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Falling
Josh’s idea of a romance is curling up alone and reading a novel with a happily ever after. His flat is his safe haven—the walls covered with stories and poems, a thousand words that help him cope, and his living room ceiling is a map of the universe.
Angus may be shy and inexperienced, but he's incapable of hiding anything, especially his attraction to his older neighbour.
When Josh admits to Angus that he’s gay, he doesn't expect Angus’s reaction. Angus’s obvious interest terrifies Josh. For years he’s managed to keep the world at arm’s length and avoid getting too close to anyone. Well, anyone except Eleanor, Angus’s mother, who helped Josh rebuild his life after he was hospitalised for depression. But Josh still thinks he’s broken. His past has left scars he’s convinced are too deep to heal. Despite Josh’s defenses, Angus begins to mean more to him than just the cute boy next door. If Josh can take a risk and let someone into his isolated world, he might have a chance for a real life happy ending.
Angus may be shy and inexperienced, but he's incapable of hiding anything, especially his attraction to his older neighbour.
When Josh admits to Angus that he’s gay, he doesn't expect Angus’s reaction. Angus’s obvious interest terrifies Josh. For years he’s managed to keep the world at arm’s length and avoid getting too close to anyone. Well, anyone except Eleanor, Angus’s mother, who helped Josh rebuild his life after he was hospitalised for depression. But Josh still thinks he’s broken. His past has left scars he’s convinced are too deep to heal. Despite Josh’s defenses, Angus begins to mean more to him than just the cute boy next door. If Josh can take a risk and let someone into his isolated world, he might have a chance for a real life happy ending.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2015
42 people are currently reading
1028 people want to read
About the author
Suki Fleet
33 books682 followersAbout the author:
Suki Fleet is an award winning author, a prolific Reader (though less prolific than they'd like), and a lover of angst, romance and unexpected love stories.
They write lyrical stories about memorable characters and believe everyone should have a chance at a happy ending.
Their first novel This is Not a Love Story won Best Gay Debut in the 2014 Rainbow Awards, and was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Awards. Their novel Foxes won Best Gay Young Adult in the 2016 Rainbow Awards.
If you’d like to offer your support and buy Suki Fleet a coffee you can do that here: https://ko-fi.com/sukifleet
If you would like info on upcoming releases and the occasional free story, please sign up to Suki’s newsletter: https://sukifleet.wordpress.com/newsl...
If you’re interested in reading first drafts of Suki’s new stories, or reading stories that are no longer available or cuts that can’t be published on Amazon, and other extras, please consider signing up to Suki’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/sukifleet
Suki Fleet is an award winning author, a prolific Reader (though less prolific than they'd like), and a lover of angst, romance and unexpected love stories.
They write lyrical stories about memorable characters and believe everyone should have a chance at a happy ending.
Their first novel This is Not a Love Story won Best Gay Debut in the 2014 Rainbow Awards, and was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Awards. Their novel Foxes won Best Gay Young Adult in the 2016 Rainbow Awards.
If you’d like to offer your support and buy Suki Fleet a coffee you can do that here: https://ko-fi.com/sukifleet
If you would like info on upcoming releases and the occasional free story, please sign up to Suki’s newsletter: https://sukifleet.wordpress.com/newsl...
If you’re interested in reading first drafts of Suki’s new stories, or reading stories that are no longer available or cuts that can’t be published on Amazon, and other extras, please consider signing up to Suki’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/sukifleet
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
July 27, 2016
Irony of life: Suki Fleet is not as popular as she deserves. But I'm not going to dwell on it. She made it again, which is regrettable because I'm simply running out of words to say. It seems that she has lots of inspiration and talent but I don't, so my contribution will be pretty bland at this stage of the game.
This book reminded me of The Glass House because, in a way, there is a certain parallelism. The story is set in London and in a certain moment they travel to Brighton, the MC is isolated and tries to push the love of his life away, who always pushes back and breaks through his defenses.
As always, Suki Fleet dazzled me. As always, Suki Fleet made me feel empty. As always, I didn't stood a chance. As always, I didn't mind. As always, I allowed myself to be carried away. She has that power. I already expected it to be captivated and I even waited for it, so the element of surprise is absent. The question now is: Am I captivated in the second page or in the first one? It doesn't take long with her, as you have guessed. I'm so easy.
Her books are SO SAD but rest assured, it's a good sad. Sad for the characters who feel so lost, sad for the longing you feel from them, sad for the book coming to an end. It's that kind of sadness you need to tell people around: "Hey, leave me alone, I'm taking pleasure in this sadness and I want to do it on my own. I'll be back soon", so you put on your door in your mind that little notice of "Do not interrupt" and you shut out the surrounding world for a couple of hours. Far, far from the maddening crowd. And then a little more to lick your wounds because oh-my-God, her books hurt you deeply whereas they also heal you. They are almost a cleansing fire and I hope she doesn't change (yes, I know, pretty lame and unoriginal).
Josh is 25 years old and works in a shoe shop in a mall. He lives in a little attic over his neighbor's house, who supported him in his lowest moments. A woman who has her own mental issues. Some months ago, her 18-year-old son moved with her and nothing has been the same ever since.
The pace is slow and deliberate. This book doesn't even reach 200 pages but somehow the love story draws you in quickly, as if you had known the characters for ages. With some books I just can't connect with the MCs even after hundreds of pages, but Suki Fleets manages to make them feel very close to you since the first scene. She writes in a way that calls for you instantly. It's like every moment is stretched out, because every second feels like a day. Every second makes you believe in something more profound that what's on the surface. The emotions are latent under the words but they are there, starting a fire from minute 1.
Angus is nothing Josh expected him to be. Angus is shy but also confident when the situation requires it. Angus is young and strong. For Josh, Angus is beautiful and perfect. But Josh is not, he's broken and lost, and fears feelings above it all. He knows with a great certainty that there is nothing in him to bear them without falling and sinking in the dark.
In comparison with her other books, this story is not as difficult to read. This story is more about the longing and the fear of making that longing come true. This authors writes books in which little happens because the important issues are the intern conflicts the MC suffers, but at the same time the interactions with the rest of the characters are essential, above all with the person he loves and covets. These interactions are painfully warm and demonstrates that it's possible to paint a gorgeous picture with only a few brushstrokes. Her stories make you believe that theirs is true love.
*******
Timing is Everything
This book reminded me of The Glass House because, in a way, there is a certain parallelism. The story is set in London and in a certain moment they travel to Brighton, the MC is isolated and tries to push the love of his life away, who always pushes back and breaks through his defenses.
As always, Suki Fleet dazzled me. As always, Suki Fleet made me feel empty. As always, I didn't stood a chance. As always, I didn't mind. As always, I allowed myself to be carried away. She has that power. I already expected it to be captivated and I even waited for it, so the element of surprise is absent. The question now is: Am I captivated in the second page or in the first one? It doesn't take long with her, as you have guessed. I'm so easy.
Her books are SO SAD but rest assured, it's a good sad. Sad for the characters who feel so lost, sad for the longing you feel from them, sad for the book coming to an end. It's that kind of sadness you need to tell people around: "Hey, leave me alone, I'm taking pleasure in this sadness and I want to do it on my own. I'll be back soon", so you put on your door in your mind that little notice of "Do not interrupt" and you shut out the surrounding world for a couple of hours. Far, far from the maddening crowd. And then a little more to lick your wounds because oh-my-God, her books hurt you deeply whereas they also heal you. They are almost a cleansing fire and I hope she doesn't change (yes, I know, pretty lame and unoriginal).
Josh is 25 years old and works in a shoe shop in a mall. He lives in a little attic over his neighbor's house, who supported him in his lowest moments. A woman who has her own mental issues. Some months ago, her 18-year-old son moved with her and nothing has been the same ever since.
The pace is slow and deliberate. This book doesn't even reach 200 pages but somehow the love story draws you in quickly, as if you had known the characters for ages. With some books I just can't connect with the MCs even after hundreds of pages, but Suki Fleets manages to make them feel very close to you since the first scene. She writes in a way that calls for you instantly. It's like every moment is stretched out, because every second feels like a day. Every second makes you believe in something more profound that what's on the surface. The emotions are latent under the words but they are there, starting a fire from minute 1.
Angus is nothing Josh expected him to be. Angus is shy but also confident when the situation requires it. Angus is young and strong. For Josh, Angus is beautiful and perfect. But Josh is not, he's broken and lost, and fears feelings above it all. He knows with a great certainty that there is nothing in him to bear them without falling and sinking in the dark.
In comparison with her other books, this story is not as difficult to read. This story is more about the longing and the fear of making that longing come true. This authors writes books in which little happens because the important issues are the intern conflicts the MC suffers, but at the same time the interactions with the rest of the characters are essential, above all with the person he loves and covets. These interactions are painfully warm and demonstrates that it's possible to paint a gorgeous picture with only a few brushstrokes. Her stories make you believe that theirs is true love.
*******
And when it seems true love is hard to find
That's when love comes along
Just in time
You can call it fate
Or destiny
Sometimes it really seems like its a mystery
Cause you can be hurt by love
Or healed by the same
Timing is everything
Timing is Everything
June 30, 2015
Move along folks, nothing to see here.
*whispers* Kidding, I’m just kidding. But…..
Have you ever felt like that after reading a book? I want to hoard the greatness. I want to shield it from would-be-haters, I want to keep it safe. With me, it’s safe. I will love it, protect it, and cherish it.
Completely irrational thoughts, I know. Too bad my brain doesn’t always function on the rational setting.
I can tell you right now, not everyone will love this. Actually, I can guarantee that some readers won’t even like it. But then with my next breath I can promise you, promise you some of you will hopelessly fall in love with it. I did. I fell….quite unexpectedly too. Fitting title aye? If your initial thought is that it’s simply a typical romance, about “falling” in love, you would be mistaken. You see, at first I thought I was one of those ‘not feeling this. Nope, something is not working for me here‘readers. Man was I wrong.
I suppose I just didn’t realize what I was getting myself into. It’s a sneaker. Creeps up when you when you’re not paying attention. Once I was caught, there was no letting go.
If you are looking for a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am-er-sir, keep moving. You will not find that here.
If you are in the mood for a sweet, happy-go-lucky read, I suggest you take a pass.
If you are searching for a complex, challenging tale of love, trust, and acceptance, this is it.
It is slow..painfully slow at times. Upon reflection, perhaps that’s part of the allure, it was for me. It was a lull of sadness, desperate wistfulness with a beautiful burst of hope. Hope that left me with a happy heart.
Besides the leisurely pace, it’s also told in first person; the star of the show, Josh, doesn’t have an easy or fun head to be in. Truth of the matter is, he’s a mental illness survivor. I wish he would see himself as a survivor. As we know mental illness has varying degrees of severity. Sometimes simple daily tasks can be debilitating. With time and extreme effort, coping skills can be mastered and the internal pressures can be managed, but they never cease to exist.
During the years that Josh rebuilt his life after his psychosis hit its peak, he bonded with his neighbor. Eleanor became his chosen family and when her own manic state of mind becomes volatile after a home invasion, Josh fears their unstable future. When he finds his attraction to her son Angus growing with each passing day, his emotions become erratic. Heavy topics are handled with utmost care with sincere voice that I deeply admire. I can clearly see why Fleet’s writing is praised.
Josh believes himself to be broken. And he can’t bear to burden his damaged goods onto a sweet boy like Angus. Categorizing him as a boy also helps to dampen his desires. The seven-year age difference seems much more significant in Josh’s mind. He considers himself to be old and used up and nowhere near good enough for Angus. Another thing he fails to take into consideration, is when you are in the eye of the storm, you cannot see the entire package. He is oblivious to anything ‘good’ when it comes to himself. However, the shattered parts of his soul and tender heart that he fiercely resents, might be exactly what Angus has been searching for. Fate has brought these two men together.They help each other stay afloat while the trials of life threaten to bring them down.
Josh has been living in isolation for so long, common social skills seem foreign to him. Words are not his strong suit. Yet with Angus he does not need them. Josh is surprised and somewhat terrified to find a secret and silent connection with him. An onslaught of emotions nearly pushes him back into the darkness.
Can he trust himself with the freedom to feel once again?
Does Angus understand how difficult it is for Josh to let himself be loved?
When does it become too much, and is no longer worth it?
If you are willing to be patient….I highly encourage you to find out.
It’s worth the fall.
*4.5 fabulous-free-fall stars*
*whispers* Kidding, I’m just kidding. But…..
Have you ever felt like that after reading a book? I want to hoard the greatness. I want to shield it from would-be-haters, I want to keep it safe. With me, it’s safe. I will love it, protect it, and cherish it.
Completely irrational thoughts, I know. Too bad my brain doesn’t always function on the rational setting.
I can tell you right now, not everyone will love this. Actually, I can guarantee that some readers won’t even like it. But then with my next breath I can promise you, promise you some of you will hopelessly fall in love with it. I did. I fell….quite unexpectedly too. Fitting title aye? If your initial thought is that it’s simply a typical romance, about “falling” in love, you would be mistaken. You see, at first I thought I was one of those ‘not feeling this. Nope, something is not working for me here‘readers. Man was I wrong.
I suppose I just didn’t realize what I was getting myself into. It’s a sneaker. Creeps up when you when you’re not paying attention. Once I was caught, there was no letting go.
If you are looking for a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am-er-sir, keep moving. You will not find that here.
If you are in the mood for a sweet, happy-go-lucky read, I suggest you take a pass.
If you are searching for a complex, challenging tale of love, trust, and acceptance, this is it.
It is slow..painfully slow at times. Upon reflection, perhaps that’s part of the allure, it was for me. It was a lull of sadness, desperate wistfulness with a beautiful burst of hope. Hope that left me with a happy heart.
Besides the leisurely pace, it’s also told in first person; the star of the show, Josh, doesn’t have an easy or fun head to be in. Truth of the matter is, he’s a mental illness survivor. I wish he would see himself as a survivor. As we know mental illness has varying degrees of severity. Sometimes simple daily tasks can be debilitating. With time and extreme effort, coping skills can be mastered and the internal pressures can be managed, but they never cease to exist.
During the years that Josh rebuilt his life after his psychosis hit its peak, he bonded with his neighbor. Eleanor became his chosen family and when her own manic state of mind becomes volatile after a home invasion, Josh fears their unstable future. When he finds his attraction to her son Angus growing with each passing day, his emotions become erratic. Heavy topics are handled with utmost care with sincere voice that I deeply admire. I can clearly see why Fleet’s writing is praised.
Josh believes himself to be broken. And he can’t bear to burden his damaged goods onto a sweet boy like Angus. Categorizing him as a boy also helps to dampen his desires. The seven-year age difference seems much more significant in Josh’s mind. He considers himself to be old and used up and nowhere near good enough for Angus. Another thing he fails to take into consideration, is when you are in the eye of the storm, you cannot see the entire package. He is oblivious to anything ‘good’ when it comes to himself. However, the shattered parts of his soul and tender heart that he fiercely resents, might be exactly what Angus has been searching for. Fate has brought these two men together.They help each other stay afloat while the trials of life threaten to bring them down.
Josh has been living in isolation for so long, common social skills seem foreign to him. Words are not his strong suit. Yet with Angus he does not need them. Josh is surprised and somewhat terrified to find a secret and silent connection with him. An onslaught of emotions nearly pushes him back into the darkness.
Can he trust himself with the freedom to feel once again?
Does Angus understand how difficult it is for Josh to let himself be loved?
When does it become too much, and is no longer worth it?
If you are willing to be patient….I highly encourage you to find out.
It’s worth the fall.
*4.5 fabulous-free-fall stars*
Read
July 26, 2018Edit 26/07/2018
Now republished and available on Amazon. No changes, just re-edited with new cover :)
I'm not sure I ever mentioned this but almost this entire story was written listening to one song (On a Beach- Richard Ashcroft) :P
Tags for depression and anxiety.
*******
So, it's two weeks until my sixth story is released with Dreamspinner (and nearly exactly one year since my first release with This is Not a Love Story)!
Falling is less angsty and sad than other stories of mine but, my, there is quite a lot of longing in this one :)
I could probably write about Josh and Angus all day :P
This was written the same time as I wrote The Glass House, so I see these two stories as echoes of one another.
I'm doing a giveaway on my blog for an ebook copy, all you need to do is follow the link and comment to enter :)
https://sukifleet.wordpress.com/2015/...
As always, thanks for reading <3
Suki^^
Now republished and available on Amazon. No changes, just re-edited with new cover :)
I'm not sure I ever mentioned this but almost this entire story was written listening to one song (On a Beach- Richard Ashcroft) :P
Tags for depression and anxiety.
*******
So, it's two weeks until my sixth story is released with Dreamspinner (and nearly exactly one year since my first release with This is Not a Love Story)!
Falling is less angsty and sad than other stories of mine but, my, there is quite a lot of longing in this one :)
I could probably write about Josh and Angus all day :P
This was written the same time as I wrote The Glass House, so I see these two stories as echoes of one another.
I'm doing a giveaway on my blog for an ebook copy, all you need to do is follow the link and comment to enter :)
https://sukifleet.wordpress.com/2015/...
As always, thanks for reading <3
Suki^^
Want to read
April 7, 20194/7/19 Currently on sale for 99c via Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXPCC7V/...
February 25, 2016
"But perhaps it's the fragility, the temporariness that makes some things precious. Like moments that will never happen again. You have to make them worth it, because even though they are temporary, they are worth happening. If not, what's the point?"
This was beautiful.
Suki Fleet sure knows how to use her words to tell a story.
I loved the writing. It was so real, conveyed so much emotion.
Josh knows he is falling for his neighbor, the 18 year old Angus, but he thinks Angus deserves better. He knows Angus is attracted to him, so he has been trying to keep his distance.
But Angus needs Josh's help taking care of his mom, who suffers from anxiety, especially since someone broke into their appartment.
I loved how Josh and Angus grew closer before anything happened between them. They started a friendship before there was love.
I was afraid this book would be angsty and depressing, but it made me feel hopeful and not sad, even though the first half made me feel a bit melancholic. There is no real relationship angst, even though not everything goes smoothly. I don't really like angst, but this was totally manageable for me.
Such a beautiful book.
This was beautiful.
Suki Fleet sure knows how to use her words to tell a story.
I loved the writing. It was so real, conveyed so much emotion.
Josh knows he is falling for his neighbor, the 18 year old Angus, but he thinks Angus deserves better. He knows Angus is attracted to him, so he has been trying to keep his distance.
But Angus needs Josh's help taking care of his mom, who suffers from anxiety, especially since someone broke into their appartment.
I loved how Josh and Angus grew closer before anything happened between them. They started a friendship before there was love.
I was afraid this book would be angsty and depressing, but it made me feel hopeful and not sad, even though the first half made me feel a bit melancholic. There is no real relationship angst, even though not everything goes smoothly. I don't really like angst, but this was totally manageable for me.
Such a beautiful book.
August 8, 2016
Muy bonito, muchas emociones, con algunos pasajes muy líricos, hay partes en las que la prosa es maravillosa.
La tristeza y la esperanza se respira en cada página.
La tristeza y la esperanza se respira en cada página.
July 16, 2015
Review after work.
I'm a lying liar who lies.
I'm going to review it at BoyMeetsBoyReviews first, then I'll post it here. Soon, very soon. Just - y'all need to read this story most excellent!
So it's been reviewed at BMBR. Here's what I said.
I have loved all of Suki Fleet's stories, but as soon as I read Falling it went straight behind This Is Not a Love Story as my next favourite. As ever, Suki catches the essence of of those struggling through life, without making them desperately needy victims. Circumstance and situation do not kill her characters, they just make them stronger. Yet she allows them time to struggle, time to come to terms with their needs and wants. She allows them help, but does not forcefully manipulate them. I absolutely admire this about her writing - it is what keeps me going back time and again.
In Falling, Josh has built himself a sanctuary. His home is his safe haven, books his escape. To say I understood Josh is an understatement; I could be Josh in this respect. His depression is manageable now, though it is fair to say he stays within his comfort zone. That doesn't mean he is a shadow of a person. He really isn't, he holds down a job, he helps his neighbours, but he does have his boundaries. The level of socialisation he is comfortable with. It takes more than a small amount of courage to step out of his comfort zone.
Angus. Angus is younger, shyer and, when his mum needs help, he becomes reliant on Josh. This is complicated by the fact that her his hopelessly attracted to Josh. And Josh to him, despite the fact he tries to deny it/ignore it.
This story is definitely not a black and white, colour neatly in the lines, story. It is grey and it is messy and it is real. Thought and deed, mix with intent and ever changing boundaries. For a story that is about characters dealing with depression this made it so spot on. Depression is messy. It isn't neat. What a sufferer can deal with one day is completely out of bounds the next and this is reflected in the writing. No pigeon holing here.
This makes the romance all the better for me. Friendship grows, trust develops. Lust and friendship and growing love, mix to make a heady, heart-thumpingly good, romantic story line. The essence of the story is the ability to trust outside carefully constructed walls. For me trust is an essential part of any relationship. Any. Friends, lovers, family, professional. Trust has to be at the forefront, so watching Josh (and Angus) develop that trust made my heart beat just a bit faster.
Suki Fleet fans will love this story and I urge anyone who has not tried this author to give her books a go. Every one is amazing - and Falling would be a great place to start. Oh and I should mention - I love the cover. I love all the covers, they are what attracted me to her writing in the first place! I know it doesn't make a difference to the story, but covers do make a difference to the books I choose.
I'm a lying liar who lies.
I'm going to review it at BoyMeetsBoyReviews first, then I'll post it here. Soon, very soon. Just - y'all need to read this story most excellent!
So it's been reviewed at BMBR. Here's what I said.
I have loved all of Suki Fleet's stories, but as soon as I read Falling it went straight behind This Is Not a Love Story as my next favourite. As ever, Suki catches the essence of of those struggling through life, without making them desperately needy victims. Circumstance and situation do not kill her characters, they just make them stronger. Yet she allows them time to struggle, time to come to terms with their needs and wants. She allows them help, but does not forcefully manipulate them. I absolutely admire this about her writing - it is what keeps me going back time and again.
In Falling, Josh has built himself a sanctuary. His home is his safe haven, books his escape. To say I understood Josh is an understatement; I could be Josh in this respect. His depression is manageable now, though it is fair to say he stays within his comfort zone. That doesn't mean he is a shadow of a person. He really isn't, he holds down a job, he helps his neighbours, but he does have his boundaries. The level of socialisation he is comfortable with. It takes more than a small amount of courage to step out of his comfort zone.
Angus. Angus is younger, shyer and, when his mum needs help, he becomes reliant on Josh. This is complicated by the fact that her his hopelessly attracted to Josh. And Josh to him, despite the fact he tries to deny it/ignore it.
This story is definitely not a black and white, colour neatly in the lines, story. It is grey and it is messy and it is real. Thought and deed, mix with intent and ever changing boundaries. For a story that is about characters dealing with depression this made it so spot on. Depression is messy. It isn't neat. What a sufferer can deal with one day is completely out of bounds the next and this is reflected in the writing. No pigeon holing here.
This makes the romance all the better for me. Friendship grows, trust develops. Lust and friendship and growing love, mix to make a heady, heart-thumpingly good, romantic story line. The essence of the story is the ability to trust outside carefully constructed walls. For me trust is an essential part of any relationship. Any. Friends, lovers, family, professional. Trust has to be at the forefront, so watching Josh (and Angus) develop that trust made my heart beat just a bit faster.
Suki Fleet fans will love this story and I urge anyone who has not tried this author to give her books a go. Every one is amazing - and Falling would be a great place to start. Oh and I should mention - I love the cover. I love all the covers, they are what attracted me to her writing in the first place! I know it doesn't make a difference to the story, but covers do make a difference to the books I choose.
June 8, 2015
You must know by now I'm a die-hard Suki fan, so I won't mention that again, but, ya know. ;-)
Fleet tells a different, slower story here than most of her other works, and I liked that about Falling. I didn't feel rushed or in a hurry or stressed while I was reading, but that's not to say the novel doesn't deal with meaty topics (depression and anxiety, to be specific). Rather, the getting-to-know-the-MCs aspect felt more thoughtful, cautious and intentional here.
Because things moved so purposefully, I'll admit it took me a skosh more time to connect with Josh and Angus. Honestly, I liked these characters muchly, and I'd have been happy to have more detail and explanation about their individual pasts, something to help me engage with them more deeply.
The melancholic (be still, heart) way Fleet writes romance is special, different, and I look forward--always--to reading more of her words.
Fleet tells a different, slower story here than most of her other works, and I liked that about Falling. I didn't feel rushed or in a hurry or stressed while I was reading, but that's not to say the novel doesn't deal with meaty topics (depression and anxiety, to be specific). Rather, the getting-to-know-the-MCs aspect felt more thoughtful, cautious and intentional here.
Because things moved so purposefully, I'll admit it took me a skosh more time to connect with Josh and Angus. Honestly, I liked these characters muchly, and I'd have been happy to have more detail and explanation about their individual pasts, something to help me engage with them more deeply.
The melancholic (be still, heart) way Fleet writes romance is special, different, and I look forward--always--to reading more of her words.
August 16, 2016
I'm pretty new to Suku Fleet's books. I've read one other one and have been meaning to read more ever since. I'm glad I chose this as my second read of hers because it's the type of book I normally read. Sad and heavy at times, with some sweet moments and some steam.
I love the writing. Suki Fleet's writing is beautiful and always sucks me in. This book is in first person present tense, which I know will put some people off. But if that doesn't bother you and you like deeper books, then I would definitely recommend taking a chance on this.
Josh, our MC, was a little hard to like in the beginning. He grew on me over the course of the book. I ended up loving him. Josh is a survivor. He survived crippling mental illness that left him unable to cope with day to day life. It led him to multiple attempts to end it all, until he finally got the help he needed. But even after getting that help, he wasn't fully there.
Angus won me over almost immediately. He was such a sweet guy and I really liked his personality. He had his struggles, too, but was genuinely a really sweet person.
I loved the two of them together, when Josh finally gave in and admitted he liked Angus. Seeing their relationship develop filled me with hope.
I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author. I think I'm onto a new favourite of mine!
I love the writing. Suki Fleet's writing is beautiful and always sucks me in. This book is in first person present tense, which I know will put some people off. But if that doesn't bother you and you like deeper books, then I would definitely recommend taking a chance on this.
Josh, our MC, was a little hard to like in the beginning. He grew on me over the course of the book. I ended up loving him. Josh is a survivor. He survived crippling mental illness that left him unable to cope with day to day life. It led him to multiple attempts to end it all, until he finally got the help he needed. But even after getting that help, he wasn't fully there.
Angus won me over almost immediately. He was such a sweet guy and I really liked his personality. He had his struggles, too, but was genuinely a really sweet person.
I loved the two of them together, when Josh finally gave in and admitted he liked Angus. Seeing their relationship develop filled me with hope.
I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author. I think I'm onto a new favourite of mine!
December 12, 2015
In-depth review at -
Falling is a beautiful story. It has a gorgeous cover. It is written with great compassion. It has lovingly drawn characters. Ms Fleet has a way with words that I cannot do justice to in a review. I honestly can’t. I can’t explain to anyone in real terms the visceral impact it had on me – the ache in my chest, the twist in my gut - as I read, without making it sound miserable, when, in fact, it’s quite lovely. It’s sad at times but overall it’s uplifting. How I longed for Josh to take that chance, for Angus to be happily settled with the guy he loves, even though he’s still so young. To be able to fulfil something his father took away. For Eleanor to be well. This is not going to suit readers looking for a gung-ho, alpha lead, with action aplenty, or maybe it won’t even be sexy enough for some people, I know this. But, and please consider this "but," if you like kind-hearted characters, love-making that fits organically within the storyline, a well paced, more purposefully structured read, with genuine characters, with topics and issues that are always relevant and affect so many of us, then pick up and read this beautiful book.
Falling is a beautiful story. It has a gorgeous cover. It is written with great compassion. It has lovingly drawn characters. Ms Fleet has a way with words that I cannot do justice to in a review. I honestly can’t. I can’t explain to anyone in real terms the visceral impact it had on me – the ache in my chest, the twist in my gut - as I read, without making it sound miserable, when, in fact, it’s quite lovely. It’s sad at times but overall it’s uplifting. How I longed for Josh to take that chance, for Angus to be happily settled with the guy he loves, even though he’s still so young. To be able to fulfil something his father took away. For Eleanor to be well. This is not going to suit readers looking for a gung-ho, alpha lead, with action aplenty, or maybe it won’t even be sexy enough for some people, I know this. But, and please consider this "but," if you like kind-hearted characters, love-making that fits organically within the storyline, a well paced, more purposefully structured read, with genuine characters, with topics and issues that are always relevant and affect so many of us, then pick up and read this beautiful book.
June 6, 2015
*4.25 stars*
This dealt with some pretty heavy issues. Falling was told from Josh's POV. He's 25 and rebuilding his life after being hospitalized years before for severe depression. Angus is 18 and living with his agoraphobic mother who is struggling with severe anxiety. Okay it wouldn't be a Suki Fleet novel if there weren't serious issues at play (although the author does indicate that this isn't as angsty or sad as her other stories)! However, this had the same, almost melancholic feel of her other work. I found this a little slow moving at first and the boys were somewhat difficult to warm up to. Honestly, I started to get frustrated with Josh because he was doing the 'Angus deserves better than me thing'. But then Josh, in particular, but also Angus, really started to grow on me. I felt so invested in their life that I almost felt as if I were there with them. I was so rooting for them and their HEA by the end because I knew that the two of them - because they were together - were going to make it in life. Overall, another lovely read by Ms Fleet.
This dealt with some pretty heavy issues. Falling was told from Josh's POV. He's 25 and rebuilding his life after being hospitalized years before for severe depression. Angus is 18 and living with his agoraphobic mother who is struggling with severe anxiety. Okay it wouldn't be a Suki Fleet novel if there weren't serious issues at play (although the author does indicate that this isn't as angsty or sad as her other stories)! However, this had the same, almost melancholic feel of her other work. I found this a little slow moving at first and the boys were somewhat difficult to warm up to. Honestly, I started to get frustrated with Josh because he was doing the 'Angus deserves better than me thing'. But then Josh, in particular, but also Angus, really started to grow on me. I felt so invested in their life that I almost felt as if I were there with them. I was so rooting for them and their HEA by the end because I knew that the two of them - because they were together - were going to make it in life. Overall, another lovely read by Ms Fleet.
June 2, 2019
Pues, como siempre, Suki te reconcilia con el género. Como es habitual en ella, personajes rotos, que nunca lo han tenido fácil, personas valientes y nobles que consiguen que el amor triunfe en este mundo hostil. Que vale, hasta ahí nada nuevo bajo el sol, pero si hay una cosa que hace a los libros de Suki especiales es que se nota siempre el amor de la autora por sus personajes. Es algo muy personal y muy sincero, y yo creo que es por esto que nunca defrauda.
November 25, 2017
A really lovely romance that deals tenderly with depression while simply making it a part of the Josh and not defining him.
You got to love Angus who goes after what he wants.
A great friends to lovers romance with all the right touches. Complex secondary characters, excellent pacing, and an abiding love between the heroes.
So good!
You got to love Angus who goes after what he wants.
A great friends to lovers romance with all the right touches. Complex secondary characters, excellent pacing, and an abiding love between the heroes.
So good!
April 20, 2018
This was another very moving and compelling story by Suki Fleet.
Falling is a novel made of small external events that in turn have a devastating impact on the characters' psyche and lives. Not all events are necessarily negative, . Even positive things such as the exhilaration of falling in love can prove to be terrifying in the fragile balance achieved by Josh in his isolated and sheltered life. So the book really focuses on the way these characters negotiate with their emotions and weaknesses, on how their will to open up and embrace happiness is often sabotaged by their own fear of ending up in a situation over which one cannot exercise any form of control.
I loved the way the author goes through the characters' minds, their twists and turns, their inner monologues and interactions.
As usual with Fleet's novel, Falling is elegantly and compellingly written and mixes angst and hope is a way that I'd almost call uniquely 'Fleet-esque'. The two MCs - Josh and Angus - are wonderful and all the secondary characters from Angus' troubled mother, to outgoing Soren are well rounded and believable.
A very nice read - highly recommended!
Falling is a novel made of small external events that in turn have a devastating impact on the characters' psyche and lives. Not all events are necessarily negative, . Even positive things such as the exhilaration of falling in love can prove to be terrifying in the fragile balance achieved by Josh in his isolated and sheltered life. So the book really focuses on the way these characters negotiate with their emotions and weaknesses, on how their will to open up and embrace happiness is often sabotaged by their own fear of ending up in a situation over which one cannot exercise any form of control.
I loved the way the author goes through the characters' minds, their twists and turns, their inner monologues and interactions.
As usual with Fleet's novel, Falling is elegantly and compellingly written and mixes angst and hope is a way that I'd almost call uniquely 'Fleet-esque'. The two MCs - Josh and Angus - are wonderful and all the secondary characters from Angus' troubled mother, to outgoing Soren are well rounded and believable.
A very nice read - highly recommended!
June 13, 2015
3.5 stars
I love Suki Fleet, she has become one of my must read authors for me. Every time I see her name come up during new arcs I get super excited. I did not connect with this story. I thought it was okay for the most part. Josh just had too much unnecessary angst going on surrounding himself. I'm still not certain what mental illness he suffers from, because he was the most cerebral person I've read about in a long time. It was so much anguish reading from his perspective. I do applaud the adjustments he has made, but it was literally pulling teeth to get any type of emotions out of him.
I did like Angus a lot as a character. It's 18, sure he's young, but he took responsibilities of his house hold. I liked how he wanted to protect Josh during their sharing their history scene. I did not find this story memorable compared to her other stories. I like it enough as I was reading it, but the last 10% is where I feel like it really mattered to me. This was not dark as her other stories, but I felt like it was a rainy day reading this book. I'll continue to read her books because I like her.
I love Suki Fleet, she has become one of my must read authors for me. Every time I see her name come up during new arcs I get super excited. I did not connect with this story. I thought it was okay for the most part. Josh just had too much unnecessary angst going on surrounding himself. I'm still not certain what mental illness he suffers from, because he was the most cerebral person I've read about in a long time. It was so much anguish reading from his perspective. I do applaud the adjustments he has made, but it was literally pulling teeth to get any type of emotions out of him.
I did like Angus a lot as a character. It's 18, sure he's young, but he took responsibilities of his house hold. I liked how he wanted to protect Josh during their sharing their history scene. I did not find this story memorable compared to her other stories. I like it enough as I was reading it, but the last 10% is where I feel like it really mattered to me. This was not dark as her other stories, but I felt like it was a rainy day reading this book. I'll continue to read her books because I like her.
March 12, 2016
Another Suki story I've read and enjoyed. The serious subjects of depression and a life crippling anxiety disorder feature front and centre. We may all think we suffer from depression at some stage in our lives, but when it strikes severely enough to make you want to repeatedly try to kill yourself, then you must just about be at rock bottom I would venture to suggest, and that was the overwhelming problem Josh had when he was 16....he barely survived, and has been battling repeat attacks ever since.
Angus, who is only 18, has had to try to look after his mum Eleanor whose anxiety attacks have significantly increased since a burglary at their flat...it's impossible, and Josh who lives upstairs, has already been helping to look after Eleanor cos she helped him when he first moved into the block.
Add in some unlikely friends, trips to the seaside for the first time, and a young man who is trying to come to terms with which way his sexuality lies, and it's another winner for me. 4 stars.
January 18, 2017
3.5 stars.
October 13, 2022
3.5
I enjoyed this, but I won’t lie, I expected more romance. Instead, the book focused mostly on mental issues — Josh’s, Eleanor’s — and even if Fleet writes those very well, I wanted something to balance it out. Josh and Angus were lovely, but their relationship seemed almost peripheral, which made this story a bit draggy for me.
When it comes to writing, Fleet wasn’t at her best here. A proofreader would have their hands full.
I enjoyed this, but I won’t lie, I expected more romance. Instead, the book focused mostly on mental issues — Josh’s, Eleanor’s — and even if Fleet writes those very well, I wanted something to balance it out. Josh and Angus were lovely, but their relationship seemed almost peripheral, which made this story a bit draggy for me.
When it comes to writing, Fleet wasn’t at her best here. A proofreader would have their hands full.
February 7, 2017
I am having a little Suki Fleet binge at the moment, her books are just so atmospheric and different, and I so appreciate that.
I know I harp on about this a bit at times, and I do understand that romance as a genre works within perimeters, I also totally understand that people read for different reasons. But personally I am weary of picking a book up and discovering after a couple of chapters that I can predict what will happen, how the characters will relate and what plot devices are going to be used . So really, apart from the ending a writer can take us on any kind of journey they want.
What I appreciate first about Suki Fleet's work is that it feels honest, her characters struggle, make mistakes, they live relateable (for me) lives. Then there is the writing which is just beautiful, even in a relatively short novel her characters are well rounded and always sympathetic even when they do stupid things.
Josh is such a wonderful MC, one of those people who see themselves totally differently than others do, and his romance with Angus is delicate and beautiful.
I know I harp on about this a bit at times, and I do understand that romance as a genre works within perimeters, I also totally understand that people read for different reasons. But personally I am weary of picking a book up and discovering after a couple of chapters that I can predict what will happen, how the characters will relate and what plot devices are going to be used . So really, apart from the ending a writer can take us on any kind of journey they want.
What I appreciate first about Suki Fleet's work is that it feels honest, her characters struggle, make mistakes, they live relateable (for me) lives. Then there is the writing which is just beautiful, even in a relatively short novel her characters are well rounded and always sympathetic even when they do stupid things.
Josh is such a wonderful MC, one of those people who see themselves totally differently than others do, and his romance with Angus is delicate and beautiful.
March 20, 2020
This is one of those books that are almost entirely driven by the amazing characters the author created. Both Josh and Angus are complex men with significant issues, and face an uphill battle if they want to make a go of a relationship. In fact, they can’t even begin to do that until they figure out the problems that stop them from having a life. Add to that a set of truly wonderful secondary characters, with issues and contributions of their own, and what you end up with is a novel about overcoming adversity that I think is well worth reading.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 20, 2016
Loved this book. Our main characters were so fragile and strong. So broken yet determined to keep going and eventually realized themselves to be whole. This is my second book by this author and I think I need to go run her backlist because I love her style of character.
September 28, 2019
3.5 stars
Josh is 25, he's the narrator of the story. And Angus is 18, who's living with his mother in the same building as Josh. Josh and Angus's mother knew each other for a few years already, when Angus left his dad and came to live with his mom instead.
The story starts right in the middle of things. Josh is a retailer at a shoe shop. He gets a call one afternoon from Angus, that his mom is frantic.
Apparently there was a brake-in recently and since then, Mom is paranoid. After a looong debate the two men agree that Mom needs professional help.
The first half of the book was focusing more on mental health issues, and the story was slow to pick up pace. Once the MCs took care of Mom, they could focus on each other more. So the second half of the book was focusing more on the romance, but the mental health issues were still present, because Josh himself had a history of long bouts in hospitals, and mental health institutions. He was dealing with clinical depression since he was 15. And as we know depression never fully goes away.
He's insecurities didn't help his blooming relationship with Angus. He didn't want to drag the boy down with him. He was so skeptical that this thing between them could work.
It was so nice to see their love growing. The writing is different from the last book I read from the author, This is Not a Love Story. There I struggled with it a bit. I like the writing better here, the author's prose is beautiful, I loved it.
Josh is 25, he's the narrator of the story. And Angus is 18, who's living with his mother in the same building as Josh. Josh and Angus's mother knew each other for a few years already, when Angus left his dad and came to live with his mom instead.
The story starts right in the middle of things. Josh is a retailer at a shoe shop. He gets a call one afternoon from Angus, that his mom is frantic.
Apparently there was a brake-in recently and since then, Mom is paranoid. After a looong debate the two men agree that Mom needs professional help.
The first half of the book was focusing more on mental health issues, and the story was slow to pick up pace. Once the MCs took care of Mom, they could focus on each other more. So the second half of the book was focusing more on the romance, but the mental health issues were still present, because Josh himself had a history of long bouts in hospitals, and mental health institutions. He was dealing with clinical depression since he was 15. And as we know depression never fully goes away.
He's insecurities didn't help his blooming relationship with Angus. He didn't want to drag the boy down with him. He was so skeptical that this thing between them could work.
It was so nice to see their love growing. The writing is different from the last book I read from the author, This is Not a Love Story. There I struggled with it a bit. I like the writing better here, the author's prose is beautiful, I loved it.
November 18, 2015
3.5 Stars
November 9, 2015
OH, SWEET HALLA. TAKE ME TO SOLARA, AND LET ME DIE.
There is a reason why I rated this two stars, and I will get into that. This will not be a completely unhappy review, however. Also, I am but one man, and my views are my own, and others have the right to disagree with me. This review will be written from someone that may not be in the target audience as well, but I can't hold back so this review will probably contain lots of profanity.
Let's start from the background details of this story. This novella takes place in the UK, somewhere around the London area I'd say. We have 25-year old Josh, who works at a shoe store, and we have 18-year old Angus, the love interest. Josh met Angus through Angus' mother Eleanor, after Eleanor helped Josh through a rough time after Josh went through waves of horrible depression. Eleanor helped Josh move into the flat upstairs from her own, and Josh and Angus now take care of Eleanor after a burglary causes her to become severely anxious and paranoid.
Over the course of the book, we learn that Josh isn't comfortable around Angus, after Josh tells him he is gay, and Angus shows obvious interest in him afterwards. So there is constant pining between both Josh and Angus, where Angus wants desperately to be with Josh, and Josh pushes him away because he doesn't want to admit that he too wants desperately to be with Angus, instead trying to half-ass his feelings by referring to Angus as a kid, constantly reminding himself of the age difference between them.
Enter Oskar, a runaway kid that Josh picks up, after running over his foot and breaking it, while driving his boss to score some weed from his dealer. Oskar ends up meeting Angus, and falls for him, but is quickly pushed to the background with really no character development at all, after Angus assures Josh that he does not feel the same way about Oskar.
There is more pining, and more build-up of sexual tension, that you just want to scream "JUST FUCKING GET TOGETHER ALREADY!". We are finally rewarded with Josh realizing he's a dumbass for denying his feelings for so long, and he and Angus start a relationship together. Hurray for gay love, and happiness!
Now, those were the good details, now let's get into the dirtier things, which make up why I am not satisfied with this book at all, hence the low rating:
I happen to be a queer-identified man in my mid-late 20s, same as Josh. I also happen to write smut fanfiction in my spare time, for fun, much like Josh does in this book, without the whole "plaster your written porn on your kitchen walls" deal. With that in mind, let's talk gay sex.
All of the gay novella I've read before this one had no sexual activity described in them, or the acts were simply hinted at. Whether that be because of the author's own uncomfortable feelings towards writing about sex, or the author not wanting to have to market their books as "gay erotica", I couldn't say. So when I started seeing that Suki Fleet was not going to hold back on the sexual stuff, I was hopeful. There was all this pining, and now Josh and Angus were finally going to relieve their sexual frustrations.
Then, I was promptly disappointed by how these sexual acts were written. I have read countless fanfiction with two guys going at it, and a majority of them were awful. This felt like I was reading another one of those fanfics. Suki Fleet managed to break every single rule of gay sex in the damn book of gay sex.
Granted, Suki Fleet does happen to be a woman, and I'm not going to degrade her for that. It's understandable that she wouldn't know how the male body works in regards to arousal, sexual pleasure, and the act of anal penetration itself. I know I should probably be taking this book at face value because of these facts, as I'm sure other members of the male population would if they read this book, but I need accurate representations of gay male relationships, and everything that comes with them.
While reading the sexual parts of the book, I felt as if Suki Fleet had been reading some of my own fanfiction, until I remembered that this book was published long before I started writing gay smut fanfiction.
First off, you should never, ever, ever, EVER use spit as lubrication, especially if you're going to be doing something like anal fingering. While it's supposed to be read as hot, steamy foreplay, I'm left clenching up thinking about how uncomfortable that would be, while also feeling revolted that women are going to read this and think this is an accurate display of pleasure, that guys actually like these kinds of things without proper lubrication and preparation.
Things only took a nosedive from there, as Josh and Angus continued to explore each other sexually. From non-lubricated foreplay, to very lazily written oral sex, and so on. It started to look like Porn Without Plot fanfiction as it got closer to the end of the book.
The fact that these acts were just so damn LAZILY written defeats the purpose of writing them. Why would you put sexual activity in your book, if you weren't going to see things through? I also couldn't believe how Suki Fleet seems to believe that men can orgasm from one touch of their dicks, or from the tip of their dicks being inside of another man. If Josh and Angus were a lot younger, which would be considered child porn and illegal, I could see that happening. The sex acts, again, were just really fucking lazy.
On top of it all, when you get past the uncomfortable anal fingering, handjobs, and barely described oral sex, you get anal sex in a fucking shower. This part almost made me tear the book in half, because it doesn't matter if you're wearing a condom, water washes away lubrication, and men don't have the ability to secrete fluids that act as lubrication like women do. Suki Fleet even tried to cover that fact, by writing out how Josh "used a lot of lube", so it was a-okay for the shower sex to happen. When I read that, I went "WHEN?! WHEN DID JOSH USE LUBE, BECAUSE YOU ONLY WROTE ABOUT HIM PUTTING THE CONDOM ON?? WHAT LUBE?!".
That became a common thing as the book went on, details were being eliminated, details were randomly added in with no background explanation, and the book got so rushed, that it was obvious that Suki Fleet was growing tired of writing, and just wanted to end the novella already.
Another amusing part of the novella was how often Josh and Angus had sex, or performed any sexual activities. Even though Suki Fleet tried to play that off as Angus' hormones going wild, making him so virile that he was getting hard-on after hard-on, and was constantly ready for more rounds of sex, and Josh was right there with him to keep going at it.
I don't care what you've heard from guys, or seen in porn, or whatever bullshit has been written or spoken about, guys are still human beings and human bodies will become exhausted after strenuous activities. No matter how high a guy's sex drive is, he won't be able to have as much sex as Josh and Angus have in this book. Also, there's really no need to alternate the words dick and cock, especially when they're in the same sentences. There were so many dicks and cocks thrown at me, that I might as well have been the third party in the acts.
Suki Fleet should've done her research before putting sexual activities in this book, since there is plenty of it out there to help educate women of the proper ways to write gay sex. You can even ask actual guys what kinds of things turn them on the most, and I'm sure they'll be glad to tell you if you say you need it for a book you're working on. Otherwise, it's just another case of bad fanfiction.
All in all, here's the bottom line. You can read this and remain ignorant of proper sex techniques, which will help you enjoy the story, or you can just pass this one up, and not read it at all. Taken at face value, it's a decent story, but broken down, it's lazy writing only worth two stars.
There is a reason why I rated this two stars, and I will get into that. This will not be a completely unhappy review, however. Also, I am but one man, and my views are my own, and others have the right to disagree with me. This review will be written from someone that may not be in the target audience as well, but I can't hold back so this review will probably contain lots of profanity.
Let's start from the background details of this story. This novella takes place in the UK, somewhere around the London area I'd say. We have 25-year old Josh, who works at a shoe store, and we have 18-year old Angus, the love interest. Josh met Angus through Angus' mother Eleanor, after Eleanor helped Josh through a rough time after Josh went through waves of horrible depression. Eleanor helped Josh move into the flat upstairs from her own, and Josh and Angus now take care of Eleanor after a burglary causes her to become severely anxious and paranoid.
Over the course of the book, we learn that Josh isn't comfortable around Angus, after Josh tells him he is gay, and Angus shows obvious interest in him afterwards. So there is constant pining between both Josh and Angus, where Angus wants desperately to be with Josh, and Josh pushes him away because he doesn't want to admit that he too wants desperately to be with Angus, instead trying to half-ass his feelings by referring to Angus as a kid, constantly reminding himself of the age difference between them.
Enter Oskar, a runaway kid that Josh picks up, after running over his foot and breaking it, while driving his boss to score some weed from his dealer. Oskar ends up meeting Angus, and falls for him, but is quickly pushed to the background with really no character development at all, after Angus assures Josh that he does not feel the same way about Oskar.
There is more pining, and more build-up of sexual tension, that you just want to scream "JUST FUCKING GET TOGETHER ALREADY!". We are finally rewarded with Josh realizing he's a dumbass for denying his feelings for so long, and he and Angus start a relationship together. Hurray for gay love, and happiness!
Now, those were the good details, now let's get into the dirtier things, which make up why I am not satisfied with this book at all, hence the low rating:
I happen to be a queer-identified man in my mid-late 20s, same as Josh. I also happen to write smut fanfiction in my spare time, for fun, much like Josh does in this book, without the whole "plaster your written porn on your kitchen walls" deal. With that in mind, let's talk gay sex.
All of the gay novella I've read before this one had no sexual activity described in them, or the acts were simply hinted at. Whether that be because of the author's own uncomfortable feelings towards writing about sex, or the author not wanting to have to market their books as "gay erotica", I couldn't say. So when I started seeing that Suki Fleet was not going to hold back on the sexual stuff, I was hopeful. There was all this pining, and now Josh and Angus were finally going to relieve their sexual frustrations.
Then, I was promptly disappointed by how these sexual acts were written. I have read countless fanfiction with two guys going at it, and a majority of them were awful. This felt like I was reading another one of those fanfics. Suki Fleet managed to break every single rule of gay sex in the damn book of gay sex.
Granted, Suki Fleet does happen to be a woman, and I'm not going to degrade her for that. It's understandable that she wouldn't know how the male body works in regards to arousal, sexual pleasure, and the act of anal penetration itself. I know I should probably be taking this book at face value because of these facts, as I'm sure other members of the male population would if they read this book, but I need accurate representations of gay male relationships, and everything that comes with them.
While reading the sexual parts of the book, I felt as if Suki Fleet had been reading some of my own fanfiction, until I remembered that this book was published long before I started writing gay smut fanfiction.
First off, you should never, ever, ever, EVER use spit as lubrication, especially if you're going to be doing something like anal fingering. While it's supposed to be read as hot, steamy foreplay, I'm left clenching up thinking about how uncomfortable that would be, while also feeling revolted that women are going to read this and think this is an accurate display of pleasure, that guys actually like these kinds of things without proper lubrication and preparation.
Things only took a nosedive from there, as Josh and Angus continued to explore each other sexually. From non-lubricated foreplay, to very lazily written oral sex, and so on. It started to look like Porn Without Plot fanfiction as it got closer to the end of the book.
The fact that these acts were just so damn LAZILY written defeats the purpose of writing them. Why would you put sexual activity in your book, if you weren't going to see things through? I also couldn't believe how Suki Fleet seems to believe that men can orgasm from one touch of their dicks, or from the tip of their dicks being inside of another man. If Josh and Angus were a lot younger, which would be considered child porn and illegal, I could see that happening. The sex acts, again, were just really fucking lazy.
On top of it all, when you get past the uncomfortable anal fingering, handjobs, and barely described oral sex, you get anal sex in a fucking shower. This part almost made me tear the book in half, because it doesn't matter if you're wearing a condom, water washes away lubrication, and men don't have the ability to secrete fluids that act as lubrication like women do. Suki Fleet even tried to cover that fact, by writing out how Josh "used a lot of lube", so it was a-okay for the shower sex to happen. When I read that, I went "WHEN?! WHEN DID JOSH USE LUBE, BECAUSE YOU ONLY WROTE ABOUT HIM PUTTING THE CONDOM ON?? WHAT LUBE?!".
That became a common thing as the book went on, details were being eliminated, details were randomly added in with no background explanation, and the book got so rushed, that it was obvious that Suki Fleet was growing tired of writing, and just wanted to end the novella already.
Another amusing part of the novella was how often Josh and Angus had sex, or performed any sexual activities. Even though Suki Fleet tried to play that off as Angus' hormones going wild, making him so virile that he was getting hard-on after hard-on, and was constantly ready for more rounds of sex, and Josh was right there with him to keep going at it.
I don't care what you've heard from guys, or seen in porn, or whatever bullshit has been written or spoken about, guys are still human beings and human bodies will become exhausted after strenuous activities. No matter how high a guy's sex drive is, he won't be able to have as much sex as Josh and Angus have in this book. Also, there's really no need to alternate the words dick and cock, especially when they're in the same sentences. There were so many dicks and cocks thrown at me, that I might as well have been the third party in the acts.
Suki Fleet should've done her research before putting sexual activities in this book, since there is plenty of it out there to help educate women of the proper ways to write gay sex. You can even ask actual guys what kinds of things turn them on the most, and I'm sure they'll be glad to tell you if you say you need it for a book you're working on. Otherwise, it's just another case of bad fanfiction.
All in all, here's the bottom line. You can read this and remain ignorant of proper sex techniques, which will help you enjoy the story, or you can just pass this one up, and not read it at all. Taken at face value, it's a decent story, but broken down, it's lazy writing only worth two stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2018
Another beautifully written book by Suki. Like the previous one, it's not a light read AT ALL. It deals with difficult issues of mental health yet it does it in a very tender sweet way. Being inside Josh's head (our only POV) wasn't easy with how cloudy his life and mind is, but I think it's a crucial experience to us as readers to understand his world. What he is going through and WHY it's so difficult for him. He is the sweetest guy, loving and warm even if he looked and at times behaves like the opposite. He is just not sure how to express what he is feeling or know how to manage all these confusing emotions. Angus is a good example. Everything about him speaks and screams to Josh, but he is afraid of acting upon it and being swallowed and overwhelmed by his feelings for him.
After dealing with depression for years, and being hospitalized for it as well, Josh finds his place in a small apartment forming a brave and sweet friendship with his neighbor Eleanor. Eleanor brought him out of his shell, taught him how to manage life and became a close friend throughout years of solitude. He has his job in a shoe store, but his life is mostly about being alone in his apartment. When Eleanor's 18 years old son Angus comes to stay with her things start to change. Eleanor might have helped Josh with his fears yet she has her own demons. She is dealing with Agoraphobia and Anxiety disorder which are crippling her and it's only getting worse. They are also affecting her son Angus who isn't sure how to deal with her symptoms.
Through quite a lot of anguish and pain yet also tenderness and love Angus and Josh find a way to first become first friend and later form a home for themselves. Together with Josh's friend from work Soren, Oskar who somehow became a friend to both of them after Josh accidentally ran him over with his car and Angus' mother - Eleanor - they finds they are not really alone in this world. It's not easy. There are too many uncertain times for Josh and even Angus where they try to find a way to express what they feel without hurting one another or making the other run to the hills and yet with little by little Josh realizes pushing Angus away is not an option anymore and from there the road to happiness is much easier.
This is the story of Josh and Angus but it's also a journey to recovery, acceptance, love and friendship - a bit like my previous read by Suki. It's not that the stories are similar, they are not! Yet what they share is the kind of human and forgiving approach to life and a simplicity as to what we all truly need in our lives. It's not about wealth, a good job or a very defined HEA. It's about who we surround ourselves with, how we work on the things that holds us back from loving and living with an open heart. it's tender, it's raw, it's difficult and it's all together breath taking. It's life.
I'm loving Suki's books. I'll be delving into the rest of them VERY soon.
More Reviews HERE
After dealing with depression for years, and being hospitalized for it as well, Josh finds his place in a small apartment forming a brave and sweet friendship with his neighbor Eleanor. Eleanor brought him out of his shell, taught him how to manage life and became a close friend throughout years of solitude. He has his job in a shoe store, but his life is mostly about being alone in his apartment. When Eleanor's 18 years old son Angus comes to stay with her things start to change. Eleanor might have helped Josh with his fears yet she has her own demons. She is dealing with Agoraphobia and Anxiety disorder which are crippling her and it's only getting worse. They are also affecting her son Angus who isn't sure how to deal with her symptoms.
Through quite a lot of anguish and pain yet also tenderness and love Angus and Josh find a way to first become first friend and later form a home for themselves. Together with Josh's friend from work Soren, Oskar who somehow became a friend to both of them after Josh accidentally ran him over with his car and Angus' mother - Eleanor - they finds they are not really alone in this world. It's not easy. There are too many uncertain times for Josh and even Angus where they try to find a way to express what they feel without hurting one another or making the other run to the hills and yet with little by little Josh realizes pushing Angus away is not an option anymore and from there the road to happiness is much easier.
This is the story of Josh and Angus but it's also a journey to recovery, acceptance, love and friendship - a bit like my previous read by Suki. It's not that the stories are similar, they are not! Yet what they share is the kind of human and forgiving approach to life and a simplicity as to what we all truly need in our lives. It's not about wealth, a good job or a very defined HEA. It's about who we surround ourselves with, how we work on the things that holds us back from loving and living with an open heart. it's tender, it's raw, it's difficult and it's all together breath taking. It's life.
I'm loving Suki's books. I'll be delving into the rest of them VERY soon.
More Reviews HERE
June 4, 2015
4.5 STARS
Falling begins with a desperate phone call from Angus to Josh at work. Angus’s mother’s anxiety has reached dangerous and scary levels and Angus doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t have any friends he can turn to, and contacting his father is just not an option. Josh lives in the same apartment building, is a friend of Eleanor and is the only one that Angus can think of to turn to for help.
Josh wants to help Angus and Eleanor, he does help Angus and Eleanor, but at the same time, he is desperate to keep his distance, especially from Angus. Getting close to people doesn’t work out well for Josh, or for the people involved, so Josh believes it’s best if he refuses to notice the interested looks that Angus throws his way. After all, at only eighteen, Angus is too young for twenty five year old Josh anyway. Right?
So, this was my first Suki Fleet book and I definitely enjoyed it. To be honest the writing wasn’t what I expected and it did take me a little while to get use to the author’s particular writing style. As I said, this was my first book by this author so I don’t know if all of her books are written in a similar way or whether it was just the voice of the main character coming through. The story is told from Josh’s point of view, written in first person, which I find usually makes me feel more attached to that one particular character. But that didn’t really happen for me with this book. I can’t say I felt a connection with Josh. I felt for Josh, I cared about him but I don’t know if I actually connected with him. But honestly, that suited Josh perfectly. He was a very disconnected person. Even when he was out in the world he wasn’t emotionally a part of it. And I could feel that barrier he put up. I don’t know if the author did that on purpose but it was brilliantly done, nonetheless.
I saw a note from the author that this book wasn’t as angsty or sad as some of her others but that it was filled with longing. My god was it filled with longing! Not just Josh and Angus longing for each other, though there was plenty of that, but also a longing for friendship, a longing to be loved and a longing to be “normal”. It saturated the pages and was a tangible element throughout the whole story. If this is how Suki Fleet writes longing then I am terrified to delve into her angst.
Highly recommended for those who are looking for more than a light, fluffy read and I really love that cover!
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/06/0...
Falling begins with a desperate phone call from Angus to Josh at work. Angus’s mother’s anxiety has reached dangerous and scary levels and Angus doesn’t know what to do. He doesn’t have any friends he can turn to, and contacting his father is just not an option. Josh lives in the same apartment building, is a friend of Eleanor and is the only one that Angus can think of to turn to for help.
Josh wants to help Angus and Eleanor, he does help Angus and Eleanor, but at the same time, he is desperate to keep his distance, especially from Angus. Getting close to people doesn’t work out well for Josh, or for the people involved, so Josh believes it’s best if he refuses to notice the interested looks that Angus throws his way. After all, at only eighteen, Angus is too young for twenty five year old Josh anyway. Right?
So, this was my first Suki Fleet book and I definitely enjoyed it. To be honest the writing wasn’t what I expected and it did take me a little while to get use to the author’s particular writing style. As I said, this was my first book by this author so I don’t know if all of her books are written in a similar way or whether it was just the voice of the main character coming through. The story is told from Josh’s point of view, written in first person, which I find usually makes me feel more attached to that one particular character. But that didn’t really happen for me with this book. I can’t say I felt a connection with Josh. I felt for Josh, I cared about him but I don’t know if I actually connected with him. But honestly, that suited Josh perfectly. He was a very disconnected person. Even when he was out in the world he wasn’t emotionally a part of it. And I could feel that barrier he put up. I don’t know if the author did that on purpose but it was brilliantly done, nonetheless.
I saw a note from the author that this book wasn’t as angsty or sad as some of her others but that it was filled with longing. My god was it filled with longing! Not just Josh and Angus longing for each other, though there was plenty of that, but also a longing for friendship, a longing to be loved and a longing to be “normal”. It saturated the pages and was a tangible element throughout the whole story. If this is how Suki Fleet writes longing then I am terrified to delve into her angst.
Highly recommended for those who are looking for more than a light, fluffy read and I really love that cover!
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/06/0...
July 2, 2015
Josh has severe depression, and has been hospitalized for it in the past. He is estranged from his biological family but has built himself a support system of people where he lives now. One of those is Eleanor, his neighbor, the mother of Angus.
Eleanor has anxiety issues that are slowly making her life unbearable. Angus turns to Josh for help and more.
Josh feels like he isn’t stable enough to help either Eleanor or Angus but Eleanor was there for him when he needed her and he can’t help but be infatuated with the adorable and innocent Angus (who clearly has a crush on Josh.)
Together, Angus and Josh navigate the health system to find the right solution for Eleanor and along the way the right solution for themselves, as well.
**
This was a very, very, very dark read. The issues these guys face are real, and heavy and not likely to ever go away.
The romance is very slow burn – sometimes painfully slow.
I was glad that having a “boyfriend” wasn’t offered up as a solution to Josh’s depression, Josh was very clear with Angus about the future and it does seem hopeful. However, I wasn’t given a lot of page time with him and Angus to know if their coupledom will be successful long term – Angus is so young and Josh’s illness is severe.
The writing is excellent as is the editing. If you are in the mood for a dark, yet hopeful romance, with a very positive ending about a difficult subject – this is the book for you.
For me – I’d have liked to see more of the romance and less of the internal dialog. I would shift the balance of the book to at least 50/50 build up and coupledom because I really think they have their work cut out for them and that it doesn’t end just because they say the magic three words.
I really didn’t feel that connected to Angus (this is told from Josh’s POV) and as a result I just don’t know what compels him as well as I’d like.
3.5 of 5 stars
Love the cover!
Eleanor has anxiety issues that are slowly making her life unbearable. Angus turns to Josh for help and more.
Josh feels like he isn’t stable enough to help either Eleanor or Angus but Eleanor was there for him when he needed her and he can’t help but be infatuated with the adorable and innocent Angus (who clearly has a crush on Josh.)
Together, Angus and Josh navigate the health system to find the right solution for Eleanor and along the way the right solution for themselves, as well.
**
This was a very, very, very dark read. The issues these guys face are real, and heavy and not likely to ever go away.
The romance is very slow burn – sometimes painfully slow.
I was glad that having a “boyfriend” wasn’t offered up as a solution to Josh’s depression, Josh was very clear with Angus about the future and it does seem hopeful. However, I wasn’t given a lot of page time with him and Angus to know if their coupledom will be successful long term – Angus is so young and Josh’s illness is severe.
The writing is excellent as is the editing. If you are in the mood for a dark, yet hopeful romance, with a very positive ending about a difficult subject – this is the book for you.
For me – I’d have liked to see more of the romance and less of the internal dialog. I would shift the balance of the book to at least 50/50 build up and coupledom because I really think they have their work cut out for them and that it doesn’t end just because they say the magic three words.
I really didn’t feel that connected to Angus (this is told from Josh’s POV) and as a result I just don’t know what compels him as well as I’d like.
3.5 of 5 stars
Love the cover!
July 10, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Falling is not for the faint of heart. While this novel could never be called a light hearted romance, it could and should be called a deep and emotional awakening of two souls fighting to find their way from very different past circumstances. Told in first person, Josh’s story is not easy to read. Struggling from a life marked by dark depression, he now lives by wrapping his heart up and storing it far within, never allowing others too close. He lives in an apartment above a mother/son duo that have their own share of troubling issues. When Josh initially moved in, his downstairs neighbor Eleanor lived alone. Her son resided with her demanding and somewhat mentally abusive ex. The poor woman suffered from severe agoraphobia and Josh took up the task of shopping for her and checking in daily to help ease her anxiety.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
March 6, 2016
I love that book. Angst, darkness but also light are part of this.
Josh is an incredibly lonely man. He forced himself into a life where he prefers to stay alone. Afraid of emotions but also scared of being emotionless he lives alone. He avoids friendships and love, thinking he can't be enough and he shouldn't want to be with other people. There's so much love and caring bottled up in Josh, it broke my heart.
Josh suffers from depression. That part was really well handled. We learn about the helplessness of adults around younger Josh and his fear to hurt someone.
Angus worms his way into Josh's life and his heart. Slowly they develop a beautiful love towards each other. They grow both, but the younger Angus is the one who pulls Josh out of his loneliness and challenges him. He has his own battles to fight too. They balance themselves out.
It isn't a book everyone will love. It hurts and in parts it's really dark and seems hopeless. But there's so much light around, it makes you feel so satisfied in the end. I loved it. I know I already said it, but it's worth repeating.
Josh is an incredibly lonely man. He forced himself into a life where he prefers to stay alone. Afraid of emotions but also scared of being emotionless he lives alone. He avoids friendships and love, thinking he can't be enough and he shouldn't want to be with other people. There's so much love and caring bottled up in Josh, it broke my heart.
Josh suffers from depression. That part was really well handled. We learn about the helplessness of adults around younger Josh and his fear to hurt someone.
Angus worms his way into Josh's life and his heart. Slowly they develop a beautiful love towards each other. They grow both, but the younger Angus is the one who pulls Josh out of his loneliness and challenges him. He has his own battles to fight too. They balance themselves out.
It isn't a book everyone will love. It hurts and in parts it's really dark and seems hopeless. But there's so much light around, it makes you feel so satisfied in the end. I loved it. I know I already said it, but it's worth repeating.
tbr-mm-own
November 29, 2016Thank you Dirty Kinky Elf! ;)
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