Letters

by Zachary Ryan

He moved from Maryland to Chicago to find himself. But Chase never expected to fall in love with someone who would change his life. A twentysomething lost in a haze of booze and tattoos, Chase had always questioned his sexuality—but in Brady he finally found someone he could truly care about. After a passionate night of exploration, Chase begins to envision a relationship and a future with Brady—who can’t admit his true feelings to his girlfriend and family and would rather pretend it never happened. While Brady struggles with his own identity, Chase must learn to accept that the man he loves may not be able to love him in return—a realization that sends him down a spiral of drinking, drugs, and self-destructive behavior. But when it comes to winning someone over, is enough ever truly enough? As Letters twists and turns toward its inevitable conclusion, this complex modern love story explores issues of sexuality, self-acceptance, and coming-of-age through an intimate series of notes written by Chase to the man who would alter his life forever, for better or for worse.

Genres: LGBT, M M Romance, Amazon

250 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2015

About the author

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status—and learned that it’s perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or “soul cluster,” that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

Reviews

[Rakhi (New Book Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book Letters is a love story of two different people who are trying to fit in this world. The story is written in the form of letters. Chase a 23-year-old boy that moved from Maryland to Chicago to figure out his life and to explore his sexuality and everything he ever dreamed of. Here he met Argon and Donny, with whom he hooked up but was never truly felt connected until he meets Brady, the love of his life. Brady a confused soul who is afraid to admit to the world about his love for Chase, and can't even tell his girlfriend or family about it or accept his true self.

So the story is actually letters written by Chase to Brady, explaining to him his love and all the thing he did and all the things he wished Brady could have done. So will Brady read all these letters?

What happens to Chase's love story? Will Brady ever accept his true self?

🌸My Take🌸

I found this book very interesting and heart touching. Though it did seem a bit sad love story for me but was indeed written beautifully and I found myself lost in words that made me cry too. Love is never easy and it has never been easy. This story is about the same complicated love with a great example of true friendship. Every character mentioned seems realistic and had their own way of living. I also felt like this book was written mostly based on true events than imagination. This is the second book that I m reading of the Author Zachary Ryan. And must say I'm just as happy to read this, as I was when I read the first book Thirst Trap.
🌸
Overall it's the best emotional book that I have ever read with twists and turns of never-ending love. Exploring sexuality and self-accepting may not be easy as it may sound. So read your self the love letters written by Chase to his only love Brady.

[Inked Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

ThreeStar
Everyone has those moments where they struggle with their life path. This series of letters shows a young man struggling with doing the right thing, for his heart and his soul, and it isn't always easy. But, that's what life is... messy and unpredictable.

The author takes us on a Journey with Chase through his struggles that everyone of us has experienced at some point, with work, finding friends and someone to love, and be loved back honestly. We don't have all the answers. We live and we learn, from our accomplishments and from our mistakes. This was tame as far as any heat.

I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.

Reviewer: Kimberley

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself becoming frustrated with the the main character over and over again before I really realized why. It's because this story is so so so so relatable and I saw so much of myself in Chase. I saw him making the same mistakes that I've made and was screaming for him to make different and better choices.
Overall, I'm in love with this story and I'm so glad I read this.

[Lori · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not finish this book. I just found the writing style nearly impossible to follow. To me it seemed the thoughts were not continuous or even well thought out. I could not root for any of the main characters. They came off immature and whiney...

If I didn't get this book via Kindle Unlimited, I would return it for a refund...

[Mavrik McMeekan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not stand this book. The work is truly awful, a small sliver of okay surrounded by mounds of angst, melodrama, and an overly romantic, rosy hued view of falling apart.

The main character, Chase, reads like the loosest of avatars for the author, Zachary Ryan. Hell, the blurb on the back about Ryan reads like a summation of the book. Chase has moved to Chicago to pursue his dream of being a writer. In spite of this, we never actually see him do any writing. He talks a lot about being a writer, wanting to write, but we never see him with a notebook or at a computer or anything. I suppose that could be forgiven, seeing as how the book is actually about Chase 'finding himself' and figuring out his sexuality.

Unfortunately, it doesn't deliver much on that front either. It reads like a sixteen year old's overdramatic facebook post about how all their shit relationships have made them stronger. That they've grown as a person through dealing with all these awful people, when in reality, they're just as much to blame. Such is the life of the narrator. When his friend, Brady, confides in him that he's been curious about the same sex, Chase pretty much says, 'hey, it's just physical. If emotions aren't involved it's totally not gay." They make out, have sex, and go on their way. Chase proceeds to fall into a depressive spiral because Brady doesn't develop those very emotions he said didn't matter.

This sort of hypocrisy is littered through the book and the narrator never comes to cut through the bullshit of his own melodrama and see that he's at fault. Instead, he smokes a bunch of pot with his friends and comes to terms with the 'fact' that he has no power over his life. What? That's the theme of your novel? You don't have control over your life, so stop trying?

The book may argue that, but it's execution actually leads me to believe the opposite. Chase comes to terms with this 'fact', and his life crumbles. Bill collectors hassle him all the time, he becomes an alcoholic, he doesn't pursue his dreams. Things get to be so bad that his dad shows up asking what the hell is going on. Rightfully so, considering he's been paying for Chase's expensive escapade in the big city.

The story climaxes in a grisly suicide. And here's the final thing that bugs me, more than anything about this book. Chase wallows in misery throughout the entirety of the book and nothing extraordinarily bad has happened to him. Sure, he's getting used by a manipulative person, but most of us have been there. Then, his boyfriend, who he constantly says he loves, shoots himself in the head right before his eyes. This is the only point in the book where Chase develops an optimistic view on the future! It hardly phases him. Your lover not wanting you makes you an alcoholic, but your lover blowing his brains out two feet in front of you makes you hopeful?

Not recommended. There is stronger LGBTQ literature out there.

[Junior · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was so good

[Cristina]

DNF