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Boys on the Brink #1
Caught Inside
Luke believes he has his life figured out…and then he meets Theo.
It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.
Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.
It should have been simple—a summer spent with his girlfriend Zara at her family’s holiday cottage in Cornwall. Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage jumps at the chance, envisioning endless hours of sunbathing on the private beach and riding the waves on his beloved surfboard. He isn’t interested in love. Though his rugged good looks and lazy charm mean he can have his pick of girls, he has no intention of falling for anyone.
Nothing prepares Luke for his reaction to Theo, the sensitive Oxford undergraduate who is Zara’s cousin and closest friend. All at once, he is plunged along a path of desire and discovery that has him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. No one, especially Zara, must find out; what he and Theo have is too new, too fragile. But as the deceit spirals beyond their control, people are bound to get hurt, Luke most of all.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2016
22 people are currently reading
757 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Deacon
6 books77 followersBorn in 1982, Jamie Deacon lives close to the River Thames in Berkshire, England, and is a full-time author of young adult fiction featuring characters across the gender and sexuality spectrums. When not writing, Jamie loves to read, play board games, and solve cryptic crosswords.
Jamie’s debut novel, Caught Inside, was published in 2016 to much acclaim, including two Rainbow Awards. It was also nominated for a Lambda Literary Award, a Bisexual Book Award, and a Next Generation Indie Book Award.
Jamie’s debut novel, Caught Inside, was published in 2016 to much acclaim, including two Rainbow Awards. It was also nominated for a Lambda Literary Award, a Bisexual Book Award, and a Next Generation Indie Book Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 9, 2021
Audio 5+++++ Stars Joe Jameson is definitely a narrator sent from audio heaven 😍
Story 3 Stars
Dear Author,
Please tell me you're working on a book 2. That ending after all of that angst didn't work for me. I need more. I loved your writing, and I loved the MCs. I definitely felt their connection, but I need MORE! Please and thank you. 😍
Story 3 Stars
Dear Author,
Please tell me you're working on a book 2. That ending after all of that angst didn't work for me. I need more. I loved your writing, and I loved the MCs. I definitely felt their connection, but I need MORE! Please and thank you. 😍
August 27, 2016
Caught Inside by Jamie Deacon...did not love it. I love coming of age stories, and when I saw all the praise, it was receiving I immediately wanted to read it. It started off well enough but unfortunately some of the plot and the characters made it hard for me to enjoy completely.
Why it didn't work for me:
-The secondary characters. Giles (Theo's best friend) and his girlfriend Meredith join Theo, Luke, and Zara on their holiday early on in the book. It wouldn't have been a big deal except I found Giles a complete tool. Every time he opened his mouth I just wanted to tell him:
He was a complete sleaze bag and like Luke never saw the great guy the others described.
Zara.
She acted like a petulant child. She irritated me to no end. She just needed to not open her mouth.
-The main characters. Luke and Theo were ok, but I never fell in love with them- especially as a couple. I don't know- I never felt invested them.
-The love triangles. <---yes, plural. There wasn't only a love triangle between Theo+Luke+Zara- there was also the unnecessary triangles between:
Luke+Giles+Zara (well, at least there was in Giles and Zara's head) and Giles+Meredith+Zara.
Aside from finding Giles and Zara downright annoying- these added on "relationships" made useless drama that took away from the focal point of the story. I didn't understand why the author created these subplots. It's never good when the supporting cast begins to overshadow the protagonists, and sadly it didn't dominate it in a positive light. I wanted more focus on Luke and Theo and less of everyone else.
For these reasons, I couldn't jump on board with this one. Give it a shot though everybody else has loved it. . 2.5 Stars for me.
ARC kindly provided by Beaten Track Publishing to Gay Book Reviews for an honest review.
Why it didn't work for me:
-The secondary characters. Giles (Theo's best friend) and his girlfriend Meredith join Theo, Luke, and Zara on their holiday early on in the book. It wouldn't have been a big deal except I found Giles a complete tool. Every time he opened his mouth I just wanted to tell him:
He was a complete sleaze bag and like Luke never saw the great guy the others described.
Zara.
She acted like a petulant child. She irritated me to no end. She just needed to not open her mouth.
-The main characters. Luke and Theo were ok, but I never fell in love with them- especially as a couple. I don't know- I never felt invested them.
-The love triangles. <---yes, plural. There wasn't only a love triangle between Theo+Luke+Zara- there was also the unnecessary triangles between:
Luke+Giles+Zara (well, at least there was in Giles and Zara's head) and Giles+Meredith+Zara.
Aside from finding Giles and Zara downright annoying- these added on "relationships" made useless drama that took away from the focal point of the story. I didn't understand why the author created these subplots. It's never good when the supporting cast begins to overshadow the protagonists, and sadly it didn't dominate it in a positive light. I wanted more focus on Luke and Theo and less of everyone else.
For these reasons, I couldn't jump on board with this one. Give it a shot though everybody else has loved it. . 2.5 Stars for me.
ARC kindly provided by Beaten Track Publishing to Gay Book Reviews for an honest review.
July 12, 2016
5++ Great way of writing. The expression, the flow, the waves... I can visualize everything, which is just awesome!
The details are everywhere, from fasting a not cooperating seatbelt to watching someone dissolve like sea spray on the breeze. Those lines.... make this book incredible beautiful.
No unnecessary drama. No excessive behavior. But real feelings and real behavior.
I did wanna hug one person and slam the other. But they were all real and standing strong.
The story took place mostly in one house and a beach. Five young people together.
It's all about interactions and there was none dull moment, it was captivating as hell.
The tension between Theo and Luke was now and then killing. Keeping their attraction secret.
Well as always secrets never work.
I became very fond of both, so different personalities, I felt really committed.
The whole story is from Luke's pov. The way he grows is amazing to watch.
How the story developed is just strong!
If you are looking for a beautiful sensitive straight to the heart story full of real emotions, with details described in a way I only could take sometimes deep breaths, than stop and click the buy pre-order link :
https://www.amazon.com/Caught-Inside-...
http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/...
The details are everywhere, from fasting a not cooperating seatbelt to watching someone dissolve like sea spray on the breeze. Those lines.... make this book incredible beautiful.
No unnecessary drama. No excessive behavior. But real feelings and real behavior.
I did wanna hug one person and slam the other. But they were all real and standing strong.
The story took place mostly in one house and a beach. Five young people together.
It's all about interactions and there was none dull moment, it was captivating as hell.
The tension between Theo and Luke was now and then killing. Keeping their attraction secret.
Well as always secrets never work.
I became very fond of both, so different personalities, I felt really committed.
The whole story is from Luke's pov. The way he grows is amazing to watch.
How the story developed is just strong!
If you are looking for a beautiful sensitive straight to the heart story full of real emotions, with details described in a way I only could take sometimes deep breaths, than stop and click the buy pre-order link :
https://www.amazon.com/Caught-Inside-...
http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com/...
Read
July 18, 2025❧ audiobook review
Another Joe Jameson narration and an absolute find. [Other great Jameson narrations I've reviewed are: An Honest Man, The Prince of Thorns, The Last Romeo and The Magnificent Sons.]
THIS BOOK IS SUCH CUTE ROMANCE, UGH. ❤❤❤ Luke and Theo are fantastic together and so adorable. They have such good chemistry, it's insane.
This is a perfect summer romance read! Beaches and new love. And the constant surfing descriptions just made me think of Shelter.
Totally a compliment, FYI. I adored this book so much. Jamie Deacon's writing is so evocative and lush and lovely.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
This book totally stole my heart. That said, despite how shippable Luke and Theo are, I do feel bad for Zara. She really deserved much better than everyone keeping secrets from her. Giles was such a prick at pretty much every point, although he was a good friend to Theo.
Really hard not to picture Rupert Giles:
But this Giles was decidedly less Watcherly. I got so annoyed at him throughout the book. He's a good character, though, so there's that.
One of the things I loved, but found myself shaking my head and laughing at, was how Luke is so DRAMATIC. He ought to get an award for epic overreactions, yet he's written so well and so sympathetic, that even when he is a DISASTER, you end up rooting for him. I really adored Theo, too, although a lot of his decisions left me so frustrated.
Meredith is definitely a queen ❤
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
Another Joe Jameson narration and an absolute find. [Other great Jameson narrations I've reviewed are: An Honest Man, The Prince of Thorns, The Last Romeo and The Magnificent Sons.]
THIS BOOK IS SUCH CUTE ROMANCE, UGH. ❤❤❤ Luke and Theo are fantastic together and so adorable. They have such good chemistry, it's insane.
This is a perfect summer romance read! Beaches and new love. And the constant surfing descriptions just made me think of Shelter.
Totally a compliment, FYI. I adored this book so much. Jamie Deacon's writing is so evocative and lush and lovely.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
This book totally stole my heart. That said, despite how shippable Luke and Theo are, I do feel bad for Zara. She really deserved much better than everyone keeping secrets from her. Giles was such a prick at pretty much every point, although he was a good friend to Theo.
Really hard not to picture Rupert Giles:
But this Giles was decidedly less Watcherly. I got so annoyed at him throughout the book. He's a good character, though, so there's that.
One of the things I loved, but found myself shaking my head and laughing at, was how Luke is so DRAMATIC. He ought to get an award for epic overreactions, yet he's written so well and so sympathetic, that even when he is a DISASTER, you end up rooting for him. I really adored Theo, too, although a lot of his decisions left me so frustrated.
Meredith is definitely a queen ❤
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
September 21, 2020
2.5 stars
It's well-written and a quick read, but I can't give it three stars since I didn't actually *enjoy* it. Mostly because there's way more of the bad kind of tension than the good kind.
The teenage drama didn't bother me from, like, a moral perspective or anything. I mean...they're teenagers. The MC actually handles the situation with his "girlfriend" pretty well from that standpoint -- if you take the initial decision out of the equation :)
But I didn't feel like there was enough buildup between him and the cousin before the drama started. The pieces were there, and it was quickly building in that direction, but the author jumped the gun on bringing in the other characters and changing the dynamic. And then it was just Non. Stop. TENSION. I don't know how the MC could handle living it because I could barely handle reading it!
Everyone is just constantly arguing and the new dude is so fucking MEAN. The way he treats the MC for the majority of the book is plain unacceptable, and the "girlfriend" and the cousin both brush it off "because he's not usually like that," "he's just being protective," blahblahblah "reasons" that leaves the MC in a seriously shitty position that they're majorly underestimating because of how well he's handling something that he shouldn't have to handle at all.
So obviously the writer is talented because I truly *felt* all of this, but this was also the stretch where most of the relationship-building with the cousin was happening, and that's the part I wanted to read about. But those were all short scenes in between these long, drawn-out angsty scenes that were making me feel violent!!
Then we went through all that for an ending that felt abrupt and therefore extremely unsatisfying. So I don't know. The author is definitely a talented writer, but I'm not sure we're on the same page as far as what I want to read in my romances.
It's well-written and a quick read, but I can't give it three stars since I didn't actually *enjoy* it. Mostly because there's way more of the bad kind of tension than the good kind.
The teenage drama didn't bother me from, like, a moral perspective or anything. I mean...they're teenagers. The MC actually handles the situation with his "girlfriend" pretty well from that standpoint -- if you take the initial decision out of the equation :)
But I didn't feel like there was enough buildup between him and the cousin before the drama started. The pieces were there, and it was quickly building in that direction, but the author jumped the gun on bringing in the other characters and changing the dynamic. And then it was just Non. Stop. TENSION. I don't know how the MC could handle living it because I could barely handle reading it!
Everyone is just constantly arguing and the new dude is so fucking MEAN. The way he treats the MC for the majority of the book is plain unacceptable, and the "girlfriend" and the cousin both brush it off "because he's not usually like that," "he's just being protective," blahblahblah "reasons" that leaves the MC in a seriously shitty position that they're majorly underestimating because of how well he's handling something that he shouldn't have to handle at all.
So obviously the writer is talented because I truly *felt* all of this, but this was also the stretch where most of the relationship-building with the cousin was happening, and that's the part I wanted to read about. But those were all short scenes in between these long, drawn-out angsty scenes that were making me feel violent!!
Then we went through all that for an ending that felt abrupt and therefore extremely unsatisfying. So I don't know. The author is definitely a talented writer, but I'm not sure we're on the same page as far as what I want to read in my romances.
dnf
December 22, 2022dnf @ 37%
I am so bored.
I am so bored.
May 10, 2017
A well-written young adult novel by a first-time author. As Luke and Theo meet and fall for each other, they're pretty much an object lesson in how to make a bad decision -- and then compound it to make the situation ever so much worse for everyone. I found the story intermittently frustrating, but that was probably due to the age/immaturity/inexperience of the characters (all of them 17 to 20-ish years old). But overall I was impressed enough that I plan to keep an eye on this author and buy the next book in the series when it comes out.
June 3, 2016
Seventeen-year-old Luke Savage is good looking, oddly charming and though he has a pretty, wealthy girlfriend, Zara, he doesn’t seem particularly in love. With her anyway. His first, and apparently only love is the sea—and surfing. Then he meets Theo, Zara’s openly gay cousin and best friend, and everything changes. And the story gets really interesting.
I thought surfing, the sea, was a perfect metaphor for the rush and confusion of Luke’s unexpected feelings for Theo.
Deacon does a good job describing first love and its attendant discoveries, joys and frustrations and jealousies:
“Theo didn’t tell me he could dance, not like this. I can’t look away, am captivated by his fluid grace, the blatant sensuality of his every movement.
“And it should be me out there.
“Rage, dark and ugly, surges up inside me, choking the air from my lungs. Tabitha’s way too close, arms hooked around Theo’s neck and her hips thrusting against him, as I’d pictured myself doing…”
I’ve often said being gay isn’t necessarily, or at least is not primarily about sex; it’s about who you want to hold hands with, who you dream of going to prom with. Yet, I was initially dissatisfied with the description of Luke and Theo’s coming together for the first time. I thought the sex was awkward, unreal—I mean Luke had a girlfriend he was intimate with, and Theo had had a boyfriend. Then I remembered being that age, the insecurity, the tentativeness of those first sexual encounters—how far can we go? will wanting to do that scare him off? —and I realized Deacon had gotten it exactly right.
The jealously we glimpse when Theo is dancing with Tabitha, a casual acquaintance, rears its head again when Theo’s ex comes a-calling. And jealously becomes a driver of Luke’s actions. When he, in a fit of pique, takes his surfboard out in a storm, it nearly ends in tragedy. It is a stunning sequence though. As the sea threatens to drag Theo under, wash him away, we realize he is drowning in his own feeling of love.
“Water. Water all around me. It presses in on my eyeballs, forces its way into my nose and between my lips. I can’t breathe, can’t see. Waves pummel me, shaking me like a ragdoll…So this is it. This is how it ends. I’m going to drown…”
And when Theo loses his surfboard as a result, the loss of his surfboard is like the loss of his innocence, the loss of his old self; its absence forces him to confront and absorb this new, different him:
“Before Cornwall, I would have drowned my emotions in the surf. I would’ve taken my board down the coast every day at dawn and hurled myself into the waves until nothing else existed. But not now. Now, I can’t think about the sea without being reminded of Theo…”
The writing is clean, clear; and this being a Beaten Track book, the editing is flawless. Overall a wonderful addition to the YA gay canon. So grab your beach towel, and sunscreen and take this book along to the beach.
I thought surfing, the sea, was a perfect metaphor for the rush and confusion of Luke’s unexpected feelings for Theo.
Deacon does a good job describing first love and its attendant discoveries, joys and frustrations and jealousies:
“Theo didn’t tell me he could dance, not like this. I can’t look away, am captivated by his fluid grace, the blatant sensuality of his every movement.
“And it should be me out there.
“Rage, dark and ugly, surges up inside me, choking the air from my lungs. Tabitha’s way too close, arms hooked around Theo’s neck and her hips thrusting against him, as I’d pictured myself doing…”
I’ve often said being gay isn’t necessarily, or at least is not primarily about sex; it’s about who you want to hold hands with, who you dream of going to prom with. Yet, I was initially dissatisfied with the description of Luke and Theo’s coming together for the first time. I thought the sex was awkward, unreal—I mean Luke had a girlfriend he was intimate with, and Theo had had a boyfriend. Then I remembered being that age, the insecurity, the tentativeness of those first sexual encounters—how far can we go? will wanting to do that scare him off? —and I realized Deacon had gotten it exactly right.
The jealously we glimpse when Theo is dancing with Tabitha, a casual acquaintance, rears its head again when Theo’s ex comes a-calling. And jealously becomes a driver of Luke’s actions. When he, in a fit of pique, takes his surfboard out in a storm, it nearly ends in tragedy. It is a stunning sequence though. As the sea threatens to drag Theo under, wash him away, we realize he is drowning in his own feeling of love.
“Water. Water all around me. It presses in on my eyeballs, forces its way into my nose and between my lips. I can’t breathe, can’t see. Waves pummel me, shaking me like a ragdoll…So this is it. This is how it ends. I’m going to drown…”
And when Theo loses his surfboard as a result, the loss of his surfboard is like the loss of his innocence, the loss of his old self; its absence forces him to confront and absorb this new, different him:
“Before Cornwall, I would have drowned my emotions in the surf. I would’ve taken my board down the coast every day at dawn and hurled myself into the waves until nothing else existed. But not now. Now, I can’t think about the sea without being reminded of Theo…”
The writing is clean, clear; and this being a Beaten Track book, the editing is flawless. Overall a wonderful addition to the YA gay canon. So grab your beach towel, and sunscreen and take this book along to the beach.
December 7, 2016
*ARC received from the author*
Luke thinks he's going to spend a peaceful summer vacation at his girlfriend's cottage, the one that happens to have a beach where he can surf. Upon meeting her cousin Theo, however, he realizes things aren't going to be as easy as he'd thought...
I have mixed feelings about this book, but all in all I'd say I loved it. I reacted to it. Everytime there was tension, I felt it. Everytime something sad happened, I wanted it to be solved. Everytime the main character did something I questioned it and weighted the pros and cons with him. And granted, Luke and I didn't agree on a lot of things. He's a flawed character, but that simply makes him a real teenager.
I had some issues with the way some things were dealt, I felt like I did not get enough closure at the end of the book when it came to some characters, as if they had suddenly disappeared.
I really enjoyed Meredith's character, she was one of my favorites. Very down to earth, this sort of "mom friend". Zara, however... Well, you'll have to read it to understand, and I certainly recommend that you do ;)
Overall, this is a great, fast read. A true page turner. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Luke thinks he's going to spend a peaceful summer vacation at his girlfriend's cottage, the one that happens to have a beach where he can surf. Upon meeting her cousin Theo, however, he realizes things aren't going to be as easy as he'd thought...
I have mixed feelings about this book, but all in all I'd say I loved it. I reacted to it. Everytime there was tension, I felt it. Everytime something sad happened, I wanted it to be solved. Everytime the main character did something I questioned it and weighted the pros and cons with him. And granted, Luke and I didn't agree on a lot of things. He's a flawed character, but that simply makes him a real teenager.
I had some issues with the way some things were dealt, I felt like I did not get enough closure at the end of the book when it came to some characters, as if they had suddenly disappeared.
I really enjoyed Meredith's character, she was one of my favorites. Very down to earth, this sort of "mom friend". Zara, however... Well, you'll have to read it to understand, and I certainly recommend that you do ;)
Overall, this is a great, fast read. A true page turner. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Want to read
July 10, 2016Pre-ordered!
April 20, 2016
Beautifully written and engaging coming of age tale. The setting was wonderful and the writing really shone in evoking a real feel of the Cornish coast and the sea. I could really imagine being with Luke on his board out on the waves, and I love that sort of sensory imagery.
I loved that Theo had secrets and I desperately wanted to know what had happened in his previous relationship—this was a really interesting and well thought out subplot!
The ending was realistic and satisfying, and I’m really glad things turned out as they did, and that Luke had time to get over himself a wee bit, shall we say ;)
Every character was relatable—their flaws and weaknesses very much so—but
Before I started reading I had no idea what the title meant, but it's very apt :)
I loved that Theo had secrets and I desperately wanted to know what had happened in his previous relationship—this was a really interesting and well thought out subplot!
The ending was realistic and satisfying, and I’m really glad things turned out as they did, and that Luke had time to get over himself a wee bit, shall we say ;)
Every character was relatable—their flaws and weaknesses very much so—but
Before I started reading I had no idea what the title meant, but it's very apt :)
December 1, 2016
I was lucky enough to read this book pre-release, and ate it up avidly. A gorgeous Cornwall seaside setting, and a group of characters harboring secrets both shameful and romantic—what more could I want? I fell in love instantly, and adored the emotional ride all the way through to the triumphant end.
The writing is tight and alive, and the group thrown together on holiday is rife with awkwardness and tension in all the fun ways. I especially fell for Theo and Luke, our star-crossed lovers, trapped by the social situation they find themselves in, blindsided by this new attraction and unsure what to tell everyone. Their romance hits all the right range from bittersweet to swoonily happy, enough to make me daydream about them while I was reading it. And, yeah, can I please have a vacation to Cornwall now too?
The writing is tight and alive, and the group thrown together on holiday is rife with awkwardness and tension in all the fun ways. I especially fell for Theo and Luke, our star-crossed lovers, trapped by the social situation they find themselves in, blindsided by this new attraction and unsure what to tell everyone. Their romance hits all the right range from bittersweet to swoonily happy, enough to make me daydream about them while I was reading it. And, yeah, can I please have a vacation to Cornwall now too?
June 28, 2017
In wave scoring, Caught Inside, by Jamie Deacon, would be a perfect ten. But I’ll give it five gripping stars. The descriptive language is flowing and addictive. The characterizations are genuine and layered. The dialogue is realistic and dynamic.
And the plot… Deacon took me on a raw emotional ride, rife with risk and regret, betrayal and self-discovery. And like a wave, the journey to shore was unpredictable. I wasn’t certain where the story would lead me, as Deacon kept switching directions until the last page.
I thoroughly enjoyed Caught Inside and I look forward to Jamie Deacon’s next book.
And the plot… Deacon took me on a raw emotional ride, rife with risk and regret, betrayal and self-discovery. And like a wave, the journey to shore was unpredictable. I wasn’t certain where the story would lead me, as Deacon kept switching directions until the last page.
I thoroughly enjoyed Caught Inside and I look forward to Jamie Deacon’s next book.
February 7, 2017
3.5 stars
Caught Inside is the story of Luke, who goes to spend the summer with his girlfriend Zara and her cousin Theo and ends up falling for him.
From the way Caught Inside is written, you'd never guess that it is a debut novel. Jamie Deacon's writing style is so beautiful and perfect, I could picture the story unraveling before my eyes with vivid clarity - from the stunning cottage and the beach to the tiny details in Theo's drawings. I could almost smell the salt in the air!
The story was sweet and beautiful and the romance, passionate, and while I do not condone infidelity, I could not help but root for Luke and Theo. I did feel that they initially developed feelings for each other a little too abruptly, but as the story progressed, it was easier to understand their attraction. My main issue with Caught Inside is that the plot stagnated in the middle. Days just seemed to stretch out with lots of surfing and stolen glances, and while this made the story more realistic, I wouldn't have minded a bit more excitement (and also a little less drama). I also felt that the characters could have been defined a little better. Despite this, the story was so interesting and gripping that I had a hard time putting the book down. I think that says it all.
Unlike a lot of other "coming out" books, Caught Inside doesn't deal with coming out at all. Luke does tell a few people by the end, but he isn't exactly out and proud (which is perfectly okay). He doesn't even spend a lot of time thinking about it and analyzing what it means for him to have feelings for another guy. He's okay with just being himself and following his heart without worrying about labels, which is a refreshing change. So if you're looking for a big internal battle and a lot of psychoanalysis with a big reveal at the end, you won't find it here. What you will get is a beautiful romance in a picturesque setting. For me, that was more than enough.
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
Caught Inside is the story of Luke, who goes to spend the summer with his girlfriend Zara and her cousin Theo and ends up falling for him.
From the way Caught Inside is written, you'd never guess that it is a debut novel. Jamie Deacon's writing style is so beautiful and perfect, I could picture the story unraveling before my eyes with vivid clarity - from the stunning cottage and the beach to the tiny details in Theo's drawings. I could almost smell the salt in the air!
The story was sweet and beautiful and the romance, passionate, and while I do not condone infidelity, I could not help but root for Luke and Theo. I did feel that they initially developed feelings for each other a little too abruptly, but as the story progressed, it was easier to understand their attraction. My main issue with Caught Inside is that the plot stagnated in the middle. Days just seemed to stretch out with lots of surfing and stolen glances, and while this made the story more realistic, I wouldn't have minded a bit more excitement (and also a little less drama). I also felt that the characters could have been defined a little better. Despite this, the story was so interesting and gripping that I had a hard time putting the book down. I think that says it all.
Unlike a lot of other "coming out" books, Caught Inside doesn't deal with coming out at all. Luke does tell a few people by the end, but he isn't exactly out and proud (which is perfectly okay). He doesn't even spend a lot of time thinking about it and analyzing what it means for him to have feelings for another guy. He's okay with just being himself and following his heart without worrying about labels, which is a refreshing change. So if you're looking for a big internal battle and a lot of psychoanalysis with a big reveal at the end, you won't find it here. What you will get is a beautiful romance in a picturesque setting. For me, that was more than enough.
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
April 23, 2021
Loved It
Hi, Caught Inside is my favorite movie in book form. Highkey please watch Shelter (2007) and cry with me. Ok, thank you. Also, I highly recommend the audiobook. Joe Jameson has a lovely voice. It reminded me of Hero Fiennes Tiffin. I'd love to read a sequel and/or companion novel.
Hi, Caught Inside is my favorite movie in book form. Highkey please watch Shelter (2007) and cry with me. Ok, thank you. Also, I highly recommend the audiobook. Joe Jameson has a lovely voice. It reminded me of Hero Fiennes Tiffin. I'd love to read a sequel and/or companion novel.
January 9, 2017
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This has been a hard book to review. I dislike writing anything negative about a new author's first book, but I need to start from the top here.
The purpose of a prologue is to OUTLINE an event that happened prior to the beginning of the story, something the author felt was crucial to understanding the course their story was about to take. For instance; how the zombie apocalypse came to be, a war that changed the world or protag distinctively, an accident, a birth, a death. The prologue in this book was a blurb from the novel itself. This is called an excerpt, not a prologue.
I started this book and then put it down after the prologue and the first chapter. One of my biggest pet peeves reared up repeatedly--missed somehow by the editor, the author, the beta readers--in those first pages; tense slips. I would have stopped there had I not agreed to read this for review.
The author writes well and writes terribly at the same time (in my opinion, and I've been a slush reader for a YA imprint for over a year, so I see a lot of this same problem). Her description of the water, trees, coastline was beautiful, but that was all we ever saw through her words--other than a heck of a lot of floppy hair. She explained some movements and actions in excruciating detail, but only some, not all, not the ones I felt were important. This is a story that suffered from too much and not enough. (Jumbo-Shrimp, a phrase I coined at a writer's workshop years ago, and so apropos for this story). It means to enlarge what moves the story forward, and reduce that which doesn't.
The story had promise, a decent premise, great location, and even a few kinda likable characters (I actually felt Zara was one of the more likable characters). I didn't have problems with the cheating as some did, I just didn't like the main character, at all. And I really disliked the lack of talking that went on. I don't know anyone who acts the way these characters do, bottling up everything inside, and on one page sounding mature while on the very next coming off as inexperienced, bratty kids. For me, the characters were very inconsistent, without much realism--and the drinking, who drinks like that? I drank as a teen but nothing close to how much they do in this story. They all should have been sloshed or suffering hangovers the whole time but miraculously they weren't.
A few reviews have called this a character driven novel, but I don't agree. To me, character driven novels leave the reader wrecked and weary by the end, so torn up by emotions, so vested in the characters you hate to turn that last page, missing them already when you do. That didn't happen to me with this story. I was actually relieved to turn that final page.
As I said before, this author has amazing promise, and that is why I give this 3 stars. I know I'm in the minority here, and this is but one reader's opinion, and I hope I wrote this in a way where the author might be able to glean something from it. Of course, not all authors are for all readers, and that may just be the case here.
This has been a hard book to review. I dislike writing anything negative about a new author's first book, but I need to start from the top here.
The purpose of a prologue is to OUTLINE an event that happened prior to the beginning of the story, something the author felt was crucial to understanding the course their story was about to take. For instance; how the zombie apocalypse came to be, a war that changed the world or protag distinctively, an accident, a birth, a death. The prologue in this book was a blurb from the novel itself. This is called an excerpt, not a prologue.
I started this book and then put it down after the prologue and the first chapter. One of my biggest pet peeves reared up repeatedly--missed somehow by the editor, the author, the beta readers--in those first pages; tense slips. I would have stopped there had I not agreed to read this for review.
The author writes well and writes terribly at the same time (in my opinion, and I've been a slush reader for a YA imprint for over a year, so I see a lot of this same problem). Her description of the water, trees, coastline was beautiful, but that was all we ever saw through her words--other than a heck of a lot of floppy hair. She explained some movements and actions in excruciating detail, but only some, not all, not the ones I felt were important. This is a story that suffered from too much and not enough. (Jumbo-Shrimp, a phrase I coined at a writer's workshop years ago, and so apropos for this story). It means to enlarge what moves the story forward, and reduce that which doesn't.
The story had promise, a decent premise, great location, and even a few kinda likable characters (I actually felt Zara was one of the more likable characters). I didn't have problems with the cheating as some did, I just didn't like the main character, at all. And I really disliked the lack of talking that went on. I don't know anyone who acts the way these characters do, bottling up everything inside, and on one page sounding mature while on the very next coming off as inexperienced, bratty kids. For me, the characters were very inconsistent, without much realism--and the drinking, who drinks like that? I drank as a teen but nothing close to how much they do in this story. They all should have been sloshed or suffering hangovers the whole time but miraculously they weren't.
A few reviews have called this a character driven novel, but I don't agree. To me, character driven novels leave the reader wrecked and weary by the end, so torn up by emotions, so vested in the characters you hate to turn that last page, missing them already when you do. That didn't happen to me with this story. I was actually relieved to turn that final page.
As I said before, this author has amazing promise, and that is why I give this 3 stars. I know I'm in the minority here, and this is but one reader's opinion, and I hope I wrote this in a way where the author might be able to glean something from it. Of course, not all authors are for all readers, and that may just be the case here.
September 28, 2016
I initially declined when I was first offered the chance to review this book because it's not typically one I would pick up. I assumed it would be wealthy people's angst, a gay-for-you plot, and too much adolescent romance. I am happy to eat my words now that I have read and fallen in love with this book and the characters. Yes, even the unlikable ones.
First of all, even though there is a romance, this is heavily character-driven. We are treated to Luke's self-discovery, along with all his mistakes. He's a thoughtful young man who owns the ways he mistreats others. At the same time, he's easy to empathize with when he's hurt by the people around him. It's as much his coming-of-age story as it is his first time falling in love.
Second, this is in no way a gay-for-you story. Luke doesn't spend half the book denying the possibility of loving another boy, and he isn't suddenly faced with attraction to Zara's hot cousin after only liking girls. It isn't instantaneous love; Luke and Theo take time to develop emotional and intellectual closeness, and their friendship deepens into something more. Eventually, Luke is able to acknowledge his complex feelings.
Finally, although there is drama and tension, there is surprisingly little of what I would call angst, and none that felt like typical poor little rich people syndrome. The characters have secrets and difficult interpersonal relationships at times, but for the most part, they are reasonably mature once they open up to each other. Luke's working class background is a nice contrast for his wealthy girlfriend and her peers. At the same time, it's clear that neither wealth nor lack of money are the secret to happiness (or unhappiness).
The only thing I wish is that the author had actually used the word bisexual. The word gay, and several homophobic slurs, are used multiple times, but never bisexual even though Luke describes in himself one type of bisexuality (equal attraction to boys and girls). In a YA novel, it's important to use the words or risk implying that gay is a real identity but everything else is a kind of nameless variation. Bisexual teens should be able to see themselves and see their identity spelled out in literature just as gay and lesbian teens should.
Overall, this is extraordinarily well-written. The pacing is good, the plot is captivating, and the romance is sweet and gentle. Because there is some implied sex and some mildly explicit intimacy, I would recommend this for youth who are aware and comfortable with reading about it.
For a tender coming-of-age story, capable literary writing, and characters who feel emotionally real, this gets 5 stars.
First of all, even though there is a romance, this is heavily character-driven. We are treated to Luke's self-discovery, along with all his mistakes. He's a thoughtful young man who owns the ways he mistreats others. At the same time, he's easy to empathize with when he's hurt by the people around him. It's as much his coming-of-age story as it is his first time falling in love.
Second, this is in no way a gay-for-you story. Luke doesn't spend half the book denying the possibility of loving another boy, and he isn't suddenly faced with attraction to Zara's hot cousin after only liking girls. It isn't instantaneous love; Luke and Theo take time to develop emotional and intellectual closeness, and their friendship deepens into something more. Eventually, Luke is able to acknowledge his complex feelings.
Finally, although there is drama and tension, there is surprisingly little of what I would call angst, and none that felt like typical poor little rich people syndrome. The characters have secrets and difficult interpersonal relationships at times, but for the most part, they are reasonably mature once they open up to each other. Luke's working class background is a nice contrast for his wealthy girlfriend and her peers. At the same time, it's clear that neither wealth nor lack of money are the secret to happiness (or unhappiness).
The only thing I wish is that the author had actually used the word bisexual. The word gay, and several homophobic slurs, are used multiple times, but never bisexual even though Luke describes in himself one type of bisexuality (equal attraction to boys and girls). In a YA novel, it's important to use the words or risk implying that gay is a real identity but everything else is a kind of nameless variation. Bisexual teens should be able to see themselves and see their identity spelled out in literature just as gay and lesbian teens should.
Overall, this is extraordinarily well-written. The pacing is good, the plot is captivating, and the romance is sweet and gentle. Because there is some implied sex and some mildly explicit intimacy, I would recommend this for youth who are aware and comfortable with reading about it.
For a tender coming-of-age story, capable literary writing, and characters who feel emotionally real, this gets 5 stars.
July 17, 2016
I had the honour of reading a very early copy of Caught Inside. I loved it! It made me laugh, it made me cry and more than once it made me put my kindle down and take a moment! I'm looking forward to rereading the final book once it's published.
I rooted for these characters and I cheered them on. I thought it was a very honest and believable story. Some of the characters' actions and behaviours surprised me and some were exactly as I expected and all were very faithful and relevant to the book. I thought the story flowed beautifully and everything that happened felt natural and never forced. My feelings for some of the characters changed and ebbed as the story progressed. I grew to like characters I'd disliked at the start of the book. That doesn't happen often if I dislike a character from the off that's usually it for me.
I thought the intimacy scenes were fantastic. I've read some YA and some NA M/M romances and I feel like this was a happy medium. I really dislike a total fade to black so I'm glad that wasn't the case.
I almost always automatically connect with female characters so it was refreshing for me to read a book and connect so much with a male lead. I saw a lot of myself in Luke. I love that the main characters were from such different upbringings. I've been craving the whole boy/girl from the wrong part of town thing for a while and it was done very faithfully here. I loved Luke's relationship with his mom also.
I thought the descriptions of the water, the sunsets and people's eyes were amazing. I've never surfed in my life so have no experience but when Luke was out on the sea it felt like I knew exactly what it was like, I was there with him. I love sports romance so almost instantly when I read Luke was a rugby player and a surfer I knew we were off to a good start. The fact he worked in a bookshop just sealed the deal, I couldn't not like this book. Caught Inside continued on its strong start right until the final pages.
I wish Jamie all the best with this release and will look forward to future books!
I rooted for these characters and I cheered them on. I thought it was a very honest and believable story. Some of the characters' actions and behaviours surprised me and some were exactly as I expected and all were very faithful and relevant to the book. I thought the story flowed beautifully and everything that happened felt natural and never forced. My feelings for some of the characters changed and ebbed as the story progressed. I grew to like characters I'd disliked at the start of the book. That doesn't happen often if I dislike a character from the off that's usually it for me.
I thought the intimacy scenes were fantastic. I've read some YA and some NA M/M romances and I feel like this was a happy medium. I really dislike a total fade to black so I'm glad that wasn't the case.
I almost always automatically connect with female characters so it was refreshing for me to read a book and connect so much with a male lead. I saw a lot of myself in Luke. I love that the main characters were from such different upbringings. I've been craving the whole boy/girl from the wrong part of town thing for a while and it was done very faithfully here. I loved Luke's relationship with his mom also.
I thought the descriptions of the water, the sunsets and people's eyes were amazing. I've never surfed in my life so have no experience but when Luke was out on the sea it felt like I knew exactly what it was like, I was there with him. I love sports romance so almost instantly when I read Luke was a rugby player and a surfer I knew we were off to a good start. The fact he worked in a bookshop just sealed the deal, I couldn't not like this book. Caught Inside continued on its strong start right until the final pages.
I wish Jamie all the best with this release and will look forward to future books!
December 5, 2016
To start this off, this book was fantastic. I enjoyed it from the moment I opened the book and read the first line. The book was written in Luke's point of view and it sometimes switches back and forth between the present and a memory that he had that went along with the situation present. It was natural, like how people actually think. It took a second to realize that it was a memory that he was thinking about, but once you got it, it was a wonderful ride. I always love to know how a character is thinking and how their mind works, and this book brought that out of the main character.
Another thing that I just adored out of this book is the characters. You usually have those characters that you're just supposed to hate, not many of them are as well rounded as the wonderful pieces of art as the characters in this book. You have an equal opportunity to love or hate all of the characters because they all have flaws, and they all have strengths. The characters are fleshed out, and they feel like real people. Everything that they do, all of the actions, everything they say, it all has a reason, much like the way that people really do work.
This book was realistic, and I thought that it was beautiful. Especially when passion was brought into it. There were two passions mostly shown in this book, and that was surfing and art. You could tell how much each of these things meant to the respective characters. it was beautifully written and you felt that you could feel passionate about it as well.
The story was a roller coaster just as much for the readers as it was for the characters. You had highs, you had lows, and you sometimes felt like your legs were turning to Jello because either something just went really well or just came crashing down all around them. This book brought you into the story so you could feel just as much as Luke did.
All around, it was a gorgeous book that I want to read over and over again. (Actually, right when I finished the book I almost started it over again right then and there.)
Another thing that I just adored out of this book is the characters. You usually have those characters that you're just supposed to hate, not many of them are as well rounded as the wonderful pieces of art as the characters in this book. You have an equal opportunity to love or hate all of the characters because they all have flaws, and they all have strengths. The characters are fleshed out, and they feel like real people. Everything that they do, all of the actions, everything they say, it all has a reason, much like the way that people really do work.
This book was realistic, and I thought that it was beautiful. Especially when passion was brought into it. There were two passions mostly shown in this book, and that was surfing and art. You could tell how much each of these things meant to the respective characters. it was beautifully written and you felt that you could feel passionate about it as well.
The story was a roller coaster just as much for the readers as it was for the characters. You had highs, you had lows, and you sometimes felt like your legs were turning to Jello because either something just went really well or just came crashing down all around them. This book brought you into the story so you could feel just as much as Luke did.
All around, it was a gorgeous book that I want to read over and over again. (Actually, right when I finished the book I almost started it over again right then and there.)
November 6, 2016
Coming out stories always make me nervous. Not because I think the writing will be bad but I worry about the characters. In this instance that's Luke! I'm an emotional person what can I say?!
Luke goes on holiday with his girlfriend Zara and this summer is literally life changing for all the characters involved. Zara's family is filthy rich while Luke is not even in the same financial universe. But when Zara asks him to come on a trip with her (accompanied by her cousin Theo) he says yes.
Theo is a college graduate, he's 23 I believe to Luke's 17. There's a bit of an age gap but nothing huge. I liked Theo. I didn't see him as a bad guy here. He's attracted to Luke and the affection is mutual. Theo of course won't hurt his cousin and while commendable it's just not possible for these two to say no to each other.
There's a lot in this book that has the ability to hurt so many. Giles, Theo's friend, is a terrible person. Like he's a force that blows in and is destructive on so many levels. His girlfriend Meredith is amazing but with a name like Meredith I expect nothing less (wink). She's actually a voice of reason in this mess.
A lot of emotions and proof that secrets hurt but happily ever afters can happen for everyone. It's a good story with some complex characters. Enjoyable.
Luke goes on holiday with his girlfriend Zara and this summer is literally life changing for all the characters involved. Zara's family is filthy rich while Luke is not even in the same financial universe. But when Zara asks him to come on a trip with her (accompanied by her cousin Theo) he says yes.
Theo is a college graduate, he's 23 I believe to Luke's 17. There's a bit of an age gap but nothing huge. I liked Theo. I didn't see him as a bad guy here. He's attracted to Luke and the affection is mutual. Theo of course won't hurt his cousin and while commendable it's just not possible for these two to say no to each other.
There's a lot in this book that has the ability to hurt so many. Giles, Theo's friend, is a terrible person. Like he's a force that blows in and is destructive on so many levels. His girlfriend Meredith is amazing but with a name like Meredith I expect nothing less (wink). She's actually a voice of reason in this mess.
A lot of emotions and proof that secrets hurt but happily ever afters can happen for everyone. It's a good story with some complex characters. Enjoyable.
September 5, 2016
I am not a fan of young adult books. I am also not a fan of cheating. I cannot fault this book for those plot points since it was almost a blind read. The writing was good, the characters were not very likable to me for the above mentioned plot points. I struggle with lying, I struggle with cheating so I did not find them likable but it really has nothing to do with writing style or the author, just the topic. This is not a book that I would have read without this challenge. I feel horrible about these words, it would have been a DNF for me if it had not been a part of this scavenger hunt. Oh well, back to reading about adults. I will look into reading more from this author since I have no problem with the writing style just totally the genre. DOes that make sense.
April 15, 2019
The melodrama arrives in waves at the summer home with a private beach for five young people attempting to summer together, and Luke, the lone surfer, is at the heart of most of it.
What lifts the reader up above the swells is the belief in Luke and Theo's mutual attraction. You may want to shake Luke on multiple occasions, and shout 'Get over yourself!" But Luke and Theo are cast in a no-win dilemma, and trusting this author, ones senses they will win.
The writing keeps you invested, and the barbs that are tossed around like spears, particularly by Giles, strike their target. But the passion between the boys is palpable, even from behind closed doors.
I look forward to reading about more 'Boys on the Brink' from Jamie Deacon.
What lifts the reader up above the swells is the belief in Luke and Theo's mutual attraction. You may want to shake Luke on multiple occasions, and shout 'Get over yourself!" But Luke and Theo are cast in a no-win dilemma, and trusting this author, ones senses they will win.
The writing keeps you invested, and the barbs that are tossed around like spears, particularly by Giles, strike their target. But the passion between the boys is palpable, even from behind closed doors.
I look forward to reading about more 'Boys on the Brink' from Jamie Deacon.
October 2, 2016
I wanted to like it more, but there was way more pain and angst than happy bits. The "happy ending" was just a page after chapters of sturm and drang. I was disappointed that the main character did not break up with his girlfriend once he realized she loved him and he did not love her, and he was falling for her cousin. I can see that he might have needed to keep some things secret while he worked things out, but he should have broken it off with her first. It would have been less of a betrayal.
May 24, 2016
OMG LOVED LOVED LOVED this!!!
Beautifully written story and it's a really good summer read, perfectly for reading on the beach. I totally read way too late into the night a few times because I couldn't put the book down.
Teenage drama, check.
Cute confused boys, check.
Me, in love with this book, check!
Beautifully written story and it's a really good summer read, perfectly for reading on the beach. I totally read way too late into the night a few times because I couldn't put the book down.
Teenage drama, check.
Cute confused boys, check.
Me, in love with this book, check!
August 15, 2016
A wonderful must read for young men looking to find themselves between the pages of a book.
April 9, 2025
This book is so incredibly cinematic and emotionally gripping. I loved it a lot.
June 28, 2016
Warnings: As the book description states, there is cheating in this book. If you're not OK with that you may not want to read. (That is NOT why I gave the book 2 stars though!) Luke has been dating Zara for a only couple months. She likes him a lot but he's not really that into her. The main reason he goes away with her for the summer is for the opportunity to go surfing at a private beach. His relationship with Theo involves flirting, kissing and some fooling around while hiding this from Zara. Luke, however does NOT have sex with Zara once he gets involved with Theo, if that matters to you! As far as my opinion on the cheating, while it wasn't the best decision, I think it was handled well and I totally understood WHY they felt it was the best option at the time.
Second warning: there is a little M/F, as Luke and Zara are together... there's some kissing and implied sex. Like I said though, once he gets involved with Theo, Luke pulls away from Zara and makes excuses as to why he's not being intimate with her.
As far as the story goes... it was OK. I did find it interesting and I did like Luke and Theo. I wanted to know what would happen with them and hoped that it would work out OK. What dragged down the book for me was all the teen angst drama... if you're into that, you may enjoy it! But... it was just too much for me. Theo's friend Giles and his girlfriend Meredith come to stay at the beach house. I swear it was first said that they were only going to stay for a couple days, but they hang around through the whole book... I just really really wanted them to LEAVE! Giles is petty and constantly putting down Zach and acting like a total jerk. He acts smug and arrogant and we're told that he's actually a nice guy and yet he continues to act like a child. Giles flirts with Zara to try and get a rise out of Luke (which doesn't work), Zara flirts with Giles for the same purpose, again, doesn't work. She's super moody and annoying... Meredith is nice and just has to deal with everyone's drama... it was just too much for me, I got really annoyed and frustrated with it. At around 58% I seriously considered stopping because I was just so annoyed with it... but I wanted to see how it would play out. The end of the book was a lot better at least. I was a lot less frustrated and while there was still a very delayed HEA, and still some struggles with the characters, just not having to deal with the whole Giles VS Luke thing made it a lot better! I WOULD be interested in reading a sequel focusing on Luke & Theo if one was written, and I would read something by this author again. This IS marketed as a YA book, so I get that some people may like the drama, it was just too much for me to enjoy. YMMV.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.**
Second warning: there is a little M/F, as Luke and Zara are together... there's some kissing and implied sex. Like I said though, once he gets involved with Theo, Luke pulls away from Zara and makes excuses as to why he's not being intimate with her.
As far as the story goes... it was OK. I did find it interesting and I did like Luke and Theo. I wanted to know what would happen with them and hoped that it would work out OK. What dragged down the book for me was all the teen angst drama... if you're into that, you may enjoy it! But... it was just too much for me. Theo's friend Giles and his girlfriend Meredith come to stay at the beach house. I swear it was first said that they were only going to stay for a couple days, but they hang around through the whole book... I just really really wanted them to LEAVE! Giles is petty and constantly putting down Zach and acting like a total jerk. He acts smug and arrogant and we're told that he's actually a nice guy and yet he continues to act like a child. Giles flirts with Zara to try and get a rise out of Luke (which doesn't work), Zara flirts with Giles for the same purpose, again, doesn't work. She's super moody and annoying... Meredith is nice and just has to deal with everyone's drama... it was just too much for me, I got really annoyed and frustrated with it. At around 58% I seriously considered stopping because I was just so annoyed with it... but I wanted to see how it would play out. The end of the book was a lot better at least. I was a lot less frustrated and while there was still a very delayed HEA, and still some struggles with the characters, just not having to deal with the whole Giles VS Luke thing made it a lot better! I WOULD be interested in reading a sequel focusing on Luke & Theo if one was written, and I would read something by this author again. This IS marketed as a YA book, so I get that some people may like the drama, it was just too much for me to enjoy. YMMV.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.**
September 29, 2016
Caught Inside was a very enjoyable mature young adult/early new adult story that left me wanting to know more about where the characters went from the end of the book on. It's a story about discovering one's sexuality and dealing with that while at the same time navigating a tricky family situation and also coming out.
I really like the main characters of Theo and Luke. Luke seemed very mature for his age, which was a relief considering most books I've read with characters in this age group tend to be a bit annoying in the way they speak and act. Theo is friendly and caring, but is quiet about the reason for the breakup that occurred before he came to the beach house. He and Leo match up well, and my only regret about the story is that we don't get as much time with the two of them together as I'd hoped.
Much of the story takes place with the other characters in the scenes, with the times that Theo and Luke are together being mostly stolen moments that don't last very long. Luke's girlfriend at the start of the story (and Theo's cousin), Zara-while I know some people didn't care for her, she actually acted exactly like you'd expect for a young lady her age with her boyfriend. Theo's best friend Giles was the one who bugged me, I was not thrilled with his attitude when it came to Luke and thought the way he acted and the things he said were rude, sometimes bordering on downright mean. Meredith though was a breath of fresh air, and was probably my favorite character in the story...especially with how she lit into Giles about his treatment of Luke.
The development of Luke and Theo's relationship is slow but satisfying, I just wish we got to see more of it than we did. The story starts off slowly for the first quarter or so of the book, but then picks up a bit once Giles and Meredith arrive. The scenes between Luke and Theo together, while sparse, are sweet with a bit of steam, though for the most part were "fade to black", behind-the-pages when it came to things going further. Tension builds the longer they are together with the hiding they have to do, particularly when it comes to Zara. I did find myself staying up late to finish as I didn't want to wait to find out how things would turn out.
Caught Inside was a solid 4-star read for me, and it has me hoping that we get to see more of Luke and Theo in a future story since this is listed as the first of the series. I'd recommend this story to M/M romance fans who like coming-of-age/coming out stories with a bit of complexity and drama. I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future, especially if we can get more of Luke and Theo. This book is for readers 17+ due to some adult language and light M/M sexual content.
I really like the main characters of Theo and Luke. Luke seemed very mature for his age, which was a relief considering most books I've read with characters in this age group tend to be a bit annoying in the way they speak and act. Theo is friendly and caring, but is quiet about the reason for the breakup that occurred before he came to the beach house. He and Leo match up well, and my only regret about the story is that we don't get as much time with the two of them together as I'd hoped.
Much of the story takes place with the other characters in the scenes, with the times that Theo and Luke are together being mostly stolen moments that don't last very long. Luke's girlfriend at the start of the story (and Theo's cousin), Zara-while I know some people didn't care for her, she actually acted exactly like you'd expect for a young lady her age with her boyfriend. Theo's best friend Giles was the one who bugged me, I was not thrilled with his attitude when it came to Luke and thought the way he acted and the things he said were rude, sometimes bordering on downright mean. Meredith though was a breath of fresh air, and was probably my favorite character in the story...especially with how she lit into Giles about his treatment of Luke.
The development of Luke and Theo's relationship is slow but satisfying, I just wish we got to see more of it than we did. The story starts off slowly for the first quarter or so of the book, but then picks up a bit once Giles and Meredith arrive. The scenes between Luke and Theo together, while sparse, are sweet with a bit of steam, though for the most part were "fade to black", behind-the-pages when it came to things going further. Tension builds the longer they are together with the hiding they have to do, particularly when it comes to Zara. I did find myself staying up late to finish as I didn't want to wait to find out how things would turn out.
Caught Inside was a solid 4-star read for me, and it has me hoping that we get to see more of Luke and Theo in a future story since this is listed as the first of the series. I'd recommend this story to M/M romance fans who like coming-of-age/coming out stories with a bit of complexity and drama. I'm looking forward to more from this author in the future, especially if we can get more of Luke and Theo. This book is for readers 17+ due to some adult language and light M/M sexual content.
September 19, 2016
I initially wanted to give this book 2 stars, I however and giving it 3 based on my love for Luke. This was an ok read, I read it in one go.
Luke lives for the waves. He is a typical boy enjoying his summer holiday with his girlfriend Zara and her cousin Theo. He loses himself out there with nothing but him, the water, and his spitfire.
I could not connect with Luke and Theo as a couple at all. Theo hides himself away and won’t talk about his past. Luke and Theo had formed a friendship that falters when friends show up. Zara, Luke’s girlfriend has a better relationship with him. Although she is very whiny and immature at times. I could feel Luke’s passion when he was surfing. He is a typical boy enjoying his summer holiday with his girlfriend Zara and her cousin.
There are several triangles at play here and the one always left out is Luke. Luke has a formidable friendship with one of Theo’s good friends Meredith. She is dating Giles who is a family friend, and at one point Zara had a crush on him. Every time he opened his mouth to speak, I wanted to stick my fist in it really hard to shut him up. The characters in this book say he is a great guy, but he is one of the biggest jerks I have ever read. I did not understand why those two, (Giles and Meredith) were there in the first place. Luke felt out of place to begin with, as he doesn’t have money as the others do. The thing that stands out for me the most is my dislike for Giles. I did like Dean a bit later and he is Luke’s best friend. There was so much potential for these two young men, but I felt I was shortchanged reading it and it wasn’t developed enough. Since this is a series, and the first book, maybe we will see more.
*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by JoAnna from Alpha Book Club
Luke lives for the waves. He is a typical boy enjoying his summer holiday with his girlfriend Zara and her cousin Theo. He loses himself out there with nothing but him, the water, and his spitfire.
I could not connect with Luke and Theo as a couple at all. Theo hides himself away and won’t talk about his past. Luke and Theo had formed a friendship that falters when friends show up. Zara, Luke’s girlfriend has a better relationship with him. Although she is very whiny and immature at times. I could feel Luke’s passion when he was surfing. He is a typical boy enjoying his summer holiday with his girlfriend Zara and her cousin.
There are several triangles at play here and the one always left out is Luke. Luke has a formidable friendship with one of Theo’s good friends Meredith. She is dating Giles who is a family friend, and at one point Zara had a crush on him. Every time he opened his mouth to speak, I wanted to stick my fist in it really hard to shut him up. The characters in this book say he is a great guy, but he is one of the biggest jerks I have ever read. I did not understand why those two, (Giles and Meredith) were there in the first place. Luke felt out of place to begin with, as he doesn’t have money as the others do. The thing that stands out for me the most is my dislike for Giles. I did like Dean a bit later and he is Luke’s best friend. There was so much potential for these two young men, but I felt I was shortchanged reading it and it wasn’t developed enough. Since this is a series, and the first book, maybe we will see more.
*ARC provided by Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by JoAnna from Alpha Book Club
May 1, 2017
3.5
I hate hate hate Because of that, I hated most of the characters. The MCs were selfish, immature, and single-minded. Luke let Zara think everything was her fault. He felt guilty to a point, but not a lot, and he was so mean to her at points. I actually disliked Giles less than I disliked Luke, although that's not saying much.
Meredith was OK but she was a dishrag and was a part of keeping from Theo the fact that It wasn't their decision to make.
Zara was vapid and whiny and also a dishrag but really didn't do anything wrong. She certainly didn't deserve what she got. It's kind of funny that a seventeen-year-old, the second youngest I think, was the most mature of the bunch.
I also hated that the college boy was getting with an underage boy. In many US states that's illegal and a sex crime. I really was uncomfortable with the sex scenes and was grateful they were brief.
The whole things reminded me of some literary fiction where it's a bunch of useless rich people being annoying and morally bankrupt. I wish I could think of an example.
The closest thing I can think of is a movie, Cruel Intentions, and the original movie it was based off of, Dangerous Liaisons.
That said, I think it was very well written, the hook certainly drew me in, and I would read something else by this writer if I was assured it was significantly morally superior according to my values than this one.
This was a hard one to rate because it pissed me off so much. It was well written, the author has talent, but I hated the characters and the plot and just didn't care. So the writing was a five, the characters were awful and rather caricatures of the wealthy and their alleged ennui, perhaps 1.5 stars. The plot and setting were a 3. So I'll give it 3.5 but I'm rounding down because I didn't enjoy it at all.
I hate hate hate Because of that, I hated most of the characters. The MCs were selfish, immature, and single-minded. Luke let Zara think everything was her fault. He felt guilty to a point, but not a lot, and he was so mean to her at points. I actually disliked Giles less than I disliked Luke, although that's not saying much.
Meredith was OK but she was a dishrag and was a part of keeping from Theo the fact that It wasn't their decision to make.
Zara was vapid and whiny and also a dishrag but really didn't do anything wrong. She certainly didn't deserve what she got. It's kind of funny that a seventeen-year-old, the second youngest I think, was the most mature of the bunch.
I also hated that the college boy was getting with an underage boy. In many US states that's illegal and a sex crime. I really was uncomfortable with the sex scenes and was grateful they were brief.
The whole things reminded me of some literary fiction where it's a bunch of useless rich people being annoying and morally bankrupt. I wish I could think of an example.
The closest thing I can think of is a movie, Cruel Intentions, and the original movie it was based off of, Dangerous Liaisons.
That said, I think it was very well written, the hook certainly drew me in, and I would read something else by this writer if I was assured it was significantly morally superior according to my values than this one.
This was a hard one to rate because it pissed me off so much. It was well written, the author has talent, but I hated the characters and the plot and just didn't care. So the writing was a five, the characters were awful and rather caricatures of the wealthy and their alleged ennui, perhaps 1.5 stars. The plot and setting were a 3. So I'll give it 3.5 but I'm rounding down because I didn't enjoy it at all.
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