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Brothers
A 2015 IndieFab Book of the Year Award Winner, a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Best Gay Romance and a finalist for the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival Award for Best Emerging Author, Brothers chronicles the lives of two sets of siblings, the Corks and the Malloys.
At twenty-three, Jamus Cork’s plans are simple—graduate college, stay in New York City, and write. But those plans change when his parents are suddenly killed and he finds himself the guardian of his little brother, Nick. Jamus ends up back in the Boston neighborhood where he grew up, with a crying toddler on his knee and the challenge of building a new life for himself and the boy. Jamus somehow finds a way to navigate the ups and downs of single parenting, but over a decade of raising Nick, Jamus never truly overcomes his struggles with loneliness and the guilt he feels as the sole survivor of the crash that killed his parents. That changes when he meets bookishly handsome Sean Malloy. There’s a spark between the two men, but both must face down their own private demons to find love in the Irish enclave of South Boston.
For a more in-depth look at "Brothers," check out www.ralphjosiahbardsley.com.
At twenty-three, Jamus Cork’s plans are simple—graduate college, stay in New York City, and write. But those plans change when his parents are suddenly killed and he finds himself the guardian of his little brother, Nick. Jamus ends up back in the Boston neighborhood where he grew up, with a crying toddler on his knee and the challenge of building a new life for himself and the boy. Jamus somehow finds a way to navigate the ups and downs of single parenting, but over a decade of raising Nick, Jamus never truly overcomes his struggles with loneliness and the guilt he feels as the sole survivor of the crash that killed his parents. That changes when he meets bookishly handsome Sean Malloy. There’s a spark between the two men, but both must face down their own private demons to find love in the Irish enclave of South Boston.
For a more in-depth look at "Brothers," check out www.ralphjosiahbardsley.com.
251 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2015
4 people are currently reading
724 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Josiah Bardsley
3 books63 followersRalph Josiah Bardsley was born in a small town outside of Boston. His father was in the Coast Guard and he grew up in a lot of different places – New Orleans, Cape Cod, North Carolina and Sitka, Alaska. When he wasn’t in school, he spent most of his time in Coast Guard hangers or reading. Today he lives in Provincetown, Massachusetts with his husband Dana and their two dachshunds Olive and Andy. Ralph's hobbies include reading, running and gardening. Ralph holds a bachelor’s degree from Greensboro College and a master’s in communication from Emerson College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 31, 2022
This had a very quiet but deep overture to it. Definitely sucked me in. Heartbreaking
The older brother raising the younger brother after their parents were killed in a tragic accident.
The ups and downs that came with that.
Really captivating.
The older brother raising the younger brother after their parents were killed in a tragic accident.
The ups and downs that came with that.
Really captivating.
February 26, 2016
This book goes to the top of my list of all time great reads.
I honestly started reading and didn't stop until I finished the book.
A novel about family and friendship.
Jamus and his fourteen year old brother, Nicky are all each other have. A tragic car accident leaves them parentless and Jamus is left to be the sole provider of the family.
Their relationship is beautiful and funny at times. Heartwarming and inspiring.
This isn't a gay romance, full of sex scenes on ever other page; you won't find it here.
Jamus has had to put his relationship status on the back burner, focusing instead on raising his brother Nicky.
But you can't deny love. And Jamus can't deny his feelings for Nicky's new English teacher, Sean Malloy.
Nicky has always been ok knowing his older brother is gay. And with the aid of his best friend and wingman Matt at his side he can stand up to anything the bullies at school throw his way.
This was just a beautiful book to read. It's a coming of age for Jamus, for Sean and for Nicky too.
I definitely hope you pick this book up and enjoy it for yourself.
FIVE GIGANTIC BROTHERLY STARS!!!!!
I honestly started reading and didn't stop until I finished the book.
A novel about family and friendship.
Jamus and his fourteen year old brother, Nicky are all each other have. A tragic car accident leaves them parentless and Jamus is left to be the sole provider of the family.
Their relationship is beautiful and funny at times. Heartwarming and inspiring.
This isn't a gay romance, full of sex scenes on ever other page; you won't find it here.
Jamus has had to put his relationship status on the back burner, focusing instead on raising his brother Nicky.
But you can't deny love. And Jamus can't deny his feelings for Nicky's new English teacher, Sean Malloy.
Nicky has always been ok knowing his older brother is gay. And with the aid of his best friend and wingman Matt at his side he can stand up to anything the bullies at school throw his way.
This was just a beautiful book to read. It's a coming of age for Jamus, for Sean and for Nicky too.
I definitely hope you pick this book up and enjoy it for yourself.
FIVE GIGANTIC BROTHERLY STARS!!!!!
June 8, 2017
SUCH A QUIET GOOD READ
It is a quiet story, with quiet writing, no overt drama just the intricate heroic stuff we do every day and that is what makes it heroic. Our daily choices, whether to accept, love, encourage or get angry, take umbrage, hate. And then these daily choices pile up in one heroic feat, our life.
I am glad to Sean found his voice, allowed himself to get out, he had hidden away too much and he could really have disappeared. His champions Grace and Kevin were in his corner even if with his head in his books he could totally have missed that. So easy to use our books as our fortress walls and hide behind them, I know.
This is not only a romance in fact that is an added cherry on the cake. Bardsley builds up the story, it's people and it's place, Boston and I became immersed in them. He made them all important, because each was an integral part. Moreover he made us complicit in the attraction and then story of Jamus and Sean.
I'm glad I listened to Ira, she read it a while ago and has not stopped ringing it praises.
January 8, 2016
A marvellous story!
Coming out, family life, brotherhood and love.
Two sets of brothers, four lives and a love which will touch them all, albeit in different ways.
This is an excellent story, well written, imaginative and engaging. It drew me in from the beginning, held my attention through out and left me wanting more. As I read this I went through a range of emotions as I shared in the joys and pains of these four people and I was taken along on a journey of love, not just romantic love, but brotherly love.
Four brothers from two different families live in Boston's South end. Jamus is a writer. His life changed when his parents died leaving him to look after his 3 year old brother. Now in his thirties he is both father, mother and brother to a young teenager. He battles with loneliness and feelings of guilt related to the death of his parents.
Nick is like any other fourteen year old boy. He wants to be an adult and have the freedom to make his own choices so he chafes against Jamus' choices but at the same time loves his brother who has been the only parent he knows. He accepts that Jamus is gay but begins to realise that not everyone appreciates this and the time has come for him to be his brother's protector and champion just as his brother has been for him all these years.
Kevin loves his younger brother Sean. He is glad to be home after two tours in the marines have left him shell shocked and struggling with PTSD. He still hankers after his high school crush but bigger problems loom as he realises that he is still ill and it is Sean that he turns to and confides in.
Sean has completed years of studying and is now set to take up a new job in a Boston high school. His years of study have earned him a Phd and lots of debt. He has returned home to start afresh and is happy to reconnect with his brother who is his closest sibling but it is not everything that he is able to discuss with his brother and even though he sees his brother struggling with PTSD he is unable to share part of his own life and the fact that he is gay.
Things begin to change for all the brothers when Sean and Jamus meet and love and attraction develops between them. This causes ripples at a time during which each of the brothers learns something about themselves and something about each other. As they grapple with who they are and who their brother is each of them comes to a new understanding about their lives and about love and brotherhood.
I loved this story. The author is new to me but he writes in a way that reminds me of Michael Thomas Ford another great storyteller of gay fiction. The story is quite unique because it has a voice and style of its own. It isn't a run of the mill romance and in fact the romance is just one aspect of this story which focuses on family, community, love and difference.
I appreciated the way the story takes us on a journey with four individual lives that get pulled together in a slow way, first with a handshake and passing conversations between Jamus and Sean, then with glances at each other and stares during mass, then when Jamus is called into school because of Nick's behaviour.
The story is set in a neighbourhood in which everyone knows everyone else because and this brings challenges for each of the brothers as Kevin deals with his PSTD and unrequited feeling for Grace, and Sean deals with his ardent desire for teaching and growing desire for Jamus.
There is also a brilliant portrayal of family dynamics as Sean realises that his sister is perhaps jealous of his success and that although he is part of a blue collar family, his education, his dreams and his interests set him apart in some ways from his siblings. I will be honest and say that I thought Sean was a bit too easily pushed around by his family. He seemed to lack a sense of self and allowed his siblings to push him towards an unwanted girlfriend, instead of just putting his foot down and telling them to butt out. I understood that this was supposed to be a tight knit Irish community and family but the lack of boundaries within the family bordered on disrespect. I don't think the story really unpacked the dynamics in Sean's family.
Not so with Jamus and Nick. The frustrations and difficulties Jamus had as a young man bringing up a child were portrayed really well and realistically too. The way in which the loss of their parents overshadowed them both and the pain from this was portrayed so well and not always in an obvious way but in small ways, small threads that ran through the book. Sometimes this loss emerged in an obvious way, other times in the tense discussions, arguments and also quite clearly in the way Jamus had shaped his life to focus on Nick. I could also feel their isolation and it was quite heart rending and emotional.
I really liked the way the story ended too bringing the brothers not to a tidy end but to a place where a new stage within both families could start and with possibilities ahead. It made me think that I would love to revisit the families five years down the line.
All in all a lovely book
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review.
June 13, 2017
A beautiful novel, well written, with depth of characters and a great description of the town of Boston. It's more than a gay romance, it's the quiet story of two brothers and their struggle for finding their path in life. I read it almost in one sitting.
June 9, 2016
”Here is to life being about whatever the hell you want it to be about.”
”I’ll drink to that,” he said, and they clinked glasses.
Life could be about a lot of other things.
About having lost your parents in a car crash when you were twenty and carrying the guilt of surviving the same accident with you for years, never really coping and pushing your miserable soul into books, always coming back to the same life altering event.
About raising your baby brother Nick who was only three years old when your parents died, and giving him the best you have, overseeing that you yourself should maybe also have a life and love.
This is Jamus’s life.
Life could also be about growing up in an Irish catholic family, being the only one to get a university degree and even a PhD, and being secretly gay, wishing not to be and being so far in the closet – even from yourself – you’re not sure if you ever want or are able to come out.
This is Sean’s life.
Brothers tells the story of this men and how they all find a way to live the life they want and be free of the burdens others or they themselves put on them.
From the very first page, Brothers is a gripping story because of the amazing writing talent of the author. The way he describes the characters and their life builds a very strong connection to the reader and it makes it very easy to care for all of them. Despite this, the story has a very slow pace and it actually takes quite a while until their lives intertwine.
Speaking of this, I found it to be remarkable how Brothers does not resemble any recognisable usual romantic, orchestrated story development. I’d say that in 95% of the books I read, it’s obvious that I’m reading a story about two fictional characters. The author is using them to tell me a story that even often feels very real and lets me connect the story with my real life and myself. The characters have either known each other before or their paths meet at the beginning of the book because they go to the same university or maybe they meet on a vacation in some secluded place or they have to work together on a case or mission or whatever.
Brothers has a very different approach because it tells so much of the protagonists before they meet. We already know them before they get to know each other and that makes a huge difference in how the characters come across. It makes them and their story even more realistic and it seems like this is exactly how it could have happened.
Not only that but when they finally meet, the reader already thinks that this is a match made in heaven and, I dunno, I was so done for when they just shook hands for the first time at church, or when they had to meet at Nick’s school (Sean is Nick’s English teacher).
I really, really loved Nick’s and Jamus’s relationship. They are good with each other, and I think the contradiction of Jamus being a brother and a parent was extraordinarily well done.
This is from right before Jamus’s and Sean’s first date:
”Now you’re just being nervous and it’s really weirding me out,” Nick said. “Just go.”
”Bye, you.” He grabbed Nick’s head and gave him a kiss on the scalp. “I’ll be home by ten.”
”Yeah, yeah,” Nick said. “Go get laid, will ya?”
”Mouth!” Jamus shouted. “I’m going to clean it out with soap.”
”Yeah, yeah.” Nick smiled at his brother. “I’m not waiting up.”
I think the author did a great job with showing Jamus’s, Sean’s, and Nick’s life, and also with believably developing their characters to a hopeful happy ending.
Apart from the protagonists, there are several more important characters, like Sean’s brother Kevin and Nick’s friend Matt. There’s also Gracie, who I came to like a huge deal. I can’t emphasise enough how much I appreciate that she is not a mean and bitchy female character in this story. I think she’s wonderful.
If you like gay fiction with complex characters and some romance, I highly recommend this book. I found it because it is a finalist for the Lambda Award 2016.
_____________________________
Genre: gay fiction, romance
Tags: family, Irish, coming-out, teacher, author
Awards: finalist Lambda Award 2016
Rating: 5 stars
Blog: Review for Just Love Romance
Disclosure: ARC in exchange for review
February 29, 2016
I'm pretty easy on books; if they keep me turning pages and are decently written they'll get five stars. Because of that, this book should get a sixth star from me. Not only is the story interesting and well told with depth of character, including Matt, of whom we know the author has only scratched the surface, it is written by a talented wordsmith.
While it was on my to read list, it was due to the urging of a trusted Goodreads friend, Michael, that I opened it when I did. This was a very satisfying read. It ended when it should have, but I miss the characters already and will continue their stories in my imagination.
Thank you, Ralph, for Jamus, Nick, Matt, Sean, Kevin and Grace, in particular.
While it was on my to read list, it was due to the urging of a trusted Goodreads friend, Michael, that I opened it when I did. This was a very satisfying read. It ended when it should have, but I miss the characters already and will continue their stories in my imagination.
Thank you, Ralph, for Jamus, Nick, Matt, Sean, Kevin and Grace, in particular.
February 29, 2016
3.25 stars
This book is by a debut author. While there is a love story here, I wouldn't call this a "romance". It's more the story of two brothers. Jamus has taken care of Nick since their parents died 10 years earlier. James is 32 and Nick is 14. The story follows the two of them as well as Sean, Jamus' love interest and Nick's English teacher, over the space of about four months. I love stories of men who take care of their younger siblings so I was excited to read this.
In the end, though, I can't say I loved this. I think the author has potential, but there are a few things here that didn't work for me.
First, there were a few little things that pulled me out of the story early on. The author showed a brief interlude when Nick was 10 years old; however, the way he was portrayed was much more like a 7 year old or younger. There was this point where Jamus had to get out of bed early to make sure he was up before Nick was. Really? I don't feel the need to get out of bed before my 7 year old! If he wakes up and I'm still in bed, he'll go downstairs and get himself a bowl of cereal on his own. Jamus and Nick's conversations also sounded much more like my conservations with my 7 year old than my 10 year old.
The story then jumps forward to when Nick is 14 years old. He and his friend have the following conversation about Jamus being gay where Nick says: "Well, I'm not really sure what it means exactly, but I'm pretty sure it means he's not into women," Really? I'm pretty sure most 14 year olds know what it means to be gay, especially those that have a brother who's gay!
My biggest issue was, even at the end, I felt that I didn't really understand Jamus or Sean. Sean just discovers that he's gay during the story. I think he's about 26 or so - he had just finished his Ph.D. We know, during the course of the story, that he has no interest in Gracie, this friend of the family who's been, apparently, throwing herself at him since high school. However, we never know if Sean has ever dated anyone. There was no mention of his life at college. I couldn't figure out if he's gay or bisexual. Has he been struggling with this for years or is it something he's only felt since he met Jamus?
I also never fully understood Jamus and why he's never dated anyone since taking guardianship of Nick. I know it's busy working and being the soul caregiver of a child, but I think many people manage to do this and have a social life too.
Anyway, this is a book with good potential. It has a lot of great reviews right now, so I think it works well for lots of people, just not for me.
This book is by a debut author. While there is a love story here, I wouldn't call this a "romance". It's more the story of two brothers. Jamus has taken care of Nick since their parents died 10 years earlier. James is 32 and Nick is 14. The story follows the two of them as well as Sean, Jamus' love interest and Nick's English teacher, over the space of about four months. I love stories of men who take care of their younger siblings so I was excited to read this.
In the end, though, I can't say I loved this. I think the author has potential, but there are a few things here that didn't work for me.
First, there were a few little things that pulled me out of the story early on. The author showed a brief interlude when Nick was 10 years old; however, the way he was portrayed was much more like a 7 year old or younger. There was this point where Jamus had to get out of bed early to make sure he was up before Nick was. Really? I don't feel the need to get out of bed before my 7 year old! If he wakes up and I'm still in bed, he'll go downstairs and get himself a bowl of cereal on his own. Jamus and Nick's conversations also sounded much more like my conservations with my 7 year old than my 10 year old.
The story then jumps forward to when Nick is 14 years old. He and his friend have the following conversation about Jamus being gay where Nick says: "Well, I'm not really sure what it means exactly, but I'm pretty sure it means he's not into women," Really? I'm pretty sure most 14 year olds know what it means to be gay, especially those that have a brother who's gay!
My biggest issue was, even at the end, I felt that I didn't really understand Jamus or Sean. Sean just discovers that he's gay during the story. I think he's about 26 or so - he had just finished his Ph.D. We know, during the course of the story, that he has no interest in Gracie, this friend of the family who's been, apparently, throwing herself at him since high school. However, we never know if Sean has ever dated anyone. There was no mention of his life at college. I couldn't figure out if he's gay or bisexual. Has he been struggling with this for years or is it something he's only felt since he met Jamus?
I also never fully understood Jamus and why he's never dated anyone since taking guardianship of Nick. I know it's busy working and being the soul caregiver of a child, but I think many people manage to do this and have a social life too.
Anyway, this is a book with good potential. It has a lot of great reviews right now, so I think it works well for lots of people, just not for me.
December 10, 2015
Netgalley
I have been reading a lot, and I mean a lot, of Lewis and Sherlock fanfiction lately. So I figured why not venture out into gay lit and take advantage of BSBs offerings on Netgalley and request one. The blurb of this one really appealed to me, even though it turned out to be something different than I expected.
I don't have a frame of reference for this in regard to how it fits in the greater scope of things in regard to gay lit, but I was very pleasantly surprised, especially for a book from a publisher I know from lesfic.
This book has depth and dimension to it that is sorely lacking in lesfic. It's not a romance (yay), I don't know how to categorize it other than its a darn good novel.
If you manage to get through the first pages. I'm not sure why that exposition was necessary in this manner and I would say you can probably skip them and not miss a thing. The writing in those pages is different than in the rest of the novel, so don't let them scare you away. If you stick with it, you're rewarded with a rich story about characters I really came to care for. There was only one character predictable in her awfulness, she clearly had a role to fulfill, but all others are well developed and deliciously complex.
I'm open to suggestions of what to read in gay lit if anyone has any.
I have been reading a lot, and I mean a lot, of Lewis and Sherlock fanfiction lately. So I figured why not venture out into gay lit and take advantage of BSBs offerings on Netgalley and request one. The blurb of this one really appealed to me, even though it turned out to be something different than I expected.
I don't have a frame of reference for this in regard to how it fits in the greater scope of things in regard to gay lit, but I was very pleasantly surprised, especially for a book from a publisher I know from lesfic.
This book has depth and dimension to it that is sorely lacking in lesfic. It's not a romance (yay), I don't know how to categorize it other than its a darn good novel.
If you manage to get through the first pages. I'm not sure why that exposition was necessary in this manner and I would say you can probably skip them and not miss a thing. The writing in those pages is different than in the rest of the novel, so don't let them scare you away. If you stick with it, you're rewarded with a rich story about characters I really came to care for. There was only one character predictable in her awfulness, she clearly had a role to fulfill, but all others are well developed and deliciously complex.
I'm open to suggestions of what to read in gay lit if anyone has any.
May 28, 2016
*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
At the age of 23 Jamus loses both of his parents in a horrible car accident, while they are visiting him in New York, where he has just finished Grad school. Jamus wakes up a week later in the hospital with his life turned upside down. He has not only lost his parents, but he is now the sole guardian and caregiver for his 3 year old baby brother.
Sean comes from a close knit Irish American family. He has just graduated with his doctorate and is about to begin his first teaching job at a prestigious boarding school.
This is not a gay romance, like I assumed it was when I read the blurb. It does center around two main characters that are gay. One who came to terms with it years ago, and the other who is hiding from it. Jamus has always been pretty open about his sexuality. He has been honest with his brother from the first time Nick asks "how come they don't have a mom in the house like all the other kids?" Sean on the other hand is deeply in the closet. In fact, I'm not sure until he meets Jamus he even realizes he's gay. It's never really stated in the story.
This is not so much Jamus and Sean's story of their relationship, as it is about these two sets of brothers, Sean and Kevin and Jamus and Nick, and how they make their way through life as brothers. How they support one another. Fight with one another. Push one another, and help one another deal with the guilt and fears they have. The relationship between Jamus and Sean is just a very tiny part of the story. The story is told from multiple POV's, but we mostly hear from Jamus, Sean and Nick.
I was held captivated by the story. The author pulled me into these brothers' lives and kept me hanging onto their every word. They were all extremely likable characters. The story while a bit slow paced at times, was well written and very enjoyable. It left some unresolved questions, and the story was left very open ended. I came away wanting to know where these four young men are headed, yet I was somehow left satisfied that I could use my own imagination to lead me on the remainder of their journey, but I definitely wouldn't say no to a sequel if the author was kind enough to write one.
Very enjoyable and highly recommended!!
At the age of 23 Jamus loses both of his parents in a horrible car accident, while they are visiting him in New York, where he has just finished Grad school. Jamus wakes up a week later in the hospital with his life turned upside down. He has not only lost his parents, but he is now the sole guardian and caregiver for his 3 year old baby brother.
Sean comes from a close knit Irish American family. He has just graduated with his doctorate and is about to begin his first teaching job at a prestigious boarding school.
This is not a gay romance, like I assumed it was when I read the blurb. It does center around two main characters that are gay. One who came to terms with it years ago, and the other who is hiding from it. Jamus has always been pretty open about his sexuality. He has been honest with his brother from the first time Nick asks "how come they don't have a mom in the house like all the other kids?" Sean on the other hand is deeply in the closet. In fact, I'm not sure until he meets Jamus he even realizes he's gay. It's never really stated in the story.
This is not so much Jamus and Sean's story of their relationship, as it is about these two sets of brothers, Sean and Kevin and Jamus and Nick, and how they make their way through life as brothers. How they support one another. Fight with one another. Push one another, and help one another deal with the guilt and fears they have. The relationship between Jamus and Sean is just a very tiny part of the story. The story is told from multiple POV's, but we mostly hear from Jamus, Sean and Nick.
I was held captivated by the story. The author pulled me into these brothers' lives and kept me hanging onto their every word. They were all extremely likable characters. The story while a bit slow paced at times, was well written and very enjoyable. It left some unresolved questions, and the story was left very open ended. I came away wanting to know where these four young men are headed, yet I was somehow left satisfied that I could use my own imagination to lead me on the remainder of their journey, but I definitely wouldn't say no to a sequel if the author was kind enough to write one.
Very enjoyable and highly recommended!!
January 11, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
This book is not a romance. You aren’t going to find hot sex scenes. Instead, this book is really two different family sagas that happen to entwine themselves near the latter part of the book as one man struggles with his sexuality, while the other finds himself ready to begin to let go of his guilt and find himself happiness.
The first family is Jamus and Nick. Jamus has given everything up for his brother – maybe a lot of it was out of survivor’s guilt, but regardless, he stepped up at a very young age to raise a toddler. While most other twenty-three year olds are worrying about which nightclub to hang out at, Jamus was changing diapers and worrying over putting food on the table and a roof over their heads. All while struggling to write…and he managed to succeed. In fact, he has six published novels to his credit.
When Nick begins to attend a prestigious boarding school as a day student, he struggles to fit in. Fortunately, with the help of his best friend, he isn’t alone in his struggle. Then his classmates find out that his gay brother writes gay fiction and the troubles start at school. Wondering what exactly his brother writes, Nick buys one of his books to find out that they seem to mirror Jamus’ life and that maybe Jamus is to blame for Nick not having parents.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
This book is not a romance. You aren’t going to find hot sex scenes. Instead, this book is really two different family sagas that happen to entwine themselves near the latter part of the book as one man struggles with his sexuality, while the other finds himself ready to begin to let go of his guilt and find himself happiness.
The first family is Jamus and Nick. Jamus has given everything up for his brother – maybe a lot of it was out of survivor’s guilt, but regardless, he stepped up at a very young age to raise a toddler. While most other twenty-three year olds are worrying about which nightclub to hang out at, Jamus was changing diapers and worrying over putting food on the table and a roof over their heads. All while struggling to write…and he managed to succeed. In fact, he has six published novels to his credit.
When Nick begins to attend a prestigious boarding school as a day student, he struggles to fit in. Fortunately, with the help of his best friend, he isn’t alone in his struggle. Then his classmates find out that his gay brother writes gay fiction and the troubles start at school. Wondering what exactly his brother writes, Nick buys one of his books to find out that they seem to mirror Jamus’ life and that maybe Jamus is to blame for Nick not having parents.
Read Wendy’s review in its entirety here.
June 30, 2016
I wasn't sure if I was going to like Brothers. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I'm glad I gave it a chance. Jamus gave up his future to raise his little brother after their parents were killed in a car accident. He hasn't let go of the guilt he feels over that accident since he was driving the car the night they died. Sean Malloy has moved back to Boston to take teach high school English. There is an interest right off the bat, but Sean is struggling with his own feelings about being gay.
I wouldn't really classify this as a romance. It's a beautiful written story about the power of love in family and friendship. In the story, there are two sets of brothers both trying to figure out how to work through their own demons. Of the two sets, Jamus and Nick really spoke to me. I loved their relationship. It wasn't perfect and that really came across to me in the book. Nick's struggle with the truth of what happened to his parents in conjunction with the revelations in Jamus's book was heartwrenching. But, what he learns in the end was priceless. I also enjoyed the relationship between Sean and his brother Kevin. The way Kevin stood up for him after he came out to his family was amazing.
My only complaint about the book was that it wasn't long enough. I felt like it ended a bit abruptly. I would have loved an epilogue or to have seen some resolution with Sean's family. Despite that, I highly recommend this book. It's a great debut and I see good things in the future for this author.
I wouldn't really classify this as a romance. It's a beautiful written story about the power of love in family and friendship. In the story, there are two sets of brothers both trying to figure out how to work through their own demons. Of the two sets, Jamus and Nick really spoke to me. I loved their relationship. It wasn't perfect and that really came across to me in the book. Nick's struggle with the truth of what happened to his parents in conjunction with the revelations in Jamus's book was heartwrenching. But, what he learns in the end was priceless. I also enjoyed the relationship between Sean and his brother Kevin. The way Kevin stood up for him after he came out to his family was amazing.
My only complaint about the book was that it wasn't long enough. I felt like it ended a bit abruptly. I would have loved an epilogue or to have seen some resolution with Sean's family. Despite that, I highly recommend this book. It's a great debut and I see good things in the future for this author.
December 7, 2015
This book was amazing! It was so painful but yet beautiful at the same time too!
This was a story about loss.. About Jamus losing his parents and becoming a parent to his little brother. About learning to not blame yourself for something that was beyond your control.
There was a little bit of romance in this book but it was mostly about learning through things that happen in life and for Sean about admitting to himself and his family who is really his and how he really feels.
I loved the way this author wrote these characters and this story! You could really feel what these characters go through while reading this book and you can't help rooting for them and hoping for these two MC's to find happiness with themselves and each other.
All together I really loved this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
This was a story about loss.. About Jamus losing his parents and becoming a parent to his little brother. About learning to not blame yourself for something that was beyond your control.
There was a little bit of romance in this book but it was mostly about learning through things that happen in life and for Sean about admitting to himself and his family who is really his and how he really feels.
I loved the way this author wrote these characters and this story! You could really feel what these characters go through while reading this book and you can't help rooting for them and hoping for these two MC's to find happiness with themselves and each other.
All together I really loved this book!
I would recommend this book!
I received this book free in exchange for an honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
December 14, 2015
This is a family saga, telling the story of two sets of brothers, Jamus & Nick and Sean & Kevin, and the eventual relationship between Jamus and Sean. Like all family saga’s it has a number of interweaving stories, there are bad guys (or girls) and good ones, there are ups and downs, but overall this story is about families loving and supporting each other and realising what is actually positive and not negative.
I really enjoyed this story, told from multiple points of view, but primarily from those of Jamus and Sean. The narrative was well paced, realistic, and both plot and character driven, with very few distractions from the main plot. Towards the end, the story becomes quite emotional, but the resolution leaves it open for a follow up story to be told, which is great as I would love to know how all of these relationships develop.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this story, told from multiple points of view, but primarily from those of Jamus and Sean. The narrative was well paced, realistic, and both plot and character driven, with very few distractions from the main plot. Towards the end, the story becomes quite emotional, but the resolution leaves it open for a follow up story to be told, which is great as I would love to know how all of these relationships develop.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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September 17, 2017DNF at 47%
I'm really sad to DNF it, because all my GR friends seemed to enjoy it. But unfortunately nothing worked for me here, and I decided to give up. I read all your exciting reviews and I felt like I was reading a different book. It's a very good written novel, but I couldn't connect with the characters, I can't even explain why.
I'm REALLY sad because it came highly recommended from my friends I trust blindly, but...either I am not a contemporary romance type(if I can name it romance at all), or I picked it up at the wrong time or it is not my kind of book.
I'm really sad to DNF it, because all my GR friends seemed to enjoy it. But unfortunately nothing worked for me here, and I decided to give up. I read all your exciting reviews and I felt like I was reading a different book. It's a very good written novel, but I couldn't connect with the characters, I can't even explain why.
I'm REALLY sad because it came highly recommended from my friends I trust blindly, but...either I am not a contemporary romance type(if I can name it romance at all), or I picked it up at the wrong time or it is not my kind of book.
September 28, 2018
I really liked this book, the plot and characters were fantastic. On one hand I’m sad we didn’t get to see more of Sean and Jamus’s relationship but on the other side of that I like where he left it so I take that as a really good sign that this book left an impact on me.
I also wish there had been some closure with Sean’s family but that’s just me.
Other than that, I enjoyed his writing and I look forward to reading more of his stuff.
I also wish there had been some closure with Sean’s family but that’s just me.
Other than that, I enjoyed his writing and I look forward to reading more of his stuff.
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June 21, 2016Originally posted on Slow Reader's Blog
When I first came across this title for promo, the unassuming cover and title really had me curious. I'm constantly looking for new authors of queer romance, but finding decent work has been...difficult. So, I poked around a little and discovered that Brothers had been nominated for "best romance" by a LGBT literary group. Okay, so maybe there's something here, I thought and decided to give it a go.
My initial reaction is: this book is not a romance. Yes there are undertones of a romantic connection between two of the characters but the majority of the story (as in 90% of it) has nothing to do with that part of their relationship. I'd say the romance is a supporting character to the larger story: the dynamic of brotherhood.
Presented to the reader in a third person narration, Brothers tells the story brothers Jamus and Nick, and Sean and Kevin. I can't say that I had a connection to any of these characters. I've never faced the struggles they endure, such as raising a child as a young adult following the death of my parents and dealing with the guilt and self doubt that accompanies it. Nor have I experienced PTSD or had to come to terms with a sexuality that my family and community would not accept. Despite my lack of connection, I had a furious curiosity about these characters and how they would overcome such adversities.
Unfortunately, I'm still left a bit curious and it stems from something I value so much as a reader - character development. Who are these people?? I never actually felt anything from them. And not because I couldn't see their fear or self doubt but it never went further than that. There were no complexities or development of these traits beyond the superficial. I wanted more from them. I mean, fuck the fact that the romance was near nonexistent, which is pretty disappointing considering that it's categorized as such, whatever. But when I can't connect to a character despite having nothing in common with them, or when significant conflicts essential to the storyline are not brought full circle, it just doesn't work for me.
Technically speaking, it's written well. Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, yadda yadda. It's all there and it's all good, yet the story held a lack of focus. The shifting between the narratives of each chapter felt clumsy. Just as I was getting to the nitty gritty of a situation or started to feel a character gaining self confidence or begin to explore and address their inner turmoil, the chapter would end and the focus would shift to someone else and I felt a little bewildered each time. Oy, such a miss.
This book has so much potential but it just never got out of its own way for me. If technical skill was all I was reviewing, you'd probably want to read this book and I'd probably recommend it to you. But, I'm not, and I can't, so I won't. Bummer.
When I first came across this title for promo, the unassuming cover and title really had me curious. I'm constantly looking for new authors of queer romance, but finding decent work has been...difficult. So, I poked around a little and discovered that Brothers had been nominated for "best romance" by a LGBT literary group. Okay, so maybe there's something here, I thought and decided to give it a go.
My initial reaction is: this book is not a romance. Yes there are undertones of a romantic connection between two of the characters but the majority of the story (as in 90% of it) has nothing to do with that part of their relationship. I'd say the romance is a supporting character to the larger story: the dynamic of brotherhood.
Presented to the reader in a third person narration, Brothers tells the story brothers Jamus and Nick, and Sean and Kevin. I can't say that I had a connection to any of these characters. I've never faced the struggles they endure, such as raising a child as a young adult following the death of my parents and dealing with the guilt and self doubt that accompanies it. Nor have I experienced PTSD or had to come to terms with a sexuality that my family and community would not accept. Despite my lack of connection, I had a furious curiosity about these characters and how they would overcome such adversities.
Unfortunately, I'm still left a bit curious and it stems from something I value so much as a reader - character development. Who are these people?? I never actually felt anything from them. And not because I couldn't see their fear or self doubt but it never went further than that. There were no complexities or development of these traits beyond the superficial. I wanted more from them. I mean, fuck the fact that the romance was near nonexistent, which is pretty disappointing considering that it's categorized as such, whatever. But when I can't connect to a character despite having nothing in common with them, or when significant conflicts essential to the storyline are not brought full circle, it just doesn't work for me.
Technically speaking, it's written well. Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, yadda yadda. It's all there and it's all good, yet the story held a lack of focus. The shifting between the narratives of each chapter felt clumsy. Just as I was getting to the nitty gritty of a situation or started to feel a character gaining self confidence or begin to explore and address their inner turmoil, the chapter would end and the focus would shift to someone else and I felt a little bewildered each time. Oy, such a miss.
This book has so much potential but it just never got out of its own way for me. If technical skill was all I was reviewing, you'd probably want to read this book and I'd probably recommend it to you. But, I'm not, and I can't, so I won't. Bummer.
July 3, 2019
Why did it end there? I wanted a little bit more resolution.
July 14, 2016
Rosalie's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Jamus Cork wants what every young child wants out of life; he wants to move away from his parents and go to college, then live the dream of being on your own and thriving. His life was turned into a complete tailspin when his parents are killed and he becomes the sole survivor of a very young brother, Nick. Life, as he knew it, was over.
As life progresses, through Nick's boarding school, the readers actually meet another set of brothers, Sean and Kevin. Sean ends up being Nick's Freshman English teacher, and through a series of bullying, leads him to actually become interested in Jamus. However, Sean is being pushed by his family to marry the "perfect for him girl", Grace. There is one major problem: Sean doesn't like girls! After service one Sunday, Sean runs into Jamus and the attraction begins. Thus, the entertwining of the two families.
This story is told through all four brothers POV's. I LOVE multiple person POV books. I just feel like I am more apart of the story and can get into the character's heads (and hearts). This story was no exception. This also wasn't the hot and heavy M/M romance that I originally thought it was going to be. It, instead, was about the brothers dealing with guilt, loss, family, new friendships, and just life in general. I really thought the growth of characters throughout the novel was outstanding. To me, this was a very real book, without a lot of fluff. Sometimes I feel authors make things up to hook readers; but everything that happened to all four of the characters in Brothers, is very well something that could happen in real life.
Upon research of the author (which I always do after I read a book that really touched me, in one way or another) I found this to be a debut novel. All I can say is WOW. If he keeps putting books out like this, he will have a fan base that will continue rushing to get his books, including me!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
Jamus Cork wants what every young child wants out of life; he wants to move away from his parents and go to college, then live the dream of being on your own and thriving. His life was turned into a complete tailspin when his parents are killed and he becomes the sole survivor of a very young brother, Nick. Life, as he knew it, was over.
As life progresses, through Nick's boarding school, the readers actually meet another set of brothers, Sean and Kevin. Sean ends up being Nick's Freshman English teacher, and through a series of bullying, leads him to actually become interested in Jamus. However, Sean is being pushed by his family to marry the "perfect for him girl", Grace. There is one major problem: Sean doesn't like girls! After service one Sunday, Sean runs into Jamus and the attraction begins. Thus, the entertwining of the two families.
This story is told through all four brothers POV's. I LOVE multiple person POV books. I just feel like I am more apart of the story and can get into the character's heads (and hearts). This story was no exception. This also wasn't the hot and heavy M/M romance that I originally thought it was going to be. It, instead, was about the brothers dealing with guilt, loss, family, new friendships, and just life in general. I really thought the growth of characters throughout the novel was outstanding. To me, this was a very real book, without a lot of fluff. Sometimes I feel authors make things up to hook readers; but everything that happened to all four of the characters in Brothers, is very well something that could happen in real life.
Upon research of the author (which I always do after I read a book that really touched me, in one way or another) I found this to be a debut novel. All I can say is WOW. If he keeps putting books out like this, he will have a fan base that will continue rushing to get his books, including me!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
March 1, 2016
Ralph Josiah Bardsley's first novel is a deeply felt--and exquisitely observed--story of coming out. Bardsley has a vast talent for observation and detail, bringing the bars and brownstones of South Boston to vivid life and making moments feel cinematic, whether they contain a grand gesture, or a bead of coffee spilling over the lip of a cup. But most importantly, its a book with great heart, a story with compassion for its characters--from the haunted protagonist Jamus to his little brother, Nick--each of whom is grappling with the painful challenge of coming out--of the closet, into adulthood, or to face the realities of love.
September 16, 2016
Loved the book! Great story and well written.....especially for the author's first novel. Enjoyed the familiarity of the Boston locations, down to the well described smells, feels, vibes that make Boston what it is....a great city.
Enjoyed the characters and the in-depth description of their feelings during different times as the book progresses. Very much looking forward to reading Bardsley's second book. Keep up the great work!
Enjoyed the characters and the in-depth description of their feelings during different times as the book progresses. Very much looking forward to reading Bardsley's second book. Keep up the great work!
July 13, 2024
This is a story about a young man who has to become an adult too early and has to freeze his life to do so. It’s moving as he tries to figure out how to parent his brother, being true to himself while also putting his brother first. Sean was less likable since he let others take control of his life. It went beyond being afraid of being honest with his family. He could have clarified with Grace that he wasn’t interested no matter his sexuality.
July 14, 2018
When I first started to read this story I didn't think I was going to like it. The prologue of sorts was filled with flower descriptions that didn't appeal to me. But slowly the story got involved with the characters and I started to enjoy the slice of life story about two brothers living in Boston. Although there is a little bit of romance in the book between Sean and Jamus this book shines more in the relationship between Nick and Jamus. Sean's bits in the story are fairly standard coming out type story but Jamus and Nick's story is more complex. Nick trying to deal with his brother/dad being gay and how it effects him. Jamus is dealing with the guilt of his parents death, the consequences of his writing on his brother, and most of all wondering if he is doing the right thing.
August 1, 2016
There’s a reason Ralph Josiah Bardsley’s debut novel, Brothers, was a Lambda Literary Award finalist. There’s a reason his second novel, The Photographer’s Truth, would be an uncontested winner next year, if I had anything to say about it. It’s the same reason this author has just become an absolute must-read for me from this day forward—Bardsley’s gift for telling stories that draw me into every emotion and detail and the subtle nuances in the way his characters react to and interact with one another is all-consuming. There’s a complexity to the stories he tells that doesn’t rely on exaggerated drama or manufactured conflict for the sake of added drama. Rather, this author’s narrative encompasses the commonality of human existence, things that on one level or another we can all read and think, me too.
Brothers tells the story of two men—Jamus Cork and Sean Malloy—and their respective families. Integral to these men, of course, is the relationship they each have with their brothers. These connections are foundational to who they are and how they meet each other, and those connections inform the entirety of this story, though their circumstances couldn’t be more dichotomous.
Nick, Jamus’s younger brother, is the fulcrum in the story, the boy who becomes a bridge of sorts between Jamus and Sean, and the source of Jamus’s crisis of confidence when the truth about their parents’ death is finally revealed. I loved the story-within-the-story way that Bardsley worried at this thread, and then the way that Nick came apart at the seams when he was forced to face that gravitational shift in a teenage world already skewed by virtue of him having a gay brother. Yeah, teenagers can be cruel pains in the ass, and Nick both experiences that cruelty first hand and then hands it out to Jamus at a dramatic highpoint in the story.
Sean’s family situation is a polar opposite to the Cork brothers. Mother, father, brother, two sisters, theirs is a blue collar Irish Catholic clan in South Boston. Sean’s the piece of the Malloy puzzle that doesn’t quite fit—bookish and college educated. And gay, though he’s having a difficult time coming to terms with that truth, and is terrified by the idea that his family’s concept of normal will never be his reality—that normal would be marrying him off to Grace Kinvara, the woman who is hopelessly in love with Sean. Sean’s relationship with his brother, Kevin, elevates this novel to another level of exceptional. And Kevin himself sets the bar of brotherhood to impossible highs. I adored him for being the hero Sean needed at the time Sean needed him most, and that unconditional love served to make their sister’s cruelty that much uglier.
Nick as lynchpin comes in the form of him being a student in Sean’s class; he is the one thing Sean and Jamus have in common, and while they initially meet because of Nick, their relationship grows independent of him, even as there’s some question in the wisdom of throwing that sort of a potential dilemma at a kid who already has issues at school. Nick’s best friend Matt is yet another amazing character who’s integral to this story. I may as well just go ahead and correct that, though. This author doesn’t write characters as much as he writes people. These aren’t cookie cutter reproductions of fictional stereotypes—they’re residents of a story that, even if they’re not reflective of your own personal narrative, they are reflective of a story we all know as fellow human beings.
Brothers is another must read novel from an author whose writing voice speaks to me in a deeply gratifying way–his storytelling style romances me more than his characters romance each other–so if you love literary fiction, both of his novels are exemplary of character driven storytelling.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
Brothers tells the story of two men—Jamus Cork and Sean Malloy—and their respective families. Integral to these men, of course, is the relationship they each have with their brothers. These connections are foundational to who they are and how they meet each other, and those connections inform the entirety of this story, though their circumstances couldn’t be more dichotomous.
Nick, Jamus’s younger brother, is the fulcrum in the story, the boy who becomes a bridge of sorts between Jamus and Sean, and the source of Jamus’s crisis of confidence when the truth about their parents’ death is finally revealed. I loved the story-within-the-story way that Bardsley worried at this thread, and then the way that Nick came apart at the seams when he was forced to face that gravitational shift in a teenage world already skewed by virtue of him having a gay brother. Yeah, teenagers can be cruel pains in the ass, and Nick both experiences that cruelty first hand and then hands it out to Jamus at a dramatic highpoint in the story.
Sean’s family situation is a polar opposite to the Cork brothers. Mother, father, brother, two sisters, theirs is a blue collar Irish Catholic clan in South Boston. Sean’s the piece of the Malloy puzzle that doesn’t quite fit—bookish and college educated. And gay, though he’s having a difficult time coming to terms with that truth, and is terrified by the idea that his family’s concept of normal will never be his reality—that normal would be marrying him off to Grace Kinvara, the woman who is hopelessly in love with Sean. Sean’s relationship with his brother, Kevin, elevates this novel to another level of exceptional. And Kevin himself sets the bar of brotherhood to impossible highs. I adored him for being the hero Sean needed at the time Sean needed him most, and that unconditional love served to make their sister’s cruelty that much uglier.
Nick as lynchpin comes in the form of him being a student in Sean’s class; he is the one thing Sean and Jamus have in common, and while they initially meet because of Nick, their relationship grows independent of him, even as there’s some question in the wisdom of throwing that sort of a potential dilemma at a kid who already has issues at school. Nick’s best friend Matt is yet another amazing character who’s integral to this story. I may as well just go ahead and correct that, though. This author doesn’t write characters as much as he writes people. These aren’t cookie cutter reproductions of fictional stereotypes—they’re residents of a story that, even if they’re not reflective of your own personal narrative, they are reflective of a story we all know as fellow human beings.
Brothers is another must read novel from an author whose writing voice speaks to me in a deeply gratifying way–his storytelling style romances me more than his characters romance each other–so if you love literary fiction, both of his novels are exemplary of character driven storytelling.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
November 12, 2018
How can it be over. ❤️😢😊
June 17, 2016
If you're the type of reader who likes stories that are heavy on exposition and character growth and development, Brothers will definitely fit the bill for you. In terms of conflict and drama, there really isn't a lot in the first two thirds of the book, but during that last part things start to escalate and finally erupt, for Sean with his family but also between Jamus and his brother Nick.
For me, the first two thirds of the story moved more slowly than I'm used to, and there's a lot of background being covered. I did feel a bit disconnected from most of the characters, and right from the beginning I was not at all fond of Grace, the woman who's been interested in Sean since high school. I also had a hard time feeling connections between the characters themselves, but that may have been due to the family dynamics that were going on.
If I had to pick a favorite character, I would probably go with Sean...mostly because of the growth he experiences and the difficulties he has to face with his family (which by the way--his brother Kevin is pretty awesome with his support).
Brothers is more of a drama than a romance. There are romantic elements involved as Sean and Jamus develop a relationship, but that really is not where the story is concentrated. It's more about the relationships between Jamus and Nick as well as Sean and his family, how their stories intersect and overlap, and how they all deal with everything they discover and all that happens along the way. I think Nick's character probably goes through the most growth in the story, which is to be expected with his age for the majority of the book (14) and the events that occur at school and the things he discovers at home as well.
This book will make you think, and for me it also stirred feelings of anger (toward Nick's classmates and Sean's sister and father) as well as compassion (for Sean). I can't say enough about how accepting and supportive Kevin and Nick are for Jamus and especially Sean.
While for me personally Brothers was a 3.5-star read, I think fans of M/M dramatic fiction will enjoy this tale of family, friends and learning how to be true to yourself. Suggested for 18+ due to adult language.
For me, the first two thirds of the story moved more slowly than I'm used to, and there's a lot of background being covered. I did feel a bit disconnected from most of the characters, and right from the beginning I was not at all fond of Grace, the woman who's been interested in Sean since high school. I also had a hard time feeling connections between the characters themselves, but that may have been due to the family dynamics that were going on.
If I had to pick a favorite character, I would probably go with Sean...mostly because of the growth he experiences and the difficulties he has to face with his family (which by the way--his brother Kevin is pretty awesome with his support).
Brothers is more of a drama than a romance. There are romantic elements involved as Sean and Jamus develop a relationship, but that really is not where the story is concentrated. It's more about the relationships between Jamus and Nick as well as Sean and his family, how their stories intersect and overlap, and how they all deal with everything they discover and all that happens along the way. I think Nick's character probably goes through the most growth in the story, which is to be expected with his age for the majority of the book (14) and the events that occur at school and the things he discovers at home as well.
This book will make you think, and for me it also stirred feelings of anger (toward Nick's classmates and Sean's sister and father) as well as compassion (for Sean). I can't say enough about how accepting and supportive Kevin and Nick are for Jamus and especially Sean.
While for me personally Brothers was a 3.5-star read, I think fans of M/M dramatic fiction will enjoy this tale of family, friends and learning how to be true to yourself. Suggested for 18+ due to adult language.
August 10, 2016
I received a free copy via Inked Rainbow in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of the best books I've read, and I'm so glad I picked it up. I chose it for the setting (I love Boston) and the theme of family. It exceeded my expectations.
Mr. Bardsley's writing style is flawless and elegant. There is no fast-paced action in the story, yet it didn't drag. I couldn't put it down because I was so absorbed in the intricate relationships between these sets of brothers.
I loved the all the characters, even prickly teenage Nick (who is about as dead-on as any adolescent I've read in a novel aimed at adults). Kevin really surprised me, as did Sean's would-be girlfriend, Grace. Some of Sean's interactions with his family broke my heart, but there was also a seed of hope buried in their complicated relationship.
Although the story touched on a lot of heavy themes, it never felt bogged down or preachy. These were just people trying to navigate their messy life circumstances the best they knew how.
At it's core, this is not really a romance, even though there is a growing relationship between Jamus and Sean. This is a love story between brothers and between friends. For me, this was absolutely perfect, and the way all the threads tied up at the end could not have been better.
What a wonderful and moving story, worth every minute.
This is one of the best books I've read, and I'm so glad I picked it up. I chose it for the setting (I love Boston) and the theme of family. It exceeded my expectations.
Mr. Bardsley's writing style is flawless and elegant. There is no fast-paced action in the story, yet it didn't drag. I couldn't put it down because I was so absorbed in the intricate relationships between these sets of brothers.
I loved the all the characters, even prickly teenage Nick (who is about as dead-on as any adolescent I've read in a novel aimed at adults). Kevin really surprised me, as did Sean's would-be girlfriend, Grace. Some of Sean's interactions with his family broke my heart, but there was also a seed of hope buried in their complicated relationship.
Although the story touched on a lot of heavy themes, it never felt bogged down or preachy. These were just people trying to navigate their messy life circumstances the best they knew how.
At it's core, this is not really a romance, even though there is a growing relationship between Jamus and Sean. This is a love story between brothers and between friends. For me, this was absolutely perfect, and the way all the threads tied up at the end could not have been better.
What a wonderful and moving story, worth every minute.
September 5, 2016
This book was not what I expected. The book was too slow for me. They didn't even have their first date until 61% into the book.
The plot line, though, was great as well as the characters. The characters became very real and you could really feel for them and their situations. Sean's family is awesome. The family dynamic made you want to be part of that family. Nick and Jamus's relationship as brothers is very sweet and they're very close which is great. I love that. Jamus's sacrifices that he had to make raising Nick was very admirable.
If you don't mind a slow beginning and you like the story of an author raising a child and finding love then this book is for you. Like I said, it's a great book, but the first half is very slow. If I could, I would rate it 3.5 stars because it was pretty good
I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
The plot line, though, was great as well as the characters. The characters became very real and you could really feel for them and their situations. Sean's family is awesome. The family dynamic made you want to be part of that family. Nick and Jamus's relationship as brothers is very sweet and they're very close which is great. I love that. Jamus's sacrifices that he had to make raising Nick was very admirable.
If you don't mind a slow beginning and you like the story of an author raising a child and finding love then this book is for you. Like I said, it's a great book, but the first half is very slow. If I could, I would rate it 3.5 stars because it was pretty good
I received this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review from Inked Rainbow Reads.
March 9, 2016
The author's character descriptions are incredible. The characters are people I related to and felt I knew personally as the plot developed. The story line develops around life moments many of us in the LGBT community face. You can't help but have empathy for Sean and Jamus as they struggle to find balance between family's expectations and personal happiness. The author narrated their internal strife so well, I felt like whispering "It's going to be okay, hang in there..." to them.
One particular part of the book - Sean's brother standing up for him in the face of family rejection - touched me very deeply. I took screenshots of the page and emailed the paragraph to all my accepting family with a "Thank You" attached.
I can not wait for more from this author. I only hope we see an update or continuation of Jamus and Sean's relationship? A boy can only hope :-)
One particular part of the book - Sean's brother standing up for him in the face of family rejection - touched me very deeply. I took screenshots of the page and emailed the paragraph to all my accepting family with a "Thank You" attached.
I can not wait for more from this author. I only hope we see an update or continuation of Jamus and Sean's relationship? A boy can only hope :-)
December 12, 2015
I recieved this book in a Goodreads Giveaway and promised to give an honest evaluation. This was a slightly different gendre than I normally read, more family relationships than action. I enjoyed the portayal of Boston, it captured the neighborhoods in a realistic light. The writing was flat until the last three chapters when the reader got to see the emotions and motivations of the characters. This is a book that could also appeal to a mature YA audience, due to the conflicts that are experienced my the high-school age brother of one of the characters.
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