Marty and Bryce…I’ve got some friends who could easily have been the models for these two. Sometimes over the top isn’t a bad thing!
Poor Steve. His parents are those ultra conservative evangelicals you all see on the news. You know the type, hate everyone who isn’t an evangelical, gays are going to hell type people. The ones where the pastor usually has a private jet, an over the top mansion and tons of money. Or if they don’t they come out with the “God will call me home if y’all don’t send in at least a dollar by next Thursday” comments. Imagine growing up gay in that sort of family!
Steve walks in one night, after a date with Roger, to find his parents ranting in the living room. Harold from next door has given them photos of Roger and Steve kissing in a car. When Steve says he is love with Roger, he is told to leave and never return. His parents didn’t know he was gay until this point.
So Steve calls Roger and long story short, after talking to Roger’s parents Steve goes to their house to stay. Luckily that happened, because in the small hours of that same night, Steve’s father is killed and hung on the cross in his own church!
That sets off another great mystery, the resolution of which we don’t find out until the very end of the book. Mr. Zubro is great at stringing us along with a mystery, and giving us false leads which lead us to suspect others along the way. I kind of had my suspicions this time and I was correct, but I could easily have been wrong.
Along the way we find out the rotten core of the church and the infighting between different groups within it. It doesn’t come down to who had a motive to kill Steve’s father, it comes down to who had the biggest motive! Can Steve and Roger stay ahead of the people who are trying to get them? What is up with the creepy police detectives? And why does Harold seem to hate them so much? Why does Steve’s Mom want him back all of a sudden? All these little sub-plots kept me reading and I couldn’t put it down until I finished!
I really liked this two book YA series. I’m not sure if we’ll get more about Roger and Steve and their host of friends in these books, but I know that I would still like to see what happens next!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
May 10, 2016
This was a hit and miss kind of book for me – and the trouble is, the hits were amazing, but the misses were biggies as well. I think if I had fully immersed into the fantasy I would have rated this much higher, but the issues I had with ‘Hope’ were too hard to ignore.
Mark Zubro really knows how to write mystery and conspiracy, and paces his reveals expertly. The way he has plotted out the story in ‘Hope’ is true genius. Yes it was mostly predictable, but this is a romance series, so any wild plot twists just wouldn’t have worked in this genre.
Characters are fully realised and feel real, with personalities that reflect both motivation and hidden desires. I really enjoyed continuing on the story of our protagonist Roger and his love interest Steve.
The religious element introduced in ‘Hope’ has been overdone, but Zubro managed to give it a fresh spin. Thankfully, because I wouldn’t have gotten past the first few chapters otherwise.
Things that dragged my rating down included the same issues I had with the debut in this series (‘Safe’): the fact that the narration and situation our high school couple found themselves in was farfetched and a little mature for the setting. I stand by my opinion that this would have been better suited to a University campus with older characters.
Also the adults involved in the plot around Roger kept bringing him in the loop and launching into great exposition. That just felt like a convenient storytelling tool. A little lazy. And frankly unrealistic to have such seasoned professionals dragging this youngster around explaining every thought and motive. I’d have liked to have seen Roger get his information more like he did in ‘Safe’ – Veronica Mars style.
I think the narrative and pacing suffered a little because of these long expository conversations as well. Though ‘Hope’ is a quick and easy read, I felt like it needed another run past an editor. A lot of the dialogue from different characters used the same phrases.
There were some sexy moments I thought a bit risqué, but not offensive. I really liked how Zubro built up Roger and Steve’s relationship based on trust and love. Though the physical side of things did feel a little rushed. But it could also be realistic of how some teen guys to rush into the tactile side of relationships as well, I guess it comes down to the readers personal taste.
I really enjoyed ‘Hope,’ ignoring issues I had with the characters being out of context with the setting, it is an intelligent read that offers many layers to grab your interest. Certainly an engaging GLBT read.
Mark Zubro really knows how to write mystery and conspiracy, and paces his reveals expertly. The way he has plotted out the story in ‘Hope’ is true genius. Yes it was mostly predictable, but this is a romance series, so any wild plot twists just wouldn’t have worked in this genre.
Characters are fully realised and feel real, with personalities that reflect both motivation and hidden desires. I really enjoyed continuing on the story of our protagonist Roger and his love interest Steve.
The religious element introduced in ‘Hope’ has been overdone, but Zubro managed to give it a fresh spin. Thankfully, because I wouldn’t have gotten past the first few chapters otherwise.
Things that dragged my rating down included the same issues I had with the debut in this series (‘Safe’): the fact that the narration and situation our high school couple found themselves in was farfetched and a little mature for the setting. I stand by my opinion that this would have been better suited to a University campus with older characters.
Also the adults involved in the plot around Roger kept bringing him in the loop and launching into great exposition. That just felt like a convenient storytelling tool. A little lazy. And frankly unrealistic to have such seasoned professionals dragging this youngster around explaining every thought and motive. I’d have liked to have seen Roger get his information more like he did in ‘Safe’ – Veronica Mars style.
I think the narrative and pacing suffered a little because of these long expository conversations as well. Though ‘Hope’ is a quick and easy read, I felt like it needed another run past an editor. A lot of the dialogue from different characters used the same phrases.
There were some sexy moments I thought a bit risqué, but not offensive. I really liked how Zubro built up Roger and Steve’s relationship based on trust and love. Though the physical side of things did feel a little rushed. But it could also be realistic of how some teen guys to rush into the tactile side of relationships as well, I guess it comes down to the readers personal taste.
I really enjoyed ‘Hope,’ ignoring issues I had with the characters being out of context with the setting, it is an intelligent read that offers many layers to grab your interest. Certainly an engaging GLBT read.
August 20, 2016
Steve and Roger are dating, but Steve's parents are ultra conservative Christians. Steve has a huge argument with his father, who slaps him and tells him to leave. Steve goes to Roger's family. Soon after, detectives arrive to tell him that his father's been murdered. Steve's the prime suspect.
So, this is not only a romance, but a mystery. The dialogue is strong, and the main characters well developed. I guess my biggest issue is the extremism of Steve's parents. I know that it happens, but the intensity of the hatred for homosexuals is off the charts. And while it's not unheard of for people to justify heinous acts with religion, it bothered me.
While Steve has a home with Roger's family for a while, I don't see that as being a permanent solution for him.
So, this is not only a romance, but a mystery. The dialogue is strong, and the main characters well developed. I guess my biggest issue is the extremism of Steve's parents. I know that it happens, but the intensity of the hatred for homosexuals is off the charts. And while it's not unheard of for people to justify heinous acts with religion, it bothered me.
While Steve has a home with Roger's family for a while, I don't see that as being a permanent solution for him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2015
Off-the-Wall But Hits the Mark
Bookish Steve and jock Roger have continued their adolescent romance but suddenly Steve's evangelical parents find out and throw him out of the house. Then Steve's wacked-out father is murdered and the plot goes haywire.
It takes a pro like Mark Zubro to get us to believe what is happening, keep us interested and pulling for Steve and Roger, and eventually bring us to a satisfying, if slightly off-the-wall, conclusion. Sweet romance and vicious power-seekers makes you wonder if he made it all up. Then you watch or listen to or read news events and you realize this is not so off-the-wall after all. This is a worthy follow-up to SAFE.
Bookish Steve and jock Roger have continued their adolescent romance but suddenly Steve's evangelical parents find out and throw him out of the house. Then Steve's wacked-out father is murdered and the plot goes haywire.
It takes a pro like Mark Zubro to get us to believe what is happening, keep us interested and pulling for Steve and Roger, and eventually bring us to a satisfying, if slightly off-the-wall, conclusion. Sweet romance and vicious power-seekers makes you wonder if he made it all up. Then you watch or listen to or read news events and you realize this is not so off-the-wall after all. This is a worthy follow-up to SAFE.
Read
July 31, 2015A great read
This book is in a superb class, all by itself, including both mature and young reader type categories! Unique, with milti-level characters and a reviting plot! But it is the writing style that truly sets the book apart. Quite humerous at points and touching to the point of tears in others, it is always compelling. I suggest ordering this book and enjoying it...
This book is in a superb class, all by itself, including both mature and young reader type categories! Unique, with milti-level characters and a reviting plot! But it is the writing style that truly sets the book apart. Quite humerous at points and touching to the point of tears in others, it is always compelling. I suggest ordering this book and enjoying it...
Want to read
April 24, 2015This was an awesome book and a story of how families are today. I would recommend this book to my friends.
June 30, 2015
Enjoyed the series. This book is more of a mystery crime solver than a glbt romance, which is what I was looking for when I started the series.
March 28, 2016
2.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews