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Whippersnapper
Tellumo Magnamater is a fresh-out-of-college, first-year English teacher at Salt Lick County High School in Kentucky. He rides the bus to and from work, and every day he walks to the gym behind his small efficiency apartment to exercise. Perhaps because of being raised by two lesbians, Tellumo is attracted to older men. He sets his sights on fifty-something available bachelor Oliver Crumbly. But Tellumo isn’t the only resident interested in Oliver.
Peggy Tucker, a widow approaching her sixtieth birthday, is determined to marry again, and she thinks Oliver is her perfect match. Despite Tellumo and Peggy striking up a friendship at the gym, neither realizes they are interested in the same man. But the joke might be on both of them. Oliver, a retired history teacher, is the original crotchety old man who hates everything and everybody—especially young people.
Peggy Tucker, a widow approaching her sixtieth birthday, is determined to marry again, and she thinks Oliver is her perfect match. Despite Tellumo and Peggy striking up a friendship at the gym, neither realizes they are interested in the same man. But the joke might be on both of them. Oliver, a retired history teacher, is the original crotchety old man who hates everything and everybody—especially young people.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2016
1 person is currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Michael Rupured
10 books23 followersFor as long as he can remember, Michael Rupured has loved to write. Before he learned the alphabet, he filled page after page with rows of tiny little circles he now believes were his first novels and has been writing ever since. He grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, where he came out as a gay man at the age of twenty-one in the late 1970s. He considers it a miracle that he survived his wild and reckless twenties.
By day, Michael is an academic. He develops and evaluates financial literacy programs for youth and adult audiences at the University of Georgia and is Assistant to the Dean for Family and Consumer Sciences Education. He’s received numerous awards and honors over the years and is a Distinguished Fellow of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Michael is also an avid gardener, a runner, and because he loves it and rarely misses a class, is known locally as the Zumba King.
In 2010, he joined the Athens Writers Workshop, which he credits for helping him transition from writing nonfiction to writing fiction. Michael writes gay romance thrillers that, in addition to entertaining the reader, highlight how far the gay rights movement has come in the last fifty years. A serial monogamist who is currently between relationships, Michael writes with his longhaired Chihuahua, Toodles, in his lap from his home in Athens, Georgia.
To find out what Michael’s up to now, visit his blog: http://rupured.com, follow him on Twitter: @crotchetyman, or send an e-mail to mrupured@gmail.com.
By day, Michael is an academic. He develops and evaluates financial literacy programs for youth and adult audiences at the University of Georgia and is Assistant to the Dean for Family and Consumer Sciences Education. He’s received numerous awards and honors over the years and is a Distinguished Fellow of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Michael is also an avid gardener, a runner, and because he loves it and rarely misses a class, is known locally as the Zumba King.
In 2010, he joined the Athens Writers Workshop, which he credits for helping him transition from writing nonfiction to writing fiction. Michael writes gay romance thrillers that, in addition to entertaining the reader, highlight how far the gay rights movement has come in the last fifty years. A serial monogamist who is currently between relationships, Michael writes with his longhaired Chihuahua, Toodles, in his lap from his home in Athens, Georgia.
To find out what Michael’s up to now, visit his blog: http://rupured.com, follow him on Twitter: @crotchetyman, or send an e-mail to mrupured@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
dnf
January 26, 2016Wow.
Okay.
I tried.
Um... DNF at 26%.
This read so odd. Really odd and while the title made me do a Scooby Doo head tilt, the word whippersnapper is used to describe the younger MC (not as joke but seriously) and that's outta my comfort zone... it ain't my jam, baby.
First there are three POV's; Oliver, Tellumo and Peggy. Yeah, Peggy gets a POV and before you think I don't want vaginas in my book, it's not about that at all. I'm fine with the female anatomy, I have it myself... shocking as that may be and it does not squick me out.
But back to the POV of Peggy, she did nothing for me. I thought maybe she would be endearing but she was kinda messy and icky for me in a few ways. I wanted her to be more of Rose from Golden Girls but nope. She was just, weird.
Oliver is a grumpy AF old man and while his actual age isn't that far off from my own age, he READ SO OLD! Like really old and thinking of him in any sort of romantic way with Tellumo squicked me out hard core. I don't do geriatric sex. It's not my kink though I applaud the older folks who still get down and dirty.
Tellumo, I liked him. Would have liked him more if he wasn't in this book that had way too many intimate details about bladders being emptied, fiber making older men regular and being woken up to take care of the fiber issue and a young mans neglected cock being compared to offspring and child protective services being called... *shudders*
Yeah.
TULIP!
I'm safing out of this one.
Okay.
I tried.
Um... DNF at 26%.
This read so odd. Really odd and while the title made me do a Scooby Doo head tilt, the word whippersnapper is used to describe the younger MC (not as joke but seriously) and that's outta my comfort zone... it ain't my jam, baby.
First there are three POV's; Oliver, Tellumo and Peggy. Yeah, Peggy gets a POV and before you think I don't want vaginas in my book, it's not about that at all. I'm fine with the female anatomy, I have it myself... shocking as that may be and it does not squick me out.
But back to the POV of Peggy, she did nothing for me. I thought maybe she would be endearing but she was kinda messy and icky for me in a few ways. I wanted her to be more of Rose from Golden Girls but nope. She was just, weird.
Oliver is a grumpy AF old man and while his actual age isn't that far off from my own age, he READ SO OLD! Like really old and thinking of him in any sort of romantic way with Tellumo squicked me out hard core. I don't do geriatric sex. It's not my kink though I applaud the older folks who still get down and dirty.
Tellumo, I liked him. Would have liked him more if he wasn't in this book that had way too many intimate details about bladders being emptied, fiber making older men regular and being woken up to take care of the fiber issue and a young mans neglected cock being compared to offspring and child protective services being called... *shudders*
Yeah.
TULIP!
I'm safing out of this one.
January 30, 2016
I'm giving this book four stars because it had the balls to be different. It is character driven, which I like, and I also like the small town mentality that echoes through the story, which is well written. Not a lot happens during the course of the story, but I did end up understanding the three main characters, Tellumo, who I liked, Peggy, who I felt sorry for, and Oliver who I understood completely since I'm a crotchety old man and a lousy cook just like he is. I also understood Oliver's amazement at his survival of the AIDS years. That never ceases to amaze me too. I'm sorry the author didn't spice up the book with a little heat now and then, or at least a bit more sexual tension. The story really cries out for it. But other than that, WHIPPERSNAPPER was an enjoyable read for a lazy afternoon.
February 13, 2016
Awww, the ending made me cry. This is a difficult book to rate/explain. It is CLEARLY a work of love, and hugely labor intensive. The easiest way I can think of to explain this is that you shouldn't go into it looking for a quick read about Oliver and Tellumo. The cover itself is misleading in a way. This is really an ensemble piece (Oliver/Mo), (Peggy/love interest), (Oliver, best friend), (Mo, best friend), (Peggy, church friends), (Peggy, hairdresser). Get the idea? It's not a quick, straightforward read. Oliver and Mo don't even actually meet or speak to each other until about 27% into the book. This can be frustrating for those who picked this up strictly looking to read an M/M romance eg. Mo and Oliver meet and share 'a moment' but then both their best friends came to visit for a weekend. Ugh. I mean, once they got there you enjoyed them, but at the time I wanted them to stay away! :)
The story is told in three POV's - Tellumo's, Oliver's and Peggy's. I enjoyed their stories, and actually found this to be one of the more realistic books I've read on older people dating. I especially loved how Peggy dealt with her challenges (did Oliver ever get a smart phone? Learn to catalogue on a pc?) Having said that, I found parts of the book overly detailed and I had to skim. It was long in parts where it could have been short, and short where it really needed to be long. For eg. for such a long book, at the end we're left really early in Oliver and Mo's relationship, with almost no incidents of them doing stuff as a couple. We don't even get a sex scene with them, just kissing and fade to blacks. I'm not saying this to complain about the lack of sex, since the book is very good without it, just to let you know what to expect. In many ways, this feels like a Book 1 of a series, though I also like it for what it is as a stand alone.
Oliver and Mo are lovely together, and I would have liked to see more interaction between them. Some mild D/s is hinted at but never really explored (not a bad thing, but would have liked to see a smidgeon more). Would LOVE to read Giorgio/Derrious' story!
All in all a good read, a commendable effort. Just manage your expectations, and read this when you're in the mood for something that requires a little patience.
The story is told in three POV's - Tellumo's, Oliver's and Peggy's. I enjoyed their stories, and actually found this to be one of the more realistic books I've read on older people dating. I especially loved how Peggy dealt with her challenges (did Oliver ever get a smart phone? Learn to catalogue on a pc?) Having said that, I found parts of the book overly detailed and I had to skim. It was long in parts where it could have been short, and short where it really needed to be long. For eg. for such a long book, at the end we're left really early in Oliver and Mo's relationship, with almost no incidents of them doing stuff as a couple. We don't even get a sex scene with them, just kissing and fade to blacks. I'm not saying this to complain about the lack of sex, since the book is very good without it, just to let you know what to expect. In many ways, this feels like a Book 1 of a series, though I also like it for what it is as a stand alone.
Oliver and Mo are lovely together, and I would have liked to see more interaction between them. Some mild D/s is hinted at but never really explored (not a bad thing, but would have liked to see a smidgeon more). Would LOVE to read Giorgio/Derrious' story!
All in all a good read, a commendable effort. Just manage your expectations, and read this when you're in the mood for something that requires a little patience.
Read
February 3, 2016From the blurb, you get the idea: Tellumo is interested in Oliver, Peggy is interested in Oliver, Oliver is kind of a misanthrope and doesn’t want to get involved with either (he’s too old for Tellumo and too gay for Peggy!)
What the blurb doesn’t tell you is that Tellumo ends up really good friends with Peggy and we get a really in-depth view of her life – so she is no “evil female” out to ruin the romance between our MCs. In fact, I’d say the book is equally divided into thirds – Peggy, Oliver and Tellumo each share a third of the book.
Oliver has other issues in his life – a dying friend, his own fear of mortality, his own past relationship demons.
Tellumo is like a breath of fresh air to both Peggy and Oliver – offering his youth and open heart to help them heal.
Peggy has her own issues and secrets, wants and desires and they don’t all stem around Oliver.
In a nutshell this book is NOTHING like I thought it would be. There is NO on-page sex, the couple doesn’t even get together until 80% in, most of the story is simply the telling of the lives of our characters and slowly introducing them to one another – which doesn’t happen until 60 % in or so.
If you’re interested in a look into the lives of 3 interesting people, each of whom has something invested in the other in one way or another, and like that several of the characters are gay (Tellumo has 2 mothers) then this is the story for you.
If you’re looking for a “traditional boy meets boy” romance – this is not that book.
The writing is excellent and the stories are compelling – but I’m not sure I’d really call this a “romance” although it is clearly a portion of this book.
As a result of the unique flavor of the book I’m having a hard time rating it … so I won’t! I’ll give it high marks for writing and leave it at that.
What the blurb doesn’t tell you is that Tellumo ends up really good friends with Peggy and we get a really in-depth view of her life – so she is no “evil female” out to ruin the romance between our MCs. In fact, I’d say the book is equally divided into thirds – Peggy, Oliver and Tellumo each share a third of the book.
Oliver has other issues in his life – a dying friend, his own fear of mortality, his own past relationship demons.
Tellumo is like a breath of fresh air to both Peggy and Oliver – offering his youth and open heart to help them heal.
Peggy has her own issues and secrets, wants and desires and they don’t all stem around Oliver.
In a nutshell this book is NOTHING like I thought it would be. There is NO on-page sex, the couple doesn’t even get together until 80% in, most of the story is simply the telling of the lives of our characters and slowly introducing them to one another – which doesn’t happen until 60 % in or so.
If you’re interested in a look into the lives of 3 interesting people, each of whom has something invested in the other in one way or another, and like that several of the characters are gay (Tellumo has 2 mothers) then this is the story for you.
If you’re looking for a “traditional boy meets boy” romance – this is not that book.
The writing is excellent and the stories are compelling – but I’m not sure I’d really call this a “romance” although it is clearly a portion of this book.
As a result of the unique flavor of the book I’m having a hard time rating it … so I won’t! I’ll give it high marks for writing and leave it at that.
March 19, 2016
I loved this book. I loved the characters, the story, the way its written. And to think it was a close call I had never picked it up at all. If it hadn't been for a blogpost a while back when I first took notice about "Whippersnapper" it would never have made it onto my book wishlist, and even there I kept neglecting it for another while. Why? Because I had never read anything by Michael Rupured before (though I have eyed his holiday books more than once) and because this book has such an unappealing cover. As I said, if it hadn't been for that blogpost I never would have come close to picking it up, which would have been a huge loss on my part, because this book is the best I've read in a long time.
It's told in three alternating points of view, Tellumo, Oliver and Peggy - and I loved them all, which never ever happens because when a story has several point of view characters there's always one or two you prefer over the other(s). Both Oliver and Peggy are older; Peggy is closer to sixty, and it's not often I read stories with female characters above the age of forty-five, or even younger for that part. It was a nice difference from characters I usually see in the books I read. The romantic interests set up a May-September relationship, and I enjoy those, and although this is a bit on the far end for me it happens in real life too.
It was a laugh out loud funny story on several occasions for me. Turning this into a real feel-good read, and at times we all need that sort of story. Though on a couple of occasions I was on the verge to tears as well, thankfully they didn't last and when I finished the book I did so with a happy grin on my face.
And Rupured's way of writing worked so well for me. The multiple points of view - you often see the two alternating views in romance but more rarely three, for me it worked very well, along with a nice language flow, which when you encounter it always makes for a nice read.
So I am very happy I overlooked the awful cover, and discovered a new to me author.
It's told in three alternating points of view, Tellumo, Oliver and Peggy - and I loved them all, which never ever happens because when a story has several point of view characters there's always one or two you prefer over the other(s). Both Oliver and Peggy are older; Peggy is closer to sixty, and it's not often I read stories with female characters above the age of forty-five, or even younger for that part. It was a nice difference from characters I usually see in the books I read. The romantic interests set up a May-September relationship, and I enjoy those, and although this is a bit on the far end for me it happens in real life too.
It was a laugh out loud funny story on several occasions for me. Turning this into a real feel-good read, and at times we all need that sort of story. Though on a couple of occasions I was on the verge to tears as well, thankfully they didn't last and when I finished the book I did so with a happy grin on my face.
And Rupured's way of writing worked so well for me. The multiple points of view - you often see the two alternating views in romance but more rarely three, for me it worked very well, along with a nice language flow, which when you encounter it always makes for a nice read.
So I am very happy I overlooked the awful cover, and discovered a new to me author.
February 1, 2016
Tellumo has just moved to a new, small town in Kentucky. He is throwing himself into work ad worried he isn't doing well enough. The only recreation he has is the gym after school, and occasional visits from his best friend, Melody. Raised by two moms he credits that for his affinity for older men. He has his eye on one in the Gym, but the Sliver Fox seems to avoid him.
Tellumo befriends a sweet older woman he met in the gym; little does he know she is trying to get the attention of the same man.
Oliver has decided five bad relationships are enough and is trying to enjoy his retirement. He is the epitome of a crotchety older man: fussing and griping about everyone and everything. The thing that bothers him the most is the younger generation always on their fancy phones.
This story was a laugh a minute. It is also one you need to make time to read in one sitting because you won't want to put it down.
Whippersnapper is a character driven story about three people, Tellumo, Peggy, and Oliver. You get a well-written story about how these three meet, how their lives intertwine and a lot of surprises along the way. It is a feel-good story with no sexual content and lots of laughs. I laughed so much my hubby must’ve thought I was nuts.
Though it’s not exactly a romance towards the end there is a little bit of romance; I highly recommend this story.
If you like funny stories with lots of interesting characters, unique main characters, humor with a touch of romance, you will love this book!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Tellumo befriends a sweet older woman he met in the gym; little does he know she is trying to get the attention of the same man.
Oliver has decided five bad relationships are enough and is trying to enjoy his retirement. He is the epitome of a crotchety older man: fussing and griping about everyone and everything. The thing that bothers him the most is the younger generation always on their fancy phones.
This story was a laugh a minute. It is also one you need to make time to read in one sitting because you won't want to put it down.
Whippersnapper is a character driven story about three people, Tellumo, Peggy, and Oliver. You get a well-written story about how these three meet, how their lives intertwine and a lot of surprises along the way. It is a feel-good story with no sexual content and lots of laughs. I laughed so much my hubby must’ve thought I was nuts.
Though it’s not exactly a romance towards the end there is a little bit of romance; I highly recommend this story.
If you like funny stories with lots of interesting characters, unique main characters, humor with a touch of romance, you will love this book!
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
July 14, 2016
2.5 stars
That moment ( again) when I feel like the only one that “just didn’t get it.” I wanted to love this book and I deeply appreciated the message about embracing love in its many forms but I like my stories to focus mainly on the MC’s. I don’t mind strong supporting characters, I love them but their storyline shouldn’t overshadow that of the main characters especially if it’s not really contributing to the MC’s relationship. Who’s this story supposed to be about precisely?
The MC’s ( Tellumo and Oliver), came across as caricatures of May/ December couples who are at different crossroads in life. Both characters lacked depth. It’s like the story never made the leap beyond the “young fit hottie” and the “grumpy old man”. The relationship is superficial, it doesn’t go beyond the initial attraction where each character grow into loving each other despite the age gap and life experiences. I just didn’t see the connection and ultimately didn’t buy their relationship. Though Peggy is awesome, I think less time should have been spent on her and more should have been spent building Tellumo and Oliver’s relationship.
February 16, 2016
3.5*
This is not what I would call a romance. It is actually a slice of life for three characters with very little romance included, though by the end we have high hopes that our 3 mc's will find romantic happiness. There were LOL moments and some truly heartbreaking moments, but you should not read this expecting action - of any kind! But when all was said and done I enjoyed the story!
This is not what I would call a romance. It is actually a slice of life for three characters with very little romance included, though by the end we have high hopes that our 3 mc's will find romantic happiness. There were LOL moments and some truly heartbreaking moments, but you should not read this expecting action - of any kind! But when all was said and done I enjoyed the story!
March 11, 2016
Full review can be found at The Novel Approach
August 6, 2017
No sexual content on page whatsoever (not a complaint just an observation). Very sweet story about love and family.
There's a funny scene before Peggy is clued into the gay and thinks that Giorgio is Eduardo and Darrius's father instead of their "daddy."
There's a funny scene before Peggy is clued into the gay and thinks that Giorgio is Eduardo and Darrius's father instead of their "daddy."
March 12, 2016
Tellumo is a young gay man just starting out his teaching career at a high school in Kentucky, not far from Cincinnati where he had grown up raised by his two moms. His best friend is also a teacher, but she’s stayed near their Cincinnati home and visits him sporadically. After the first semester is over, he is feeling more settled and less pressured and is happy to have some visitors, finally.
He’s made the decision to not get a car until he’s more financially stable, and he definitely makes do with what he has and isn’t too unhappy about that. He enjoys his job, his apartment and his time at the local gym that is close to his house. There, he sees Oliver Crumbly, a retired teacher, and Peggy Tucker, a widow who would really like to be remarried.
Peggy is a hoot—she is clearly quite clueless about a lot of things. She reminds me of a lot of those people who kind of just float through life without a real plan. But she does have her job at the DMV and her little side business of inspirational linens (I truly did not know this was a thing). She definitely likes Tellumo, and he is very sweet helping her out with things that she can’t quite figure out, especially with technology.
Oliver is the original crabby old man. He finds everything and everyone pretty much annoying. Whether it’s the way people drive, shop, mow their lawns, work out at the gym, there is always something that is pissing him off. He’s got a permanent scowl! When he has a problem at the gym, and Tellumo comes to his rescue, he decides MAYBE the kid isn’t so terrible—but the jury is definitely still out.
The way the story of these three people intertwines is very entertaining. There are a lot of things going on that the others are unaware of, and there are misunderstandings and assumptions galore, some of which are hilarious! Peggy’s trips to the hair salon are worth their weight in gold. Her assumptions and plans for Tellumo and his BFF, Melody, again are so amusing. The poor lady just really hasn’t moved into the 21st century.
There are also, however, some sad moments for everyone too. Poor Peggy’s life doesn’t seem to go well, especially with her wish to be married again. She’s lonely and really wishes her life were different. Oliver gets some terrible news and he’s completely devastated. Tellumo is kind of the breath of fresh air both of these people need in their lives.
There are too many good moments in this story to share, and I don’t want to spoil the fun. They need to be discovered in due time by reading the book. I loved the whole small town feel, and I enjoyed the various viewpoints of the narrators. Finally, there are some really great secondary characters and some wonderful revelations and character growth that had me rooting for everyone in this story to get their HEA.
I so enjoyed this book! It’s very unusual in that it is told from the three main characters’ alternating POVs. However, there is never any question of who is telling the story at any time, so it works well. These characters could not be any more different, and I think without being in their headspace, the story wouldn’t have been as strong. There are so many great characters in this book aside from the main three stories that it really adds depth and layers to the stories of Peggy, Oliver and Tellumo. I think this would make a hilarious RomCom—I’m just trying to decide on the casting. :)
Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
He’s made the decision to not get a car until he’s more financially stable, and he definitely makes do with what he has and isn’t too unhappy about that. He enjoys his job, his apartment and his time at the local gym that is close to his house. There, he sees Oliver Crumbly, a retired teacher, and Peggy Tucker, a widow who would really like to be remarried.
Peggy is a hoot—she is clearly quite clueless about a lot of things. She reminds me of a lot of those people who kind of just float through life without a real plan. But she does have her job at the DMV and her little side business of inspirational linens (I truly did not know this was a thing). She definitely likes Tellumo, and he is very sweet helping her out with things that she can’t quite figure out, especially with technology.
Oliver is the original crabby old man. He finds everything and everyone pretty much annoying. Whether it’s the way people drive, shop, mow their lawns, work out at the gym, there is always something that is pissing him off. He’s got a permanent scowl! When he has a problem at the gym, and Tellumo comes to his rescue, he decides MAYBE the kid isn’t so terrible—but the jury is definitely still out.
The way the story of these three people intertwines is very entertaining. There are a lot of things going on that the others are unaware of, and there are misunderstandings and assumptions galore, some of which are hilarious! Peggy’s trips to the hair salon are worth their weight in gold. Her assumptions and plans for Tellumo and his BFF, Melody, again are so amusing. The poor lady just really hasn’t moved into the 21st century.
There are also, however, some sad moments for everyone too. Poor Peggy’s life doesn’t seem to go well, especially with her wish to be married again. She’s lonely and really wishes her life were different. Oliver gets some terrible news and he’s completely devastated. Tellumo is kind of the breath of fresh air both of these people need in their lives.
There are too many good moments in this story to share, and I don’t want to spoil the fun. They need to be discovered in due time by reading the book. I loved the whole small town feel, and I enjoyed the various viewpoints of the narrators. Finally, there are some really great secondary characters and some wonderful revelations and character growth that had me rooting for everyone in this story to get their HEA.
I so enjoyed this book! It’s very unusual in that it is told from the three main characters’ alternating POVs. However, there is never any question of who is telling the story at any time, so it works well. These characters could not be any more different, and I think without being in their headspace, the story wouldn’t have been as strong. There are so many great characters in this book aside from the main three stories that it really adds depth and layers to the stories of Peggy, Oliver and Tellumo. I think this would make a hilarious RomCom—I’m just trying to decide on the casting. :)
Reviewed by Sadonna for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
April 16, 2016
Whippersnapper is written in the third person but from three different POVs: Tellumo, an earnest young gay teacher, Peggy, a fifty-something widow, and Oliver, a retired, irritable gay teacher. Tellumo, the son of two lesbians who love him very much, is attracted to Oliver. Peggy is also interested in Oliver, not realizing that he is gay. Oliver is so hateful it’s difficult at first to understand what anyone finds appealing about him.
The story begins with everyone trapped at home during the Christmas season due to an ill-timed blizzard. When they can finally get out Tellumo, Peggy, and Oliver all descend on the gym to which they all belong for classes they were enjoying before the snow storm. Mr. Rupured avoids the cliché of silly older woman spoiling the possibility of romance for the two gay men by having Tellumo and Peggy become good friends. Oliver, who is going through his own tough times with several failed relationships in his past, finds he cannot resist the friendship of Tellumo, but that doesn’t happen until well after the halfway point in the book.
This is far from a traditional romance book but it does contain within the meandering plot a romance and is the story of how a friendship can lead to love. Peggy, Oliver, and Tellumo all have secrets and needs and it is Tellumo who helps everyone break out of their shells and begin to heal. Having met his mothers in the beginning of the book, and despite the fact that they are minor characters at this point, it is Tellumo’s mothers who play a key role in all of these lives simply by the way they raised their son to be kind and loving.
Mr. Rupured has written a captivating book full of exceptional characters and an extraordinary collection of backstories. I fell in love with all of the characters and wanted all of them to flourish in their lives by the end of the book, by whatever way fits each one uniquely.
Things I especially loved about the characters: Peggy’s cluelessness and good heart, Oliver’s penchant for writing letters (repeatedly!) to anyone he believes to have an authority position about something (so many things!) that he finds offensive, and Tellumo’s desire to connect with his students by preparing great lesson plans. There are many funny moments, for example Peggy’s misinterpretation of the two gay hairdressers’ relationship with the owner of the salon, whom they call Papi. There are also some sad scenes, especially concerning Oliver. There are too many great moments for Tellumo for me to list them here, and besides you will enjoy the book more by finding them for yourself.
I can’t recommend Whippersnapper highly enough and give it all the stars possible in a review rating.
The story begins with everyone trapped at home during the Christmas season due to an ill-timed blizzard. When they can finally get out Tellumo, Peggy, and Oliver all descend on the gym to which they all belong for classes they were enjoying before the snow storm. Mr. Rupured avoids the cliché of silly older woman spoiling the possibility of romance for the two gay men by having Tellumo and Peggy become good friends. Oliver, who is going through his own tough times with several failed relationships in his past, finds he cannot resist the friendship of Tellumo, but that doesn’t happen until well after the halfway point in the book.
This is far from a traditional romance book but it does contain within the meandering plot a romance and is the story of how a friendship can lead to love. Peggy, Oliver, and Tellumo all have secrets and needs and it is Tellumo who helps everyone break out of their shells and begin to heal. Having met his mothers in the beginning of the book, and despite the fact that they are minor characters at this point, it is Tellumo’s mothers who play a key role in all of these lives simply by the way they raised their son to be kind and loving.
Mr. Rupured has written a captivating book full of exceptional characters and an extraordinary collection of backstories. I fell in love with all of the characters and wanted all of them to flourish in their lives by the end of the book, by whatever way fits each one uniquely.
Things I especially loved about the characters: Peggy’s cluelessness and good heart, Oliver’s penchant for writing letters (repeatedly!) to anyone he believes to have an authority position about something (so many things!) that he finds offensive, and Tellumo’s desire to connect with his students by preparing great lesson plans. There are many funny moments, for example Peggy’s misinterpretation of the two gay hairdressers’ relationship with the owner of the salon, whom they call Papi. There are also some sad scenes, especially concerning Oliver. There are too many great moments for Tellumo for me to list them here, and besides you will enjoy the book more by finding them for yourself.
I can’t recommend Whippersnapper highly enough and give it all the stars possible in a review rating.
February 16, 2016
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***
Tellumo is a twenty-three-year-old, first year English teacher, who has set his eyes on Oliver Crumbly, a 50-something bachelor that goes to the same gym Tellumo does. He's not the only one that's interested in Oliver, though. Peggy Tucker, a widow about to turn sixty years old, is also determined to turn Oliver into her new husband.
Tellumo and Peggy are in friendly terms, having met at the gym, even if none of them realizes they are interested in the same man.
After a series of disastrous relationships, the last thing Oliver wants is another boyfriend, even less someone as young as Tellumo.
While usually I don't care much about multiple POVs, in this case having both Tellumo and Oliver's along with Peggy, made the book more entertaining for me. I laughed out loud at a few of the things that happened to Peggy, she was a riot and definitely my favorite character!
The book was fun to read, a series of interconnected scenes with a lot happening and some twists thrown in for good measure. It was realistic, with a nice set of characters, and well written.
Rating: 4 Stars!!!
Tellumo is a twenty-three-year-old, first year English teacher, who has set his eyes on Oliver Crumbly, a 50-something bachelor that goes to the same gym Tellumo does. He's not the only one that's interested in Oliver, though. Peggy Tucker, a widow about to turn sixty years old, is also determined to turn Oliver into her new husband.
Tellumo and Peggy are in friendly terms, having met at the gym, even if none of them realizes they are interested in the same man.
After a series of disastrous relationships, the last thing Oliver wants is another boyfriend, even less someone as young as Tellumo.
While usually I don't care much about multiple POVs, in this case having both Tellumo and Oliver's along with Peggy, made the book more entertaining for me. I laughed out loud at a few of the things that happened to Peggy, she was a riot and definitely my favorite character!
The book was fun to read, a series of interconnected scenes with a lot happening and some twists thrown in for good measure. It was realistic, with a nice set of characters, and well written.
Rating: 4 Stars!!!
April 6, 2016
2.75 Stars
This wasn't one of my favorites. Since I was expecting something different from what I read, I believe my experience was tainted by my expectations. I expected that navigating the obstacle of a thirty year age gap between Oliver and Tellumo (hated his name!) would provide humor and conflict, but ultimately lead to romance. That didn't happen. The MCs were apart for most of the book, and the focus was more on their relationships with other characters than with each other.
I didn't connect with the characters and never felt invested in the story. There were funny moments, but I only made a mental note of the humor instead of actually feeling it. Speaking of making a mental note? In the future I will avoid buying any books set in a town called Fallisville. Yeah, hated that name as well!
This wasn't one of my favorites. Since I was expecting something different from what I read, I believe my experience was tainted by my expectations. I expected that navigating the obstacle of a thirty year age gap between Oliver and Tellumo (hated his name!) would provide humor and conflict, but ultimately lead to romance. That didn't happen. The MCs were apart for most of the book, and the focus was more on their relationships with other characters than with each other.
I didn't connect with the characters and never felt invested in the story. There were funny moments, but I only made a mental note of the humor instead of actually feeling it. Speaking of making a mental note? In the future I will avoid buying any books set in a town called Fallisville. Yeah, hated that name as well!
February 20, 2016
I really enjoyed this. Elements of the book kept flashing into my head days after I read it.
A unique feature is the MC's culinary misadventures. My jaw was literally dropping as I read what he was doing to food.
I also want to read the MC's Gay history of the USA.
A unique feature is the MC's culinary misadventures. My jaw was literally dropping as I read what he was doing to food.
I also want to read the MC's Gay history of the USA.
February 29, 2016
Very enjoyable but not my favorite of Michael Rupured's books. Just a little too light hearted for me.
Read
February 23, 2016This isn't a romance, it's a contemporary character study family drama. I'd hate to rate my enjoyment of the book based solely on its "not a romance" properties, so I'll forego a rating.
September 6, 2016
Quite disappointed
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