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Signs
After spending most of his life in special schools, Caleb Stone now faces public high school in his senior year, a prospect that both excites him and threatens to overwhelm his social anxiety. As a deaf teenager, he’s closed himself off to the world. He speaks a shorthand with his parents and even finds it hard to use American Sign Language with people in his local deaf community. But Caleb finds comfort in his love of photography. Everything he can’t express in real life, he posts on his Tumblr.
Struggling to reconcile his resentment for his father's cruelty with the grief of losing a parent, Luc Le Bautillier scrolls through Tumblr searching for someone who might understand his goth look and effeminate nature. When Luc reblogs a photo by Caleb, sparking a conversation, they both find it easier to make friends online than in person.
Luc and Caleb confront their fears about the opinions of the outside world to meet in New York City. Despite Caleb’s increasing confidence, his parents worry he’s not ready for the trials ahead. But communication comes in many forms—when you learn the signs.
Struggling to reconcile his resentment for his father's cruelty with the grief of losing a parent, Luc Le Bautillier scrolls through Tumblr searching for someone who might understand his goth look and effeminate nature. When Luc reblogs a photo by Caleb, sparking a conversation, they both find it easier to make friends online than in person.
Luc and Caleb confront their fears about the opinions of the outside world to meet in New York City. Despite Caleb’s increasing confidence, his parents worry he’s not ready for the trials ahead. But communication comes in many forms—when you learn the signs.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2015
42 people are currently reading
1548 people want to read
About the author
Anna Martin
48 books478 followersAnna Martin is from a picturesque seaside village in the south west of England. After spending most of her childhood making up stories, she studied English Literature at university before attempting to turn her hand as a professional writer.
Apart from being physically dependent on her laptop, she is enthusiastic about writing and producing local grassroots theatre (especially at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she can be found every summer), travelling, learning to play the ukulele, and Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.
Although her most recent work is in the LGBT romance genre, in the past Anna has worked on a variety of different projects including short stories, drabbles, flash fiction, fan fiction, plays for both children and adults, and poetry. She has written novels in the Teen or Young Adult genre, Romance and Fantasy novels.
Anna is, by her own admission, almost unhealthily obsessed with books. The library she has amassed is both large and diverse; "My favourite books," she says, "are 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee and 'Oryx and Crake' by Margaret Atwood." She also owns multiple copies of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park books and re-reads the Harry Potter novels with almost startling regularity.
Anna claims her entire career is due to the love, support, pre-reading and creative ass-kicking provided by her closest friend Jennifer. Jennifer refuses to accept any responsibility for anything Anna has written.
Apart from being physically dependent on her laptop, she is enthusiastic about writing and producing local grassroots theatre (especially at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she can be found every summer), travelling, learning to play the ukulele, and Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk.
Although her most recent work is in the LGBT romance genre, in the past Anna has worked on a variety of different projects including short stories, drabbles, flash fiction, fan fiction, plays for both children and adults, and poetry. She has written novels in the Teen or Young Adult genre, Romance and Fantasy novels.
Anna is, by her own admission, almost unhealthily obsessed with books. The library she has amassed is both large and diverse; "My favourite books," she says, "are 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee and 'Oryx and Crake' by Margaret Atwood." She also owns multiple copies of Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park books and re-reads the Harry Potter novels with almost startling regularity.
Anna claims her entire career is due to the love, support, pre-reading and creative ass-kicking provided by her closest friend Jennifer. Jennifer refuses to accept any responsibility for anything Anna has written.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
March 3, 2017
Signs is pitch perfect.
There is no angst, misunderstandings, or miscommunication, just two 18-year-old boys meeting, connecting, and falling in love.
Both MCs are fully realized and REAL.
Caleb is deaf and has social anxiety. He's not expressive in his signing and doesn't feel like he belongs in the Deaf community. He just wants to be defined by what he CAN do vs. what he can't.
And Caleb can do so much: He's smart and artistic. He takes gorgeous photographs. He enjoys writing, running, and posting on his blog. He loves his parents and is a respectful son. He's kind and introspective.
But when Caleb wears his hearing aids, he may as well carry a sign that says FREAK.
Only Luc really HEARS Caleb.
Luc is an emo twink with dyed black hair, eye liner, and piercings. Bullied by his late father, essentially abandoned by his alcoholic, pretending-to-still-be-rich mother, Luc lives with his awesome older sister.
Luc plays cool but is lonely and disconnected. He wants someone to see beyond the image to his heart.
Caleb and Luc meet online when Luc reposts one of Caleb's photos and move their friendship from the virtual to the tangible.
Caleb and Luc are incredibly mature and have a strong relationship built on mutual understanding and trust. They support one another and talk through everything.
Their relationship never wavers, even as Luc struggles with his mom and best friend jumping ship, and Caleb is once again disappointed at being passed up for a cochlear implant trial.
I liked Luc's supportive sister and Caleb's incredible parents, even if his mom was a bit overprotective.
Luc is such an amazing boyfriend! The way he learns ASL just for Caleb, the way he encourages Caleb, the way he's THERE . . . it brought me to tears.
And Caleb adores Luc. He crawls out of his shell for Luc. He wants Luc by his side always.
Told in alternating third-person POV, this book is full of feels and love.
The steam is gentle and breathtaking, utterly appropriate and so damn sweet.
Caleb and Luc are each other's first everything; sharing pleasure, making love -- it brings them closer; it makes them stronger.
I loved this story. I believed in this HEA.
What a lovely, hopeful, uplifting read! BEAUTIFUL!
Even if like me, you typically avoid YA/NA, do not miss this one!
There is no angst, misunderstandings, or miscommunication, just two 18-year-old boys meeting, connecting, and falling in love.
Both MCs are fully realized and REAL.
Caleb is deaf and has social anxiety. He's not expressive in his signing and doesn't feel like he belongs in the Deaf community. He just wants to be defined by what he CAN do vs. what he can't.
And Caleb can do so much: He's smart and artistic. He takes gorgeous photographs. He enjoys writing, running, and posting on his blog. He loves his parents and is a respectful son. He's kind and introspective.
But when Caleb wears his hearing aids, he may as well carry a sign that says FREAK.
Only Luc really HEARS Caleb.
Luc is an emo twink with dyed black hair, eye liner, and piercings. Bullied by his late father, essentially abandoned by his alcoholic, pretending-to-still-be-rich mother, Luc lives with his awesome older sister.
Luc plays cool but is lonely and disconnected. He wants someone to see beyond the image to his heart.
Caleb and Luc meet online when Luc reposts one of Caleb's photos and move their friendship from the virtual to the tangible.
Caleb and Luc are incredibly mature and have a strong relationship built on mutual understanding and trust. They support one another and talk through everything.
Their relationship never wavers, even as Luc struggles with his mom and best friend jumping ship, and Caleb is once again disappointed at being passed up for a cochlear implant trial.
I liked Luc's supportive sister and Caleb's incredible parents, even if his mom was a bit overprotective.
Luc is such an amazing boyfriend! The way he learns ASL just for Caleb, the way he encourages Caleb, the way he's THERE . . . it brought me to tears.
And Caleb adores Luc. He crawls out of his shell for Luc. He wants Luc by his side always.
Luc realized that this was what had been missing from his life. He was loved. He was so, so loved.
Told in alternating third-person POV, this book is full of feels and love.
The steam is gentle and breathtaking, utterly appropriate and so damn sweet.
Caleb and Luc are each other's first everything; sharing pleasure, making love -- it brings them closer; it makes them stronger.
"Caleb," Luc moaned, liking the way the word sounded when he was this turned on, when Caleb was making him feel this way. The fact that Caleb couldn't hear him didn't matter. The way Caleb kissed his own name off Luc's lips did.
I loved this story. I believed in this HEA.
What a lovely, hopeful, uplifting read! BEAUTIFUL!
Even if like me, you typically avoid YA/NA, do not miss this one!
March 26, 2020
You'd expect a book with no bad real guys and no huge misunderstandings, inevitably resulting in a big, ole' angsty breakup, then reconciliation to be boring, right?
Well, this book definitely proves just how wrong that statement can be, especially when you consider that this is a YA story about two 18 y.o. high school students, Caleb, who is deaf, and Luc, who is a troubled emo kid, falling in love.
Caleb:
Luc:
The story is one of growing to love someone for who they truly are, proverbial warts and all, then supporting them to become the person that they wish to be, no matter what life throws your way.
Despite the lack of angst and external drama, the book is an absolute joy to read and actually has a decent number of sexy bits, which the author only uses to reinforce the connection between the two main characters. Those parts did not feel either dirty or like page fillers, which was great.
4 very solid *I-love-you-madly-for-who-you-truly-are* stars for this hopeful, uplifting read.
------------------------------------------------
My copy of the book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
April 1, 2015
Loved it. Loved it. Loved it! I cried more than a few happy tears reading this one.
March 24, 2015
Truly an outstanding romance. No ass clenching angst, no stupid misunderstandings, no bullshit drama and no (that I noticed) grammar/editing issues! Books like this are the reason I continue to read.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
August 8, 2016
Lo que hizo que me decidiera a leer este libro fue que uno de los personajes era sordo (Caleb). Cuando leo libros en los que los protagonistas tienen ciertos tipos de problemas, no es porque me guste verlos sufrir, es porque me parece muy interesante cómo van saltando las vallas que la vida les va poniendo en el camino. En este caso, la existencia de un MC sordo planteaba lo complicada que puede ser la comunicación, algo esencial para el nacimiento y desarrollo de cualquier relación. Cierto es que ellos se conocen en las redes sociales, el problema es cuando en la vida real no tenemos un ordenador para teclear y cosas tan sencillas como ver la televisión, hablar mientras caminas, hablar mientras conduces, ir a un concierto, no lo son tanto.
El libro se presentaba muy interesante, pero se queda en un quiero y no puedo. Los personajes son queribles, la situación interesante, pero la autora no se atreve a hacer una reflexión real de lo que la falta de comunicación puede provocar en una relación, se queda absolutamente en la superficie y lo hace todo demasiado fácil, incluido el final. Hay una cosa que me ha chirriado especialmente, Caleb escribe un post en su blog hablando de las dificultades de ser sordo, el deseo de ser "normal" y el derecho que tiene a desear lo que muchos en la vida para ser feliz. Este post me encantó, es lo que siempre he pensado, el hecho de ser sordo, ciego, parapléjico, lo que sea, no debería ser un impedimento para ser feliz, creo que los libros deben enfocar así este tipo de personajes, tengo este problema, pero voy a ser feliz sin que ninguna cura milagrosa llegue. Sin embargo, la autora al final traiciona este post de Caleb. No me ha gustado.
El libro se queda en algo entretenido, mono, pero no mucho más. Una pena.
El libro se presentaba muy interesante, pero se queda en un quiero y no puedo. Los personajes son queribles, la situación interesante, pero la autora no se atreve a hacer una reflexión real de lo que la falta de comunicación puede provocar en una relación, se queda absolutamente en la superficie y lo hace todo demasiado fácil, incluido el final. Hay una cosa que me ha chirriado especialmente, Caleb escribe un post en su blog hablando de las dificultades de ser sordo, el deseo de ser "normal" y el derecho que tiene a desear lo que muchos en la vida para ser feliz. Este post me encantó, es lo que siempre he pensado, el hecho de ser sordo, ciego, parapléjico, lo que sea, no debería ser un impedimento para ser feliz, creo que los libros deben enfocar así este tipo de personajes, tengo este problema, pero voy a ser feliz sin que ninguna cura milagrosa llegue. Sin embargo, la autora al final traiciona este post de Caleb. No me ha gustado.
El libro se queda en algo entretenido, mono, pero no mucho más. Una pena.
March 29, 2022
a very sweet story with subpar execution. 2.5 stars rounded up.
April 5, 2015
Perfect Trisha book!
Sometimes I fall in love with books that I wouldn’t typically fall in love with. Other times the books I fall in love with are more my thing. But it isn’t often I stumble across a Trisha book. They are hard to come by for me and what I normally find is someone has to recommend them to me before I decide to read them, just like with Signs.
The MC’s, Caleb and Luc, meet on Tumblr after Luc reblogs one of Caleb’s photographs. What starts out as friendship, turns into more in a very realistic way. I like that they were friends first. It made the connection stronger to me.
The relationship between Caleb and Luc is beautiful. They both have issues to deal with. Caleb with his hearing, or lack thereof, and his social anxiety and his feelings of not fitting in with the deaf community. And then you have Luc. Luc, who has family problems and has to struggle with an alcoholic mother and a deceased father who never really cared for him.
I love that Luc wanted to learn ASL. And I love that he didn’t just rely on Caleb to teach him. He went out and he learned with the help of the internet and some other people. He did that because he wanted to communicate with Caleb better and I thought that was very sweet and it definitely made me feel the love he had for Caleb.
These boys support each other and are there for each other, through the good and the bad. Things take time and they grow in their relationship. Everything remains solid between them, though, even when something knocks one of them back. The love and respect between them was beautiful. It’s amazing the way they adore each other and everything feels mutual. Not once did I feel like one loved more than the other or that something really bad was going to happen between them. They were solid. They communicated. They went at their own pace and it was perfect!
Some of the secondary characters I loved. Others not so much. But all played a part of the story in one way or another. I’m glad they had support.
This could be seen as NA or YA. I’m kind of in the middle. I loved it either way. I loved that the boys were each other’s first. I loved those intimate moments between them. They were very sweet and very powerful. It felt right for this story and these boys.
A very easy 5 stars from me. I absolutely loved this story. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
A copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Sometimes I fall in love with books that I wouldn’t typically fall in love with. Other times the books I fall in love with are more my thing. But it isn’t often I stumble across a Trisha book. They are hard to come by for me and what I normally find is someone has to recommend them to me before I decide to read them, just like with Signs.
The MC’s, Caleb and Luc, meet on Tumblr after Luc reblogs one of Caleb’s photographs. What starts out as friendship, turns into more in a very realistic way. I like that they were friends first. It made the connection stronger to me.
The relationship between Caleb and Luc is beautiful. They both have issues to deal with. Caleb with his hearing, or lack thereof, and his social anxiety and his feelings of not fitting in with the deaf community. And then you have Luc. Luc, who has family problems and has to struggle with an alcoholic mother and a deceased father who never really cared for him.
I love that Luc wanted to learn ASL. And I love that he didn’t just rely on Caleb to teach him. He went out and he learned with the help of the internet and some other people. He did that because he wanted to communicate with Caleb better and I thought that was very sweet and it definitely made me feel the love he had for Caleb.
These boys support each other and are there for each other, through the good and the bad. Things take time and they grow in their relationship. Everything remains solid between them, though, even when something knocks one of them back. The love and respect between them was beautiful. It’s amazing the way they adore each other and everything feels mutual. Not once did I feel like one loved more than the other or that something really bad was going to happen between them. They were solid. They communicated. They went at their own pace and it was perfect!
Some of the secondary characters I loved. Others not so much. But all played a part of the story in one way or another. I’m glad they had support.
This could be seen as NA or YA. I’m kind of in the middle. I loved it either way. I loved that the boys were each other’s first. I loved those intimate moments between them. They were very sweet and very powerful. It felt right for this story and these boys.
A very easy 5 stars from me. I absolutely loved this story. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
A copy of this book was provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 24, 2015
"In this world of availability, how does a person who's unable to communicate with the outside world find their place in it? My name is Caleb. I'm deaf. This is my blog."
And BAM! With these opening lines I'm completely hooked but still unaware I'm about to read one of the most beautiful Υ/Α love stories.
Luc is an 18-year-old emo boy.Despite his laid back attitude and the emo/goth appearance (black hair, eyeliner, piercings, nail polish e.t.c), he is alone .Still hurt from the emotional abuse of his late father and the negligence of his alcoholic mother, only having the support of his sister, he seeks refuge online.
Caleb is a kind and quiet 18-year-old boy too, he takes amazing photographs which he posts on tumblr, has two amazing parents....and is deaf. Caleb doesn't let his disability slow him down. He works extra hard to catch up and is whip smart.But...he doesn't belong. He doesn't want to be part of the Deaf community, he doesn't want his senior year to be in a special school but he doesn't talk and wouldn't wear his hearing aids either. He feels lost...until Luc.
Luc and Caleb met online, through Tumblr.Just a few words and they hit it off. The connection between them is strong and real.I 've read many books where I couldn't feel this between MCs that were supposed to have been together for years! These boys connect with each other before they even meet for the first time.
"Caleb smiled and touched his fingers to the screen. Luc did the same, as if they could reach through their computers and just feel the simple reassurance of skin next to skin."
Luc learns ASL for Caleb, he becomes his rock, he sets him free. Caleb sees the true person behind Luc's facade, he becomes his home and he gives him the love that his own people failed to give him.The steam and sex scenes were just right. The first kiss and the first touch, the way they first discovered each other's body was described beautifully.
Despite their young age, I totally beleived in their love and in their solid HEA.After all, they are more mature than most boys their age.
"These conversations-they weren't supposed to be said between two men their age. Not yet. They were the conversations of men much older than themselves. but then again, between the two of them, they'd experienced as much as men twice their age. So maybe it was okay."
And what a HEA it was! That last "Hi" almost killed me...
Solid 5 star read and highly, HIGHLYrecommended!
And BAM! With these opening lines I'm completely hooked but still unaware I'm about to read one of the most beautiful Υ/Α love stories.
Luc is an 18-year-old emo boy.Despite his laid back attitude and the emo/goth appearance (black hair, eyeliner, piercings, nail polish e.t.c), he is alone .Still hurt from the emotional abuse of his late father and the negligence of his alcoholic mother, only having the support of his sister, he seeks refuge online.
Caleb is a kind and quiet 18-year-old boy too, he takes amazing photographs which he posts on tumblr, has two amazing parents....and is deaf. Caleb doesn't let his disability slow him down. He works extra hard to catch up and is whip smart.But...he doesn't belong. He doesn't want to be part of the Deaf community, he doesn't want his senior year to be in a special school but he doesn't talk and wouldn't wear his hearing aids either. He feels lost...until Luc.
Luc and Caleb met online, through Tumblr.Just a few words and they hit it off. The connection between them is strong and real.I 've read many books where I couldn't feel this between MCs that were supposed to have been together for years! These boys connect with each other before they even meet for the first time.
"Caleb smiled and touched his fingers to the screen. Luc did the same, as if they could reach through their computers and just feel the simple reassurance of skin next to skin."
Luc learns ASL for Caleb, he becomes his rock, he sets him free. Caleb sees the true person behind Luc's facade, he becomes his home and he gives him the love that his own people failed to give him.The steam and sex scenes were just right. The first kiss and the first touch, the way they first discovered each other's body was described beautifully.
Despite their young age, I totally beleived in their love and in their solid HEA.After all, they are more mature than most boys their age.
"These conversations-they weren't supposed to be said between two men their age. Not yet. They were the conversations of men much older than themselves. but then again, between the two of them, they'd experienced as much as men twice their age. So maybe it was okay."
And what a HEA it was! That last "Hi" almost killed me...
Solid 5 star read and highly, HIGHLYrecommended!
March 21, 2015
I had very high hopes for this because the sample was very compelling and the story sounded lovely, and while the story itself was fine, the writing didn't work for me, and ultimately, I didn't enjoy the book very much.
My biggest problem with the book is that the author did way more telling than showing, and it started very early on. Caleb and Luc meet online, via tumblr, and start messaging each other, quickly progressing to video chats. We get a couple of their conversations--web chats and text conversations--and then we have this (this is on page 38 out of 296, so very early and probably not spoiler-ish material, but proceed at your own risk, I guess)...
And that is all we get of seeing them get to know each other. How are things changing? What does that make Caleb feel like? What does he like about Luc?? I don't know about anyone else, but I love those early discovery periods in which the characters (and the readers!!!) get to know each other and start to fall in love. We're given barely any of that. And while I do like both guys and we saw enough of them to get to know them, we didn't get to see them get to know each other. Huge disappointment.
And that was just the start. Later on, when it comes out that Luc and Caleb are dating, Caleb's "so-called best friend" Jay does...something. Whatever it is makes Luc feel bad. And it might have made me feel bad, too, but we don't ever find out what it was or see it happen. How can I feel bad for a character (and build a bond to him) when we don't even see what's happening? I have a feeling Jay was only included because the author thought...well, you know, I don't know why he was included. Jay didn't serve any sort of recognizable purpose in the book.
And maybe because the second part of this was near the end that it's sticking with me, but when Ellery and Caleb meet, the scene lasts two paragraphs. Then later, there's a two-page conversation between Luc and Katie (a character we literally never see again). Ellery is Luc's good friend--wouldn't her meeting Caleb be more interesting to the reader than some random character??
I will say there were plenty of things that were detailed and included, but these other things that are basically skimmed are what stick with me.
A few other things that bugged me: A distinct lack of coordinating conjunctions in situations when they were needed. Sometimes the word "but" is actually necessary to show contrast between two thoughts. There were some very confusing sentences. There were random POV flips in the middles of scenes--most POV flips happened at a chapter break or when a scene change was clearly denoted by extra spaces between paragraphs, but several times, the POV just changed with no warning. And sometimes sentences were just confusing and what the narrator (or author) meant was never explained--as if it made perfect sense to her but only because she knew what was going on, not because she'd adequately explained it on the page. Every time it happened, it yanked me out of the story and left me scratching my head, wondering exactly what the character meant by whatever he'd just said or thought.
I will say that the very end was basically perfect, but all the other things that were wrong with the book far outweigh that moment.
This story has a ton of potential, but it's just far too shallow in some places--not enough character building, not enough relationship building. There wasn't enough of anything to truly bind me emotionally to the book, and in the end, that was a huge letdown. I rarely think a book should be longer, but an extra 20k (well used!) would have really, really helped this book.
Oh, and . Grr.
My biggest problem with the book is that the author did way more telling than showing, and it started very early on. Caleb and Luc meet online, via tumblr, and start messaging each other, quickly progressing to video chats. We get a couple of their conversations--web chats and text conversations--and then we have this (this is on page 38 out of 296, so very early and probably not spoiler-ish material, but proceed at your own risk, I guess)...
In the weeks that followed, what had started to as a quick conversation a few times a week soon turned into daily e-mails, then multiple interactions every day. They followed each other on Twitter so messages could be exchanged in real time.
...
There was no point in denying things between them were changing quickly.
And that is all we get of seeing them get to know each other. How are things changing? What does that make Caleb feel like? What does he like about Luc?? I don't know about anyone else, but I love those early discovery periods in which the characters (and the readers!!!) get to know each other and start to fall in love. We're given barely any of that. And while I do like both guys and we saw enough of them to get to know them, we didn't get to see them get to know each other. Huge disappointment.
And that was just the start. Later on, when it comes out that Luc and Caleb are dating, Caleb's "so-called best friend" Jay does...something. Whatever it is makes Luc feel bad. And it might have made me feel bad, too, but we don't ever find out what it was or see it happen. How can I feel bad for a character (and build a bond to him) when we don't even see what's happening? I have a feeling Jay was only included because the author thought...well, you know, I don't know why he was included. Jay didn't serve any sort of recognizable purpose in the book.
And maybe because the second part of this was near the end that it's sticking with me, but when Ellery and Caleb meet, the scene lasts two paragraphs. Then later, there's a two-page conversation between Luc and Katie (a character we literally never see again). Ellery is Luc's good friend--wouldn't her meeting Caleb be more interesting to the reader than some random character??
I will say there were plenty of things that were detailed and included, but these other things that are basically skimmed are what stick with me.
A few other things that bugged me: A distinct lack of coordinating conjunctions in situations when they were needed. Sometimes the word "but" is actually necessary to show contrast between two thoughts. There were some very confusing sentences. There were random POV flips in the middles of scenes--most POV flips happened at a chapter break or when a scene change was clearly denoted by extra spaces between paragraphs, but several times, the POV just changed with no warning. And sometimes sentences were just confusing and what the narrator (or author) meant was never explained--as if it made perfect sense to her but only because she knew what was going on, not because she'd adequately explained it on the page. Every time it happened, it yanked me out of the story and left me scratching my head, wondering exactly what the character meant by whatever he'd just said or thought.
I will say that the very end was basically perfect, but all the other things that were wrong with the book far outweigh that moment.
This story has a ton of potential, but it's just far too shallow in some places--not enough character building, not enough relationship building. There wasn't enough of anything to truly bind me emotionally to the book, and in the end, that was a huge letdown. I rarely think a book should be longer, but an extra 20k (well used!) would have really, really helped this book.
Oh, and . Grr.
April 9, 2015
So I read a book the other day that I just knew my bestie would love too. She didn’t.
Her review starts with:
"Every single one of my friends loved this book."
"Except me."
So, I am kind of starting my review with that too. But just kind of.
It’s funny, when reading her review of the other book I could see her point and I started thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have liked it either but realized that what she was pointing out is actually what I liked. I liked the realness of the book. Anyway, at the end of her review for that book she stated “If you want a sweet, sexy YA romance, check out Anna Martin's Signs.” so I took that as a challenge and I did.
Oh boy. There is no arguing that this book made me feel good. My heart was getting all its favorite things and getting them in the perfect way. I smiled and yes, I got a little (a lot) weepy at the end. I really felt a lot and felt good and felt warm…It’s just, life isn’t perfect and boy oh boy it is never perfect in high school or at 18. So, even though this was a beautiful love story and it made me feel good it just lacked the realness of a YA book. I didn’t believe it.
This doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, because I did, I love true love and Fairy Tale romances as a rule. I think for me though, with this one, I went in comparing it to my last YA read and it made me look at it a little bit differently. That probably isn’t fair to this book but it is just how it happened. Maybe if the story hadn’t been YA or didn’t deal with some very real stuff I could have just let myself go. But, because of the serious stuff presented to me at every turn of the page I kept waiting for something awful to happen, because it felt like it should.
This whole review is weird to me because I hate messy most times and I seriously avoid angst if I can, so this perfect love story not making me 5★ the shit out of it is just odd.
Maybe it is opposite week or something or maybe, just maybe with YA I need it to be messy and slightly angsty, but mostly, I think I need it to be at least a little bit believable. You know, unless we are talking shiny Vampires or something.
Read it, I know all of you will love it. It will make your heart feel good, I just know it.
Thanks for the rec Dalia!!
Her review starts with:
"Every single one of my friends loved this book."
"Except me."
So, I am kind of starting my review with that too. But just kind of.
It’s funny, when reading her review of the other book I could see her point and I started thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have liked it either but realized that what she was pointing out is actually what I liked. I liked the realness of the book. Anyway, at the end of her review for that book she stated “If you want a sweet, sexy YA romance, check out Anna Martin's Signs.” so I took that as a challenge and I did.
Oh boy. There is no arguing that this book made me feel good. My heart was getting all its favorite things and getting them in the perfect way. I smiled and yes, I got a little (a lot) weepy at the end. I really felt a lot and felt good and felt warm…It’s just, life isn’t perfect and boy oh boy it is never perfect in high school or at 18. So, even though this was a beautiful love story and it made me feel good it just lacked the realness of a YA book. I didn’t believe it.
This doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, because I did, I love true love and Fairy Tale romances as a rule. I think for me though, with this one, I went in comparing it to my last YA read and it made me look at it a little bit differently. That probably isn’t fair to this book but it is just how it happened. Maybe if the story hadn’t been YA or didn’t deal with some very real stuff I could have just let myself go. But, because of the serious stuff presented to me at every turn of the page I kept waiting for something awful to happen, because it felt like it should.
This whole review is weird to me because I hate messy most times and I seriously avoid angst if I can, so this perfect love story not making me 5★ the shit out of it is just odd.
Maybe it is opposite week or something or maybe, just maybe with YA I need it to be messy and slightly angsty, but mostly, I think I need it to be at least a little bit believable. You know, unless we are talking shiny Vampires or something.
Read it, I know all of you will love it. It will make your heart feel good, I just know it.
Thanks for the rec Dalia!!
April 22, 2016
****4.5 STARS****
This book? I. Absolutley. Love! It was beyond freaking adorable!
It had sooo many sweet moments without it being cheesy or over done. Like I seriously wanted to post an update for every damn page (ok. not that often. But you know what I'm saying). And if it wasn't for my BR/whatsApp crew listening to me swoon, I so would of blown-up your feed with updates. #truestory
Highly recommended! The only tiny complaint I would have is a few scene jumps. Where I'd be, "when did that happen?". But they were never big enough to take away form the flow and enjoyment of the story.
Thanks myBR/whatsapp(s): Julie, Momo, Elsbeth, Sonia, Paul, & Nathan for a sweet BR!
This book? I. Absolutley. Love! It was beyond freaking adorable!
It had sooo many sweet moments without it being cheesy or over done. Like I seriously wanted to post an update for every damn page (ok. not that often. But you know what I'm saying). And if it wasn't for my BR/whatsApp crew listening to me swoon, I so would of blown-up your feed with updates. #truestory
Highly recommended! The only tiny complaint I would have is a few scene jumps. Where I'd be, "when did that happen?". But they were never big enough to take away form the flow and enjoyment of the story.
Thanks my
October 24, 2015
I have been having the hardest time lately choosing which book to read. This one had been on my Kindle for awhile and I am so glad that my annoying book funk led me to land on this one. It is such an easy enjoyable lovable read. These characters hit me hard.
They are easy to love and that ending! UGH!
The way it ended has me hoping for a sequel cause it was left wide open for one.
They are easy to love and that ending! UGH!
The way it ended has me hoping for a sequel cause it was left wide open for one.
August 14, 2015
Caleb is a deaf teenager that has closed himself off to the world. He's reluctant to show his emotions on his face, as well as with his hands. He never felt like he fit it in at special schools, so his parents finally sent him to the local public high school in his senior year.
All Caleb has always wanted is to be normal. He's tired and sick of people, who don't see that there's more to him than only his disability and freak out, when they catch the sight of his hearing aids. He also hates that teachers don't want to involve him in classes, because excluding him is just easier to do.
The thing Caleb loves the most is photography. It helps him express himself and he finds comfort in it. He enjoys posting his pictures on his Tumblr blog, which one day discovers a pretty fascinating guy.
Luc is a goth guy that has an effeminate nature. He lives with his sister, Ilse, since their abusive father died and their mother turned into an alcoholic. He struggles with insomnia, nightmares and memories of his father. He searches for someone who might understand him and not judge him, because of his looks.
One day Luc comes across a gorgeous photography by Caleb and reblogs it. He also sparks a conversation and from then on Luc and Caleb start talking on a regular basis. After some time they decide to meet.
Caleb and Luc live only a few hours away, but, because of being in high school and having other responsibilities, their time together is restricted. It makes them miss each other a lot.
Luc is wonderful. He learns ASL, so he can talk with Caleb and have less communication problems with him. He helps Caleb get better and he's very determined, when he puts his mind to something. It's all so heartwarming.
I really liked how supportive Luc's sister is. She also learns ASL out of her own willm, what I think is a very nice thing to do of her. I liked Caleb's protective parents as well.
The ending made my eyes water. There's just so many feelings. I loved this book. And I want more!
All Caleb has always wanted is to be normal. He's tired and sick of people, who don't see that there's more to him than only his disability and freak out, when they catch the sight of his hearing aids. He also hates that teachers don't want to involve him in classes, because excluding him is just easier to do.
The thing Caleb loves the most is photography. It helps him express himself and he finds comfort in it. He enjoys posting his pictures on his Tumblr blog, which one day discovers a pretty fascinating guy.
Luc is a goth guy that has an effeminate nature. He lives with his sister, Ilse, since their abusive father died and their mother turned into an alcoholic. He struggles with insomnia, nightmares and memories of his father. He searches for someone who might understand him and not judge him, because of his looks.
One day Luc comes across a gorgeous photography by Caleb and reblogs it. He also sparks a conversation and from then on Luc and Caleb start talking on a regular basis. After some time they decide to meet.
Caleb and Luc live only a few hours away, but, because of being in high school and having other responsibilities, their time together is restricted. It makes them miss each other a lot.
Luc is wonderful. He learns ASL, so he can talk with Caleb and have less communication problems with him. He helps Caleb get better and he's very determined, when he puts his mind to something. It's all so heartwarming.
I really liked how supportive Luc's sister is. She also learns ASL out of her own willm, what I think is a very nice thing to do of her. I liked Caleb's protective parents as well.
The ending made my eyes water. There's just so many feelings. I loved this book. And I want more!
February 20, 2017
I am loving these stories by Ms Martin a lot BUT they all end too abruptly. I need some kind of epilogue to look into their future. Although I don't doubt the love and future of the characters, it's probably just me being greedy.
Want to read
May 3, 2016Only $0.99 at ARe and Amazon US today! 5/2/16
March 25, 2015
A very sweet story about Caleb and Luc. Caleb is deaf and has a hard time making friends. He meets Luc online and they strike up a friendship. They live 4 hours apart, but make frequent weekend trips to visit each other. They jump into a relationship quickly, but it didn't seem rushed to me. I loved them both, but especially Luc. He is so patient with Caleb.
A very enjoyable read with minimal angst and an HEA :)
A very enjoyable read with minimal angst and an HEA :)
July 18, 2015
I could have easily given this book four stars had there been a little more showing and a lot less telling. Martin seemed to fly through the intricacies of the romance in favor of focusing on Caleb's disability. I understand the fact that Caleb is deaf is a big plot point, but I can't help but think the point of this book was to showcase Caleb and Luc's romance in the face of said disability. Instead, their pivotal "getting to know you" stage was completely glossed over with a few sentences. "Over the following weeks, we got to know each other" does not cut it in a budding romance tale.
October 17, 2017
I just loved this book. I could have read 20 more chapters with Luc and Caleb because they were just that adorable and lovable.
March 15, 2015
First off, this cover is giving me "The Gates" Colton Hayes life, and I love it because Caleb is an amazing character.
Anna Martin's writing usually goes two ways for me. I either love it enough that it's a 5 star read, or it's a DNF for me. I was super skeptical of reading this because of the blurb my main weakness is hurt/comfort throw in a disability and I'm trapped. I read this book and one sitting and I feel in love with the characters.
I love the main characters of the story, not so much the execution. I'm giving 5 stars for Luc & Caleb but this was a love story between two sweet boys. That's my basic description of the story. I'm not really sold on the writing aspect as much as the character development. Let me explain; she was able to bring the most vulnerable boys together and put them together to show they had the strength and determination in them all along.
Luc is this short, emo/goth twink who was just living. Not really doing anything but waiting for high school to be over and move to Seattle to face his dreams. He is closed off to the world, and most of it is because that's they way he wants it. He grew up with no comfort, love from his parents except form his sister who basically was his surrogate mother. I love Ilse his sister was so supportive. I definitely liked her as soon as she entered the picture. Caleb was the total opposite of Luc he is this 18 yr old boy who lives in Boston, lives with his parents who are his biggest support system. Caleb wants the normal, he wants the friends at school, he wants to answer question when the teachers ask them. They meet through Tumblr through Caleb's photography blog and Luc's music blog it's sweet and mostly innocent. From there we definitely see the characters develop really fast. Caleb has this protective streak for Luc it's adorable. It is a definite re-read for me.
They meet, fall in love with each other and we just see them shine in different roles. I loved that Luc feels the need to take charge on some things regarding Caleb's well being. I like the Caleb knows Luc well enough to expect unexpected visits. I feel in love with these two boys. That's it, that's all there is for me. I would have really liked to see what happened after the summer. Where do these two go? What happened to the question Caleb asked Luc using finger ASL? I would have liked a epilogue for these two, but again they bring a smile to my face just writing this review.
Anna Martin's writing usually goes two ways for me. I either love it enough that it's a 5 star read, or it's a DNF for me. I was super skeptical of reading this because of the blurb my main weakness is hurt/comfort throw in a disability and I'm trapped. I read this book and one sitting and I feel in love with the characters.
I love the main characters of the story, not so much the execution. I'm giving 5 stars for Luc & Caleb but this was a love story between two sweet boys. That's my basic description of the story. I'm not really sold on the writing aspect as much as the character development. Let me explain; she was able to bring the most vulnerable boys together and put them together to show they had the strength and determination in them all along.
Luc is this short, emo/goth twink who was just living. Not really doing anything but waiting for high school to be over and move to Seattle to face his dreams. He is closed off to the world, and most of it is because that's they way he wants it. He grew up with no comfort, love from his parents except form his sister who basically was his surrogate mother. I love Ilse his sister was so supportive. I definitely liked her as soon as she entered the picture. Caleb was the total opposite of Luc he is this 18 yr old boy who lives in Boston, lives with his parents who are his biggest support system. Caleb wants the normal, he wants the friends at school, he wants to answer question when the teachers ask them. They meet through Tumblr through Caleb's photography blog and Luc's music blog it's sweet and mostly innocent. From there we definitely see the characters develop really fast. Caleb has this protective streak for Luc it's adorable. It is a definite re-read for me.
They meet, fall in love with each other and we just see them shine in different roles. I loved that Luc feels the need to take charge on some things regarding Caleb's well being. I like the Caleb knows Luc well enough to expect unexpected visits. I feel in love with these two boys. That's it, that's all there is for me. I would have really liked to see what happened after the summer. Where do these two go? What happened to the question Caleb asked Luc using finger ASL? I would have liked a epilogue for these two, but again they bring a smile to my face just writing this review.
September 28, 2015
4.5 Stars
What a beautiful story.
*sigh*
Caleb and Luc’s story was one of the sweetest, most unassuming romances I’ve come across in a long while. I loved every second of it.
I adored both characters equally. Caleb, the deaf and socially isolated 18 yr old from Boston, who uses online means to express himself through his art and blog posts; and Luc, the emo kid from NYC, who has bundles of familial issues and suffers from nightmares, insomnia and feelings of being misunderstood. Through online means, they meet, become friends, and eventually fall deeply in love.
Every moment of their story was sweet, moving, and fully lacking any unnecessary angst or misunderstandings—which is a rarity for books within this genre. I found it completely refreshing. I couldn’t be more in love with this beautifully simplistic story if I tried.
What a beautiful story.
*sigh*
Caleb and Luc’s story was one of the sweetest, most unassuming romances I’ve come across in a long while. I loved every second of it.
I adored both characters equally. Caleb, the deaf and socially isolated 18 yr old from Boston, who uses online means to express himself through his art and blog posts; and Luc, the emo kid from NYC, who has bundles of familial issues and suffers from nightmares, insomnia and feelings of being misunderstood. Through online means, they meet, become friends, and eventually fall deeply in love.
Every moment of their story was sweet, moving, and fully lacking any unnecessary angst or misunderstandings—which is a rarity for books within this genre. I found it completely refreshing. I couldn’t be more in love with this beautifully simplistic story if I tried.
July 4, 2015
BR with lovely friends here
Read
March 23, 2015It a full gone conclusion that I just cant do YA novels.
This is a DNF for me @ 15%.
This is NOT the books fault.
its all on me. YA and I just dont get along. It has to be exceptionally done for me to read a book that is in the same age group as my kid.
I've gotten old cause 5-7 years ago I wouldnt have batted an eye!
And maybe its cause I see how he would handle some of the same situations and because I"M LIVING IT I can't escape into it.
Might not make sense but its just how I feel.
AGAIN- nothing against this book cause I can see it would be good.
Maybe 10 years from now I can go back to reading YA and become nostalgic about the days of old.
Mare~Slitsread
This is a DNF for me @ 15%.
This is NOT the books fault.
its all on me. YA and I just dont get along. It has to be exceptionally done for me to read a book that is in the same age group as my kid.
I've gotten old cause 5-7 years ago I wouldnt have batted an eye!
And maybe its cause I see how he would handle some of the same situations and because I"M LIVING IT I can't escape into it.
Might not make sense but its just how I feel.
AGAIN- nothing against this book cause I can see it would be good.
Maybe 10 years from now I can go back to reading YA and become nostalgic about the days of old.
Mare~Slitsread
January 2, 2016
A very sweet and soft love story about two characters who don't particularly fit into the worlds they live in, but fit perfectly together.
Luc and Caleb compliment each other well with their strengths and weaknesses, they are very Yin/Yang in the best possible sense. There is very little angst in the story, and all possible obstacles are cleared up or fixed with unbelievable ease, but I didn't care, because it was so sweetly done.
I would have preferred a HEA rather than the HFN. Mostly because they are so very young. However, I have hope they will continue to grow together and be each other's rock to cling to in time of turbulence.
Luc and Caleb compliment each other well with their strengths and weaknesses, they are very Yin/Yang in the best possible sense. There is very little angst in the story, and all possible obstacles are cleared up or fixed with unbelievable ease, but I didn't care, because it was so sweetly done.
I would have preferred a HEA rather than the HFN. Mostly because they are so very young. However, I have hope they will continue to grow together and be each other's rock to cling to in time of turbulence.
July 13, 2015
*I think I need this book now! I wish I didn't have to work today*
======================
I fell so hard in love with these two young men. They are both amazing and will do such wonderful things in their lives. I hope for the chance to catch up with them both one day.
My best friends son is hearing impaired and he has a CI. This book definitely touched my heart in a very real way. <3
Anna Martin you did a fantastic job telling Caleb & Lucs story. Thank You.
======================
I fell so hard in love with these two young men. They are both amazing and will do such wonderful things in their lives. I hope for the chance to catch up with them both one day.
My best friends son is hearing impaired and he has a CI. This book definitely touched my heart in a very real way. <3
Anna Martin you did a fantastic job telling Caleb & Lucs story. Thank You.
May 5, 2016
Sweet and angst-free story about two boys and how they make each other complete. They are imperfect, well rounded characters with real problems and bagage, but together they are perfect. Love the story, recommended to anyone who needs a HEA ASAP
June 17, 2015
BR, June 15th with Paul, Julie, Marte, Momo, Sonia, Nathan and Marcie.
Review to come.
February 25, 2025
I had a bit of a hard time getting into that book at first, the pacing felt too slow, and I wasn’t immediately hooked. But as the story went on, I found myself becoming more invested, and by the end, I was really got emotional. Caleb and Luc’s journey was truly beautiful.
Caleb is independent, strong-willed, and sometimes a little closed-off, while Luc is patient, warm, and eager to learn—not just ASL, but everything about Caleb’s world. And I absolutely loved how natural those two young men were with each other.
But what I loved most was how naturally their bond grew. Their struggles felt real, their connection was deeply heartfelt, and the way they navigated their differences made their love story all the more meaningful. By the end, I was completely hooked and the emotional payoff was definitely worth it!!!
Caleb is independent, strong-willed, and sometimes a little closed-off, while Luc is patient, warm, and eager to learn—not just ASL, but everything about Caleb’s world. And I absolutely loved how natural those two young men were with each other.
But what I loved most was how naturally their bond grew. Their struggles felt real, their connection was deeply heartfelt, and the way they navigated their differences made their love story all the more meaningful. By the end, I was completely hooked and the emotional payoff was definitely worth it!!!
May 3, 2015
This is a sweet, steady YA-ish story (there is some on-page sex, although not deeply erotic.) Caleb is a deaf 18-year-old, a high-school senior who has isolated himself from both his hearing and Deaf peers for the most part, although he attends school. He has anxiety issues and no real friends, and lives mainly through his photography and online interactions.
Luc is also a senior, gay and sort of out, fond of metal music and eyeliner. He lives with his older sister, and a mostly absent alcoholic mother (who remains mostly absent. This book does not dive into melodrama, or even drama.) When cruising the Net one night, Luc sees one of Caleb's pictures and is captivated enough to message the photographer. An online friendship slowly blooms into a romance.
This author does slow, sweet, realistic romances well. There is plenty of room for angst here, but she avoids it, giving us instead a heart-warming story of two teenagers finding what they need in each other. Caleb comes out of his shell for Luc, and Luc makes a big effort to learn ASL and meet Caleb more than halfway. This is the first relationship for both of them, and they go slow, but don't fumble very much.
The way Caleb is written, mostly self-isolated, lets the issues of Deaf culture be mainly avoided. The decision to translate all the ASL into regular English works for me - that's what we would do with any other language, after all. I thought most aspects of Caleb's disability were well done.
If I had any issues, it was with the very smoothness of what had to be a multi-obstacle relationship between the boys. A little more conflict would have been welcome. The characters would have pulled me in just a little more if they had a few flaws that didn't resolve so easily. There were also about a dozen instances of POV hopping. Not enough to be really annoying, but something a good editor should have caught. Beyond those minor issues, this is a pleasant warm read with a realistic if low-key approach to a deaf main character, and a welcome addition to the M/M tradition of stepping outside traditional romance MCs to include the wider community.
Luc is also a senior, gay and sort of out, fond of metal music and eyeliner. He lives with his older sister, and a mostly absent alcoholic mother (who remains mostly absent. This book does not dive into melodrama, or even drama.) When cruising the Net one night, Luc sees one of Caleb's pictures and is captivated enough to message the photographer. An online friendship slowly blooms into a romance.
This author does slow, sweet, realistic romances well. There is plenty of room for angst here, but she avoids it, giving us instead a heart-warming story of two teenagers finding what they need in each other. Caleb comes out of his shell for Luc, and Luc makes a big effort to learn ASL and meet Caleb more than halfway. This is the first relationship for both of them, and they go slow, but don't fumble very much.
The way Caleb is written, mostly self-isolated, lets the issues of Deaf culture be mainly avoided. The decision to translate all the ASL into regular English works for me - that's what we would do with any other language, after all. I thought most aspects of Caleb's disability were well done.
If I had any issues, it was with the very smoothness of what had to be a multi-obstacle relationship between the boys. A little more conflict would have been welcome. The characters would have pulled me in just a little more if they had a few flaws that didn't resolve so easily. There were also about a dozen instances of POV hopping. Not enough to be really annoying, but something a good editor should have caught. Beyond those minor issues, this is a pleasant warm read with a realistic if low-key approach to a deaf main character, and a welcome addition to the M/M tradition of stepping outside traditional romance MCs to include the wider community.
July 17, 2016
AH! YOUNG LOVE!
This was certainly an enjoyable read.
I, more often than not, avoid reading books involving teenagers because of all the unnecessary drama usually found in them but, this book had absolutely none of it. The writing was beautiful, the steam tastefully done and the story exceptionally touching.
I loved every single aspect of this heartwarming book and the lovely (& almost too perfect) relationship between Luc and Caleb.
If you are looking for warm and fluffy, this is for you. :)
This was certainly an enjoyable read.
I, more often than not, avoid reading books involving teenagers because of all the unnecessary drama usually found in them but, this book had absolutely none of it. The writing was beautiful, the steam tastefully done and the story exceptionally touching.
I loved every single aspect of this heartwarming book and the lovely (& almost too perfect) relationship between Luc and Caleb.
If you are looking for warm and fluffy, this is for you. :)
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