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Working Class #1
Speedy Rewards
Phil Mitchell pours his heart and soul into his job as manager of Speedy Mart, a local convenience store. He loves his work and he loves his fellow employees, but when it comes to his personal life, Phil is lonely and depressed and still pining for his long-departed ex.
He embarks upon the week from hell where anything that can go wrong does. It begins with a truck crashing into his outdoor sign and only goes downhill from there.
Add an asshole homophobic boss hell bent on seeing him fired and Phil realizes he needs to put into place a plan to save himself and his job.
First step in his plan… do something about his love life.
Meanwhile, Ezra, one of Phil’s team members, is dealing with his own roller coaster ride of a week.
As is Brandon, the local cop…
And Mark, the homophobic boss…
Perhaps, with a little… luck, the next week will be better.
He embarks upon the week from hell where anything that can go wrong does. It begins with a truck crashing into his outdoor sign and only goes downhill from there.
Add an asshole homophobic boss hell bent on seeing him fired and Phil realizes he needs to put into place a plan to save himself and his job.
First step in his plan… do something about his love life.
Meanwhile, Ezra, one of Phil’s team members, is dealing with his own roller coaster ride of a week.
As is Brandon, the local cop…
And Mark, the homophobic boss…
Perhaps, with a little… luck, the next week will be better.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 5, 2015
4 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Erno
71 books641 followersJeff Erno currently lives in southern Michigan. He holds a bachelor's degree in business management and human resources. Jeff began writing stories in the late 1990's and initially posted them to a free online amateur website. The positive feedback he received from readers encouraged him to continue, and this eventually led to the publication of his first novel, Dumb Jock. Erno has subsequently published several other novels.
His greatest passion in life is writing, and he hopes to be able to continue sharing his work with readers worldwide.
His greatest passion in life is writing, and he hopes to be able to continue sharing his work with readers worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 4, 2015
Review @STRW
When I started Speedy Rewards I couldn’t believe this was going to be my first book by Jeff Erno. It’s a well known author and I’m pretty sure at least one of his book was translated in Italian. Still, I missed him and his talent.
What first lured me into reading this book was the cover, I found it funny and cute and different from the usual ones with naked man on them. And different can totally be the key word for my review.
Speedy Rewards was so different from all the m/m I read daily, like a breath of fresh air, I couldn’t help but like it so much.
The particularity was that in almost every new chapter the author gave me a new character, not making it part of the MCs’ like but making it a true MC, with its own personal story. Justine, the OCD casher; Ezra, the tattoo guy; Vince, the a*****e guy; and so many more. And if you’re are thinking it could be confusing, it wasn’t at all. I couldn’t have requested a book with better defined characters. It was like reading different stories but tightly woven to each other and set in a conventional store, managed by Phil. Jeff Erno was able to put so many occurrences in just a few days. He gave a rhythm to the story that kept me coming back to the book at every free minute I had during the day. A sequence of events never boring. And I was so caught in all the stories that at some point when I was already plenty halfway through the reading, I asked myself who was supposed to be the other MC in the apparent “main couple”. If it wasn’t for the cover, I wouldn’t have never guessed with whom the supposed by the blurb MC would have ended.
I want to highly recommend Speedy Rewards to all of you who is looking for something different but well written, detailed and engaging. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. Meanwhile I’m browsing through the other books by this author.
Cover art by Jay Aheer. Lately I came across a lot of her works and I’m liking them more and more *adding Jay to my favorite cover artist*
When I started Speedy Rewards I couldn’t believe this was going to be my first book by Jeff Erno. It’s a well known author and I’m pretty sure at least one of his book was translated in Italian. Still, I missed him and his talent.
What first lured me into reading this book was the cover, I found it funny and cute and different from the usual ones with naked man on them. And different can totally be the key word for my review.
Speedy Rewards was so different from all the m/m I read daily, like a breath of fresh air, I couldn’t help but like it so much.
The particularity was that in almost every new chapter the author gave me a new character, not making it part of the MCs’ like but making it a true MC, with its own personal story. Justine, the OCD casher; Ezra, the tattoo guy; Vince, the a*****e guy; and so many more. And if you’re are thinking it could be confusing, it wasn’t at all. I couldn’t have requested a book with better defined characters. It was like reading different stories but tightly woven to each other and set in a conventional store, managed by Phil. Jeff Erno was able to put so many occurrences in just a few days. He gave a rhythm to the story that kept me coming back to the book at every free minute I had during the day. A sequence of events never boring. And I was so caught in all the stories that at some point when I was already plenty halfway through the reading, I asked myself who was supposed to be the other MC in the apparent “main couple”. If it wasn’t for the cover, I wouldn’t have never guessed with whom the supposed by the blurb MC would have ended.
I want to highly recommend Speedy Rewards to all of you who is looking for something different but well written, detailed and engaging. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. Meanwhile I’m browsing through the other books by this author.
Cover art by Jay Aheer. Lately I came across a lot of her works and I’m liking them more and more *adding Jay to my favorite cover artist*
June 16, 2015
This is an ensemble cast book, with intersecting points of view centered around the Speedy Mart, a small-town convenience store/gas station in rural Michigan. If you are a fan of LOVE ACTUALLY, the cult-classic CLERKS, or PULP FICTION (sans the murders) you will love this story.
The main character of the entire story is Phil, manager of the Speedy Mart. He is a 35 y/o, out gay man who has worked in retail his whole life. His tenacity and compassion as a boss helps his eclectic team of workers thrive. Among the employees at the Speedy Mart is an aging drag queen, a secret-drinker Wiccan BDSM Domme, a glam boy, and a gruff--former-alcoholic-former-homeless assistant manager. The Monday morning rush at the Speedy Mart is no joke, and it's further complicated when Ezra (the glam boy) is nearly hit by a Coke delivery truck. The driver, Vince, makes a heroic save resulting in minimal property damage, which brings Phil's overbearing and homophobic manager Mark to the scene.
It is now that Phil's professional life begins to unravel. And it isn't helped when Ezra is held up at gunpoint the following day. Mark has an ax to grind with Phil, and it's of a deeply personal nature. His solutions for Phil's store: fire everyone, including Phil, but Mark can't make that happen without some HR documentation, so he turns the screws tight waiting for the Speedy Mart to topple. With the turmoil at work, Phil is unlikely to find respite, but he does--with Humberto, a young, suave Mexican-American handyman.
Meanwhile, having two near-death experiences turns Ezra into a mess. His best friend, Jeremy, is not much help--going through some intense relationship issues with his "open relationship" live-in boyfriend, Vince--the Coke deliveryman.
There are further and deeper connections between the many characters in this story, but they all flow seamlessly via the multiple points of view. I developed such love for this quirky cast, and wanted everyone (excepting Vince) to have an HEA. I was really, really close to getting that wish-come-true. Even Mark was redeemed, and in the sexiest way possible.
Speaking of sexy, I did like the sexytimes. The book likely has more per-capita oral action than I've read before, but there are some rather tender scenes blending in there, too. I really felt emotionally engaged the whole time. Expect to laugh, swoon, shake your head, and wish to punch out a character, or two. *evil-eyes Vince*
I was captivated by the close interactions this "work family" displayed--and how they banded together to support Phil in his professional and personal life. My one complaint? I didn't get to experience the company picnic! These people are a total hoot, and I was sad to turn the final page.
The main character of the entire story is Phil, manager of the Speedy Mart. He is a 35 y/o, out gay man who has worked in retail his whole life. His tenacity and compassion as a boss helps his eclectic team of workers thrive. Among the employees at the Speedy Mart is an aging drag queen, a secret-drinker Wiccan BDSM Domme, a glam boy, and a gruff--former-alcoholic-former-homeless assistant manager. The Monday morning rush at the Speedy Mart is no joke, and it's further complicated when Ezra (the glam boy) is nearly hit by a Coke delivery truck. The driver, Vince, makes a heroic save resulting in minimal property damage, which brings Phil's overbearing and homophobic manager Mark to the scene.
It is now that Phil's professional life begins to unravel. And it isn't helped when Ezra is held up at gunpoint the following day. Mark has an ax to grind with Phil, and it's of a deeply personal nature. His solutions for Phil's store: fire everyone, including Phil, but Mark can't make that happen without some HR documentation, so he turns the screws tight waiting for the Speedy Mart to topple. With the turmoil at work, Phil is unlikely to find respite, but he does--with Humberto, a young, suave Mexican-American handyman.
Meanwhile, having two near-death experiences turns Ezra into a mess. His best friend, Jeremy, is not much help--going through some intense relationship issues with his "open relationship" live-in boyfriend, Vince--the Coke deliveryman.
There are further and deeper connections between the many characters in this story, but they all flow seamlessly via the multiple points of view. I developed such love for this quirky cast, and wanted everyone (excepting Vince) to have an HEA. I was really, really close to getting that wish-come-true. Even Mark was redeemed, and in the sexiest way possible.
Speaking of sexy, I did like the sexytimes. The book likely has more per-capita oral action than I've read before, but there are some rather tender scenes blending in there, too. I really felt emotionally engaged the whole time. Expect to laugh, swoon, shake your head, and wish to punch out a character, or two. *evil-eyes Vince*
I was captivated by the close interactions this "work family" displayed--and how they banded together to support Phil in his professional and personal life. My one complaint? I didn't get to experience the company picnic! These people are a total hoot, and I was sad to turn the final page.
July 6, 2015
Original Blog Post: Spotlight eARC Review: Speedy Rewards (Working Class #1) by Jeff Erno
Reviewed by: Ray
My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
I really don’t know what to think about this book, for the following reasons:
Each chapter introduces a new character, and there are so many of them, they tend to get lost. In the first six chapters, we meet, Phil; Ezra; Vince; Mark; Doreen; Justin; and in chapter ten we meet Brandon. Frankly, that’s way too many characters for the reader’s brain to encompass, and keep track of in a few pages. I found myself having to backtrack and figure out who was being talked about when they popped up on the page.
The only characters who really matter are Phil and Mark. All the other characters are merely peripheral to the two main characters, and they frankly aren’t all that interesting.
Essentially, this is the story of Phil, a more than competent long-time manager of a Speedy Mart, one of a chain of service station/convenience stores; and his district manager, Mark. Phil has recently been outed as gay, and Mark is a classic homophobe who’s intense dislike of Phil begins when the outing, and manifests itself in poor performance reviews. Classic in the sense that he is at his core, a deeply closeted self-hating homosexual. And therein lies the story.
This book could have been interesting, if it had been more focused on the two main characters, and less involved with the peripheral characters and their exploits.
Better writing would have helped enormously. Like so many authors, Erno’s characters don’t “talk” to each other. That is, they don’t actually “say” things to each other. Instead, the reader is inundated with bad and often invalid dialogue tags, as we are told that the characters “intoned; mumbled; piped up; moaned; slurred; protested; and spat at each other.
Dialogue tags like these violate a cardinal rule of writing: “Show, don’t tell.” Which is another way of saying, Don’t tell the reader what he’s supposed to think; show him what’s happening, and show it in a way that makes the action clear.” I realize full well that I say this in probably eight out of ten reviews, but it bears repeating.
Then there’s the fact that it is physically impossible to “moan”, “protest”, or “spit” a sentence.
The cover was interesting, but the faces of the two men on the cover in no way resembled any of the characters in the book. Most people, myself included, like to form an image of the characters in their minds as they read a book. Prompting them with actual images on the cover is popular, but it is never a good idea, especially when both the younger man and the slightly older man on the cover look more like middle-class office workers than the typical employee one finds at a convenience store.
I’ll give this book Three stars for effort, but it could have been so much better.
Reviewed by: Ray
My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
I really don’t know what to think about this book, for the following reasons:
Each chapter introduces a new character, and there are so many of them, they tend to get lost. In the first six chapters, we meet, Phil; Ezra; Vince; Mark; Doreen; Justin; and in chapter ten we meet Brandon. Frankly, that’s way too many characters for the reader’s brain to encompass, and keep track of in a few pages. I found myself having to backtrack and figure out who was being talked about when they popped up on the page.
The only characters who really matter are Phil and Mark. All the other characters are merely peripheral to the two main characters, and they frankly aren’t all that interesting.
Essentially, this is the story of Phil, a more than competent long-time manager of a Speedy Mart, one of a chain of service station/convenience stores; and his district manager, Mark. Phil has recently been outed as gay, and Mark is a classic homophobe who’s intense dislike of Phil begins when the outing, and manifests itself in poor performance reviews. Classic in the sense that he is at his core, a deeply closeted self-hating homosexual. And therein lies the story.
This book could have been interesting, if it had been more focused on the two main characters, and less involved with the peripheral characters and their exploits.
Better writing would have helped enormously. Like so many authors, Erno’s characters don’t “talk” to each other. That is, they don’t actually “say” things to each other. Instead, the reader is inundated with bad and often invalid dialogue tags, as we are told that the characters “intoned; mumbled; piped up; moaned; slurred; protested; and spat at each other.
Dialogue tags like these violate a cardinal rule of writing: “Show, don’t tell.” Which is another way of saying, Don’t tell the reader what he’s supposed to think; show him what’s happening, and show it in a way that makes the action clear.” I realize full well that I say this in probably eight out of ten reviews, but it bears repeating.
Then there’s the fact that it is physically impossible to “moan”, “protest”, or “spit” a sentence.
The cover was interesting, but the faces of the two men on the cover in no way resembled any of the characters in the book. Most people, myself included, like to form an image of the characters in their minds as they read a book. Prompting them with actual images on the cover is popular, but it is never a good idea, especially when both the younger man and the slightly older man on the cover look more like middle-class office workers than the typical employee one finds at a convenience store.
I’ll give this book Three stars for effort, but it could have been so much better.
June 24, 2015
I enjoyed this because it was so different from the standard MMromance.
This was an ensemble piece about a lot of characters. Each had a set of struggles to face and overcome. Perhaps a lifetime of catastrophes and coincidences were condensed into a small time frame, but once I allowed myself to get swept up into their daily dramas, their struggles felt real and raw.
I'll be interested in what comes next in this series.
This was an ensemble piece about a lot of characters. Each had a set of struggles to face and overcome. Perhaps a lifetime of catastrophes and coincidences were condensed into a small time frame, but once I allowed myself to get swept up into their daily dramas, their struggles felt real and raw.
I'll be interested in what comes next in this series.
June 14, 2015
Great story set in the convenience store of a petrol station. Having worked in retail and customer service I can say that diverse mix of characters is very realistic. Just the right mix between sex/romance/story.
August 21, 2015
Multitaskingmomma's Review says it better than I ever could so... What she said!
June 4, 2020
Encore une nouvelle découverte pour moi. J’ai flashé sur le résumé et sur la couverture toute mignonne.
Je lis toujours les notes et les remerciements, on apprend souvent beaucoup de choses et ici, on comprend les motivations de l’auteur. Ayant aussi travaillé dans le milieu de la distribution, j’avais hâte de m’imprégner de l’univers.
On alterne entre plusieurs point de vue alors préparez-vous. Chaque personnage a une importance dans cette histoire et a un lieu entre eux, surtout le magasin. Je le notifie, car je sais que certains d’entre vous n’aiment pas l’alternance entre les points de vue. Par contre, je félicite l’auteur qui gère le style. On change de point de vue sans difficulté et sans nous bloquer dans notre lecture ou très rarement.
Nous rencontrons Phil, le gérant qui ne vit que pour son magasin. Il se dit qu’il serait peut-être temps de s’intéresser à sa vie sentimentale déserte, surtout quand un client habituel, lui montre de l’intérêt. Mais entre ses craintes et son patron homophobes, la situation s’avère compliquée. Ezra, l’employé modèle malgré son style original. Ezra qui est à l’origine de la première catastrophe de la semaine. Être un bon employé et un bon ami va devenir de plus en plus compliqué pour lui. Vince est beau, fort et il le sait totalement. Il obtient tout ce qu’il veut parce qu’il le mérite. Il a un colocataire/copain, mais enchaîne les aventures. Sa vie risque de basculer en même temps que son camion. Mark, le patron homophobe. Mais pourquoi détester Phil, l’employé qu’il idolâtrait quelques mois auparavant. Cache t’il des secrets ? Mais aussi, Doreen l’employé loufoque, Brandon, le policier tendre et sexy…
J’ai beaucoup aimé l’intervention de chaque point de vue, sachant que dans chaque chapitre d’autres personnages nous sont dévoilés. Vous devez vous dire “oh, mais quel mélange ” mais tout est lier et on prend plaisir à naviguer ainsi. On essaye de deviner à l’avance ce qu’il va se passer. Ce que j’ai aussi beaucoup apprécié est que l’auteur, malgré le changement de point de vue, n’a jamais répété des scènes sans cesse.
Certains personnages nous touchent plus que d’autres, c’est vraiment à l’image d’une comédie à la télévision avec le héros préféré, celui qu’on déteste, celui qu’on a détesté au premier regard puis finit par aimer. C’est un méli-mélo qui prend forme au fur et à mesure de notre lecture et j’avoue que sachant que certaines histoires n’ont pas eu de fin, je m’attends à une suite.
En sortant de ma lecture, j’étais dubitative. Certains langages choisit alors que je m’attendais à une lecture toute douce, m’ont fait me poser des questions. Mais après une bonne de sommeil, je me rends compte du potentiel de cette histoire.
C’est original, je ne me souviens pas avoir lu un tel livre. J’aime le large choix que peut proposer Juno Publishing, qui nous propose de belle découverte et qui se diversifie sans cesse. Une lecture sympathique pour se changer les idées.
Je lis toujours les notes et les remerciements, on apprend souvent beaucoup de choses et ici, on comprend les motivations de l’auteur. Ayant aussi travaillé dans le milieu de la distribution, j’avais hâte de m’imprégner de l’univers.
On alterne entre plusieurs point de vue alors préparez-vous. Chaque personnage a une importance dans cette histoire et a un lieu entre eux, surtout le magasin. Je le notifie, car je sais que certains d’entre vous n’aiment pas l’alternance entre les points de vue. Par contre, je félicite l’auteur qui gère le style. On change de point de vue sans difficulté et sans nous bloquer dans notre lecture ou très rarement.
Nous rencontrons Phil, le gérant qui ne vit que pour son magasin. Il se dit qu’il serait peut-être temps de s’intéresser à sa vie sentimentale déserte, surtout quand un client habituel, lui montre de l’intérêt. Mais entre ses craintes et son patron homophobes, la situation s’avère compliquée. Ezra, l’employé modèle malgré son style original. Ezra qui est à l’origine de la première catastrophe de la semaine. Être un bon employé et un bon ami va devenir de plus en plus compliqué pour lui. Vince est beau, fort et il le sait totalement. Il obtient tout ce qu’il veut parce qu’il le mérite. Il a un colocataire/copain, mais enchaîne les aventures. Sa vie risque de basculer en même temps que son camion. Mark, le patron homophobe. Mais pourquoi détester Phil, l’employé qu’il idolâtrait quelques mois auparavant. Cache t’il des secrets ? Mais aussi, Doreen l’employé loufoque, Brandon, le policier tendre et sexy…
J’ai beaucoup aimé l’intervention de chaque point de vue, sachant que dans chaque chapitre d’autres personnages nous sont dévoilés. Vous devez vous dire “oh, mais quel mélange ” mais tout est lier et on prend plaisir à naviguer ainsi. On essaye de deviner à l’avance ce qu’il va se passer. Ce que j’ai aussi beaucoup apprécié est que l’auteur, malgré le changement de point de vue, n’a jamais répété des scènes sans cesse.
Certains personnages nous touchent plus que d’autres, c’est vraiment à l’image d’une comédie à la télévision avec le héros préféré, celui qu’on déteste, celui qu’on a détesté au premier regard puis finit par aimer. C’est un méli-mélo qui prend forme au fur et à mesure de notre lecture et j’avoue que sachant que certaines histoires n’ont pas eu de fin, je m’attends à une suite.
En sortant de ma lecture, j’étais dubitative. Certains langages choisit alors que je m’attendais à une lecture toute douce, m’ont fait me poser des questions. Mais après une bonne de sommeil, je me rends compte du potentiel de cette histoire.
C’est original, je ne me souviens pas avoir lu un tel livre. J’aime le large choix que peut proposer Juno Publishing, qui nous propose de belle découverte et qui se diversifie sans cesse. Une lecture sympathique pour se changer les idées.
June 20, 2019
I read this when it was released and reread it again just now. I remembered it as a good story. Boy was I wrong. Well there’s nothing wrong with the story itself but it’s confusing. A lot of different characters that makes it difficult to follow who is who and whom is with whom, it’s a mess. So many things happening lovers/cheating and an ex thrown in just makes it more confusing. I don’t like stories where I have to keep track of too many people.
If each character had been given their own book it would have been absolutely amazing.
If each character had been given their own book it would have been absolutely amazing.
January 1, 2021
“Speedy Rewards” by Jeff Erno is a light hearted romance romp set in the small world of a service station crew. Is funny and scarily reminded me of many of my mums stories as a service station manager.
July 5, 2015
5 Heart Review by Tidal
Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of working in a convenience store, or stocked a beer cooler will love this book. Phil manages Speedy Mart and his employees are an eclectic mix to say the least, and each are endearing. Phil is the perfect manager. In fact he is more of a leader than a manager because Phil does not ask anything from his employees that he is unwilling to do himself. Phil has a remarkable professional life but his personal life is another issue. He is still heartsick over the break up with his ex-lover.
In a business where delivery trucks crash into things, add the bad part of town and throw into the mixture three shifts of die-hard loyal employees either trying to just get by or reinvent themselves. Stir well then add some heels, a dominatrix, tattoos, people recovering their lives, one mooch and officer hunky pants. Gently blend in a conspiracy to fire the chain’s most successful manager because the area supervisor is a rabid homophobe and bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees and you have Phil’s Speedy Mart.
Phil is only one of the great characters we meet. It is review time at the store and the area supervisor Mark is out to get him. Everything that could possibly go wrong does. Phil has spent a great amount of time assembling his team to improve the store and make it the best in the area. They are a loyal die hard mismatched group at best and they are the people that many people would ignore.
What I like about this book is the ensemble cast of characters with the Speedy Mart as the backdrop. We get to peek into each of their lives. I love books that show us how people tick. We get to see why they are who they are and this book does this in a way that is entertaining and not heavy handed or preachy. Jeff Erno paints beautifully with words to the point that you can smell the coffee, and bakery.
The characters in the book are likable and I found myself rooting for them immediately and found great pleasure in getting to see them get what they deserve. Officer Brandon offers us a wonderful moment of humanity. Phil gets to have that moment to have closure with his ex that delivers enormous satisfaction.
This is why Speedy Rewards is worth your time and money. It is never boring, the story never lags, and the good guy wins. Phil is a guy who does not take short cuts and walks with character and integrity and that pays off for him in spades. The characters are everyday people and not all look and act as if they stepped out of the centerfold of a porn magazine. Love finds its way to those who need it most, and compassion finds its way to those who deserve it least. The only complaint that I have with the book is that even though when it was over I was more than satisfied I wanted more. Not more but MORE. I really felt that I bonded with those wonderful people in that book that I find rarely happens. Lastly, I have read other books by this author and one of his gifts is that each book sounds different. It sounds like the person who is telling that story or whom that story is about. It does not sound like Author X telling another story, this is a gift that not all writers have, that is why this book is a great read.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of working in a convenience store, or stocked a beer cooler will love this book. Phil manages Speedy Mart and his employees are an eclectic mix to say the least, and each are endearing. Phil is the perfect manager. In fact he is more of a leader than a manager because Phil does not ask anything from his employees that he is unwilling to do himself. Phil has a remarkable professional life but his personal life is another issue. He is still heartsick over the break up with his ex-lover.
In a business where delivery trucks crash into things, add the bad part of town and throw into the mixture three shifts of die-hard loyal employees either trying to just get by or reinvent themselves. Stir well then add some heels, a dominatrix, tattoos, people recovering their lives, one mooch and officer hunky pants. Gently blend in a conspiracy to fire the chain’s most successful manager because the area supervisor is a rabid homophobe and bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees and you have Phil’s Speedy Mart.
Phil is only one of the great characters we meet. It is review time at the store and the area supervisor Mark is out to get him. Everything that could possibly go wrong does. Phil has spent a great amount of time assembling his team to improve the store and make it the best in the area. They are a loyal die hard mismatched group at best and they are the people that many people would ignore.
What I like about this book is the ensemble cast of characters with the Speedy Mart as the backdrop. We get to peek into each of their lives. I love books that show us how people tick. We get to see why they are who they are and this book does this in a way that is entertaining and not heavy handed or preachy. Jeff Erno paints beautifully with words to the point that you can smell the coffee, and bakery.
The characters in the book are likable and I found myself rooting for them immediately and found great pleasure in getting to see them get what they deserve. Officer Brandon offers us a wonderful moment of humanity. Phil gets to have that moment to have closure with his ex that delivers enormous satisfaction.
This is why Speedy Rewards is worth your time and money. It is never boring, the story never lags, and the good guy wins. Phil is a guy who does not take short cuts and walks with character and integrity and that pays off for him in spades. The characters are everyday people and not all look and act as if they stepped out of the centerfold of a porn magazine. Love finds its way to those who need it most, and compassion finds its way to those who deserve it least. The only complaint that I have with the book is that even though when it was over I was more than satisfied I wanted more. Not more but MORE. I really felt that I bonded with those wonderful people in that book that I find rarely happens. Lastly, I have read other books by this author and one of his gifts is that each book sounds different. It sounds like the person who is telling that story or whom that story is about. It does not sound like Author X telling another story, this is a gift that not all writers have, that is why this book is a great read.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
June 17, 2015
Reviewed for Rainbow Gold Reviews 9/10 pots of gold. A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Let me start off by saying that Speedy Rewards is not your traditional romance. I am used to a boy meets boy, or even boy meets boy meets boy type of story, in which the focus of the story is on the couple, the main characters. Phil starts and ends this book in his point of view, but there are a total of 7 pov’s told in this book, alternating between chapters.
Phil, Doreen, Mark, Ezra, Justin, Brandon, and Vince are all explored in this book. Phil is the manager of the Speedy Mart, looking for love after years of being alone. He has a few trust issues after his partner of seven years left him for another man. He meets Humberto who is a customer at the gas station/convenience store. They are really fun and sweet together. Doreen is a 5 foot tall dom whose character could have been explored a bit more. I’m not sure if she was necessarily straight. Though she loved bringing a big man to his knees, she has an ongoing relationship with a trans-woman who is still pre-op. Ezra is a night clerk, who is best friends with Justin, who is dating Vince, one of the most despicable characters I’ve ever read. Brandon is a police officer who shows up at the Speedy Mart several times, like when Vince drove his delivery truck in between the sign posts to avoid hitting Ezra, and when the store was held up at night. Mark is the district manager and Phil’s direct boss. There is much to dislike about his character at first, but he eventually evokes sympathy from the reader when he and his views do a 180 degree turn.
It is one of the most content filled books I’ve read with all the interweaving story lines. While there is romance, the love scenes and dates between characters are not drawn out in great detail. I would almost classify the story as LGBT fiction because of the way it explores the lives of the employees of the speedy mart, their friends, and their customers. A few other notable characters are Judy, Phil’s best friend, Darren, Phil’s ex, Jeremy, a customer who deals to Ezra, is propositioned by Doreen, and ends up going home with yet another main character. Also, Jeremy’s brother Aaron who causes a bit of trouble and his boyfriend Troy who was kicked out of his house when he came out. I know the amount of characters I’ve just listed will lead you to believe the story might be too complicated or hard to follow but it’s not at all. I think the pov changes help keep it all organized. It was definitely an interesting read not only for the crazy things that happen to the employees at the Speedy Mart, but also the glimpse of the day to day lives of the struggling working class, with minimum wage jobs and trying to support their families.
At the end of this book, we see a growth in many of the characters, and some not so much. There is a lot of humor and action. The employees of the Speedy Mart become like family members to each other, and as a reader, I sort of felt like they were my family too. There were a lot of hook-ups and break-ups, and four couples emerged at the end of the story. Brandon, the closeted cop, was supposed to show up at a work picnic with an unknown date but the story ends before he arrives. Dare I hope that he will be featured in a book of this series? I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a solid story with great character building.
Let me start off by saying that Speedy Rewards is not your traditional romance. I am used to a boy meets boy, or even boy meets boy meets boy type of story, in which the focus of the story is on the couple, the main characters. Phil starts and ends this book in his point of view, but there are a total of 7 pov’s told in this book, alternating between chapters.
Phil, Doreen, Mark, Ezra, Justin, Brandon, and Vince are all explored in this book. Phil is the manager of the Speedy Mart, looking for love after years of being alone. He has a few trust issues after his partner of seven years left him for another man. He meets Humberto who is a customer at the gas station/convenience store. They are really fun and sweet together. Doreen is a 5 foot tall dom whose character could have been explored a bit more. I’m not sure if she was necessarily straight. Though she loved bringing a big man to his knees, she has an ongoing relationship with a trans-woman who is still pre-op. Ezra is a night clerk, who is best friends with Justin, who is dating Vince, one of the most despicable characters I’ve ever read. Brandon is a police officer who shows up at the Speedy Mart several times, like when Vince drove his delivery truck in between the sign posts to avoid hitting Ezra, and when the store was held up at night. Mark is the district manager and Phil’s direct boss. There is much to dislike about his character at first, but he eventually evokes sympathy from the reader when he and his views do a 180 degree turn.
It is one of the most content filled books I’ve read with all the interweaving story lines. While there is romance, the love scenes and dates between characters are not drawn out in great detail. I would almost classify the story as LGBT fiction because of the way it explores the lives of the employees of the speedy mart, their friends, and their customers. A few other notable characters are Judy, Phil’s best friend, Darren, Phil’s ex, Jeremy, a customer who deals to Ezra, is propositioned by Doreen, and ends up going home with yet another main character. Also, Jeremy’s brother Aaron who causes a bit of trouble and his boyfriend Troy who was kicked out of his house when he came out. I know the amount of characters I’ve just listed will lead you to believe the story might be too complicated or hard to follow but it’s not at all. I think the pov changes help keep it all organized. It was definitely an interesting read not only for the crazy things that happen to the employees at the Speedy Mart, but also the glimpse of the day to day lives of the struggling working class, with minimum wage jobs and trying to support their families.
At the end of this book, we see a growth in many of the characters, and some not so much. There is a lot of humor and action. The employees of the Speedy Mart become like family members to each other, and as a reader, I sort of felt like they were my family too. There were a lot of hook-ups and break-ups, and four couples emerged at the end of the story. Brandon, the closeted cop, was supposed to show up at a work picnic with an unknown date but the story ends before he arrives. Dare I hope that he will be featured in a book of this series? I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a solid story with great character building.
June 20, 2015
I loved how the chapters in this book were done, each one was done on several characters within the book, so you know everything that was happening, but you never get confused or lost. I have to admit that I wanted to reach into the book and hit "Vince", who is a totally horrid person, although he thinks he is a gift to the whole of mankind!
This book was full of a few surprises along the way!! We meet Phil who is someone who puts everything into his job, but this means his personal life is a total mess, in fact he doesn't have a personal life as all his time is spent at work.
The week from hell starts like any other week for Phil, as manager of a Speedy Mart, until the day that has the truck crashing into his stores outside sign..... his ex-boyfriend ringing asking for a loan..... his night staff are held up in an armed robbery...... and the district manager telling him to fire his best night employee..... a car on fire on the garage forecourt and the icing on the cake is that Phil is put on an action plan, even though there is no reason for this.... it all seems to stem back to Phil giving an interview about his helping out the local LGBT and he then finds out he has a homophobic district manager who now wants to get rid of him.
Phil doesn't seem to realise that Humberto, who is one of his customers, is trying to get his attention to ask him out!! Phil was supposed to ring him one evening, but after an eventful day at work, he went home and fell asleep - prompting Humberto to think he didn't want to go out with him. So Phil is convinced that he has driven Humberto away.
Ezra is in a quandary as he knows he should talk to his best friend Justin about his boyfriend Vince, as Ezra knows Vince is playing around and is not loyal to Justin at all. Ezra really does care for Justin, and I don’t think he actually realises how much he does care….
Vince shows no commitment to Justin, and quite often throughout the book you find out he is with somebody else, and doesn't seem to care about anything other than how people look at him, and the next hot body he can have. One of the people he decided to take out was the Policeman who responded to his accident, but to make matters worse, although he lives with Justin, he asked him to make himself scarce while he brought his date home..... however, on their arrival at the house, Justin is there and not in a good way......
Doreen, another of the staff, frequently mentions a dungeon at home, but nobody really believes that she has one..... but oh yes she does, and learn about what happens in her dungeon!!
Mark, the district manager, decides to go for a drink after the week from hell and ends up at the gay bar in the town. Here he meets Jeremy, and although Mark is married, he agrees to go home with Jeremy……
Things all come to a head, when both Mark and Phil are called into the head office of Speedy Mart, and the events that happen there are not what you expect to happen.
Is Mark a closet gay?? Does Phil ever manage to apologise to Humberto and go on a date?? What has happened to Justin?? What has happened at the meeting at the head office?? Will Ezra ever realise what his feelings for Justin are??
4.5 stars given on review
Complimentary copy provided by the author/publisher for honest review.
Reviewed by Dawn at Gay Media Reviews
This book was full of a few surprises along the way!! We meet Phil who is someone who puts everything into his job, but this means his personal life is a total mess, in fact he doesn't have a personal life as all his time is spent at work.
The week from hell starts like any other week for Phil, as manager of a Speedy Mart, until the day that has the truck crashing into his stores outside sign..... his ex-boyfriend ringing asking for a loan..... his night staff are held up in an armed robbery...... and the district manager telling him to fire his best night employee..... a car on fire on the garage forecourt and the icing on the cake is that Phil is put on an action plan, even though there is no reason for this.... it all seems to stem back to Phil giving an interview about his helping out the local LGBT and he then finds out he has a homophobic district manager who now wants to get rid of him.
Phil doesn't seem to realise that Humberto, who is one of his customers, is trying to get his attention to ask him out!! Phil was supposed to ring him one evening, but after an eventful day at work, he went home and fell asleep - prompting Humberto to think he didn't want to go out with him. So Phil is convinced that he has driven Humberto away.
Ezra is in a quandary as he knows he should talk to his best friend Justin about his boyfriend Vince, as Ezra knows Vince is playing around and is not loyal to Justin at all. Ezra really does care for Justin, and I don’t think he actually realises how much he does care….
Vince shows no commitment to Justin, and quite often throughout the book you find out he is with somebody else, and doesn't seem to care about anything other than how people look at him, and the next hot body he can have. One of the people he decided to take out was the Policeman who responded to his accident, but to make matters worse, although he lives with Justin, he asked him to make himself scarce while he brought his date home..... however, on their arrival at the house, Justin is there and not in a good way......
Doreen, another of the staff, frequently mentions a dungeon at home, but nobody really believes that she has one..... but oh yes she does, and learn about what happens in her dungeon!!
Mark, the district manager, decides to go for a drink after the week from hell and ends up at the gay bar in the town. Here he meets Jeremy, and although Mark is married, he agrees to go home with Jeremy……
Things all come to a head, when both Mark and Phil are called into the head office of Speedy Mart, and the events that happen there are not what you expect to happen.
Is Mark a closet gay?? Does Phil ever manage to apologise to Humberto and go on a date?? What has happened to Justin?? What has happened at the meeting at the head office?? Will Ezra ever realise what his feelings for Justin are??
4.5 stars given on review
Complimentary copy provided by the author/publisher for honest review.
Reviewed by Dawn at Gay Media Reviews
July 4, 2015
Original 5 star review at https://eddylefey.wordpress.com/2015/...
When I first read the blurb for this story, I was intrigued. It sounded like a nice little story about a store manager of a Speedy Mart who found love all the while dealing with a week from hell. It was that, but it was much more. For those readers who don’t like multiple points-of-view in a story, this would not be the book for you. Of twenty-six chapters, Phil, the “main” character’s point-of-view, is featured in less than half of them. I thought doing alternating points-of-view per chapter was brilliant!
This was much more than a love story. It was a snapshot, actually a short film featuring the lives of several employees of a gas station, and some of their customers. The characters are multidimensional, from different walks of life, socio-economic backgrounds, and at different stages in their personal development. Some I hated at first and ended up really liking. Others, I liked and ended up rolling my eyes at them and yelling at them to grow up.
There is a multitude of different types of gay people in this story, which is refreshing and extraordinary. A reader, whoever she/he may be, should be able to relate to at least one of the characters, as well as learn about how other “types” tick.
Most of the characters evolve and change throughout the telling, but some don’t. For me personally, those who didn’t change, I wanted to throw myself into the digital world and slap them.
I noticed a very few missing words/grammar/ spelling issues. But nothing major, and it didn’t take me out of the story… not in the least!
Now, if you were worried that the story was taking on too much, and therefore would be lacking in sex scenes, you would be wrong! There is lots of sex in this book. The language, at points, was a bit (okay, a lot) crude, but I could live with it because the situation, and the characters, called for that kind of language.
The book has been so enjoyable that I’ve read it twice already. I plan to read it again. It’s complex enough for readers who enjoy rereading books to get something new out of it each time. That is a big plus for me.
I give this wonderful story 5 stars!
When I first read the blurb for this story, I was intrigued. It sounded like a nice little story about a store manager of a Speedy Mart who found love all the while dealing with a week from hell. It was that, but it was much more. For those readers who don’t like multiple points-of-view in a story, this would not be the book for you. Of twenty-six chapters, Phil, the “main” character’s point-of-view, is featured in less than half of them. I thought doing alternating points-of-view per chapter was brilliant!
This was much more than a love story. It was a snapshot, actually a short film featuring the lives of several employees of a gas station, and some of their customers. The characters are multidimensional, from different walks of life, socio-economic backgrounds, and at different stages in their personal development. Some I hated at first and ended up really liking. Others, I liked and ended up rolling my eyes at them and yelling at them to grow up.
There is a multitude of different types of gay people in this story, which is refreshing and extraordinary. A reader, whoever she/he may be, should be able to relate to at least one of the characters, as well as learn about how other “types” tick.
Most of the characters evolve and change throughout the telling, but some don’t. For me personally, those who didn’t change, I wanted to throw myself into the digital world and slap them.
I noticed a very few missing words/grammar/ spelling issues. But nothing major, and it didn’t take me out of the story… not in the least!
Now, if you were worried that the story was taking on too much, and therefore would be lacking in sex scenes, you would be wrong! There is lots of sex in this book. The language, at points, was a bit (okay, a lot) crude, but I could live with it because the situation, and the characters, called for that kind of language.
The book has been so enjoyable that I’ve read it twice already. I plan to read it again. It’s complex enough for readers who enjoy rereading books to get something new out of it each time. That is a big plus for me.
I give this wonderful story 5 stars!
June 18, 2015
Phil Mitchell manages a gas station/convenience store for a living. He's very good at his job and receives a lot of satisfaction knowing that he's providing a great service to the customers who visit Speedy Mart. However, a string of random incidents, pressure from his homophobic boss, worrying about his employees and trying to determine if he should give the hot, flirtatious customer a chance, means his job anything but boring.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this story. It was a little difficult for me to get into the story initially because there were so many characters, and readers have the daunting task of learning about each of them. I commend Jeff Erno for being able to keep everyone straight (no pun intended...because very few of them are), yet weave all of their stories together. The book didn't really start to pick up until approximately halfway through, but once it did I had to hold on to my seat!
Phil was a great character and I loved seeing the development of his relationship with Humberto. Ezra, Phil's employee, was another character I really liked. I found his particularly story fascinating, especially his relationship with his best friend, Justin. In trying to effectively tell everyone's story, I felt that some storylines didn't get enough attention. The Ezra/Justin storyline captivated me, but also broke my heart. I wanted to know more about Justin, the good-hearted lamb who always seemed to get kicked in the teeth emotionally, and more of his backstory with Ezra.
All in all, this is a solid book. It would be nice to see more of Phil, Humberto, Ezra and Justin in the future and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Wayward Ink Publishing provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more m/m romance reviews, visit Slashsessed.
For the most part, I really enjoyed this story. It was a little difficult for me to get into the story initially because there were so many characters, and readers have the daunting task of learning about each of them. I commend Jeff Erno for being able to keep everyone straight (no pun intended...because very few of them are), yet weave all of their stories together. The book didn't really start to pick up until approximately halfway through, but once it did I had to hold on to my seat!
Phil was a great character and I loved seeing the development of his relationship with Humberto. Ezra, Phil's employee, was another character I really liked. I found his particularly story fascinating, especially his relationship with his best friend, Justin. In trying to effectively tell everyone's story, I felt that some storylines didn't get enough attention. The Ezra/Justin storyline captivated me, but also broke my heart. I wanted to know more about Justin, the good-hearted lamb who always seemed to get kicked in the teeth emotionally, and more of his backstory with Ezra.
All in all, this is a solid book. It would be nice to see more of Phil, Humberto, Ezra and Justin in the future and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
Wayward Ink Publishing provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For more m/m romance reviews, visit Slashsessed.
November 16, 2015
I have rarely read a book which I wanted to go back to so much every spare minute or one which had left me feeling so excited at the end. It easily made my top 3 for the year and it will surely remain there.
I adore books which keep your brain alive and "Speedy Rewards" is definitely one of them. The author introduces an impressive bunch of characters from the very first chapter and promises an interesting one-week peek in their lives. All through the book he never breaks this promise, rather surprises us with over-delivery.
Seldom have I read something so lavishly kaleidoscopic showing with a dose of irony and lots of wisdom the complexity and inter-connectivity of life. Life as we know it, life as it can be and is behind every corner you pass on your way to work back home.
None of the characters is perfect but they are all fascinating, each in their own way, even if they are great at being egoism or lack of confidence. Finally, what you want to give all of them is a hug (some a kick in the ass first and then a hug) and wish each one gets their own reward for being who they are.
Bottom line is:"...this isn't a TV commercial. This is real life..." which is one of the things which make "Speedy Rewards" so addictive. It is rewarding indeed to be able to enter the Speedy Mart and get to know all those complex characters and observe the whole range of human emotions. These are not brought to "romantic" extremes but they are the ones which can irritate you or make you smirk or fill you with warmth every day.
This is the first book I read by Jeff Erno and would surely not be the last as he proves to be not only a connoisseur of human character but also an amazing storyteller.
I wish I could give more stars for this one!
I adore books which keep your brain alive and "Speedy Rewards" is definitely one of them. The author introduces an impressive bunch of characters from the very first chapter and promises an interesting one-week peek in their lives. All through the book he never breaks this promise, rather surprises us with over-delivery.
Seldom have I read something so lavishly kaleidoscopic showing with a dose of irony and lots of wisdom the complexity and inter-connectivity of life. Life as we know it, life as it can be and is behind every corner you pass on your way to work back home.
None of the characters is perfect but they are all fascinating, each in their own way, even if they are great at being egoism or lack of confidence. Finally, what you want to give all of them is a hug (some a kick in the ass first and then a hug) and wish each one gets their own reward for being who they are.
Bottom line is:"...this isn't a TV commercial. This is real life..." which is one of the things which make "Speedy Rewards" so addictive. It is rewarding indeed to be able to enter the Speedy Mart and get to know all those complex characters and observe the whole range of human emotions. These are not brought to "romantic" extremes but they are the ones which can irritate you or make you smirk or fill you with warmth every day.
This is the first book I read by Jeff Erno and would surely not be the last as he proves to be not only a connoisseur of human character but also an amazing storyteller.
I wish I could give more stars for this one!
July 27, 2015
The different chapters in this book were focused on the several characters that Jeff has incorporated into his story. I loved how we could get to know about all of them and see their stories developing all at the same time. His characterization is superb, leaving me wanting to hug someone and sock the other on the jaw at various times in the story.
Since Phil is the center of the story, we see quite a lot him; mainly at work. Because, that’s what he devotes his life to. His personal life is in shambles, rather I think it’s better to say it’s non-existent since he rarely has any time to give to it.
His life seems to get from bad to worse all over the course of one week and to make things even worse, it looked like he would end up losing his job because of a homophobic manager.
Over the course of the story we meet really well fleshed out characters, Ezra, Justin, Doreen and oh Humberto! Poor Humberto, whose overtures go right over Phil’s head.
This book has a lot of twists and turns and will continually keep you guessing as to what’s coming next. All I would ask of you dear readers is pick up a copy ASAP (Wayward Ink is having a sale ;) ) and keep your fingers crossed for the final meeting at the head office.
I really loved it, and have added this on my squeeeeeeeeeeeee list of Jeff Erno’s works. Lol.
Since Phil is the center of the story, we see quite a lot him; mainly at work. Because, that’s what he devotes his life to. His personal life is in shambles, rather I think it’s better to say it’s non-existent since he rarely has any time to give to it.
His life seems to get from bad to worse all over the course of one week and to make things even worse, it looked like he would end up losing his job because of a homophobic manager.
Over the course of the story we meet really well fleshed out characters, Ezra, Justin, Doreen and oh Humberto! Poor Humberto, whose overtures go right over Phil’s head.
This book has a lot of twists and turns and will continually keep you guessing as to what’s coming next. All I would ask of you dear readers is pick up a copy ASAP (Wayward Ink is having a sale ;) ) and keep your fingers crossed for the final meeting at the head office.
I really loved it, and have added this on my squeeeeeeeeeeeee list of Jeff Erno’s works. Lol.
March 16, 2016
I should start this review with a confession – I really hate to have to deal with a ton of (main) characters, moreover when introduced in few chapters. This is mainly because in such cases I simply can’t commit to more than 3-4 of them, quite often many (M)Cs make the story (a tad) diluted, and since I’m not a person who easily remembers names, I usually end up struggling to make out what is happening to whom.
So, at first, because of the blurb, I was led to think I will face only Phil, Ezra, Mark and Brandon and when I eventually discovered that 6+ more are about to interfere, I barely decided to give it a try. I approached the first two chapters rather reserved but the more I read through them, the more fascinated I became with the book, getting to the point of total obsession.
Frankly, I wasn’t able to read or think about anything else until I finished it and this was the first time I was able to remember all characters and was equally interested in their personal up and downs. Reading the story as a whole was unique and everything was playing out right there, before my eyes, as if I was watching it live - I could feel the atmosphere with my skin, it was so real, and the characters were so genuine with their language and personal streaks.
I’m giving 5 stars to this perfectly recreated bit of reality. It certainly deserves some attention.
So, at first, because of the blurb, I was led to think I will face only Phil, Ezra, Mark and Brandon and when I eventually discovered that 6+ more are about to interfere, I barely decided to give it a try. I approached the first two chapters rather reserved but the more I read through them, the more fascinated I became with the book, getting to the point of total obsession.
Frankly, I wasn’t able to read or think about anything else until I finished it and this was the first time I was able to remember all characters and was equally interested in their personal up and downs. Reading the story as a whole was unique and everything was playing out right there, before my eyes, as if I was watching it live - I could feel the atmosphere with my skin, it was so real, and the characters were so genuine with their language and personal streaks.
I’m giving 5 stars to this perfectly recreated bit of reality. It certainly deserves some attention.
June 27, 2015
This is a completely different book of what I am usually have read from Jeff Erno.
The story is based upon the employees of the Speedy Mart and the different challenges they go through while working a job that sometimes they don't feel that rewarding.
The main character of the story Phil is the sounding board of his employees and sacrifices a lot in order to give them the opportunity to survive their respective efforts.
The book is written based upon the different employees and while the dynamic is interesting I will have to say I would have like to know more about Phil and his life.
Regardless, it is an important part of the story that the employees are known too.
October 26, 2015
Speedy Rewards is a Page Turner
With a cast of characters, some so quirky that all I could think is that they're based on real people, Jeff Erno writes love stories of different people that's enjoyable from start to finish. There are characters that humorous, and some that are hateful. And, obviously, there are characters you want to take home, feed them, counsel them and be friends with them.
The pace is quick, the conversations sharp. There are erotic storylines so it's not a YA novel.
Can't wait for the next in the series!
With a cast of characters, some so quirky that all I could think is that they're based on real people, Jeff Erno writes love stories of different people that's enjoyable from start to finish. There are characters that humorous, and some that are hateful. And, obviously, there are characters you want to take home, feed them, counsel them and be friends with them.
The pace is quick, the conversations sharp. There are erotic storylines so it's not a YA novel.
Can't wait for the next in the series!
February 14, 2016
Speedy Rewards is a wonderful story with a delightful array of diverse characters, all well-written and three-dimensional. I was hooked from the first page and keen to find out whether all their dramas (romantic and otherwise) would be resolved. At times funny, at other times emotional, this was an engaging read, and I look forward to future books in the series.
Disclaimer: I was involved in the editing of this title.
Disclaimer: I was involved in the editing of this title.
July 4, 2015
It took me a bit to get into it but once it gained momentum I absolutely adored the world of interconnecting stories Jeff Erno created. Phil, a wonderfully decent person, able to love and understand all the members of his convenience store "family" with their quirks and flaws Each character so complex and relatable. A truly great read.
August 1, 2016
2.5 stars
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