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Other Side of the Line
Caleb Hudson and Hal Zimmer became best friends the day they stood up against the schoolyard bully together. Life’s complicated enough with their friendship crossing racial lines in 1960s Charleston, South Carolina, but as time passes, they realize it’s more than their friendship that sets them apart from other kids. At first, Caleb denies his feelings for Hal could be more than companionship. He supports his friend when Hal admits he’s gay, but Caleb isn’t ready to face his own truth. Hal becomes a staunch antiwar protester, and the divide between them widens after Caleb is drafted. But when Caleb returns from Vietnam, the time for denial is over. His homecoming sets off a series of events that force Caleb and Hal to confront their desires and what lines they’re willing to cross to get what they truly want out of life.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2015
4 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Marguerite Labbe
39 books128 followersMarguerite has been accused of being eccentric and a shade neurotic, both of which she freely admits to, but her muse has OCD tendencies, so who can blame her? Her husband and son do an excellent job keeping her toeing the line, though. Together with her co-author Fae Sutherland, Marguerite has found a shared passion for beautiful men with smart mouths.
When she's not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Her son is learning the tricks too quickly and likes to retaliate. You'd think she'd learn.
When she's not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Her son is learning the tricks too quickly and likes to retaliate. You'd think she'd learn.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 20, 2019
Two back to back awesomeamazing reads! I feel so lucky!
Loved, loved, loved this book!
The book is broken up in 3 parts. Each part starts with the present, which in this story happens to be 2023. The MCs are 70 years old at a family reunion in celebration of their 60 year-old relationship. During that reunion, they share part of their story.
I shelved this book under historical, because although each part starts with the present, the story focuses almost exclusively in the past starting from 1963 to 1977.
Desegregation is in effect and in Charleston, South Carolina, 10 year-old Caleb is the first black child to be admitted to an all white school. Needless to say, he is not well received. Hal has just moved to SC with his family from NY. He doesn’t make a good first impression at the new school so he isn’t well liked either. While defending each other from a school bully, they become friends. One black and one white child form a friendship where race didn’t matter. They were just each other’s “person”. No matter the challenges (and there were many) these two faced, their bond was too strong to break them apart.
What I loved mostly about this story is that it felt so real. This is one of the best friends to lovers’ books I have read so far. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Loved, loved, loved this book!
The book is broken up in 3 parts. Each part starts with the present, which in this story happens to be 2023. The MCs are 70 years old at a family reunion in celebration of their 60 year-old relationship. During that reunion, they share part of their story.
I shelved this book under historical, because although each part starts with the present, the story focuses almost exclusively in the past starting from 1963 to 1977.
Desegregation is in effect and in Charleston, South Carolina, 10 year-old Caleb is the first black child to be admitted to an all white school. Needless to say, he is not well received. Hal has just moved to SC with his family from NY. He doesn’t make a good first impression at the new school so he isn’t well liked either. While defending each other from a school bully, they become friends. One black and one white child form a friendship where race didn’t matter. They were just each other’s “person”. No matter the challenges (and there were many) these two faced, their bond was too strong to break them apart.
What I loved mostly about this story is that it felt so real. This is one of the best friends to lovers’ books I have read so far. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
July 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this friends-to-lovers romance that followed Hal, a white boy, and Caleb, a black boy, through their first meeting at the start of desegregation in 1963 Charleston through the trials and upheavals of their youth and young adulthood together. Their road wasn't an easy one, but their friendship saw them through a lot, including separations and disagreements.
And yet, after a point, it felt like the author was just throwing things at them to keep them apart. I wouldn't say it was superfluous, but I guess I just lost patience somewhere along the line, even if I did like that it didn't follow the usual pattern. I think there was just too much telling in some parts, where I wanted to see what was being talked about - like Hal's time in the Peace Corps or more of Caleb's time in Vietnam. And while the issues of racism were touched upon, they didn't go quite as in depth as I thought the book would go.
Then there's the storytelling device the book uses - as in all the historical parts, which are the bulk of the story - are the MCs relating their lives to their grandkids in our not-too-distant future. There are three parts in this story, and each part starts with a flash forward, and then the book ends with one as well. I skipped these as I read, as I didn't want to know the HEA before I got to it, but they were still a reminder that everything was going to work out and kind of destroyed any tension the story might have been able to build up otherwise. Not that it wasn't still tense in places, but it could have been more tense.
I went back once I reached the final flash forward to read them all as an epilogue, and holy spoilers, Batman! Just tell the readers the whole story before they even get to it, why don't you? There are times when a storytelling device like this can work - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, for instance, where the story hinges on a mystery - but I don't think this was one of those times. If I'd been an editor for this book, I'd've told the author to remove all the earlier flash forwards and consolidate them into an epilogue at the end. I also would've thrown in a few extra commas and crossed out some of the repetition. ;)
And yet, after a point, it felt like the author was just throwing things at them to keep them apart. I wouldn't say it was superfluous, but I guess I just lost patience somewhere along the line, even if I did like that it didn't follow the usual pattern. I think there was just too much telling in some parts, where I wanted to see what was being talked about - like Hal's time in the Peace Corps or more of Caleb's time in Vietnam. And while the issues of racism were touched upon, they didn't go quite as in depth as I thought the book would go.
Then there's the storytelling device the book uses - as in all the historical parts, which are the bulk of the story - are the MCs relating their lives to their grandkids in our not-too-distant future. There are three parts in this story, and each part starts with a flash forward, and then the book ends with one as well. I skipped these as I read, as I didn't want to know the HEA before I got to it, but they were still a reminder that everything was going to work out and kind of destroyed any tension the story might have been able to build up otherwise. Not that it wasn't still tense in places, but it could have been more tense.
I went back once I reached the final flash forward to read them all as an epilogue, and holy spoilers, Batman! Just tell the readers the whole story before they even get to it, why don't you? There are times when a storytelling device like this can work - Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, for instance, where the story hinges on a mystery - but I don't think this was one of those times. If I'd been an editor for this book, I'd've told the author to remove all the earlier flash forwards and consolidate them into an epilogue at the end. I also would've thrown in a few extra commas and crossed out some of the repetition. ;)
September 12, 2016
This book is a journey through the history of two men, looking back from their old age, over recent eras in American life. Smoothly and clearly written, in steps through time, we learn how two guys from the south of the sixties, one white and one black, became allies, school friends, attracted, lovers, and eventually more. The Vietnam war era is a vivid piece of the puzzle, impacting their lives from several directions. Family expectations, social pressures, homophobia, racism, and fear of rejection keep these two men orbiting around each other without fully connecting for a long time.
I truly enjoyed the realistic feel of this - the fact that it wasn't all smooth sailing, and also the fact that the guys, in finding their way to be together, made mistakes. They took other paths, and learned about themselves. They didn't pine in virginal self-denial, but moved through realistic lives, until they came to the conclusion that each was what the other needed to be whole, forever.
For all of the deeply-hard issues that arise through the book, it still has more of a warm feel than an angsty one. Perhaps because it is always framed as flash-backs, we are reassured before and after each episode that these guys made it through. Some of those around them, some they cared about, didn't. But those are not the times that appear in depth on the page, and what is present is sometimes poignant, sometimes frustrating, and often sweet and lovely. There were things I'd have loved to see on page and didn't, but any story covering a lifetime has to pick and choose, and the author's choices here give us a tale of hope, and a warm HEA.
I truly enjoyed the realistic feel of this - the fact that it wasn't all smooth sailing, and also the fact that the guys, in finding their way to be together, made mistakes. They took other paths, and learned about themselves. They didn't pine in virginal self-denial, but moved through realistic lives, until they came to the conclusion that each was what the other needed to be whole, forever.
For all of the deeply-hard issues that arise through the book, it still has more of a warm feel than an angsty one. Perhaps because it is always framed as flash-backs, we are reassured before and after each episode that these guys made it through. Some of those around them, some they cared about, didn't. But those are not the times that appear in depth on the page, and what is present is sometimes poignant, sometimes frustrating, and often sweet and lovely. There were things I'd have loved to see on page and didn't, but any story covering a lifetime has to pick and choose, and the author's choices here give us a tale of hope, and a warm HEA.
November 10, 2016
2016 Rainbow Awards: Other Side of the Line by Marguerite Labbe
1) One word that comes to mind in describing this story is 'Beautiful'. It's the sort of story that leaves you satisfied once your reach the end and a story that'll stay with me for a long, long time. The life these two men carried throughout their entire lives is the life I always wished I had. The love of, first friendship, then, the pure love they felt toward each other in a time when it was considered a crime to befriend a person of color. Fantastic writing from an author who I've always respect and admire. Ms. Labbe has never let me down. There are not many times when I give a story a perfect score. This one deserves it.
2) The writing style and the characters pulled me in. I was connected to this book and its people in a way I rarely am but always hope for. Hal and Caleb came alive for me and I was emotionally invested in their well being. They had fascinating lives and interesting challenges facing them. I loved that some obstacles had to be overcome alone before they could deal with the other ones together.
3) A lovely, realistic, retrospective exploration of the relationship between two gay men. Caleb and Hal met as kids in the 1960s, and took a long time to figure out that they were each the answer to the other's searches. Now settled into old age, with foster kids and grandchildren and family around them, the men look back at the years and events that affected them, built them up, pushed them apart, and finally brought them together. We see the early days in Charleston, when the black kid in a newly-desegregated white school, and the white Northern kid who dared to name Sherman as a Civil War hero to a Southern teacher, are bonded as outsiders. We see the impacts of civil rights and gay rights and the Vietnam war on their lives and families. The men circle each other, best friends, yearning for something else but unable to quite make it happen. Caleb has a loving, but not gay-tolerant, family and Hal an abusive bigoted father. Events push them their separate ways, but they reconnect, again and again, until love wins. The most potentially dark and angsty moments are not the ones dwelled upon, and the result is a warm, smoothly-flowing story of life and love through half a century of time.
4) Friends to lovers - friendship being most important. Addressed both homophobia and racism in the 70s. Two lovely main characters well drawn and distinct from each other. Good sub characters. 70s & 80s US - contrast between small town & NY. Well written. Interesting structural approach to,d in reflection from contemporary perspective. Only problem smallish chunks of time reduced flow. Once or twice I felt I had missed bits of their story I wanted to hear about after they got together- how they got their children etc.
1) One word that comes to mind in describing this story is 'Beautiful'. It's the sort of story that leaves you satisfied once your reach the end and a story that'll stay with me for a long, long time. The life these two men carried throughout their entire lives is the life I always wished I had. The love of, first friendship, then, the pure love they felt toward each other in a time when it was considered a crime to befriend a person of color. Fantastic writing from an author who I've always respect and admire. Ms. Labbe has never let me down. There are not many times when I give a story a perfect score. This one deserves it.
2) The writing style and the characters pulled me in. I was connected to this book and its people in a way I rarely am but always hope for. Hal and Caleb came alive for me and I was emotionally invested in their well being. They had fascinating lives and interesting challenges facing them. I loved that some obstacles had to be overcome alone before they could deal with the other ones together.
3) A lovely, realistic, retrospective exploration of the relationship between two gay men. Caleb and Hal met as kids in the 1960s, and took a long time to figure out that they were each the answer to the other's searches. Now settled into old age, with foster kids and grandchildren and family around them, the men look back at the years and events that affected them, built them up, pushed them apart, and finally brought them together. We see the early days in Charleston, when the black kid in a newly-desegregated white school, and the white Northern kid who dared to name Sherman as a Civil War hero to a Southern teacher, are bonded as outsiders. We see the impacts of civil rights and gay rights and the Vietnam war on their lives and families. The men circle each other, best friends, yearning for something else but unable to quite make it happen. Caleb has a loving, but not gay-tolerant, family and Hal an abusive bigoted father. Events push them their separate ways, but they reconnect, again and again, until love wins. The most potentially dark and angsty moments are not the ones dwelled upon, and the result is a warm, smoothly-flowing story of life and love through half a century of time.
4) Friends to lovers - friendship being most important. Addressed both homophobia and racism in the 70s. Two lovely main characters well drawn and distinct from each other. Good sub characters. 70s & 80s US - contrast between small town & NY. Well written. Interesting structural approach to,d in reflection from contemporary perspective. Only problem smallish chunks of time reduced flow. Once or twice I felt I had missed bits of their story I wanted to hear about after they got together- how they got their children etc.
October 9, 2023
DNF @ 52%
I applaud the author for putting a huge amount of effort into this story and I understand why the ratings are so high, but I found the story boring. I stuck through over 150 pages, hoping things would pick up at some point, but the slow pace and mundane vibe is continuing so I'm going to bow out early.
First - the positives.
This has nothing to do with the story, but I loved the cover for this story. I appreciate that every single item shown on the cover plays an important role in the story, which was a great touch. Although I do wish the two models in the photo of the two young boys had been older because they look like they're younger than 10 and meeting at that specific age was important in the story.
In general, the author did a good job portraying the different time periods as we moved from 1963 to the 1970s (the story ends in 1977 but I stopped in 1974). In particular, I loved that the author used the MCs to demonstrate the slow changes in clothing fashions, music, books and other things. This is the first story I've come across where references to real-life books didn't feel out of place. I also liked that many side characters embodied different interesting aspects of the 1960s and 1970s and that many characters had different views on various political and social justice issues. In particular, I liked the way the author portrayed 1960s South Carolina with a wonderful blend of different attitudes and different opinions.
I also loved that the author wove real-life events into the narrative in a way that felt natural and made me believe that these guys really did live through those time periods. Events such as the JFK assassination, specific events related to the civil rights movements and different aspects of the Vietnam War were all woven into the story in a way that felt authentic.
I also enjoyed Hal's character arc in terms of his anti-war sentiments.
Sadly, that was the only interesting character arc in the story (at least, it was up to the point where I DNF'd). Now onto the negatives.
Misplaced 'Epilogue' Scenes
I have to echo Linda's review and express my disappointment in the author's choice to add present-day scenes at the very beginning and end of each of the three parts. In particular, I hated the very first one. We're introduced to the MCs in their 70s and we're also introduced to a barrage of side characters who we don't know and don't care about at that stage. But even worse - we're told how each character is related to the MCs so when we go back in time (which is where the bulk of the story takes place), all sense of tension related to these side characters is gone. We know exactly who will be there in the present and what their lives will look like.
In particular, I hated being introduced to the MCs many children/grandchildren etc because it spoils a major part of the story. Lastly, I hated having the MCs constantly repeat themselves by talking about how difficult things had been in their pasts but how good things are in the present. Again - this meant nothing to me because I have no clue at the beginning of the story what the MCs will go through over the course of the story. These types of scenes are usually put into epilogues for good reason. There are ways to do a good start-in-present-flash-to-past narrative structure, but the author's approach didn't work at all and after suffering through the first one, I made the decision to skip all of the present scenes as I went.
A Mundane, Routine Plot
Caleb and Hal are lucky enough to have lived pretty routine lives. Looking at their lives from a 21st century perspective, they did go through a lot since Caleb is black, Hal is white, they live in South Carolina and along the way, they both realize they're gay. The story includes topics such as the desegregation of schools, the civil rights movement, the birth of the gay rights movement, the Vietnam War etc, but the majority of the story felt mundane and lacked any sense of tension. The boys are best friends from the moment they meet and the conflicts they go through are very minimal.
For example - Caleb faces discrimination from other students due to being the only black kid at their elementary school. Hal is a new student at the school and since he'd moved from New York to South Carolina and he doesn't talk/think like a Southerner, he's bullied too. But once the boys team up and become friends, the issue of bullying is rarely mentioned again. Even the named bullies fade into the background, even though I had assumed they would continue being part of the narrative. Another example - Caleb struggles with his loyalties to the black vs white community since the majority of people from both sides don't want Caleb being friends with Hal. But asides from some unkind comments from people and Caleb angsting about it repeatedly, nothing else interesting happens with it. Lastly - .
Since the plotlines that had big potential for conflict and tension were done in a boring way, the smaller plotlines were a snooze-fest because they were so generic. A perfect example was the scene where Hal casually tells Caleb that he'd lost his virginity ages ago to a random dude. Hal shares this news in a casual way and Caleb reacts positively but also casually. It felt like a conversation that was happening between random acquaintances, but these guys had been friends for nearly a decade by that point. Another great example was the scene where I DNF'd, which involved Caleb and Hal having a lengthy discussion over what Caleb should major in when he goes to university. There's nothing wrong with any of this but like with the majority of real life - it might be realistic but it doesn't mean it's exciting to read about. I kept waiting for more exciting things to happen but the story keeps plodding along at that sedate pace with Hal and Caleb living their ordinary lives.
Since the author has clearly put a lot of effort into this story and the historical aspects were well done, I'm giving this DNF 2 stars, which is rare for me but the book deserves it. But I can't continue because I'm worried I'll fall asleep before the end.
I applaud the author for putting a huge amount of effort into this story and I understand why the ratings are so high, but I found the story boring. I stuck through over 150 pages, hoping things would pick up at some point, but the slow pace and mundane vibe is continuing so I'm going to bow out early.
First - the positives.
This has nothing to do with the story, but I loved the cover for this story. I appreciate that every single item shown on the cover plays an important role in the story, which was a great touch. Although I do wish the two models in the photo of the two young boys had been older because they look like they're younger than 10 and meeting at that specific age was important in the story.
In general, the author did a good job portraying the different time periods as we moved from 1963 to the 1970s (the story ends in 1977 but I stopped in 1974). In particular, I loved that the author used the MCs to demonstrate the slow changes in clothing fashions, music, books and other things. This is the first story I've come across where references to real-life books didn't feel out of place. I also liked that many side characters embodied different interesting aspects of the 1960s and 1970s and that many characters had different views on various political and social justice issues. In particular, I liked the way the author portrayed 1960s South Carolina with a wonderful blend of different attitudes and different opinions.
I also loved that the author wove real-life events into the narrative in a way that felt natural and made me believe that these guys really did live through those time periods. Events such as the JFK assassination, specific events related to the civil rights movements and different aspects of the Vietnam War were all woven into the story in a way that felt authentic.
I also enjoyed Hal's character arc in terms of his anti-war sentiments.
Sadly, that was the only interesting character arc in the story (at least, it was up to the point where I DNF'd). Now onto the negatives.
Misplaced 'Epilogue' Scenes
I have to echo Linda's review and express my disappointment in the author's choice to add present-day scenes at the very beginning and end of each of the three parts. In particular, I hated the very first one. We're introduced to the MCs in their 70s and we're also introduced to a barrage of side characters who we don't know and don't care about at that stage. But even worse - we're told how each character is related to the MCs so when we go back in time (which is where the bulk of the story takes place), all sense of tension related to these side characters is gone. We know exactly who will be there in the present and what their lives will look like.
In particular, I hated being introduced to the MCs many children/grandchildren etc because it spoils a major part of the story. Lastly, I hated having the MCs constantly repeat themselves by talking about how difficult things had been in their pasts but how good things are in the present. Again - this meant nothing to me because I have no clue at the beginning of the story what the MCs will go through over the course of the story. These types of scenes are usually put into epilogues for good reason. There are ways to do a good start-in-present-flash-to-past narrative structure, but the author's approach didn't work at all and after suffering through the first one, I made the decision to skip all of the present scenes as I went.
A Mundane, Routine Plot
Caleb and Hal are lucky enough to have lived pretty routine lives. Looking at their lives from a 21st century perspective, they did go through a lot since Caleb is black, Hal is white, they live in South Carolina and along the way, they both realize they're gay. The story includes topics such as the desegregation of schools, the civil rights movement, the birth of the gay rights movement, the Vietnam War etc, but the majority of the story felt mundane and lacked any sense of tension. The boys are best friends from the moment they meet and the conflicts they go through are very minimal.
For example - Caleb faces discrimination from other students due to being the only black kid at their elementary school. Hal is a new student at the school and since he'd moved from New York to South Carolina and he doesn't talk/think like a Southerner, he's bullied too. But once the boys team up and become friends, the issue of bullying is rarely mentioned again. Even the named bullies fade into the background, even though I had assumed they would continue being part of the narrative. Another example - Caleb struggles with his loyalties to the black vs white community since the majority of people from both sides don't want Caleb being friends with Hal. But asides from some unkind comments from people and Caleb angsting about it repeatedly, nothing else interesting happens with it. Lastly - .
Since the plotlines that had big potential for conflict and tension were done in a boring way, the smaller plotlines were a snooze-fest because they were so generic. A perfect example was the scene where Hal casually tells Caleb that he'd lost his virginity ages ago to a random dude. Hal shares this news in a casual way and Caleb reacts positively but also casually. It felt like a conversation that was happening between random acquaintances, but these guys had been friends for nearly a decade by that point. Another great example was the scene where I DNF'd, which involved Caleb and Hal having a lengthy discussion over what Caleb should major in when he goes to university. There's nothing wrong with any of this but like with the majority of real life - it might be realistic but it doesn't mean it's exciting to read about. I kept waiting for more exciting things to happen but the story keeps plodding along at that sedate pace with Hal and Caleb living their ordinary lives.
Since the author has clearly put a lot of effort into this story and the historical aspects were well done, I'm giving this DNF 2 stars, which is rare for me but the book deserves it. But I can't continue because I'm worried I'll fall asleep before the end.
October 31, 2015
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
This was a sweet, nostalgic walk down memory lane as Caleb Hudson and Hal Zimmer recall the first day they met sixty years before, and with the urging of their children and grandchildren, relate the long, sometimes painful road they traveled to find the balance necessary to merge that friendship with love and long-term commitment.
In 2023, at a family reunion held in honor of Caleb and Hal, who are now husbands, their children and grandchildren presented them with a memory book filled with photos, letters, and other memorabilia that symbolized the time they spent together and apart in their early years. Prompted to tell tales of what happened at various points of their lives, readers are treated to what is surely one of the best stories this reviewer has read all year. I must admit, though, it may be partially because the story encompasses my own history, taking place over the course of time in which I grew up and grew old. But from that perspective, I can also guarantee the authenticity of the flavor of the times.
In 1963, when Caleb Hudson first attended what used to be an all-white elementary school in Charleston, South Carolina, his early days were fraught with negativity and racial prejudice—from both the students and the teachers. Though he dreaded going to school each day, he knew that he and others like him had to step up to the task so segregation would be something others would read about in history books and not experience in real life. Fortunately, a new kid—a Northerner—joined his class, and some of the attention was diverted from him onto this new kid. Hal Zimmer, an adorable, friendly redhead, couldn’t understand why his parents moved from New York to a place where he was not only an outsider, but was shunned for not being a native. When the bullies cornered him after school, he thought he was a goner until another kid showed up to help him and scared the bullies away. Caleb was that other kid and from that moment on, they became best friends for life, and neither of them ever dreaded going to school again.
As the boys mature, Hal comes to realize that he is gay, and shunned by his father for his “sissy ways,” he acts out by joining the antiwar movement, hanging out with hippies and others in the Village once he gets to college in New York. In the meantime, Caleb is becoming aware that he has feelings for Hal that are more than brotherly, but rather than embrace those feelings, he denies them. But when he’s drafted and sent to Viet Nam, he extracts a promise from Hal that Hal won’t protest against the soldiers returning home. If he must protest the government, that’s fine, but not the men who have no choice but to go to serve their country.
Once Caleb is back and the two are reunited, sparks fly between them, Caleb confesses his attraction to Hal, and they have their first look at how hot they can be together. But it doesn’t last, and circumstances separate them yet again as Hal decides to join the Peace Corps and serve two years in Ghana. It’s not until he returns from there that the two men finally face their demons, but they have to fight against outside forces, former lovers, family, and friends to be able to forge their way to what they really want and need.
Thank you, Ms. Labbe, for ending this story, not with a tragedy, but with hope for a long future together as the men look forward to making good use of their time in retirement. There are few stories in which the MCs grow old together, and even fewer in which the seniors look forward to a happy future. Twenty-four hours after completion, my emotions are finally settling into a warm and fuzzy ball in my tummy after having been on a rollercoaster throughout the book. There are heartbreakingly poignant moments in this story, periods of worry and concern, and times of angst-filled distress, yet there are times of joy and happiness as well, and I’m left with a feeling of awe from having just read a book that will live in my memory for a long time to come.
I highly recommend this story to all lovers of M/M romance. If you love a good tale, or a story of an interracial couple, or if you simply enjoy a walk back through history, please don’t’ miss your chance to read this story.
This was a sweet, nostalgic walk down memory lane as Caleb Hudson and Hal Zimmer recall the first day they met sixty years before, and with the urging of their children and grandchildren, relate the long, sometimes painful road they traveled to find the balance necessary to merge that friendship with love and long-term commitment.
In 2023, at a family reunion held in honor of Caleb and Hal, who are now husbands, their children and grandchildren presented them with a memory book filled with photos, letters, and other memorabilia that symbolized the time they spent together and apart in their early years. Prompted to tell tales of what happened at various points of their lives, readers are treated to what is surely one of the best stories this reviewer has read all year. I must admit, though, it may be partially because the story encompasses my own history, taking place over the course of time in which I grew up and grew old. But from that perspective, I can also guarantee the authenticity of the flavor of the times.
In 1963, when Caleb Hudson first attended what used to be an all-white elementary school in Charleston, South Carolina, his early days were fraught with negativity and racial prejudice—from both the students and the teachers. Though he dreaded going to school each day, he knew that he and others like him had to step up to the task so segregation would be something others would read about in history books and not experience in real life. Fortunately, a new kid—a Northerner—joined his class, and some of the attention was diverted from him onto this new kid. Hal Zimmer, an adorable, friendly redhead, couldn’t understand why his parents moved from New York to a place where he was not only an outsider, but was shunned for not being a native. When the bullies cornered him after school, he thought he was a goner until another kid showed up to help him and scared the bullies away. Caleb was that other kid and from that moment on, they became best friends for life, and neither of them ever dreaded going to school again.
As the boys mature, Hal comes to realize that he is gay, and shunned by his father for his “sissy ways,” he acts out by joining the antiwar movement, hanging out with hippies and others in the Village once he gets to college in New York. In the meantime, Caleb is becoming aware that he has feelings for Hal that are more than brotherly, but rather than embrace those feelings, he denies them. But when he’s drafted and sent to Viet Nam, he extracts a promise from Hal that Hal won’t protest against the soldiers returning home. If he must protest the government, that’s fine, but not the men who have no choice but to go to serve their country.
Once Caleb is back and the two are reunited, sparks fly between them, Caleb confesses his attraction to Hal, and they have their first look at how hot they can be together. But it doesn’t last, and circumstances separate them yet again as Hal decides to join the Peace Corps and serve two years in Ghana. It’s not until he returns from there that the two men finally face their demons, but they have to fight against outside forces, former lovers, family, and friends to be able to forge their way to what they really want and need.
Thank you, Ms. Labbe, for ending this story, not with a tragedy, but with hope for a long future together as the men look forward to making good use of their time in retirement. There are few stories in which the MCs grow old together, and even fewer in which the seniors look forward to a happy future. Twenty-four hours after completion, my emotions are finally settling into a warm and fuzzy ball in my tummy after having been on a rollercoaster throughout the book. There are heartbreakingly poignant moments in this story, periods of worry and concern, and times of angst-filled distress, yet there are times of joy and happiness as well, and I’m left with a feeling of awe from having just read a book that will live in my memory for a long time to come.
I highly recommend this story to all lovers of M/M romance. If you love a good tale, or a story of an interracial couple, or if you simply enjoy a walk back through history, please don’t’ miss your chance to read this story.
February 8, 2016
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Ms. Labbe for offering up your story.
At first, I was hesitant to read this book because I was not sure to like it. But in reading the glowing reviews from other readers, finally I decided to read it... fortunately, because it is a wonderful story, a book that I highly recommend.
This book is not just about a MM romance it is also and above all a hymn to friendship, a plea for tolerance and the understanding of the difference. “One thing Hal had learned was that they had to try to keep moving forward, keep trying to communicate and understand their differences. Pretending they didn’t exist wasn’t the answer.”
The author also proposes some very interesting backward on some great moments and events that have marked the history between 1963 and 1977.
From 1963 and for several years we will follow the story of Caleb and Hal. The author will discuss the multiple challenges that they will face, but that will also strengthen their friendship and their love.
1963: Desegregation has only just begun and Caleb made the painful experience in his school of Whites that the laws are written on paper but not yet fully accepted by most of the people. Hal is also an outsider as a Yankee who arrived from New York and came to live in North Carolina: there is always this antagonism between southerners and northerners in his classmates’ mind (and his teacher).
November 22, 1963: President Kennedy's assassination and the impact this tragic event had on much of the population because he was the one who had pushed to this desegregation.
The friendship between a Black and a White seems weird and just acceptable in the early 60’s. Racism is present on both of the sides... The children (then teenagers) will have to stand together but despite their friendship they’ll have a few misunderstandings and difficulties.
In the early 1970’s, young people will be faced with the ravages of the war in Viet Nam... to the misunderstanding that exists between the fighters and leagues anti-war... to PTSD which will lead some veterans to madness or to the suicide. The author also refers to the first Gay Pride parades, the hippie movement, the emergence of AIDS, etc. all these highlights of the 1970s...
And especially Hal and Caleb are going to have to face the misunderstanding and disgust from family and friends due to the fact that they are an interracial couple same sex...
At first, I was hesitant to read this book because I was not sure to like it. But in reading the glowing reviews from other readers, finally I decided to read it... fortunately, because it is a wonderful story, a book that I highly recommend.
This book is not just about a MM romance it is also and above all a hymn to friendship, a plea for tolerance and the understanding of the difference. “One thing Hal had learned was that they had to try to keep moving forward, keep trying to communicate and understand their differences. Pretending they didn’t exist wasn’t the answer.”
The author also proposes some very interesting backward on some great moments and events that have marked the history between 1963 and 1977.
From 1963 and for several years we will follow the story of Caleb and Hal. The author will discuss the multiple challenges that they will face, but that will also strengthen their friendship and their love.
1963: Desegregation has only just begun and Caleb made the painful experience in his school of Whites that the laws are written on paper but not yet fully accepted by most of the people. Hal is also an outsider as a Yankee who arrived from New York and came to live in North Carolina: there is always this antagonism between southerners and northerners in his classmates’ mind (and his teacher).
November 22, 1963: President Kennedy's assassination and the impact this tragic event had on much of the population because he was the one who had pushed to this desegregation.
The friendship between a Black and a White seems weird and just acceptable in the early 60’s. Racism is present on both of the sides... The children (then teenagers) will have to stand together but despite their friendship they’ll have a few misunderstandings and difficulties.
In the early 1970’s, young people will be faced with the ravages of the war in Viet Nam... to the misunderstanding that exists between the fighters and leagues anti-war... to PTSD which will lead some veterans to madness or to the suicide. The author also refers to the first Gay Pride parades, the hippie movement, the emergence of AIDS, etc. all these highlights of the 1970s...
And especially Hal and Caleb are going to have to face the misunderstanding and disgust from family and friends due to the fact that they are an interracial couple same sex...
September 25, 2015
*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*
*Please note the review was originally posted at Divine Magazine and is crossed posted at Bayou Book Junkie*
I was shocked when I opened this book and saw the date. This story starts in the year 2023. Hal and Caleb are hosting a 60th family reunion. We sit a spell with them in the present, meet their kids, grandkids and some other extended family members. When I read a book I want a HEA, and I loved knowing from page one that I would get what I wanted, even if the characters did frustrate me while they were getting there! Through a series of stories they tell their story starting in 1963. The year they met. Caleb is in 4th grade and stands out as the only black kid in his class at the beginning of school desegregation, in Charleston SC. Fellow 4th grader and classmate, Hal stands out also, but not for his skin color, his accent sets him apart. Hal is a newly transferred student from a small town in New York. The two outsiders form a friendship, a friendship that is frowned upon. This doesn't deter them. They remain friends and the story slowly takes us from 1963 to 1977. It takes us through some of the major events in their lives.
This story is so well written. It is captivating and riveting. The author drew me in and wouldn't let go. I couldn't put this book down, and in the end, I wasn't ready for it to be over.
I loved that the author worked events in history such as, Kennedy's assassination, Caleb going off to Vietnam and Hal's attendance at his first gay pride parade into the story. We spend so much time with Caleb and Hal from the age of 10 to their early 20's, that they are extremely well developed characters. You feel the chemistry between them from the beginning of their friendship and this chemistry explodes when they become lovers. You can feel the emotions coming off the pages of this book. The happiness, sadness, frustration, fear, love, and passion. It slaps you in the face. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. I smiled. I laughed. I cried. I awed. I wanted to scream and shake Hal and Caleb at times. The road to their happy ending is a very bumpy one, but the love they share is so worth it.
This is my first read by this author, but I'll definitely be looking at other works. This was an amazing read and I highly recommend it. Pick it up, you won't be sorry!
*Please note the review was originally posted at Divine Magazine and is crossed posted at Bayou Book Junkie*
I was shocked when I opened this book and saw the date. This story starts in the year 2023. Hal and Caleb are hosting a 60th family reunion. We sit a spell with them in the present, meet their kids, grandkids and some other extended family members. When I read a book I want a HEA, and I loved knowing from page one that I would get what I wanted, even if the characters did frustrate me while they were getting there! Through a series of stories they tell their story starting in 1963. The year they met. Caleb is in 4th grade and stands out as the only black kid in his class at the beginning of school desegregation, in Charleston SC. Fellow 4th grader and classmate, Hal stands out also, but not for his skin color, his accent sets him apart. Hal is a newly transferred student from a small town in New York. The two outsiders form a friendship, a friendship that is frowned upon. This doesn't deter them. They remain friends and the story slowly takes us from 1963 to 1977. It takes us through some of the major events in their lives.
This story is so well written. It is captivating and riveting. The author drew me in and wouldn't let go. I couldn't put this book down, and in the end, I wasn't ready for it to be over.
I loved that the author worked events in history such as, Kennedy's assassination, Caleb going off to Vietnam and Hal's attendance at his first gay pride parade into the story. We spend so much time with Caleb and Hal from the age of 10 to their early 20's, that they are extremely well developed characters. You feel the chemistry between them from the beginning of their friendship and this chemistry explodes when they become lovers. You can feel the emotions coming off the pages of this book. The happiness, sadness, frustration, fear, love, and passion. It slaps you in the face. This book took me on an emotional roller coaster. I smiled. I laughed. I cried. I awed. I wanted to scream and shake Hal and Caleb at times. The road to their happy ending is a very bumpy one, but the love they share is so worth it.
This is my first read by this author, but I'll definitely be looking at other works. This was an amazing read and I highly recommend it. Pick it up, you won't be sorry!
February 11, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Don’t Buy My Love reading review program in exchange for an honest review.
The story first starts out in the year 2023 with Caleb and Hal, an interracial married couple in their sixties. They’ve been together, or at least they’ve been friends, since they were in the fourth grade. The story starts with them waiting for their children and grandchildren to arrive for a family reunion. Caleb and Hal are given a memory book, which prompts them to share stories of their lives together with their family, and it’s a very well written story.
The book spans a very volatile part of our history where times where times were changing fast. In the story we see Caleb and Hal going through desegregation in the south, the Kennedy assassination, civil rights, touching a little on the gay rights movement, and the emergence of AIDS among other things. All of these issues that they faced sometimes together, and sometimes apart, gave the book a very realistic feeling. Aside from the political and social struggles of the time, they also dealt with their own personal issues such as facing their feelings for each other, being an interracial couple during a time when it wasn’t acceptable by everyone, and dealing with family and friends who didn’t accept them.
I felt the author did a fantastic job moving back and forth between Caleb and Hal as well as occasionally flashing forward to current time and moving back to them telling their story in the past. I find stories told in flashbacks to be very tricky and hard to do but this author did a seamless job. The book flows seamlessly without a hitch. The pacing is perfect. The character development is done so well that you feel like you know the characters as well as any of your own family members. It’s a wonderful story with many ups and downs. It’s very entertaining with all of the bits of history. It’s emotional and will definitely make you warm and fuzzy. You’ll do yourself a big favor by reading this one.
The story first starts out in the year 2023 with Caleb and Hal, an interracial married couple in their sixties. They’ve been together, or at least they’ve been friends, since they were in the fourth grade. The story starts with them waiting for their children and grandchildren to arrive for a family reunion. Caleb and Hal are given a memory book, which prompts them to share stories of their lives together with their family, and it’s a very well written story.
The book spans a very volatile part of our history where times where times were changing fast. In the story we see Caleb and Hal going through desegregation in the south, the Kennedy assassination, civil rights, touching a little on the gay rights movement, and the emergence of AIDS among other things. All of these issues that they faced sometimes together, and sometimes apart, gave the book a very realistic feeling. Aside from the political and social struggles of the time, they also dealt with their own personal issues such as facing their feelings for each other, being an interracial couple during a time when it wasn’t acceptable by everyone, and dealing with family and friends who didn’t accept them.
I felt the author did a fantastic job moving back and forth between Caleb and Hal as well as occasionally flashing forward to current time and moving back to them telling their story in the past. I find stories told in flashbacks to be very tricky and hard to do but this author did a seamless job. The book flows seamlessly without a hitch. The pacing is perfect. The character development is done so well that you feel like you know the characters as well as any of your own family members. It’s a wonderful story with many ups and downs. It’s very entertaining with all of the bits of history. It’s emotional and will definitely make you warm and fuzzy. You’ll do yourself a big favor by reading this one.
February 29, 2024
2.75 Stars - Rounded Up
My take on Marguerite Labbe’s Other Side of the Line is clearly in the minority.
Unfortunately I found the story to be interminable, tedious, and so repetitive that at times it was even boring. This is a gay romance novel, so going in the reader can almost always expect a HEA ending. In this case the very first chapter tells it all and removes any doubt about the conclusion that might have occurred in a linear telling.
Each of the protagonists is interesting in his own right - what’s hard to believe is how they almost always misunderstand each other’s motives and reactions when it comes to emotion.
For me this was a great concept piece that could have been executed in a far better manner.
My take on Marguerite Labbe’s Other Side of the Line is clearly in the minority.
Unfortunately I found the story to be interminable, tedious, and so repetitive that at times it was even boring. This is a gay romance novel, so going in the reader can almost always expect a HEA ending. In this case the very first chapter tells it all and removes any doubt about the conclusion that might have occurred in a linear telling.
Each of the protagonists is interesting in his own right - what’s hard to believe is how they almost always misunderstand each other’s motives and reactions when it comes to emotion.
For me this was a great concept piece that could have been executed in a far better manner.
May 7, 2016
A great read with a well-written story and well-developed characters.
The story is a retrospective with the present set in 2023 and the main story looking back in time describing how two then early teenagers met in the early 1960s and how their friendship and bond changed over time.
One of the main characters is black, which shouldn't matter, but it does - as this is the time of (de?)segregation in the USA and he is the first black boy attending an otherwise all whites school. The bond he forms with the other, white boy, is something unusual at that time; mix race and gay? One is 'bad' enough, but both; surely not?!
This story may not be for everyone, but not for the reasons you might think; I gave it five stars as that's what it wholeheartedly deserves but I have to admit I sometimes struggled with it.
The reason is a bit awkward to admit - I was born in Europe and lived my child and teen years life there. I have moved to New Zealand after finishing University. I have been in same-sex, mixed race relationships, but neither being gay nor being with a different skin coloured person was never an issue for me, my family, my friends, and my work colleagues. I guess that's how it should be, how it should have always been.
So although I truly appreciated the story, I sometimes had a hard time placing myself in the shoes of the main characters - the author made an excellent job, though, and I was almost there.
The second reason is silly. The story is set in the past, with snail mail and coded hand-written messages in printed books. A world without email, txting, mobile apps, or internet. No wonder it takes the two main characters decades to realise the obvious - this may be frustrating for the fast paced high-speed internet audience of nowadays, but it is true to the story and how things used to be.
I struggled with it as well, though, again, the author did a great job at placing me in the setting - and what I appreciate the most is that the author did not use a condescending tone nor try explaining the situation - instead the sole focus was on the story itself.
So if you haven't lived a day of your life without a smartphone, please consider the above to truly enjoy the story.
The story is a retrospective with the present set in 2023 and the main story looking back in time describing how two then early teenagers met in the early 1960s and how their friendship and bond changed over time.
One of the main characters is black, which shouldn't matter, but it does - as this is the time of (de?)segregation in the USA and he is the first black boy attending an otherwise all whites school. The bond he forms with the other, white boy, is something unusual at that time; mix race and gay? One is 'bad' enough, but both; surely not?!
This story may not be for everyone, but not for the reasons you might think; I gave it five stars as that's what it wholeheartedly deserves but I have to admit I sometimes struggled with it.
The reason is a bit awkward to admit - I was born in Europe and lived my child and teen years life there. I have moved to New Zealand after finishing University. I have been in same-sex, mixed race relationships, but neither being gay nor being with a different skin coloured person was never an issue for me, my family, my friends, and my work colleagues. I guess that's how it should be, how it should have always been.
So although I truly appreciated the story, I sometimes had a hard time placing myself in the shoes of the main characters - the author made an excellent job, though, and I was almost there.
The second reason is silly. The story is set in the past, with snail mail and coded hand-written messages in printed books. A world without email, txting, mobile apps, or internet. No wonder it takes the two main characters decades to realise the obvious - this may be frustrating for the fast paced high-speed internet audience of nowadays, but it is true to the story and how things used to be.
I struggled with it as well, though, again, the author did a great job at placing me in the setting - and what I appreciate the most is that the author did not use a condescending tone nor try explaining the situation - instead the sole focus was on the story itself.
So if you haven't lived a day of your life without a smartphone, please consider the above to truly enjoy the story.
February 8, 2016
This book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Hal Zimmer and Caleb Hudson meet at a critical time in history. Desegregation of schools in the South is occurring and tensions are high. Caleb wants to better himself so he is going to a mostly white school. He is bullied by classmates but knows better than to respond physically. Hal is a recent transplant from New York who is homesick and quickly alienates his Southern classmates with his Yankee ways. The two outsiders band together and become the best of friends despite their differences.
The book is structured in a way where some of the story is told as it is lived, from the 60s to the 70s. However, the story starts in 2023, where both men are now married and have a family, so there is no suspense about deaths or bittersweet endings. For a story set around civil rights, Vietnam, anti-war protests, and the gay rights movement, there is surprisingly little angst. However, I actually didn't mind it as I hate violence in stories and was glad to see there was none of what I had been expecting. My biggest issue with the book was that we didn't get to see more of their time together as a couple, since much of the book is set in the past when they are children. Otherwise this was a lovely book that celebrates love no matter who you are and it was particularly moving since it occurred at a time when there were so many barriers in their way. I highly recommend it for those who like friends to lovers, slow burn romance set in history.
Hal Zimmer and Caleb Hudson meet at a critical time in history. Desegregation of schools in the South is occurring and tensions are high. Caleb wants to better himself so he is going to a mostly white school. He is bullied by classmates but knows better than to respond physically. Hal is a recent transplant from New York who is homesick and quickly alienates his Southern classmates with his Yankee ways. The two outsiders band together and become the best of friends despite their differences.
The book is structured in a way where some of the story is told as it is lived, from the 60s to the 70s. However, the story starts in 2023, where both men are now married and have a family, so there is no suspense about deaths or bittersweet endings. For a story set around civil rights, Vietnam, anti-war protests, and the gay rights movement, there is surprisingly little angst. However, I actually didn't mind it as I hate violence in stories and was glad to see there was none of what I had been expecting. My biggest issue with the book was that we didn't get to see more of their time together as a couple, since much of the book is set in the past when they are children. Otherwise this was a lovely book that celebrates love no matter who you are and it was particularly moving since it occurred at a time when there were so many barriers in their way. I highly recommend it for those who like friends to lovers, slow burn romance set in history.
February 12, 2016
A free copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book. It was a humbling read, reminding you of the injustice and close-mindedness of the world, causing people to hide from who they love. It reminds you to never stop fighting for justice, love and what and who you believe in.
This is a slow building love story, where the HEA is known from the very beginning. It is the road leading to it that is the focus in the book, the 60 years of love that Caleb and Hal shared. I loved both Caleb and Hal (and Lily was adorable). You follow them through friendships and love, through all the ups and downs that follows lives well lived. Both vastly different; one looking for stability and security and the other passionately fights for different causes. But also so very alike, desperately wanting to be loved and accepted for who they were.
This could easily have been a messy book to read, not only moving between Caleb’s and Hal’s POV, but also alternating timelines, but it is not. It was a extremely well written book and this allowed the readers to really get to know both Caleb and Hall on a deeper level, through their heartbreaks, joys and life.
I loved this book and everything it stands for. It is important that we don’t forget the struggles that came before us, things that we might take for granted. I highly recommend reading this book.
I loved this book. It was a humbling read, reminding you of the injustice and close-mindedness of the world, causing people to hide from who they love. It reminds you to never stop fighting for justice, love and what and who you believe in.
This is a slow building love story, where the HEA is known from the very beginning. It is the road leading to it that is the focus in the book, the 60 years of love that Caleb and Hal shared. I loved both Caleb and Hal (and Lily was adorable). You follow them through friendships and love, through all the ups and downs that follows lives well lived. Both vastly different; one looking for stability and security and the other passionately fights for different causes. But also so very alike, desperately wanting to be loved and accepted for who they were.
This could easily have been a messy book to read, not only moving between Caleb’s and Hal’s POV, but also alternating timelines, but it is not. It was a extremely well written book and this allowed the readers to really get to know both Caleb and Hall on a deeper level, through their heartbreaks, joys and life.
I loved this book and everything it stands for. It is important that we don’t forget the struggles that came before us, things that we might take for granted. I highly recommend reading this book.
February 8, 2016
I was given this book for free in exchange for an honest review
This was a very sweet, slow burn.
We are introduced to Caleb and Hal in the year 2023 at a family reunion. The men are in their 60s and they proceed to tell their story to their grandchildren and to the reader starting when they met as children in a desegregated school in Charleston, SC. Caleb is the only person of color in his class and Hal is a yankee whose father was transferred south for his job. The boys bond after a bullying incident and quickly decide to be "outsiders together." The story telling continues alternating with flashes back to the future and then to the past as Caleb and Hal tell us how they grew up--the trials of their friendship: societal, familial, and internal. The author painted a very clear picture without "overwriting" it.
I really loved this story, and that surprised me a bit. While I enjoy historicals, I'm usually not a huge fan of those set in the 20th century. This drew me in and kept its hold straight through 'til the end. The story was very well written with only a few typos. It was engaging, touching. I felt for these boys as they were pulled in different directions, yet held fast to the friendship they both cherished. This was the first novel I've read from this author and I am sure it will not be the last. =)
This was a very sweet, slow burn.
We are introduced to Caleb and Hal in the year 2023 at a family reunion. The men are in their 60s and they proceed to tell their story to their grandchildren and to the reader starting when they met as children in a desegregated school in Charleston, SC. Caleb is the only person of color in his class and Hal is a yankee whose father was transferred south for his job. The boys bond after a bullying incident and quickly decide to be "outsiders together." The story telling continues alternating with flashes back to the future and then to the past as Caleb and Hal tell us how they grew up--the trials of their friendship: societal, familial, and internal. The author painted a very clear picture without "overwriting" it.
I really loved this story, and that surprised me a bit. While I enjoy historicals, I'm usually not a huge fan of those set in the 20th century. This drew me in and kept its hold straight through 'til the end. The story was very well written with only a few typos. It was engaging, touching. I felt for these boys as they were pulled in different directions, yet held fast to the friendship they both cherished. This was the first novel I've read from this author and I am sure it will not be the last. =)
Read
December 10, 2015DNF, прочитала больше половины, но оценку ставить не буду, ибо автор не виноват, что я поленилась ознакомиться с аннотацией и сложила мнение о том, как должен развиваться сюжет по обложке (sic!) и первой главе. Начало было многообещающим: пожилая пара отмечает 60 лет со дня их знакомства. Ну, думаю, сейчас нам расскажут об отношениях длиной почти во всю их сознательную жизнь. Детская дружба, плавно перетекающая в нечто большее, осознание собственной сексуальности, первый поцелуй, первый раз, разлука, связанная с войной...Такая банальная романтика, приправленная соусом из запретной любви (действие начинается в 1963 + один из главных героев - афроамериканец), we against the world и все такое . Ага, фиг вам.
February 10, 2016
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review by the author through the Don't Buy My Love program via the MM Romance Group. Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review.
I have to say that I was somewhat nervous about reading this book. I am a person of color and lived through much of what is described in the book though I lived in the north. I was worried about it either being too preachy or inaccurate. So why did I want to read it - because I love MM romances that take place during a time of upheaval and race relations in the 1960s in the south were volatile. I was so pleased though, because at the end of the day, this was just a story about two kids, one white, one black, Caleb and Hal, who met, became friends against all odds and then developed a relationship. It was almost as if the Vietnam War, segregation - everything that happens is just a backdrop to how these two guys came together. While I loved reading about when they were kids, I would have liked a little more on page stuff when they became adults. Lovely writing style, engaging MCs, accurate storytelling. Just an absolute delight. I think this is my first by this author and will definitely seek out others.
I have to say that I was somewhat nervous about reading this book. I am a person of color and lived through much of what is described in the book though I lived in the north. I was worried about it either being too preachy or inaccurate. So why did I want to read it - because I love MM romances that take place during a time of upheaval and race relations in the 1960s in the south were volatile. I was so pleased though, because at the end of the day, this was just a story about two kids, one white, one black, Caleb and Hal, who met, became friends against all odds and then developed a relationship. It was almost as if the Vietnam War, segregation - everything that happens is just a backdrop to how these two guys came together. While I loved reading about when they were kids, I would have liked a little more on page stuff when they became adults. Lovely writing style, engaging MCs, accurate storytelling. Just an absolute delight. I think this is my first by this author and will definitely seek out others.
September 28, 2015
This book was so beautiful... It starts of with Caleb and Hal in the future 2023, then it goes to the past when they were children and spans all the years of them growing up together to when they first admitted their attraction to each other. Usually I am not a fan of books that have a lot of past scenes in them but this book was so good!
They go through so much hate together when they were growing up to people thinking their relationship was not right at all. But they pushed through all of it and just wow!!!
This book really brings to light how ignorant some people were back than and even now, also how hateful some people can be of things they just do not understand.
You start of with them reminiscing with their children and their family on how they started and I have to tell you I could not put this book down once I started.
I want to leave this review with this book was beautiful, heartbreaking at points and painful but also so very sweet!
All together I really loved this book!
I would definitely recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
They go through so much hate together when they were growing up to people thinking their relationship was not right at all. But they pushed through all of it and just wow!!!
This book really brings to light how ignorant some people were back than and even now, also how hateful some people can be of things they just do not understand.
You start of with them reminiscing with their children and their family on how they started and I have to tell you I could not put this book down once I started.
I want to leave this review with this book was beautiful, heartbreaking at points and painful but also so very sweet!
All together I really loved this book!
I would definitely recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
September 7, 2016
One word that comes to mind in describing this story is 'Beautiful'. It's the sort of story that leaves you satisfied once your reach the end and a story that'll stay with me for a long, long time. The life these two men carried throughout their entire lives is the life I always wished I had. The love of, first friendship, then, the pure love they felt toward each other in a time when it was considered a crime to befriend a person of color. Fantastic writing from an author who I've always respect and admire. Ms. Labbe has never let me down.
There are not many times when I give a story a perfect score. This one deserves it.
There are not many times when I give a story a perfect score. This one deserves it.
September 8, 2016
The writing style and the characters pulled me in. I was connected to this book and its people in a way I rarely am but always hope for. Hal and Caleb came alive for me and I was emotionally invested in their well being. They had fascinating lives and interesting challenges facing them. I loved that some obstacles had to be overcome alone before they could deal with the other ones together.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
February 11, 2017
This book was an absolute delight to read. I couldn't put it down. It brings up many challenges that the lgbtq community have faced in the past and are still facing today. It was very touching and heartwarming. I loved every moment of the book.
August 6, 2017
I want a sequel of this book where they started to build their family.
April 30, 2024
4 stars
Caleb and Hal become best friends when they are 8. Hal is a newcomer from the north (New York), and Caleb is one of the first black students attending what was a white school after desegregation in South Carolina. As they grow through the years, they go through the Vietnam war, realizations of their sexuality, dealing with everything that people had to deal with during that time. This is a peek at their lives during pivotal moments.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Even though Hal and Caleb would not seem to be good together, since they have differing views on a lot of things, one thing that they always have is that they can be themselves completely with each other, and they always support one another, even if they are going through rough patches themselves. And they always put their friendship first. There was a little grit here (which, honestly, there could have been more, considering the years that the main story of this book encompassed) but mostly this was Hal and Caleb touching on moments in their friendship and eventual relationship that were important to them, not a look at historical happenings.
Caleb and Hal become best friends when they are 8. Hal is a newcomer from the north (New York), and Caleb is one of the first black students attending what was a white school after desegregation in South Carolina. As they grow through the years, they go through the Vietnam war, realizations of their sexuality, dealing with everything that people had to deal with during that time. This is a peek at their lives during pivotal moments.
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Even though Hal and Caleb would not seem to be good together, since they have differing views on a lot of things, one thing that they always have is that they can be themselves completely with each other, and they always support one another, even if they are going through rough patches themselves. And they always put their friendship first. There was a little grit here (which, honestly, there could have been more, considering the years that the main story of this book encompassed) but mostly this was Hal and Caleb touching on moments in their friendship and eventual relationship that were important to them, not a look at historical happenings.
October 26, 2016
4.1 stars.
February 11, 2016
4.0 of 5 stars – Touching Tale of a Love that Endures.
[Thanks to the author and Goodreads' Don't Buy My Love program for a free copy in exchange for an honest review]
This was a touching story, reflected in the title, about having to deal with the other side of multiple lines - gay, racial, gender, political, moral, familial, being outsiders - and the two MCs (Hal and Caleb) found themselves both together and on opposite sides of those lines, but still building a lasting relationship around it. As such, this inspired many thoughts, thus resulting in one of my longer reviews.
Marguerite Labbe is a good storyteller. One way I know is that her story engaged me, made me think, moved me, made me cry in places, and stayed with me after I finished. It was beautifully crafted in its descriptions painting the scenes, portraying the people and setting the action. I liked seeing a relationship evolve over a longer period of time than most m/m romances. It showed what a relationship is about - working out the seemingly little but very real things in life.
As a bonus, the romance was set against a backdrop of the 60s and 70s with its political and social, particularly racial and gay, issues and struggles. I enjoyed the snatches of key events that were pretty much as I remember them - the culture of the times, the prejudicial slights, the Kennedy assassination, Vietnam War, PTSD, civil and gay rights, disco. And it worked that the story, told in third person, switched between the two MCs' POV. Labbe captured fairly well the voice of a ten-year-old boy, then adolescent, YA, NA, and then jumping to senior. Initially, I was thinking the MCs were a lot more introspective, insightful, even wise, and in particular, talked a lot more about their "feelings" than most guys; but then on second thought, I thought about my close friends and I guess we can go on a bit at times, too.
I also know this was good in that it led me to want so much more, particularly in two main ways. The HEA at the beginning, and wanting it to dig a bit deeper in several ways. I'm not spoiling anything since the first chapter started with the two MCs together, then flashing back 60 and 50 years before. I know it's an author's choice, but as a result for me, I didn't lean in as much. It took away some of the tension (and fun) about how the relationship would develop and turn out. But ultimately in the last half of the book I was drawn in by the sentimentality and the realistic feelings, actions, and interactions of the MCs that were psychologically true based on their experiences.
As for digging deeper … To tell the truth, I would have given this a lower rating if I didn't relate in so many ways - an interracial gay couple, and growing up in the South, in fact at the exact same age as the MCs. Because of that experience, I felt Labbe skipped over rather than digging deeper into the racial, gay, coming out, sexual and relationship struggles. It was a nice story for those who may not have personally experienced that, but it could have used just one more step to fully capture it.
Indeed it was nice that this was not just about the romance, but I would have preferred these issues to have been more prominent and not taken such a back seat. That showed through such things as the severe discrimination and treatment of racial differences and gays being relatively lightly dealt with compared to what I've experienced.
Except for a few racy sex scenes later on, it was pretty innocent. Whether one is straight or gay, even for the 60's, it didn't really reflect what adolescent boys think and do in regard to sex (with just themselves, as well as with others). I actually felt cheated on witnessing a key part of the development of a person's gay identity, in that the struggles with oneself and society were not shown enough. We see just a little of Hal's, but only the before and after of Caleb's process of his realizing and "admit[ting] he was attracted to men, not women."
As for the sex overall, for those interested, it was pretty hot, intimate, romantic and soft. But again just a little bit extra would have made it more realistically masculine. The nice parts were the MCs' first kiss and sexual experience, and later lovemaking; but again, their first time making love was skipped over and we get just the before and long after. And NYC in the 70's was also glossed over, with no hint to all that Hal might have gotten himself into there, as I think would be true to his character at that time in NYC.
All in all, it was good enough to want more, and also good enough to move me, care for the two MCs, and make me happy for their HEA.
[Thanks to the author and Goodreads' Don't Buy My Love program for a free copy in exchange for an honest review]
This was a touching story, reflected in the title, about having to deal with the other side of multiple lines - gay, racial, gender, political, moral, familial, being outsiders - and the two MCs (Hal and Caleb) found themselves both together and on opposite sides of those lines, but still building a lasting relationship around it. As such, this inspired many thoughts, thus resulting in one of my longer reviews.
Marguerite Labbe is a good storyteller. One way I know is that her story engaged me, made me think, moved me, made me cry in places, and stayed with me after I finished. It was beautifully crafted in its descriptions painting the scenes, portraying the people and setting the action. I liked seeing a relationship evolve over a longer period of time than most m/m romances. It showed what a relationship is about - working out the seemingly little but very real things in life.
As a bonus, the romance was set against a backdrop of the 60s and 70s with its political and social, particularly racial and gay, issues and struggles. I enjoyed the snatches of key events that were pretty much as I remember them - the culture of the times, the prejudicial slights, the Kennedy assassination, Vietnam War, PTSD, civil and gay rights, disco. And it worked that the story, told in third person, switched between the two MCs' POV. Labbe captured fairly well the voice of a ten-year-old boy, then adolescent, YA, NA, and then jumping to senior. Initially, I was thinking the MCs were a lot more introspective, insightful, even wise, and in particular, talked a lot more about their "feelings" than most guys; but then on second thought, I thought about my close friends and I guess we can go on a bit at times, too.
I also know this was good in that it led me to want so much more, particularly in two main ways. The HEA at the beginning, and wanting it to dig a bit deeper in several ways. I'm not spoiling anything since the first chapter started with the two MCs together, then flashing back 60 and 50 years before. I know it's an author's choice, but as a result for me, I didn't lean in as much. It took away some of the tension (and fun) about how the relationship would develop and turn out. But ultimately in the last half of the book I was drawn in by the sentimentality and the realistic feelings, actions, and interactions of the MCs that were psychologically true based on their experiences.
As for digging deeper … To tell the truth, I would have given this a lower rating if I didn't relate in so many ways - an interracial gay couple, and growing up in the South, in fact at the exact same age as the MCs. Because of that experience, I felt Labbe skipped over rather than digging deeper into the racial, gay, coming out, sexual and relationship struggles. It was a nice story for those who may not have personally experienced that, but it could have used just one more step to fully capture it.
Indeed it was nice that this was not just about the romance, but I would have preferred these issues to have been more prominent and not taken such a back seat. That showed through such things as the severe discrimination and treatment of racial differences and gays being relatively lightly dealt with compared to what I've experienced.
Except for a few racy sex scenes later on, it was pretty innocent. Whether one is straight or gay, even for the 60's, it didn't really reflect what adolescent boys think and do in regard to sex (with just themselves, as well as with others). I actually felt cheated on witnessing a key part of the development of a person's gay identity, in that the struggles with oneself and society were not shown enough. We see just a little of Hal's, but only the before and after of Caleb's process of his realizing and "admit[ting] he was attracted to men, not women."
As for the sex overall, for those interested, it was pretty hot, intimate, romantic and soft. But again just a little bit extra would have made it more realistically masculine. The nice parts were the MCs' first kiss and sexual experience, and later lovemaking; but again, their first time making love was skipped over and we get just the before and long after. And NYC in the 70's was also glossed over, with no hint to all that Hal might have gotten himself into there, as I think would be true to his character at that time in NYC.
All in all, it was good enough to want more, and also good enough to move me, care for the two MCs, and make me happy for their HEA.
January 30, 2016
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve had my eye on this book since it first came out. From the synopsis, it seemed like it had all my likes in a great story, friends to lovers, long-term HEA and takes place over significant time period and boy did it deliver! I read it straight through and had a stack of used tissues next to me at the end.
We immediately know that Caleb and Hal have succeeded in their happily ever after as the story opens with a scene from the year 2023 in which these two are getting ready for a family reunion of their children and grandchildren. The lives of Caleb and Hal unfolds in flashback fashion during the family reunion. They have been friends for 60 years and have truly faced their share of struggles to be the best of friends and together in a strong, loving relationship. They meet at 10 years old when each of them are new to an elementary school in Charleston, South Carolina. Hal is a Yankee white boy relocated from a small town in New York and Caleb is a local black boy, one of the first to be integrated at this all-white school. They bond over escaping a bully’s attentions and are fast friends from then on.
Neither allows the circumstances of the times they are navigating to come between them. It was interesting to see how they finally developed into lovers. Both guys were definitely their own person with views and feelings that each respected in the other. After each’s journey of self-discovery, they knew the bond they shared was the strongest of all and they belonged together.
I love getting to know a character, and I really got to know who Hal and Caleb were. I saw them grow into adulthood; interactions with their families and the journey they traveled truly let me see how their values were shaped; both of them are strong caring guys who respected and encouraged each other to be who they wanted to be. They had such courage to not only be unafraid to be interracial friends but to also be gay and eventually in an openly committed relationship.
The setting for the story felt authentic. Caleb and Hal grew up in a highly volatile time not only with the South’s integration, but also the Vietnam War and the emergence of public outcry for acceptance of gays.
I highly recommend this story to readers who like to know the characters and follow them over a long period of time because that’s what we get here. I’ll be rereading it to pick up on details I may not have lingered on long enough in my desire to get to the end to see how they ended up together.
I’ve had my eye on this book since it first came out. From the synopsis, it seemed like it had all my likes in a great story, friends to lovers, long-term HEA and takes place over significant time period and boy did it deliver! I read it straight through and had a stack of used tissues next to me at the end.
We immediately know that Caleb and Hal have succeeded in their happily ever after as the story opens with a scene from the year 2023 in which these two are getting ready for a family reunion of their children and grandchildren. The lives of Caleb and Hal unfolds in flashback fashion during the family reunion. They have been friends for 60 years and have truly faced their share of struggles to be the best of friends and together in a strong, loving relationship. They meet at 10 years old when each of them are new to an elementary school in Charleston, South Carolina. Hal is a Yankee white boy relocated from a small town in New York and Caleb is a local black boy, one of the first to be integrated at this all-white school. They bond over escaping a bully’s attentions and are fast friends from then on.
Neither allows the circumstances of the times they are navigating to come between them. It was interesting to see how they finally developed into lovers. Both guys were definitely their own person with views and feelings that each respected in the other. After each’s journey of self-discovery, they knew the bond they shared was the strongest of all and they belonged together.
I love getting to know a character, and I really got to know who Hal and Caleb were. I saw them grow into adulthood; interactions with their families and the journey they traveled truly let me see how their values were shaped; both of them are strong caring guys who respected and encouraged each other to be who they wanted to be. They had such courage to not only be unafraid to be interracial friends but to also be gay and eventually in an openly committed relationship.
The setting for the story felt authentic. Caleb and Hal grew up in a highly volatile time not only with the South’s integration, but also the Vietnam War and the emergence of public outcry for acceptance of gays.
I highly recommend this story to readers who like to know the characters and follow them over a long period of time because that’s what we get here. I’ll be rereading it to pick up on details I may not have lingered on long enough in my desire to get to the end to see how they ended up together.
February 4, 2016
I received a copy of this book though goodreads mm romance group's Don't buy my Love for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 4 stars. I was wavering between 5 and 4. But I settled on 4. Anything from 3 stars up means I like it!
Hal and Caleb are setting up for their family reunion in 2023. They start to talk about the past and then when their family arrives the stories pick up. We flash back to 1963 when the boys meet.
Through this three part story the men reminisce, sharing with their grandchildren their stories as the boys meet, form a strong friendship, separate, head off to war, grow up and find themselves all along their journey to their happy ever after, sixty years on.
I really enjoyed the story. At first I was worried I was going to get lost with the time jumping but the author has written it so well. The dates at every chapter helped!
I struggled a little at first, when the boys were young. My head wasn't really in the book, my fault, not the books, but buy the time they started talking about their early adults years I was really drawn in. The characters were so well developed. At some stages I felt it waffled on, but I just couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know how it all worked out!
I also really liked how we had some minor side stories settled in just a few quick words by the MCs in the "present" (2023) time line. It wrapped it all nicely, without adding unnecessary length. It kept us focused on their relationship without leaving things out.
I give this book 4 stars. I was wavering between 5 and 4. But I settled on 4. Anything from 3 stars up means I like it!
Hal and Caleb are setting up for their family reunion in 2023. They start to talk about the past and then when their family arrives the stories pick up. We flash back to 1963 when the boys meet.
Through this three part story the men reminisce, sharing with their grandchildren their stories as the boys meet, form a strong friendship, separate, head off to war, grow up and find themselves all along their journey to their happy ever after, sixty years on.
I really enjoyed the story. At first I was worried I was going to get lost with the time jumping but the author has written it so well. The dates at every chapter helped!
I struggled a little at first, when the boys were young. My head wasn't really in the book, my fault, not the books, but buy the time they started talking about their early adults years I was really drawn in. The characters were so well developed. At some stages I felt it waffled on, but I just couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know how it all worked out!
I also really liked how we had some minor side stories settled in just a few quick words by the MCs in the "present" (2023) time line. It wrapped it all nicely, without adding unnecessary length. It kept us focused on their relationship without leaving things out.
January 31, 2016
I received an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, where to begin? This book follows two men, Hal and Caleb, from the first time they meet as 10 year old boys to a family reunion 60 years later where their children and grandchildren gather to hear their stories. The book moved through the years using scenes where the boys/men meet up and encounter some kind of conflict or life change. I thought it was a great way to show the development of the characters, as well as the change (and lack of change) in the US around them. Hal is white and Caleb is black, and South Carolina in the 1960's was not an easy time for them to be friends. We get to follow them through these challenges and see how tough it was for them to do something that many people take for granted nowadays.
I was most impressed by the way the author was able to paint a picture of 1960's Charleston and how prejudices affected the friendship/relationship between the boys. I kept forgetting that there was a M/M aspect to this book because of the powerful messages that were throughout.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who will listen to me. It explores the important issues of race and sexuality that have come a long way, but are still issues today. I think everyone should read this book to get a better sense of the experiences from our country's recent history.
Wow, where to begin? This book follows two men, Hal and Caleb, from the first time they meet as 10 year old boys to a family reunion 60 years later where their children and grandchildren gather to hear their stories. The book moved through the years using scenes where the boys/men meet up and encounter some kind of conflict or life change. I thought it was a great way to show the development of the characters, as well as the change (and lack of change) in the US around them. Hal is white and Caleb is black, and South Carolina in the 1960's was not an easy time for them to be friends. We get to follow them through these challenges and see how tough it was for them to do something that many people take for granted nowadays.
I was most impressed by the way the author was able to paint a picture of 1960's Charleston and how prejudices affected the friendship/relationship between the boys. I kept forgetting that there was a M/M aspect to this book because of the powerful messages that were throughout.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who will listen to me. It explores the important issues of race and sexuality that have come a long way, but are still issues today. I think everyone should read this book to get a better sense of the experiences from our country's recent history.
Want to read
August 20, 2015I generally enjoy this author, so I'm looking forward to this :)
December 23, 2015
Lovely story told in flashback of two elderly men who were childhood friends, then more. This isn't a erotic read but it's emotionally intimate and wonderful to read.
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