What do you think?
Rate this book
The Plunge
Matt Harper has the perfect life—so why is he so miserable?
On paper, Matt’s got everything: a degree from a prestigious university, a successful career, a beautiful girlfriend—but he’s still not happy. One day, he leaves it all behind and heads to the mountains in a desperate attempt to find himself. Matt can’t outrun his problems, though—and things only get more complicated when he meets a young, charismatic stranger he can’t seem to stay away from.
Wild, passionate, and deeply troubled, Josh Day is interested in one thing: forgetting his crappy life. Whether it’s at the bottom of a bottle or in bed with a fling, Josh moves too quickly and parties too hard to give himself a chance to think about everything that’s gone wrong. When Josh meets Matt at a party, it seems like the perfect opportunity for his next hook up.
The two men are quickly drawn to each other, opening up to one another in ways they never have before. As Matt and Josh grow closer, they are forced to confront their inner demons. To be together, Matt will have to leave his old life behind completely and Josh must face the trauma he’s been hiding from—but they find that love alone may not be enough to overcome their fears.
Will both men be brave enough to take the plunge?
The Plunge is an emotional m/m contemporary romance with hurt/comfort themes, plenty of heat, and a happy ending.
On paper, Matt’s got everything: a degree from a prestigious university, a successful career, a beautiful girlfriend—but he’s still not happy. One day, he leaves it all behind and heads to the mountains in a desperate attempt to find himself. Matt can’t outrun his problems, though—and things only get more complicated when he meets a young, charismatic stranger he can’t seem to stay away from.
Wild, passionate, and deeply troubled, Josh Day is interested in one thing: forgetting his crappy life. Whether it’s at the bottom of a bottle or in bed with a fling, Josh moves too quickly and parties too hard to give himself a chance to think about everything that’s gone wrong. When Josh meets Matt at a party, it seems like the perfect opportunity for his next hook up.
The two men are quickly drawn to each other, opening up to one another in ways they never have before. As Matt and Josh grow closer, they are forced to confront their inner demons. To be together, Matt will have to leave his old life behind completely and Josh must face the trauma he’s been hiding from—but they find that love alone may not be enough to overcome their fears.
Will both men be brave enough to take the plunge?
The Plunge is an emotional m/m contemporary romance with hurt/comfort themes, plenty of heat, and a happy ending.
439 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 11, 2016
30 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
Ruthie Luhnow
21 books150 followersRuthie lives in the Pacific Northwest, and while it's not confirmed that Ruthie is Bigfoot, no one has seen ever seen the two of them in the same room.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 16, 2017
I didn't connect with this story at all. The present-tense, third-person POV was jarring and distracting. I found myself skimming entire chapters, just waiting for the story to go somewhere.
There was a lot of angst, including mental health issues, and the ending was a weak HFN. These men had so many issues to overcome, I felt strangely let down and a bit depressed, not at all what I want after reading a romance novel.
There was a lot of angst, including mental health issues, and the ending was a weak HFN. These men had so many issues to overcome, I felt strangely let down and a bit depressed, not at all what I want after reading a romance novel.
September 16, 2017
I really liked this. I LOVED Josh. GAH! There are no words that can sum up my love for that boy.
Then we get Matt and he's all like...Matt. These two were amazing together. I loved them.
Throw in some amazing secondary characters, which for me is HUGE because I normally hate secondary characters, and we have a great story.
Matt is confused and comes to a small town to sort out his head. He doesn't plan on meeting such great people. People that are free to be themselves. I loved how Matt just went with the flow. He just waded right in and became one of them. It was great. I did HATE
Josh was everything. Like I said before, I loved him.
Being from small town Ohio (and a tourist town), I LOVED the idea of the end of Summer party. We had something similar, but we just ended up at a kegger in the middle of a field.
I'm sure this book isn't for everyone, but for me it was what I needed.
Then we get Matt and he's all like...Matt. These two were amazing together. I loved them.
Throw in some amazing secondary characters, which for me is HUGE because I normally hate secondary characters, and we have a great story.
Matt is confused and comes to a small town to sort out his head. He doesn't plan on meeting such great people. People that are free to be themselves. I loved how Matt just went with the flow. He just waded right in and became one of them. It was great. I did HATE
Josh was everything. Like I said before, I loved him.
Being from small town Ohio (and a tourist town), I LOVED the idea of the end of Summer party. We had something similar, but we just ended up at a kegger in the middle of a field.
I'm sure this book isn't for everyone, but for me it was what I needed.
November 15, 2017
Clever and emotive debut novel
3.5*
There's a lot of cleverness in this novel, clever use of language, clever use of setting and clever use of emotions.
Its not a Mills & Boon style romance with a simple misunderstanding easily rectified, instead it's full of the complexities of humanity.
But there is also a warmth to it, at heart it is a tale of two lost and broken souls finding the right person to help them heal, not by being a crutch to rely on but by being a rock against which they can shelter against the bitter winds.
Lovely world building, some fabulous secondary characters and a lack of cliches make this a really impressive debut novel.
It's not all happy and bright but there is an honesty to the relationship which makes you believe Matt and Josh will still be seeing the stars together when they're old and grey.
3.5*
There's a lot of cleverness in this novel, clever use of language, clever use of setting and clever use of emotions.
Its not a Mills & Boon style romance with a simple misunderstanding easily rectified, instead it's full of the complexities of humanity.
But there is also a warmth to it, at heart it is a tale of two lost and broken souls finding the right person to help them heal, not by being a crutch to rely on but by being a rock against which they can shelter against the bitter winds.
Lovely world building, some fabulous secondary characters and a lack of cliches make this a really impressive debut novel.
It's not all happy and bright but there is an honesty to the relationship which makes you believe Matt and Josh will still be seeing the stars together when they're old and grey.
September 2, 2017
WHO AMONG ALL OF US HASN'T-AT LEAST ONCE-THOUGHT ABOUT LEAVING IT ALL BEHIND AND STARTING OVER FRESH?
COME ON…AT LEAST ONCE?!?
No matter if you're made of money or have absolutely none, most all of us have at least one time or another thought about throwing it all away and starting over. But, what if you could? Seriously? Would you?
That's the premise that "The Plunge" delves into. (At least, partially.)
I've read reviews that talk about what they should have done, or-if it had been real life-what would have been done.
I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT SHOULD'VE, WOULD'VE, COULD'VE.
I'm just going to talk about what IS in this book.
This book is sizzling with sexual tension. Every encounter is intense. The chemistry between Matt and Josh is apparent from their very first spotting of each other-just like the cliche-'from across the crowded room.' These two characters are each other's soulmates. The way the author writes puts you in the same room with them. Watching. Waiting. Prickling with tension. Wondering if now will be the time...will Matt finally relent? Will now be the time he gives in? How will Josh react this time? How will he react if Matt says "no" one more time?
🖤 For your convenience, if you don't want a lot of details, you can cut to the last 2 paragraphs with this heart symbol. It will give you a quicker wrap-up.🖤
Matt suddenly shows up in a small mountain town, ready to stay for several months. The first thing he does, after renting a small cabin on the lake, is go to a restaurant where he meets a very special woman, a waitress, Lindsey.
Lindsey invites him into her close-knit group of friends, and family, (she has a "feeling" that Matt is, "somehow," going to be important to their group) and he's easily accepted by all. Just the way he is. No questions asked. Whereas he comes from such a pretentious, (very rich) keep your distance, family and upbringing, that he has a hard time believing that nobody cares anything about his background. Who he is, what he does, etc. He has never met people that are willing to just accept him for who he is NOW and only care about how he is with them. Thus, he eagerly welcomes these new people into his life. They give him freedom from what everyone else has always expected him to be, think, do and even say. As for so long he's sat on the sidelines of his own life and let everyone else decide how everything, in his entire life, would go. {And, yet, he wonders WHY he can't make the hard decisions about his own life, or figure out why he's so unhappy-didn't he do everything he was SUPPOSED to do? And, why is it that he just ran and left everyone and everything behind?}
Josh, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of the insecure Matt.. He lives his life however the hell he pleases and everyone else be damned. He says, and does, anything he wants, to whom ever he wants, whenever he wants. His opinion of himself is way too low for him to accept anything good or nice about himself. He's literally a musical genius, who genuinely doesn't see it.
Josh has had a rough life. A bad life. It shows in his attitude, his foul-mouth and even his carefree and careless attitude. Yet, for all that, people are drawn to him. He's always the high energy, manic, life of any party. And, he's ALWAYS drinking. He figures his life is never going to change, never going to go anywhere and never going to amount to anything. All in all, never going to be any more than the sh^t-mess it already is. So, in return, he doesn't give a damn about most anything or most anyone else. Especially not his own self. It's been his way of punishing himself. Making sure his life sucks and keeping everyone at arms length by making sure they don't care for him-just as much as he doesn't care for himself.
Ever since he'd made ONE mistake as a teenager, he's let his life spiral out of control to the point it's currently at. Not just "let" it spiral-but, "pushed" it into that spiral, himself.
Josh picks men up left and right. He uses them however he sees fit. Then, he dumps them, right where he found them, when he's done with them. He's so detached from everyone and everything that he's never even been on a "date." He's never spent more time with a man than it takes to get the "job" done. That's it. Nothing more. And, he has an endless supply of men available, living in a tourist town.
Yet, he's enigmatic, also. He doesn't care anything about any of these men. And, if they even try to ask him anything about himself, they get a scathing, tearing-down mouthful, worthy of being delivered only to someone's vilest, worst enemy. Certainly not someone just met moments earlier.
Lindsey was right. Matt is important to their group. Somehow, he seems to be the only person Josh responds to. He's seems to be the only person able to get through to Josh. Matt seems to be the only person able to give Josh hope. Plus, Matt not only gives him the love he so needs but, he helps Josh to ACCEPT that love, as well. Somehow each of them not only see each other's pain, but KNOW it and understand it. Each can FEEL what the other is going through, deep inside. With that first glimpse, across the crowded room, they both knew there was something different that drawing them to each other.
They're like missing puzzle pieces that slot together perfectly. Soulmates. They calm and quiet each other. They don't suddenly make everything alright. They don't make each other the perfect person they're supposed to be. They just help to soothe the insecurities in one of them and help douse the fire of rage in the other of them.
🖤And, there it is...this is the story of two broken men. Matt who needs to be accepted for being just who he is, and nothing more. He needs to learn to have the confidence to speak up for himself and do for himself. Not wait for everyone else to do it for him. Not wait for someone else to direct his life for him. Which is something Josh is certainly an expert at (living freer) and can help him with. And Josh. Who is already accepted for who he is (remember, this is his group, too) but, can't accept that he's deserving of even a small amount of love. He needs to learn he's a worthy person. Not only worthy of someone else's love but, most importantly, worthy of his own love. And, the kind, quiet and VERY patient Matt is just the man to help him with that.
🖤Taking "THE PLUNGE" isn't JUST about the courage to start over physically. It's about the courage to start over psychologically, as well. To re-think all that you've been, up until now. It's about the courage to just let go of your life and just "LET IT BE." To have enough faith in yourself to open your heart and soul and let someone else in. Let someone see the real you, not only during the up times but, during the low, scathing times when you're at your ugliest with nothing to hide, and maybe, just maybe, let them give you a helping hand, if you so need it.
Take "THE PLUNGE."
Let go and LIVE .
Let go and LOVE.
I SOOO ENJOOOYED READING THIS FREE "ARC" (ADVANCE READER COPY) OF THIS BOOK "THE PLUNGE," FROM THE AUTHOR "RUTHIE LUHNOW," THAT I AM FREELY, AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY, VOLUNTEERING TO WRITE THIS REVIEW BECAUSE I HONESTLY HOPE TO ENCOURAGE OTHER READERS WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH EITHER THIS GENRE OR THIS AUTHOR TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND GIVE IT A TRY...I TRULY BELIEVE THEY WOULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
MTULIPK
COME ON…AT LEAST ONCE?!?
No matter if you're made of money or have absolutely none, most all of us have at least one time or another thought about throwing it all away and starting over. But, what if you could? Seriously? Would you?
That's the premise that "The Plunge" delves into. (At least, partially.)
I've read reviews that talk about what they should have done, or-if it had been real life-what would have been done.
I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT SHOULD'VE, WOULD'VE, COULD'VE.
I'm just going to talk about what IS in this book.
This book is sizzling with sexual tension. Every encounter is intense. The chemistry between Matt and Josh is apparent from their very first spotting of each other-just like the cliche-'from across the crowded room.' These two characters are each other's soulmates. The way the author writes puts you in the same room with them. Watching. Waiting. Prickling with tension. Wondering if now will be the time...will Matt finally relent? Will now be the time he gives in? How will Josh react this time? How will he react if Matt says "no" one more time?
🖤 For your convenience, if you don't want a lot of details, you can cut to the last 2 paragraphs with this heart symbol. It will give you a quicker wrap-up.🖤
Matt suddenly shows up in a small mountain town, ready to stay for several months. The first thing he does, after renting a small cabin on the lake, is go to a restaurant where he meets a very special woman, a waitress, Lindsey.
Lindsey invites him into her close-knit group of friends, and family, (she has a "feeling" that Matt is, "somehow," going to be important to their group) and he's easily accepted by all. Just the way he is. No questions asked. Whereas he comes from such a pretentious, (very rich) keep your distance, family and upbringing, that he has a hard time believing that nobody cares anything about his background. Who he is, what he does, etc. He has never met people that are willing to just accept him for who he is NOW and only care about how he is with them. Thus, he eagerly welcomes these new people into his life. They give him freedom from what everyone else has always expected him to be, think, do and even say. As for so long he's sat on the sidelines of his own life and let everyone else decide how everything, in his entire life, would go. {And, yet, he wonders WHY he can't make the hard decisions about his own life, or figure out why he's so unhappy-didn't he do everything he was SUPPOSED to do? And, why is it that he just ran and left everyone and everything behind?}
Josh, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of the insecure Matt.. He lives his life however the hell he pleases and everyone else be damned. He says, and does, anything he wants, to whom ever he wants, whenever he wants. His opinion of himself is way too low for him to accept anything good or nice about himself. He's literally a musical genius, who genuinely doesn't see it.
Josh has had a rough life. A bad life. It shows in his attitude, his foul-mouth and even his carefree and careless attitude. Yet, for all that, people are drawn to him. He's always the high energy, manic, life of any party. And, he's ALWAYS drinking. He figures his life is never going to change, never going to go anywhere and never going to amount to anything. All in all, never going to be any more than the sh^t-mess it already is. So, in return, he doesn't give a damn about most anything or most anyone else. Especially not his own self. It's been his way of punishing himself. Making sure his life sucks and keeping everyone at arms length by making sure they don't care for him-just as much as he doesn't care for himself.
Ever since he'd made ONE mistake as a teenager, he's let his life spiral out of control to the point it's currently at. Not just "let" it spiral-but, "pushed" it into that spiral, himself.
Josh picks men up left and right. He uses them however he sees fit. Then, he dumps them, right where he found them, when he's done with them. He's so detached from everyone and everything that he's never even been on a "date." He's never spent more time with a man than it takes to get the "job" done. That's it. Nothing more. And, he has an endless supply of men available, living in a tourist town.
Yet, he's enigmatic, also. He doesn't care anything about any of these men. And, if they even try to ask him anything about himself, they get a scathing, tearing-down mouthful, worthy of being delivered only to someone's vilest, worst enemy. Certainly not someone just met moments earlier.
Lindsey was right. Matt is important to their group. Somehow, he seems to be the only person Josh responds to. He's seems to be the only person able to get through to Josh. Matt seems to be the only person able to give Josh hope. Plus, Matt not only gives him the love he so needs but, he helps Josh to ACCEPT that love, as well. Somehow each of them not only see each other's pain, but KNOW it and understand it. Each can FEEL what the other is going through, deep inside. With that first glimpse, across the crowded room, they both knew there was something different that drawing them to each other.
They're like missing puzzle pieces that slot together perfectly. Soulmates. They calm and quiet each other. They don't suddenly make everything alright. They don't make each other the perfect person they're supposed to be. They just help to soothe the insecurities in one of them and help douse the fire of rage in the other of them.
🖤And, there it is...this is the story of two broken men. Matt who needs to be accepted for being just who he is, and nothing more. He needs to learn to have the confidence to speak up for himself and do for himself. Not wait for everyone else to do it for him. Not wait for someone else to direct his life for him. Which is something Josh is certainly an expert at (living freer) and can help him with. And Josh. Who is already accepted for who he is (remember, this is his group, too) but, can't accept that he's deserving of even a small amount of love. He needs to learn he's a worthy person. Not only worthy of someone else's love but, most importantly, worthy of his own love. And, the kind, quiet and VERY patient Matt is just the man to help him with that.
🖤Taking "THE PLUNGE" isn't JUST about the courage to start over physically. It's about the courage to start over psychologically, as well. To re-think all that you've been, up until now. It's about the courage to just let go of your life and just "LET IT BE." To have enough faith in yourself to open your heart and soul and let someone else in. Let someone see the real you, not only during the up times but, during the low, scathing times when you're at your ugliest with nothing to hide, and maybe, just maybe, let them give you a helping hand, if you so need it.
Take "THE PLUNGE."
Let go and LIVE .
Let go and LOVE.
I SOOO ENJOOOYED READING THIS FREE "ARC" (ADVANCE READER COPY) OF THIS BOOK "THE PLUNGE," FROM THE AUTHOR "RUTHIE LUHNOW," THAT I AM FREELY, AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY, VOLUNTEERING TO WRITE THIS REVIEW BECAUSE I HONESTLY HOPE TO ENCOURAGE OTHER READERS WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH EITHER THIS GENRE OR THIS AUTHOR TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND GIVE IT A TRY...I TRULY BELIEVE THEY WOULD NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
MTULIPK
February 28, 2017
Listen guys, this is honestly such an important and amazing book. I knew it would be a favorite when I was only a 1/4 of the way through. It's an NA m/m romance and holy balls it's perfect. I mean, one of the mc's just flat out says he's bisexual. And it deals with mental health and I just don't think I can say enough good things. Read this if you love puppies. Puppies want you to read this book.
Trigger Warning for domestic violence!!
Trigger Warning for domestic violence!!
December 18, 2016
Great debut book
The Plunge is a great debut book! The plot and characters were well developed and the story had a great flow. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I so identified with Matt, one of the MCs, who rather than confront his issues, takes a leave of absence from his high paying job, his ideal girlfriend, his upper crust family and escapes to a small town to wallow in his depression. There Matt meets another fractured soul in the person of Josh who comes from a barely working class dysfunctional family, in other words completely opposite of the lifestyle that Matt fled. Josh doesn't make it easy for Matt to get to know him due to his own dark and dreary past. Add to the mix, a wonderful character and best friend of Josh named Lindsey and we have a beautifully woven story. I loved it and am rating it 5 stars.
The Plunge is a great debut book! The plot and characters were well developed and the story had a great flow. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I so identified with Matt, one of the MCs, who rather than confront his issues, takes a leave of absence from his high paying job, his ideal girlfriend, his upper crust family and escapes to a small town to wallow in his depression. There Matt meets another fractured soul in the person of Josh who comes from a barely working class dysfunctional family, in other words completely opposite of the lifestyle that Matt fled. Josh doesn't make it easy for Matt to get to know him due to his own dark and dreary past. Add to the mix, a wonderful character and best friend of Josh named Lindsey and we have a beautifully woven story. I loved it and am rating it 5 stars.
January 4, 2017
Awesome story
There were so many things within this story that resonated with me. I truly enjoyed it. There were some minor grammatical errors and that's why I gave the story four stars instead of five. But honestly this story is five star worthy. Matt and Josh embodied so many issues we all can relate to. And the anxiety of major life changes if not really knowing what needs to change in your life but recognizing that some thing(s) must change and being too afraid to acknowledge this to even begin to work towards figuring out what those things may be keeps many, like Josh, refusing to deal until there is no choice but to deal because life forces you. It sucks. But I can attest that when it's all said and done, I was much better, much wiser, and stronger for it. Awesome story!
There were so many things within this story that resonated with me. I truly enjoyed it. There were some minor grammatical errors and that's why I gave the story four stars instead of five. But honestly this story is five star worthy. Matt and Josh embodied so many issues we all can relate to. And the anxiety of major life changes if not really knowing what needs to change in your life but recognizing that some thing(s) must change and being too afraid to acknowledge this to even begin to work towards figuring out what those things may be keeps many, like Josh, refusing to deal until there is no choice but to deal because life forces you. It sucks. But I can attest that when it's all said and done, I was much better, much wiser, and stronger for it. Awesome story!
February 7, 2017
4.5
The author is new to me and I was pleasantly surprised.
The author did a fantastic job with character development and I truly felt the spark between the two main characters. I know I was emotionally involved with them because when they screwed up I felt like throwing my Kindle :) The supporting characters were equally if not MORE enjoyable and really added depth to the MC.
The book did touch on MH issues such as depression and anxiety, which I would have liked to have seen explored more in depth. And other than needing editing for missing words in the middle of sentences, I felt this was a fantastic story. A solid "5 stars" if not for these issues.
Looking to read more from this author!
The author is new to me and I was pleasantly surprised.
The author did a fantastic job with character development and I truly felt the spark between the two main characters. I know I was emotionally involved with them because when they screwed up I felt like throwing my Kindle :) The supporting characters were equally if not MORE enjoyable and really added depth to the MC.
The book did touch on MH issues such as depression and anxiety, which I would have liked to have seen explored more in depth. And other than needing editing for missing words in the middle of sentences, I felt this was a fantastic story. A solid "5 stars" if not for these issues.
Looking to read more from this author!
November 19, 2017
SO SO SO GOOD! Intoxicating. Emotional. Beautiful. All of the characters, but most importantly Matt & Josh are so well developed... Matt is so importantly relatable to me. It's so well done and realistic with how Matt is questioning his life... it makes me feel a bit more understood, honestly. Both of these characters have a lot of stuff to work through but it's just so deep and moving and at the same time, hot as hell. Their chemistry is perfect. I just love it. I need to read it again...
January 25, 2017
Beautiful Story
This is one of the more honest and beautiful stories I've read in a long time. This isn't a love story of two perfect people rather a story of two wonderfully flawed people. This is a love story of two real people. I would love to see more of Josh and Matt and I can't wait to see what Ruthie has in store for us next. Excellent first story. She has a bright future ahead.
This is one of the more honest and beautiful stories I've read in a long time. This isn't a love story of two perfect people rather a story of two wonderfully flawed people. This is a love story of two real people. I would love to see more of Josh and Matt and I can't wait to see what Ruthie has in store for us next. Excellent first story. She has a bright future ahead.
December 27, 2016
Decisions of a lifetime
Great read. The story unfolds nicely and has you rooting for the characters. The friendships are real and you feel like you are on the periphery looking in. Kudos to Ruthie Luhnow.
Great read. The story unfolds nicely and has you rooting for the characters. The friendships are real and you feel like you are on the periphery looking in. Kudos to Ruthie Luhnow.
February 7, 2017
Epic
This is the second book by Ruthie that I've read. I read Almost Heaven first. This is an amazingly insightful novel, especially for a first book. It is long but I never tired of reading it. Her prose is velvety at times and a delight. I hope there are many more to be written.
This is the second book by Ruthie that I've read. I read Almost Heaven first. This is an amazingly insightful novel, especially for a first book. It is long but I never tired of reading it. Her prose is velvety at times and a delight. I hope there are many more to be written.
October 12, 2017
3.5
“The Plunge” is a complex and emotional romance between two people who don’t know how to live, only how to survive. Matt survives by running away—first from what he really wants his life to be, thereby losing himself in the process, and then by running from the responsibilities he created. Josh survives by shutting out the ugly reality of his world and behaving in ways that he uses to reaffirm his belief that he is a terrible, worthless waste of space that doesn’t deserve and can’t have better.
The story highlights how denial, be it of your issues, your unhappiness or just a “straightforward” refusal to acknowledge your own pain can have hurtful and ugly consequences, not just for yourself but for the people who care about you. Josh’s denial causes him to lash out and knowingly hurt those that love him, while Matt’s causes him to latch on and refuse to release someone who loves him, even when he doesn’t want to be with her anymore, and causing her even more pain.
The story is not an easy read and can be frustrating if the reader is unfamiliar with the inability to do “simple, rational” things that severe anxiety and panic attacks can cause, a feature that does add length to the story by revisiting the same unresolved issues many times. Also, the book is written in the third person present tense, which some may not like but that I found refreshing; it gave the narrative a bit of space and reality. At times, first person books, especially jumping to multiple POVs tend to have inner monologues that sound like they are scripted for stand up comedians, and while sometimes funny and cute, the reader can’t help but roll their eyes at how unrealistic these inner narratives tend to be. So I found the POV choice beneficial to the gravity of Matt and Josh’s story.
While definitely not the book for you if you want a light, uncomplicated romance, still a worthwhile read.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author.
“The Plunge” is a complex and emotional romance between two people who don’t know how to live, only how to survive. Matt survives by running away—first from what he really wants his life to be, thereby losing himself in the process, and then by running from the responsibilities he created. Josh survives by shutting out the ugly reality of his world and behaving in ways that he uses to reaffirm his belief that he is a terrible, worthless waste of space that doesn’t deserve and can’t have better.
The story highlights how denial, be it of your issues, your unhappiness or just a “straightforward” refusal to acknowledge your own pain can have hurtful and ugly consequences, not just for yourself but for the people who care about you. Josh’s denial causes him to lash out and knowingly hurt those that love him, while Matt’s causes him to latch on and refuse to release someone who loves him, even when he doesn’t want to be with her anymore, and causing her even more pain.
The story is not an easy read and can be frustrating if the reader is unfamiliar with the inability to do “simple, rational” things that severe anxiety and panic attacks can cause, a feature that does add length to the story by revisiting the same unresolved issues many times. Also, the book is written in the third person present tense, which some may not like but that I found refreshing; it gave the narrative a bit of space and reality. At times, first person books, especially jumping to multiple POVs tend to have inner monologues that sound like they are scripted for stand up comedians, and while sometimes funny and cute, the reader can’t help but roll their eyes at how unrealistic these inner narratives tend to be. So I found the POV choice beneficial to the gravity of Matt and Josh’s story.
While definitely not the book for you if you want a light, uncomplicated romance, still a worthwhile read.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the author.
May 16, 2017
**Possible Spoilers**
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I've read other works by this author and enjoyed them, but this feels different.
The Plunge brought me face to face with some of the byproducts of depression. The confusion and dissatisfaction that Matt experiences are finely drawn by the author, and it took her pointing it out for me to realize that they ARE symptoms of depression. He knows he needs to make changes in his life but is scared to let go of the comfort of status quo. So, he allows inertia to drag him down.
Josh is also experiencing mental distress due to intellectual and familial/abuse issues. He approaches sex as a purely visceral need for release and refuses to share any part of his inner self with his brief encounters. He barely allows his best friend to know any details of his life.
That Matt and Josh connect and allow each other into each other’s hearts and minds is a hard-fought journey as neither are easily trusting.
Though there was an immediate attraction between them, the author made them get to know each other, even if only on a superficial level, before allowing them to become intimate with each other. They complement each other and offer the other some much-needed support.
The author forces us to look at their situations in a different way so that we can understand these sensitive and very real issues.
Their intimacies are incredibly hot, and the HEA is very satisfying.
The environmental descriptions are lovely, easily visualized and suitable for the scenes. The secondary characters are well thought out and supportive of the storyline.
I am voluntarily reviewing the advance reader copy I received from the author.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I've read other works by this author and enjoyed them, but this feels different.
The Plunge brought me face to face with some of the byproducts of depression. The confusion and dissatisfaction that Matt experiences are finely drawn by the author, and it took her pointing it out for me to realize that they ARE symptoms of depression. He knows he needs to make changes in his life but is scared to let go of the comfort of status quo. So, he allows inertia to drag him down.
Josh is also experiencing mental distress due to intellectual and familial/abuse issues. He approaches sex as a purely visceral need for release and refuses to share any part of his inner self with his brief encounters. He barely allows his best friend to know any details of his life.
That Matt and Josh connect and allow each other into each other’s hearts and minds is a hard-fought journey as neither are easily trusting.
Though there was an immediate attraction between them, the author made them get to know each other, even if only on a superficial level, before allowing them to become intimate with each other. They complement each other and offer the other some much-needed support.
The author forces us to look at their situations in a different way so that we can understand these sensitive and very real issues.
Their intimacies are incredibly hot, and the HEA is very satisfying.
The environmental descriptions are lovely, easily visualized and suitable for the scenes. The secondary characters are well thought out and supportive of the storyline.
I am voluntarily reviewing the advance reader copy I received from the author.
October 24, 2017
** 3.5 stars
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I don't know if it was just the characters or elements within the plot, but this wasn't a favorite of mine - especially within Luhnow's works. I think my main issue is that there were multiple elements to the story that were left open-ended. They felt almost forgotten or cast aside once they weren't relevant to moving the relationship along.
One thing that Luhnow does well is write about characters that have their fare share of realistic setbacks that they don't always overcome. There wasn't a magical fix-all for either Matt or Josh, but I didn't think that it bogged down their characters. In fact, their personalities and triumphs shined through more because of those issues being present.
As always, the book itself was a breeze to get through, Luhnow's writing degree came through from the get go. I don't think that I will get over how little Luhnow's books go for on amazon when they are SO GOOD.
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I don't know if it was just the characters or elements within the plot, but this wasn't a favorite of mine - especially within Luhnow's works. I think my main issue is that there were multiple elements to the story that were left open-ended. They felt almost forgotten or cast aside once they weren't relevant to moving the relationship along.
One thing that Luhnow does well is write about characters that have their fare share of realistic setbacks that they don't always overcome. There wasn't a magical fix-all for either Matt or Josh, but I didn't think that it bogged down their characters. In fact, their personalities and triumphs shined through more because of those issues being present.
As always, the book itself was a breeze to get through, Luhnow's writing degree came through from the get go. I don't think that I will get over how little Luhnow's books go for on amazon when they are SO GOOD.
October 8, 2017
Matt had his life figured out, but he really didn't. And once he realized he was going through motions and that he wasn't happy, even though he wasn't sure why, he up and left everything to get away. He ends up in a rental cabin and he closes himself off from the people in his life while he tries to figure his crap out.
Enter Lindsey, one of the best characters in The Plunge. She talks to him one day when Matt stops in the diner in the town he has now holed himself up in. She talks about anything and everything and she invites Matt to a party.
Enter Josh. Josh is so many things, confident when it comes to sexual conquests, but honestly and truly broken. He is closed off and moody and so secretive. His family treats him horribly as readers will see in a particularly devastating section of the book....well except Teresa. And she is the reason he puts up with everything, if you can call it that. He truly self-destructs to cope
Matt and Josh need each other in ways neither realizes or wants to realize. The Plunge is the story, their story, from the surface and down into those dark, ugly corners where (they) are afraid to go...
Enter Lindsey, one of the best characters in The Plunge. She talks to him one day when Matt stops in the diner in the town he has now holed himself up in. She talks about anything and everything and she invites Matt to a party.
Enter Josh. Josh is so many things, confident when it comes to sexual conquests, but honestly and truly broken. He is closed off and moody and so secretive. His family treats him horribly as readers will see in a particularly devastating section of the book....well except Teresa. And she is the reason he puts up with everything, if you can call it that. He truly self-destructs to cope
Matt and Josh need each other in ways neither realizes or wants to realize. The Plunge is the story, their story, from the surface and down into those dark, ugly corners where (they) are afraid to go...
October 12, 2017
A wonderful read from Ruthie Luhnow! Longer than I thought it would be.
Love the characters throughout the book. We are shown some hard issues including mental health, and physical and emotional abuse.
Matt has come up to the Lake to escape his city life including his partner Alison, his work, his parents.
Josh escapes daily life in the bottom of a bottle and lets life pass by whilst trying to survive life and loss.
Their relationship is slow building but worth the wait. Lindsey is a great character, bringing Matt out of his shell and supporting Josh through everything. Also a fan of Teresa, she's always on he brother Josh's side whilst staying strong herself.
The world around them is beautifully described. Easy to imagine myself in such a place. There is a great supporting cast and I hate the bad guys exactly the right amount. Both characters are greatly flawed but you can see how well they work together.
The only thing I would have liked a bit more of is seeing Matt make his decisions at the end, with regards to city life.
I'd definitely recommend this and would never guess that it's Ruthie's first book
Love the characters throughout the book. We are shown some hard issues including mental health, and physical and emotional abuse.
Matt has come up to the Lake to escape his city life including his partner Alison, his work, his parents.
Josh escapes daily life in the bottom of a bottle and lets life pass by whilst trying to survive life and loss.
Their relationship is slow building but worth the wait. Lindsey is a great character, bringing Matt out of his shell and supporting Josh through everything. Also a fan of Teresa, she's always on he brother Josh's side whilst staying strong herself.
The world around them is beautifully described. Easy to imagine myself in such a place. There is a great supporting cast and I hate the bad guys exactly the right amount. Both characters are greatly flawed but you can see how well they work together.
The only thing I would have liked a bit more of is seeing Matt make his decisions at the end, with regards to city life.
I'd definitely recommend this and would never guess that it's Ruthie's first book
December 31, 2016
I enjoyed the bones of this story a lot. It kept me interested for sure even though I knew pretty much exactly what was going to happen. I still wanted to get through all the drama I knew was coming to the happy ending I wanted. I got all that, but unfortunately it also came with a lot of typos. I'm terrible at grammar. Absolutely atrocious to be honest. I couldn't formulate a proper sentence if my life depended on it. That being said...if I found it jarring to read...it had to be pretty noticeable. I ignore alot of them. I found myself being knocked out of the story on several occasions due to missing words in sentences. Having to go back and reread these sentences to figure out what word should go there...that made the reading experience more work than pleasure. If this book was heavily edited...it would be a really enjoyable book to read.
October 8, 2017
I love everything about this book. It is beautifully written and intensely emotional. The depth of the characters is stunning and kept me riveted until the end. This is a story about two people from completely different backgrounds and at very different places in their lives. Josh has had to deal with so much in his life and he deserves someone that will love him unconditionally. Matt has everything you could want but he is miserable. They want each other but Josh is terrified of giving his heart again and Matt has to end his relationship with his long-time girlfriend, quit his job and stand up to his family. The secondary characters brought so much to this book as well. I laughed and cried all the way through and that's what makes this such a wonderful book. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I was kindly given an ARC by the author.
I was kindly given an ARC by the author.
October 15, 2017
Oh my gosh! I absolutely adored this book! Such a simple plot, yet so engaging. That, along with the extraordinary writing, and larger than life characters make this book the gem that it is. These characters, so complex and authentic, just draw you right into the story and before you know it, you’re completely obsessed with their lives and relationships. Although the love story between Matt and Josh wasn’t always the easiest, it was definitely worth the journey. True love comes in all forms and in all ages. You just have to be open to it when it comes your way. This book proves that. It was inspired and insightful, impassioned and romantic, intriguing and touching, and absolutely riveting. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
*I was given an ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review. All opinions are my own.
*I was given an ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review. All opinions are my own.
January 19, 2020
This was a bit of an odd one for me. It meandered through several people who suffer from depression without really addressing the depression. I know that probably doesn't make sense. This book almost made it seem like true love fixed their depression, but to me I left this book feeling like I jumped off a train that's on its way to crashing into the side of a mountain. This was a slow read that didn't really payoff. There were secondary characters from Josh's family thrown in that didn't really go anywhere, but I felt like it should have. I wanted to know more about Josh's history, but oddly, the author only touched on it very briefly. Strange because it seemed to be such a crucial part of what made Josh who he is, and we never fully learn enough.
December 31, 2016
Matt and Josh are both broken, they come from two completely different worlds and have a 9 year age difference. Matt is running while Josh is drowning himself in self-hate. Can they be each others salvation? "The Plunge" is a beautiful and heartwarming story. I cried when I read how Josh felt about himself and how he was treated by his brother and step-dad while his mother lived in her own little "perfect world". I loved both Matt and Josh, Lindsey was amazing and Alison needed to wake up from the dream world she was living in. A really good book from first time author Ruthie Luhnow, 4.5 stars. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
October 6, 2017
This is such a powerful book! heart-breaking for moments and hard to read at times because the characters are flawed, so of course you'll get angry at them and frustrated with them. But you'll be also rooting for them because Ruthie Luhnow makes an astonishing job at letting us know what's going on in their head and hearts. So we understand them, and we fall in love with them.
The writing is exceptional, you'll see everything come alive while you read: the setting, the characters... everything! and it's beautiful.
So do yourself a tremendous favour, and read this book. Go, run, now! You won't regret it.
The writing is exceptional, you'll see everything come alive while you read: the setting, the characters... everything! and it's beautiful.
So do yourself a tremendous favour, and read this book. Go, run, now! You won't regret it.
October 14, 2017
Matt and Josh are both dissatisfied with their lives. Both have that feeling of missing something, but when they meet each other, the sparks fly immediately. But Matt has a life already, and Josh is still finding his way. Will they be able to continue things long term? What happens when Matt's past catches up with him? I thoroughly enjoyed this emotional and angst-ridden M/M romance. It was well done, with smoking hot sex, and their emotional ups and downs could really be felt throughout the book.
October 15, 2017
Superbly written m/m romance with a lot of character depth and a great supporting cast of friends and family. Josh and Matt are a pair of opposites who click despite an age gap and widely divergent economic backgrounds. They are both still searching for love and acceptance that their parents didn't offer. Heat, romance and some warm moments with friends, it had everything I needed to make it a first-class read.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author. This is my voluntary and honest review.
October 15, 2017
This is why I love reading Ruthie Luhnow's work. Her characters are realistic and relatable in some way. You get caught up in the story and at times want to shake the guys. But you are always smiling when you get to the end. Just know it's a bumpy ride that'll hit you in the feels before you get there. I was given the privilege and opportunity to receive an advanced reader copy and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
January 5, 2018
This was an ok read. I was a bit disoriented with the time jumps though. Another thing that bothered me, not that it is specific to this author, is that of course Matt being the older, more muscular, manly man has to be the one on top all the time, without it even being discussed. It just get's old when you read book after book and 95% have the same dynamic for the sex scenes. It's just so damn heteronormative.
January 5, 2017
Its a good read but a bit long winded.
I really enjoyed Matt and Josh's story but it takes a long time for the story to ignite but when it does it all comes to ahead very quickly. Two very broken confused men meet at a party and sparks fly but there is many obstacles in the way of a HEA for these two men so the book ends with a Happy for Now.
I really enjoyed Matt and Josh's story but it takes a long time for the story to ignite but when it does it all comes to ahead very quickly. Two very broken confused men meet at a party and sparks fly but there is many obstacles in the way of a HEA for these two men so the book ends with a Happy for Now.
August 11, 2017
This is a book that will captivate you from the beginning. Written well, characters that are developed very well. I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.
September 27, 2018
Ruthie Luhnow, you’re exceptional ❤️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews