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What No One Else Can Hear
Young Stevie Liston is diagnosed with autism, but is really an overwhelmed empath who mentally called out for help. Jesse McKinnon heard him in a dream from clear across the country, and that dream sent him on a six-year search to find Stevie. Once they meet, they think everything will work out and Jesse will help Stevie cope. Stevie does improve immensely, but a disgruntled coworker of Jesse's conspires with Stevie's estranged but politically powerful father to keep Stevie and Jesse apart with trumped-up legal charges claiming Jesse sexually abused the boy. Jesse must watch helplessly as Stevie loses all the advances he's made. If it wasn't for his growing relationship with his coworker Drew Ferguson, Jesse knows he wouldn't have the strength to fight for his rights and Stevie's future. Drew just might be the real thing, but with the very real possibility of serving jail time for a crime he didn't commit, Jesse's hopes for a future with Drew might be doomed.
220 pages, Paperback
First published July 27, 2015
84 people want to read
About the author
Brynn Stein
11 books36 followersBrynn Stein has always loved to write. Fan fiction, original fiction, whatever. While Brynn wrote in numerous genres—everything from mystery, to contemporary, to supernatural—she had always tended toward strong male characters. And then she discovered “slash,” male/male romance, and all those strong male characters were finally allowed to express their love for one another. It seems that there are always at least two characters clamoring to tell Brynn their story.
Brynn lives in Virginia with one of her two two-legged children, and two four-legged ones. Her supportive family encourages her writing and provides a sounding board for fledgling stories. When she isn’t writing, Brynn teaches children with special needs. In free time, when such a thing exists, she reads anything she can get her hands on, and haunts bookstores. She draws and paints, and enjoys the outdoors—especially if she can get to the beach—and is always thinking about her next story.
Please feel free to contact Brynn at any of the following:
https://twitter.com/BrynnStein
http://brynnstein2.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/
brynnstein2@gmail.com
Brynn lives in Virginia with one of her two two-legged children, and two four-legged ones. Her supportive family encourages her writing and provides a sounding board for fledgling stories. When she isn’t writing, Brynn teaches children with special needs. In free time, when such a thing exists, she reads anything she can get her hands on, and haunts bookstores. She draws and paints, and enjoys the outdoors—especially if she can get to the beach—and is always thinking about her next story.
Please feel free to contact Brynn at any of the following:
https://twitter.com/BrynnStein
http://brynnstein2.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/
brynnstein2@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 20, 2015
ARC of What No One Else Can Hear provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This review has been cross posted at Reviews by JesseWave.
2.4 Stars
What No One Else Can Hear was a book with a lot of potential. I loved the premise, that Stevie was an empath who just couldn't block other peoples emotions and they overwhelmed him, manifesting in a very similar way to Autism. I found it fresh and intriguing. And for the first half of the book, or so, I really enjoyed it. The pacing was pretty good and I loved the interactions between Stevie and Jesse. Stevie really came alive when Jesse finally found him. The second half of the book just fell apart for me, however. Frankly, the story kept going and going, when it should have been resolving. And Chuck was used over and over as a plot device, when he really should have been in jail for fabricating evidence, perjury, assault, and a few other things.
The editing in this ARC was also not very good. There were numerous instances where there would be a partial sentence that didn't seem to belong, and punctuation and spelling errors galore. It was enough to take me out of the story. It is my hope that these issues are corrected in the final version of the book. Unfortunately, I had to work with what I was given.
One thing I found disappointing throughout the book, was the lack of romance between Jesse and Drew. They become best friends over the course of several months and sort of hint to each other that they might want more, but they didn't really engage in taking their relationship past the friends stage for way too long. And, once they did, I didn't really feel it. There were only a couple sex scenes that weren't completely fade-to-black and they weren't described very well and it seemed more like Jesse and Drew were just being silly together rather than making love. It just felt awkward. Their relationship felt like it was a minor part of the story, and maybe that was the intention. I would have preferred it to be more prominent, but maybe that's just me.
Where the book seemed to fall apart for me was with the overuse of Chuck - the bad guy. He's an employee at the children's center where Stevie is a patient and Chuck takes an immediate and irrational dislike to Jesse. And everyone at the center seems to just put up with him. One of the big things, for me, that set off alarms in my head, was that at the center, five reprimands were needed to fire someone. Say, what? These people are responsible for special needs children and they are giving that much leeway? Chuck had no business caring for children at all, much less kids with special needs. He was impatient, rude, and he verbally abused them and was way too rough with them physically. And once he does get fired, finally, he's used several more times to move the plot along. And it became tedious.
After Chuck's dismissal, he fabricates evidence suggesting that Stevie was being abused by Jesse and he conspires with Stevie's father, who is running for a political office. And they decide to embark on a witch hunt and ruin Jesse, which, in turn, sets Stevie's progress back months. Stevie's father has had nothing to do with his son in the six years he has been at the center, but he makes it sound like he visits every week. None of that BS is ever publicly refuted. But, ok, he's a politician running for office and they will often say whatever they think will get them the most votes - sympathy or otherwise. So, that was believable enough. But even when it was clear and obvious that he didn't know the first thing about his son, he tried to play it off that Stevie was just mentally handicapped. Ugh.
Allegations of sexual abuse, as I'm sure you can imagine, are very serious. Even when they are not true, the accusation can thoroughly ruin a person's reputation, as well as their life. So Jesse is devastated that he's being taken away from Stevie. And Stevie is inconsolable. He wants his Bear, his nickname for Jesse, and he doesn't understand why Bear is being taken away. It's so obvious, to anyone observing Jesse and Stevie, that Stevie is not afraid of Jesse and, in fact, responds in a positive way to him. A child that is being abused just does not make that kind of a ruckus when his/her abuser is being removed. Stevie was angry, and not at Jesse. It really should have been easy to disprove any inappropriate behavior in this case. And, frankly, the story would have benefited from not drawing this out as much as it did.
There were several things about how the case was handled that I just could not believe were happening. The DA certainly didn't have enough to get a conviction, but Jesse's attorney, whom someone at the children's center referred, encourages him to take a plea deal, where he pleads guilty, but won't serve any jail time. Seriously? He really thinks the best option - for a case where the evidence is that shaky - is for someone to plead to a charge which will land them on the child sex offenders list for the rest of his life? Really? I might have fired my lawyer for trying to pull that. And that wasn't the last time I wanted that lawyer fired. Jesse fights it and insists on a trial, thank FSM.
So it goes on, and they go to trial, which of course is resolved quickly, in Jesse's favor. And the story should have wrapped it up soon after. But it didn't. There was this complicated cat and mouse game between Jesse's lawyer and Stevie's father and Chuck, of course. And that is where the story completely lost me as a reader. The way the story finally resolved was too little, too late and left me with a very bad taste.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately was an overall miss for me.
2.4 Stars
What No One Else Can Hear was a book with a lot of potential. I loved the premise, that Stevie was an empath who just couldn't block other peoples emotions and they overwhelmed him, manifesting in a very similar way to Autism. I found it fresh and intriguing. And for the first half of the book, or so, I really enjoyed it. The pacing was pretty good and I loved the interactions between Stevie and Jesse. Stevie really came alive when Jesse finally found him. The second half of the book just fell apart for me, however. Frankly, the story kept going and going, when it should have been resolving. And Chuck was used over and over as a plot device, when he really should have been in jail for fabricating evidence, perjury, assault, and a few other things.
The editing in this ARC was also not very good. There were numerous instances where there would be a partial sentence that didn't seem to belong, and punctuation and spelling errors galore. It was enough to take me out of the story. It is my hope that these issues are corrected in the final version of the book. Unfortunately, I had to work with what I was given.
One thing I found disappointing throughout the book, was the lack of romance between Jesse and Drew. They become best friends over the course of several months and sort of hint to each other that they might want more, but they didn't really engage in taking their relationship past the friends stage for way too long. And, once they did, I didn't really feel it. There were only a couple sex scenes that weren't completely fade-to-black and they weren't described very well and it seemed more like Jesse and Drew were just being silly together rather than making love. It just felt awkward. Their relationship felt like it was a minor part of the story, and maybe that was the intention. I would have preferred it to be more prominent, but maybe that's just me.
Where the book seemed to fall apart for me was with the overuse of Chuck - the bad guy. He's an employee at the children's center where Stevie is a patient and Chuck takes an immediate and irrational dislike to Jesse. And everyone at the center seems to just put up with him. One of the big things, for me, that set off alarms in my head, was that at the center, five reprimands were needed to fire someone. Say, what? These people are responsible for special needs children and they are giving that much leeway? Chuck had no business caring for children at all, much less kids with special needs. He was impatient, rude, and he verbally abused them and was way too rough with them physically. And once he does get fired, finally, he's used several more times to move the plot along. And it became tedious.
After Chuck's dismissal, he fabricates evidence suggesting that Stevie was being abused by Jesse and he conspires with Stevie's father, who is running for a political office. And they decide to embark on a witch hunt and ruin Jesse, which, in turn, sets Stevie's progress back months. Stevie's father has had nothing to do with his son in the six years he has been at the center, but he makes it sound like he visits every week. None of that BS is ever publicly refuted. But, ok, he's a politician running for office and they will often say whatever they think will get them the most votes - sympathy or otherwise. So, that was believable enough. But even when it was clear and obvious that he didn't know the first thing about his son, he tried to play it off that Stevie was just mentally handicapped. Ugh.
Allegations of sexual abuse, as I'm sure you can imagine, are very serious. Even when they are not true, the accusation can thoroughly ruin a person's reputation, as well as their life. So Jesse is devastated that he's being taken away from Stevie. And Stevie is inconsolable. He wants his Bear, his nickname for Jesse, and he doesn't understand why Bear is being taken away. It's so obvious, to anyone observing Jesse and Stevie, that Stevie is not afraid of Jesse and, in fact, responds in a positive way to him. A child that is being abused just does not make that kind of a ruckus when his/her abuser is being removed. Stevie was angry, and not at Jesse. It really should have been easy to disprove any inappropriate behavior in this case. And, frankly, the story would have benefited from not drawing this out as much as it did.
There were several things about how the case was handled that I just could not believe were happening. The DA certainly didn't have enough to get a conviction, but Jesse's attorney, whom someone at the children's center referred, encourages him to take a plea deal, where he pleads guilty, but won't serve any jail time. Seriously? He really thinks the best option - for a case where the evidence is that shaky - is for someone to plead to a charge which will land them on the child sex offenders list for the rest of his life? Really? I might have fired my lawyer for trying to pull that. And that wasn't the last time I wanted that lawyer fired. Jesse fights it and insists on a trial, thank FSM.
So it goes on, and they go to trial, which of course is resolved quickly, in Jesse's favor. And the story should have wrapped it up soon after. But it didn't. There was this complicated cat and mouse game between Jesse's lawyer and Stevie's father and Chuck, of course. And that is where the story completely lost me as a reader. The way the story finally resolved was too little, too late and left me with a very bad taste.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately was an overall miss for me.
March 8, 2017
Full Review Here at On Top Down Under
http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
I was really drawn to this book but was also a touch disappointed too, it's a great read but I was hoping for a bit more. It's well written and has a good storyline. I felt Brynn Stein could have played up the mystique for a touch longer by drawing it out more, especially at the beginning of the book by placing more emphasis on the seeking and bonding.
http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
I was really drawn to this book but was also a touch disappointed too, it's a great read but I was hoping for a bit more. It's well written and has a good storyline. I felt Brynn Stein could have played up the mystique for a touch longer by drawing it out more, especially at the beginning of the book by placing more emphasis on the seeking and bonding.
August 13, 2015
This book pissed me off so much. I loved Stevie, he was great. Everything else? Nope. Well, I liked the co-workers and stuff, they were great to stand by Jesse's side through everything. Drew and Kyle pissed me off the most though. ARGH! This was me while reading:
At first I was like
Then I was like
No mistaken I was definitely like this next
Until I got here
Giving extra star for Stevie.
At first I was like
Then I was like
No mistaken I was definitely like this next
Until I got here
Giving extra star for Stevie.
August 7, 2015
Seriously great story. Love the characters because they are just lovable and little Stevie is such a sweetheart! The storyline is very well plotted and my interest could not be removed. .
November 9, 2015
5 Heart Review by Tammy
Stevie Liston was born with intense empathy with autistic traits but everyone thinks he’s just severely autistic. Stevie’s mother made sure his world was safe and secure for him, she made sure there was nothing to upset him because Stevie’s empathy is such that he “feels” emotions, they feel like stinging ants biting him the more intense the emotion the more sting he feels. Loud noises are also a trigger for Stevie and he can’t control his own emotional reactions. Unfortunately, Stevie’s mother died in a car crash when he was four years old and his father decided that as a Senator, having an autistic child would be good for his image only in so far as he can trot Stevie out when needed, not for him to actually live with him. Stevie was put into a home for intellectually and physically handicapped children. So started Stevie’s relationship with Jesse McKinnon.
Jesse was in college when he first started “dreaming” about young Stevie. At first there was only the one dream then about six months later he had another one. They started happening quite regularly after that and that is when he realised that he wasn’t actually dreaming but being drawn into Stevie’s “mind world”. As Jesse gets to know Stevie, as much as he can know a 4year old, Jesse comes to realise that he has to find Stevie in the real world because Stevie is a lot more centred whenever he is around him.
Stevie has made himself a forest where he can go to get away from everyone’s emotions in the real world. Ever since Stevie’s father basically dumped him in the home he has withdrawn from the world. He hasn’t ever spoken a word from the moment he arrived there but everyone has fallen in love with him because of his sweet nature.
It takes Jesse 6 years to find Stevie and when he does it’s at a critical time as Stevie has been spending more time “asleep” than awake. The doctors at the home are ready to start radical treatment! The moment Jesse walks in the front door he sees his picture on the office wall, the further in he walks the more pictures of himself he sees. Jesse’s never been in the state let alone this particular children’s home so now he knows for sure he’s found Stevie.
Stevie is 10 years old when he meets his “Bear”, the name he has for Jesse because when they first met Jesse had long hair and was making an attempt to grow a beard. It takes a while for Jesse to realise it’s not going to be an instant fix with Stevie. It’s going to take a lot of time, love and effort to bring Stevie to a functioning level. It’s not all roses, there are a few noses put out when Stevie makes such a marked improvement within days of Jesse starting. Stevie makes such an improvement that everyone is completely astounded when one of his co-workers makes a charge of child abuse to Stevie’s father and well, the Senator can’t help but get on the bandwagon. After all, it’s all good press!
While Jesse is trying to cope with being labelled a child abuser as well as keeping Stevie on track whilst not being allowed near him, Jesse and his co-worker Drew start seeing each other. At the beginning it starts out as a way of keeping the lines of direct communication open with Stevie but the more time they spend together the more they fall in love with each other. Drew backs Jesse all the way, he knows there is nothing to the allegations but sour grapes and jealousy. When it comes out that not only did Stevie’s father dump him at the home he has refused to have anything to do with Stevie’s welfare in the six years he has been at the home. Jesse and his lawyers finally have the leverage they need to get him to back off and drop the charges because they have been proven false time and again.
What No One Else Can Hear is an incredibly intense book about intellectual disability and the effect they have on not just the person but everyone around them. This book has a lot of emotional ups and downs, there are dark moments of course but they are far out-weighed by the upbeat, successful, YES! moments. There is a love story between Jesse and Drew but the real love story is between Stevie and Jesse. They have a very deep, very real “father/son” love that neither have ever had with their own fathers’. This is a definite must read book for all.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Stevie Liston was born with intense empathy with autistic traits but everyone thinks he’s just severely autistic. Stevie’s mother made sure his world was safe and secure for him, she made sure there was nothing to upset him because Stevie’s empathy is such that he “feels” emotions, they feel like stinging ants biting him the more intense the emotion the more sting he feels. Loud noises are also a trigger for Stevie and he can’t control his own emotional reactions. Unfortunately, Stevie’s mother died in a car crash when he was four years old and his father decided that as a Senator, having an autistic child would be good for his image only in so far as he can trot Stevie out when needed, not for him to actually live with him. Stevie was put into a home for intellectually and physically handicapped children. So started Stevie’s relationship with Jesse McKinnon.
Jesse was in college when he first started “dreaming” about young Stevie. At first there was only the one dream then about six months later he had another one. They started happening quite regularly after that and that is when he realised that he wasn’t actually dreaming but being drawn into Stevie’s “mind world”. As Jesse gets to know Stevie, as much as he can know a 4year old, Jesse comes to realise that he has to find Stevie in the real world because Stevie is a lot more centred whenever he is around him.
Stevie has made himself a forest where he can go to get away from everyone’s emotions in the real world. Ever since Stevie’s father basically dumped him in the home he has withdrawn from the world. He hasn’t ever spoken a word from the moment he arrived there but everyone has fallen in love with him because of his sweet nature.
It takes Jesse 6 years to find Stevie and when he does it’s at a critical time as Stevie has been spending more time “asleep” than awake. The doctors at the home are ready to start radical treatment! The moment Jesse walks in the front door he sees his picture on the office wall, the further in he walks the more pictures of himself he sees. Jesse’s never been in the state let alone this particular children’s home so now he knows for sure he’s found Stevie.
Stevie is 10 years old when he meets his “Bear”, the name he has for Jesse because when they first met Jesse had long hair and was making an attempt to grow a beard. It takes a while for Jesse to realise it’s not going to be an instant fix with Stevie. It’s going to take a lot of time, love and effort to bring Stevie to a functioning level. It’s not all roses, there are a few noses put out when Stevie makes such a marked improvement within days of Jesse starting. Stevie makes such an improvement that everyone is completely astounded when one of his co-workers makes a charge of child abuse to Stevie’s father and well, the Senator can’t help but get on the bandwagon. After all, it’s all good press!
While Jesse is trying to cope with being labelled a child abuser as well as keeping Stevie on track whilst not being allowed near him, Jesse and his co-worker Drew start seeing each other. At the beginning it starts out as a way of keeping the lines of direct communication open with Stevie but the more time they spend together the more they fall in love with each other. Drew backs Jesse all the way, he knows there is nothing to the allegations but sour grapes and jealousy. When it comes out that not only did Stevie’s father dump him at the home he has refused to have anything to do with Stevie’s welfare in the six years he has been at the home. Jesse and his lawyers finally have the leverage they need to get him to back off and drop the charges because they have been proven false time and again.
What No One Else Can Hear is an incredibly intense book about intellectual disability and the effect they have on not just the person but everyone around them. This book has a lot of emotional ups and downs, there are dark moments of course but they are far out-weighed by the upbeat, successful, YES! moments. There is a love story between Jesse and Drew but the real love story is between Stevie and Jesse. They have a very deep, very real “father/son” love that neither have ever had with their own fathers’. This is a definite must read book for all.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
September 10, 2015
Jesse has been finding 10 year old Stevie lost in the woods for the last six years – in his dreams. He finally finds him in the real world in a home for special needs children. Stevie is both autistic and an empath and Jesse has been able to reach through to him in a way nobody else has, ever.
Together, Jesse and Stevie work to help make Stevie’s world livable by creating mental barriers to all the emotion that bombards Stevie at every moment.
As though that weren’t tough enough… Chuck, an attendant in the children’s home, has it out for both Stevie and Jesse. Stevie’s long lost father is suddenly back in the picture and making waves that could separate Stevie and Jesse. Someone wants to cause trouble and nearly kills Stevie in a fire. Suddenly, Jesse is facing a law suit for child endangerment and worse!
Oh, and Jesse and Drew are friends who become lovers.
**
I find myself having a hard time reviewing this book for several reasons. I try very hard to be as constructive in my criticism as possible and to allow for all sorts of tastes and interests to create a wide variety of styles and tastes.
First and foremost, this is only very, very loosely a romance. Jesse and Drew do become lovers and later partners but that occupies less than 10% of the story’s breadth. That in and of itself brings the book down in my estimation ONLY because I thought I was reading a romance and that is really not the main point of this story.
Though the story about Jesse and Stevie finding one another and connecting is a beautiful one – it is not a romance. I did love this part of the story. The vaguely supernatural elements driving Jesse to find Stevie was intriguing and the way Jesse could reach Stevie and help him navigate his challenges was wonderful and very touching. For this I’m willing to give the story some credence because the writing about this was wonderful and the relationship Jesse and Stevie formed was amazing.
What made me give this story such a poor rating was the absolutely ludicrous plot line surrounding Stevie’s biological father and his cohort. I never understood how someone as foul as Chuck would have ever gotten nor retained a job working with challenged children. Nope. Never. He was a douche-nozzle extraordinaire and no way would anyone allow him near a kid – ever. Then there’s the dad. Why did he even buy into Chuck’s line of BS? What could he possibly gain by ruining Jesse? How would that help his campaign? And who in their right mind would believe Jesse was ever doing anything to hurt Stevie? That entire plot just didn’t make any sense and it brought this lovely story about love and learning and disability to that of a second-rate soap opera.
While the writing was fine and the characters (for the most part) were engaging and the storyline between Jesse and Stevie was awesome – I could not let go of my disbelief in the rest of the story – and that overshadowed my enjoyment of this story. Add to it that the “romance” was barely a thing at all and I was thoroughly disappointed with this book.
If you ignore the romance aspect and are willing to take the rest of the story with a giant grain of salt then the lovely story of a relationship that we see develop between two empathic individuals is a good one.
Together, Jesse and Stevie work to help make Stevie’s world livable by creating mental barriers to all the emotion that bombards Stevie at every moment.
As though that weren’t tough enough… Chuck, an attendant in the children’s home, has it out for both Stevie and Jesse. Stevie’s long lost father is suddenly back in the picture and making waves that could separate Stevie and Jesse. Someone wants to cause trouble and nearly kills Stevie in a fire. Suddenly, Jesse is facing a law suit for child endangerment and worse!
Oh, and Jesse and Drew are friends who become lovers.
**
I find myself having a hard time reviewing this book for several reasons. I try very hard to be as constructive in my criticism as possible and to allow for all sorts of tastes and interests to create a wide variety of styles and tastes.
First and foremost, this is only very, very loosely a romance. Jesse and Drew do become lovers and later partners but that occupies less than 10% of the story’s breadth. That in and of itself brings the book down in my estimation ONLY because I thought I was reading a romance and that is really not the main point of this story.
Though the story about Jesse and Stevie finding one another and connecting is a beautiful one – it is not a romance. I did love this part of the story. The vaguely supernatural elements driving Jesse to find Stevie was intriguing and the way Jesse could reach Stevie and help him navigate his challenges was wonderful and very touching. For this I’m willing to give the story some credence because the writing about this was wonderful and the relationship Jesse and Stevie formed was amazing.
What made me give this story such a poor rating was the absolutely ludicrous plot line surrounding Stevie’s biological father and his cohort. I never understood how someone as foul as Chuck would have ever gotten nor retained a job working with challenged children. Nope. Never. He was a douche-nozzle extraordinaire and no way would anyone allow him near a kid – ever. Then there’s the dad. Why did he even buy into Chuck’s line of BS? What could he possibly gain by ruining Jesse? How would that help his campaign? And who in their right mind would believe Jesse was ever doing anything to hurt Stevie? That entire plot just didn’t make any sense and it brought this lovely story about love and learning and disability to that of a second-rate soap opera.
While the writing was fine and the characters (for the most part) were engaging and the storyline between Jesse and Stevie was awesome – I could not let go of my disbelief in the rest of the story – and that overshadowed my enjoyment of this story. Add to it that the “romance” was barely a thing at all and I was thoroughly disappointed with this book.
If you ignore the romance aspect and are willing to take the rest of the story with a giant grain of salt then the lovely story of a relationship that we see develop between two empathic individuals is a good one.
July 16, 2017
Book – What No One Else Can Hear
Author – Brynn Stein
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 220 (15 of adverts)
Ease of reading – easy to read
Would I read it again – Yes
-
This is probably the best book I've read by Brynn Stein so far. It's original in a way that the others haven't been – no part of the story reminds me of another book/movie/plot – and I find myself liking the originality and diversity of the characters.
-
Writing
Although written in first person, which I don't actually enjoy (particularly by this author, for whatever reason) I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the story that was conveyed. To me, this was the most original story, as I said above, and also the one least hampered by anger, violence and grammar mistakes.
Quite honestly, there isn't much I can say about this story, because it's left me sort of dumbstruck. It's great, different to anything I've read before and I think that's because the characters and the plot of this one were much more vividly described and articulated.
I didn't write many notes, while I was reading. I was too engrossed with finding out what happened next. I do remember asking what was wrong with putting ketchup on mashed potatoes (I do it all the time), until much later in the story when it was explained that it wasn't just ketchup, it was half a bottle of the stuff. And there I can agree that it's a bit much. :)
There were 3 instances of repeat writing, that irritated me. I don't know why, but this author seems prolific for it. I don't know whether it's because I've read the majority of their writing portfolio in one week or whether it's just because these are things I've come to notice, but it's frustrating. The author is a good storyteller, but when these repeat moments pop up, it spoils it for me. The author is good enough to not need them.
1.I lo-care – I can't say how many books this “slip up” has been in, in exactly this format. Probably about 4 of the 5 I've read this week.
2. “You're thinking too loud” - this phrase, in many formats, is really common and appears in EVERY story I've read by this author. Every one. Who can hear someone thinking? You can read it on their face, when they drift off into their thoughts, but no one who isn't looking at the actual person can actually say this and KNOW that the person is deep in thought. Body language gives a lot away, but unless shoulders tense up or the person's posture stiffens, they can't know anything. And, frankly, I'd rather be shown the physical reaction, rather than the 'you're thinking too loud'.
3. This one is longer, so I'm going to show the whole quote. This one is a carbon copy of an instance that occurred in Lifeline (I'm guessing they either haven't noticed or they were running out of inspiration). Though this scene is longer, it still feels too close to the other one.
From What No One Else Can Hear:
“You cannot hear us in your room,” I said, hoping that was true. I hadn't really thought about how thin the walls might be. My apartment was just a couple of rooms at the back of Dottie's house. It wasn't like there was any real distance between my bedroom and the rest of her house.
“I'll tape it for you sometime.” She grinned.
From Lifeline:
“Sarah!” Dennis was mortified. “You cannot hear us all the way in the guest room.”
She smirked. “I'll tape it for you tonight.”
The use of medical knowledge, again, is excellent, as it was in For Mac. There's no question that all of the things that we experience in the book feel real and realistic. I even enjoyed the empath twist, which was new for me.
-
Characters
The characters were really different to what I'd come to expect from this author. Gone were the angry gay/bi men, afraid to come out, terrified of homophobia, gone were the physically and mentally abusive parents.
Instead, we had a neglectful father to Stevie, absent parents in both Drew and Jesse's life and a grandmother figure in Dottie.
I loved the kids at the centre. Each one had their own personality, though the prognosis was, again, far from positive (also a theme of this author, to have mentally/physically handicapped characters with a lifelong condition that will have to be managed, will make them different or will outright kill them) This time, I let it pass because of the Author's Note, which tells us that the author has actually worked with autistic children before, so I trust that this is all accurate information. I, myself, have two cousins on the autism spectrum, at different levels, but they lived abroad when they were younger, so I had no first hand experience of their symptoms until they had them fairly well managed.
Jesse was a good, solid character and he went through his fair share of difficulties. At times, especially at the end of the book (last 25% or so) it got a little rushed and incredulous; so much happened at once that it didn't feel as real or authentic as the rest of the story.
Drew was just as great and just as real. I liked their dynamic together and the chemistry that brewed over time. However, my one problem with the relationships by this author is the ease and quickness with which they “slip up” and almost say 'I love you'. It's unrealistic, to me.
Stevie is a great character and made me smile and want to cry a few times. He's charismatic and exactly the kind of character I want to read about.
But, I'm still cringing over the use of “kissy faces” which no grown man, even in their own thoughts, would say to another or even think. I would never even think of it or say it and I'm a female ten years younger than these characters. (P.S. It also pops up in Ray of Sunlight) It just doesn't work for me.
-
Overall
The story was great, the plot was well executed and the characters were diverse and interesting. Though some parts of the writing/plot didn't suit me, I can look past all of that and class it as personal taste. Other people might not care or might actually like those aspects.
This is a solid 4.5 star for me, but I'm happy to round it up to a 5. I could have been a straight 5, but there was some kind of emotional disconnect that wasn't there with For Mac. Something about it that didn't have the same impact with me. However, I enjoyed it and I didn't want to kill any of the characters and – shock! - none of the characters were murdered, so it's a 5.
Author – Brynn Stein
Star rating - ★★★★★
No. of Pages – 220 (15 of adverts)
Ease of reading – easy to read
Would I read it again – Yes
-
This is probably the best book I've read by Brynn Stein so far. It's original in a way that the others haven't been – no part of the story reminds me of another book/movie/plot – and I find myself liking the originality and diversity of the characters.
-
Writing
Although written in first person, which I don't actually enjoy (particularly by this author, for whatever reason) I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and the story that was conveyed. To me, this was the most original story, as I said above, and also the one least hampered by anger, violence and grammar mistakes.
Quite honestly, there isn't much I can say about this story, because it's left me sort of dumbstruck. It's great, different to anything I've read before and I think that's because the characters and the plot of this one were much more vividly described and articulated.
I didn't write many notes, while I was reading. I was too engrossed with finding out what happened next. I do remember asking what was wrong with putting ketchup on mashed potatoes (I do it all the time), until much later in the story when it was explained that it wasn't just ketchup, it was half a bottle of the stuff. And there I can agree that it's a bit much. :)
There were 3 instances of repeat writing, that irritated me. I don't know why, but this author seems prolific for it. I don't know whether it's because I've read the majority of their writing portfolio in one week or whether it's just because these are things I've come to notice, but it's frustrating. The author is a good storyteller, but when these repeat moments pop up, it spoils it for me. The author is good enough to not need them.
1.I lo-care – I can't say how many books this “slip up” has been in, in exactly this format. Probably about 4 of the 5 I've read this week.
2. “You're thinking too loud” - this phrase, in many formats, is really common and appears in EVERY story I've read by this author. Every one. Who can hear someone thinking? You can read it on their face, when they drift off into their thoughts, but no one who isn't looking at the actual person can actually say this and KNOW that the person is deep in thought. Body language gives a lot away, but unless shoulders tense up or the person's posture stiffens, they can't know anything. And, frankly, I'd rather be shown the physical reaction, rather than the 'you're thinking too loud'.
3. This one is longer, so I'm going to show the whole quote. This one is a carbon copy of an instance that occurred in Lifeline (I'm guessing they either haven't noticed or they were running out of inspiration). Though this scene is longer, it still feels too close to the other one.
From What No One Else Can Hear:
“You cannot hear us in your room,” I said, hoping that was true. I hadn't really thought about how thin the walls might be. My apartment was just a couple of rooms at the back of Dottie's house. It wasn't like there was any real distance between my bedroom and the rest of her house.
“I'll tape it for you sometime.” She grinned.
From Lifeline:
“Sarah!” Dennis was mortified. “You cannot hear us all the way in the guest room.”
She smirked. “I'll tape it for you tonight.”
The use of medical knowledge, again, is excellent, as it was in For Mac. There's no question that all of the things that we experience in the book feel real and realistic. I even enjoyed the empath twist, which was new for me.
-
Characters
The characters were really different to what I'd come to expect from this author. Gone were the angry gay/bi men, afraid to come out, terrified of homophobia, gone were the physically and mentally abusive parents.
Instead, we had a neglectful father to Stevie, absent parents in both Drew and Jesse's life and a grandmother figure in Dottie.
I loved the kids at the centre. Each one had their own personality, though the prognosis was, again, far from positive (also a theme of this author, to have mentally/physically handicapped characters with a lifelong condition that will have to be managed, will make them different or will outright kill them) This time, I let it pass because of the Author's Note, which tells us that the author has actually worked with autistic children before, so I trust that this is all accurate information. I, myself, have two cousins on the autism spectrum, at different levels, but they lived abroad when they were younger, so I had no first hand experience of their symptoms until they had them fairly well managed.
Jesse was a good, solid character and he went through his fair share of difficulties. At times, especially at the end of the book (last 25% or so) it got a little rushed and incredulous; so much happened at once that it didn't feel as real or authentic as the rest of the story.
Drew was just as great and just as real. I liked their dynamic together and the chemistry that brewed over time. However, my one problem with the relationships by this author is the ease and quickness with which they “slip up” and almost say 'I love you'. It's unrealistic, to me.
Stevie is a great character and made me smile and want to cry a few times. He's charismatic and exactly the kind of character I want to read about.
But, I'm still cringing over the use of “kissy faces” which no grown man, even in their own thoughts, would say to another or even think. I would never even think of it or say it and I'm a female ten years younger than these characters. (P.S. It also pops up in Ray of Sunlight) It just doesn't work for me.
-
Overall
The story was great, the plot was well executed and the characters were diverse and interesting. Though some parts of the writing/plot didn't suit me, I can look past all of that and class it as personal taste. Other people might not care or might actually like those aspects.
This is a solid 4.5 star for me, but I'm happy to round it up to a 5. I could have been a straight 5, but there was some kind of emotional disconnect that wasn't there with For Mac. Something about it that didn't have the same impact with me. However, I enjoyed it and I didn't want to kill any of the characters and – shock! - none of the characters were murdered, so it's a 5.
December 17, 2019
This is a pretty good read. The plot is solid and exciting. The characters are great. I see a lot of people complaining about the low key romance but legit didn't care. 4.5 stars for me and I'm glad I discovered this author.
April 23, 2016
“Empathy is the most mysterious transaction that the human soul can have, and it's accessible to all of us, but we have to give ourselves the opportunity to identify, to plunge ourselves … where we see the world from the bottom up or through another's eyes or heart.” ~ Sue Monk Kidd
Jesse McKinnon can hardly believe it when he stands in the room of a young boy named Stevie Liston. Jesse is receptive enough to have “heard” Stevie call to him in a dream six years ago. Not that Jesse ever truly doubted he was communicating with Stevie; but standing in his room, looking at pictures Stevie has been drawing of Jesse for six years, without ever having met him in person, is enough to dispel any lingering doubts. As far-fetched as it may seem, Stevie is a true Empath. He feels other people's emotions as if they were his own. Stevie can literally put himself in someone else's shoes. Jesse hopes he's up for the task before him.
Not understanding his empathy, Stevie was diagnosed with autism. Since he's been treated as an autistic child, he has many of their traits. His are even more exaggerated because, at the same time, he is feeling every emotion, mood, change in temperament, etc. which people near him are feeling. This would be difficult for anyone, but for Stevie, who has neither the knowledge nor ability to manage it, it's a complete nightmare. Stevie's best self-defense is to totally withdraw. Jesse has communicated with Stevie for six years in their “special place in the forest”, where Jesse is called Bear. Stevie would not have been able to do that unless he was an Empath, able to project his feelings to Jesse. Now that Jesse is with him, they work to bring Stevie out of the “forest” and into the real world. Stevie begins to learn how to build a shield against the constant cacophony of emotions swirling around him; first out of toy blocks and later with imaginary blocks in Stevie's mind. Stevie's progress amazes the people who have worked with him for years; they are exceedingly grateful to Jesse and his dedication to Stevie, particularly Drew, who quickly becomes Jesse's friend. Jesse and Stevie form an unbreakable bond of love and trust.
Unfortunately, not everyone admires Jesse. One employee, Chuck, has always been a troublemaker. Chuck is jealous of Jesse and goes out of his way to make Jesse miserable. A serious incident occurs involving Chuck and he is finally fired, but Chuck leaves with the ominous warning: “This isn't over, Messiah.” This sets off a chain of events leading to false but very serious accusations about Jesse's relationship with Stevie. The whole ordeal—the trumped-up evidence, having everything Jesse did for Stevie taken out of context, the constant hounding by the paparazzi, etc.—is damaging for everyone involved, especially Stevie. As bad as it gets, Jesse is determined to go to court and fight to prove his innocence. He knows if he doesn't, he will lose everything, including Stevie.
This is a wonderful, intense book about a serious, vitally important topic. Autism is widely misunderstood and anything raising awareness of this subject is infinitely helpful. I've earned a greater respect for those who work with autistic children and more compassion for the children who must deal with it every day. I wasn't bothered by the lack of romance in this story, but I was a little frustrated by how long it took for Drew and Jesse to get together. I originally requested the book because I was fascinated with the idea that one of the main characters was an Empath. I was a bit disappointed when it wasn't mentioned as much as I hoped. I recommend this book to those interested in learning about Autism, how easy it is to be unfairly discredited, friends who stick with you regardless of the situation, and truth prevailing. Thank you, Brynn, for the informative and touching story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Jesse McKinnon can hardly believe it when he stands in the room of a young boy named Stevie Liston. Jesse is receptive enough to have “heard” Stevie call to him in a dream six years ago. Not that Jesse ever truly doubted he was communicating with Stevie; but standing in his room, looking at pictures Stevie has been drawing of Jesse for six years, without ever having met him in person, is enough to dispel any lingering doubts. As far-fetched as it may seem, Stevie is a true Empath. He feels other people's emotions as if they were his own. Stevie can literally put himself in someone else's shoes. Jesse hopes he's up for the task before him.
Not understanding his empathy, Stevie was diagnosed with autism. Since he's been treated as an autistic child, he has many of their traits. His are even more exaggerated because, at the same time, he is feeling every emotion, mood, change in temperament, etc. which people near him are feeling. This would be difficult for anyone, but for Stevie, who has neither the knowledge nor ability to manage it, it's a complete nightmare. Stevie's best self-defense is to totally withdraw. Jesse has communicated with Stevie for six years in their “special place in the forest”, where Jesse is called Bear. Stevie would not have been able to do that unless he was an Empath, able to project his feelings to Jesse. Now that Jesse is with him, they work to bring Stevie out of the “forest” and into the real world. Stevie begins to learn how to build a shield against the constant cacophony of emotions swirling around him; first out of toy blocks and later with imaginary blocks in Stevie's mind. Stevie's progress amazes the people who have worked with him for years; they are exceedingly grateful to Jesse and his dedication to Stevie, particularly Drew, who quickly becomes Jesse's friend. Jesse and Stevie form an unbreakable bond of love and trust.
Unfortunately, not everyone admires Jesse. One employee, Chuck, has always been a troublemaker. Chuck is jealous of Jesse and goes out of his way to make Jesse miserable. A serious incident occurs involving Chuck and he is finally fired, but Chuck leaves with the ominous warning: “This isn't over, Messiah.” This sets off a chain of events leading to false but very serious accusations about Jesse's relationship with Stevie. The whole ordeal—the trumped-up evidence, having everything Jesse did for Stevie taken out of context, the constant hounding by the paparazzi, etc.—is damaging for everyone involved, especially Stevie. As bad as it gets, Jesse is determined to go to court and fight to prove his innocence. He knows if he doesn't, he will lose everything, including Stevie.
This is a wonderful, intense book about a serious, vitally important topic. Autism is widely misunderstood and anything raising awareness of this subject is infinitely helpful. I've earned a greater respect for those who work with autistic children and more compassion for the children who must deal with it every day. I wasn't bothered by the lack of romance in this story, but I was a little frustrated by how long it took for Drew and Jesse to get together. I originally requested the book because I was fascinated with the idea that one of the main characters was an Empath. I was a bit disappointed when it wasn't mentioned as much as I hoped. I recommend this book to those interested in learning about Autism, how easy it is to be unfairly discredited, friends who stick with you regardless of the situation, and truth prevailing. Thank you, Brynn, for the informative and touching story.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
July 13, 2016
I received a free copy via Inked Rainbow Reads in exchange for an honest review.
I have really mixed feelings about this story. I chose it based on the premise of the empath/gifted storyline, especially as it pertains to autism. The various parts of the plot surrounding Stevie and his ability were the primary focus, rather than the romance (which was barely noticeable, and that's fine with me).
What I loved: For starters, I adored Stevie. It would be impossible not to. He's hands-down the best part of this novel. Except for the "bad guys" (who I assume I wasn't supposed to like anyway), the characters were really fantastic. We only saw everyone through Jesse's eyes, but Jesse was so good-hearted, and it was obvious he saw value in all the people around him. I loved how despite their challenges, it was clear the people at the center adored even the most challenging of the kids. Jesse kept suggesting Stevie had them all wrapped around his finger, but I honestly saw that the staff seemed to feel the same about all the kids. I thought the barely-there romance between Jesse and Drew was well done. If it had been a bigger part of the story, it would have taken away from other important things. It was refreshing to read a love story that didn't feel it necessary to drag out lots of detailed sex scenes that had relatively little to do with the overall plot.
What I wasn't so fond of: I am torn on how to feel about Stevie's "gift." I thought the story might take more of a paranormal twist, but it didn't--almost implying this is really a thing that happens or that it's what autism "really" is. That seemed odd. It also played into a trope that makes me a little uncomfortable--the ideal disabled person. Stevie was "special" and almost held up to be better than the kids who really were autistic. I think we've reached a point when we should be able to write about disabled people without using metaphors. I kind of felt like the story was a bit disjointed--like there were several plot strands, but instead of being woven together, they were more like a series of events. I also felt that Stevie's father was a bit of a cliche/stereotype of the Horrible Parent. (Which also plays into the caregiver-as-rescuer trope, another borderline squick for me, particularly as a parent of kids with special needs.)
Overall, I liked the story. The writing wasn't necessarily strong, but it did keep me interested. Though as I said, I'm still processing how I feel about it in general. Still, if nothing else, this is worth reading for Stevie and for the relationship between him and Jesse. If anything, that's the real love story in this novel.
3.5 stars
I have really mixed feelings about this story. I chose it based on the premise of the empath/gifted storyline, especially as it pertains to autism. The various parts of the plot surrounding Stevie and his ability were the primary focus, rather than the romance (which was barely noticeable, and that's fine with me).
What I loved: For starters, I adored Stevie. It would be impossible not to. He's hands-down the best part of this novel. Except for the "bad guys" (who I assume I wasn't supposed to like anyway), the characters were really fantastic. We only saw everyone through Jesse's eyes, but Jesse was so good-hearted, and it was obvious he saw value in all the people around him. I loved how despite their challenges, it was clear the people at the center adored even the most challenging of the kids. Jesse kept suggesting Stevie had them all wrapped around his finger, but I honestly saw that the staff seemed to feel the same about all the kids. I thought the barely-there romance between Jesse and Drew was well done. If it had been a bigger part of the story, it would have taken away from other important things. It was refreshing to read a love story that didn't feel it necessary to drag out lots of detailed sex scenes that had relatively little to do with the overall plot.
What I wasn't so fond of: I am torn on how to feel about Stevie's "gift." I thought the story might take more of a paranormal twist, but it didn't--almost implying this is really a thing that happens or that it's what autism "really" is. That seemed odd. It also played into a trope that makes me a little uncomfortable--the ideal disabled person. Stevie was "special" and almost held up to be better than the kids who really were autistic. I think we've reached a point when we should be able to write about disabled people without using metaphors. I kind of felt like the story was a bit disjointed--like there were several plot strands, but instead of being woven together, they were more like a series of events. I also felt that Stevie's father was a bit of a cliche/stereotype of the Horrible Parent. (Which also plays into the caregiver-as-rescuer trope, another borderline squick for me, particularly as a parent of kids with special needs.)
Overall, I liked the story. The writing wasn't necessarily strong, but it did keep me interested. Though as I said, I'm still processing how I feel about it in general. Still, if nothing else, this is worth reading for Stevie and for the relationship between him and Jesse. If anything, that's the real love story in this novel.
3.5 stars
April 13, 2016
Title: What No One Else Can Hear
Author: Brynn Stein
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-63216-989-1
Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/stor...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Young Stevie Liston is diagnosed with autism, but is really an overwhelmed empath who mentally called out for help. Jesse McKinnon heard him in a dream from clear across the country, and that dream sent him on a six-year search to find Stevie. Once they meet, they think everything will work out and Jesse will help Stevie cope.
Stevie does improve immensely, but a disgruntled coworker of Jesse's conspires with Stevie's estranged but politically powerful father to keep Stevie and Jesse apart with trumped-up legal charges claiming Jesse sexually abused the boy. Jesse must watch helplessly as Stevie loses all the advances he's made.
If it wasn't for his growing relationship with his coworker Drew Ferguson, Jesse knows he wouldn't have the strength to fight for his rights and Stevie's future. Drew just might be the real thing, but with the very real possibility of serving jail time for a crime he didn't commit, Jesse's hopes for a future with Drew might be doomed.
Summary:
The idea of an autistic child having empathic abilities drew me to this story, but what I found was so much more. Like most autistic children, Stevie needed a very structured life, but he still had frequent periods of extreme agitation that no one could understand. On top of that, Stevie had been drawing pictures of an unknown man until Jess arrived looking for a job. Jesse had spent the last six years looking for a child, Stevie, who appeared in his dreams. Experiencing Stevie's joy when he saw Jesse for the first time was incredible. Jesse began working with Stevie teaching him to harness his inmate abilities starting to teach him to guard himself from the thoughts of others. Jesse found help and friendship at the center, but when he met Drew they had an affinity between them. Things became more complicated by an angry co-worker Chuck who had it in for Jesse form the first. Other conflicts arrived challenging Jesse with Drew's assistance to help Stevie. This story told the true meaning of love, laughter, friendship with individuals who were willing to put everything on the line to protect each other. I consider this book a recommended read!
Author: Brynn Stein
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-63216-989-1
Buy Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/stor...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
Young Stevie Liston is diagnosed with autism, but is really an overwhelmed empath who mentally called out for help. Jesse McKinnon heard him in a dream from clear across the country, and that dream sent him on a six-year search to find Stevie. Once they meet, they think everything will work out and Jesse will help Stevie cope.
Stevie does improve immensely, but a disgruntled coworker of Jesse's conspires with Stevie's estranged but politically powerful father to keep Stevie and Jesse apart with trumped-up legal charges claiming Jesse sexually abused the boy. Jesse must watch helplessly as Stevie loses all the advances he's made.
If it wasn't for his growing relationship with his coworker Drew Ferguson, Jesse knows he wouldn't have the strength to fight for his rights and Stevie's future. Drew just might be the real thing, but with the very real possibility of serving jail time for a crime he didn't commit, Jesse's hopes for a future with Drew might be doomed.
Summary:
The idea of an autistic child having empathic abilities drew me to this story, but what I found was so much more. Like most autistic children, Stevie needed a very structured life, but he still had frequent periods of extreme agitation that no one could understand. On top of that, Stevie had been drawing pictures of an unknown man until Jess arrived looking for a job. Jesse had spent the last six years looking for a child, Stevie, who appeared in his dreams. Experiencing Stevie's joy when he saw Jesse for the first time was incredible. Jesse began working with Stevie teaching him to harness his inmate abilities starting to teach him to guard himself from the thoughts of others. Jesse found help and friendship at the center, but when he met Drew they had an affinity between them. Things became more complicated by an angry co-worker Chuck who had it in for Jesse form the first. Other conflicts arrived challenging Jesse with Drew's assistance to help Stevie. This story told the true meaning of love, laughter, friendship with individuals who were willing to put everything on the line to protect each other. I consider this book a recommended read!
July 31, 2015
WOW! If you are looking for one of those heartwarming – breaking – filled stories then What No One Else Can Hear is just what you are looking for. I will let you know you will need a box of tissue for each one of those feelings with this story though, at least in my opinion. You may also need a couple of those tissues for tears from laughter as well. Any time you have children in a story their innocence will give you moments where you try to keep your giggles under control but loose in the end.
One of the aspects of this story that I really enjoyed was how Brynn Stein use empathy as a component for her story. She used empathic abilities from the extreme to the total lack of empathy with her characters. Which, for me made empathy a character in its own right in this story. It also turned this story into a love story more than a romance story for me. Love between friends, child and caregiver/parent, mates/life partners and family in all of its amazing combinations.
I did also experience a good amount of hate in this story as well. Or could it just be the inability to accept someone/something different from the “norm” or just plain ignorance, this is each individual readers call.
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a good cry, feel good read with a HEA. Thank you Brynn Stein for a great story!
A copy was gifted to Books'n Cozy Spots Book Reviews for an honest review. To see the other fun stuff that goes with this review check this out. http://talon-ps.com/books-n-cozy-spot...
One of the aspects of this story that I really enjoyed was how Brynn Stein use empathy as a component for her story. She used empathic abilities from the extreme to the total lack of empathy with her characters. Which, for me made empathy a character in its own right in this story. It also turned this story into a love story more than a romance story for me. Love between friends, child and caregiver/parent, mates/life partners and family in all of its amazing combinations.
I did also experience a good amount of hate in this story as well. Or could it just be the inability to accept someone/something different from the “norm” or just plain ignorance, this is each individual readers call.
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a good cry, feel good read with a HEA. Thank you Brynn Stein for a great story!
A copy was gifted to Books'n Cozy Spots Book Reviews for an honest review. To see the other fun stuff that goes with this review check this out. http://talon-ps.com/books-n-cozy-spot...
October 12, 2016
In a word: Read the thing. This one was pretty fun, and weird. Also it’s less about the romance (although there is some of that in here) and more about the relationship between our narrator and main character, Jesse, and the little boy he can communicate with in his dreams, Stevie. The story is one part slice-of-life about the kids and staff of a residential clinic for autistic children, and one part courtroom thriller. Personally, my favourite parts were about life in the center (I was a TA in a past life), but the drama surrounding the court case and everything that followed had me hooked. There’s also a magical element with Jesse and Stevie’s mental connection (it’s not telepathy), which was explained just enough to have things make sense. The writing isn’t the best, but it’s not a disaster or anything, and it doesn’t really affect the story itself (although the plot probably tends to drag a bit if slice-of-life isn’t your thing). I enjoyed reading this, and there was enough cuteness and drama to keep me interested.
[read the rest of the review at https://inawordweb.wordpress.com/2016...]
[read the rest of the review at https://inawordweb.wordpress.com/2016...]
August 24, 2015
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
This story is so sweet. Jesse and Stevie have to deal with so many obstacles throughout the story. Jesse just wants to take care of Stevie and do what’s right for him. Steve’s dad is a horrible person and I was glad for the few times he wound up with the proverbial egg on his face. Though it wasn’t as many times as it should have been. Drew is a fabulous character and a huge support for Jesse and Stevie through the whole story. You could tell how much he loved Jesse, and see Jesse’s feelings in return. The ending is absolutely beautiful and you can tell that Drew and Jesse are going to live happily together forever. This story pulls you in and you find yourself not able to put the story down. Of course you then realize that you’re late picking up your kid and wondering if everyone actually needs to eat dinner because you want to keep reading. I love how Brynn Stein can tell a story that I can get lost in.
Four and a half stars!
This story is so sweet. Jesse and Stevie have to deal with so many obstacles throughout the story. Jesse just wants to take care of Stevie and do what’s right for him. Steve’s dad is a horrible person and I was glad for the few times he wound up with the proverbial egg on his face. Though it wasn’t as many times as it should have been. Drew is a fabulous character and a huge support for Jesse and Stevie through the whole story. You could tell how much he loved Jesse, and see Jesse’s feelings in return. The ending is absolutely beautiful and you can tell that Drew and Jesse are going to live happily together forever. This story pulls you in and you find yourself not able to put the story down. Of course you then realize that you’re late picking up your kid and wondering if everyone actually needs to eat dinner because you want to keep reading. I love how Brynn Stein can tell a story that I can get lost in.
September 16, 2016
This book's reminding me a bit about Jagten movie. When someone's innocent being accused as pedophile and how it angered me a lot. But in this book, at least Jesse still have friends who supported him. At first I had hard time to read the story. Sometimes the society could be so mean and judging. I also hated Chuck and Stevie's dad. They're so evil.
Overall I like how the story goes on. Jesse is maginificent person and Stevie is just soo endearing. I just felt bad for him when someday he'd found out how bad his real dad had been.
Overall I like how the story goes on. Jesse is maginificent person and Stevie is just soo endearing. I just felt bad for him when someday he'd found out how bad his real dad had been.
August 3, 2015
4.5 stars
Another wonderful read from Brynn Stein. Loved Jesse and Stevie, loved this heartwarming story. Once again this author captivates me with her talent, and reminds me why I'll read anything and everything she writes.
Another wonderful read from Brynn Stein. Loved Jesse and Stevie, loved this heartwarming story. Once again this author captivates me with her talent, and reminds me why I'll read anything and everything she writes.
August 4, 2015
It started slow for me, but once I got used to the pace, I enjoyed this story. A good and quite realistic story, in the sense that it could possibly happen? The emphasis of the story was how to care for an emphatic boy and not really about the supernatural prowess of said boy.
August 5, 2015
This book is really more about a blossoming father/son relationship between Jesse and Stevie rather than a romance between Jesse and Drew, but, strangely, I didn't really feel short-changed. It's a great, if implausible, story.
August 5, 2016
3.5 stars
Read
November 12, 2019I so enjoyed this book. Longer review to come soon. Fingers crossed.
Disclaimer: I won this book for free from the author.
Note: This review is a work in progress and maybe edited in the future.
Disclaimer: I won this book for free from the author.
Note: This review is a work in progress and maybe edited in the future.
dnf
October 19, 2016dnf at 20%
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