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Welcome to Alvarado #1
Right Back Where
Sometimes moving forward means going right back where you started...
Sam's ended up right back where he started - the small Texas town he swore he'd never step foot in again after making fast tracks to SMU. He's not the young, gay kid he was when he left. He has a music degree now, with no job and is about to lose his dorm room...
When an old friend has him coming back to where he started, Sam struggles to deal with muddled memories and an unexpected reality. Things in Alvarado aren't exactly how he remembers them, and neither is his arch nemesis Cody Greene.
The two men get stuck together by a promise, and the bitter memories that Sam had held onto for five years begin to unravel. When the dust settles, Sam and Cody have to decide if they can let go of the past to build a future.
Sam's ended up right back where he started - the small Texas town he swore he'd never step foot in again after making fast tracks to SMU. He's not the young, gay kid he was when he left. He has a music degree now, with no job and is about to lose his dorm room...
When an old friend has him coming back to where he started, Sam struggles to deal with muddled memories and an unexpected reality. Things in Alvarado aren't exactly how he remembers them, and neither is his arch nemesis Cody Greene.
The two men get stuck together by a promise, and the bitter memories that Sam had held onto for five years begin to unravel. When the dust settles, Sam and Cody have to decide if they can let go of the past to build a future.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 27, 2015
175 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
C.E. Kilgore
51 books187 followersC.E. Kilgore (1981 - ) is an author without genre, who likes to dabble in several genres from romance to science fiction. She also enjoys pushing the boundaries of those genres, trying new things, venturing outside formulas and turning tropes on their heads. Admittedly a control freak, she is currently a self-published author under the name Tracing The Stars, and hasn't quite found the publisher who fits all her quirks. Be sure to check out her website, cekilgore.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
October 8, 2015
Right from the first page, I found the present-tense, first-person narrative jarring. The writing is an odd combination of chatty and awkward. I couldn't ever sink into the story because I was so aware of the prose.
I noticed Kilgore overuses the passive voice; when the MCs have sex for the first time, Sam thinks: Each lap of my tongue is savored until my patience runs thin.
Wait, what? Keep in mind that Sam is the one doing the licking.
I wish I could say the story was good enough to overlook the writing, but sadly that's not the case.
Sam returns to his small hometown in Texas to spend some time with his beloved music teacher Rosie who's battling cancer. When he arrives, he hears the tragic news of Rosie's passing.
Rosie's son, Cody, was Sam's arch enemy all through school. This is an enemies-to-lovers tale, but it's not a particularly effective one.
I liked the first half of the story more than the last half. Sam was whiney, but at least tension existed between the MCs. Then Sam has an epiphany and realizes he doesn't in fact hate the man who bullied him all through high school; he LOVES him. And Cody loves him back.
Mind you, this is 48 hours after Sam returns following a FIVE-YEAR absence.
The insta love was ridiculous and not believable, not to mention saccharine sweet (and if I'm complaining about that, you know it was bad). The I love yous were thrown around like rice at a wedding (passive tense; sorry).
There is a lot of unearned forgiveness in this story: Sam forgiving Cody for years of bullying; Sam forgiving his drunken father for years of verbal and emotional abuse; Sam forgiving the man who beat him to a pulp.
Call me a vengeful bitch, but really? How about some begging and talking and therapy? How do you let go of so many past traumas in DAYS when you've repressed the memories for YEARS?
Heap on the vandalism, homophobic slurs, rampant discrimination, gaybashing, and WOW, please make it stop.
Two stars because there is a bit of cuteness and steam, and the ending is a HEA (with a very clear opening for book 2).
I noticed Kilgore overuses the passive voice; when the MCs have sex for the first time, Sam thinks: Each lap of my tongue is savored until my patience runs thin.
Wait, what? Keep in mind that Sam is the one doing the licking.
I wish I could say the story was good enough to overlook the writing, but sadly that's not the case.
Sam returns to his small hometown in Texas to spend some time with his beloved music teacher Rosie who's battling cancer. When he arrives, he hears the tragic news of Rosie's passing.
Rosie's son, Cody, was Sam's arch enemy all through school. This is an enemies-to-lovers tale, but it's not a particularly effective one.
I liked the first half of the story more than the last half. Sam was whiney, but at least tension existed between the MCs. Then Sam has an epiphany and realizes he doesn't in fact hate the man who bullied him all through high school; he LOVES him. And Cody loves him back.
Mind you, this is 48 hours after Sam returns following a FIVE-YEAR absence.
The insta love was ridiculous and not believable, not to mention saccharine sweet (and if I'm complaining about that, you know it was bad). The I love yous were thrown around like rice at a wedding (passive tense; sorry).
There is a lot of unearned forgiveness in this story: Sam forgiving Cody for years of bullying; Sam forgiving his drunken father for years of verbal and emotional abuse; Sam forgiving the man who beat him to a pulp.
Call me a vengeful bitch, but really? How about some begging and talking and therapy? How do you let go of so many past traumas in DAYS when you've repressed the memories for YEARS?
Heap on the vandalism, homophobic slurs, rampant discrimination, gaybashing, and WOW, please make it stop.
Two stars because there is a bit of cuteness and steam, and the ending is a HEA (with a very clear opening for book 2).
February 9, 2016
*1.5 stars*
When I first starting reading this, I was like, "What is everyone complaining about? This book is adorable!" Sure, the first-person, present-tense style was like a freaking needle in the eye, but I was digging the MC and the whole enemies-to-lovers theme. I was willing to put aside editing errors (there are many) and clumsy writing for the overall cuteness of the story.
Then, it got ugly.
At the halfway point of the story, things take a complete swan-dive to suck-ville. I HATE insta-love. I hate, hate, hate it, with very few exceptions, and this book is like epiphany-style insta-love. One moment Sam loathes Cody, his childhood bully, with a fiery passion, the next moment they are in total wuv with no explanation how they got there. Not only have they not talked in YEARS, but according to Sam's memories, Cody and Sam weren't even anything remotely resembling friends.
Then Sam just lets EVERYTHING go. He is Mr. Forgiveness to everyone, with no apologies needed, thank-you-very-much. It was crazy town. I'm a girl who likes a good groveling when a groveling is needed, and I expected WAY more apologies from this story.
That ending... just WTF. Just remembering it made me round down my rating to one star. Because I just CANNOT WITH THAT.
*walks away*
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
When I first starting reading this, I was like, "What is everyone complaining about? This book is adorable!" Sure, the first-person, present-tense style was like a freaking needle in the eye, but I was digging the MC and the whole enemies-to-lovers theme. I was willing to put aside editing errors (there are many) and clumsy writing for the overall cuteness of the story.
Then, it got ugly.
At the halfway point of the story, things take a complete swan-dive to suck-ville. I HATE insta-love. I hate, hate, hate it, with very few exceptions, and this book is like epiphany-style insta-love. One moment Sam loathes Cody, his childhood bully, with a fiery passion, the next moment they are in total wuv with no explanation how they got there. Not only have they not talked in YEARS, but according to Sam's memories, Cody and Sam weren't even anything remotely resembling friends.
Then Sam just lets EVERYTHING go. He is Mr. Forgiveness to everyone, with no apologies needed, thank-you-very-much. It was crazy town. I'm a girl who likes a good groveling when a groveling is needed, and I expected WAY more apologies from this story.
That ending... just WTF. Just remembering it made me round down my rating to one star. Because I just CANNOT WITH THAT.
*walks away*
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
November 29, 2017
This popped up as a freebie, and I like second-chance romances, and I'd not read this author before, so I gave it a shot. I honestly wish I hadn't, and only finished it to make sure I got the full picture. I'm not sure where to take this review, but I do know where to start: if you are a queer person who has ever been assaulted, or a survivor of parental abuse, do not read this book.
I ended up so angry after reading this book, still days later, that I wrote a blog post, "I Shouldn't Have to Tell You Queer Bashers Aren't Hot" about the topic.
There's so much off with this book. We'll start with the blurb, which makes it sound like Sam just had a rough time in high school—y'know, like a lot of queer kids face, bullying and name-calling and being made to feel awful, for example, which is absolutely bad enough—and is heading back to visit a friend. Instead, we learn that Sam . He's only heading home because the woman who all but replaced the role of mother in his life when his own mother died is very ill, and despite her son Cody having done awful things to him (including throwing him into a garbage can at one point), he wants to see her.
So. Guess who the love interest is? Yep. Cody. Because of course he was gay all along and tormented Sam because boys, am I right?. And Sam can't seem to look at Cody without thinking, "Woah, he's really hot, despite shoving me into a garbage can." But hey, Cody has since kinda-sorta come out, and all of Sam's friends think he's pretty swell, so... who cares about garbage cans, right? It's just a little bit of constant soul-crushing, life-ruining childhood, and he looks really hot in cowboy boots.
Then there's his abusive, alcoholic father, who kicks Sam to the curb. Guess who gets a big ol' forgiveness by the end of the book? , but suffice it to say, the inclusion of dear-ol'-Dad admitting he joined AA, shouldn't have beat his kid or kicked him out or thrown bottles at him is like some sort of E-Z-Clean for the soul and Sam decides forgiveness is the only path to being okay with himself. Oh, and a mutual friend forces his father on Sam, because Sam won't go to him.
This is a recurring theme, by the way: everyone in this fucking town feels perfectly free to expose Sam to his prior traumas in the name of making sure Sam understands "this place isn't so bad these days, okay?"
Uh, no? Not at all? To hell with the dad. I will never understand why writers decide reuniting an abused child with an abusive parent is a happy ending. Hell, if we had a character who left a cat or dog outside to suffer without food or shelter and it ran away and was later recovered and the original owner declared they realized now they shouldn't abandon animals, I can't imagine a single person I know would suggest they should be given that pet back. Why is this so hard? It is so spectacularly dismissive of the lived reality of so many queer people I cannot begin to tell you. And as one of those people? It's not only painful, it's exhausting. I've talked before about how incredibly awful this plot-line is in books with queer characters, so I'm not going to say it all again: it's here if you want to read it.
Then there's the bashings. That's right, plural, because the novella doubles down, but I'll get to that in a second. First, let's talk Sam's history, which has left him with trauma. He had multiple bones broken, including part of his skull, and has even fainted a few times over the last five years since thanks to said trauma.
As someone who has bled on a sidewalk, I cannot tell you how infuriating it was to watch Sam's friends be surprised he hadn't "gotten over it" (more than once, they question him on this, like somehow five years after being nearly beaten to death is beyond the statue of limitations for a recovery period, or that recovery is inevitable). Worse? Sam himself starts to berate himself as a coward for leaving town, for letting it chase him away. Are you shitting me? You do not stick around when people try to beat you to death. Especially when you're kicked out by your parents. You go, you find somewhere safe, and you never look back. Or at least, you do if you're an actual, living, breathing queer person. But not Sam, by the end of the book, Sam is even considering that "tolerance goes both ways" and he should be more patient with the people who want to cleanse his soul.
Queer people do not have to tolerate the intolerant. It is not bigotry to oppose a bigot. For crying out loud, this is basic stuff. If someone calls queer people sinful, you don't have to listen to their freaking beliefs. That's not a free-speech moment or a rational debate, that's someone deciding you are less than human because you are queer. That's just wrong.
You don't have to forgive people who break your skull.
Then, of course, the reveal: . Again, as someone who has survived an assault like this, I'd like to take a moment to discuss how many fellow survivors I've met and how many of those survived at the hands of someone who later came out as a gay person and turned their life around; respectfully: dozens, and none.
Why is this a trope in romantic fiction about gay men? It makes zero sense, it certainly isn't respectful of queer men. This man nearly beat another man to death. He is not a hero. That is not sexy. And when he shows up in book two, he'll be paired with Sam's best friend from college who—of course—in this book is a track athlete training to be a phys-ed teacher who is beaten so badly he will likely never walk without a cane again, because one near-death bashing in a novella isn't enough, we need two, and we need the storyline next time to be about a survivor of a hate crime hooking up with a person who went to jail guilty of the same damn hate crime.
I can't imagine this storyline would ever, ever hold up in a heterosexual romance: a woman is nearly beaten to death by a man who can't control his feelings for her, and the next book is about him finding love with another woman who has survived nearly being beaten to death by a different man? No chance.
But it's okay—not just okay, but romantic—because... why? Because it's gay men? There is so very much wrong with that I don't even know how to begin.
Skip this book.
I ended up so angry after reading this book, still days later, that I wrote a blog post, "I Shouldn't Have to Tell You Queer Bashers Aren't Hot" about the topic.
There's so much off with this book. We'll start with the blurb, which makes it sound like Sam just had a rough time in high school—y'know, like a lot of queer kids face, bullying and name-calling and being made to feel awful, for example, which is absolutely bad enough—and is heading back to visit a friend. Instead, we learn that Sam . He's only heading home because the woman who all but replaced the role of mother in his life when his own mother died is very ill, and despite her son Cody having done awful things to him (including throwing him into a garbage can at one point), he wants to see her.
So. Guess who the love interest is? Yep. Cody. Because of course he was gay all along and tormented Sam because boys, am I right?. And Sam can't seem to look at Cody without thinking, "Woah, he's really hot, despite shoving me into a garbage can." But hey, Cody has since kinda-sorta come out, and all of Sam's friends think he's pretty swell, so... who cares about garbage cans, right? It's just a little bit of constant soul-crushing, life-ruining childhood, and he looks really hot in cowboy boots.
Then there's his abusive, alcoholic father, who kicks Sam to the curb. Guess who gets a big ol' forgiveness by the end of the book? , but suffice it to say, the inclusion of dear-ol'-Dad admitting he joined AA, shouldn't have beat his kid or kicked him out or thrown bottles at him is like some sort of E-Z-Clean for the soul and Sam decides forgiveness is the only path to being okay with himself. Oh, and a mutual friend forces his father on Sam, because Sam won't go to him.
This is a recurring theme, by the way: everyone in this fucking town feels perfectly free to expose Sam to his prior traumas in the name of making sure Sam understands "this place isn't so bad these days, okay?"
Uh, no? Not at all? To hell with the dad. I will never understand why writers decide reuniting an abused child with an abusive parent is a happy ending. Hell, if we had a character who left a cat or dog outside to suffer without food or shelter and it ran away and was later recovered and the original owner declared they realized now they shouldn't abandon animals, I can't imagine a single person I know would suggest they should be given that pet back. Why is this so hard? It is so spectacularly dismissive of the lived reality of so many queer people I cannot begin to tell you. And as one of those people? It's not only painful, it's exhausting. I've talked before about how incredibly awful this plot-line is in books with queer characters, so I'm not going to say it all again: it's here if you want to read it.
Then there's the bashings. That's right, plural, because the novella doubles down, but I'll get to that in a second. First, let's talk Sam's history, which has left him with trauma. He had multiple bones broken, including part of his skull, and has even fainted a few times over the last five years since thanks to said trauma.
As someone who has bled on a sidewalk, I cannot tell you how infuriating it was to watch Sam's friends be surprised he hadn't "gotten over it" (more than once, they question him on this, like somehow five years after being nearly beaten to death is beyond the statue of limitations for a recovery period, or that recovery is inevitable). Worse? Sam himself starts to berate himself as a coward for leaving town, for letting it chase him away. Are you shitting me? You do not stick around when people try to beat you to death. Especially when you're kicked out by your parents. You go, you find somewhere safe, and you never look back. Or at least, you do if you're an actual, living, breathing queer person. But not Sam, by the end of the book, Sam is even considering that "tolerance goes both ways" and he should be more patient with the people who want to cleanse his soul.
Queer people do not have to tolerate the intolerant. It is not bigotry to oppose a bigot. For crying out loud, this is basic stuff. If someone calls queer people sinful, you don't have to listen to their freaking beliefs. That's not a free-speech moment or a rational debate, that's someone deciding you are less than human because you are queer. That's just wrong.
You don't have to forgive people who break your skull.
Then, of course, the reveal: . Again, as someone who has survived an assault like this, I'd like to take a moment to discuss how many fellow survivors I've met and how many of those survived at the hands of someone who later came out as a gay person and turned their life around; respectfully: dozens, and none.
Why is this a trope in romantic fiction about gay men? It makes zero sense, it certainly isn't respectful of queer men. This man nearly beat another man to death. He is not a hero. That is not sexy. And when he shows up in book two, he'll be paired with Sam's best friend from college who—of course—in this book is a track athlete training to be a phys-ed teacher who is beaten so badly he will likely never walk without a cane again, because one near-death bashing in a novella isn't enough, we need two, and we need the storyline next time to be about a survivor of a hate crime hooking up with a person who went to jail guilty of the same damn hate crime.
I can't imagine this storyline would ever, ever hold up in a heterosexual romance: a woman is nearly beaten to death by a man who can't control his feelings for her, and the next book is about him finding love with another woman who has survived nearly being beaten to death by a different man? No chance.
But it's okay—not just okay, but romantic—because... why? Because it's gay men? There is so very much wrong with that I don't even know how to begin.
Skip this book.
April 1, 2020
Please read Nathan Burgoine's review.
July 25, 2016
I am so sooo happy I got this for free at Amazon! I have started reading it a few times, but gave up, because I thought the insta-lust/love was annoying as all get out! Finally I thought, I'm going to give it a real go... Wauw, I want those hours back!!!!
This book contained my WORST pet-peeves; RIDICULOUS forgiveness for years of bullying, emotionel torture and being an accomplice (sort of) in a horrible beating. And that was just Sam forgiving Cody! Then there's Sam forgiving his piece-of-shit-"dad" and his attacker *just* like that... No grovelling, no real apologies, no Sam having a freaking backbone!
WHAT THE FREAKING HELL??
I should have read the reviews from my GR friends and the people I'm following, we have similar tastes, and this book was just RIDICULOUS!
This book contained my WORST pet-peeves; RIDICULOUS forgiveness for years of bullying, emotionel torture and being an accomplice (sort of) in a horrible beating. And that was just Sam forgiving Cody! Then there's Sam forgiving his piece-of-shit-"dad" and his attacker *just* like that... No grovelling, no real apologies, no Sam having a freaking backbone!
WHAT THE FREAKING HELL??
I should have read the reviews from my GR friends and the people I'm following, we have similar tastes, and this book was just RIDICULOUS!
June 29, 2016
The only good thing I can say about this book, is that it was free.
October 12, 2015
2.5 stars rounded down (you'll see why at the end on my review)
I struggled to find the right rating for this book, because it wasn't exactly bad, but it was far from great. In fact, some parts were almost good, while other were full of "WTF" moments.
One thing about this book I loved was the theme...I'm a sucker for friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers books, so this one was right up my alley. Sam is a music graduate who returns to his home town to visit his old music teacher; she's been like a second mother to him since he lost his own when he was only 6 years old. She's also been his adviser and confidant, his friend and supporter, but also the mother of Sam's frienemy: Cody.
Cody and Sam grew up together, went to school together, and spent many afternoons together when Sam's alcoholic father failed to give a shit about his son. This sounds like a compelling, emotionally heavy book, right? It is. But it's also full of Twilight Zone moments when I could stop asking myself "wtf just happened???".
First of all, this is written in 1st person PRESENT TENSE, my least favorite writing style. It's very awkward at the best of times, and the fact that Sam's voice is annoying as hell doesn't help matters. Sam is more like a teenager full of hormones, who's dick can't behave worth of shit, and who's whiny personality kept me from connecting with his character. In this case the writing was stilted and it took away my focus from where it needed to be. I was constantly aware of the prose and that's a bad, bad thing if you want a reader to be lost in the story, because it just didn't happen for me.
Dear old Cody is a character I've yet to understand, and since this story wasn't told from his POV, I can only assume he's been in love with Sam since he started sprouting random boners as a teenager. When his friends started teasing the girls they liked by pulling their pony-tales, or by teasing them mercilessly, Cody has teased Sam in the same manner (minus the pony-tale) and made his school years a nightmare. And just in case you're wondering, Sam really was that clueless. *SMDH*
When Sam arrives in his hometown, he learns that Cody's mother has passed away the day before, and he's overwhelmed by sadness. When the reading of her will doesn't go as planned, and Sam and Cody HAVE to live together for 8 days (or else Cody loses the house, which has a huge sentimental value for Sam), the animosity between them quickly turns to lust, then love.
This is where my issues come in. First, let me say that it bothers me when the author doesn't get his/her facts straight. The will stated they need to be together for 8 days, and yet at one point this is said:
"Mrs. Greene's terms said both Cody and I have to stay in the house for a month, or else the entire estate went to some music foundation"
So which one is it, one month or 8 days, because that's a hell of a difference. Then, the insta-love drove me insane. I'm not a fan of it in the best scenarios, but here, I detested it. People, it took Sam 2 DAYS to go from hating Cody with a passion, to being crazy in love with him. *tsk* nope, no way. And on top of that, it was so damn cheesy, I'm glad I'm not lactose intolerant, or I'd be in big trouble.
You know what saved this book for me? The chemistry between Cody and Sam, that part was nicely done. Plus, the sex between them was damn hot, so that's a nice bonus. Also, I just loved Sam's roommate, Ricky. I think it was horrendous and not needed, what happened to him. Plus, we now know who his love interest is going to be in the next book. Which brings me to my major WTF moment of the book....Sam agrees to bring his basher to live with him and Cody???? No way!!!!! No freaking way!!! In fact, just remembering about that little part makes me want to drop this rating to 2 stars, which I will.
I struggled to find the right rating for this book, because it wasn't exactly bad, but it was far from great. In fact, some parts were almost good, while other were full of "WTF" moments.
One thing about this book I loved was the theme...I'm a sucker for friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers books, so this one was right up my alley. Sam is a music graduate who returns to his home town to visit his old music teacher; she's been like a second mother to him since he lost his own when he was only 6 years old. She's also been his adviser and confidant, his friend and supporter, but also the mother of Sam's frienemy: Cody.
Cody and Sam grew up together, went to school together, and spent many afternoons together when Sam's alcoholic father failed to give a shit about his son. This sounds like a compelling, emotionally heavy book, right? It is. But it's also full of Twilight Zone moments when I could stop asking myself "wtf just happened???".
First of all, this is written in 1st person PRESENT TENSE, my least favorite writing style. It's very awkward at the best of times, and the fact that Sam's voice is annoying as hell doesn't help matters. Sam is more like a teenager full of hormones, who's dick can't behave worth of shit, and who's whiny personality kept me from connecting with his character. In this case the writing was stilted and it took away my focus from where it needed to be. I was constantly aware of the prose and that's a bad, bad thing if you want a reader to be lost in the story, because it just didn't happen for me.
Dear old Cody is a character I've yet to understand, and since this story wasn't told from his POV, I can only assume he's been in love with Sam since he started sprouting random boners as a teenager. When his friends started teasing the girls they liked by pulling their pony-tales, or by teasing them mercilessly, Cody has teased Sam in the same manner (minus the pony-tale) and made his school years a nightmare. And just in case you're wondering, Sam really was that clueless. *SMDH*
When Sam arrives in his hometown, he learns that Cody's mother has passed away the day before, and he's overwhelmed by sadness. When the reading of her will doesn't go as planned, and Sam and Cody HAVE to live together for 8 days (or else Cody loses the house, which has a huge sentimental value for Sam), the animosity between them quickly turns to lust, then love.
This is where my issues come in. First, let me say that it bothers me when the author doesn't get his/her facts straight. The will stated they need to be together for 8 days, and yet at one point this is said:
"Mrs. Greene's terms said both Cody and I have to stay in the house for a month, or else the entire estate went to some music foundation"
So which one is it, one month or 8 days, because that's a hell of a difference. Then, the insta-love drove me insane. I'm not a fan of it in the best scenarios, but here, I detested it. People, it took Sam 2 DAYS to go from hating Cody with a passion, to being crazy in love with him. *tsk* nope, no way. And on top of that, it was so damn cheesy, I'm glad I'm not lactose intolerant, or I'd be in big trouble.
You know what saved this book for me? The chemistry between Cody and Sam, that part was nicely done. Plus, the sex between them was damn hot, so that's a nice bonus. Also, I just loved Sam's roommate, Ricky. I think it was horrendous and not needed, what happened to him. Plus, we now know who his love interest is going to be in the next book. Which brings me to my major WTF moment of the book....Sam agrees to bring his basher to live with him and Cody???? No way!!!!! No freaking way!!! In fact, just remembering about that little part makes me want to drop this rating to 2 stars, which I will.
December 3, 2016
Sam returns to his hometown to visit his old music teacher, who not only made him love and study music but also give him food and shelter when his dad was too drunk to provide either.
Cody is her son and Sam remembers him as an old bully and sworn enemy.
However, upon arrival Mrs. Greene is dead and everything else doesn`t really seem how Sam remembers it.
I was very hesitant about this story because some of the reviews are really terrible. Still, when I started it, I found the book quite okay. I did have some complaints- like I really don`t enjoy stories that are told in present tense, with very few exceptions. Also, Sam acting like a spoiled brat, or a 5-year-old rather than an adult was unnerving.
The change from enemies to friends and lovers came too unexpected and quickly, this could have been written in a far more convincing way.
But truth is, I did enjoy the story, especially towards the end, it got very emotional, I liked how everything turned out and I liked Cody and Sam as a couple. I also got curious, how the story would continue, there is a HEA and no cliffhanger, but you can easily guess who the next part will be about and I really want to know their story as well.
So, once again, this story proofed that even if reviews are rarely wrong, that doesn`t mean a book couldn`t be right for you, even if it is wrong for someone else.
I love reviews as an inspiration, but whether you connect with a story or not is a completely personal and subjective matter.
I did with this one and would certainly rate it above average: 3.5 stars!
Cody is her son and Sam remembers him as an old bully and sworn enemy.
However, upon arrival Mrs. Greene is dead and everything else doesn`t really seem how Sam remembers it.
I was very hesitant about this story because some of the reviews are really terrible. Still, when I started it, I found the book quite okay. I did have some complaints- like I really don`t enjoy stories that are told in present tense, with very few exceptions. Also, Sam acting like a spoiled brat, or a 5-year-old rather than an adult was unnerving.
The change from enemies to friends and lovers came too unexpected and quickly, this could have been written in a far more convincing way.
But truth is, I did enjoy the story, especially towards the end, it got very emotional, I liked how everything turned out and I liked Cody and Sam as a couple. I also got curious, how the story would continue, there is a HEA and no cliffhanger, but you can easily guess who the next part will be about and I really want to know their story as well.
So, once again, this story proofed that even if reviews are rarely wrong, that doesn`t mean a book couldn`t be right for you, even if it is wrong for someone else.
I love reviews as an inspiration, but whether you connect with a story or not is a completely personal and subjective matter.
I did with this one and would certainly rate it above average: 3.5 stars!
September 25, 2015
Enemies to lovers! I love a good enemies to lovers story, especially when there is so much history between the two, in this case, going back to first grade. Cody and Sam grew up together, with Cody's mom kind of picking up for Sam's mom after she died. It's Cody's mom, Rosie, that brings Sam back to the town he ran from five years ago, after a horrific beating, only to find out he's a day too late, and she's gone.
A clause in Rosie's will throws our boys together for eight days. I think Rosie knew something they didn't! It forced them both to finally sit down and talk about things, and admit their real feelings and fears.
I really loved the first half of this story, I thought it was funny and a bit sad, but it kinda dropped off for me after Sam and Cody got together. Not that they weren't hot or didn't fit, I just thought it got too sweet, for my taste anyway. If you like your guys super sweet and lovey dovey to each other, than this is likely the book for you!
I only saw a couple of minor editing mistakes, particularly, a "taught sac", but otherwise, I found this to be a fairly well edited book, especially for a self pub.
I'll most likely be tuning in to read the next book in the series when it's out, I have my suspicions on who it'll be.
A clause in Rosie's will throws our boys together for eight days. I think Rosie knew something they didn't! It forced them both to finally sit down and talk about things, and admit their real feelings and fears.
I really loved the first half of this story, I thought it was funny and a bit sad, but it kinda dropped off for me after Sam and Cody got together. Not that they weren't hot or didn't fit, I just thought it got too sweet, for my taste anyway. If you like your guys super sweet and lovey dovey to each other, than this is likely the book for you!
I only saw a couple of minor editing mistakes, particularly, a "taught sac", but otherwise, I found this to be a fairly well edited book, especially for a self pub.
I'll most likely be tuning in to read the next book in the series when it's out, I have my suspicions on who it'll be.
September 10, 2022
Hard NO at 76% I refuse to read on.
It's readable; I've read a later book in the series that was purple overload. But the characters and situations are poorly thought out to the point of being offensive.
Sam is initially bitter which seems unreasonable and makes him unlikeable in the given circumstances. But then we learn more and suddenly he's sympathetic but the whole town is warped and ghastly, his 'friends' behaviour reprehensible. The author's dealing with serious issues highly problematic.
Not quite a rant
It's readable; I've read a later book in the series that was purple overload. But the characters and situations are poorly thought out to the point of being offensive.
Sam is initially bitter which seems unreasonable and makes him unlikeable in the given circumstances. But then we learn more and suddenly he's sympathetic but the whole town is warped and ghastly, his 'friends' behaviour reprehensible. The author's dealing with serious issues highly problematic.
Not quite a rant
September 9, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this book! There is something about going back to where one started and realizing that sometimes the way we remember things isn’t always exactly as they happened. For Sam, five years of being at school had convinced him that there was nothing and nobody back home for him. Except once he steps foot back in town, he begins to realize that there were people still back there who have been eagerly following any news about him. People he forgot about when he tried to move on after being brutally beaten. Now back, he begins to realize that maybe Cody wasn’t the bully he remembers him as.
So this book takes us on Sam’s journey. Sam, with a little help from Mrs. Greene’s last wishes, begins to reconnect with Cody, who came out of the closet shortly after Sam left for college. As the two lean on each other to grieve her passing, they realize there has always been that bond between them. The sex scenes between these two were romantic and sexy all rolled into one and sprinkled with a heavy dose of humor. Let’s just say that Cody may have been out of the closet, but he hasn’t tested the waters before…and, he’s an avid learner.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
I absolutely loved this book! There is something about going back to where one started and realizing that sometimes the way we remember things isn’t always exactly as they happened. For Sam, five years of being at school had convinced him that there was nothing and nobody back home for him. Except once he steps foot back in town, he begins to realize that there were people still back there who have been eagerly following any news about him. People he forgot about when he tried to move on after being brutally beaten. Now back, he begins to realize that maybe Cody wasn’t the bully he remembers him as.
So this book takes us on Sam’s journey. Sam, with a little help from Mrs. Greene’s last wishes, begins to reconnect with Cody, who came out of the closet shortly after Sam left for college. As the two lean on each other to grieve her passing, they realize there has always been that bond between them. The sex scenes between these two were romantic and sexy all rolled into one and sprinkled with a heavy dose of humor. Let’s just say that Cody may have been out of the closet, but he hasn’t tested the waters before…and, he’s an avid learner.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
October 15, 2015
3.5 stars
After the death of his beloved music teacher and surrogate mother, Sam Garrett is right back in the small Texas town, he thought he would never see again. Sam left after a horrific incident that left him physically and mentally broken. Now he must face old ghosts, and his teacher's son Cody Greene. In Sam's mind Cody is the root of all evils that befell him in school. Sam just has to survive the funeral, then get the hell out of town.
This story spends a lot of time in San's head, going over the past, the present and all the anxieties that he suffers. It is a very sweet story about love lost, redemption, and can the past be forgotten and forgiven. Lots of angst in the story, the characters are good, but a little unbelievable. Still, I thinks it worth a read. I wanted to read this because I have been to Alvardo many times. It is a lovely small Texas town, that is just far enough from the Big "D" to retain its uniqueness.
After the death of his beloved music teacher and surrogate mother, Sam Garrett is right back in the small Texas town, he thought he would never see again. Sam left after a horrific incident that left him physically and mentally broken. Now he must face old ghosts, and his teacher's son Cody Greene. In Sam's mind Cody is the root of all evils that befell him in school. Sam just has to survive the funeral, then get the hell out of town.
This story spends a lot of time in San's head, going over the past, the present and all the anxieties that he suffers. It is a very sweet story about love lost, redemption, and can the past be forgotten and forgiven. Lots of angst in the story, the characters are good, but a little unbelievable. Still, I thinks it worth a read. I wanted to read this because I have been to Alvardo many times. It is a lovely small Texas town, that is just far enough from the Big "D" to retain its uniqueness.
September 7, 2017
The first half of this was engaging. There are obviously dark issues in both main characters pasts preventing them from moving forward with their lives.
Then at almost the 50% mark the "I love yous" start and never end. The second half of the book is completely incongruous with the first half and incredibly frustrating. Almost as if this was written by two different authors with two completely outlines.
A shame, as it started with such promise.
3 stars for the first 50%
Then at almost the 50% mark the "I love yous" start and never end. The second half of the book is completely incongruous with the first half and incredibly frustrating. Almost as if this was written by two different authors with two completely outlines.
A shame, as it started with such promise.
3 stars for the first 50%
May 22, 2016
Ok so this book has copped some bad raps - but for me, I enjoyed it. I liked that Sam & Cody repaired the damage and I really liked the supportive characters in town. While there was a pretty quick turn around from hate to love, the message of acceptance, forgiveness and moving forward was heart warming. This is simply a sweet romance ❤️
September 4, 2016
3,5 stars
Want to read
July 4, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/4/2019)! 🎁
June 5, 2016
I thought this was a really sweet, heartfelt story.
Same returns to his hometown, intent on only one thing- seeing his old music teacher before she passes away. Unfortunately things don't quite go the way he planned and he gets much more than he bargained for when he rolls back into town. He learns things weren't what he always thought they were, and he's in for some real surprises and revelations...if he's willing to stick around and listen.
Right Back Where is a story of hope, redemption, forgiveness, friendship, and love. I really loved Sam and Cody, and enjoyed seeing the progression of their relationship- from sworn enemies, at least on Sam's end, to a wary friendship, to finally coming to accept the love that's been there between them all along-they just couldn't see it without a little prompting.
I enjoyed all the sides characters that made up the small town of Alvarado. Well, all except the backwards thinking bigots. But even they served their purpose.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the storie in this series, and spending more time in this wonderful little town.
Same returns to his hometown, intent on only one thing- seeing his old music teacher before she passes away. Unfortunately things don't quite go the way he planned and he gets much more than he bargained for when he rolls back into town. He learns things weren't what he always thought they were, and he's in for some real surprises and revelations...if he's willing to stick around and listen.
Right Back Where is a story of hope, redemption, forgiveness, friendship, and love. I really loved Sam and Cody, and enjoyed seeing the progression of their relationship- from sworn enemies, at least on Sam's end, to a wary friendship, to finally coming to accept the love that's been there between them all along-they just couldn't see it without a little prompting.
I enjoyed all the sides characters that made up the small town of Alvarado. Well, all except the backwards thinking bigots. But even they served their purpose.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the storie in this series, and spending more time in this wonderful little town.
September 5, 2016
There was a bit too much enemy to insta-love here for me to really enjoy this book.
Everything just felt a little too perfect. The premise of Cody's mom fixing her will that way was not very plausible. I'm sure Cody could have found a way to let Sam know how he felt...
The ending was quite abrupt...not sure if I'll keep going with this series.
Everything just felt a little too perfect. The premise of Cody's mom fixing her will that way was not very plausible. I'm sure Cody could have found a way to let Sam know how he felt...
The ending was quite abrupt...not sure if I'll keep going with this series.
December 4, 2016
1,5 stars, and after I've read ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~'s review, I don't think I can or want to add anything about this book.
November 6, 2015
2.5 stars
Yeah um I liked reading some of it…
I had a whole lot of WTF?? with the rest of the story.
But I will definitely read Ricky’s story!
September 12, 2017
2.5-3/5
This book showed some potentials in the first 50% despite some plot inconsistency, However, it was the last 30% that the book completely fell apart imo. Sam jumped on a forgiving train that run over everyone, from alcoholic dad, hateful town, Cody to Clint-his-abuser, leaving behind a trail of rainbow smoke. The last bit of the book probably won the award of the most anti-climatic-climax.
This book showed some potentials in the first 50% despite some plot inconsistency, However, it was the last 30% that the book completely fell apart imo. Sam jumped on a forgiving train that run over everyone, from alcoholic dad, hateful town, Cody to Clint-his-abuser, leaving behind a trail of rainbow smoke. The last bit of the book probably won the award of the most anti-climatic-climax.
January 25, 2020
A decent gay-boy returning home to face his traumatic history and the perpetrators who drove him from the town. Some lovely secondary characters and it was nice that the author provides some more than one-dimensional "bad-guys". The M-M romance comes through gradually but I did find Sam's readiness to forgive and forget at least one antagonist rather unbelievable, especially given his traumatic history.
September 4, 2024
It's a good story
Well, I'm going to be kind here. The story is a good one even though, it gets confusing at times. Sam should've went to therapy after his beating but the author is more concerned about angst and sex. The real character in this book is Cody's mother; she pulls the story together.
Well, I'm going to be kind here. The story is a good one even though, it gets confusing at times. Sam should've went to therapy after his beating but the author is more concerned about angst and sex. The real character in this book is Cody's mother; she pulls the story together.
January 21, 2016
**Originally posted on Kiki's Kinky Picks**
Right Back Where by C.E. Kilgore was such an adorable book! High in emotions and humor, I was left satisfied and craving more. The first book in C.E.’s Welcome to Alvarado series, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
There was a bit of emotional whiplash in the beginning. Sam can’t decide how he feels about Cody or the town in general. First he hates him, then he decides to be nice to him, then he is going to be mean to him, and then there’s love.
Emotional. Whiplash.
I loved the whole town of Alvarado. It provided a great background with interesting supporting characters that weren’t too flat or end up stealing the spotlight.
Kyle and Julie were especially awesome though. They were hilarious and I wanted to be friends with them too.
I really liked how Cody and Sam had so many shared memories from their childhood. The more time they spent together the more things they remembered and it was really sweet.
Sam has a degree in music and he’s the narrator so music was a dominant theme throughout the book. The music analogies during certain important scenes ended up being really beautiful.
I also liked how C.E. made me wait to learn what exactly happened to Sam before he left Alvarado. She drops bits and pieces throughout, but you don’t find out until well into the book. It was really interesting the way she built suspense for an event that had already occurred, but it totally worked.
The ending felt a bit rushed. A lot of things happen in the last ten percent or so to set up the next book in the series.
I was pretty surprised by the ending and Sam’s reaction. I don’t want to spoil anything but it seemed like there was a lot of emotional build up to this one moment and then he didn’t react at all the way I thought he would.
I’m still super anxious to read the next book though. I’m hoping I get some more answers!
I really enjoyed Right Back Where. It was super sweet and the characters were really likeable and relatable. Plus, the town sounds awesome. I’m definitely looking forward to hanging out in Alvarado again.
Copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Right Back Where by C.E. Kilgore was such an adorable book! High in emotions and humor, I was left satisfied and craving more. The first book in C.E.’s Welcome to Alvarado series, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.
There was a bit of emotional whiplash in the beginning. Sam can’t decide how he feels about Cody or the town in general. First he hates him, then he decides to be nice to him, then he is going to be mean to him, and then there’s love.
Emotional. Whiplash.
I loved the whole town of Alvarado. It provided a great background with interesting supporting characters that weren’t too flat or end up stealing the spotlight.
Kyle and Julie were especially awesome though. They were hilarious and I wanted to be friends with them too.
I really liked how Cody and Sam had so many shared memories from their childhood. The more time they spent together the more things they remembered and it was really sweet.
Sam has a degree in music and he’s the narrator so music was a dominant theme throughout the book. The music analogies during certain important scenes ended up being really beautiful.
I also liked how C.E. made me wait to learn what exactly happened to Sam before he left Alvarado. She drops bits and pieces throughout, but you don’t find out until well into the book. It was really interesting the way she built suspense for an event that had already occurred, but it totally worked.
The ending felt a bit rushed. A lot of things happen in the last ten percent or so to set up the next book in the series.
I was pretty surprised by the ending and Sam’s reaction. I don’t want to spoil anything but it seemed like there was a lot of emotional build up to this one moment and then he didn’t react at all the way I thought he would.
I’m still super anxious to read the next book though. I’m hoping I get some more answers!
I really enjoyed Right Back Where. It was super sweet and the characters were really likeable and relatable. Plus, the town sounds awesome. I’m definitely looking forward to hanging out in Alvarado again.
Copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 1, 2015
Ah, my sweet, funny, stubborn Sam.
This story engaged all my emotions and gave me everything I love, with a captivating, emotional, sexy-steamy story. Some serious and painful things are dealt with as Sam's present shoves him into facing his past, but with such wonderful dry wit and humor, I couldn't help but experience the story rather than just read it.
Many characters, not just Sam, experience growth and opportunities to right some wrongs. The secondary characters are absolutely fantastic, and I can not wait to read more of them. All of them. I wanted to jump into the story and hang out with these awesome people who are all flawed, but kind and loving, and willing to do anything for those they call friend.
While this is a standalone, and Sam's story wraps up quite beautifully, I'm crazy excited for book two, and will be not-so-patiently awaiting the next in the series. I have my idea who the focus will be on...but I guess I have to wait and find out...
I'm sharing a couple of my favorite lines. They won't spoil the story, but give a hint as to how wonderful it is:
Humor-
1) "Like there was some 'gay-town' run by a 'gay-mayor' where all the queers magically ended up living to dance around in boy-shorts with rainbow flags."
Make my heart sigh romance-
2) "We're just two boys"
Super sexy times with realness-
3) "one minute there’s enough lust between us to open a bordello, then the next minute we’re laughing like a pair of goofs."
I love this book, and highly recommend everyone read it!
This story engaged all my emotions and gave me everything I love, with a captivating, emotional, sexy-steamy story. Some serious and painful things are dealt with as Sam's present shoves him into facing his past, but with such wonderful dry wit and humor, I couldn't help but experience the story rather than just read it.
Many characters, not just Sam, experience growth and opportunities to right some wrongs. The secondary characters are absolutely fantastic, and I can not wait to read more of them. All of them. I wanted to jump into the story and hang out with these awesome people who are all flawed, but kind and loving, and willing to do anything for those they call friend.
While this is a standalone, and Sam's story wraps up quite beautifully, I'm crazy excited for book two, and will be not-so-patiently awaiting the next in the series. I have my idea who the focus will be on...but I guess I have to wait and find out...
I'm sharing a couple of my favorite lines. They won't spoil the story, but give a hint as to how wonderful it is:
Humor-
1) "Like there was some 'gay-town' run by a 'gay-mayor' where all the queers magically ended up living to dance around in boy-shorts with rainbow flags."
Make my heart sigh romance-
2) "We're just two boys"
Super sexy times with realness-
3) "one minute there’s enough lust between us to open a bordello, then the next minute we’re laughing like a pair of goofs."
I love this book, and highly recommend everyone read it!
March 14, 2016
I really liked this one
Some spoilers ahead.
This was really a good story. It was also clear and well written and if there were editing errors, I didn't notice them. I had a couple of little niggles about the pacing. Some of Sam's reversals of attitude seemed to come too quickly, especially his forgiveness of his attacker and Cody's part in it. The attack on his friend Ricky was difficult to read, too. Ricky was a great example of the character building skill of this author. He was only on page briefly, and Sam did speak of him a few times. But it really had an impact when Sam heard what happened to him. Cody was a good character as well and his conflicted past and hard-earned honesty were evident. Julie and Kyle were pretty awesome.
I did enjoy the themes I found in the story: That memory can be clouded by time. That maturity and introspection can elevate and clarify past events. That understanding and forgiveness lighten the heart and mind. Yes it was a little saccharine at times and some events too serendipitous. I needed a lighter, more positive story to read and this really fit the bill.
REREAD 1/5/16
Okay, so I read this through fuzzy, rose-colored glasses the first time. I did find several editing errors this time, but they weren't excessive. I'd also forgotten just how fast and how numerous Sam's epiphanies and forgiveness were exhibited. I'll let my rating stand, though. It was hardly realistic but it was a feel-good story with lots of setup for a future book.
Some spoilers ahead.
This was really a good story. It was also clear and well written and if there were editing errors, I didn't notice them. I had a couple of little niggles about the pacing. Some of Sam's reversals of attitude seemed to come too quickly, especially his forgiveness of his attacker and Cody's part in it. The attack on his friend Ricky was difficult to read, too. Ricky was a great example of the character building skill of this author. He was only on page briefly, and Sam did speak of him a few times. But it really had an impact when Sam heard what happened to him. Cody was a good character as well and his conflicted past and hard-earned honesty were evident. Julie and Kyle were pretty awesome.
I did enjoy the themes I found in the story: That memory can be clouded by time. That maturity and introspection can elevate and clarify past events. That understanding and forgiveness lighten the heart and mind. Yes it was a little saccharine at times and some events too serendipitous. I needed a lighter, more positive story to read and this really fit the bill.
REREAD 1/5/16
Okay, so I read this through fuzzy, rose-colored glasses the first time. I did find several editing errors this time, but they weren't excessive. I'd also forgotten just how fast and how numerous Sam's epiphanies and forgiveness were exhibited. I'll let my rating stand, though. It was hardly realistic but it was a feel-good story with lots of setup for a future book.
October 26, 2015
Loved this book!!!
I thought the characters were so adorable and i had to keep pinching myself because i got completely caught up in their story. Dear Dear Sam is such a pleasure to read and my heart broke for what he had been through but also the amazing way he doesn't give up and fights for what he wants. He is so forgiving and so loving i can't wait to see what happens next and I am so excited by this wonderful new author.
I thought the characters were so adorable and i had to keep pinching myself because i got completely caught up in their story. Dear Dear Sam is such a pleasure to read and my heart broke for what he had been through but also the amazing way he doesn't give up and fights for what he wants. He is so forgiving and so loving i can't wait to see what happens next and I am so excited by this wonderful new author.
October 18, 2015
I enjoyed some tension between the two main characters at the beginning of the story. However that evaporates when, half way through, Sam has an epiphany that he loves Cody. Too sudden and very unbelievable.
February 13, 2018
3 and 1/2 Stars. I liked this book. What kept the rating from being higher was that I spent the first half of the book disliking Sam. He was so inconsistent, mad one minute and friendly the next. Cody was a much more likable character.
avoid
May 17, 2016Note to self: 1st person present tense--BLECH!!!!
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