Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams

Russel Middlebrook: The Futon Years #2

by Brent Hartinger

“There was no way moving to Los Angeles was going to make me give up my soul. After all, I’d already seen all the movies about Hollywood. I knew how things worked.”

Twenty-four year-old Russel Middebrook and his boyfriend have moved to Los Angeles so Russel can try to make it as a screenwriter.

Almost right away, in a forgotten old house off of Sunset Boulevard, Russel meets Isaac Brander, a once-famous film producer who is convinced he can turn Russel’s screenplay into a movie.

Russel knows that success can't possibly come this easy. After all, most of Russel's Los Angeles friends are so desperate to make it that it's downright scary. His ex-boyfriend, Otto, is trying everything to become an actor, and Daniel, the sexy neighbor, doesn't even need a casting couch to get naked.

So what’s the catch with Mr. Brander? Could it be that movies about Hollywood don’t tell the whole truth? But what does that mean for Russel’s soul?

Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams, a companion book to Brent Hartinger’s The Thing I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know, is a fast-paced, funny story about the price of fame in Hollywood: the hilarious lengths people will go to achieve it, and the touching secret to survival when things don’t work out exactly as planned.

Genres: LGBT, Audiobook, Contemporary, M M Romance, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult

264 pages, Paperback

First published July 2, 2015

About the author

I am Brent Hartinger, a novelist and screenwriter. I’ve published fourteen novels and had two of my books turned into feature films — with several more movies still in the works. One of my movies even co-starred SUPERMAN's David Corenswet.

I try hard to write books that are page-turners and commercial (and movies that are fast-paced and accessible). If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice. Not artsy, self-indulgent, or pretentious, but still thoughtful and smart with something to say.”

I mostly write YA books — LGBTQ and thrillers, sometimes LGBTQ thrillers. My first novel, GEOGRAPHY CLUB (2003) was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult fiction, and it was adapted as a feature film in 2013.

My latest book is INFINITE DRIFT (2025), a mind-bending YA supernatural thriller with a bonkers bisexual love triangle.

Here are all my books:

STANDALONE BOOKS
* Infinite Drift
* Project Pay Day
* Three Truths and a Lie
* Grand & Humble
* Shadow Walkers

THE OTTO DIGMORE SERIES
* The Otto Digmore Difference (book 1)
* The Otto Digmore Decision (book 2)

RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK: THE FUTON YEARS
* The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (book #1)
* Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (book #2)
* The Road to Amazing (book #3)

THE RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK SERIES
* Geography Club (book #1)
* The Order of the Poison Oak (book #2)
* Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (book #3)
* The Elephant of Surprise (book #4)

I answer all questions, so feel free to contact me on social media, or through my website: BrentHartinger.com

Cheers!

Brent Hartinger

Reviews

[Cæsar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Percipient!!

I was completely transfixed by this story, impressive plot, well builded, rich characters, gripping scenes, everything connected brilliantly, in a full circle, huge applause to Brent Hartinger for this master piece, outstanding!!!!

Astonishing performance from Josh Hurley, beautiful voice, clear, great technique and the acting was delivered perfectly! Congratulations!!!!

I'm not sure about the art cover, the guys look younger, not accurate with the book description.

5⭐️

[☆ Todd · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tend to have a love/hate relationship with Russel Middlebrook.

He's sort of funny, sort of whiny, he lives in his head way too much and can be a bit selfish, but I generally fall on the love side more than the hate.

Except this time.

I really didn't care for Russel this time at all. Maybe it was the LA setting, where he got sucked up in that town's inane, superficial bullshit.

Or maybe it was the fact that (the truly awesome) Kevin gave up his job in Seattle to accompany Russel to LA to follow his (fairly sudden) "lifelong" dream to become a scriptwriter, only to be mostly ignored by Russel in favor of his own dramatics.

For all intents and purposes in this story, Kevin was the accessory-equivalent of a man purse.

It's pretty and you leave it in the closet until you feel like taking it out and putting it on your arm for a spin around town, but for the most part, it's left to its own devices.

Plus, Russel was so singly-focused on getting his movie produced that when Kevin said anything that he didn't want to hear, Russel's knee jerk reaction was to emotionally gut punch Kevin.

Bad form, Russel. Not a fan of that thoughtless fuckery. Losing points rapidly here.

This book felt different for me in that, while in most of the previous books, Kevin's attentions were (somewhat) focused on his connection to either Kevin or Otto, this book was much less romance and much more blind ambition.

It may be that I live too close to LA and am not a fan of the town's superiority complex or the moral wasteland of the film industry, but the plot in general bored me. Badly.

The only part of this story that really made me sit up straight in my seat were the parts with Daniel, their mysterious 18 y.o. cockily handsome neighbor.

He obviously had something going on in his head that he was trying to figure out, gay baiting the two new "maricóns" (his word) who'd moved into his apartment building.

However, he was only used as a piece of (semi-underage) eye candy, waved in the readers face for titillation in this story.

Squirrel! SQUIRREL!!!

But then when the reader was hooked and wanted to know more, Daniel was simply written out of the story and tossed (off-page) into the grist mill of LA gay pornography, which left me highly-annoyed.

WHAT became of Daniel??? Inquiring minds and all that...

Yes, Daniel's story I wanted, while Russel's story I wanted to be over.

As in past fashion for the Russel books, any time that there could have been a sexy scene, it was mostly glossed over, which is a shame. In the new Futon reboot, Russel is an adult, as are most of his readers at this point, so a bit of *actual* sex on page would be a welcomed addition to his stories.

And "feels". We mustn't forget those. Even though the book occasionally tried to make me feel the love between Russel and Kevin, those attempts felt like filler more than feels to me.

"Oh yeah, they're *supposed* to be in love, so let's try to work that in somewhere. But not here. Russel's career is on a roll." (Yawn.)

Also, one thing that I found odd is that Russel's best friends, Gunnar and Minh weren't even *mentioned* in this book. Not even once.

After Gunnar's great "bigfoot adventure" in the last book (insert eye roll here,) I didn't miss him at all, but I did miss Minh. I would have much rather Russel picked up the phone to piss and moan about his issues than snapping Kevin's head off. Just sayin'.

So long story short, this book was well-written, per usual, but didn't hold my attention -- except for the more interesting potential of the Daniel sub-plot.

I'm praying Russel and Kevin move back to Seattle and become 'real people' again in the next book. They could even rescue Daniel from himself on their way out of town. Feel free. ;- )

But if they stay in LA and the next book simply fucks with their happy ending, I see the '2 1/2 *GTFO-of-LA* stars' trend continuing for me.

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** My copy of this ARC was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

[Daniel Myatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just found this book to not be as enjoyable as the first!

Russel, seems different as a character! He just lacks that spark he had in the first book and I didn't enjoy his journey as much as I did before.

A change of settings and a new cast of supporting characters might have something to do with it, who knows!

I'll take a break before listening to part 3 I think.

[Javi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book more out of curiosity than anything else- having read the previous ones in the series I wanted to see how Russel and Kevin fared in LA, and to be honest, I could have given it a pass and all would be well with the world. I simply couldn't relate to the whiny *adult* that Russel has become, it's simply unbearable. The story about him wanting to make it big as a screenwriter and moving to LA? Ridiculous. How can someone find their true passion in life in about two pages? And the way he treated Kevin? Unforgivable.

My favorite book of the series remains " The order of the poison oak". Had I known what was in store after that amazing story, I simply wouldn't have bothered with the rest of the books.

Don't bother with this one- it will annoy the hell out of you.

[Veronica of V's Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Futon Years series, and follows a longer YA series surrounding Russel Middlebrook. It is probably best enjoyed reading this series in order, but it is not essential.
4.5 stars.

Russel is 24 and dating his high school flame, Kevin, seriously. They have moved to LA so that Russel can get into the screenwriting business. He has one contact, Otto, a former summer camp boyfriend, who is an actor--struggling to get work because he has a burn scar on his otherwise beautiful face.

Russel is not prepared for the culture shock that is the LA scene. Otto schools him a bit, but Russel is dumbfounded often by his naïveté. He is offered a contract on his screenplay, Cup of Joe, and really becomes blind to a lot of issues that crop up around the pre-production meetings, and he especially takes Kevin for granted. Kevin had a stable job which he gave up for a lesser paying gig in LA, land of traffic.

Their one bedroom apartment is worn and awful, and inhabited by only a few friendly neighbors and perhaps the ghost of a dead screenwriter. Russel reaches out to Regina, a fellow screenwriter, whose girlfriend Gina is a struggling comedienne. They are good sounding boards, and become good friends, though not without problems. And Daniel, the barely 18, clearly questioning Latino boy who has no issues trying to con Russel, or Kevin, or both into some compromising situations is an interesting barometer for the heat between Kevin and Russel.

Thing is, this book moves rather quickly through several months and several large changes for Russel. He has this movie deal, or does he? He has Kevin, or does he? Otto is his friend, but does he want more? I loved the voice here, and Russel is a comfortable head case to try on now and again. He is snarky, but honest. He steps into big messes and doesn't know how to fix them--because he is young and naïve and trying hard to figure life out without sharing to anyone how inexperienced he truly is.

I was honestly taken by surprise at the end. Russel doesn't spend a lot of time talking about his feelings for Kevin. He's a rather self-involved man, but not in a mean way. He's mostly oblivious, which is where he got into trouble with the screenplay. He wants, so much, to be doing the right thing that he doesn't always see how all the wrong things are happening. He doesn't see Otto coming on to him. He doesn't see Daniel playing him for a fool. Because he wants to trust that his worldview is shared by the few people he lets into his confidence, even when it isn't.

And, he does so much better in the end that I really liked him that much more. His taking responsibility and stepping into a more adult role, both as a partner and a professional, was enjoyable--I only wished to have had more of that.

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.

[BWT · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 Stars



Having just listened to The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know I was up to date on what's been happening in Russel's life. Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams picks up a few months after the first story leaves off, with twenty-four year old Russel Middlebrook and his boyfriend, Kevin Land, having moved to Los Angeles so Russel can try to make it as a screenwriter.

I wanted to like the story, I really did, but in truth I didn't connect with it. Again told completely from Russel's POV, I felt like he was a lot more self-centered in this story than the last.

I liked some things, but didn't like others. I liked Kevin and seeing them together, but didn't like the way Russel treated Kevin for most of the story. I liked Otto and was happy to see him succeed. I didn't like or see the point of Daniel's storyline.

I felt like Russel's ambition in this eclipsed his relationship at times, and I'm sorry to admit the whole storyline of his screenplay and broken dreams just bored me.

Also, I didn't understand what happened to Russel's friends Gunnar and Minh. No phone calls or even a single mention? What happened to them?

Once again though, I really enjoyed the narration. Josh Hurley really does an excellent job with the different character voices, and he tackles the different emotions of the story well.

I'm looking forward to more of Josh Hurley's narration and spending time with the whole gang in the third (and final?) story in the series, The Road to Amazing (Russel Middlebrook: The Futon Years #3), which will feature Russel and Kevin's wedding weekend in Washington.

Audio copy of Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams provided by Author in exchange of an honest review.

This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

BAREFOOT IN THE CITY OF BROKEN DREAMS
by Brent Hartinger
Five stars

Russel Middlebrook has grown up. And, I confess, I like him even more than I did when he was a teenager, struggling with his identity. This, to me, is the best book Brent Hartinger has written.

Russel and his new-old boyfriend Kevin have finally settled down as a serious couple and moved to Los Angeles. Russel, at 23, is taking a leap and trying to peddle a script he wrote in the city of broken dreams. Kevin has uprooted himself and is pursuing a career in a new place in order to be there for Russel. The title nails it on the head: LA is a place that has crushed a lot of dreams, and the image evokes a sense of innocence overturned.

Hartinger weaves a plot that deals with both the real issues of maintaining a relationship (and dealing with old loves) as well as the even more real issues of trying to build a career in the phoniest city in the world. LA has its attractions, but it is a city whose core industry is based on lies and hypocrisy, especially when it comes to anything remotely gay. Russel will have to learn this the way everybody learns it—the hard way.

Russel’s voice is honest, smart, and emotionally true. As he gets caught up in a too-good-to-be-true project, both the reader and Russel are blinkered by the hope that things are going to work out. Brent paints for us a world where bad things are done with the best of intentions; where cruelty comes from kind hearts, and one generation’s disappointments get passed on to a new crop of idealistic wannabes.

There are very clear echoes in this story of Brent’s own adventure in Hollywood getting “The Geography Club” made into a film. I’m so glad he mined that experience and offered it to Russel and Kevin. This is a story that could only be set in Los Angeles, but it embodies universal truths for young gay folk everywhere.

[ricardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! A book where there aren't any love triangles (or squares or pentagram, basically no relationship orgies).This is probably the first book that I read (in the Russel Middlebrooke series) that I REALLY enjoyed. I don't know what it is about it. Kevin is so much more enjoyable in the Futon Years than he was in his High School years but Russel is so much more annoying. He's better in this book than he was in the last one but he still finds a way to annoy me. I love it because it grasps the whole idea of relationships well and the characters aren't that stupid to know they're wrong.

I REALLY NEED TO READ THE NEXT BOOK.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book in the Futon years series was fine not having read the original series. But now I feel like I should have some investment in Russel and Kyle's relationship when I know NOTHING about Kyle. I'm guessing I need the original years for that? I hope so, anyway!

[Ziggi Chavez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible character development. The main character comes across as a narrator, more than a believable life; listing his observations of other people around him, but not having much in the way of introspective thought throughout. It was aggravating that the story more or less happened around him this time, and his only credit to deserving to be in the story is he “wrote the script” (screen play) that we barely even get information about. Not to mention it has a cliche (pun) name, and doesn’t sound like the type of film any realistic person expects a chance at getting top Hollywood backing even from an experienced or credited writer. It makes the character overly naive, but also seems to assume the target audience of the book is dumb enough to believe in such naivety. It is great to follow your dreams, but Russell basically shoots out into the world with no safety net and goes with any whim that comes his way; he has no strive or passion or struggle, which makes him hard to relate to.

Then there is the main romantic relationship witch I have continuing issues with from the first book. These two have no business being together. The only thing they have as a cementing experience and milestone to their entire relationship is that they were basically each other’s only option to date as gay men in their small town high school from the previous books. Then they were the typical idiots growing into adulthood and going separate ways. Kevin had a career and a new, live-in boyfriend, and their is no logical reason for why he would implode his life to be a side character in Russel’s chaotic life. Basically they succumb to hormonal angst and decide they maybe still love each other from high school, but we as the reader never really get emotional connection to the relationship. Most of the time the only reason it seems like they are together is because they “have a history,” and they both are at least attractive still, so they might as well progress together and just have sex every chance they can.

Lastly there is the random other side characters introduced with some weight of substance to their character, but the most important quality seems to be that they are attractive. The most annoying aspect being the erotic daydreams that seem to exist for no other reason than the author had to actually put some action every chapter or two to keep anyone interested in reading on, since character development and believable plot movement seem a task he is unsuited to…

Anyway, I wish that this story actually felt more genuine toward Otto, and the strive to create opportunity and reduce stigma against people like him with physical barriers (his facial scars). Like he gets his “happy ending,” but I didn’t feel connected to the character enough for it to feel genuine.

My least favorite story arc was Daniel. He starts off as a little pendejo to Russel and Kevin, then suddenly it seems to be because he was struggling with his sexuality. I want to empathize with that situation, but the character development was so poor up to and after this revelation, that he was just always a little underage jerk that I didn’t care for. His story ending with him in the porn business too really rubbed me the wrong way, but for issues with the way it was written, not with the choices. For all the information we know of the character, he and his sister have no parents, and are all each other has, and constantly struggle to make ends meet. They never have much money, so it is totally believable that a sexually curious and newly 18 kid might end up doing porn. Buf the author rights of it as shameful; Shameful from every angle too. Russel mentions he found Daniel in a porn while searching the web, but shames the idea that he was doing that in the first place, and shames the thought that anyone should want to look at porn, or especially that he or Kevin could ever be interested in viewing such a video (even though they had no problems having an erotic fantasy over him a few chapters ago when he was still underage). And then the author shames the porn industry, putting it down, and coming off as superior in mind to anyone who could be “so desperate,” as he puts it. He doubts that the outward persona of pornstars is true, and reflects on how insecure they must be to need attention. It was very off-putting to read such hostile judgement and putting down of an entire group for merely working in a clearly desired industry and trying to make a living.

The fact that this was in the last chapter made the entire experience of this novel fall flatter than it already was because it left an extra negative taste in my mouth.

[Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

We met again with Russel Middlebrook, a straightforward, quirky, funny young man with very active and vivid imagination. In this book, Russel - finally reunited with on/off boyfriend since high school, Kevin - moved to Los Angeles to pursue Russel's dream of becoming a successful screenwriter. So, no Gunnar and Min here.

While I enjoyed this story, I didn't like it as much as I did The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know. Yes, Russel was as entertaining as ever with his overactive imagination. His inner convos and scenarios, as well as his assumption were some of the chuckling-induce the story had. But I didn't see much of his connection with Kevin here. To leave Seattle and good career and accompany Russel to go to LA were a big upheaval for Kevin too. Thus, that Russel didn't fully realize Kevin's struggle and being very "me-centered" had me thought of him being an ass for a while. In short, I felt the duo's adjustment as a couple to live in new city together still leave much to be explored.

The book didn't mention anything about Russel's old friends, either (which was a bit weird to me considering how close he was with them). But we met Otto, Russel's ex boyfriend, and a bunch of new friends and acquaintances with each of their quirkiness. And here's what I loved about Mr. Hartinger's character. Russel might not get all he wished for, the mysteries in his life might not get an answer and the people he knew might be sucked; but he's not a quitter and in the end he could bring the best out of the situations.

As a follow up to Russel's previous story this book was still fun to read. I would also looking forward to his next adventures in life.


Note:
ARC was kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

No dreams were harmed...

BAREFOOT IN THE CITY OF BROKEN DREAMS is essential Hartinger. Which is to say, marvelous. I love the setting, the novelty of it, the real-ness we experience as readers. The voice is all Brent's: his signature humor, the character's insecurity that's never overdone, and the way Hartinger gets readers to understand when something is serious without sounding all gloom and doom. Russel is engaging, believable, melodramatic in all the right ways.

So often in a three-book series, the first book is terrific, the third book is mostly terrific, and the middle book is — well, a middle book, serving more as an interstice than as substance. Not so with BAREFOOT! There's the ghost, there's the near-ghost of a faded has-been, there's the manipulative teenage neighbor, and above all there's the feeling that you're actually with Russel in Hollywood (of all places!). All this conspires to make this book a stand-out in its own right and a promising lead-in to the next part of what is already an exciting story. And in that third book, I'm hoping we get to know Kevin better. I'm a little in love with him, myself!

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now in his twenties, Russel moves to LA to realise his dream of being a scriptwriter - he hopes. With his handsome boyfriend beside him and Hollywood at his feet, what could go wrong?

If you have not read these books, you could start with the YA books to get a grip on the characters, or with the Seattle-set prior New Adult book, or just dive in to see what Hollywood has in store for our hero. As always we find Russel is over-eager, trusting and insecure all at once. The character voice comes through well helping to bridge the divide between the earlier stories and these NA ones, also showing that just because we have a few more years under our belts we don't know everything.

An interesting issue explored is how Hollywood treats actors with visible scars or infirmities, casting them only as zombies. Another issue is the sheer number of people trying to get funding, get approval, get a start. Desperation follows in many cases. As one character laconically tells us, nobody heads to Hollywood hoping to realise his dream of being a key grip.

I found this a fun read, and there is plenty to be learned.

[Pim Bijlsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was totally amazing! I love how Brent Hartinger writes these books and I love the fact that I get to witness Russels life. The story, the writing, the characters it's all amazing! The end of this book made me so happy! It really is something that came out of the blue for me but I love it! I'm really looking forward to the Kussel (Kevin & Russel) wedding!

[Hemmel M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knowing this was a story about Russel finding his way, with sometimes a scene about his relationship, changed my perspective. I liked the occurrences and rounded secondary characters.
The audio was mediocre. In the beginning I could hear wich sentences were later added corrections and the voices were not always right.

Follow my reviews at https://hemmelm.blogspot.com/

[Aso · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5 stars

[Jeffrey G · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the best of the three books in the "Futon" Russel Middlebrook series. It has the same strengths and weaknesses as the other books in the series. Strengths are that it is short, easy to read, sometimes sexy, and occasionally funny (this one is funnier than the others). Weaknesses are that it meanders (reads like something dictated on the fly to a secretary), it's full of long & repetitive internal monologues (skimmed most of those), and it is very light on action, focusing mostly on words. It does not have political harangues like the other books in the series, although it does have long dissertations on screenwriting and Hollywood that seem to be the author's opinions inserted into Russel's mouth.

I'll mention that there is a weird subplot here about a 17-year-old boy who acts out sexually and has a somewhat tragic story arc. Russel has a chance to help this boy and he doesn't help him, and the whole story line is strange and discordant with the usual material in these books. In a way, I wish the entire book had followed this character. Although it is completely out of step with the light comedy of the rest of the series, it is far more interesting and provocative than anything else here. I feel like Hartinger was pretty bold in the way he wrote this part of the book until it came to the end of the subplot. At that point, it felt like he lost his nerve a bit and the major plot points as Daniel's story was wrapped up rang false.

I welcome the return of Otto here, but at the same time I can't help but notice that Otto talks and thinks almost exactly like Russel. There are truly not differentiated characters in the book, not really. Everyone gives these little mini-lectures. And their thought processes tend to be very rationally laid out, like in outline form.

The character of Russel underwent a major overhaul for this series and the character bears little resemblance to the Russel of the first series of books. In the first book of this series, we were told that Russel suffers frequent nosebleeds. That was surprising information since he has never had that problem before. Needless to say, he does not get any nosebleeds in this book, so that was definitely bullshit. In all the books up until this one, Russel has always been a horny slut who had many one-night stands and thought mostly with his dick. In this book, he suddenly acts like one half of an old married couple and it removes one of the most endearing qualities of the character. Russel's sexual escapades were the highlight of the previous book, and that is gone now.

In closing, I will mention that I have always hated Kevin and I wish Russel had fucked Otto.

I don't recommend any of these three books. The only books in the entire Russel Middlebrook series worth reading are the first two. The first one is a classic coming out story that everyone should read. I feel like everything I have read by Hartinger since has been fairly uninspired. It's not terrible or anything, but after a while you start to accept that nothing in any of these books is going to move you or engage you on any level except the most superficial diversion.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

To the other longtime readers of Brent Hartinger's Russel Middlebrook series: after reading this book you're going to be wondering the same thing that I was.

WHEN THE HELL DID KEVIN LAND BECOME THE PERFECT BOYFRIEND!?

Okay. On with my review.

Continuing on with Russel and his journey through adulthood we now find that he and Kevin have moved to L.A. in order to make Russel's dream of becoming a famous screenwriter come true. Sidenote, Kevin has also sacrificed a career in Seattle to move with Russel in order to support his dream. See? Perfect boyfriend. Anyways, the predominant theme of this book is desperation. Anyone who knows anything about Los Angeles and the show business industry knows or will find out in this book that EVERYONE in this city and this industry is desperate. They move to Hollywood in hopes of someday making it big and famous. It's a desperation to fulfill their dreams. Along the way Russel realizes his dream through an attractive offer to produce his movie from a formerly famous and prolific movie producer and slowly but surely succumbs to the desperation the rest of the city suffers from and without knowing it. He meets the other denizens of his apartment building who share the same dreams as well as some other interesting characters. There's a bit of spirituality thrown in the mix, a sexy but desperate neighbor, movie trivia and last but certainly not least the return of much beloved (at least by me) ex-boyfriend and friend Otto Digmore. Otto's also living in L.A. and desperate to make it big in the city of broken dreams (significance to come later).

Russel continues to amuse me with his bit of innocence, humor, but also with a fair bit of exasperating mixed in. The steady loving presence of Kevin is just what we all wanted ever since the days of the Geography Club and the return of Otto is also another link to Russel's past that we didn't know we wanted.

I conclude this with a reiteration of my earlier question.

WHEN THE HELL DID KEVIN LAND BECOME THE PERFECT BOYFRIEND.

The ending will make you smile.

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the end of The Thing I didn’t Know, lovably insecure Russel Middlebrook reconnects with Kevin, the man of his dreams. So, it’s happily ever after, right? … Nope (with a pop on the P)! Russel and Kevin move to Los Angeles so Russel can chase his other dream, becoming a screenwriter. One experience balances out all the LA negative experiences, his screenplay A Cup of Joe gets optioned for a movie almost straight away. And while Russel keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop, he and Kevin meet an interesting bunch of people as they learn to live in the City of Broken Dreams. Despite Russel’s inexperience, I felt like this story gave me a lot of insight into Tinsel Town and I thoroughly enjoyed spending more time with Russel. I loved the discussion about dreams, success, and failure, it rang true. Again, this has a YA / gay fiction feel to it, there’s m/m romance, but it’s just one part of the story, not the main focus. Audio narrator Josh Hurley is amazingly good, I’m definitely going to listen to his narration of the first series.

[Will Steinmetz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is supposed to be Russel when he's an adult. The problem is that he still is written like an angsty teenager getting into angsty teenager shenanigans. It also still reads like a YA novel instead of the supposed more adult theme it's supposed to be. The only reason to read it is if you've read all of the other novels in the original series and the first in this one and want to continue the story. Otherwise, it's not worth your time.

[Joy Rosales · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I liked this one a little more than the first one, but it seemed odd that the friends we had built up so much in the first book were completely absent from this one. I know that Russel didn't live with them anymore, but since the end of that book reaffirmed how much he loved his friends you think there would have been a phone call or a mention somewhere.

[Alana Bue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure what I’m expecting when I started this book after the last one.

I must admit at times I was thinking man I’m not into this and then I would turn the page and be right back into it.

This book has a little mystery, love, anticipation, and heart ache.

I relent love the little added pieces like the neighbors and how quickly things can go good or bad.

On to the next!

[Nova · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was Worried to read with all those mixed reviews.
I find Russel to be the same dork as the prequel
I find them thinking about Daniel while they're intimate to be bizarre.
I like the overall concept that Russel's dream to be a screenwriter didn't break their relationship ultimately and they found their love again

[Annie · Rating 1 out of 5]

First two books I read in this universe were good. I liked the characters even tho I felt like the plot was a little non-existent at times but sadly I couldn't finish this. It ended up being way too ridicilous.

[Emiliano Fernández · Rating 3 out of 5]

el final fue muuuy lindo pero no salvó al lento desarrollo de la trama principal 👉🏼👈🏼 (lo del fantasma?????) igual sigo amando a los personajes que crean alrededor de Russel 😛 Kevin te amo eres humilde mi chiquito 🥺🥺
extrañé mucho a min y gunnar

[Daniel/Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not put down!!!!

Really nice read. Love the series and how the story arch has progressed. Definite must read for anyone who loves YA fiction

[Jan]

male

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars--3 for story; 4 for narration

[Pedro Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

bem divertido, super agradável. animado pro próximo.

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost a 5💜🔅