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Pipeliner
Falling in love isn't what seventeen-year-old Jason Krabb imagines when he meets Betsy, an alluring girl from a different background. Struggling to distinguish himself from his prominent family, Jason's quest to leave his mark on the 90s grunge scene gets hilariously sidetracked by Betsy and a rag-tag crew of pipeliners who are bringing gas lines through the Idaho desert to keep the lights on in Portland and Seattle. Pipeliner is at once a coming-of-age love story and a comical timestamp of early 90s family life. Set in the fictional Idaho town of Helen Springs, we find dutiful Mormons, resilient ranchers, disgruntled vets, government honchos, drug-dealing bruisers, irksome teachers, and spirited high schoolers, all doing their best to keep the lights on beneath the lofty peaks and purple sunsets of the high desert.
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Published November 30, 2016
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About the author
Shawn Hartje
2 books41 followersShawn Hartje was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa. He has worked as a newswriter in small-town West Virginia, a whitewater kayak instructor in Colorado, a seasonal laborer for the Forest Service in rural Idaho, and more recently received an M.A. in Creative Writing from Dominican University of California. He lives in Northern California with his wife and teenage kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 9, 2017
This story is set in Helen Springs, a fictional town in Idaho USA.
This is a super journey back into the 90’s to remember the era as a teenager or as a parent, either way you will do it with cringes and giggles as you recognise so many familiar scenes and scenarios.
Jason is really a young man on the brink of coming of age. The time when decisions have to be made whether to stay on at school, to follow in the foot steps of his successful older brother, knowing he hasn’t a cat in hell’s chance of being above average himself or on the other hand he could just do his own thing. Well this is the Summer to find out.
At 17 the world is at his feet and he knows all the answers, I mean what 17-year-old kid doesn’t? so leaving home to go and join a work team of men laying gas pipes, so he can earn enough money to move on and join a Rock Band as a Rock Guitarist sounds a pretty cool plan! Now with best laid plans and all that, they aren’t worth pursuing if it is easy.
Of course in any story there is always a girl, Betsy, and the first clumsy fumbles and mishaps, which are not only very descriptive but also funny. Well they say practice makes perfect and the way they go at it they should be pretty darn good now! Think parties, think music and think experiments with a few substances too. It all gets real crazy and nostalgic.
The story is full of vibrant characters that radiate pure energy and passion on every page. Jason wants desperately to leave childhood behind and be an adult, to have choices, even if that means making the wrong one at times. It is really a timeless story, which could be set in any year, with the same choices just to different music. Shawn Hartje’s tell it as it is book is one for adults to read and look back on as their own memories as it is a definite adult only read because of the content. A real clever book.
I wish to thank the author for an e copy of this book which I have honestly reviewed.
This is a super journey back into the 90’s to remember the era as a teenager or as a parent, either way you will do it with cringes and giggles as you recognise so many familiar scenes and scenarios.
Jason is really a young man on the brink of coming of age. The time when decisions have to be made whether to stay on at school, to follow in the foot steps of his successful older brother, knowing he hasn’t a cat in hell’s chance of being above average himself or on the other hand he could just do his own thing. Well this is the Summer to find out.
At 17 the world is at his feet and he knows all the answers, I mean what 17-year-old kid doesn’t? so leaving home to go and join a work team of men laying gas pipes, so he can earn enough money to move on and join a Rock Band as a Rock Guitarist sounds a pretty cool plan! Now with best laid plans and all that, they aren’t worth pursuing if it is easy.
Of course in any story there is always a girl, Betsy, and the first clumsy fumbles and mishaps, which are not only very descriptive but also funny. Well they say practice makes perfect and the way they go at it they should be pretty darn good now! Think parties, think music and think experiments with a few substances too. It all gets real crazy and nostalgic.
The story is full of vibrant characters that radiate pure energy and passion on every page. Jason wants desperately to leave childhood behind and be an adult, to have choices, even if that means making the wrong one at times. It is really a timeless story, which could be set in any year, with the same choices just to different music. Shawn Hartje’s tell it as it is book is one for adults to read and look back on as their own memories as it is a definite adult only read because of the content. A real clever book.
I wish to thank the author for an e copy of this book which I have honestly reviewed.
June 26, 2025
I love love love this book! I won it in a giveaway and I am so grateful to have it. Thank you!
March 8, 2019
As a woman, I know what puberty is like on the feminine side of the fence. Of course, I've heard about the other side, with its wet dreams and awkward spurts of hormonal confusion. Thanks to Pipeliner, I'm one of few women who can honestly say that they have gone through both sides. When Hartje sets out to write a coming of age story, his goal is to do so in every sense of the word.
At first, I was a bit put off by Jason's poignant pecker preoccupation. I actually wrote a note to myself that "I'm stuck between being excited about how realistic Jason is and having heard enough about his penis."
Strangely, I adore strong characterization and it took me too long to realize that what I was upset with wasn't the fact that the pecker was strong with this book. It was actually that I had a hard time confronting how frigging real this book is. No one likes to read about teenagers having sex. No one wants to hear about kids using cocaine, marijuana, or alcohol. But they do. Even though this book is set in the 90s, many of the kids I teach have struggled with similar issues. It's just as true in 2017 as it was in the 90s. *Insert round of applause for Hartje's stunning realism.*
Before I started the book, I read several reviews that mentioned reading this book was like entering a time capsule. Therefore, I spent a lot of time reading this book trying to find an anachronism. I came out with empty hands. This time capsule is definitely filled with strong world building and beautiful characterization.
Hartje obviously spent time developing each character. If he hadn't, they simply could not be so realistic! I love seeing the discrepancies between Robert and Jason, Leah and Curtis, and even Bill and Curtis. Many novels portray families as a close knit group, filled with love and no negative words. This book, just pulls apart the idea of a loving family to show you the crap it's filled with. In doing so, Hartje demonstrates what it really means to love your family through the good and bad times.
There is a point in this book, that Leah (the mom) allows Jason to go off with people she thinks are trouble. I had a huge issue with this part. Growing up, if my Mama didn't like you, she didn't hide it. I knew it. You knew it. We didn't hang out. She was determined to make sure we were safe at every point in time. It's hard for me to imagine that Leah would allow her son to put himself into such a hazardous position, only to be upset when he made the wrong choice later on. Yes, it is important that she trusts her son. However, what has he done to deserve it? Has he been trustworthy? No. Has he been getting in trouble? Yes.
Overall, I believe this was a truly thought-provoking novel that is meant to encourage us to think about the present by observing the past.
At first, I was a bit put off by Jason's poignant pecker preoccupation. I actually wrote a note to myself that "I'm stuck between being excited about how realistic Jason is and having heard enough about his penis."
Strangely, I adore strong characterization and it took me too long to realize that what I was upset with wasn't the fact that the pecker was strong with this book. It was actually that I had a hard time confronting how frigging real this book is. No one likes to read about teenagers having sex. No one wants to hear about kids using cocaine, marijuana, or alcohol. But they do. Even though this book is set in the 90s, many of the kids I teach have struggled with similar issues. It's just as true in 2017 as it was in the 90s. *Insert round of applause for Hartje's stunning realism.*
Before I started the book, I read several reviews that mentioned reading this book was like entering a time capsule. Therefore, I spent a lot of time reading this book trying to find an anachronism. I came out with empty hands. This time capsule is definitely filled with strong world building and beautiful characterization.
Hartje obviously spent time developing each character. If he hadn't, they simply could not be so realistic! I love seeing the discrepancies between Robert and Jason, Leah and Curtis, and even Bill and Curtis. Many novels portray families as a close knit group, filled with love and no negative words. This book, just pulls apart the idea of a loving family to show you the crap it's filled with. In doing so, Hartje demonstrates what it really means to love your family through the good and bad times.
There is a point in this book, that Leah (the mom) allows Jason to go off with people she thinks are trouble. I had a huge issue with this part. Growing up, if my Mama didn't like you, she didn't hide it. I knew it. You knew it. We didn't hang out. She was determined to make sure we were safe at every point in time. It's hard for me to imagine that Leah would allow her son to put himself into such a hazardous position, only to be upset when he made the wrong choice later on. Yes, it is important that she trusts her son. However, what has he done to deserve it? Has he been trustworthy? No. Has he been getting in trouble? Yes.
Overall, I believe this was a truly thought-provoking novel that is meant to encourage us to think about the present by observing the past.
March 22, 2017
★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I just don't know what to say about this one. It's a coming-of-age story about a young man in the 1990's growing up in (what I believe is) a fictionalized Idaho Falls, Idaho. It's arguable how much Jason Krabb actually comes of age here -- you could make a pretty decent case that he regresses throughout the book.
Jason's main goal in life is to become a rock star in Portland, OR or Seattle, WA -- along the way, he'd like to have a girlfriend and party a lot. He spends a lot of time and energy becoming pretty mediocre at guitar, and hangs out with a poser who's new to town and a couple of older friends who are more interested in scholastic success and their futures (a concept Jason can't really wrap his brain around). He's got an older brother studying at Princeton and dating a nursing student, a very successful mother and a less-successful father who's browbeat by the other constantly.
The writing is uninspired and dull, there's no life to it at all -- just a dry recitation of what's going on. To be fair, there's a bit of flair displayed when he writes little Lake Wobegone-inspired descriptions of things from Jason's mother's perspective, but I never saw the point of those, they didn't seem to add anything. The sex scenes are perfunctory and clumsy (fitting for a seventeen year-old's initial fumblings, I guess), at least those involving Jason. The one with Jason's parents was just . . . odd and unnecessary. There were a couple of anachronisms that bugged me, but by and large, his history is good -- he captures the feeling of the time, while maybe overplaying the pre-dawn of the Internet as we know it a little bit.
Were I an LDS youth of that era, I might be offended at the depiction of both the straight-laced LDS and the backsliders. If I were someone who spent time with a lot of LDS at the time depicted in teh book, I might say it was pretty accurate. Either way, it's going to be divisive.
There's nothing new here -- stylistically, narratively, or in terms of character. It's all cliché, it's not original, there's nothing here you haven't seen before -- and likely better. It's not bad, but it's not worth your time and effort. While reading it, I spent a lot of time annoyed by the book -- but there's nothing to rant about here. At Hartje tried to do something, but like Jason, did the bare minimum and it shows (not unlike what I did here).
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for this post -- sorry Mr. Hartje.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I just don't know what to say about this one. It's a coming-of-age story about a young man in the 1990's growing up in (what I believe is) a fictionalized Idaho Falls, Idaho. It's arguable how much Jason Krabb actually comes of age here -- you could make a pretty decent case that he regresses throughout the book.
Jason's main goal in life is to become a rock star in Portland, OR or Seattle, WA -- along the way, he'd like to have a girlfriend and party a lot. He spends a lot of time and energy becoming pretty mediocre at guitar, and hangs out with a poser who's new to town and a couple of older friends who are more interested in scholastic success and their futures (a concept Jason can't really wrap his brain around). He's got an older brother studying at Princeton and dating a nursing student, a very successful mother and a less-successful father who's browbeat by the other constantly.
The writing is uninspired and dull, there's no life to it at all -- just a dry recitation of what's going on. To be fair, there's a bit of flair displayed when he writes little Lake Wobegone-inspired descriptions of things from Jason's mother's perspective, but I never saw the point of those, they didn't seem to add anything. The sex scenes are perfunctory and clumsy (fitting for a seventeen year-old's initial fumblings, I guess), at least those involving Jason. The one with Jason's parents was just . . . odd and unnecessary. There were a couple of anachronisms that bugged me, but by and large, his history is good -- he captures the feeling of the time, while maybe overplaying the pre-dawn of the Internet as we know it a little bit.
Were I an LDS youth of that era, I might be offended at the depiction of both the straight-laced LDS and the backsliders. If I were someone who spent time with a lot of LDS at the time depicted in teh book, I might say it was pretty accurate. Either way, it's going to be divisive.
There's nothing new here -- stylistically, narratively, or in terms of character. It's all cliché, it's not original, there's nothing here you haven't seen before -- and likely better. It's not bad, but it's not worth your time and effort. While reading it, I spent a lot of time annoyed by the book -- but there's nothing to rant about here. At Hartje tried to do something, but like Jason, did the bare minimum and it shows (not unlike what I did here).
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for this post -- sorry Mr. Hartje.
March 20, 2025
Nostalgic!
Took me back in time to the 90s. But even if you didn't live through the 90s, you will still enjoy it. It's a fun read.
Took me back in time to the 90s. But even if you didn't live through the 90s, you will still enjoy it. It's a fun read.
October 14, 2025
Thank you to the author, narrator, publisher and Net Galley for providing an ALC.
I was a teenager in the 1990's. Ah, the good old days! I was so excited about this book! And overall, I did enjoy it, there were some really good parts, but nothing that really blew me away. It just didn't pull me in the way I expected it to.
For 90's kids who dreamed of being rock stars (maybe especially from the North West?), go for it, give this book a chance.
3 stars.
I was a teenager in the 1990's. Ah, the good old days! I was so excited about this book! And overall, I did enjoy it, there were some really good parts, but nothing that really blew me away. It just didn't pull me in the way I expected it to.
For 90's kids who dreamed of being rock stars (maybe especially from the North West?), go for it, give this book a chance.
3 stars.
January 14, 2024
wow
It’s difficult to get a five star rating out of me, but this one did it. Without giving away spoilers, let’s just say the main character goes through a lot of twists and turns and turns out to be… Well, very different than you are expecting. I wish there were more to this because I would love to keep following along the pipeliner journey.
It’s difficult to get a five star rating out of me, but this one did it. Without giving away spoilers, let’s just say the main character goes through a lot of twists and turns and turns out to be… Well, very different than you are expecting. I wish there were more to this because I would love to keep following along the pipeliner journey.
November 14, 2025
I love the 90ies, growing up in the 90s sprinkled with some grunge, I was all about this book!
Unfortunately, it fell a bit short. The nostalgic fuzzies were few and far between (aside the numerous mentions of VH1) at least for me.
There were quite a bit of characters. And parents were referred to by their name rather than mom or dad of so and so. It was a bit confusing at first.
The love story was cute but I wanted to know more...
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC.
Unfortunately, it fell a bit short. The nostalgic fuzzies were few and far between (aside the numerous mentions of VH1) at least for me.
There were quite a bit of characters. And parents were referred to by their name rather than mom or dad of so and so. It was a bit confusing at first.
The love story was cute but I wanted to know more...
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC.
August 6, 2017
Pipeliner by Shawn Hartje
Sex, drugs and rock and roll. Every wannabe rock star has had this vision for their lives, but never was it more prominent than in the 90's. For Jason Krabb, that dream dominated his small town Idaho life, as evidence by the coming of age tale Pipeliner by Shawn Hartje. Here is the synopsis:
Description
For seventeen-year-old Jason Krabb, high school life in 1990s Idaho is a world of cargo shorts, cassette tapes, and junk food. Plagued equally by algebra and puberty, Jason sets out to find a girlfriend and become a rock guitarist. His quest is irreversibly jolted when he attends a bonfire and meets an alluring girl from the other side of town and a rag tag crew who are bringing gas lines through the desert in order to keep the lights on in Portland and Seattle, places where Jason hopes to find his nirvana as a guitarist.
Meanwhile, things deteriorate at home. Jason's pediatrician mom, Leah, sadly faces the twilight of her parenting years while his father, Curtis, contends with the enormity of running a big ticket research laboratory and coming to terms with his son's wayward path.
Pipeliner is at once a coming of age love story and a comical timestamp of early 90s family life. Set in the fictional Idaho town of Helen Springs, pop. 58,000, its characters are as vibrant as the lofty peaks and purple sunsets of the high desert. Here we find rich farmers, poor ranchers, dutiful Mormons, government honchos, disgruntled vets, drug-dealing bruisers, irksome teachers, and spirited students, all doing their best to keep the lights on.
This novel has some amazing themes flowing through the tale. Examining life in a small town in 1990's Idaho, readers are treated to the social divide between the classes, showcasing a struggle to bridge the gap between a young man with a desire to be free and a passion for a girl with a troubled past. As Jason struggles to associate himself with the drug-fueled lifestyle of some of the lower-class citizens, he must also contend with parents who take a hands-on approach with their parenting. While Jason's mom has good intentions, readers will learn that sometimes being the younger child brings more challenges with parenting, and sometimes our children don't grow up to become what we expect them to.
This is a beautifully written story, showcasing the tone of the 90's with perfection. The setting of the Midwest is the perfect challenge for a young man desperate to escape to a life of rock and roll. The need for freedom is felt as Jason struggles throughout this story, and yet while teens can identify with that, adults can also see and identify with the poor decision making that teenagers often have.
Overall this was a fantastic story from authors Shawn Hartje. The story of Jason Krabb is a familiar one, and yet it's told with a vintage voice that 90's kids can identity with easily, and anyone who has ever wanted to pursue a creative career like music can see the fire that must radiate in protagonist Jason Krabb's eyes. It's a wonderful read, and i hope you guys will be sure to check it out for yourselves. Get your copies by following the link below, and be sure to follow Shawn Hartje now!
Rating: 10/10
Pipeliner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBFHDTX/...
Twitter: @pipelinernovel
Sex, drugs and rock and roll. Every wannabe rock star has had this vision for their lives, but never was it more prominent than in the 90's. For Jason Krabb, that dream dominated his small town Idaho life, as evidence by the coming of age tale Pipeliner by Shawn Hartje. Here is the synopsis:
Description
For seventeen-year-old Jason Krabb, high school life in 1990s Idaho is a world of cargo shorts, cassette tapes, and junk food. Plagued equally by algebra and puberty, Jason sets out to find a girlfriend and become a rock guitarist. His quest is irreversibly jolted when he attends a bonfire and meets an alluring girl from the other side of town and a rag tag crew who are bringing gas lines through the desert in order to keep the lights on in Portland and Seattle, places where Jason hopes to find his nirvana as a guitarist.
Meanwhile, things deteriorate at home. Jason's pediatrician mom, Leah, sadly faces the twilight of her parenting years while his father, Curtis, contends with the enormity of running a big ticket research laboratory and coming to terms with his son's wayward path.
Pipeliner is at once a coming of age love story and a comical timestamp of early 90s family life. Set in the fictional Idaho town of Helen Springs, pop. 58,000, its characters are as vibrant as the lofty peaks and purple sunsets of the high desert. Here we find rich farmers, poor ranchers, dutiful Mormons, government honchos, disgruntled vets, drug-dealing bruisers, irksome teachers, and spirited students, all doing their best to keep the lights on.
This novel has some amazing themes flowing through the tale. Examining life in a small town in 1990's Idaho, readers are treated to the social divide between the classes, showcasing a struggle to bridge the gap between a young man with a desire to be free and a passion for a girl with a troubled past. As Jason struggles to associate himself with the drug-fueled lifestyle of some of the lower-class citizens, he must also contend with parents who take a hands-on approach with their parenting. While Jason's mom has good intentions, readers will learn that sometimes being the younger child brings more challenges with parenting, and sometimes our children don't grow up to become what we expect them to.
This is a beautifully written story, showcasing the tone of the 90's with perfection. The setting of the Midwest is the perfect challenge for a young man desperate to escape to a life of rock and roll. The need for freedom is felt as Jason struggles throughout this story, and yet while teens can identify with that, adults can also see and identify with the poor decision making that teenagers often have.
Overall this was a fantastic story from authors Shawn Hartje. The story of Jason Krabb is a familiar one, and yet it's told with a vintage voice that 90's kids can identity with easily, and anyone who has ever wanted to pursue a creative career like music can see the fire that must radiate in protagonist Jason Krabb's eyes. It's a wonderful read, and i hope you guys will be sure to check it out for yourselves. Get your copies by following the link below, and be sure to follow Shawn Hartje now!
Rating: 10/10
Pipeliner https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NBFHDTX/...
Twitter: @pipelinernovel
June 30, 2017
What is a pipeliner? A pipeliner is a person who lays pipe along with other members of his team to transport gas to far away cities. Jason Krabb, a seventeen year old kid who has lost the direction in his life since the local swim team (of which he was the star) had to be disbanded, finds the pipeliners who are working near his town to be incredibly cool. He is torn between finishing high school or skipping his senior year and laying pipe. If he makes money laying pipe, his plans to be a rock star in Portland and Seattle could come true faster. Who needs an education when you can be a rock star?
It's 1993, and Jason lives with his family on the wealthier side of town. Everything is a source of embarrassment for him, even the fact that his parents are rich.
There are two sides to town, and he has fallen for a girl on the wrong side. It is killing him. Everything is new to him and he has no idea what to do next about anything, especially Betsy, who is incredibly sexy but totally unpredictable.
As Jason progresses through this year and onward to his eighteenth birthday, we watch him slowly change from an awkward teen to a far more accomplished, more experienced person. We empathize with some of his earlier gaffes, applaud his attempts to find himself, and finally are left with a sense of satisfaction that this book has ended the way it should: with a glance back at the past (most particularly the Vietnam War), as much confidence in the present as we can hope for considering how crazy the world is, and high expectations for Jason's future.
The author has written a graceful story with great competence. The descriptions of the time and place are beautiful. Pipeliner: a 90s-era Caper set in Idaho's High Desert is engaging from the start. The people are very real and fun. You will care about them. It is honest, sad as well as humorous, and worth your while.
It's 1993, and Jason lives with his family on the wealthier side of town. Everything is a source of embarrassment for him, even the fact that his parents are rich.
There are two sides to town, and he has fallen for a girl on the wrong side. It is killing him. Everything is new to him and he has no idea what to do next about anything, especially Betsy, who is incredibly sexy but totally unpredictable.
As Jason progresses through this year and onward to his eighteenth birthday, we watch him slowly change from an awkward teen to a far more accomplished, more experienced person. We empathize with some of his earlier gaffes, applaud his attempts to find himself, and finally are left with a sense of satisfaction that this book has ended the way it should: with a glance back at the past (most particularly the Vietnam War), as much confidence in the present as we can hope for considering how crazy the world is, and high expectations for Jason's future.
The author has written a graceful story with great competence. The descriptions of the time and place are beautiful. Pipeliner: a 90s-era Caper set in Idaho's High Desert is engaging from the start. The people are very real and fun. You will care about them. It is honest, sad as well as humorous, and worth your while.
April 18, 2017
Jason´s life in the start of this book was absolutely directionless, he wasn´t doing so good at school and he only cared about his music and his guitar. As the synopsis of he book says, this books sets at 1990 and we have Jason Krabb who´s a student of high school and like any other kid, he has a dream of becoming something else than what everyone tells him to be. I must say the author did a pretty good job with the writing, because you felt like you were in those times, he transported me to 1990 while I was reading this book.
One thing I truly didn´t like, was the abundance of characters, because I´m pretty bad with remembering, so as a result I got confused and didn´t fully enjoy the book, but I can get that as the book is about Jason, he´s a guy who´s cursing high school and he´s in the process of growing up, sure he´s going to meet and have lots of people around. Even though that bothered me a little, I think this story is pretty good, the author did a pretty good job while developing the main character, i truly liked Jason because you can truly get him and the environment he´s in and what he´s going through during the book.
I didn´t think the book was that catchy, i think it has a strong story and pretty well developed characters, but i must say it wasn´t that catchy to me, but because of Jason´s and his friends sense of humour, it was enjoyable to read. I´ll recommend this to you because it is the story of how this kid is growing up and realizing that people struggle and have problems too, just like him, and about how people can influence in your life. In my truly opinion, the author did a great job with this book, even though he could have made it a little bit more catchier, he could have make the story even stronger and more interesting than it already was.
One thing I truly didn´t like, was the abundance of characters, because I´m pretty bad with remembering, so as a result I got confused and didn´t fully enjoy the book, but I can get that as the book is about Jason, he´s a guy who´s cursing high school and he´s in the process of growing up, sure he´s going to meet and have lots of people around. Even though that bothered me a little, I think this story is pretty good, the author did a pretty good job while developing the main character, i truly liked Jason because you can truly get him and the environment he´s in and what he´s going through during the book.
I didn´t think the book was that catchy, i think it has a strong story and pretty well developed characters, but i must say it wasn´t that catchy to me, but because of Jason´s and his friends sense of humour, it was enjoyable to read. I´ll recommend this to you because it is the story of how this kid is growing up and realizing that people struggle and have problems too, just like him, and about how people can influence in your life. In my truly opinion, the author did a great job with this book, even though he could have made it a little bit more catchier, he could have make the story even stronger and more interesting than it already was.
July 14, 2017
Jason was such a complex and developed character. Granted, he was still an average teenage boy from that era, but the author painted such an in-depth picture of Jason that I felt like he was my own son by the time I finished reading. Well, that, or like tons of people that I knew in high school, lol. He wanted freedom, he wanted to party with his friends, he wanted to lose his virginity, he wanted to experiment with drugs, but most of all, he wanted to play guitar, sing, and write lyrics. His inner conflict over numerous situations was so real and the way he was sort of stumbling into adulthood was very relatable.
I certainly identified with Jason’s mom as she struggled to accept his impending adulthood and his thirst for freedom without any real goals or objectives. Considering my baby goes off to college this fall, I know how it can tug at your heart watching them grow up. Couple that with her desire for Robert to come out of his shell and meet some new girls, Leah spent a lot of time frustrated in the novel.
When Jason met Betsy she seemed so cool and mysterious to him and he was instantly hooked. However, as the novel progressed, the fragility of her home life became evident, as did the fact that Betsy was confused and lost.
Pipeliner is a funny and at times, disturbing novel about a young man trying to find his way in the world. Jason made several mistakes throughout the story but also had several victories. Which, isn’t that what that time of our life is for? You screw up, learn from it, and hopefully, over time stop repeating the same mistakes. Whether as a parent or a young adult yourself, I think any reader could find several things to identify with while reading this novel. This was a wonderful read from a very talented writer.
*Many thanks to the author for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
I certainly identified with Jason’s mom as she struggled to accept his impending adulthood and his thirst for freedom without any real goals or objectives. Considering my baby goes off to college this fall, I know how it can tug at your heart watching them grow up. Couple that with her desire for Robert to come out of his shell and meet some new girls, Leah spent a lot of time frustrated in the novel.
When Jason met Betsy she seemed so cool and mysterious to him and he was instantly hooked. However, as the novel progressed, the fragility of her home life became evident, as did the fact that Betsy was confused and lost.
Pipeliner is a funny and at times, disturbing novel about a young man trying to find his way in the world. Jason made several mistakes throughout the story but also had several victories. Which, isn’t that what that time of our life is for? You screw up, learn from it, and hopefully, over time stop repeating the same mistakes. Whether as a parent or a young adult yourself, I think any reader could find several things to identify with while reading this novel. This was a wonderful read from a very talented writer.
*Many thanks to the author for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!
January 8, 2018
Jason Krabb is having a pretty typical high schooler experience but like all of us at the time, he thinks of himself as a unique little island of humanity looking for the people who will know his soul…his fellow musicians. Jason is stuck in a life where he doesn’t feel he belongs (again, like all of us that the time). He has kind of a nebulous idea of where he wants to end up, boning up on artists that he might be expected to know should he actually make it to Portland/Seattle where he expects to mingle in the music scene. When he meets the girl of his dreams he changes the way he sees himself as reaching his goal with a new step of becoming a Pipeliner (laying gas pipes) and raking in the money until he has enough to head to Portland/Seattle and join a band. The POV is mostly Jason’s but sometimes shifts to his parents which gives the reader a perspective on this teenagers home life. We know, hearing Jason’s perspective, that teenagers (and people in general) rarely have the complete picture of a situation that they think they do so the parents, Leah and Curtis, are necessary though read as a bit of an odd shift in the moment.
A lot of the story is the Krabb family experience. Jason is the sort of nostalgic free range kid (for the most part) that many of us experienced but you don’t really see anymore for the very reason that we know what you’re doing if you’re out in the forest in the middle of the night because that’s what we did. While the story is mostly well written and interesting, it is at times very slow moving. Jason is well framed and as we get to know his family his story is clearly a human one and the point is that we are with him for a time that many of us remember well.
If you’re a 90s kid or love a good coming of age story, pick Pipeliner up today.
A lot of the story is the Krabb family experience. Jason is the sort of nostalgic free range kid (for the most part) that many of us experienced but you don’t really see anymore for the very reason that we know what you’re doing if you’re out in the forest in the middle of the night because that’s what we did. While the story is mostly well written and interesting, it is at times very slow moving. Jason is well framed and as we get to know his family his story is clearly a human one and the point is that we are with him for a time that many of us remember well.
If you’re a 90s kid or love a good coming of age story, pick Pipeliner up today.
November 24, 2017
Like most teenage lads, seventeen-year-old Jason wants to join a rock band and get a girlfriend. But the path to love and musical stardom is paved with a ton of other stuff that gets in the way – like dealing with parents, teachers and everything else that young people are faced with. When he joins a team of gas-pipe layers, our hero believes he’s taking a step in the right direction…
This is a coming of age story about a young guy, his aspirations to fame and his experiments in love, as well as the usual issues and challenges that face most of us at that age. Though it took a little while to get going, the book is an easy read, and while I thought the author spent a bit too much time describing every single person we encounter, it’s a generally enjoyable tale peppered with colourful characters. Having said that, comparing the book to thousands of similar stories, there didn’t seem to be anything new or different about it, and I was left wondering if I’d missed something. No doubt it’ll ring a few bells with folk who can still recall their teenage years, but in my case, it was a pleasant read that should have been better.
This is a coming of age story about a young guy, his aspirations to fame and his experiments in love, as well as the usual issues and challenges that face most of us at that age. Though it took a little while to get going, the book is an easy read, and while I thought the author spent a bit too much time describing every single person we encounter, it’s a generally enjoyable tale peppered with colourful characters. Having said that, comparing the book to thousands of similar stories, there didn’t seem to be anything new or different about it, and I was left wondering if I’d missed something. No doubt it’ll ring a few bells with folk who can still recall their teenage years, but in my case, it was a pleasant read that should have been better.
April 20, 2017
I had so much fun reading this book. The main character would be best described as a horny teenage boy. Having never been a horny teenage boy myself, there was a certain amount of suspension of disbelief required to get into Jason's point of view. The sexual metaphors abound in this book and they will make you laugh until you cry. The mossy flume is particularly well developed. In addition to the humor throughout, the author leads us through a shift in Jason's relationships with girls that demonstrates real insight into the transformation of sexual lust into a nascent relationship. This book will make you cringe and you will remember things about yourself that you may have preferred to forget but isn't that the hallmark of a great book?
December 6, 2016
If you grew up in the 90s, there is much in the book that will make you laugh. Jason's character is of someone you know. The complexity of a high school boys emotions is intertwined with the immaturity of a high school boys emotions, which is hilarious. A page turner.
July 23, 2025
Thank you so much to the author for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
There’s something about reading a book set in your home state that feels like stumbling across your own reflection in a crowd. Pipeliner captures the dusty edges of Idaho in the 1990s, with a coming-of-age story that’s raw, awkward, cringy, nostalgic, and entirely male in perspective.
Jason Krabb is seventeen, chasing a dream of rock stardom and adult freedom, while navigating summer work on a gas pipeline, first loves, and every messy impulse of adolescence. And the thing is—Shawn Hartje doesn't shy away from anything. Not the hormonal confusion, not the poor decisions, not the uncomfortable realism of teens doing things you really wish they weren’t doing.
At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about being in Jason’s head. His obsession with sex and his own body was, frankly, a lot. But the further I got, the more I realized: that’s the point. It’s an unflinching look at the male teenage experience, told with sharp observation and surprisingly tender detail beneath the bluntness. The relationships—especially the dysfunctional but oddly loving family dynamics—felt incredibly honest.
It’s a book that will probably split readers. Some might find the tone too flat, the writing a bit dry, or Jason too directionless to root for. Others will find a sharply observed time capsule, filled with quiet truths and chaotic youth. I landed somewhere in the middle: intrigued, uncomfortable, thoughtful.
What I Loved:
• The Idaho setting was perfectly rendered—it felt authentic in all the best and worst ways.
• The depiction of adolescent confusion and desire was brutally honest.
• Jason’s relationship with his family added emotional depth I didn’t expect.
• There’s a great mix of humor and melancholy that hits just right in some scenes.
• A unique take on coming-of-age from a very male lens.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The pacing dragged in places—I found myself wishing for more momentum.
• The sex scenes were more clinical than emotional, which made them feel flat.
• I wasn’t sure what to take away from the “Lake Wobegon” sections—they broke the flow.
• The writing style was hit or miss for me, especially with dialogue and narration.
• Some female characters felt underdeveloped or used primarily for Jason’s arc.
“Growing up doesn’t happen in a moment, but in the slow stretch of a long, dumb summer.”
This book reminded me of being seventeen: restless, reckless, and certain you know everything, even when you're lost. Pipeliner is raw and messy, but if you sit with it, it says something real about growing up and letting go.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🎸🛻☀️🥴
There’s something about reading a book set in your home state that feels like stumbling across your own reflection in a crowd. Pipeliner captures the dusty edges of Idaho in the 1990s, with a coming-of-age story that’s raw, awkward, cringy, nostalgic, and entirely male in perspective.
Jason Krabb is seventeen, chasing a dream of rock stardom and adult freedom, while navigating summer work on a gas pipeline, first loves, and every messy impulse of adolescence. And the thing is—Shawn Hartje doesn't shy away from anything. Not the hormonal confusion, not the poor decisions, not the uncomfortable realism of teens doing things you really wish they weren’t doing.
At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about being in Jason’s head. His obsession with sex and his own body was, frankly, a lot. But the further I got, the more I realized: that’s the point. It’s an unflinching look at the male teenage experience, told with sharp observation and surprisingly tender detail beneath the bluntness. The relationships—especially the dysfunctional but oddly loving family dynamics—felt incredibly honest.
It’s a book that will probably split readers. Some might find the tone too flat, the writing a bit dry, or Jason too directionless to root for. Others will find a sharply observed time capsule, filled with quiet truths and chaotic youth. I landed somewhere in the middle: intrigued, uncomfortable, thoughtful.
What I Loved:
• The Idaho setting was perfectly rendered—it felt authentic in all the best and worst ways.
• The depiction of adolescent confusion and desire was brutally honest.
• Jason’s relationship with his family added emotional depth I didn’t expect.
• There’s a great mix of humor and melancholy that hits just right in some scenes.
• A unique take on coming-of-age from a very male lens.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The pacing dragged in places—I found myself wishing for more momentum.
• The sex scenes were more clinical than emotional, which made them feel flat.
• I wasn’t sure what to take away from the “Lake Wobegon” sections—they broke the flow.
• The writing style was hit or miss for me, especially with dialogue and narration.
• Some female characters felt underdeveloped or used primarily for Jason’s arc.
“Growing up doesn’t happen in a moment, but in the slow stretch of a long, dumb summer.”
This book reminded me of being seventeen: restless, reckless, and certain you know everything, even when you're lost. Pipeliner is raw and messy, but if you sit with it, it says something real about growing up and letting go.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🎸🛻☀️🥴
November 22, 2025
This is a coming-of-age, across-the-tracks, teenage romance, and the hormones are front and centre throughout Shawn Hartje’s story of 17-year-old Jason’s summer.
It begins with Jason not really knowing what he wants to do with his life, and not really knowing what he wants on the woman front either, other than any girl who makes herself available, which is probably par for the course for a teenage boy.
Pipeliner is well written, and packed with teenage testosterone which I found nostalgic - it definitely took me back to the final years of my schooling.
There’s not really a plot, other than Jason making a decision about what he wants to do after high school, so it’s primarily a character study and doesn’t really go anywhere.
The part I found hardest to relate to was when Jason discovers his girlfriend is being abused, but he accepts her explanation of it rather than shows any outrage or shock, which I found hard to understand but put down to the ignorance of the time and his lack of maturity. The lack of outrage at this particular point of the story, any type of karma for the abuser, of justice for the victim, was hard to deal with as it almost normalised the abuse for me. I wasn’t comfortable with that and I don’t think this is a responsible way to reflect abuse.
That’s my primary reason for a lower rating than I would otherwise have given.
With thanks to NetGalley and Helen Springs Press for the chance to read an ARC.
Pipeliner is out now.
It begins with Jason not really knowing what he wants to do with his life, and not really knowing what he wants on the woman front either, other than any girl who makes herself available, which is probably par for the course for a teenage boy.
Pipeliner is well written, and packed with teenage testosterone which I found nostalgic - it definitely took me back to the final years of my schooling.
There’s not really a plot, other than Jason making a decision about what he wants to do after high school, so it’s primarily a character study and doesn’t really go anywhere.
The part I found hardest to relate to was when Jason discovers his girlfriend is being abused, but he accepts her explanation of it rather than shows any outrage or shock, which I found hard to understand but put down to the ignorance of the time and his lack of maturity. The lack of outrage at this particular point of the story, any type of karma for the abuser, of justice for the victim, was hard to deal with as it almost normalised the abuse for me. I wasn’t comfortable with that and I don’t think this is a responsible way to reflect abuse.
That’s my primary reason for a lower rating than I would otherwise have given.
With thanks to NetGalley and Helen Springs Press for the chance to read an ARC.
Pipeliner is out now.
November 5, 2025
Pipeliner AUDIO by Shawn Harte is promoted as a 90’s romance but it was difficult to see it that way. I saw it as more of a coming-of-age story, so full of teenage angst that sometimes made it hard to listen. There were all the hallmarks of teenagers: sex, drugs, alcohol and the perception of easy money. It is such a time of experimentation and confusion. From that standpoint Harte did a good job. It could have done with some editing. It was too long to tell the story it was telling.
Jason Krabb is seventeen and wants nothing more than to have sex so when he meets a girl at a party he should probably not have been at in the first place and they do some experimenting, he was hooked. He wanted more. But she didn’t go to his school so where would he ever get to see her. But, he figures it out. Eventually there is a party and he ends up spending the night, only to wake to find his mother in the entryway demanding he come with her. Could she be more embarrassing? The story goes on and on, with more conflict with his parents, mostly his mother. Typical of the age.
The reader is Theo Polo who did as good a job as possible with the material he was given. His voice was steady and he handled the angst well.
I was invited to listen to Pipeliner by Helen Springs Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HelenSpringsPress #TheoPolo #ShawnHarte #Pipeliner
Jason Krabb is seventeen and wants nothing more than to have sex so when he meets a girl at a party he should probably not have been at in the first place and they do some experimenting, he was hooked. He wanted more. But she didn’t go to his school so where would he ever get to see her. But, he figures it out. Eventually there is a party and he ends up spending the night, only to wake to find his mother in the entryway demanding he come with her. Could she be more embarrassing? The story goes on and on, with more conflict with his parents, mostly his mother. Typical of the age.
The reader is Theo Polo who did as good a job as possible with the material he was given. His voice was steady and he handled the angst well.
I was invited to listen to Pipeliner by Helen Springs Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #HelenSpringsPress #TheoPolo #ShawnHarte #Pipeliner
October 23, 2025
I struggled to get going with this story, and then was disappointed by the ending. The writing felt sophomoric, the characters shallow, and plot meandering. I see that it was an attempt at a "snapshot" of 90s teenage life, but fell short in so many ways. Perspective jumped from character to character without warning. The main plot arc was disappointing (kid thinks he's a great guitar player, finds out he stinks, practices, plays in a battle of the bands, loses, drops out of school to become a rock star??). Tangential plot lines were far more interesting, but were either abandoned all together (dad's top secret work) or only briefly alluded to (guy that has been raping Jason's girlfriend for years busted for drug trafficking).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2025
*Received as a Storygraph giveaway*
Jason Krabb is 17. He has dreams to be a big time rock star. When he and his friends go to a shitkicker bonfire one night, they meet a crew of pipeliners. Jason finds them interesting. Also there are a group of girls. One of them, Betsy, seems mysterious to Jason. After the bonfire, he hopes to see her again one day. That night seems to be the beginning of change for Jason.
Pipeliner gives the reader a look into growing up in the 90s. It is a coming of age tale. The main character is trying to find himself. He is a teenager trying to navigate his way through life and romance. Well written.
Jason Krabb is 17. He has dreams to be a big time rock star. When he and his friends go to a shitkicker bonfire one night, they meet a crew of pipeliners. Jason finds them interesting. Also there are a group of girls. One of them, Betsy, seems mysterious to Jason. After the bonfire, he hopes to see her again one day. That night seems to be the beginning of change for Jason.
Pipeliner gives the reader a look into growing up in the 90s. It is a coming of age tale. The main character is trying to find himself. He is a teenager trying to navigate his way through life and romance. Well written.
May 24, 2024
I don’t know why but I had a hard time finishing this book. It wasn’t all bad, there was some good parts but nothing that wowed me. I hate not finishing a book unless I truly am bored of it, that wasn’t completely the case here but the book didn’t excite me or made me want to know what happens next. I did finish it though, I would rate the book alright but it wasn’t for me. I’m sure this book could be a five stars for others, but wasn’t the case for me. I did win this book on StoryGraph and do appreciate having the privilege to read this book.
October 21, 2025
Listening to this audio book was like remembering the 90's. There was so much nostalgia in it. This book follows a 17 year old boys journey of working laying gas pipe to earn enough money to join a rock bank as a guitarist. There's a little love in it as well as he falls for our girl Betsy. Wrong choices will be made, but isn't that what being a teenager is all about! I really enjoyed listening to this book. It was a a great change for me as I've been reading a lot of romantasy and dark romance lately. All of the characters in the book were well written and I loved the story.
June 15, 2024
Great novel set in the 90s about a teenager (17 years old) on the brink of becoming an adult. Trying to choose between different options in life. Whether to pursue being a rockstar or becoming a pipeliner. Finding love, having fun, and learning along the way. A great read that will have you laughing and enjoying flipping the pages.
I received this kindle copy through a good reads giveaway. And it’s definitely worth the read.
I received this kindle copy through a good reads giveaway. And it’s definitely worth the read.
September 19, 2025
I was lucky enough to win this book in a giveaway, and I’m so glad I did! This story was such a unique trip back to the 90s — the characters felt authentic, and the setting really captured the era. The love story was heartfelt and a little nostalgic, with just enough drama to keep me hooked. A solid, enjoyable read that I’m happy to have on my shelf.
October 22, 2025
3.5 stars
I was a teenager in the 90's so I was very excited to read this book. I enjoyed the walk down memory lane but that was about it for me. I did read and listen to the audiobook, I did not like the narrator's voice and might have enjoyed the story more just reading it.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read.
I was a teenager in the 90's so I was very excited to read this book. I enjoyed the walk down memory lane but that was about it for me. I did read and listen to the audiobook, I did not like the narrator's voice and might have enjoyed the story more just reading it.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read.
November 1, 2025
Really enjoyed narrating this story and spending time with its diverse cast of characters. The throes of teenage drama, first love, and self-discovery combined with the nostalgia of 90s-era living resonated with my own years of coming of age in Portland, the very place the protagonist is longing to go. Thank you again Shawn for letting me be a part of it!
October 31, 2025
This was a great YA coming-of-age story, from the unique perspective of a teenage boy. It had an interesting assortment of characters and a raw honesty to it. I listened to the audiobook, and especially love the way music was included toward the end. The narrator really pulled it off!
January 25, 2026
I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed all the 1990’s references. The author did a good job of capturing the angst of hormonal teenagedom and how hard it is to concentrate on all the real life concerns of parents when love is on your mind. Liked all the music references.
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