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Hero #1
Il Mio Eroe
Quando aveva sedici anni, Rich Miller salvò un ragazzo mentre stava annegando in piscina. Non poteva sapere che anni dopo, come studente anziano del college e speranza olimpica nei tuffi, Rich avrebbe incontrato ancora una volta Johnny Milloway, diventato nel frattempo un grande giocatore di football - e quando Rich dice grande, intende proprio come un 'orso'. Il timido giocatore si ricorda del suo soccorritore, e così i due ragazzi diventano amici.
Johnny non è scoraggiato dal fatto che Rich sia gay. Anzi, più trascorre del tempo con lui, più diventa curioso. Vuole conoscere tutto di quel mondo, come ad esempio cosa significhi baciare un ragazzo. Solo che non riesce a fermarsi lì.
Rich non crede che questo rapporto possa andare avanti; Johnny è etero e lui non se la sente di affrontare l'angoscia e il dolore che ne potrebbero derivare in futuro. Ha già fin troppe cose a cui pensare e il titolo di Campione del mondo è a portata di mano, mentre suo padre preferisce guardare una partita di football piuttosto che perdere tempo seguendo i tuffi del figlio. Ma Rich non ha fatto i conti con la determinazione di Johnny, e averlo nella sua vita potrebbe rivelarsi un catalizzatore di cambiamenti pronti a sconvolgerlo.
Johnny non è scoraggiato dal fatto che Rich sia gay. Anzi, più trascorre del tempo con lui, più diventa curioso. Vuole conoscere tutto di quel mondo, come ad esempio cosa significhi baciare un ragazzo. Solo che non riesce a fermarsi lì.
Rich non crede che questo rapporto possa andare avanti; Johnny è etero e lui non se la sente di affrontare l'angoscia e il dolore che ne potrebbero derivare in futuro. Ha già fin troppe cose a cui pensare e il titolo di Campione del mondo è a portata di mano, mentre suo padre preferisce guardare una partita di football piuttosto che perdere tempo seguendo i tuffi del figlio. Ma Rich non ha fatto i conti con la determinazione di Johnny, e averlo nella sua vita potrebbe rivelarsi un catalizzatore di cambiamenti pronti a sconvolgerlo.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
21 people are currently reading
509 people want to read
About the author
Max Vos
28 books268 followersMax Vos is best known for his ‘inappropriate’ side. Bringing readers a range of stories with an unexpected edge. His bestselling novel My Hero is a hot and steamy romance, while his banned book Going Home questions what you know of love. With something for everyone, there is a Max Vos book for you.
Creativity has been a lifelong passion for Max, who retired from being a chef in 2011 and turned to writing. His strong relationships with the women in his life influence his stories and Max’s Southern charm shines through. Each new book will give you something to explore and love.
Creativity has been a lifelong passion for Max, who retired from being a chef in 2011 and turned to writing. His strong relationships with the women in his life influence his stories and Max’s Southern charm shines through. Each new book will give you something to explore and love.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
November 19, 2013
I am against the tide here, but I find the characters are weak and very inconsistent--particularly Johnny, and the ending is a bit forced.
Consider this: You have been sleeping with another person for months. One day, you decided to try something else, so you invited a girl to come to your home, holding hand. At that point, the person you've been sleeping with (and you are fully aware how his feeling was toward you) saw you two. You know he felt hurt. In fact, you felt hurt yourself. However, to prevent the date from also feeling hurt, you carried on with the date, and slept with her. Yeah, I call that 'premeditated cheating'.
Characters
Johnny. He simply follows what others surrounding him says, and doesn't really have any conviction despite what the author tried to redeem him at the end.
Rich. He was portrayed to be the next 'gay-or-not-gay' Olympian Tom Daley. This year, Rich was quite sure to be in the US Olympics Diving Team. Wouldn't he have his own groupies? Yet, he seems to be completely eclipsed by Johnny. And, after what Johnny did to him, I expect him to hold off longer and see Johnny to grovel more.
The Ending
Everything happened in one day for Rich.
So, I cannot give this one high rating.
Consider this: You have been sleeping with another person for months. One day, you decided to try something else, so you invited a girl to come to your home, holding hand. At that point, the person you've been sleeping with (and you are fully aware how his feeling was toward you) saw you two. You know he felt hurt. In fact, you felt hurt yourself. However, to prevent the date from also feeling hurt, you carried on with the date, and slept with her. Yeah, I call that 'premeditated cheating'.
Characters
Johnny. He simply follows what others surrounding him says, and doesn't really have any conviction despite what the author tried to redeem him at the end.
Rich. He was portrayed to be the next 'gay-or-not-gay' Olympian Tom Daley. This year, Rich was quite sure to be in the US Olympics Diving Team. Wouldn't he have his own groupies? Yet, he seems to be completely eclipsed by Johnny. And, after what Johnny did to him, I expect him to hold off longer and see Johnny to grovel more.
The Ending
Everything happened in one day for Rich.
So, I cannot give this one high rating.
November 18, 2015
Written November 17, 2015
2.6 Stars - Sweet as sugar and cute GFY with more kink than expected
My Hero is a 6 hrs audiobook (just $3,50) narrated by Jared Bradford (his first?) published in August this year with some happy reviews at Audible.com. My first written by the male M/M romances writer Max Vos as well.
And, why so stingy with those red stars?
I wanted to like this and My Hero is really cute about that first heartbreaking young love and surprisingly kinky also, but nevertheless, a little too sugary cheesy for me. Too much young drama and my eyes rolled more than one time. — As a friend just wrote in another review, I have to remind myself that YA / NA doesn't always work for me.
*********************************************************
Young first college love and GFY...
Rich Miller, a senior in college and Olympic diving hopeful, years ago saved a younger boy in the pool back home. Once again they meet and the small boy Johnny Milloway is now a big (huge, tall, bear hairy !!) football jock. And straight of course. ~ But you never know in what direction life turns.
Sometimes is facts about the characters repeated way to often, it becomes irritating tedious. Sigh! ~ I realized pretty quickly that Johnny is a tall, hairy, constantly hungry, super cute, male, straight, cozy huge teddy bear. I didn't need to get that information again and again at every fifth page. (DoyouthinkIamstupid?)
*********************************************************
I'm sorry to say but this felt a bit amateurish on all fronts. Maybe it is that I just finished other books with better substance, better narrators and better storylines. (This kind of kink is not my favorite steam in M/M romances either.) ...But undoubtedly a cute read / listening for the moment.
The idea of an accomplished diver always impresses me. What courage. They are so brave. ~ I get anxiety from even thinking of going up there and jump over the edge...
*********************************************************
I LIKE - when the little one gets the huge jock
2.6 Stars - Sweet as sugar and cute GFY with more kink than expected
My Hero is a 6 hrs audiobook (just $3,50) narrated by Jared Bradford (his first?) published in August this year with some happy reviews at Audible.com. My first written by the male M/M romances writer Max Vos as well.
And, why so stingy with those red stars?
I wanted to like this and My Hero is really cute about that first heartbreaking young love and surprisingly kinky also, but nevertheless, a little too sugary cheesy for me. Too much young drama and my eyes rolled more than one time. — As a friend just wrote in another review, I have to remind myself that YA / NA doesn't always work for me.
*********************************************************
Young first college love and GFY...
Rich Miller, a senior in college and Olympic diving hopeful, years ago saved a younger boy in the pool back home. Once again they meet and the small boy Johnny Milloway is now a big (huge, tall, bear hairy !!) football jock. And straight of course. ~ But you never know in what direction life turns.
. . . .
‘Looking over he saw Johnny Milloway, his knees bent as his face pointed up into the spray, his head obviously higher than the shower head. Rich’s mouth hung open as he watched the water sluice over his body through the dark hair that covered the massive muscles.’
Sometimes is facts about the characters repeated way to often, it becomes irritating tedious. Sigh! ~ I realized pretty quickly that Johnny is a tall, hairy, constantly hungry, super cute, male, straight, cozy huge teddy bear. I didn't need to get that information again and again at every fifth page. (DoyouthinkIamstupid?)
*********************************************************
I'm sorry to say but this felt a bit amateurish on all fronts. Maybe it is that I just finished other books with better substance, better narrators and better storylines. (This kind of kink is not my favorite steam in M/M romances either.) ...But undoubtedly a cute read / listening for the moment.
‘... He propelled himself off the tower over the shimmering water into a swan dive, his body, mind and spirit free. He was free. Free to love and be loved.’
The idea of an accomplished diver always impresses me. What courage. They are so brave. ~ I get anxiety from even thinking of going up there and jump over the edge...
*********************************************************
I LIKE - when the little one gets the huge jock
January 13, 2014
DNF 96%: (**finished after author insisted [see: tool]**)
I love angst so cheating rarely bothers me any more buti couldn't get over the pre-meditated/uncalled for cheating here. It made no sense for a character who wasnt even questioning himself, who then was hurting for having hurt his boyfriend to suddenly sleep with a woman. I loved Johnny so much originally so this was just so out of character that I was blindsided by its addition to the story. It just didn't even make sense with the way he was freaking out over Rich. None at all. Bummed cuz I was loving this one. Angst fail.
I love angst so cheating rarely bothers me any more buti couldn't get over the pre-meditated/uncalled for cheating here. It made no sense for a character who wasnt even questioning himself, who then was hurting for having hurt his boyfriend to suddenly sleep with a woman. I loved Johnny so much originally so this was just so out of character that I was blindsided by its addition to the story. It just didn't even make sense with the way he was freaking out over Rich. None at all. Bummed cuz I was loving this one. Angst fail.
December 21, 2013
I read this new Max Vos story in practically one sitting. I loved furry Johnny and sleek Rich. The slow build of the UST and sexual relationship was a lot of fun. The angst points were just right. Great job, Max! I would have liked to have seen how Johnny's coming out was handled by the football team, but otherwise this was a very satisfying read.
12/21/13 -- Edited review from 4 stars to 5 stars at year end review.
12/21/13 -- Edited review from 4 stars to 5 stars at year end review.
September 11, 2019
ETA 9/11/2019 There's something about this story.
It's super hot 🔥🔥🔥 manly erotica with man stink loving. Dual POV, newly discovered Bisexuality, some angst, a midstory break-up and make up, all the sweaty, dirty, raunchy sex you could ask for, and a very happy ending. Four years of listening to audios later and...the narration is still fine overall, but the character voices could've been better.
Jared Bradford delivers a wonderful performance. He adds a richness to the story, drew me in, and kept me engaged and entranced until the very end.
Bradford's narration highlights the erotic romance between Rich, an out and proud gay man, and Johnny, a straight-up-until-now eighteen year old, football player giving all the wonderfully filthy things they do to each other a real spotlight. Bradford also captures the strain and anger Rich has with his father beautifully, as well as the roller-coaster of emotion Rich and Johnny's relationship goes through.
My biggest complaint is that Johnny is pretty immature relationship-wise, which is somewhat expected given his age, but no less aggravating. Even though I understand the decisions made, it doesn't make me any less rage-filled when it happened.
While I had some issues with the story, they are pretty quickly resolved, there's a very sweet HFN/HEA, and I enjoyed the narration thoroughly.
Copy generously provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave.
***********************************
Read 08/08/2014 & 05/07/2015
Listened 09/01/2015
I always forget why I gave this 3 stars. Then I read it again and I come to the part with my biggest problem with this story: And that's why I dock the fucking stars every single time.
It's super hot 🔥🔥🔥 manly erotica with man stink loving. Dual POV, newly discovered Bisexuality, some angst, a midstory break-up and make up, all the sweaty, dirty, raunchy sex you could ask for, and a very happy ending. Four years of listening to audios later and...the narration is still fine overall, but the character voices could've been better.
Jared Bradford delivers a wonderful performance. He adds a richness to the story, drew me in, and kept me engaged and entranced until the very end.
Bradford's narration highlights the erotic romance between Rich, an out and proud gay man, and Johnny, a straight-up-until-now eighteen year old, football player giving all the wonderfully filthy things they do to each other a real spotlight. Bradford also captures the strain and anger Rich has with his father beautifully, as well as the roller-coaster of emotion Rich and Johnny's relationship goes through.
My biggest complaint is that Johnny is pretty immature relationship-wise, which is somewhat expected given his age, but no less aggravating. Even though I understand the decisions made, it doesn't make me any less rage-filled when it happened.
While I had some issues with the story, they are pretty quickly resolved, there's a very sweet HFN/HEA, and I enjoyed the narration thoroughly.
Copy generously provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave.
***********************************
Read 08/08/2014 & 05/07/2015
Listened 09/01/2015
I always forget why I gave this 3 stars. Then I read it again and I come to the part with my biggest problem with this story: And that's why I dock the fucking stars every single time.
September 28, 2013
I loved this book! I was waiting for its completion with bated breath.
A hot, sexy tale of Rich, a diver, who is gay, and Johnny, a football player - who isn't.... until he gets curious.
From Johnny's first tentative kisses to two boys who can't keep their hands off each other, this book doesn't disappoint.
I loved the way Rich and Johnny grew as a couple, and it was great to see how Johnny's family supported him as he discovered a side to himself that he never knew.
And yes, I cried... You'll know when you get there, believe me.
But the ending..... sigh. Yes.
A hot, sexy tale of Rich, a diver, who is gay, and Johnny, a football player - who isn't.... until he gets curious.
From Johnny's first tentative kisses to two boys who can't keep their hands off each other, this book doesn't disappoint.
I loved the way Rich and Johnny grew as a couple, and it was great to see how Johnny's family supported him as he discovered a side to himself that he never knew.
And yes, I cried... You'll know when you get there, believe me.
But the ending..... sigh. Yes.
September 29, 2013
I had the honor of beta reading this book. I will have a full review posted soon, but it is great. Max has created these young guys that will melt your hearts. For such a big bad tough guy, Max is obviously all softie in the middle!
There are many facets to Max Vos. The one you don't often see is the softie. In My Hero, the softie Max Vos is on full display. My Hero referred to in the book is Rich Miller. When he was a teenager, he lifeguarded at a local pool. He saved the life of Johnny Milloway.
When he's a senior in college and an Olympic diving probability, he meets Johnny again. My is Johnny all grown up. Rich is gay and Johnny is exactly his type, a big furry cuddly bear of a man. For such a big guy, Johnny is shy, but he remembers that summer when Rich saved his life. He doesn't care that Rich is gay. The two become unlikely friends and start to work out together regularly. Alone. And they shower afterward. Alone.
But Johnny is straight and Rich doesn't want to fall for and have his heart broken by another straight man. Johnny is determined to learn all he can about being gay from Rich. An unexpected relationship develops, based first on a deep friendship.
But Johnny is still straight, right? This can throw a wrench into even the best gay relationship. Rich has never been close with his father, who actually spent more time with Johnny while he was growing up because he was a football booster and Johnny a football star. Johnny's parents embrace Rich and try to facilitate some healing between father and son.
While Rich and Johnny are having what Rich considers to be a relationship, Johnny screws it up. There is a date with a girl involved. And a trip to a gay party in Atlanta. And a lot of texts and voicemails ignored. Who did what? You need to read it and find out.
When he returns to school after the New Year, Rich just doesn't know who to talk to, so he breaks down and contacts his father. They have a lunch meeting that clarifies so many things for both of them.
After that some spoilerish things happen that I am not willing to share. Just know that I was smiling literally from ear to ear when I was reading the closing pages of My Hero. I highly recommend this sweet read by a tough guy of an author!
There are many facets to Max Vos. The one you don't often see is the softie. In My Hero, the softie Max Vos is on full display. My Hero referred to in the book is Rich Miller. When he was a teenager, he lifeguarded at a local pool. He saved the life of Johnny Milloway.
When he's a senior in college and an Olympic diving probability, he meets Johnny again. My is Johnny all grown up. Rich is gay and Johnny is exactly his type, a big furry cuddly bear of a man. For such a big guy, Johnny is shy, but he remembers that summer when Rich saved his life. He doesn't care that Rich is gay. The two become unlikely friends and start to work out together regularly. Alone. And they shower afterward. Alone.
But Johnny is straight and Rich doesn't want to fall for and have his heart broken by another straight man. Johnny is determined to learn all he can about being gay from Rich. An unexpected relationship develops, based first on a deep friendship.
But Johnny is still straight, right? This can throw a wrench into even the best gay relationship. Rich has never been close with his father, who actually spent more time with Johnny while he was growing up because he was a football booster and Johnny a football star. Johnny's parents embrace Rich and try to facilitate some healing between father and son.
While Rich and Johnny are having what Rich considers to be a relationship, Johnny screws it up. There is a date with a girl involved. And a trip to a gay party in Atlanta. And a lot of texts and voicemails ignored. Who did what? You need to read it and find out.
When he returns to school after the New Year, Rich just doesn't know who to talk to, so he breaks down and contacts his father. They have a lunch meeting that clarifies so many things for both of them.
After that some spoilerish things happen that I am not willing to share. Just know that I was smiling literally from ear to ear when I was reading the closing pages of My Hero. I highly recommend this sweet read by a tough guy of an author!
June 21, 2021
Re-read June 21, 2021
Awakenings, mistakes, acceptance, and romantic love !
Great story ! One of the best I've read. It has everything we like.
So many terrific scenes, hot sexiness, and deeply thought filled musings.
Rich is going to the Olympics to dive. He trains and studies and wants his Dad to care.
Johnny is a big hairy, "bear" of a football player, who was saved from drowning years ago, by Rich, as a lifeguard. They are friends and work out together at times, and their families are close.
When Johnny begins having feelings for Rich, they get physical. This is their story of love, mistakes, the heartache, and the supreme glow of figuring out the complexities of life.
It's a beautifully written with a magnificent story flow, plus the hot sexiness we love. Fantastic!
Marvelous characters and a stupendous ending, full of hope.
ENJOY !
=======
Awakenings, mistakes, acceptance, and romantic love !
Great story ! One of the best I've read. It has everything we like.
So many terrific scenes, hot sexiness, and deeply thought filled musings.
Rich is going to the Olympics to dive. He trains and studies and wants his Dad to care.
Johnny is a big hairy, "bear" of a football player, who was saved from drowning years ago, by Rich, as a lifeguard. They are friends and work out together at times, and their families are close.
When Johnny begins having feelings for Rich, they get physical. This is their story of love, mistakes, the heartache, and the supreme glow of figuring out the complexities of life.
It's a beautifully written with a magnificent story flow, plus the hot sexiness we love. Fantastic!
Marvelous characters and a stupendous ending, full of hope.
ENJOY !
=======
July 4, 2017
My only issue:
October 14, 2013
Review written for The Blog of Sid Love.
This was a really sweet story. Johnny and Rich become really good friends once they meet again in college. Johnny is this big football guy and just a big softy teddy bear who pays no attention to Rich being gay, but instead focuses on how Rich saved his life years before. He makes it clear from the start to all of his friends that anyone going after Rich will have to go through him.
Rich is a star athlete himself with hopes of making the Olympic diving team. Johnny and Rich team up working out and just generally enjoying their friendship. That is, until one day when Johnny’s curiosity gets the better of him and he asks Rich to show him what it’s like to be with another guy. Afraid to ruin their friendship, Rich hesitates, though not for very long. This story starts out very sweet and innocent, but when they make their sex date, that all changes.
I loved everything Rich did to make Johnny’s first time a wonderful and memorable experience. He was such a sweetheart, and Johnny matched him well in that department. There is a scene with powdered donuts that had me drooling and wishing I had some of my own donuts at home.
Things go fairly well for Johnny and Rich until Johnny starts questioning himself and whether he is actually gay or not. This leads to some almost irreparable bad decisions, and, unfortunately, this is where I felt myself questioning things and finding certain actions hard to believe. But thankfully, that doesn’t last long.
Johnny’s family is fantastic, especially his feisty cousin. In addition to being supportive of both Rich and their son not only being gay, but being together, they are instrumental in bringing Rich and his father back in touch.
Overall, this was just a very enjoyable feel-good story. I absolutely loved watching Johnny learn things about himself and how Rich never pushed him into any of it but just let it happen, guiding him along the way. The writing is smooth, and the story moves along at a nice pace. I’ll definitely be reading more of Max’s stories.
This was a really sweet story. Johnny and Rich become really good friends once they meet again in college. Johnny is this big football guy and just a big softy teddy bear who pays no attention to Rich being gay, but instead focuses on how Rich saved his life years before. He makes it clear from the start to all of his friends that anyone going after Rich will have to go through him.
Rich is a star athlete himself with hopes of making the Olympic diving team. Johnny and Rich team up working out and just generally enjoying their friendship. That is, until one day when Johnny’s curiosity gets the better of him and he asks Rich to show him what it’s like to be with another guy. Afraid to ruin their friendship, Rich hesitates, though not for very long. This story starts out very sweet and innocent, but when they make their sex date, that all changes.
I loved everything Rich did to make Johnny’s first time a wonderful and memorable experience. He was such a sweetheart, and Johnny matched him well in that department. There is a scene with powdered donuts that had me drooling and wishing I had some of my own donuts at home.
Things go fairly well for Johnny and Rich until Johnny starts questioning himself and whether he is actually gay or not. This leads to some almost irreparable bad decisions, and, unfortunately, this is where I felt myself questioning things and finding certain actions hard to believe. But thankfully, that doesn’t last long.
Johnny’s family is fantastic, especially his feisty cousin. In addition to being supportive of both Rich and their son not only being gay, but being together, they are instrumental in bringing Rich and his father back in touch.
Overall, this was just a very enjoyable feel-good story. I absolutely loved watching Johnny learn things about himself and how Rich never pushed him into any of it but just let it happen, guiding him along the way. The writing is smooth, and the story moves along at a nice pace. I’ll definitely be reading more of Max’s stories.
October 8, 2013
This is the first Max Vos book I have ever read and it most definitely won't be the last. I won't try to go into the plot details because the blurb for the book does an amazing job laying it out while not giving away specifics.
His characters have very distinct personalities. While Rich and Johnny have enough in common to be believable friends, they are very different, with very different life experiences. The least of which is that Rich is gay and has been out for a long time.
But my favorite part is that his characters seem to be real people that react in real ways. They are far from perfect. They are funny, sad, supportive, selfish, clueless, understanding, protective, stubborn, loving and sexy.
And to me the greatest a compliment you can give a writer is to tell them that while you wanted to reach in and smack a character and yell "What the hell are you doing?" You still understand and love the character doing it. If you read the book you will know when I was yelling this.
His characters have very distinct personalities. While Rich and Johnny have enough in common to be believable friends, they are very different, with very different life experiences. The least of which is that Rich is gay and has been out for a long time.
But my favorite part is that his characters seem to be real people that react in real ways. They are far from perfect. They are funny, sad, supportive, selfish, clueless, understanding, protective, stubborn, loving and sexy.
And to me the greatest a compliment you can give a writer is to tell them that while you wanted to reach in and smack a character and yell "What the hell are you doing?" You still understand and love the character doing it. If you read the book you will know when I was yelling this.
October 8, 2019
This was super sweet, with just the right bit of raunchy.
September 29, 2015
Max Vos is my hero - I was craving a sweet story with sexy athletes at it's heart and he delivered!
This is a college story. Rich is a champion diver and Johnny is a star football layer, a few years younger than Rich. An incident in their past, where Rich saved Johnny's life, provides a bond that starts their friendship when they meet again years later.
This story packs a lot in, from Rich being bullied (and Johnny of course standing up for him!), Rich's issues with his father, Johnny's awakening sexuality and some really dumb (and totally annoying) stuff done by Johnny. Yes, Johnny did something really stupid!
There is obviously a deep emotional connection between Rich and Johnny, well before they acknowledge it to each other. And the sex...let's just say that for two sweet characters, the sex can get downright dirty!
I adored cousin Anita - every family needs someone who pulls no punches and gets straight to the point - honest, funny and accepting! And Mr and Mrs Milloway Johnny's parents, were wonderful as well. They seemed to know more about Johnny than he knew himself.
This book has it's sweet moments and it's intense sex and a lovely emotional happy ending. It might be a bit over the top in places for some but I was totally in the mood for the emotional romantic bits! "He propelled himself off the tower over the shimmering water into a swan dive, his body, mind and spirit free. Free to love and be loved. And he flew higher than he had ever flown before, with love uplifting him, keeping him in flight. Free."
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
This is a college story. Rich is a champion diver and Johnny is a star football layer, a few years younger than Rich. An incident in their past, where Rich saved Johnny's life, provides a bond that starts their friendship when they meet again years later.
This story packs a lot in, from Rich being bullied (and Johnny of course standing up for him!), Rich's issues with his father, Johnny's awakening sexuality and some really dumb (and totally annoying) stuff done by Johnny. Yes, Johnny did something really stupid!
There is obviously a deep emotional connection between Rich and Johnny, well before they acknowledge it to each other. And the sex...let's just say that for two sweet characters, the sex can get downright dirty!
I adored cousin Anita - every family needs someone who pulls no punches and gets straight to the point - honest, funny and accepting! And Mr and Mrs Milloway Johnny's parents, were wonderful as well. They seemed to know more about Johnny than he knew himself.
This book has it's sweet moments and it's intense sex and a lovely emotional happy ending. It might be a bit over the top in places for some but I was totally in the mood for the emotional romantic bits! "He propelled himself off the tower over the shimmering water into a swan dive, his body, mind and spirit free. Free to love and be loved. And he flew higher than he had ever flown before, with love uplifting him, keeping him in flight. Free."
I publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
October 26, 2013
Loved. Absolutely adored. Won't ever be able to look at a doughnut again without thinking naughty thoughts. That makes me incredibly happy. Highly recommended
May 14, 2017
Cheating. Never a good reason for that, for me. Ruined the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2013
Lu et adoré ! Impossible de décrocher une fois commencé. Cette histoire est ... adorable. Ce n'est certes pas le premier qualificatif auquel j'aurai pensé en voyant le physique de l'auteur. Surtout que Johnny est un Bear, vous savez ces grands hommes plein de poils qui font fantasmer certains gays. Et moi, les poils, c'est pas trop mon truc.
Et pourtant. C'est une jolie histoire d'amour et d'amitié, pleine de délicatesse et de tendresse, qui nous est livrée entre Rich et Johnny. C'est frais, juvénil presque, ça pourrait être de la littérature "New adult", comme on dit aujourd'hui. Les questionnements de Johnny sur sa propre sexualité, la souffrance de Rich et l'incompréhension entre son père et lui, la pression des condisciples universitaires, on est dans une romance "étudiante", parfaitement bien décrite et menée. Les deux jeunes hommes sont bien dépeints, attachants, avec des caractères et des personnalités trés différentes l'un de l'autre,qui sonnent juste. Ce n'est pas un chef d'oeuvre qui vous prend aux tripes, mais une jolie romance qui vous laisse le sourire aux lèvres.
Et puis il y a les scènes de sexe, et là, on revient vers les Bears et le très très "hot" !
Ce qui peux choquer certaines à mon sens, ce n'est pas le sexe en lui même (ils ne font rien de particulier compliqué non plus) , ni la crudité du langage, ce sont certains détails "anatomiques"... typiquement "érotique gay", qui visiblement font fantasmer les mecs, et que l'on ne retrouve quasiment jamais sous la plume des auteurs féminins de M/M...
Personnellement, ça ne m'a pas du tout dérangée, au contraire, j'ai beaucoup aimé ce mélange d'innocence , de tendresse et de sexe brut, joyeux et sans contrainte.
Mais disons que pour celles qui débutent dans le M/M, il faut peut-être commencer par du plus soft.
En tout cas, moi j'attends avec impatience d'autres livres de cet auteur, si on a la chance d'avoir des sorties VF. Et si possible la suite des aventures de John et Rich.
Et pourtant. C'est une jolie histoire d'amour et d'amitié, pleine de délicatesse et de tendresse, qui nous est livrée entre Rich et Johnny. C'est frais, juvénil presque, ça pourrait être de la littérature "New adult", comme on dit aujourd'hui. Les questionnements de Johnny sur sa propre sexualité, la souffrance de Rich et l'incompréhension entre son père et lui, la pression des condisciples universitaires, on est dans une romance "étudiante", parfaitement bien décrite et menée. Les deux jeunes hommes sont bien dépeints, attachants, avec des caractères et des personnalités trés différentes l'un de l'autre,qui sonnent juste. Ce n'est pas un chef d'oeuvre qui vous prend aux tripes, mais une jolie romance qui vous laisse le sourire aux lèvres.
Et puis il y a les scènes de sexe, et là, on revient vers les Bears et le très très "hot" !
Ce qui peux choquer certaines à mon sens, ce n'est pas le sexe en lui même (ils ne font rien de particulier compliqué non plus) , ni la crudité du langage, ce sont certains détails "anatomiques"... typiquement "érotique gay", qui visiblement font fantasmer les mecs, et que l'on ne retrouve quasiment jamais sous la plume des auteurs féminins de M/M...
Personnellement, ça ne m'a pas du tout dérangée, au contraire, j'ai beaucoup aimé ce mélange d'innocence , de tendresse et de sexe brut, joyeux et sans contrainte.
Mais disons que pour celles qui débutent dans le M/M, il faut peut-être commencer par du plus soft.
En tout cas, moi j'attends avec impatience d'autres livres de cet auteur, si on a la chance d'avoir des sorties VF. Et si possible la suite des aventures de John et Rich.
November 15, 2014
4.5 Stars ~ The instant I read the description for 'My Hero' by Max Vos, I wanted to read this book. There was something in the blurb that really caught my attention, and I think it might've been Johnny, to be honest. Since this is also my first read of the author’s, I was excited to dive in. Pun totally intended.
Yep, I was right. I totally fell for Johnny. Eighteen-year-old bear, with the big, deep, soft voice, and a total gentle giant. Well, until anyone says anything against Rich. Ever since Johnny was twelve and Rich saved him from drowning at the local pool, Johnny has been Rich's biggest fan. Rich just didn't know it, until they met at college, where Johnny is a freshman, and Rich is a senior. They become friends, and Rich is, at first, shocked that Johnny isn't put off by the fact Rich is gay. Johnny's parents raised him to be accepting, and he likes Rich for who he is, and doesn't care who he's attracted to. What really throws Rich, though, is when Johnny shows an interest in learning about gay sex, but only with Rich. Oh boy.
Now, unlike some readers, I believe in the "gay for you" trope. I think souls can fall in love, regardless of gender, and two people can be crazy for each no matter what the exterior looks like. It did take Johnny a little bit of time to figure this out, and I forgave him for hurting Rich. I mean, seriously? Johnny is a freshman in college. Coming out as gay or bisexual is pretty traumatic, at any age, and falling in love can be even more terrifying. What mattered was the beautiful happy ever after ending.
Thank you, Max! A really great story with two characters I adored. I will definitely be reading more of your books from now on.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Yep, I was right. I totally fell for Johnny. Eighteen-year-old bear, with the big, deep, soft voice, and a total gentle giant. Well, until anyone says anything against Rich. Ever since Johnny was twelve and Rich saved him from drowning at the local pool, Johnny has been Rich's biggest fan. Rich just didn't know it, until they met at college, where Johnny is a freshman, and Rich is a senior. They become friends, and Rich is, at first, shocked that Johnny isn't put off by the fact Rich is gay. Johnny's parents raised him to be accepting, and he likes Rich for who he is, and doesn't care who he's attracted to. What really throws Rich, though, is when Johnny shows an interest in learning about gay sex, but only with Rich. Oh boy.
Now, unlike some readers, I believe in the "gay for you" trope. I think souls can fall in love, regardless of gender, and two people can be crazy for each no matter what the exterior looks like. It did take Johnny a little bit of time to figure this out, and I forgave him for hurting Rich. I mean, seriously? Johnny is a freshman in college. Coming out as gay or bisexual is pretty traumatic, at any age, and falling in love can be even more terrifying. What mattered was the beautiful happy ever after ending.
Thank you, Max! A really great story with two characters I adored. I will definitely be reading more of your books from now on.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
September 30, 2013
4.5 stars!!
Loved this book . Was so looking forward to it since i saw the author post a football pic and talking about going to / wanting to write this story.
Loved the MC they are so different yet both so lovable in their own way .
Diver Rich and football jock Johnny . Yummie , If you dont like one than you like the other for sure.
I happen to like both but man ooh man i could lust for Johnny :D
Rich out and proud Gay student , Johnny straight Jock , total opposites but they hit it off easily
The building of the book is slow the boys forming a friendship that gets closer and closer .
You cannot expect all the stuff that will happen further in the book :)
I do want to say as i dont want to spoiler much that Anita , Johnny;s cousin deserves a special note . I love that girl , love her spirit!!
And the relationship between Johnny and his parents . And Rich and his dad took a lot of time, insight and building up .
Also the little drama that is there made me cringe and that would be the only thing that keeps me from giving 5 stars . I hate what happened , what Johnny did and i perhaps could? understand why but it just doesnt sit well with me also how it is handled by different parties
And funny perhaps but i am all for Bareback and all but i was thinking Johnny I hope you used something!! ( i missed that being said)
Yes the sex is a lot when it is finally there and if you are not into that it will perhaps make you feel like it is too much But damn I Love it!! I cannot help it
Max Vos has a way of writing his stories including the smutt parts that gets me totally into them and makes me beg for more
Thanks for another awesome story . Cannot wait to read more of this authors hand !
Go buy this book and read it . You will love it for sure!!
Loved this book . Was so looking forward to it since i saw the author post a football pic and talking about going to / wanting to write this story.
Loved the MC they are so different yet both so lovable in their own way .
Diver Rich and football jock Johnny . Yummie , If you dont like one than you like the other for sure.
I happen to like both but man ooh man i could lust for Johnny :D
Rich out and proud Gay student , Johnny straight Jock , total opposites but they hit it off easily
The building of the book is slow the boys forming a friendship that gets closer and closer .
You cannot expect all the stuff that will happen further in the book :)
I do want to say as i dont want to spoiler much that Anita , Johnny;s cousin deserves a special note . I love that girl , love her spirit!!
And the relationship between Johnny and his parents . And Rich and his dad took a lot of time, insight and building up .
Also the little drama that is there made me cringe and that would be the only thing that keeps me from giving 5 stars . I hate what happened , what Johnny did and i perhaps could? understand why but it just doesnt sit well with me also how it is handled by different parties
And funny perhaps but i am all for Bareback and all but i was thinking Johnny I hope you used something!! ( i missed that being said)
Yes the sex is a lot when it is finally there and if you are not into that it will perhaps make you feel like it is too much But damn I Love it!! I cannot help it
Max Vos has a way of writing his stories including the smutt parts that gets me totally into them and makes me beg for more
Thanks for another awesome story . Cannot wait to read more of this authors hand !
Go buy this book and read it . You will love it for sure!!
August 13, 2016
Not my cup of tea. This story had premise for a solid GFY story arch, but it was ruined with TOO MUCH SEX (wasn't believable) and the idiotic, uncharacteristic behavior of the other main character. I ended up skipping the sex and just waiting for the book be done after the cheating happened. After that I could not care less. And the unsafe sex matter? They even had unprotected sex AFTER Johnny cheated - without discussing if he used protection. Or did I just miss that part of conversation?
If Johnny was so protective and went all "dragon mode" how the heck he ended up hurting Rich in a worst possible way? Meh...
I was first happy that there was some angst to the plot after the fuck-fest, but how it was handled simply ruined everything for me.
Edit: Also... I'd think athlets who aim to be in the olympic team have a strict policy about nutrition and not a happy go lucky attitude of devouring pizza and beer or what ever and then running of the calories right away or/and again at five am...
If Johnny was so protective and went all "dragon mode" how the heck he ended up hurting Rich in a worst possible way? Meh...
I was first happy that there was some angst to the plot after the fuck-fest, but how it was handled simply ruined everything for me.
Edit: Also... I'd think athlets who aim to be in the olympic team have a strict policy about nutrition and not a happy go lucky attitude of devouring pizza and beer or what ever and then running of the calories right away or/and again at five am...
October 9, 2013
This book really does have it all folks. There is the uber-hot Olympic hopeful diver, the huge bear from the gridiron and fully developed, well thought out secondary characters that keep these two on track.
So run on out and get your copy of this book, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Jackie's full review can be found at The Novel Approach
So run on out and get your copy of this book, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Jackie's full review can be found at The Novel Approach
April 27, 2014
Normally I avoid YA stories like the plague, but as this author is a favorite of mine, I thought I would give it a shot. I ended up enjoying the story, though there were times when I wanted to smack Johnny upside the head. It was a sweet story with lots of hot sex to keep things interesting. I loved the supportive family members and friends and the HEA, which I always look for. Had a little trouble with the dialog flow, but not enough to detract from the story - which I loved.
October 4, 2013
This was a really great read. I loved Johnny he really was like a big teddy bear. Once he and Rich reconnected that started them on their journey to love. Johnny was just a lovable guy. I loved Johnny's family they were the best and I loved Anita, lol..I enjoy discovering new authors, so glad I found Max Vos books.
January 19, 2017
Probably closer to 3.5 than 4, but an enjoyable little book. I listened to the audio book, and the narrator was pretty good, so I rounded up this time.
The plot isn't complicated. This is a sweet romance that gets a bit sappy at times. There is a plot and some porn - win win.
The plot isn't complicated. This is a sweet romance that gets a bit sappy at times. There is a plot and some porn - win win.
October 20, 2013
Rich can taste the Olympics. He has been building to this with every dive he has made for years and it is now within his grasp if only he can remain injury free. In his senior year at university, he is independent, proud, out and determined. Diving is his passion and he is hungry for a win. He is controlled and scheduled and prefers to hit the gym for his weight and resistance training early in the morning before the crowds interfere with his concentration. To his surprise, someone else had the same idea as him. John was a mountain-sized freshman footballer. Gentle and sweetly shy, John recognizes Rich from years before as the 16-year-old lifeguard who saved him by pulling him from the community pool before he drowned. Rich had become the town hero after that and many doors had opened for him, bringing him to this place where the Olympic medal was in his reach.
John offers to buy Rich a cup of coffee and from there the two begin to meet daily to work out together. Within a short time, John springs an unusual request on Rich. Would he kiss John? You see, John is straight but he has always wondered what it would be like…to be with a guy. Not just any guy, but someone he liked, a friend, someone special. Reluctantly Rich agrees and the kiss sparks some interesting physical reactions in John and Rich both. As lines blur, Rich finds himself giving into this sweet bear of a man and venturing further and further into experimentation with him. Unfortunately, while Rich is very controlled in almost all aspects of his life, his heart is another matter and he quickly realizes that he is in danger of losing his to a self-proclaimed straight football player.
At first, I was cautious about the trajectory of this novel, My Hero by Max Vos. I have read countless coming out/gay for you stories and it is very rare that any move beyond the normal pattern. Author Max Vos blew any concerns right off the page for me by making his characters both heavily flawed and genuinely smart. Johnny was the real deal, sweet but slightly naive. He liked Rich, considered him a friend and felt that they could enter into an exploratory sexual relationship on a trial basis and still be okay, remain buddies. When things got intense and John felt as though he was being pushed toward the idea of being gay, he reacted by flipping right back into straight guy mode only to discover how far he had fallen. Somewhere in the midst of this experiment, Rich had become more than his “lab partner”, he had become someone whom John had to now come to some sort of decision about or risk losing completely. Was he in love with Rich or did he just love him as a friend? Was this the real kind of love where losing Rich would mean that a life without him would be unthinkable?
Here is where the author set his story apart from any other. There was so much inner turmoil for John. It wasn’t just his denial that he was gay, but a real questioning about if it was right for him to string along this guy he really liked as a friend foremost while he made his decision. Yes, the sex was copious, yes, it was hot, but it also mirrored John and Rich’s emotions, they ran hot and fast but there were times of genuine confusion that these boys really thought through rather than running from. With each act of making love, not only did John become more confused about his sexuality but his heart also became more connected to Rich. Frankly, this was new, a different way to handle a well-worn trope. Finally a gay for you theme wasn’t just based on a quick meet and speedy revelation that now the guy is gay. Here was a well-written and thoughtful story with some truly gut-wrenching investment over a life changing decision.
Then there was Rich, who tried his best to keep his emotions in check and be realistic about John’s desire to experiment. When things began to fall apart, I was so pleased to see a character that was surrounded by older men whom he could confide in and who genuinely cared for him. This enabled him to make decisions about John in a more realistic way. I believed his struggle and, in my opinion, this made the story so much better overall. There was such a sense of maturity about these characters. For once, two men coming to terms with their love for each other was done slowly and with great care on the part of the writer.
Underlying this coming out story was a secondary plot line between Rich and his estranged father. As time moves on, it becomes apparent to Rich that his own father seems more invested in Johnny and his career than that of his son. But author Max Vos navigates this troubled relationship carefully, weaving moments into the broader story and revealing not only the pain that Rich endures from a father who seemingly wants nothing to do with him but also the reasons behind the strained father/son relationship. In fact some of the sweetest moments in this novel happen when these two finally meet to discuss just what it was that made father and son relative strangers.
I will admit that the text was not completely clean—there were some errors like missing and misspelled words. However, they were not frequent or overwhelming, just distracting when they occurred. My real problem with this novel was the two younger female characters. John’s cousin, Anita, and Rich’s friend, Ruthie, were a bit strident to me, nosy and bossy. I felt that they came very close to falling into that stereotypical “nasty girl” character that honestly gives women a bad name overall. They were very physical—hitting the two boys when angry and “screaming” at them.
In particular, John’s cousin, Anita, called him some horribly derogatory names when he messed up and hurt Rich, going as far as to slap him across the face. I felt she was written as an “ugly and unkind” character and I questioned why that was necessary. To be frank, I felt John could have been shown how he messed up in a less bitchy way. I felt these girls were just over the top and their vicious rants really detracted from the story. In fact, it was this element that kept me from giving this story a high rating, that is how much the two women impacted the flow of what was, up until then and after, a lovely romance overall.
My Hero by Max Vos had some beautiful moments that carried this novel and made it just that much better. The romance angle was sweet and caring. The young men were written with some real intelligence and proved to be respectful of each other; no users, simply young hearts grappling over a first real love. The story was well done for the most part and I look forward to reading more of this authors work.
John offers to buy Rich a cup of coffee and from there the two begin to meet daily to work out together. Within a short time, John springs an unusual request on Rich. Would he kiss John? You see, John is straight but he has always wondered what it would be like…to be with a guy. Not just any guy, but someone he liked, a friend, someone special. Reluctantly Rich agrees and the kiss sparks some interesting physical reactions in John and Rich both. As lines blur, Rich finds himself giving into this sweet bear of a man and venturing further and further into experimentation with him. Unfortunately, while Rich is very controlled in almost all aspects of his life, his heart is another matter and he quickly realizes that he is in danger of losing his to a self-proclaimed straight football player.
At first, I was cautious about the trajectory of this novel, My Hero by Max Vos. I have read countless coming out/gay for you stories and it is very rare that any move beyond the normal pattern. Author Max Vos blew any concerns right off the page for me by making his characters both heavily flawed and genuinely smart. Johnny was the real deal, sweet but slightly naive. He liked Rich, considered him a friend and felt that they could enter into an exploratory sexual relationship on a trial basis and still be okay, remain buddies. When things got intense and John felt as though he was being pushed toward the idea of being gay, he reacted by flipping right back into straight guy mode only to discover how far he had fallen. Somewhere in the midst of this experiment, Rich had become more than his “lab partner”, he had become someone whom John had to now come to some sort of decision about or risk losing completely. Was he in love with Rich or did he just love him as a friend? Was this the real kind of love where losing Rich would mean that a life without him would be unthinkable?
Here is where the author set his story apart from any other. There was so much inner turmoil for John. It wasn’t just his denial that he was gay, but a real questioning about if it was right for him to string along this guy he really liked as a friend foremost while he made his decision. Yes, the sex was copious, yes, it was hot, but it also mirrored John and Rich’s emotions, they ran hot and fast but there were times of genuine confusion that these boys really thought through rather than running from. With each act of making love, not only did John become more confused about his sexuality but his heart also became more connected to Rich. Frankly, this was new, a different way to handle a well-worn trope. Finally a gay for you theme wasn’t just based on a quick meet and speedy revelation that now the guy is gay. Here was a well-written and thoughtful story with some truly gut-wrenching investment over a life changing decision.
Then there was Rich, who tried his best to keep his emotions in check and be realistic about John’s desire to experiment. When things began to fall apart, I was so pleased to see a character that was surrounded by older men whom he could confide in and who genuinely cared for him. This enabled him to make decisions about John in a more realistic way. I believed his struggle and, in my opinion, this made the story so much better overall. There was such a sense of maturity about these characters. For once, two men coming to terms with their love for each other was done slowly and with great care on the part of the writer.
Underlying this coming out story was a secondary plot line between Rich and his estranged father. As time moves on, it becomes apparent to Rich that his own father seems more invested in Johnny and his career than that of his son. But author Max Vos navigates this troubled relationship carefully, weaving moments into the broader story and revealing not only the pain that Rich endures from a father who seemingly wants nothing to do with him but also the reasons behind the strained father/son relationship. In fact some of the sweetest moments in this novel happen when these two finally meet to discuss just what it was that made father and son relative strangers.
I will admit that the text was not completely clean—there were some errors like missing and misspelled words. However, they were not frequent or overwhelming, just distracting when they occurred. My real problem with this novel was the two younger female characters. John’s cousin, Anita, and Rich’s friend, Ruthie, were a bit strident to me, nosy and bossy. I felt that they came very close to falling into that stereotypical “nasty girl” character that honestly gives women a bad name overall. They were very physical—hitting the two boys when angry and “screaming” at them.
In particular, John’s cousin, Anita, called him some horribly derogatory names when he messed up and hurt Rich, going as far as to slap him across the face. I felt she was written as an “ugly and unkind” character and I questioned why that was necessary. To be frank, I felt John could have been shown how he messed up in a less bitchy way. I felt these girls were just over the top and their vicious rants really detracted from the story. In fact, it was this element that kept me from giving this story a high rating, that is how much the two women impacted the flow of what was, up until then and after, a lovely romance overall.
My Hero by Max Vos had some beautiful moments that carried this novel and made it just that much better. The romance angle was sweet and caring. The young men were written with some real intelligence and proved to be respectful of each other; no users, simply young hearts grappling over a first real love. The story was well done for the most part and I look forward to reading more of this authors work.
October 2, 2013
Good plot, excellent characters ... BAD editing. I enjoyed the realism of the character's angst and the teenager mistakes Johnny made. Everyone has been young and dumb at some point and definitely inconsiderate. I'm not a gay man, and I've always been firmly decisive about my sexuality, so I can't really say how realistic the Gay For You genre is, but I would like to think that the questions John wrestled with, and the concerns Rich had about his heart being trampled on, would hold true to a situation like that.
However, there were glaring issues with the story, not only with the basic editing but with the plot as well. First off, during the football game with Florida the author wrote that the game was 7-0, yet wrote that the Florida team also followed their touchdown with a field goal. A field goal is a 3 point play that is separate from a touchdown. The kick after the run into the end zone is called the 'extra point'. That mistake completely skewed what the points should have been, and made the whole dramatic will they/won't they win moot after that.
Added to that were basic issues like the author not knowing that you don't capitalize terms of endearment, but you do capitalize 'Mom' and 'Dad' when they are being used as names and not to describe the person, like 'my mom' and 'my dad'. I saw some words being used inconsistently, and one word was completely wrong for the use of the line 'as Rich easily sleuthed through the water' as well as describing how the water sleuthed down Johnny's body. Yes, the word means track/trail but not in the sense of flowing down/through something but as in 'follow by a detective'. Descriptive verbs are essential in writing, but shades of the true meaning need to fit or it just throws the reader out of the story.
I wonder how many edits this story went through before it was self-published. I've gone that route myself, and it's damn hard to put out quality work unless you work with an actual editor. The formatting also made this harder to read, as the epub version I purchased from All Romance eBooks has no spacing between the paragraphs and no indents. I don't mind the no spacing, if there are indents, but if a left justified text format is used there has to be a bigger space between paragraphs than just basic line spacing. Several times I found myself thinking that two people were talking in the same paragraph during dialogue heavy scenes simply because of that issue.
This is a good story with a nice plot, realistic characters, and pretty smooth dialogue. I liked it. I blushed more than a little during the raunchy sex scenes, but the author makes no bones about writing that way, which I also noticed in the LHNB story. I just wish the editing was up to par and the author had formatted the eBook better as well.
However, there were glaring issues with the story, not only with the basic editing but with the plot as well. First off, during the football game with Florida the author wrote that the game was 7-0, yet wrote that the Florida team also followed their touchdown with a field goal. A field goal is a 3 point play that is separate from a touchdown. The kick after the run into the end zone is called the 'extra point'. That mistake completely skewed what the points should have been, and made the whole dramatic will they/won't they win moot after that.
Added to that were basic issues like the author not knowing that you don't capitalize terms of endearment, but you do capitalize 'Mom' and 'Dad' when they are being used as names and not to describe the person, like 'my mom' and 'my dad'. I saw some words being used inconsistently, and one word was completely wrong for the use of the line 'as Rich easily sleuthed through the water' as well as describing how the water sleuthed down Johnny's body. Yes, the word means track/trail but not in the sense of flowing down/through something but as in 'follow by a detective'. Descriptive verbs are essential in writing, but shades of the true meaning need to fit or it just throws the reader out of the story.
I wonder how many edits this story went through before it was self-published. I've gone that route myself, and it's damn hard to put out quality work unless you work with an actual editor. The formatting also made this harder to read, as the epub version I purchased from All Romance eBooks has no spacing between the paragraphs and no indents. I don't mind the no spacing, if there are indents, but if a left justified text format is used there has to be a bigger space between paragraphs than just basic line spacing. Several times I found myself thinking that two people were talking in the same paragraph during dialogue heavy scenes simply because of that issue.
This is a good story with a nice plot, realistic characters, and pretty smooth dialogue. I liked it. I blushed more than a little during the raunchy sex scenes, but the author makes no bones about writing that way, which I also noticed in the LHNB story. I just wish the editing was up to par and the author had formatted the eBook better as well.
September 29, 2013
Quand il avait seize ans, Rich Miller a sauvé un jeune homme de la noyade dans sa piscine locale. Il ne savait pas que des années plus tard, en tant qu'étudiant et espoir olympique de plongeon, Rich se retrouverait une fois de plus face à Johnny Milloway, maintenant un grand joueur de football - et quand Rich dit grand, il veut vraiment dire dans le genre «ours». Le timide sportif se souvient de son sauveteur, et les deux hommes deviennent amis.
Johnny n'est pas rebuté par le fait que Rich est gay. En fait, plus il passe de temps avec Rich, plus il devient curieux. Johnny veut connaître toutes sortes de choses - ce que c'est que d'embrasser un gars, par exemple. Seulement, il ne s'arrête pas là...
Rich a du mal à croire que cette relation peut mener quelque part. Johnny est hétéro, et Rich n'est pas prêt à accepter le chagrin qu'il se doute avoir à éprouver suite à sa rencontre dans un avenir plus ou moins proche. Il a déjà suffisamment de problèmes à traiter comme ça - son père préférant regarder un match de football que de perdre du temps à aller voir son fils plonger... La seule chose à laquelle il ne s'attendait pas, c'était Johnny, qui peut se montrer très déterminé. Et avoir la star de football dans sa vie peut se révéler être un catalyseur pour des changements assez fracassantes.
Mon Dieu, on est si loin du style habituel de Max Vos - aussi bien dans le style d'histoire, de personnages que dans le ton général du livre. Tout est d'une douceur surprenante, aussi bien dans la relation de ces deux jeunes hommes que dans leurs relations avec les autres, chacun de leur côté. Par moment, les dialogues sont tellement délicats, feutrés et doux (notamment la scène entre Rich et son père) qu'on ne peut s'empêcher d'avoir une boule qui se forme dans la gorge et de verser une (ou plusieurs)larme.
Encore une fois également, les deux héros sont magnifiquement aidés par quelques amis, ou membres de leurs familles qui sont là pour les aider dans leurs choix, les bousculer, les orienter. Je trouve les deux personnages féminins - la cousine de John et l'amie de Rich particulièrement savoureuses dans leurs caractères et dans leurs réparties.
Bref, c'est un livre que je recommande vivement, tout d'abord parce qu'on ne peut pas le lâcher avant d'arriver jusqu'au dernier point de la dernière page, mais également parce que c'est un livre plein de pudeur et de retenue, malgré la passion qui embrase nos deux héros et les problèmes qu'ils rencontrent.
C'est un très bon livre, Monsieur VOS, excellent, de ceux qu'on aimerait lire plus souvent.
Maintenant, question fatidique : à quand le prochain ?
June 27, 2014
J'attendais avec impatience ce livre depuis que j'en avais parcouru le résumé et je dois dire que je n'ai pas été déçu de mon attente.
Johnny est l'archétype du parfait hétéro mais ses certitudes vont vaciller face à son héros : Rich le garçon qui l'a sauvé de la noyade. Pourtant on ne tombe pas dans le cliché de la suridéalisation du héros. Certes Johnny a toujours rêvé de pouvoir devenir ami avec Rich mais ce n'est absolument pas dans le sens de devenir son amant. Pourtant le charme de Rich est irrésistible et tout va basculer... De manière naturelle l'auteur nous amène vers une romance vers laquelle ses mots n'ont eu d'autre but que nous mener et nous sommes charmé par cette romance.
On pourrait penser à du New Adult M/M je dirais . L'histoire est de qualité et racontée de manière délicate par l'auteur, enfin du point de vue sentimental car quand il s'agit des scènes sensuelles, elles sont tout simplement hot et parfois cru, ce qui n'est pas destiné aux lectrices de roman Yaoi. La fougue de l'étreinte de nos jeunes héros colle parfaitement à leur jeunesse et je dois dire qu'on succombe à ce côté sensuel et très hot...
J'ai particulièrement fondu devant leur romance qui ne tombe absolument dans les clichés , le tact avec lequel Max Vos nous décrit leurs sentiments fait mouche du premier coup, ici rien de harlequin dans le sens péjoratif du terme. En fait j'ai ressenti beaucoup de naturel dans le style de l'auteur, même quand Rich s'explique avec son père dont il s'est éloigné rien ne parait être incongru, tout a un sens.
Vous dire que j'ai aimé cette romance serait rester en dessous de la réalité, je ne saurais que trop vous recommander cet excellent M/M et j'espère qu'il vous plaira, mais je n'en doute pas. Tout ce qui nous paraissait promis dans le résumé se trouve dans ce roman. Romance et sensualité se mêlent avec équilibre. Une plume dont je suis tombé amoureux. J'ai hâte de poursuivre l'aventure de Rich et Johnny, un second tome étant prévu par l'auteur.
Johnny est l'archétype du parfait hétéro mais ses certitudes vont vaciller face à son héros : Rich le garçon qui l'a sauvé de la noyade. Pourtant on ne tombe pas dans le cliché de la suridéalisation du héros. Certes Johnny a toujours rêvé de pouvoir devenir ami avec Rich mais ce n'est absolument pas dans le sens de devenir son amant. Pourtant le charme de Rich est irrésistible et tout va basculer... De manière naturelle l'auteur nous amène vers une romance vers laquelle ses mots n'ont eu d'autre but que nous mener et nous sommes charmé par cette romance.
On pourrait penser à du New Adult M/M je dirais . L'histoire est de qualité et racontée de manière délicate par l'auteur, enfin du point de vue sentimental car quand il s'agit des scènes sensuelles, elles sont tout simplement hot et parfois cru, ce qui n'est pas destiné aux lectrices de roman Yaoi. La fougue de l'étreinte de nos jeunes héros colle parfaitement à leur jeunesse et je dois dire qu'on succombe à ce côté sensuel et très hot...
J'ai particulièrement fondu devant leur romance qui ne tombe absolument dans les clichés , le tact avec lequel Max Vos nous décrit leurs sentiments fait mouche du premier coup, ici rien de harlequin dans le sens péjoratif du terme. En fait j'ai ressenti beaucoup de naturel dans le style de l'auteur, même quand Rich s'explique avec son père dont il s'est éloigné rien ne parait être incongru, tout a un sens.
Vous dire que j'ai aimé cette romance serait rester en dessous de la réalité, je ne saurais que trop vous recommander cet excellent M/M et j'espère qu'il vous plaira, mais je n'en doute pas. Tout ce qui nous paraissait promis dans le résumé se trouve dans ce roman. Romance et sensualité se mêlent avec équilibre. Une plume dont je suis tombé amoureux. J'ai hâte de poursuivre l'aventure de Rich et Johnny, un second tome étant prévu par l'auteur.
October 3, 2013
This is a FANTASTIC read!! Max Vos has once again created two characters that you are going to completely fall in love with. Johnny and Rich are fabulous together, and take us on a roller coaster of emotions throughout the story. I was blown away by the span of feelings I went through while reading this.
I loved the college/sports setting. It provides great opportunity to cover so many issues that people go through at that age. Rich and Johnny help each other through family drama, academic issues, successes and failures in their athletics, and bigotry and bullying from their peers...but, through it all they fall in love. And, boy do they fall hard. The chemistry between them is incredible; and their sex scenes are intense, honest, and HOT!!!!
The ending is beautiful and fun, and will leave you wanting more!!
I absolutely LOVED this book.
I loved the college/sports setting. It provides great opportunity to cover so many issues that people go through at that age. Rich and Johnny help each other through family drama, academic issues, successes and failures in their athletics, and bigotry and bullying from their peers...but, through it all they fall in love. And, boy do they fall hard. The chemistry between them is incredible; and their sex scenes are intense, honest, and HOT!!!!
The ending is beautiful and fun, and will leave you wanting more!!
I absolutely LOVED this book.
January 13, 2014
If you are looking for a Sunday afternoon, on the couch, feet up, glass of wine read, this is for you. This is a sweet friends to lovers, straight to gay old fashion romance.
Rich Miller is an Olympic diving hopeful. Johnny Milloway is a shy bear of a football player. When they meet in college, Rich doesn't realize that he was sixteen, he saved Johnny from drowning at a local pool. Their friendship blossoms, but Johnny becomes curious about what it's like to kiss a guy.
Rich doesn't want the heartache he sees ahead, but Johnny is a very determined guy. Friendship turns to romance, but not without a few bumps in the road.
This is a charming story, with charming characters. I love the chemistry between Rich and Johnny.
Rich Miller is an Olympic diving hopeful. Johnny Milloway is a shy bear of a football player. When they meet in college, Rich doesn't realize that he was sixteen, he saved Johnny from drowning at a local pool. Their friendship blossoms, but Johnny becomes curious about what it's like to kiss a guy.
Rich doesn't want the heartache he sees ahead, but Johnny is a very determined guy. Friendship turns to romance, but not without a few bumps in the road.
This is a charming story, with charming characters. I love the chemistry between Rich and Johnny.
September 29, 2013
This was a great book. The characters Rich and Johnny were not only great together in terms of personality, but they also had good chemistry. The family dynamics within the story was a big aspect, but not overwhelming, and it was also nice that not everyone within the families were fixed in their role and perception. If you want a really good read that offers friendship, romance and hot sex, then this book is for you. Buy now and read immediately!
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