What do you think?
Rate this book
Perspectives #2
The World as He Sees It
Love knows no limits...but fear could keep them from seeing it. Perspectives, Book 2 Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications. Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he's compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him. Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders. A month after Tristan's embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them. Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory-if the side effects don't kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk... Warning: Contains two damaged but lovable heroes, secret-keeping friends with good intentions, and an abundance of inappropriate food innuendo.
282 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2015
90 people are currently reading
824 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Arthur
87 books1,235 followersNo stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance wasn't a thing yet) with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments. You can contact her at AM_Arthur(at)yahoo(dot)com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
August 25, 2018
Even though I didn’t really enjoy book 1, Tristen, who was a secondary character, left such an impression on me, I decided to read his story.
At the age of 20 a bashing left Tristen with short term memory. He can’t remember anything past 30 minutes. He carries a notebook with him, and writes everything down so he can refer to it after each memory loss. Tristen has also been living in nursing home, because his parents are not interested in having a gay son.
Gabe is a waiter/bartender and a porn star. He’s lonely but not interested in a relationship because he’s taking care of his alcoholic mother.
Tristen is so sweet and feisty and Gabe is so patient and protective. I loved them together.
I stayed away from the audio this time and enjoyed book 2 so much more. Even the writing seemed better.
My only complaint…the ending seemed a bit rushed, but overall, I really enjoyed Tristen and Gabe’s story.
At the age of 20 a bashing left Tristen with short term memory. He can’t remember anything past 30 minutes. He carries a notebook with him, and writes everything down so he can refer to it after each memory loss. Tristen has also been living in nursing home, because his parents are not interested in having a gay son.
Gabe is a waiter/bartender and a porn star. He’s lonely but not interested in a relationship because he’s taking care of his alcoholic mother.
Tristen is so sweet and feisty and Gabe is so patient and protective. I loved them together.
I stayed away from the audio this time and enjoyed book 2 so much more. Even the writing seemed better.
My only complaint…the ending seemed a bit rushed, but overall, I really enjoyed Tristen and Gabe’s story.
November 15, 2018
Heartwarming, sweet, sexy and totally engaging!! I loved this story...both MCs had great depth and I loved both of them.
The premise behind this book that one of the MCs, Tristan, has been living with short term memory loss for three years after a gay bashing is interesting. There have been several movies that come to mind with this premise. How scientifically accurate it is, I don’t know. What I do know is that Tristan’s condition seemed well handled and described as it changed through the book.
Tristan was a fun character to get to know and see change as the story went on.
Gabe, solid, patient, caring Gabe has less of an arc in here than Tristan, but I found him beyond sweet and sexy. I also like how his job as a porn star(or model) was portrayed—there was no shame in what he did. This is good.
So, adorable characters, an interesting situation involving memory, and a focus on family made this book a solid read. Oops, I listened to it....the audiobook was OK. It’s not Guy Locke’s best work since at times his voice was wooden and almost robotic, while at others seemed spot on. Still, I listened to the whole thing (at 1.25 speed) in one go.
I skipped the first book and had no problem reading this one even if the MCs from the first had prominent roles in here. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything since the focus was on Tristan and Gabe.
I’ll likely go back and read the first and the next one in the series.
The premise behind this book that one of the MCs, Tristan, has been living with short term memory loss for three years after a gay bashing is interesting. There have been several movies that come to mind with this premise. How scientifically accurate it is, I don’t know. What I do know is that Tristan’s condition seemed well handled and described as it changed through the book.
Tristan was a fun character to get to know and see change as the story went on.
Gabe, solid, patient, caring Gabe has less of an arc in here than Tristan, but I found him beyond sweet and sexy. I also like how his job as a porn star(or model) was portrayed—there was no shame in what he did. This is good.
So, adorable characters, an interesting situation involving memory, and a focus on family made this book a solid read. Oops, I listened to it....the audiobook was OK. It’s not Guy Locke’s best work since at times his voice was wooden and almost robotic, while at others seemed spot on. Still, I listened to the whole thing (at 1.25 speed) in one go.
I skipped the first book and had no problem reading this one even if the MCs from the first had prominent roles in here. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything since the focus was on Tristan and Gabe.
I’ll likely go back and read the first and the next one in the series.
August 9, 2015
*2.75 stars*
I suppose this book can be read as a standalone but I strongly recommend against it. Like with all A.M.Arthur's books that are part of a series, the stories are interwined, characters from other books come and go and scenes from a previous book might be important for the next one.
This is the story of Tristan and Gabe. We met both of them in The Truth as He Knows It. Tristan is Noel's friend, a gay bashing left him with no short-term memory and he has to jot down everything to stay in the present. One night, he decides to go out all alone but the night ends in disaster. This is where he meets Gabe for the first time. Gabe is a porn star, Shane's co worker from the first book. A friendship starts which eventually leads to a relationship.
I don't usually go for stories with porn stars, but Tristan was a very interesting character and I wanted to read his story. And to be honest, Tristan was the only thing that I trully liked. He was adorable and brave through his struggles. And admittedly, what he went through was heartbreaking.
"Lonely. Horny. Scared. Sick and tired of his broken brain. Desperate to be whole again. All of the above. All the time."
First of all, I'm happy to inform you that this isn't a major angstfest which was my main complaint with the author's latest books. No unnecessary drama here.
My issues with this book were pretty much the same with the previous.
* The lies. Lies again. Gabe doesn't reveal his profession to Tristan. Actually, they start dating, get in a relationship with each other, have sex and THEN Gabe decides that he must inform Tristan that he is a porn star. Btw, Gabe does porn because he wants to. Yes, the extra money come in hand since he takes care of his alcoholic mother, but he admits that he chose to do this because he likes easy and uncomplicated sex.
*Tristan's reaction when Gabe told him he does porn. Totally unrealistic, like Noel's reaction in the first book, at least as far as I'm concerned. Again, for someone else it might not be a problem but to me it seemed unbelievable and frankly, it killed my romance dead.
So, even though this started out good, unfortunately it did not meet my expectations.
P.S In this book, Tristan takes part in a clinical trial that will help him improve his memory. I don't know how accurate this was medically, but it didn't really matter to me. The author did a nice job with Tristan's medical condition in my opinion.
*Review cross-posted on Reviews by Jessewave. ARC provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I suppose this book can be read as a standalone but I strongly recommend against it. Like with all A.M.Arthur's books that are part of a series, the stories are interwined, characters from other books come and go and scenes from a previous book might be important for the next one.
This is the story of Tristan and Gabe. We met both of them in The Truth as He Knows It. Tristan is Noel's friend, a gay bashing left him with no short-term memory and he has to jot down everything to stay in the present. One night, he decides to go out all alone but the night ends in disaster. This is where he meets Gabe for the first time. Gabe is a porn star, Shane's co worker from the first book. A friendship starts which eventually leads to a relationship.
I don't usually go for stories with porn stars, but Tristan was a very interesting character and I wanted to read his story. And to be honest, Tristan was the only thing that I trully liked. He was adorable and brave through his struggles. And admittedly, what he went through was heartbreaking.
"Lonely. Horny. Scared. Sick and tired of his broken brain. Desperate to be whole again. All of the above. All the time."
First of all, I'm happy to inform you that this isn't a major angstfest which was my main complaint with the author's latest books. No unnecessary drama here.
My issues with this book were pretty much the same with the previous.
* The lies. Lies again. Gabe doesn't reveal his profession to Tristan. Actually, they start dating, get in a relationship with each other, have sex and THEN Gabe decides that he must inform Tristan that he is a porn star. Btw, Gabe does porn because he wants to. Yes, the extra money come in hand since he takes care of his alcoholic mother, but he admits that he chose to do this because he likes easy and uncomplicated sex.
*Tristan's reaction when Gabe told him he does porn. Totally unrealistic, like Noel's reaction in the first book, at least as far as I'm concerned. Again, for someone else it might not be a problem but to me it seemed unbelievable and frankly, it killed my romance dead.
So, even though this started out good, unfortunately it did not meet my expectations.
P.S In this book, Tristan takes part in a clinical trial that will help him improve his memory. I don't know how accurate this was medically, but it didn't really matter to me. The author did a nice job with Tristan's medical condition in my opinion.
*Review cross-posted on Reviews by Jessewave. ARC provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
April 5, 2016
4 Stars for the second book in "The Perspectives Series"
This is Tristan's story and what a story it is! I really enjoy A.M. Arthur and the style of writing, the interconnecting characters, the awesome real world lives that these characters live. None of this authors characters have it easy. They all live lives that are flawed and real and I think that makes it so much easier to connect to the characters!
We first met Tristan in book one when Noel visited and interacted with him. Tristan was the victim of a horrific bashing which left him with very limited short term memory and no ability to form new memories. This left him living in an extended care facility with really little hope for change. In this story we get to meet Gabe. Gabe is drawn to Tristan from the moment he meets him when Tristan ventured out to Big Dicks one night and then forgot where he was, but as Gabe gets to know Tristan he realizes he wants to know more. A lot more. The only thing is, he can't share that he is an adult film actor or that he is burdened with taking care of his alcoholic mother. Really why would he want to share this stuff.. And especially to Tristan. He doesn't want to damage their fragile beginning with his tainted problems.
Tristan may not be able to form new memories but he knows when his heart is speaking to him. His heart is telling him that Gabe is the one. Can they have a life together? What kind of person would want to be with someone who might not remember them?
Everything changes when Tristan is offered the chance at a clinical trial. While it helps him, it also hurts him. Is it worth it?
I loved these two characters together. They had some hot as hell moments, let's just say Gabe's porn moves translate well to Lucky Tristan!! A book full of feeling, full of hotness, and real enough that you could be living it yourself. Great job!!
Recommended - 4 stars
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
This is Tristan's story and what a story it is! I really enjoy A.M. Arthur and the style of writing, the interconnecting characters, the awesome real world lives that these characters live. None of this authors characters have it easy. They all live lives that are flawed and real and I think that makes it so much easier to connect to the characters!
We first met Tristan in book one when Noel visited and interacted with him. Tristan was the victim of a horrific bashing which left him with very limited short term memory and no ability to form new memories. This left him living in an extended care facility with really little hope for change. In this story we get to meet Gabe. Gabe is drawn to Tristan from the moment he meets him when Tristan ventured out to Big Dicks one night and then forgot where he was, but as Gabe gets to know Tristan he realizes he wants to know more. A lot more. The only thing is, he can't share that he is an adult film actor or that he is burdened with taking care of his alcoholic mother. Really why would he want to share this stuff.. And especially to Tristan. He doesn't want to damage their fragile beginning with his tainted problems.
Tristan may not be able to form new memories but he knows when his heart is speaking to him. His heart is telling him that Gabe is the one. Can they have a life together? What kind of person would want to be with someone who might not remember them?
Everything changes when Tristan is offered the chance at a clinical trial. While it helps him, it also hurts him. Is it worth it?
I loved these two characters together. They had some hot as hell moments, let's just say Gabe's porn moves translate well to Lucky Tristan!! A book full of feeling, full of hotness, and real enough that you could be living it yourself. Great job!!
Recommended - 4 stars
❥❥**´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•`*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jaime from Alpha Book Club
May 2, 2017
Three years ago Tristan suffered a traumatic brain injury in a gay bashing. Since then his short-term memory only keeps for 30 minutes. That means, while he remembers everything until shortly before the attack, the last three years are a blank sheet for him. That's why he writes everything that he experiences on a notepad.
One day he panics in a club and gets rescued by Gabe. And when they meet again some weeks later, Tristan doesn't remember Gabe, but his eyes, Tristan is sure he knows those eyes!
When Gabe rescues Tristan, he's absolutely impressed by him, can't forget him. And after they met the second time he starts a friendship with Tristan, at first only by email, later with Skype. And despite his own problems (he takes care of his alcoholic mother and shoots porn to pay her bills), Gabe can't get enough of Tristan, tries to spend more time with him.
Tristan is so happy about the growing friendship with Gabe and when he gets the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial to improve his memory, he takes it.
Although I am afraid that a lot about the clinical trial is unrealistic, I very much enjoyed this book. OMG, I was so happy when Tristan had his first real breakthrough and remembered what time breakfast and dinner are without checking his notes, that I cried!
My only complaint is that there were so many sex scenes in the second half that I was tempted to skip them.
4,5 stars
One day he panics in a club and gets rescued by Gabe. And when they meet again some weeks later, Tristan doesn't remember Gabe, but his eyes, Tristan is sure he knows those eyes!
When Gabe rescues Tristan, he's absolutely impressed by him, can't forget him. And after they met the second time he starts a friendship with Tristan, at first only by email, later with Skype. And despite his own problems (he takes care of his alcoholic mother and shoots porn to pay her bills), Gabe can't get enough of Tristan, tries to spend more time with him.
Tristan is so happy about the growing friendship with Gabe and when he gets the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial to improve his memory, he takes it.
Although I am afraid that a lot about the clinical trial is unrealistic, I very much enjoyed this book. OMG, I was so happy when Tristan had his first real breakthrough and remembered what time breakfast and dinner are without checking his notes, that I cried!
My only complaint is that there were so many sex scenes in the second half that I was tempted to skip them.
4,5 stars
March 14, 2016
Back in book #1 of this series we met Officer Noel Carlson and through him we got glimpses of Tristan, Noel's best friend from college. We also learned that Noel and Tristan were victims of a gay bashing a very violent one that left Noel physically scarred and Tristan with a traumatic brain injury that seriously impaired his short term memory. Tristan's memories of what happed before the accident are the only thing he can retain. Anything and anyone after the accident is usually forgotten within a very short time frame (around 30 minutes). To combat this and in an effort to try and have some control over his life Tristan makes notes copious notes about everything. The simplest things like what time meals are, when Noel's coming to see him (Thursdays and Sundays, see he makes good notes).
I loved Tristan's character so much and at the same time he made my heart ache. I've worked with people with ABIs and TBI (Acquired Brain Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury) and it can be heartbreaking watching them struggle to have some control over the simplest things in their life. Trying to return to the person they once were or to simply adjust and accept who they've become. Of course as with most things each case is different depending on the extent of the injury and the affected part of the brain.
I can't say that this book wasn't filled with angst because to be perfectly honest it was. So for those of you who haven't read this yet here's where I use the spoiler tags...
Yet in spite of all the angst and issues I sincerely enjoyed this story. The fact that both Tristan and Gabe's issues were for the most part natural progressions of their main problems and/or challenges helped to make things seem more natural and less contrived at the heart of Tristan's issues was his TBI and for Gabe it was his mother's alcoholism and his sincere desire to help her get better and can I just say here that in the end the course of action that Gabe choose in my opinion truly was the best decision he could make for both his mother and him.
I liked Tristan and Gabe. Tristan was strong and spunky and determined to get his life back and Gabe was patient and wonderfully supportive of Tristan and the challenges presented to him by his medical condition. He was exactly the type of person that someone with an ABI or TBI needs . People like Gabe do exist I've seen them. Kind, supportive, loving and patient beyond human comprehension.
My one issue with this story...believe it or not...was the sex. Sweetbabyjebus!!! There was more sex than a whorehouse having a 2-for-1 sale on a Saturday night!!! I know Tristan felt he had 3 years to make up for but honestly? Could he not have done some of it off page?
I bet you're thinking I forgot about that parent rant, right? No, but I did decide that Tristan's waste of oxygen piece-a-shit parents weren't worth it and sadly Gabe's mother in spite of the fact that she did get her act together finally earned little redemption in my eyes but it did make me happy for Gabe. Also let me just add that Gabe's dads were fan-freakin-tastic!!! I loved them. They were what parents are suppose to be loving and supportive and just all round awesome dudes.
So at the end of it all I'm giving this one 4 stars because I adored Tristan and Gabe and because of Woody and Buzz (you'll have to read the book if you want to know who they are) But mostly as my friends son told her "Mom, every boy needs a Woody and a Buzz." what can I say the kid knew of what he spoke.
I loved Tristan's character so much and at the same time he made my heart ache. I've worked with people with ABIs and TBI (Acquired Brain Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury) and it can be heartbreaking watching them struggle to have some control over the simplest things in their life. Trying to return to the person they once were or to simply adjust and accept who they've become. Of course as with most things each case is different depending on the extent of the injury and the affected part of the brain.
I can't say that this book wasn't filled with angst because to be perfectly honest it was. So for those of you who haven't read this yet here's where I use the spoiler tags...
Yet in spite of all the angst and issues I sincerely enjoyed this story. The fact that both Tristan and Gabe's issues were for the most part natural progressions of their main problems and/or challenges helped to make things seem more natural and less contrived at the heart of Tristan's issues was his TBI and for Gabe it was his mother's alcoholism and his sincere desire to help her get better and can I just say here that in the end the course of action that Gabe choose in my opinion truly was the best decision he could make for both his mother and him.
I liked Tristan and Gabe. Tristan was strong and spunky and determined to get his life back and Gabe was patient and wonderfully supportive of Tristan and the challenges presented to him by his medical condition. He was exactly the type of person that someone with an ABI or TBI needs . People like Gabe do exist I've seen them. Kind, supportive, loving and patient beyond human comprehension.
My one issue with this story...believe it or not...was the sex. Sweetbabyjebus!!! There was more sex than a whorehouse having a 2-for-1 sale on a Saturday night!!! I know Tristan felt he had 3 years to make up for but honestly? Could he not have done some of it off page?
I bet you're thinking I forgot about that parent rant, right? No, but I did decide that Tristan's waste of oxygen piece-a-shit parents weren't worth it and sadly Gabe's mother in spite of the fact that she did get her act together finally earned little redemption in my eyes but it did make me happy for Gabe. Also let me just add that Gabe's dads were fan-freakin-tastic!!! I loved them. They were what parents are suppose to be loving and supportive and just all round awesome dudes.
So at the end of it all I'm giving this one 4 stars because I adored Tristan and Gabe and because of Woody and Buzz (you'll have to read the book if you want to know who they are) But mostly as my friends son told her "Mom, every boy needs a Woody and a Buzz." what can I say the kid knew of what he spoke.
May 13, 2023
Tristan is Noel's friend who sustained a life changing brain injury when they were attacked three years ago. Gabe rescued Tristan when he was having one of his frequent memory loss episodes in a bar. Neither could forgot the other. Gabe is interested and patient with the vivacious Tristan, which is what he needs.... especially the patience part. A new drug trial is starting that may help Tristan and he is willing to do whatever he can to regain even a small amount of his memories...but of course there are side effects, some yet unknown, some downright scary. As the two men get to know one another more, they learn that they each have problems and life challenges. Gabe supports his alcoholic mother by working three jobs...one is in porn. The porn job brings in good money, but there still never seems to be enough. There are several threads going on, each weaving a beautiful tale of two men who were fortunate enough to find someone who comforts them...who doesn't judge them...and who can thoroughly love them for just who they are. The reader can easily feel the frustrations Tristan has with his memory issues, and we can also deeply feel the love and devotion Gabe has for him.
February 10, 2019
Audiobook review3,5 stars
The World as He Sees It is the second book in the Perspectives series but it can be read/listened to as a standalone. Sure, the couple from the first book have a huge presence in the book and there are events referenced to that book, but it’s nothing that keeps you from enjoying and following this one.
This is the second story with an amnesiac character that I've read in the past couple of days. This one though is a bit different from other amnesiac stories that I've read. I reminds me of the movie 50 first dates where the main character needs to get the love interest to fall in love with him again each and every day. Where all new memories get erased and nothing new sticks.
Life for Tristan Lavalle changed three years back when he and his best friend were the victims of a gay bashing and he suffered a traumatic brain injury. Now he lives his life thirty minutes at a time before it all gets erased. To say that he feels lonely and shut out from life is putting it mildly. He desperately wants more, but don't know how, but joining his best friend and his boyfriend for a night out and a birthday celebration seems to be a step in the right direction.
Gabe’s life isn’t a dance on roses either; working several jobs and taking care of his alcoholic and abusive mother. It leaves him with little time to relax and enjoy friends or relationships. One of those jobs is working as a bartender at a night club, and it is there he encounters the man he can’t get out of his head. So when he returns he takes a chance and reaches out, and the rest, is as they say history.
I loved Tristan and Gabe together, they were so sweet. They had passion, trust and understanding. They were there for each other as much as they were able. Their relationship might have started out with some hot and heavy dancing and grinding, but developed over time via emails where they really got to know each other and started to build a foundation. When Tristan is offered a place in a clinical trial he gladly takes it – risks and side effects be damned.
Can I just say that I admire Tristan so much, I mean living life half an hour at a time, not remembering new people, where you are, what you are talking about from one moment to the next must be so terrifying - to say the least. But that was never the vibe you got from him. Sure the frustration over the situation was there, as were the loneliness, but more than that he had this determination through it all. A true fighter.
There are a couple of things that didn't really work for me, but that's all highly subjective and all on me. Let's start with the whole clinical trial and miracle medicine for Tristan's brain injury. It was too far-fetched for my tastes. Sure I am well aware that for many books you need to suspend all beliefs and go with the flow, but with miracle cures I just can't. It's too much for me. My second issue is the amount of on page sex. This book is very hot and heavy - how can it not be when one of the main characters works in the porn industry? But still, a bit too much for my tastes. But like I said, this is just me and shouldn’t keep anyone for picking up the book.
Guy Locke did a fantastic narration or rather performance of this book. With a wide range of different voices and some accents it was always easy to tell characters apart and following along. And adding a whole lot of feelings made the characters come alive for the listener. Just the way I like my audios and makes me want to come back for more.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
October 22, 2015
I was really excited about this. After meeting Tristan in the first one, I just absolutely feel for him. His life has been rough and I couldn't wait to get more of him.
I liked Gabe, too. I thought he was good people.
It was nice to see Noel and Shane again. (I may still like Shane the best)
There were things in here that didn't work for me, and there were things that wouldn't work for me personally but for the way the characters handled it or felt about it (realistic or not) it didn't bother me too badly, but still made me pause.
I learned something too. I know what fluffing means. And what a fluffer is.
Anyhoo....I'm going to just put a little warning tag in here under this spoiler, okay? Cuz I can see some people having an issue with a thing or two in here.
I'm glad this was less angsty than the previous book, because that one almost killed me. I didn't feel there was unnecessary drama in this. Gabe's mom was...ugh...hope that all works out there. Noel had some moments when I wanted to smack him. It was unfair, I mean, I know he was protective of Tristan and I get that but he had an attitude at times. He was pretty self aware however and did at least recognize when he was out of line. Still love Shane. Tristan turned out to be a little different than I had imagined from the first one. He had such a rough time with his parents being assholes and the pressure from his family and then the attack and everything. I liked the emails. I kind of wish I could have read the ones that Gabe wrote about their intimate moments together, but I guess I'm just pervy or whatever.
There were times when maybe the conversations weren't exactly ...I don't know, a few of them felt off, but overall, I did like the book.
January 14, 2023
I will be completely honest and admit I've been almost afraid to read this second book in A.M. Arthur's 'Perspectives' series. The first book had me sobbing, horribly, at the end even though Shane and Noel got their happy ever after. My fear going into this installment was because this is Tristan's story, Noel's best friend, and since I already knew what the issues were with Tristan, I was positive this would be a difficult read for my heart and soul.
To figure out his mindset. Except he knew what it was, because he felt like that most of the time.
Lonely. Horny. Scared.
Sick and tired of his broken brain. Desperate to be whole again.
All of the above. All the time.
Three years ago Tristan's world imploded, and he suffered a very traumatic brain injury. Thus, he lives his life in thirty-minute increments as that's the most memory he can retain. He reminded me of the movie 'Memento' although I was pretty sure that Tristan wouldn't experience that same plot. A couple of months ago he went to Big Dick's alone, without Noel, and lost his notebook and then couldn't remember where he was and had a mini-meltdown. That's how Gabe met him. Gabe's dads own Big Dick's and Gabe hasn't been able to forget the young man with the memory problems. So when Noel, Shane, and Tristan return for a fun night, Gabe spends hours talking and dancing with Tristan, and doing a great job with Tristan's limits. What begins from there is an email relationship that is so sweet I found myself tearing up a few times.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
To figure out his mindset. Except he knew what it was, because he felt like that most of the time.
Lonely. Horny. Scared.
Sick and tired of his broken brain. Desperate to be whole again.
All of the above. All the time.
Three years ago Tristan's world imploded, and he suffered a very traumatic brain injury. Thus, he lives his life in thirty-minute increments as that's the most memory he can retain. He reminded me of the movie 'Memento' although I was pretty sure that Tristan wouldn't experience that same plot. A couple of months ago he went to Big Dick's alone, without Noel, and lost his notebook and then couldn't remember where he was and had a mini-meltdown. That's how Gabe met him. Gabe's dads own Big Dick's and Gabe hasn't been able to forget the young man with the memory problems. So when Noel, Shane, and Tristan return for a fun night, Gabe spends hours talking and dancing with Tristan, and doing a great job with Tristan's limits. What begins from there is an email relationship that is so sweet I found myself tearing up a few times.
Please find my full review at Rainbow Book Reviews
March 26, 2016
3.5 - 4 UNFORGETTABLE STARS!
Tristan has short term memory loss caused by a brutal attack, Gabe is a porn star who after witnessing Tristan having a major melt down (in book 1)can't seem to get Tristan out of his head. They meet up again by chance and so the story begins. Not as much angst as in book 1, thank the Lord, my nerves couldn't of taken it. A sweet story about overcoming dibilatating conditions and sticking by your loved ones no matter what. To fully enjoy this book I would recommend reading book 1 first.
Tristan has short term memory loss caused by a brutal attack, Gabe is a porn star who after witnessing Tristan having a major melt down (in book 1)can't seem to get Tristan out of his head. They meet up again by chance and so the story begins. Not as much angst as in book 1, thank the Lord, my nerves couldn't of taken it. A sweet story about overcoming dibilatating conditions and sticking by your loved ones no matter what. To fully enjoy this book I would recommend reading book 1 first.
January 18, 2024
So it's more about the illegal renegade adult modeling agency. And the men that work there. Almost like those documentaries on HBO.
January 13, 2016
The World As He Sees It is a sequel of sorts to The Truth as He Knows It, and while it can be read as a standalone, the experience is much better if the stories are read in order—for context and character development.
I really love Tristan from The Truth as He Knows It, and I was so happy that the author was giving him his own story. This is a love story between to very unconventional heroes. In fact, I would classify Gabe as more of an anti-hero.
We meet Gabe in the first book of this series, as the friend and sometimes porn scene partner of Shane, Tristan’s best friend Noel’s boyfriend. Gabe has had a pretty tough life—some would say by his own choosing. His dads own the gay bar, Big Dick’s, that is featured both in this series as well as The Cost of Repairs series. His mother is an alcoholic that he works three jobs to support—including his internet porn job, where he met Shane. His dads keep trying to tell him it’s not his job to take care of her, but he just can’t walk away.
We learned of Tristan’s story in the previous book; he has a traumatic brain injury from a gay-bashing that nearly killed him and Noel. His parents want nothing to do with him because of the gay, although they do still pay for his care and the long term care facility where Tristan lives. He has basically no short term memory, so he lives his life in notebooks and sticky notes, writing everything down so that he can refer back to them. Tristan meets Gabe when he decided he couldn’t take it anymore, and goes out by himself one night to Big Dick’s—where he loses his notebook and freaks out. Gabe helps calm him until Noel gets there, and it seems that somehow, Tristan remembers Gabe’s eyes. Gabe, being the caretaker that he is, wants nothing more than to fix everything for Tristan. He’s more than angry on Tristan’s behalf for what has happened to him and how he’s had to live his life since the attack.
I’m not going to recap the plot here. The essence of this story is truly two men who each have really big emotional needs in their lives, and how they have to fight to make a relationship work. They both know going into it that it won’t be easy or follow some well-established formula. Everything is going to be an improvisation with a lot of obstacles thrown in—from Gabe dealing with Tristan’s memory and health issues, to Gabe learning to put himself first and stop enabling his mother, to Tristan learning to deal with his own anger and sadness at his situation. I loved the evolution especially of Tristan coming to grips with what happened to him and his courage in asking his friends to stop treating him like a child and accept that yes, while he will always have issues, they need to help him grow and move on. Another aspect of this story I really enjoyed was Tristan’s reaction to Gabe’s porn career. So refreshing. :)
There is a lot of angst in this one, so if that’s not your thing, stay away. Dealing with an alcoholic brings its only special set of issues, especially to a kid who feels misplaced guilt about his parents’ breakup and his own sexuality. Tristan’s further abandonment by his family and the decisions that his friends make without informing or consulting him drives a wedge between the group. Luckily there is enough love and support for them to persevere and reach their well-deserved happy ending.
The first book in this series gutted me, and I’m happy to report that while there is still a lot of pain and drama in this story, I wasn’t left in tears at the end like that one, so that’s a good thing, right!?!? I definitely recommend this for fans of this author and this series or the Cost of Repairs series as well. Well done.
Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
I really love Tristan from The Truth as He Knows It, and I was so happy that the author was giving him his own story. This is a love story between to very unconventional heroes. In fact, I would classify Gabe as more of an anti-hero.
We meet Gabe in the first book of this series, as the friend and sometimes porn scene partner of Shane, Tristan’s best friend Noel’s boyfriend. Gabe has had a pretty tough life—some would say by his own choosing. His dads own the gay bar, Big Dick’s, that is featured both in this series as well as The Cost of Repairs series. His mother is an alcoholic that he works three jobs to support—including his internet porn job, where he met Shane. His dads keep trying to tell him it’s not his job to take care of her, but he just can’t walk away.
We learned of Tristan’s story in the previous book; he has a traumatic brain injury from a gay-bashing that nearly killed him and Noel. His parents want nothing to do with him because of the gay, although they do still pay for his care and the long term care facility where Tristan lives. He has basically no short term memory, so he lives his life in notebooks and sticky notes, writing everything down so that he can refer back to them. Tristan meets Gabe when he decided he couldn’t take it anymore, and goes out by himself one night to Big Dick’s—where he loses his notebook and freaks out. Gabe helps calm him until Noel gets there, and it seems that somehow, Tristan remembers Gabe’s eyes. Gabe, being the caretaker that he is, wants nothing more than to fix everything for Tristan. He’s more than angry on Tristan’s behalf for what has happened to him and how he’s had to live his life since the attack.
I’m not going to recap the plot here. The essence of this story is truly two men who each have really big emotional needs in their lives, and how they have to fight to make a relationship work. They both know going into it that it won’t be easy or follow some well-established formula. Everything is going to be an improvisation with a lot of obstacles thrown in—from Gabe dealing with Tristan’s memory and health issues, to Gabe learning to put himself first and stop enabling his mother, to Tristan learning to deal with his own anger and sadness at his situation. I loved the evolution especially of Tristan coming to grips with what happened to him and his courage in asking his friends to stop treating him like a child and accept that yes, while he will always have issues, they need to help him grow and move on. Another aspect of this story I really enjoyed was Tristan’s reaction to Gabe’s porn career. So refreshing. :)
There is a lot of angst in this one, so if that’s not your thing, stay away. Dealing with an alcoholic brings its only special set of issues, especially to a kid who feels misplaced guilt about his parents’ breakup and his own sexuality. Tristan’s further abandonment by his family and the decisions that his friends make without informing or consulting him drives a wedge between the group. Luckily there is enough love and support for them to persevere and reach their well-deserved happy ending.
The first book in this series gutted me, and I’m happy to report that while there is still a lot of pain and drama in this story, I wasn’t left in tears at the end like that one, so that’s a good thing, right!?!? I definitely recommend this for fans of this author and this series or the Cost of Repairs series as well. Well done.
Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
January 22, 2020
Seit einem Gay-Bashing, das er nur knapp überlebt hat, lebt Tristan Lavelle in einer Pflegeeinrichtung. Eigentlich hat er dort nichts verloren, da dort fast nur alte Menschen betreut werden. Doch seine Eltern bezahlen, ignorieren ihn jedoch. Sie sind nicht mehr Teil seines kleinen Lebens, das mühsam genug ist. Denn Tristan vergisst; sein Kurzzeitgedächtnis verabschiedet sich nach 30 Minuten. Immer wieder. So benutzt Tristan Notizbücher und Merkzettel, damit er sein Leben irgendwie auf die Reihe bekommt. Sein bester Freund Noel besucht ihn regelmäßig und ist auch sein Beschützer. Noel ist ebenfalls ein Opfer dieses Überfalls, kam jedoch mit körperlichen Verletzungen davon.
Tristan hingegen ist dieses Leben so satt. Und als Noel mit Shane zusammenkommt, wird ihm seine Einsamkeit immer mehr bewusst und zur Last. Bei einem unüberlegten Ausflug in einen Club lernt er Gabriel kennen. Und vergisst ihn auch wieder. Doch die Erinnerungsfetzen in Bezug auf Gabriel kehren zurück und da bekommt Tristan die Gelegenheit für eine neue medikamentöse Behandlung. Vielleicht gelingt es sein Erinnerungsvermögen zurückzuholen. Obwohl die Behandlung nicht ungefährlich ist, will Tristan diese Möglichkeit unbedingt haben. Und er will Gabriel. Er will eine Chance mit dem charismatischen Mann, der so unglaublich viel Geduld mit ihm und seinen Limits hat.
Dabei ist Gabriels Leben alles andere als einfach. Seine Mutter ist eine Alkoholikerin und Gabriel hat für sie Verantwortung übernommen. So auch für ihre ständigen Schulden. Dafür muss er viel arbeiten und dreht nebenbei auch Internet-Pornos. So hat er auch Shane und Noel kennengelernt. Für Gabe ist es nur ein Job; eine Notwendigkeit um die Schulden begleichen zu können. Doch dann trifft er auf Tristan, zu dem er sich sofort hingezogen fühlt. Es ist nicht nur die körperliche Anziehung, auch Tristans Humor und seine liebenswürdige Quirligkeit wirken auf Gabriel. Doch reicht das aus?
Dieses Mal konnte mich die Autorin voll und ganz überzeugen. Die Geschichte von Gabe und Tristan wird ruhiger und mit weniger Drama erzählt. Dennoch ist sie gefühlvoll und spannend geschrieben. Von Tristan hat man ja schon im ersten Teil viel erfahren, da sein Schicksal mit dem von Noel eng verknüpft ist. Gabe hingegen war noch ein kleines Mysterium. Doch auch sein Leben birgt so manches Drama in sich. Ich weiss nicht viel über solche Limits wie Tristan sie hat und ich habe auch keine Ahnung wie realistisch seine Entwicklung ist. Allerdings war es jedoch für mich durchaus glaubwürdig beschrieben, denn selbst nach monatelanger Behandlung fehlen Tris immer wieder Erinnerungen, auch wenn sein Zustand sich deutlich bessert. Der Umgang zwischen Tris und Gabe ist unglaublich sensibel und liebevoll. Es hat große Freude gemacht ihre Liebesgeschichte zu verfolgen. Unbedingt lesen!
Tristan hingegen ist dieses Leben so satt. Und als Noel mit Shane zusammenkommt, wird ihm seine Einsamkeit immer mehr bewusst und zur Last. Bei einem unüberlegten Ausflug in einen Club lernt er Gabriel kennen. Und vergisst ihn auch wieder. Doch die Erinnerungsfetzen in Bezug auf Gabriel kehren zurück und da bekommt Tristan die Gelegenheit für eine neue medikamentöse Behandlung. Vielleicht gelingt es sein Erinnerungsvermögen zurückzuholen. Obwohl die Behandlung nicht ungefährlich ist, will Tristan diese Möglichkeit unbedingt haben. Und er will Gabriel. Er will eine Chance mit dem charismatischen Mann, der so unglaublich viel Geduld mit ihm und seinen Limits hat.
Dabei ist Gabriels Leben alles andere als einfach. Seine Mutter ist eine Alkoholikerin und Gabriel hat für sie Verantwortung übernommen. So auch für ihre ständigen Schulden. Dafür muss er viel arbeiten und dreht nebenbei auch Internet-Pornos. So hat er auch Shane und Noel kennengelernt. Für Gabe ist es nur ein Job; eine Notwendigkeit um die Schulden begleichen zu können. Doch dann trifft er auf Tristan, zu dem er sich sofort hingezogen fühlt. Es ist nicht nur die körperliche Anziehung, auch Tristans Humor und seine liebenswürdige Quirligkeit wirken auf Gabriel. Doch reicht das aus?
Dieses Mal konnte mich die Autorin voll und ganz überzeugen. Die Geschichte von Gabe und Tristan wird ruhiger und mit weniger Drama erzählt. Dennoch ist sie gefühlvoll und spannend geschrieben. Von Tristan hat man ja schon im ersten Teil viel erfahren, da sein Schicksal mit dem von Noel eng verknüpft ist. Gabe hingegen war noch ein kleines Mysterium. Doch auch sein Leben birgt so manches Drama in sich. Ich weiss nicht viel über solche Limits wie Tristan sie hat und ich habe auch keine Ahnung wie realistisch seine Entwicklung ist. Allerdings war es jedoch für mich durchaus glaubwürdig beschrieben, denn selbst nach monatelanger Behandlung fehlen Tris immer wieder Erinnerungen, auch wenn sein Zustand sich deutlich bessert. Der Umgang zwischen Tris und Gabe ist unglaublich sensibel und liebevoll. Es hat große Freude gemacht ihre Liebesgeschichte zu verfolgen. Unbedingt lesen!
May 14, 2017
Far more enjoyable with less angsty stuff
I really liked this one, the drama and angst levels were so much more manageable compared to book one in the series.
I absolutely adored Gabe, he was perfect for Tristan, supportive without being patronising and willing to work with his short term memory issues.
The email correspondence was a clever way of getting the relationship development needed without the difficulties involved with Tristan's disability.
Shane also was much improved in this one while Noel had a brief period of being a dick but it was good to see them still together and thriving.
The sex was also lovingly crafted as Gabe found ways for Tristan to keep the feelings of their love making even when he couldn't find the memory.
I liked the way the medical trial was handled too with encouraging development not a miraculous recovery and how Gabe was giving Tristan hope for the future no matter what happened.
I really liked this one, the drama and angst levels were so much more manageable compared to book one in the series.
I absolutely adored Gabe, he was perfect for Tristan, supportive without being patronising and willing to work with his short term memory issues.
The email correspondence was a clever way of getting the relationship development needed without the difficulties involved with Tristan's disability.
Shane also was much improved in this one while Noel had a brief period of being a dick but it was good to see them still together and thriving.
The sex was also lovingly crafted as Gabe found ways for Tristan to keep the feelings of their love making even when he couldn't find the memory.
I liked the way the medical trial was handled too with encouraging development not a miraculous recovery and how Gabe was giving Tristan hope for the future no matter what happened.
January 17, 2016
Full release day review originally posted at Sinfully... Addicted
While this book can be read as a standalone, if you’ve read The Truth as He Knows It you will get so much more out of the story as Tristan’s relationship with Noel plays a big part here. This one focuses on Tristan, who was introduced in the first book as Noel’s best friend and who I instantly fell in love with. The two of them were victims of a gay bashing in college, leaving them both seriously injured, but leaving Tristan with short term memory damage. He is otherwise healthy but he is living in an assisted living facility with mostly elderly residents and while he retains all his memories up until the time of the assault, his short term memory tends to max out at 30 minutes. He has resorted to recording everything that happens in notebooks, on sticky notes and even on his hands. If something repeats enough, for instance Noel’s boyfriend Shane visiting him, he will retain a sense of “déjà vu” but won’t necessarily remember details; Shane becomes familiar to him, but he can’t remember his name.
Tristan briefly met Gabe in the first story when he was alone at Gabe’s dads’ bar and freaked out when his memory failed. Gabe assisted him and never forgot him. When Tristan returns to the bar with Shane and Noel the two spend the night dancing and strike up a friendship. Gabe has his own issues revolving around living with and supporting his alcoholic mother and he is holding down two jobs, one of which is making gay porn films.
As the two men get closer and Tristan participates in a drug trial that may strengthen his memory, Gabe struggles with how to reveal his porn career without losing Tristan. There are also some unexpected problems that arise between Tristan and Noel as Tristan starts to become more independent and spends more time with Gabe.
For those who are wondering, this book is a lot lower on the angst scale than the first story. While Tristan’s injuries and the life he has been living is heartbreaking, he is such a fun, sweet character and once he comes out of his shell his enthusiasm and joy just jumps off the page. He has times where his situation brings him down and he sees himself as a burden, or where he is jealous of Noel’s relationship with Shane, but he is also intent on trying to improve and live a life outside of the care facility. When Gabe enters his life as another connection to the outside world, Tristan’s flirtatious and loving personality really comes out. We get to know them first through their email correspondence before they start an actual physical relationship, which was a nice way to see that Gabe really wanted to be a part of Tristan’s life regardless of his condition.
Gabe is a perfect match for Tristan. The enormity of his heart can be seen in his refusal to walk away from the mother who has used and abused him his whole life. He has been filming porn for two years to support himself and pay off his mother’s debts. It also allowed him to have sex without attachments. Gabe is instantly attracted to and protective of Tristan, and he is able give Tristan what he needs - someone who will love and treat him like an adult as opposed to someone who is broken or damaged. The sex scenes were hot and the chemistry between the two characters smoldered even when they were just looking at each other across a table.
The drama in the story comes mostly from everyone tiptoeing around Tristan and keeping things from him. Both Noel and Gabe are keeping some pretty big secrets with the rationalization that they are waiting for the right moment or don’t want to hurt Tristan, but of course we know that never works out too well. I liked the way Tristan handled himself in both situations. I’m pretty sure there will be a big division in readers’ reaction to how the fallout from Gabe’s porn job is handled, but I for one didn’t have a problem with Tristan’s reaction. It was not necessarily what I expected, but I liked that it was something different and that Tristan asserted his ability to choose what he would and would not accept in his relationship regardless of how Noel or anyone else might have wanted him to act.
Tristan and Gabe quickly became one of my favorite A.M. Arthur couples. The story was paced really well and had a happier, lighter tone than the first. By not getting dragged down in drama it allowed the focus to be on building a solid relationship between the two characters and finding ways to work around unmovable obstacles. There is a happy ending and I hope to see more updates on Tristan and Gabe in future books.
While this book can be read as a standalone, if you’ve read The Truth as He Knows It you will get so much more out of the story as Tristan’s relationship with Noel plays a big part here. This one focuses on Tristan, who was introduced in the first book as Noel’s best friend and who I instantly fell in love with. The two of them were victims of a gay bashing in college, leaving them both seriously injured, but leaving Tristan with short term memory damage. He is otherwise healthy but he is living in an assisted living facility with mostly elderly residents and while he retains all his memories up until the time of the assault, his short term memory tends to max out at 30 minutes. He has resorted to recording everything that happens in notebooks, on sticky notes and even on his hands. If something repeats enough, for instance Noel’s boyfriend Shane visiting him, he will retain a sense of “déjà vu” but won’t necessarily remember details; Shane becomes familiar to him, but he can’t remember his name.
Tristan briefly met Gabe in the first story when he was alone at Gabe’s dads’ bar and freaked out when his memory failed. Gabe assisted him and never forgot him. When Tristan returns to the bar with Shane and Noel the two spend the night dancing and strike up a friendship. Gabe has his own issues revolving around living with and supporting his alcoholic mother and he is holding down two jobs, one of which is making gay porn films.
As the two men get closer and Tristan participates in a drug trial that may strengthen his memory, Gabe struggles with how to reveal his porn career without losing Tristan. There are also some unexpected problems that arise between Tristan and Noel as Tristan starts to become more independent and spends more time with Gabe.
For those who are wondering, this book is a lot lower on the angst scale than the first story. While Tristan’s injuries and the life he has been living is heartbreaking, he is such a fun, sweet character and once he comes out of his shell his enthusiasm and joy just jumps off the page. He has times where his situation brings him down and he sees himself as a burden, or where he is jealous of Noel’s relationship with Shane, but he is also intent on trying to improve and live a life outside of the care facility. When Gabe enters his life as another connection to the outside world, Tristan’s flirtatious and loving personality really comes out. We get to know them first through their email correspondence before they start an actual physical relationship, which was a nice way to see that Gabe really wanted to be a part of Tristan’s life regardless of his condition.
Gabe is a perfect match for Tristan. The enormity of his heart can be seen in his refusal to walk away from the mother who has used and abused him his whole life. He has been filming porn for two years to support himself and pay off his mother’s debts. It also allowed him to have sex without attachments. Gabe is instantly attracted to and protective of Tristan, and he is able give Tristan what he needs - someone who will love and treat him like an adult as opposed to someone who is broken or damaged. The sex scenes were hot and the chemistry between the two characters smoldered even when they were just looking at each other across a table.
The drama in the story comes mostly from everyone tiptoeing around Tristan and keeping things from him. Both Noel and Gabe are keeping some pretty big secrets with the rationalization that they are waiting for the right moment or don’t want to hurt Tristan, but of course we know that never works out too well. I liked the way Tristan handled himself in both situations. I’m pretty sure there will be a big division in readers’ reaction to how the fallout from Gabe’s porn job is handled, but I for one didn’t have a problem with Tristan’s reaction. It was not necessarily what I expected, but I liked that it was something different and that Tristan asserted his ability to choose what he would and would not accept in his relationship regardless of how Noel or anyone else might have wanted him to act.
Tristan and Gabe quickly became one of my favorite A.M. Arthur couples. The story was paced really well and had a happier, lighter tone than the first. By not getting dragged down in drama it allowed the focus to be on building a solid relationship between the two characters and finding ways to work around unmovable obstacles. There is a happy ending and I hope to see more updates on Tristan and Gabe in future books.
March 12, 2017
4.5 stars
October 20, 2015
This is the second book in a series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Tristan and Gabe met once in the bathroom of the gay bar Gabe's fathers own, Big Dick's, in the previous book in this series. Gabe was struck by Tristan's vulnerability, it flipped all his care-taking switches, when Tristan had a panic attack after he forgot where he was. This book picks up two months later when Tristan returns to Big Dick's with his friends Noah and Shane--and Gabe takes total care of them.
See, Tristan was gay bashed three years prior and his short-term memory is around 30 minutes. He copes by taking copious notes of all his interactions. His best friend, Noah, was also attacked with him--though Noah came out of it with only physical and emotional scars. Noah visits Tristan twice a week, oftentimes with his boyfriend, Shane. (The previous book was about Shane and Noah, and they have important recurring roles here.)
Gabe knows Shane from work--well in a couple ways. Gabe has been a gay porn actor for two years and did a few scenes with Shane in the previous book. He knew Shane wanted to get out of porn, so he helped Shane to get hired as a go-go dancer at Big Dick's. They are friendly, though there is no spark between them.
There is, however, a BIG SPARK for Gabe and Tristan. Gabe is drawn to Tristan, and wants to protect him. Gabe has his own troubles, though. He is living with, and paying the mortgage for, his verbally and physically abusive alcoholic mother. She never got over her husband being a closeted gay man, and Gabe suffered her abuse and disease for some time, before he was raised by his dads.
Tristan's memory is a problem that Gabe works through by having email communication. This way, Tristan has a physical record of their connection. In addition, they video chat and Gabe begins to make an impression in Tristan's mind. Add to this, Tristan is offered inclusion in a drug trial that may increase his short-term memory retention. The risks can be severe and debilitating, but they are worth it for him to try.
This is a sweet and sexy story that really felt complete. I liked Gabe bunches. He's a caring and compassionate lonely man. And Tristan is the same. He has been kicked, beaten and kicked again when he was down. Yet, he does look for a better life, a whole life that he can share with someone he loves. Gabe seems to be that man, but what will Tristan think about his mom? Or, the porn?
The results were positive, and smoking hot. I never felt like either man was "settling." There was genuine attraction and affection throughout. Each man was as honest as he could be, and the full truth was not nearly as devastating as they expected. Expect an HEA and two guys who wear each other out the second they get some alone-time. (Or, "semi" alone-time.)
I received a review copy via NetGalley.
Tristan and Gabe met once in the bathroom of the gay bar Gabe's fathers own, Big Dick's, in the previous book in this series. Gabe was struck by Tristan's vulnerability, it flipped all his care-taking switches, when Tristan had a panic attack after he forgot where he was. This book picks up two months later when Tristan returns to Big Dick's with his friends Noah and Shane--and Gabe takes total care of them.
See, Tristan was gay bashed three years prior and his short-term memory is around 30 minutes. He copes by taking copious notes of all his interactions. His best friend, Noah, was also attacked with him--though Noah came out of it with only physical and emotional scars. Noah visits Tristan twice a week, oftentimes with his boyfriend, Shane. (The previous book was about Shane and Noah, and they have important recurring roles here.)
Gabe knows Shane from work--well in a couple ways. Gabe has been a gay porn actor for two years and did a few scenes with Shane in the previous book. He knew Shane wanted to get out of porn, so he helped Shane to get hired as a go-go dancer at Big Dick's. They are friendly, though there is no spark between them.
There is, however, a BIG SPARK for Gabe and Tristan. Gabe is drawn to Tristan, and wants to protect him. Gabe has his own troubles, though. He is living with, and paying the mortgage for, his verbally and physically abusive alcoholic mother. She never got over her husband being a closeted gay man, and Gabe suffered her abuse and disease for some time, before he was raised by his dads.
Tristan's memory is a problem that Gabe works through by having email communication. This way, Tristan has a physical record of their connection. In addition, they video chat and Gabe begins to make an impression in Tristan's mind. Add to this, Tristan is offered inclusion in a drug trial that may increase his short-term memory retention. The risks can be severe and debilitating, but they are worth it for him to try.
This is a sweet and sexy story that really felt complete. I liked Gabe bunches. He's a caring and compassionate lonely man. And Tristan is the same. He has been kicked, beaten and kicked again when he was down. Yet, he does look for a better life, a whole life that he can share with someone he loves. Gabe seems to be that man, but what will Tristan think about his mom? Or, the porn?
The results were positive, and smoking hot. I never felt like either man was "settling." There was genuine attraction and affection throughout. Each man was as honest as he could be, and the full truth was not nearly as devastating as they expected. Expect an HEA and two guys who wear each other out the second they get some alone-time. (Or, "semi" alone-time.)
I received a review copy via NetGalley.
January 4, 2017
This was such a beautiful story. We met Tristan and Gabe from Book 1 The Truth as He Knows It. We didn't really learn a lot about Gabe from book 1, but Tristan did play a key role, so I kind of fell in love with him. :)
(Note: I listened to the audio version and the narration was great! This is a long listen at about 10hrs, but well worth it. The time flew by, no kidding).
Tristan's story is so sad: about 3 years ago he and his friend Noelle (from book 1) were walking one night when they were attacked (gay bashing), and Tristan suffered the most trauma and as a result, he has short term memory problems. After about 30 minutes, whatever he did, said, learned is lost - so he writes everything down in journals so he can read about what happened.
Tristan's life is lonely; he lives in an assisted living facility, and his parents have turned their back on him (because he's gay) and only provide monetary support to pay for his care. They never see him or write, nothing. It's Noelle (his best friend from college) and a few other friends who support Tristan. But again, Tristan is lonely and frustrated. He's very angry and you could say bitter about his life. One night Tristan decides enough is enough and he manages to go to a gay night club determined to have fun. Things don't go according to plan because as Tristan is with a guy, his memory resets and he doesn't know where he is or what's going on. He freaks and Gabe is there to help calm him down. This is how they met, and the rest of The World As He Sees It is how Tristan and Gabe grow closer, and how Tristan is able resolve his feelings about his parents abandonment, as well as his assault. Gabe is also able to move forward in his relationship with his alcoholic mother.
There was so much emotion in this story, and I really felt for Tristan (all of them because they are impacted by Tristan too, but most of all Tristan I hurt for). Tristan is just such a sweet guy and it was hard to see him struggling so much.
I highly recommend this story and if you have a soft heart, bring the tissues. I am ready for the next book in the series, although I don't really know the characters. It will be good, because how could it not be with such previous success? A.M. Arthur is fast becoming my obsession. :-D
(Note: I listened to the audio version and the narration was great! This is a long listen at about 10hrs, but well worth it. The time flew by, no kidding).
Tristan's story is so sad: about 3 years ago he and his friend Noelle (from book 1) were walking one night when they were attacked (gay bashing), and Tristan suffered the most trauma and as a result, he has short term memory problems. After about 30 minutes, whatever he did, said, learned is lost - so he writes everything down in journals so he can read about what happened.
Tristan's life is lonely; he lives in an assisted living facility, and his parents have turned their back on him (because he's gay) and only provide monetary support to pay for his care. They never see him or write, nothing. It's Noelle (his best friend from college) and a few other friends who support Tristan. But again, Tristan is lonely and frustrated. He's very angry and you could say bitter about his life. One night Tristan decides enough is enough and he manages to go to a gay night club determined to have fun. Things don't go according to plan because as Tristan is with a guy, his memory resets and he doesn't know where he is or what's going on. He freaks and Gabe is there to help calm him down. This is how they met, and the rest of The World As He Sees It is how Tristan and Gabe grow closer, and how Tristan is able resolve his feelings about his parents abandonment, as well as his assault. Gabe is also able to move forward in his relationship with his alcoholic mother.
There was so much emotion in this story, and I really felt for Tristan (all of them because they are impacted by Tristan too, but most of all Tristan I hurt for). Tristan is just such a sweet guy and it was hard to see him struggling so much.
I highly recommend this story and if you have a soft heart, bring the tissues. I am ready for the next book in the series, although I don't really know the characters. It will be good, because how could it not be with such previous success? A.M. Arthur is fast becoming my obsession. :-D
January 28, 2016
>>Diese Rezension und viele mehr findet ihr auch hier: http://wort-welten.blogspot.de/
Zusammenfassung:
Seit drei Jahren findet das Leben von Tristan Lavelle fast ausschließlich in einer Anlage für betreutes Wohnen statt. Dorthin haben ihn seine Eltern abgeschoben, als zu der Tatsache, dass ihr einziger verbliebener Sohn schwul ist, noch der Umstand dazukam, dass Unbekannte ihn eben deshalb so schlimm verprügelt haben, dass er einen irreparablen Hirnschaden zurückbehalten hat. Seitdem lebt Tristan sein Leben in Episoden von maximal dreißig Minuten, ehe er alles, was sich in jenen dreißig Minuten ereignet hat, wieder völlig vergessen hat. Als er eines Tages aus Frust und Wut über seine Situation alleine in einen Nachtclub geht und dort einen Zusammenbruch hat, weil er sich nicht erinnern kann, wie er da überhaupt hingekommen ist, begegnet er dort Gabe, dem Sohn der beiden Besitzer. Und aus irgendeinem Grund kann sich Tristan trotz seines beschädigten Gedächtnisses auch Monate später noch an Gabe erinnern ...
Fazit:
Im zweiten Teil der Perspectives-Reihe befassen wir uns nun also mit dem Glück von Tristan und Gabe, die ja nun nicht eben die beste Ausgangssituation für eine Beziehung haben. Zunächst war ich mir absolut sicher, dass ich dieses Buch lieber mögen würde, einfach weil Tristan und Gabe es mit ihren E-Mails erst einmal, der Situation entsprechend, langsam angegangen sind. Schon einmal ganz anders als Noel und Shane im ersten Buch der Reihe.
Aber dann hat Arthur plötzlich aufs Gas gedrückt, wie mir schien und aus einer Freundschaft musste innerhalb weniger Seiten unbedingt und ganz schnell - ich bitte um Entschuldigung - wildes Herumgemache und hektische Vögelei, ganz wie an einem der Sets von Gabes Job als Pornodarsteller, werden. Musste das wirklich sein? Tja, scheinbar schon. Und von da an wurde das Buch für mich einfach zu oberflächlich zu "Who cares?", wenn man es mal so ausdrücken will. Von der eigenartig befremdlichen Darstellung des Alkoholproblems von Gabes Mutter einmal ganz abgesehen. Deshalb dann letzten Endes auch meine Bewertung.
Zusammenfassung:
Seit drei Jahren findet das Leben von Tristan Lavelle fast ausschließlich in einer Anlage für betreutes Wohnen statt. Dorthin haben ihn seine Eltern abgeschoben, als zu der Tatsache, dass ihr einziger verbliebener Sohn schwul ist, noch der Umstand dazukam, dass Unbekannte ihn eben deshalb so schlimm verprügelt haben, dass er einen irreparablen Hirnschaden zurückbehalten hat. Seitdem lebt Tristan sein Leben in Episoden von maximal dreißig Minuten, ehe er alles, was sich in jenen dreißig Minuten ereignet hat, wieder völlig vergessen hat. Als er eines Tages aus Frust und Wut über seine Situation alleine in einen Nachtclub geht und dort einen Zusammenbruch hat, weil er sich nicht erinnern kann, wie er da überhaupt hingekommen ist, begegnet er dort Gabe, dem Sohn der beiden Besitzer. Und aus irgendeinem Grund kann sich Tristan trotz seines beschädigten Gedächtnisses auch Monate später noch an Gabe erinnern ...
Fazit:
Im zweiten Teil der Perspectives-Reihe befassen wir uns nun also mit dem Glück von Tristan und Gabe, die ja nun nicht eben die beste Ausgangssituation für eine Beziehung haben. Zunächst war ich mir absolut sicher, dass ich dieses Buch lieber mögen würde, einfach weil Tristan und Gabe es mit ihren E-Mails erst einmal, der Situation entsprechend, langsam angegangen sind. Schon einmal ganz anders als Noel und Shane im ersten Buch der Reihe.
Aber dann hat Arthur plötzlich aufs Gas gedrückt, wie mir schien und aus einer Freundschaft musste innerhalb weniger Seiten unbedingt und ganz schnell - ich bitte um Entschuldigung - wildes Herumgemache und hektische Vögelei, ganz wie an einem der Sets von Gabes Job als Pornodarsteller, werden. Musste das wirklich sein? Tja, scheinbar schon. Und von da an wurde das Buch für mich einfach zu oberflächlich zu "Who cares?", wenn man es mal so ausdrücken will. Von der eigenartig befremdlichen Darstellung des Alkoholproblems von Gabes Mutter einmal ganz abgesehen. Deshalb dann letzten Endes auch meine Bewertung.
October 26, 2015
This was such a sweet and moving story.
Tristan has one hell of a life.
He doesn't remember anything after a 30 minute time span.
He lives through sticky notes, calendars and notes written in a notebook.
He is young, beautiful, quirky, and funny, yet not living a life at all!
My heart broke for him!!
Gabe is instantly attracted and mesmerized.
He's such a tender and patient man and the way he acts with Tristan is beautiful.
I enjoyed how they took their time getting to know each other and loved the emails!
I'm not sure how I feel about Gabe's 'job' or how easily acceptable it all is.
I guess I'm a bit of a prude? Too much of a jealous bitch maybe? lol
But I'd have been a little more upset rather than turned on. ?? Not quite sure about that.
Regardless, I found this to be a sweet, funny and sexy read with a bit of sadness added into the mix.
I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading more from this new to me author!
Read more reviews at Judy's Confessions
*ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Tristan has one hell of a life.
He doesn't remember anything after a 30 minute time span.
He lives through sticky notes, calendars and notes written in a notebook.
He is young, beautiful, quirky, and funny, yet not living a life at all!
My heart broke for him!!
Gabe is instantly attracted and mesmerized.
He's such a tender and patient man and the way he acts with Tristan is beautiful.
I enjoyed how they took their time getting to know each other and loved the emails!
I'm not sure how I feel about Gabe's 'job' or how easily acceptable it all is.
I guess I'm a bit of a prude? Too much of a jealous bitch maybe? lol
But I'd have been a little more upset rather than turned on. ?? Not quite sure about that.
Regardless, I found this to be a sweet, funny and sexy read with a bit of sadness added into the mix.
I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading more from this new to me author!
"The people we meet are in our lives for a reason. Sometimes for a long time, sometimes for an hour, but everyone affects us in some way."
Read more reviews at Judy's Confessions
*ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
December 12, 2015
I loved Tristan getting his own book - so full of sass and a lust for life, with a terrible short term memory problem. Along come Gabe, the hard working, deeply emotional porn star & jack of all trades ... Perfect for Tristan❤️. Both guys battled their issues and found the love they deserved.
Really enjoyed this book
Really enjoyed this book
December 25, 2018
4.5 stars. The basic mistake about how powers of attorney work repeated over and over in the story annoyed the hell out of me. Otherwise, I loved it. Because I accidentally read book 3 where Tristan and Gabe were already a couple first, I was really anxious to their story. This was my favorite of the three so far. This is probably where I’m stopping with the series though since the last two blurbs don’t really interest me. Narration was also quite good.
January 29, 2020
Darum geht's:
Tristan lebt in einem Alten- und Pflegeheim, denn er kommt alleine nicht klar. Seitdem er bei einem Überfall schwere Kopfverletzungen davongetragen hat, versagt sein Gedächtnis und spätestens nach einer halben Stunde ist vergessen, was er gerade erlebt hat. Sein bester Freund Noel ist sein einziger Halt. Und neuerdings auch Gabriel, der in einem Schwulenclub hinter der Bar steht und Tristan mitten in einem Panikanfall kennengelernt hat. Doch das scheint Gabriel nicht abzuschrecken.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
Tristan lebt in einem Alten- und Pflegeheim, denn er kommt alleine nicht klar. Seitdem er bei einem Überfall schwere Kopfverletzungen davongetragen hat, versagt sein Gedächtnis und spätestens nach einer halben Stunde ist vergessen, was er gerade erlebt hat. Sein bester Freund Noel ist sein einziger Halt. Und neuerdings auch Gabriel, der in einem Schwulenclub hinter der Bar steht und Tristan mitten in einem Panikanfall kennengelernt hat. Doch das scheint Gabriel nicht abzuschrecken.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
October 20, 2015
Slick's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
I'll admit that while reading the first book in the Perspectives series, I knew that secondary character, Tristan, was someone I not only wanted to know better but I wanted him to have his happily ever after, but given that Tristan had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a gay bashing I honestly didn't know if it could or would happen. The World As He Sees It is Tristan's story and it is courageous, beautiful, hopeful but it is also playful, sexy and even a little bit raunchy and that is just the way he wants it to be. Tristan has endured a lot but seeing his best friend fall in love triggered a hunger in him; he wants a real life; he wants intimacy, respect, friendship, and love and in this story he finds it and it is simply fantastic.
Tristan's life is pretty routine he lives in a long term care facility where most of the patients are much older than him, he has post it notes everywhere to remind him of things he needs to do every day and he has his spiral notebooks that he records things he wants to remember. Tristan's injury prevents him from remembering anything longer than about 30 minutes although he has his long term memory from before the accident 3 years ago. His best friend Noel and Noel's boyfriend Shane come to see him once a week and take him out of the home something that Tristan looks forward to. A special outing at night to a gay nightclub to celebrate Tristan's birthday is exciting especially when Tristan meets Gabe a man who helped him when he came to the club alone and had a bad experience.
Gabe's life is far from perfect; living and taking care of his alcoholic mother, working as a waiter at a restaurant and part time at his gay Dads' nightclub and as an online porn star keeps him busy and even with the three jobs sometimes it's hard to make ends meet. He doesn't have a lot of close friends because of his circumstances but when he runs into Tristan again at his Dads' club he's happy to help him celebrate his birthday. He felt something for Tristan that first night they met and while he knows about Tristan's brain injury he's intrigued and knows if nothing else he wants to spend more time with him.
I love the bond these two shared and the way their friendship became stronger as they traded emails back and forth about their lives. There was sweetness about these exchanges as they settled into a routine of letting each other into their lives. I appreciated that Gabe understood Tristan's limitations but also respected that he is a man and while he might not remember everything he knows his mind and is fully capable of making his wants and needs known. I especially loved that Gabe wanted the physical intimacy Tristan asked for but not only made sure Tristan was okay throughout that he emailed him the details so he wouldn't forget their times together. There was so much that was special about their relationship and with each word, line, and chapter I fell head over heels in love with both of these young men and applauded every step they took to be together.
While there was some drama due to Tristan's medical condition and Noel's mothering tendencies it was quite refreshing that Tristan and Gabe made each moment they spent together special and remarkable. A lot can be learned from a relationship like theirs because if more of us would forget those little annoyances and those pockets of bad times and just lived in the present, we'd probably all be better off.
Author A.M. Arthur has offered up another spectacular story and one that impressed me not only with the delicate but honest handling of a lifelong impairment, but in showing that sometimes all it takes in having someone believe in you and your abilities to make a huge difference in the way you see yourself. I once again am floored by this gifted writer and her ability to make me feel so very much for her characters and relish in the happiness they deserve.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
I'll admit that while reading the first book in the Perspectives series, I knew that secondary character, Tristan, was someone I not only wanted to know better but I wanted him to have his happily ever after, but given that Tristan had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a gay bashing I honestly didn't know if it could or would happen. The World As He Sees It is Tristan's story and it is courageous, beautiful, hopeful but it is also playful, sexy and even a little bit raunchy and that is just the way he wants it to be. Tristan has endured a lot but seeing his best friend fall in love triggered a hunger in him; he wants a real life; he wants intimacy, respect, friendship, and love and in this story he finds it and it is simply fantastic.
Tristan's life is pretty routine he lives in a long term care facility where most of the patients are much older than him, he has post it notes everywhere to remind him of things he needs to do every day and he has his spiral notebooks that he records things he wants to remember. Tristan's injury prevents him from remembering anything longer than about 30 minutes although he has his long term memory from before the accident 3 years ago. His best friend Noel and Noel's boyfriend Shane come to see him once a week and take him out of the home something that Tristan looks forward to. A special outing at night to a gay nightclub to celebrate Tristan's birthday is exciting especially when Tristan meets Gabe a man who helped him when he came to the club alone and had a bad experience.
Gabe's life is far from perfect; living and taking care of his alcoholic mother, working as a waiter at a restaurant and part time at his gay Dads' nightclub and as an online porn star keeps him busy and even with the three jobs sometimes it's hard to make ends meet. He doesn't have a lot of close friends because of his circumstances but when he runs into Tristan again at his Dads' club he's happy to help him celebrate his birthday. He felt something for Tristan that first night they met and while he knows about Tristan's brain injury he's intrigued and knows if nothing else he wants to spend more time with him.
I love the bond these two shared and the way their friendship became stronger as they traded emails back and forth about their lives. There was sweetness about these exchanges as they settled into a routine of letting each other into their lives. I appreciated that Gabe understood Tristan's limitations but also respected that he is a man and while he might not remember everything he knows his mind and is fully capable of making his wants and needs known. I especially loved that Gabe wanted the physical intimacy Tristan asked for but not only made sure Tristan was okay throughout that he emailed him the details so he wouldn't forget their times together. There was so much that was special about their relationship and with each word, line, and chapter I fell head over heels in love with both of these young men and applauded every step they took to be together.
While there was some drama due to Tristan's medical condition and Noel's mothering tendencies it was quite refreshing that Tristan and Gabe made each moment they spent together special and remarkable. A lot can be learned from a relationship like theirs because if more of us would forget those little annoyances and those pockets of bad times and just lived in the present, we'd probably all be better off.
Author A.M. Arthur has offered up another spectacular story and one that impressed me not only with the delicate but honest handling of a lifelong impairment, but in showing that sometimes all it takes in having someone believe in you and your abilities to make a huge difference in the way you see yourself. I once again am floored by this gifted writer and her ability to make me feel so very much for her characters and relish in the happiness they deserve.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
October 20, 2015
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
4.5 Stars
Tristan is and probably will be for a long time one of my favourite characters. When his family was still complete he was always the son in the shadows. His brother was the apple of his parents eye, the over achiever, the one they had pinned all their hopes on. When the pressure became too much his brother was suddenly gone and in some ways so was Tristan. He was never good enough to meet up to the high expectations placed upon him, he never wanted what his parents drove him towards and he found himself hiding his dreams and the person he really was. When he finally made a break for freedom and started really living at college his dreams were yet again snatched from him in a vicious attack that altered the course of his life entirely.
We met Tristan in book 1 of this series. He’s Noel’s best friend and these two men have something in common that binds them to each other, they were both attacked and left for dead. Noel was left with scars and memories but Tristan’s memory was taken away…almost entirely. He can remember things from before the attack but everything since disappears after half an hour. His life revolves around post it notes and his diary which he records all of life’s little details. He lives in an assisted living facility surrounded by old people, his world is the four walls around him, he is lonely, depressed and sees no end to his turmoil.
Two things happen that offer Tristan some hope. The first is that he meets Gabe although after the first time he doesn’t remember of course and the second is that he is offered a place on a drugs trial for patients with memory loss. The drug trial is a no brainer for Tristan and he agrees to it immediately giving very little thought to the side effects, for a man stuck in an endless loop of time any recovery outweighs the risks. His relationship with Gabe is a lot more complicated as for the first time in three years Tristan is becoming close to someone other than Noel and beginning a new relationship, one that involves becoming sexually active again, where the only memories you have later are those that are written in your diary and it proves difficult.
Gabe grew up with the love of both his fathers after living with his alcoholic mother became too dangerous. He can’t quite cut the ties with his relapsed mother, he is a man that doesn’t ignore his perceived responsibilities no matter how hard they make his life, so he is back living with and supporting a parent who is very self-destructive. To keep up with the bills and his mother’s out of control spending he films porn a couple of times a month for a small local studio. After being hurt in a previous relationship Gabe uses the sex he has in porn to replace nameless hook ups but yearns for a proper relationship and someone to love.
Watching Tristan’s struggles with life is painful, humourous and endearing. He is such a loving and tactile person who has lived a cold and solitary life since the accident that meeting Gabe is like getting all his birthdays in one go. As you get to see glimpses of the old Tristan reappear you get to see more of what was stolen in a mindless act of bigotry. The more self-sufficient he becomes the more difficult his relationship is with Noel and they have to re-establish boundaries, it’s not always comfortable but it is necessary.
I loved the emails, I jumped for joy when he remembered what time breakfast was, my heart broke a little because of his asshole parents, I cheered from the side-lines the whole way through the book and I was left feeling a little sad and a whole lot happier when it came to the end. I LOVED Tristan!
4.5 Stars
Tristan is and probably will be for a long time one of my favourite characters. When his family was still complete he was always the son in the shadows. His brother was the apple of his parents eye, the over achiever, the one they had pinned all their hopes on. When the pressure became too much his brother was suddenly gone and in some ways so was Tristan. He was never good enough to meet up to the high expectations placed upon him, he never wanted what his parents drove him towards and he found himself hiding his dreams and the person he really was. When he finally made a break for freedom and started really living at college his dreams were yet again snatched from him in a vicious attack that altered the course of his life entirely.
We met Tristan in book 1 of this series. He’s Noel’s best friend and these two men have something in common that binds them to each other, they were both attacked and left for dead. Noel was left with scars and memories but Tristan’s memory was taken away…almost entirely. He can remember things from before the attack but everything since disappears after half an hour. His life revolves around post it notes and his diary which he records all of life’s little details. He lives in an assisted living facility surrounded by old people, his world is the four walls around him, he is lonely, depressed and sees no end to his turmoil.
Two things happen that offer Tristan some hope. The first is that he meets Gabe although after the first time he doesn’t remember of course and the second is that he is offered a place on a drugs trial for patients with memory loss. The drug trial is a no brainer for Tristan and he agrees to it immediately giving very little thought to the side effects, for a man stuck in an endless loop of time any recovery outweighs the risks. His relationship with Gabe is a lot more complicated as for the first time in three years Tristan is becoming close to someone other than Noel and beginning a new relationship, one that involves becoming sexually active again, where the only memories you have later are those that are written in your diary and it proves difficult.
Gabe grew up with the love of both his fathers after living with his alcoholic mother became too dangerous. He can’t quite cut the ties with his relapsed mother, he is a man that doesn’t ignore his perceived responsibilities no matter how hard they make his life, so he is back living with and supporting a parent who is very self-destructive. To keep up with the bills and his mother’s out of control spending he films porn a couple of times a month for a small local studio. After being hurt in a previous relationship Gabe uses the sex he has in porn to replace nameless hook ups but yearns for a proper relationship and someone to love.
Watching Tristan’s struggles with life is painful, humourous and endearing. He is such a loving and tactile person who has lived a cold and solitary life since the accident that meeting Gabe is like getting all his birthdays in one go. As you get to see glimpses of the old Tristan reappear you get to see more of what was stolen in a mindless act of bigotry. The more self-sufficient he becomes the more difficult his relationship is with Noel and they have to re-establish boundaries, it’s not always comfortable but it is necessary.
I loved the emails, I jumped for joy when he remembered what time breakfast was, my heart broke a little because of his asshole parents, I cheered from the side-lines the whole way through the book and I was left feeling a little sad and a whole lot happier when it came to the end. I LOVED Tristan!
May 8, 2016
I think I was in the minority of not loving this one, but I had a few issues with it that dampened my enthusiasm.
As much as I want to root for the underdog, both Gabe and Tristan got on my nerves. I can't really review the book without explaining what bugged me about the book, so I apologize in advance if I get ranty.
#1: Gabe and porn. In the previous book, Shane is doing porn for the heart-string-tugging reason of trying to get money for his bro and medical expenses, but he's also super conflicted about it because he himself hates doing it. He hides it from Noel but is upfront with him about not being able to go exclusive, even if he hides the reason why. I could understand the inner conflict and couldn't fault Shane for his actions. Gabe is also in the porn business, but he enjoys it because it's frequent, uncomplicated sex and it pays for his alcoholic mom (another attempt at tugging the heart strings, although less successful imo). He likes it, has no intention of stopping anytime soon, but still doesn't want to tell Tristan because he's afraid of how he'll react. That's BS. If you're going to be unapologetic about doing porn, then you own it and be upfront with it. I'm not saying he needs to lead conversations with it, but hell yeah, you tell your significant other before they become too significant. I think the author couldn't do the same conflicted schtick that she did with Shane, so she made Gabe all into his porn, but it did not ring true.
#2 Tristan and his reaction to the porn. Tristan was totally self conscious about being with Gabe because of his mental issues, so for Tristan to be totally cool with Gabe sleeping with others did not ring true. Only someone who has total self confidence could handle something like that. I didn't buy it, and instead it just made me mad.
#3 Tristan and his bitchiness with Noel. Noel is the one guy who has stood buy Tristan, and I don't see Tristan exercising his sass with anyone but Noel. Lame. You don't blast the guy who has done everything, been everything for you just because you find someone new who floats your boat.
#4 All the hate for Gabe's mom. I'm not making excuses for her neglect, abuse, or chemical dependencies. However, she gets some serious hate for not forgiving her hubby for cheating on her and then abandoning her. The dads and Gabe are like, well tough, get over it. While they baby Tristan, telling him no one gets to tell him how he should feel about little things (like omissions from Noel), they are cold hearted when it comes to Gabe's mom and the biggest betrayal a man can make. Well, no one gets to tell Gabe's mom how she gets to feel about being lied to and cheated on. I have no patience for cheaters, especially in fiction. None. This is all on Bear. I'm always surprised at the female authors who expressly or implicitly condone husbands who have affairs with other men. I guess those husbands get a pass because they're gay?? For some reason, it's portrayed as less of a betrayal than if a husband cheats with a woman. I'm calling BS on that, too. Sexist BS. Cheating is cheating. I get that some married men are conflicted. If they want to experiment with a dude, they need to own up to it and settle up with their wife first.
As much as I want to root for the underdog, both Gabe and Tristan got on my nerves. I can't really review the book without explaining what bugged me about the book, so I apologize in advance if I get ranty.
#1: Gabe and porn. In the previous book, Shane is doing porn for the heart-string-tugging reason of trying to get money for his bro and medical expenses, but he's also super conflicted about it because he himself hates doing it. He hides it from Noel but is upfront with him about not being able to go exclusive, even if he hides the reason why. I could understand the inner conflict and couldn't fault Shane for his actions. Gabe is also in the porn business, but he enjoys it because it's frequent, uncomplicated sex and it pays for his alcoholic mom (another attempt at tugging the heart strings, although less successful imo). He likes it, has no intention of stopping anytime soon, but still doesn't want to tell Tristan because he's afraid of how he'll react. That's BS. If you're going to be unapologetic about doing porn, then you own it and be upfront with it. I'm not saying he needs to lead conversations with it, but hell yeah, you tell your significant other before they become too significant. I think the author couldn't do the same conflicted schtick that she did with Shane, so she made Gabe all into his porn, but it did not ring true.
#2 Tristan and his reaction to the porn. Tristan was totally self conscious about being with Gabe because of his mental issues, so for Tristan to be totally cool with Gabe sleeping with others did not ring true. Only someone who has total self confidence could handle something like that. I didn't buy it, and instead it just made me mad.
#3 Tristan and his bitchiness with Noel. Noel is the one guy who has stood buy Tristan, and I don't see Tristan exercising his sass with anyone but Noel. Lame. You don't blast the guy who has done everything, been everything for you just because you find someone new who floats your boat.
#4 All the hate for Gabe's mom. I'm not making excuses for her neglect, abuse, or chemical dependencies. However, she gets some serious hate for not forgiving her hubby for cheating on her and then abandoning her. The dads and Gabe are like, well tough, get over it. While they baby Tristan, telling him no one gets to tell him how he should feel about little things (like omissions from Noel), they are cold hearted when it comes to Gabe's mom and the biggest betrayal a man can make. Well, no one gets to tell Gabe's mom how she gets to feel about being lied to and cheated on. I have no patience for cheaters, especially in fiction. None. This is all on Bear. I'm always surprised at the female authors who expressly or implicitly condone husbands who have affairs with other men. I guess those husbands get a pass because they're gay?? For some reason, it's portrayed as less of a betrayal than if a husband cheats with a woman. I'm calling BS on that, too. Sexist BS. Cheating is cheating. I get that some married men are conflicted. If they want to experiment with a dude, they need to own up to it and settle up with their wife first.
April 22, 2016
***** Another amazing story from A.M. Arthur that will hold your heart. *****
We met these two men in the previous tale, but each story can stand alone. Tristan is Noel's friend who sustained life changing brain injury in their attack three years ago.
Handsome Gabe rescued beautiful Tristan in a bar, having a memory loss event, and later on sees him again. Neither has forgotten the other, sort of. Gabe is interested and patient with the vivacious Tristan, which is what is needed. Patience.
A drug trial is beginning and Tristan will do whatever he can to regain his memories, but there are side effects. As the men get to know one another, Gabe works three jobs, and one is in porn. There the money is good, and he needs the dollars to afford caring for an alcoholic Mom.
There are several threads going on, each weaving a beautiful tale of two men who find someone who comforts them, doesn't judge them, and who can thoroughly love them. You will love these characters, so emotional, thought-filled, caring, and dedicated.
the silver and jade Phoenix...
The reader can feel the frustrations of Tristan with his memory issues, and we deeply feel the devotion Gabe has toward him, and we're wrapped in a warm, fuzzy hug.
Will they find understanding, acceptance, peace, and a full loving life?
I highly recommend this novel of an unusual journey. ENJOY !!
==============================================
Triggers:
==============
We met these two men in the previous tale, but each story can stand alone. Tristan is Noel's friend who sustained life changing brain injury in their attack three years ago.
Handsome Gabe rescued beautiful Tristan in a bar, having a memory loss event, and later on sees him again. Neither has forgotten the other, sort of. Gabe is interested and patient with the vivacious Tristan, which is what is needed. Patience.
A drug trial is beginning and Tristan will do whatever he can to regain his memories, but there are side effects. As the men get to know one another, Gabe works three jobs, and one is in porn. There the money is good, and he needs the dollars to afford caring for an alcoholic Mom.
There are several threads going on, each weaving a beautiful tale of two men who find someone who comforts them, doesn't judge them, and who can thoroughly love them. You will love these characters, so emotional, thought-filled, caring, and dedicated.
the silver and jade Phoenix...The reader can feel the frustrations of Tristan with his memory issues, and we deeply feel the devotion Gabe has toward him, and we're wrapped in a warm, fuzzy hug.
Will they find understanding, acceptance, peace, and a full loving life?
I highly recommend this novel of an unusual journey. ENJOY !!
==============================================
Triggers:
==============
May 1, 2017
4.5 stars rounded up due to the originality of the premise and disability and the skilled handling of it
This was an enjoyable read, not nearly as painful as the first one. It was an unusual disability and I liked how it was handled. I felt the author did a lot of great research. I loved the characters and I believed in the relationship. I liked that the MCs best friend, one of the MCs from the previous book, wasn't perfect. I liked that Tristan was a strong person coping well with a horrible disability and that Gabe dealt with it appropriately, too. They were nice guys and grown ups. Yet there was still a plot, still drama, etc. I hope there's another in the series.
My notes:
Said it was a single story house, then they went upstairs
Cool that they know anorexia is about control
HOSPITAL SCENE!!
Alcohol flavoring in cooked food is burned out so you don't need to void it for medications sake. I don't know how you mull wine without removing the alcohol but n things like Vodka spaghetti sauce it's gone or they'd have to check ID when someone bought it.
Finally someone in a romance novel who doesn't particularly care for old movies. Hopefully he doesn't like jazz either. I'm so sick of that trope. It's interesting that he loses a chunk of memory at once, not bits like a rolling conveyor belt or something.
The sex was hot. And cool that it's a guy whose nipples aren't an erogenous zone for him. That has been my experience with guys.
For STD testing to matter, it would have to be done before each shoot.
In the previous book, the guy made 35,000 with a half dozen shoots. Taking royalties was supposed to warn them more in the long run. Gabe should have been making bank by now.
The only women I can remember is an abusive nurse and the horrible mother. Tell me there was someone else.
This was an enjoyable read, not nearly as painful as the first one. It was an unusual disability and I liked how it was handled. I felt the author did a lot of great research. I loved the characters and I believed in the relationship. I liked that the MCs best friend, one of the MCs from the previous book, wasn't perfect. I liked that Tristan was a strong person coping well with a horrible disability and that Gabe dealt with it appropriately, too. They were nice guys and grown ups. Yet there was still a plot, still drama, etc. I hope there's another in the series.
My notes:
Said it was a single story house, then they went upstairs
Cool that they know anorexia is about control
HOSPITAL SCENE!!
Alcohol flavoring in cooked food is burned out so you don't need to void it for medications sake. I don't know how you mull wine without removing the alcohol but n things like Vodka spaghetti sauce it's gone or they'd have to check ID when someone bought it.
Finally someone in a romance novel who doesn't particularly care for old movies. Hopefully he doesn't like jazz either. I'm so sick of that trope. It's interesting that he loses a chunk of memory at once, not bits like a rolling conveyor belt or something.
The sex was hot. And cool that it's a guy whose nipples aren't an erogenous zone for him. That has been my experience with guys.
For STD testing to matter, it would have to be done before each shoot.
In the previous book, the guy made 35,000 with a half dozen shoots. Taking royalties was supposed to warn them more in the long run. Gabe should have been making bank by now.
The only women I can remember is an abusive nurse and the horrible mother. Tell me there was someone else.
Read
April 23, 2016This was so much better for me than book one. Everything about it was what I wished Noel and Shane's story could have been.
When I read The Truth as He Knows It and met Tristan, my heart ached for him. When the deal happens with him at the bar and he "meets" Gabe, I hoped they would get a story and when I saw this, I was so damn happy.
Tristan's story is heartbreaking even second hand when we first get it but being in his head while he struggles to remember details, just hurt. I love though that he has his moments where things are clearer and he doesn't have to consult his notes all the time.
Gabe... my boy. Ugh. Knowing you as Tony and Gabe, it was interesting but I like how you dealt with your porn side. I loved how you dealt with Tristan and the decisions you made when it came to him. The shit with your mom, that is never easy but you are so lucky to have the support of your dads and the strength to see things through.
It was nice to see Shane and Noel again and even get Noel's POV a few times. Tristan is a big part of Noel's life, before and after the bashing, so it made sense we would get to hear from him as Tristan begins the drug trial and his new relationship with Gabe.
I have to say I love how the author handled the Tristan's memory issues and the drug trial. I won't spoil it for anyone but it was done with the respect and reality that I hoped for. That epilogue was satisfying and I can't wait to read Jon's story next.
**Notes before reading***
Even though I rated the first book really low, I was hoping there would be a book with Tristan and Gabe. And whadya know? There is. So, I'll give this one a chance. Let's just hope the angst is not whack-a-doodle and people handle situations and porn, better than the first book.
When I read The Truth as He Knows It and met Tristan, my heart ached for him. When the deal happens with him at the bar and he "meets" Gabe, I hoped they would get a story and when I saw this, I was so damn happy.
Tristan's story is heartbreaking even second hand when we first get it but being in his head while he struggles to remember details, just hurt. I love though that he has his moments where things are clearer and he doesn't have to consult his notes all the time.
Gabe... my boy. Ugh. Knowing you as Tony and Gabe, it was interesting but I like how you dealt with your porn side. I loved how you dealt with Tristan and the decisions you made when it came to him. The shit with your mom, that is never easy but you are so lucky to have the support of your dads and the strength to see things through.
It was nice to see Shane and Noel again and even get Noel's POV a few times. Tristan is a big part of Noel's life, before and after the bashing, so it made sense we would get to hear from him as Tristan begins the drug trial and his new relationship with Gabe.
I have to say I love how the author handled the Tristan's memory issues and the drug trial. I won't spoil it for anyone but it was done with the respect and reality that I hoped for. That epilogue was satisfying and I can't wait to read Jon's story next.
**Notes before reading***
Even though I rated the first book really low, I was hoping there would be a book with Tristan and Gabe. And whadya know? There is. So, I'll give this one a chance. Let's just hope the angst is not whack-a-doodle and people handle situations and porn, better than the first book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews