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Hollywood #1
No apologies
Solare ed estroverso, Aaron Blake non ha mai incontrato qualcuno più enigmatico e intrigante del suo compagno di stanza, l’ombroso Greg Falkner. Aaron vorrebbe imparare a conoscerlo, ma l’unico modo per penetrare il suo guscio è infrangerlo. Quando la loro dapprima riluttante amicizia cede il posto all’amore, però, i due ragazzi si trovano a dover fronteggiare la crudeltà dei loro compagni e l’intolleranza dell’accademia militare che li ospita.
Questa, almeno, è la storia che lo sceneggiatore Greg Falkner racconta al pubblico e al suo compagno di lunga data, Aaron Blake, nel suo ultimo film, No Apologies. Liberamente ispirata alla loro vita insieme, la pellicola sconvolge Hollywood col suo audace ritratto di due adolescenti che si innamorano e diventano adulti in un mondo che fatica ad accettarli.
Ma se sul grande schermo è facile dare ai protagonisti un lieto fine, Greg sarà costretto a lottare – e forse anche a fare ammenda – per trovare il suo con Aaron.
Questa, almeno, è la storia che lo sceneggiatore Greg Falkner racconta al pubblico e al suo compagno di lunga data, Aaron Blake, nel suo ultimo film, No Apologies. Liberamente ispirata alla loro vita insieme, la pellicola sconvolge Hollywood col suo audace ritratto di due adolescenti che si innamorano e diventano adulti in un mondo che fatica ad accettarli.
Ma se sul grande schermo è facile dare ai protagonisti un lieto fine, Greg sarà costretto a lottare – e forse anche a fare ammenda – per trovare il suo con Aaron.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 12, 2011
13 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
About the author
Tibby Armstrong
43 books235 followersTibby Armstrong is an author of Paranormal, Contemporary, and LGBTQ Romance fiction.
Tibby hangs out on social media at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibby..., dreaming up new plots and teasing readers with snippets from her works in progress.
Tibby hangs out on social media at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibby..., dreaming up new plots and teasing readers with snippets from her works in progress.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
August 25, 2016
3 stars. Review posted May 16, 2014**Edited May 24, 2014
I guess I'm kinda lacking my usual review enthusiasm because I'm going to make this short.
I'm glad I put the cart before the horse because I started off Greg and Aaron's journey with Full Disclosure and Numbers Game. Fact is, I liked No Apologies but it wasn't as great as book 3 and 4. I have yet to read Acting Out. While I found some really good quotes, the overall impression of No Apologies could not quite convince me. Mainly because I've had issues with the writing style but also with the content. Plot-wise wasn't everything to my liking either. Let's get started, shall we?
The writing in No Apologies was a bit too sweet and it came within a whisker of being sappy. Greg and Aaron are very young in No Apologies. Teenagers are horny all the time, I get that, but I could have done with less smexy times. Some I simply skimmed because they couldn't hold my interest. I will also say that Aaron's tendency of playing "Dom" did not really persuade me. It was kinda awkward and fell flat. Aaron wanting to "force" was disconcerting and it really irritated me tremendously that a Um…really? It made me roll my eyes. The communication between these two wasn't always at its best and a lack thereof led to However, I will overlook that little issue and chalk it up to their juvenility. And to be honest, I could have done with a little less drama.
Regardless, I felt entertained and happy to go back to the "roots" to see how everything began between these two guys. I also liked that the story alternated between past and present, although most of No Apologies took place in the 90s when Greg and Aaron attended a military prep school.
Lastly, I'd like to encourage you to give this series a try. It's worth it because the books are getting better.
Humiliation and courage
At close quarters
I promise to help you
Find your equilibrium
I'll stand up for you
Give me your hand
Everything will be all right
I stand here
Full of pride and love
And I know that I owe you
You made it happen and
Everything I am
I offer to you
My body, mind and heart
Are yours with
No apologies
And what the hell was a butt plug?
Yes, they have come a long way. :)
**Copy courtesy of Tibby Armstrong in exchange for my creative feedback** (her words not mine)
I guess I'm kinda lacking my usual review enthusiasm because I'm going to make this short.
I'm glad I put the cart before the horse because I started off Greg and Aaron's journey with Full Disclosure and Numbers Game. Fact is, I liked No Apologies but it wasn't as great as book 3 and 4. I have yet to read Acting Out. While I found some really good quotes, the overall impression of No Apologies could not quite convince me. Mainly because I've had issues with the writing style but also with the content. Plot-wise wasn't everything to my liking either. Let's get started, shall we?
The writing in No Apologies was a bit too sweet and it came within a whisker of being sappy. Greg and Aaron are very young in No Apologies. Teenagers are horny all the time, I get that, but I could have done with less smexy times. Some I simply skimmed because they couldn't hold my interest. I will also say that Aaron's tendency of playing "Dom" did not really persuade me. It was kinda awkward and fell flat. Aaron wanting to "force" was disconcerting and it really irritated me tremendously that a Um…really? It made me roll my eyes. The communication between these two wasn't always at its best and a lack thereof led to However, I will overlook that little issue and chalk it up to their juvenility. And to be honest, I could have done with a little less drama.
Regardless, I felt entertained and happy to go back to the "roots" to see how everything began between these two guys. I also liked that the story alternated between past and present, although most of No Apologies took place in the 90s when Greg and Aaron attended a military prep school.
Lastly, I'd like to encourage you to give this series a try. It's worth it because the books are getting better.
Humiliation and courage
At close quarters
I promise to help you
Find your equilibrium
I'll stand up for you
Give me your hand
Everything will be all right
I stand here
Full of pride and love
And I know that I owe you
You made it happen and
Everything I am
I offer to you
My body, mind and heart
Are yours with
No apologies
And what the hell was a butt plug?
Yes, they have come a long way. :)
**Copy courtesy of Tibby Armstrong in exchange for my creative feedback** (her words not mine)
November 17, 2017
I was like this after reading this:
There was a story here i just did not get it.
There was a story here i just did not get it.
June 20, 2016
~ ~ ~
A Well Developed, Long Term Relationship
Military School, Gay Dance Club, Hollywood Premiere, and sex on the beach. Tibby Armstrong gives a lot of story here, she wraps you up in scenes that range from tense to indulgent; distressing to devil-may-care. The way she handles youthful sexual exploration is well done as it develops realistically over time.
Ah, now here’s a book, and a series, that you can get involved in. This is a well developed, long term relationship story with background .It’s great to have reason behind the relationship.
I’ve previously read the first three books, but am doing a reread now of all three. I hadn’t reviewed them before and I wanted them fresh in my head before I read the 4th book in the series, which is out now.
THE CHARACTERS
The premise is of a screenwriter coming out in an autobiographical film debut. He just hopes his “jury of one”, his long time lover, doesn’t mind the reveal.
During the filming you see a fictional version of Greg and Aaron’s youth. Their trials and traumas are portrayed so well that it’s easy to forget that you’re watching a fabricated version of their lives. It leads to the reader wondering just how much they really know about the “real” Greg and Aaron. Which is a brilliant ploy, I think, to get you to read on in the series. There is much more to know. The happy-for-now ending doesn’t leave you hanging, but you will want to read more.
THE WRITING
The author can paint a scene and have you completely in the moment. At times I was so involved in the story that I ached, cheered and cringed right along with the m/c’s. However, there are areas, particularly in the beginning, that lead to an initial confusion. Since the story begins with dialog between Greg and Aaron it’s easy to not understand what’s going on. Stick with it, it all smoothes out. In this vein, there were also times that I thought I was going to be left wondering “how” this or “why” that, but most everything is resolved to satisfaction in this book. That doesn’t mean that the author didn’t leave plenty to move forward with though.
~ ~ ~
I would like to sincerely thank Tibby Armstrong and Loose Id Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
~ ~ ~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
A Well Developed, Long Term Relationship
Military School, Gay Dance Club, Hollywood Premiere, and sex on the beach. Tibby Armstrong gives a lot of story here, she wraps you up in scenes that range from tense to indulgent; distressing to devil-may-care. The way she handles youthful sexual exploration is well done as it develops realistically over time.
Ah, now here’s a book, and a series, that you can get involved in. This is a well developed, long term relationship story with background .It’s great to have reason behind the relationship.
I’ve previously read the first three books, but am doing a reread now of all three. I hadn’t reviewed them before and I wanted them fresh in my head before I read the 4th book in the series, which is out now.
He’d vowed never to expose himself or Aaron to ridicule again.
Except he’d written a screenplay virtually guaranteed to expose them both. Why?
THE CHARACTERS
Foreign emotions flitted through him as he transcribed […]
Hurt. Confusion. Loneliness.
As if on cue, a scene manifested, so tangible he had only to pluck it out of the air and place it on paper. He sank into the warm cocoon of fiction—of a world he could control. He loved this headspace. It felt like getting high and getting a hard-on, all in one.
Greg Falkner - Greg is a conundrum. Is he tough or scared? Brilliant or a fool? Awkward or sexy as hell? He’ll frustrate you, rattle you and win your heart. Even if he stumbles over and over.“…and you’re not the social pariah. You’re just not the dominant paradigm.”
Aaron Blake - Wholesome, kind, loyal and golden gorgeous. He’s the perfect boyfriend. Except he’s not gay.
THE STORYSo turned on.
So fucked up.
The premise is of a screenwriter coming out in an autobiographical film debut. He just hopes his “jury of one”, his long time lover, doesn’t mind the reveal.
During the filming you see a fictional version of Greg and Aaron’s youth. Their trials and traumas are portrayed so well that it’s easy to forget that you’re watching a fabricated version of their lives. It leads to the reader wondering just how much they really know about the “real” Greg and Aaron. Which is a brilliant ploy, I think, to get you to read on in the series. There is much more to know. The happy-for-now ending doesn’t leave you hanging, but you will want to read more.
THE WRITING
The author can paint a scene and have you completely in the moment. At times I was so involved in the story that I ached, cheered and cringed right along with the m/c’s. However, there are areas, particularly in the beginning, that lead to an initial confusion. Since the story begins with dialog between Greg and Aaron it’s easy to not understand what’s going on. Stick with it, it all smoothes out. In this vein, there were also times that I thought I was going to be left wondering “how” this or “why” that, but most everything is resolved to satisfaction in this book. That doesn’t mean that the author didn’t leave plenty to move forward with though.
~ ~ ~
I would like to sincerely thank Tibby Armstrong and Loose Id Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
~ ~ ~
Take a look at my Male/Male Romance Book Blog:
http://www.attentionisarbitrary.blogspot.com
June 3, 2013
Fabulous - totally loved this 'two-in-one/here-and-now' story.
The story starts in 2002 with Greg and Aaron on the verge of breaking up. Aaron is no longer prepared to be Greg's secret. He agrees to attend one last event with Greg, the premiere of Greg's movie No Apologies.
The story then takes us back to 1994, to the start of the relationship between Greg and Aaron, the story that is being told in the movie.
Aaron and Greg are both complex characters and their relationship is intense from the moment a traumatic event triggers their deeper feelings.
Aaron is involved in an assault that causes significant injury to Greg. In a schoolboy showdown, a group of boys demand an apology from Greg with the threat of violence. Aaron feels tremendous guilt, humiliated and disgusted with his lack of self control as Greg taunts him into action. Later he admits to Greg that he fully expected that Greg would have apologised and thus avoided the eventual outcome. Later we come to understand Greg and the terrible guilt and pain he feels, such that he cannot bring himself to apologise (thus the name of the book/movie).
From this emotional start, Aaron and Greg commence a relationship although both denying being gay. They struggle to understand and accept their feelings, nicely summed up by Greg who wonders "Why couldn't it all be simple and...normal?". However they are drawn to each other."Pulling back, Aaron stared into his eyes, the gravity of the moment and the choice they'd made hanging heavy in the air around them. Everything was about to change in their lives."
The story focuses very much on Greg, no doubt due to the fact that the tale being told is his screenplay. It is heartbreaking to learn of the tragedy in Greg's past and the impact his father has had on him. He makes decisions aimed at giving Aaron the best possible life, but with sad, sad consequences.
Aaron's control and confidence translates into the physical side of their relationship, with Greg responding to the authority shown by Aaron. "In a delicious twist of fucked-up fate, it seemed he enjoyed being made to submit to someone he loved.". The interactions between Aaron and Greg were really well written and blended sex with emotion. "He'd never heard that tone from him - like arctic air clashed with Southern heat, and a storm brewed as a result."
The majority of the book is focused on the younger Aaron and Greg, with a brief detour back to 2002 in the middle, before finally ending back with the movie premiere where the present day Aaron and Greg address the future of their relationship. I enjoyed the ending of the story. A happy ending but with a sense of realism.
I would highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Hollywood series.
Now for my only point of confusion...the story of the younger Greg and Aaron is told using their names (not the movie character names) so reads like their actual life story. It provides details of their families and events in their lives. The movie used different names (Grant and Alan) and had changed events in Aaron and Greg's lives. Therefore, we later find out that the story of the younger Greg and Aaron, although similar, wasn't really their actual story. (I hope that actually made sense!) This meant that I felt that I didn't really know the true Greg and Aaron.
The story starts in 2002 with Greg and Aaron on the verge of breaking up. Aaron is no longer prepared to be Greg's secret. He agrees to attend one last event with Greg, the premiere of Greg's movie No Apologies.
The story then takes us back to 1994, to the start of the relationship between Greg and Aaron, the story that is being told in the movie.
Aaron and Greg are both complex characters and their relationship is intense from the moment a traumatic event triggers their deeper feelings.
Aaron is involved in an assault that causes significant injury to Greg. In a schoolboy showdown, a group of boys demand an apology from Greg with the threat of violence. Aaron feels tremendous guilt, humiliated and disgusted with his lack of self control as Greg taunts him into action. Later he admits to Greg that he fully expected that Greg would have apologised and thus avoided the eventual outcome. Later we come to understand Greg and the terrible guilt and pain he feels, such that he cannot bring himself to apologise (thus the name of the book/movie).
From this emotional start, Aaron and Greg commence a relationship although both denying being gay. They struggle to understand and accept their feelings, nicely summed up by Greg who wonders "Why couldn't it all be simple and...normal?". However they are drawn to each other."Pulling back, Aaron stared into his eyes, the gravity of the moment and the choice they'd made hanging heavy in the air around them. Everything was about to change in their lives."
The story focuses very much on Greg, no doubt due to the fact that the tale being told is his screenplay. It is heartbreaking to learn of the tragedy in Greg's past and the impact his father has had on him. He makes decisions aimed at giving Aaron the best possible life, but with sad, sad consequences.
Aaron's control and confidence translates into the physical side of their relationship, with Greg responding to the authority shown by Aaron. "In a delicious twist of fucked-up fate, it seemed he enjoyed being made to submit to someone he loved.". The interactions between Aaron and Greg were really well written and blended sex with emotion. "He'd never heard that tone from him - like arctic air clashed with Southern heat, and a storm brewed as a result."
The majority of the book is focused on the younger Aaron and Greg, with a brief detour back to 2002 in the middle, before finally ending back with the movie premiere where the present day Aaron and Greg address the future of their relationship. I enjoyed the ending of the story. A happy ending but with a sense of realism.
I would highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Hollywood series.
Now for my only point of confusion...the story of the younger Greg and Aaron is told using their names (not the movie character names) so reads like their actual life story. It provides details of their families and events in their lives. The movie used different names (Grant and Alan) and had changed events in Aaron and Greg's lives. Therefore, we later find out that the story of the younger Greg and Aaron, although similar, wasn't really their actual story. (I hope that actually made sense!) This meant that I felt that I didn't really know the true Greg and Aaron.
April 15, 2011
This book is now one of my favorite M/M books of all time. . . It made me laugh, it made me cry, it turned me on (OMG!! Did it turn me on) and ultimately, it's my favorite kind of story--it's about love that triumphs over all obstacles and defies the odds.
I not only recommend it for anyone who enjoys male/male romance. . . but for anyone who believes in true love and the strength it gives to those who allow themselves to embrace the beauty of love and ride out the storm when others seek to destroy what they can't understand.
I not only recommend it for anyone who enjoys male/male romance. . . but for anyone who believes in true love and the strength it gives to those who allow themselves to embrace the beauty of love and ride out the storm when others seek to destroy what they can't understand.
June 26, 2012
I actually read this after the companion book Acting Out and I think it was perhaps even better that way. Although some parts of the second book act as minor spoilers for the first, at the same time I had a deeper appreciation for the characters by having seen a bit more of their adult relationship.
This is the story of two MCs who met as young men in boarding school and formed an intense but rocky relationship, told mainly in a mixed flashback/movie treatment of their first three years. It is an imaginative technique, although a little disconcerting at the end. I liked the characters and believed the up and down intensity of their love and confusion. Neither one knew they were gay before getting together, and both had a difficult road to the realization. Aaron reconciled with that fact much sooner than Greg, and in the present-time opening of the book is now out where Greg is still closeted, and that difference is a major tension between them.
The author is apparently writing a true sequel for this one, and I look forward to it. Hopefully she will give us some of the missing years between the three years in the film and the men who are watching it, ten years into the relationship, as well as where they went on from there.
This is the story of two MCs who met as young men in boarding school and formed an intense but rocky relationship, told mainly in a mixed flashback/movie treatment of their first three years. It is an imaginative technique, although a little disconcerting at the end. I liked the characters and believed the up and down intensity of their love and confusion. Neither one knew they were gay before getting together, and both had a difficult road to the realization. Aaron reconciled with that fact much sooner than Greg, and in the present-time opening of the book is now out where Greg is still closeted, and that difference is a major tension between them.
The author is apparently writing a true sequel for this one, and I look forward to it. Hopefully she will give us some of the missing years between the three years in the film and the men who are watching it, ten years into the relationship, as well as where they went on from there.
September 26, 2020
I sat on the knife's edge of angst all the way through this one. It does make me curious for the next book in the series though, about the actors playing the roles in the film. I'm moving it up.
April 4, 2011
Tibby Armstrong has written a deeply satisfying, sexy, strong, classy tale spanning a decade from the moment Greg and Aaron men meet at a New England prep school. Exploring their sexuality and their lives, the agony of self-discovery, societal discovery and family expectations collide with an angst that is palpable. Every page resonates with a collage of exquisite emotion. Colors, senses, smells, it’s all here. You can’t help feeling for Greg and Aaron in their roller-coaster relationship. These are real men, not chicks in pants. I even found my fingers crossed as the heartbreaking story unfolded. I wanted nothing more than to see them live their lives fully, to accept love at its ripest, with no apologies and no regrets. I loved this story. It took my breath away.
April 14, 2011
No Apologies is a very sweet story in the best of ways. The telling of Aaron and Greg's story is clever and imaginative.
The story begins in the relative here-and-now (2002), a point in which things aren't going very well for the pair. The hurt has been going on for a long time and Aaron, for one, is at his end. Greg's redemption plan has been in the works for a while and hopes it will be enough.
What unfolds is a version of how they met and the overall story of their humble beginnings. It is hard to watch as the bullies discover their relationship and the two young men are forced to question themselves, both individually and as a couple.
Even though the story is seemingly told from both POV, it really isn't. Its mostly Greg and how he sees life through Aaron tinted glasses. A fact that may jar some readers in a Bobby Ewing sort of way, leaving them to wonder what was real and what wasn't. Luckily, the present day Aaron serves as an anchor for the story within a story and should keep the readers on track. And Ms. Armstrong does a great job of clearing up any remaining confusion by the end.
The only drawback for me was getting so involved with the Aaron and Gregg from 1994 that the present day couple didn't seem as real to me. They were obviously at odds with each other, presumably because Greg isn't able to acknowledge being gay, let alone a relationship with Aaron. And it seemed the two spend a lot of time on opposite sides of the country as well. How did that happen? We can clearly see what Aaron means to Greg, but he is still unable express it simply. Instead, he has been writing their story, sold it for production, hired actors/directors/crew, and had the movie edited and printed for release ... all without Aaron's involvement. That takes years of planning (as Aaron later points out.) The result is supposed to be all the things Greg couldn't bring himself to say in real life. As much as Aaron seems to adore this insight into Greg after all these years, he is blown away by the amount of effort Greg put into trying NOT to say sorry with his own lips.
I loved that Aaron wasn't immediately swept away and gave Greg hell for his methods. That went a long way in reconciling the two versions of the couple. As well as Greg finally realizing what he had to do in order for Aaron to truly believe in them again. That part was very well done.
The story begins in the relative here-and-now (2002), a point in which things aren't going very well for the pair. The hurt has been going on for a long time and Aaron, for one, is at his end. Greg's redemption plan has been in the works for a while and hopes it will be enough.
What unfolds is a version of how they met and the overall story of their humble beginnings. It is hard to watch as the bullies discover their relationship and the two young men are forced to question themselves, both individually and as a couple.
Even though the story is seemingly told from both POV, it really isn't. Its mostly Greg and how he sees life through Aaron tinted glasses. A fact that may jar some readers in a Bobby Ewing sort of way, leaving them to wonder what was real and what wasn't. Luckily, the present day Aaron serves as an anchor for the story within a story and should keep the readers on track. And Ms. Armstrong does a great job of clearing up any remaining confusion by the end.
The only drawback for me was getting so involved with the Aaron and Gregg from 1994 that the present day couple didn't seem as real to me. They were obviously at odds with each other, presumably because Greg isn't able to acknowledge being gay, let alone a relationship with Aaron. And it seemed the two spend a lot of time on opposite sides of the country as well. How did that happen? We can clearly see what Aaron means to Greg, but he is still unable express it simply. Instead, he has been writing their story, sold it for production, hired actors/directors/crew, and had the movie edited and printed for release ... all without Aaron's involvement. That takes years of planning (as Aaron later points out.) The result is supposed to be all the things Greg couldn't bring himself to say in real life. As much as Aaron seems to adore this insight into Greg after all these years, he is blown away by the amount of effort Greg put into trying NOT to say sorry with his own lips.
I loved that Aaron wasn't immediately swept away and gave Greg hell for his methods. That went a long way in reconciling the two versions of the couple. As well as Greg finally realizing what he had to do in order for Aaron to truly believe in them again. That part was very well done.
October 3, 2011
3.5 stars
A good M/M romance novel featuring a couple on the brink of breaking up. Greg, is in the closet, while Aaron is out, and it is this fundamental difference between them that has the relationship unravelling. Aaron is tired of being hidden away like a dirty little secret. He agrees to attend the premiere of one Greg's films, with the intention that this will be the last occasion they will be together. Traveling in a limousine to the premiere together, Greg tries both verbally and physically (kisses!) to break through the barriers Aaron has erected around himself but Aaron remains cold and distant. Upon arrival at the premiere, an action by Greg sparks something in Aaron, giving Greg the slimmest of hopes.
The rest of the story is played out via what appear to be flashbacks: exploring how they met, and how their relationship developed: explaining the pathway that have carried them to where they are now... As I said, they appear to be flashbacks, but in truth, the flashbacks are scenes from the movie; a movie that was written by Greg; a movie that is part autobiographical and part fiction. It is the part fiction element that didn't end up sitting all that well for me. Some of their past was exaggerated, some of their past was just plain fiction. This actually made me reexamine the whole book, which was a pity. Some of the past provoked a huge amount of sympathy, and compassion, but I later found that that section actually didn't happen, so I kind of felt a little betrayed...
Others may feel differently, but personally, I felt that the resolution was a touch hurried after all the time focused on the 'past', with some actions too easily forgiven or overlooked.
Overall I enjoyed the story despite the convoluted plot line, and I would certainly consider reading another novel by this author.
A good M/M romance novel featuring a couple on the brink of breaking up. Greg, is in the closet, while Aaron is out, and it is this fundamental difference between them that has the relationship unravelling. Aaron is tired of being hidden away like a dirty little secret. He agrees to attend the premiere of one Greg's films, with the intention that this will be the last occasion they will be together. Traveling in a limousine to the premiere together, Greg tries both verbally and physically (kisses!) to break through the barriers Aaron has erected around himself but Aaron remains cold and distant. Upon arrival at the premiere, an action by Greg sparks something in Aaron, giving Greg the slimmest of hopes.
The rest of the story is played out via what appear to be flashbacks: exploring how they met, and how their relationship developed: explaining the pathway that have carried them to where they are now... As I said, they appear to be flashbacks, but in truth, the flashbacks are scenes from the movie; a movie that was written by Greg; a movie that is part autobiographical and part fiction. It is the part fiction element that didn't end up sitting all that well for me. Some of their past was exaggerated, some of their past was just plain fiction. This actually made me reexamine the whole book, which was a pity. Some of the past provoked a huge amount of sympathy, and compassion, but I later found that that section actually didn't happen, so I kind of felt a little betrayed...
Others may feel differently, but personally, I felt that the resolution was a touch hurried after all the time focused on the 'past', with some actions too easily forgiven or overlooked.
Overall I enjoyed the story despite the convoluted plot line, and I would certainly consider reading another novel by this author.
April 16, 2011
No Apologies is a gripping tale of two young men who find love despite long odds. Aaron and Greg are
unlikely friends at a military institution whose vicious rules of "Just Don't" inhibit a friendship that might be more. But the young men, both near graduation, find ways to work around the system in order to explore a relationship that is at times innocent and at other times all-consuming. As graduation comes and goes, life plans have to be made. Aaron's expected to attend college, Greg is insistent that he wants to pursue the arts. Neither man's family is open or receptive to their relationship, going so far as to disown them rather than face embarrassment. Despite every obstacle, and with the aid of one surprisingly supportive character, the two men come back together. But is it too late?
Set as a film within a story, Tibby Armstrong's third-person novel, No Apologies, is a heart-wrenching tale of two young men who are told not to love inside a system of harsh upbringing and social expectations. The story is gripping, the character development is strong, and the setting of a movie within a story is cleverly executed.
This is a "must read" as far as I'm concerned.
unlikely friends at a military institution whose vicious rules of "Just Don't" inhibit a friendship that might be more. But the young men, both near graduation, find ways to work around the system in order to explore a relationship that is at times innocent and at other times all-consuming. As graduation comes and goes, life plans have to be made. Aaron's expected to attend college, Greg is insistent that he wants to pursue the arts. Neither man's family is open or receptive to their relationship, going so far as to disown them rather than face embarrassment. Despite every obstacle, and with the aid of one surprisingly supportive character, the two men come back together. But is it too late?
Set as a film within a story, Tibby Armstrong's third-person novel, No Apologies, is a heart-wrenching tale of two young men who are told not to love inside a system of harsh upbringing and social expectations. The story is gripping, the character development is strong, and the setting of a movie within a story is cleverly executed.
This is a "must read" as far as I'm concerned.
April 5, 2011
This is a book I will save for my son when he's of age to read (just a few more years) because as I read the manuscript, I continued to think of him. While this story is the coming of age story for Aaron and Greg, it resonates with everyone who's ever felt "wrong" or outcast because of your sexual preference. It's a timely message of hope for all who currently battle ostracism and bullying school. It's proof that it DOES get better. Everyone needs to read this book!
February 16, 2019
Low-key dove into this series because...
1. it was on audible romance package
2. the audios in this series were super short (I think the longest was 7 hrs?)
3. it was for a challenge
No Apologies is the first installment of the Hollywood series. In it, you will meet Greg and Aaron. This book kind of flashed between the past and present. We first see that these two are sort of a couple.. but Aaron doesn't want to be a secret anymore. He wants them to be official.. but with Greg's movie coming out - he's a bit hesitant. I get it, the hollywood crowd can be jerks sometimes.. but love is love guys.
The we get to go back to when they first met - which is kind of what the movie is about basically. I definitely liked these two and their relationship was a bit different than what I'm used to. I don't typically read a lot of m/m books so I definitely took a chance on this series. So far, I have zero complains about anything. There's an actual story here with complex characters. Yeah, there's smut here and there but the entire story doesn't just revolve around that.
I loved getting to know these two on a deeper level and watch their relationship grow. It was genuine and real and just brought happy little tears in my eyes. These two were great and I couldn't stop shipping them. The ending and their journey was adorable. I already have the entire series downloaded on my audible so I can't wait to dive into the next book.
1. it was on audible romance package
2. the audios in this series were super short (I think the longest was 7 hrs?)
3. it was for a challenge
No Apologies is the first installment of the Hollywood series. In it, you will meet Greg and Aaron. This book kind of flashed between the past and present. We first see that these two are sort of a couple.. but Aaron doesn't want to be a secret anymore. He wants them to be official.. but with Greg's movie coming out - he's a bit hesitant. I get it, the hollywood crowd can be jerks sometimes.. but love is love guys.
The we get to go back to when they first met - which is kind of what the movie is about basically. I definitely liked these two and their relationship was a bit different than what I'm used to. I don't typically read a lot of m/m books so I definitely took a chance on this series. So far, I have zero complains about anything. There's an actual story here with complex characters. Yeah, there's smut here and there but the entire story doesn't just revolve around that.
I loved getting to know these two on a deeper level and watch their relationship grow. It was genuine and real and just brought happy little tears in my eyes. These two were great and I couldn't stop shipping them. The ending and their journey was adorable. I already have the entire series downloaded on my audible so I can't wait to dive into the next book.
September 17, 2011
So I'll start this review by saying that I kind of finished this book with a "What?!?" kind of feeling.
This is the story of Greg & Aaron, two boys that meet in high school and begin a life long relationship. As the book begins we see that they are nearing the end of that relationship if things don't change. But that's really the only glimpse of their relationship we see. By the end of the book we readers are left going, "but, what happened?"
I think the writing was great, and the story in the movie portion was well crafted. I think the "real story" of Greg & Aaron was underdeveloped. I think if you go in knowing what to expect you will enjoy it and not feel so blindsided in the end.
The music geek in me that is only a year older than these guys has one thing to mention. It isn't a big deal and doesn't really impact the story, it's just a thing. The movie is set mostly in 1994. They talk about Nirvana. Greg is actually a fan and introduces Aaron to their music. Kurt Cobain died in April 1994. So it's weird that especially a pink haired girl at a record store wouldn't mention it at all when a guy comes in a buys every Nirvana Album. I also think it's funny as I'm reading this book there is the whole thing in the news where one of the republican candidates, Jon Huntsman, made reference to the name Nirvana and Kurt Cobain when mocking Mitt Romney's book "No Apology". Everyone thinks that it's an allusion to the Nirvana song "All Apologies", which I believe is where Tibby Armstrong got the title of this book as well. (from the Nirvana song not Mitt Romney's book.) Although I know without reading it, I enjoyed this book much more!
RATING: 3.5 stars.
This is the story of Greg & Aaron, two boys that meet in high school and begin a life long relationship. As the book begins we see that they are nearing the end of that relationship if things don't change. But that's really the only glimpse of their relationship we see. By the end of the book we readers are left going, "but, what happened?"
I think the writing was great, and the story in the movie portion was well crafted. I think the "real story" of Greg & Aaron was underdeveloped. I think if you go in knowing what to expect you will enjoy it and not feel so blindsided in the end.
The music geek in me that is only a year older than these guys has one thing to mention. It isn't a big deal and doesn't really impact the story, it's just a thing. The movie is set mostly in 1994. They talk about Nirvana. Greg is actually a fan and introduces Aaron to their music. Kurt Cobain died in April 1994. So it's weird that especially a pink haired girl at a record store wouldn't mention it at all when a guy comes in a buys every Nirvana Album. I also think it's funny as I'm reading this book there is the whole thing in the news where one of the republican candidates, Jon Huntsman, made reference to the name Nirvana and Kurt Cobain when mocking Mitt Romney's book "No Apology". Everyone thinks that it's an allusion to the Nirvana song "All Apologies", which I believe is where Tibby Armstrong got the title of this book as well. (from the Nirvana song not Mitt Romney's book.) Although I know without reading it, I enjoyed this book much more!
RATING: 3.5 stars.
December 22, 2016
https://trelibrisoprailcielo.com/2016...
Già dalle prime pagine possiamo capire quanto la relazione tra Aaron e Greg sia arrivata a un bivio: Greg deve uscire allo scoperto e fare un passo verso Aaron o la loro storia non potrà avere un futuro. In quel momento avrei voluto urlare ad Aaron di lasciare Greg e proseguire con la sua vita senza ripensamenti. Ma… Greg ci dà modo di conoscere la loro storia dal principio e allora il mio urlo è diventato: Aaron ti prego non lasciarlo!
Greg è uno sceneggiatore e per far capire ad Aaron quanto è innamorato di lui e quanta importanza dà alla loro storia, decide di mettere tutta la loro vita su una pellicola e di farne un film e così, in un mix di finzione e realtà, Greg ci racconta il loro passato. Aaron non era a conoscenza di tutto e si ritroverà così a ripercorrere tutti i loro passi, le loro emozioni e le loro difficoltà.
I due ragazzi, nel film, si incontrano in un’accademia militare. Aaron, circondato da un gruppo di ragazzi un po’ bulli di cui è involontariamente il leader, e Greg, solo, scontroso e preso di mira da tutti. Quando Greg, vittima di un’aggressione, finisce in infermeria, Aaron comincia a passare più tempo con questo ragazzo così complicato e da cosa nasce cosa. Iniziano così a provare una grande attrazione l’uno per l’altro che porterà a incontri molto hot, ma nessuno dei due vuole ammettere di non essere etero e, soprattutto, non possono vivere la loro storia liberamente.
Greg ha alle spalle dei grandi dolori e una famiglia che non sa capirlo né amarlo, che sa solo fargli del male, tranne la mitica nonna che è l’unica che gli vuole realmente bene. Piano piano aprirà il suo cuore ad Aaron, ma la loro storia dovrà affrontare troppe difficoltà: dalla crudeltà della famiglia di Greg, alla difficoltà di vivere la loro storia in un ambiente così ostile. L’unica cosa certa è che questi due ragazzi si amano molto e che Aaron è l’unico in grado di riportare il sorriso sul volto di Greg. Ma le difficoltà per loro non finiscono con la fine della scuola, anzi. Ostacoli sempre più grandi si frappongono fra loro e Greg avrà bisogno di tutto il supporto che Aaron potrà fornirgli.
Come vi dicevo, all’inizio la loro storia non sta andando proprio a gonfie vele, ma più leggiamo del loro passato più riusciamo a comprendere quanto il loro percorso sia sempre stato pieno di spine, ma anche che, nel bene e nel male, siano sempre riusciti a superare tutto. Sia il passato che il presente ci vengono raccontati da entrambi i personaggi, così vediamo il quadro completo della storia. Entrambi i protagonisti sono ben descritti e mi sono piaciuti, ma Greg ha saputo strapparmi anche una lacrima (strano, vero?), lui che si nasconde dietro una corazza per non permettere al mondo di ferirlo mai più, lui così orgoglioso e testardo. Un ragazzo che non sa chiedere scusa, non sa abbassare la testa, che ha paura di mostrarsi troppo vulnerabile, ma che per amore di Aaron deve riuscire a dire “Mi dispiace”. Bisogna vedere, però, se “No Apologies” basterà per recuperare la loro storia d’amore.
Questa è una storia d’amore e di amicizia, di rivalsa, di forza, una storia che mi ha conquistata e che consiglio molto. Non mi aspettavo di rimanere coinvolta così tanto da questo libro, invece non sono riuscita a staccarmi, complice il fatto che volevo vedere come sarebbe finita tra questi due uomini così innamorati una volta finito il film sulla loro vita. In alcuni momenti ero un po’ confusa perché non sapevo cosa ci fosse davvero di reale nella pellicola e cosa, invece, fosse solo frutto della fantasia di Greg, ma anche questo, secondo me, fa parte del fascino di questo libro. Cosa è vero? Cosa è inventato? Quello che è reale è l’amore che provano l’uno per l’altro. Non vi resta che leggerlo per scoprire cosa succederà dopo la fine dello spettacolo!
Già dalle prime pagine possiamo capire quanto la relazione tra Aaron e Greg sia arrivata a un bivio: Greg deve uscire allo scoperto e fare un passo verso Aaron o la loro storia non potrà avere un futuro. In quel momento avrei voluto urlare ad Aaron di lasciare Greg e proseguire con la sua vita senza ripensamenti. Ma… Greg ci dà modo di conoscere la loro storia dal principio e allora il mio urlo è diventato: Aaron ti prego non lasciarlo!
Greg è uno sceneggiatore e per far capire ad Aaron quanto è innamorato di lui e quanta importanza dà alla loro storia, decide di mettere tutta la loro vita su una pellicola e di farne un film e così, in un mix di finzione e realtà, Greg ci racconta il loro passato. Aaron non era a conoscenza di tutto e si ritroverà così a ripercorrere tutti i loro passi, le loro emozioni e le loro difficoltà.
I due ragazzi, nel film, si incontrano in un’accademia militare. Aaron, circondato da un gruppo di ragazzi un po’ bulli di cui è involontariamente il leader, e Greg, solo, scontroso e preso di mira da tutti. Quando Greg, vittima di un’aggressione, finisce in infermeria, Aaron comincia a passare più tempo con questo ragazzo così complicato e da cosa nasce cosa. Iniziano così a provare una grande attrazione l’uno per l’altro che porterà a incontri molto hot, ma nessuno dei due vuole ammettere di non essere etero e, soprattutto, non possono vivere la loro storia liberamente.
Greg ha alle spalle dei grandi dolori e una famiglia che non sa capirlo né amarlo, che sa solo fargli del male, tranne la mitica nonna che è l’unica che gli vuole realmente bene. Piano piano aprirà il suo cuore ad Aaron, ma la loro storia dovrà affrontare troppe difficoltà: dalla crudeltà della famiglia di Greg, alla difficoltà di vivere la loro storia in un ambiente così ostile. L’unica cosa certa è che questi due ragazzi si amano molto e che Aaron è l’unico in grado di riportare il sorriso sul volto di Greg. Ma le difficoltà per loro non finiscono con la fine della scuola, anzi. Ostacoli sempre più grandi si frappongono fra loro e Greg avrà bisogno di tutto il supporto che Aaron potrà fornirgli.
Come vi dicevo, all’inizio la loro storia non sta andando proprio a gonfie vele, ma più leggiamo del loro passato più riusciamo a comprendere quanto il loro percorso sia sempre stato pieno di spine, ma anche che, nel bene e nel male, siano sempre riusciti a superare tutto. Sia il passato che il presente ci vengono raccontati da entrambi i personaggi, così vediamo il quadro completo della storia. Entrambi i protagonisti sono ben descritti e mi sono piaciuti, ma Greg ha saputo strapparmi anche una lacrima (strano, vero?), lui che si nasconde dietro una corazza per non permettere al mondo di ferirlo mai più, lui così orgoglioso e testardo. Un ragazzo che non sa chiedere scusa, non sa abbassare la testa, che ha paura di mostrarsi troppo vulnerabile, ma che per amore di Aaron deve riuscire a dire “Mi dispiace”. Bisogna vedere, però, se “No Apologies” basterà per recuperare la loro storia d’amore.
Questa è una storia d’amore e di amicizia, di rivalsa, di forza, una storia che mi ha conquistata e che consiglio molto. Non mi aspettavo di rimanere coinvolta così tanto da questo libro, invece non sono riuscita a staccarmi, complice il fatto che volevo vedere come sarebbe finita tra questi due uomini così innamorati una volta finito il film sulla loro vita. In alcuni momenti ero un po’ confusa perché non sapevo cosa ci fosse davvero di reale nella pellicola e cosa, invece, fosse solo frutto della fantasia di Greg, ma anche questo, secondo me, fa parte del fascino di questo libro. Cosa è vero? Cosa è inventato? Quello che è reale è l’amore che provano l’uno per l’altro. Non vi resta che leggerlo per scoprire cosa succederà dopo la fine dello spettacolo!
July 17, 2011
There are two stories in this book. The first is about real life couple, Greg and Aaron. The second one is about Grant and Allan in the movie whose script was written by Greg. The two stories are somewhat parallel, since Greg used his own life story with Aaron as the base for the screenplay--although he also infused some fictional plot and characters so that it's not exactly the same as in real life.
In both stories, the characters met when they were in high school. They fell in love with each other, but only one is out. The other, in the movie as is in the real life, is still in the closet and keeps the relation secret. Greg has never acknowledged their relation in public. Aaron is tired to be in secrecy that he plans to break up completely. Would watching the movie premiere together save their relationship?
I enjoyed reading this story. It is, after all, childhood-friends-turn-lovers story. I just wish we know more about the real couple from when the movie story ends and the real life current scene takes place. Also, at one point, Aaron considers Greg a 'former lover'. Since they live separately in different cities, and Aaron is out, does he date other people as well?
It's a nice story, though.
In both stories, the characters met when they were in high school. They fell in love with each other, but only one is out. The other, in the movie as is in the real life, is still in the closet and keeps the relation secret. Greg has never acknowledged their relation in public. Aaron is tired to be in secrecy that he plans to break up completely. Would watching the movie premiere together save their relationship?
I enjoyed reading this story. It is, after all, childhood-friends-turn-lovers story. I just wish we know more about the real couple from when the movie story ends and the real life current scene takes place. Also, at one point, Aaron considers Greg a 'former lover'. Since they live separately in different cities, and Aaron is out, does he date other people as well?
It's a nice story, though.
February 12, 2017
DNF at 48%
Все, что я вижу, это абсолютно не понятную мне игру в Hot 'n' Cold. Мысли и поведение героев меняются так часто и безосновательно, что мне в итоге надоело искать хоть какую-то логику в происходящем.
Все, что я вижу, это абсолютно не понятную мне игру в Hot 'n' Cold. Мысли и поведение героев меняются так часто и безосновательно, что мне в итоге надоело искать хоть какую-то логику в происходящем.
January 19, 2013
MM romance with an edge - between a Hollywood screenwriter (Greg) and a Hollywood producer (Aaron).
I read Book 2
first and now I know why I felt I was only getting part of the story ...... I couldn't understand the significance of Greg and Aaron's actions in that book. There should be a note telling folks to read these books in order.
I really enjoyed Aaron and Greg's relationship, particularly that there was a dom/sub/switch slant to it. It's difficult for me to say more without giving away a major aspect of the story...but I will say that I was totally captivated by their time at "school".
Although I wish the ending had been more striking... I am definitely reading Book 3
.
I read Book 2
first and now I know why I felt I was only getting part of the story ...... I couldn't understand the significance of Greg and Aaron's actions in that book. There should be a note telling folks to read these books in order. I really enjoyed Aaron and Greg's relationship, particularly that there was a dom/sub/switch slant to it. It's difficult for me to say more without giving away a major aspect of the story...but I will say that I was totally captivated by their time at "school".
Although I wish the ending had been more striking... I am definitely reading Book 3
.
April 8, 2011
In her first book "Sheet Music", Tibby Armstong brought us fabulously damaged characters who, while they do terrible things to one another, we can't help but love. Tibby's characters are so easy to empathize with because they are so fully realized and fleshed out on the page. Aaron and Greg in "No Apologies" are no different.
Again, Tibby has given us real characters facing very real problems. We won't always like what they choose, but she brings us to understand why they do what they do. This is an excellent read with some steamy sex. Five stars to "No Apologies"...you won't be disappointed.
Again, Tibby has given us real characters facing very real problems. We won't always like what they choose, but she brings us to understand why they do what they do. This is an excellent read with some steamy sex. Five stars to "No Apologies"...you won't be disappointed.
April 15, 2011
This is a beautiful book. The characters were written with so much compassion and understanding that you have to love them. The story is both gentle and realistically harsh. I liked the difference between the 'fictionalized' and 'real' Aaron and Greg, between what should have happened and what 'really' happened. It added to the complexity of the story.
I really can't bring myself to analyze in depth the books that have so much emotional impact on me. The greatest compliment I can give this author is that I'm tempted to read her first novel, although I gave up on het romance novels almost two decades ago.
I really can't bring myself to analyze in depth the books that have so much emotional impact on me. The greatest compliment I can give this author is that I'm tempted to read her first novel, although I gave up on het romance novels almost two decades ago.
September 8, 2016
Wow.... This was awesome! Not many authors do the flashbacks quite so well, so hats off to Tibby Armstrong for her doing it so flawlessly! Plus the scenes were so vivid, like I could see it in my mind's eye.
I have to confess the first chapter didn't quite reel me in. It seemed as though Greg was being dodgy. But once the flashbacks started, I couldn't stop. I just had to finish it all in one sitting.
I like that it was all show, not tell. That, to me, is a really skillful storyteller. So cool!
I have to confess the first chapter didn't quite reel me in. It seemed as though Greg was being dodgy. But once the flashbacks started, I couldn't stop. I just had to finish it all in one sitting.
I like that it was all show, not tell. That, to me, is a really skillful storyteller. So cool!
April 14, 2011
I was pleasantly surprised. This is the first book I read from this author and it was very well written, very complex story I enjoyed and it intrigued me from page one. At the beginning and in the end I was scared they're not going to be together. But everything turned out well.
July 24, 2014
Passionately sublime.
Only negative: Short length and cheezy class-less cover art.
Only negative: Short length and cheezy class-less cover art.
January 4, 2013
Read this one quite awhile ago but remember really enjoying it.
April 7, 2017
bello perché diverso avrei solo voluto avere qualcosa in più sul finale
Want to read
October 12, 2018Updated edition, price drop at the zon.com right now: https://www.amazon.com/No-Apologies-H...
May 10, 2011
There’s something about No Apologies and the honest confusion of the protagonists that I just want to like. The sex scenes are beyond hot and the characters are well rounded, even if lopsided and not always sympathetic. Unfortunately the choppy and disjointed vehicle of the present movie detailing their past life (kind of) in flashbacks makes that hard. The benefits outweigh the negatives thankfully but I wish the story had made some different choices.
The plot begins with Greg and Aaron in a fight. After ten years together Greg is still insisting on being in the closet and Aaron is fed up with the secrecy and lack of commitment. Greg is desperately trying to hold the relationship together and prays that his “big gesture” will be the trick. The big idea is to bring Aaron to see the movie Greg screen wrote based on their lives. The movie is about two boys who discover their sexuality at military school. Yet Greg and Aaron went to a private school in New England, not a military school. So Greg hasn’t been honest about how much is real and what is fiction, hoping that Aaron will see Greg’s true feelings within the movie.
The school detail is supposed to differentiate the movie from the truth but the biggest problem is that the story can’t decide which it is – whether it’s showing Greg’s movie in written form or the actual truth between the two men. From the present time movie premiere, the story jumps back ten years to Greg and Aaron at military school and alternates narrators between the two men’s perspectives as events progress. This is a problem since it’s not clear whether this is the movie “fictionalized” version of events or what actually happened. The story uses real facts, such as their names Greg and Aaron, but mixes the movie elements, military school versus prep school, so you’re never sure what is real and what isn’t real.
In between the scenes from the past, which show how Greg and Aaron came to be together and the rough road they traveled, the book flashes to the present with Aaron commenting on the movie and actually asks if that’s how Greg saw things. Again this confuses what is real and what isn’t real. Is the story the reader is being shown the real version or the movie version? It seems to be both but there is no clear delineation between the two and this causes a very muddy and disjointed plot. I also didn’t understand the inclusion of Aaron’s viewpoint if the story is how Greg saw things. Eventually at the very end Greg admits that the movie is half true and half fiction, but how is the reader supposed to discern which is which.
Including Aaron’s perspective is important in understanding why he did certain things and how his opinion and personality is vastly different from Greg’s. I think it’s essential to the characterization of both men yet the clumsy and disjointed movie versus reality plot never quite makes sense. It’s a well known concept and should have worked here but the execution doesn’t pull it off unfortunately. Ultimately we’re left reading a story that is only shows half of the true relationship between the men. There is a quick conversation at the end that tries to list all the “false” elements but this is after the reader has been inundated with these fictional events. It’s too late to make that transition and just creates a frustrated realization that you can’t trust either narrator or the story.
One of the biggest problems I had with this confused and awkward presentation is that the writing is very engaging. The characters are interesting, even if not always sympathetic or likable, and the complexity of such a lengthy relationship and how they met is entertaining. There are a lot of sex scenes, probably too many, just as there are a lot of scenes where Greg is beat up, whipped, or otherwise abused. This leads into the grey area of the pseudo D/s relationship between Greg and Aaron which never makes much sense. The concept and ideas presented are good and the warm prose draws you in, keeping your attention to the end. So this could be a fun read for those looking for a light and easy sex filled book as long as readers aren’t too concerned with details.
I definitely wanted to like this more than I did as I think it just fails on the execution of the concept but I like the author’s writing and could be interested to see what else she does. If you’re looking for a light story you can read in an easy sitting and without caring too much about the details, this might work for you. It could be something nice and fluff for the right reader. I didn’t mind reading it but the confused plot device distracted me the entire time and left me wanting.
The plot begins with Greg and Aaron in a fight. After ten years together Greg is still insisting on being in the closet and Aaron is fed up with the secrecy and lack of commitment. Greg is desperately trying to hold the relationship together and prays that his “big gesture” will be the trick. The big idea is to bring Aaron to see the movie Greg screen wrote based on their lives. The movie is about two boys who discover their sexuality at military school. Yet Greg and Aaron went to a private school in New England, not a military school. So Greg hasn’t been honest about how much is real and what is fiction, hoping that Aaron will see Greg’s true feelings within the movie.
The school detail is supposed to differentiate the movie from the truth but the biggest problem is that the story can’t decide which it is – whether it’s showing Greg’s movie in written form or the actual truth between the two men. From the present time movie premiere, the story jumps back ten years to Greg and Aaron at military school and alternates narrators between the two men’s perspectives as events progress. This is a problem since it’s not clear whether this is the movie “fictionalized” version of events or what actually happened. The story uses real facts, such as their names Greg and Aaron, but mixes the movie elements, military school versus prep school, so you’re never sure what is real and what isn’t real.
In between the scenes from the past, which show how Greg and Aaron came to be together and the rough road they traveled, the book flashes to the present with Aaron commenting on the movie and actually asks if that’s how Greg saw things. Again this confuses what is real and what isn’t real. Is the story the reader is being shown the real version or the movie version? It seems to be both but there is no clear delineation between the two and this causes a very muddy and disjointed plot. I also didn’t understand the inclusion of Aaron’s viewpoint if the story is how Greg saw things. Eventually at the very end Greg admits that the movie is half true and half fiction, but how is the reader supposed to discern which is which.
Including Aaron’s perspective is important in understanding why he did certain things and how his opinion and personality is vastly different from Greg’s. I think it’s essential to the characterization of both men yet the clumsy and disjointed movie versus reality plot never quite makes sense. It’s a well known concept and should have worked here but the execution doesn’t pull it off unfortunately. Ultimately we’re left reading a story that is only shows half of the true relationship between the men. There is a quick conversation at the end that tries to list all the “false” elements but this is after the reader has been inundated with these fictional events. It’s too late to make that transition and just creates a frustrated realization that you can’t trust either narrator or the story.
One of the biggest problems I had with this confused and awkward presentation is that the writing is very engaging. The characters are interesting, even if not always sympathetic or likable, and the complexity of such a lengthy relationship and how they met is entertaining. There are a lot of sex scenes, probably too many, just as there are a lot of scenes where Greg is beat up, whipped, or otherwise abused. This leads into the grey area of the pseudo D/s relationship between Greg and Aaron which never makes much sense. The concept and ideas presented are good and the warm prose draws you in, keeping your attention to the end. So this could be a fun read for those looking for a light and easy sex filled book as long as readers aren’t too concerned with details.
I definitely wanted to like this more than I did as I think it just fails on the execution of the concept but I like the author’s writing and could be interested to see what else she does. If you’re looking for a light story you can read in an easy sitting and without caring too much about the details, this might work for you. It could be something nice and fluff for the right reader. I didn’t mind reading it but the confused plot device distracted me the entire time and left me wanting.
January 22, 2013
Okay -- after a reread --
I definitely do like this book better than its followup, Acting Out, although I rate both of them at a solid 4 stars. Neither book is perfect, but I very much appreciate the emotional intensity and immediacy, the visceral impact, of this one. The framing conceit (story-within-a-story) of this one leads to some problems with confusion and continuity -- we the readers never know quite what is Greg and Aaron's real history, and what is only the movie version of the story -- but the reading experience is still quite enjoyable and sometimes moving.
Here are a couple of the problems I noticed -- some of these comments overlap between this book and Acting Out --
First, the "flashbacks" are kind of confusing because the names aren't consistent. The MCs are named Aaron and Greg. The MCs in the movie are named Grant and Alan. But in the flashbacks, the characters are called Aaron and Greg -- even though this is obviously the movie version of the story, since in the flashbacks Aaron and Greg are in military school -- and we know that the real Aaron and Greg never went to military school. In the second book, Acting Out, we are told that Greg did the first draft of the screenplay with the real names and then changed the names for the final version -- and we are also told near the end of the book that Aaron thinks of the characters in the movie as Aaron and Greg, even though the characters aren't really named that. Very confusing!
Second, there's some retconning between the two books in terms of what Greg will or will not apologize for. In the second book we're told that Greg is willing to apologize to anyone EXCEPT for Aaron -- but in the first book, Greg is specifically unwilling to apologize to ANYONE. "He’d never wanted anything badly enough to say sorry. He’d always made do rather than lower himself into that viper pit of vulnerability." But is this simply a difference between the "movie" version of Greg and the "real life" version? Once again, confusing.
And another continuity problem --
In both books, the combination of movie with "real life" was an interesting conceit that, unfortunately, also brought problems along with it. Fortunately, I think that in general the benefits of the double story outweighed the problems. If you can stand the uncertainty of never actually knowing the "true" story of Greg and Aaron's early life, then I can highly recommend this book over all.
I definitely do like this book better than its followup, Acting Out, although I rate both of them at a solid 4 stars. Neither book is perfect, but I very much appreciate the emotional intensity and immediacy, the visceral impact, of this one. The framing conceit (story-within-a-story) of this one leads to some problems with confusion and continuity -- we the readers never know quite what is Greg and Aaron's real history, and what is only the movie version of the story -- but the reading experience is still quite enjoyable and sometimes moving.
Here are a couple of the problems I noticed -- some of these comments overlap between this book and Acting Out --
First, the "flashbacks" are kind of confusing because the names aren't consistent. The MCs are named Aaron and Greg. The MCs in the movie are named Grant and Alan. But in the flashbacks, the characters are called Aaron and Greg -- even though this is obviously the movie version of the story, since in the flashbacks Aaron and Greg are in military school -- and we know that the real Aaron and Greg never went to military school. In the second book, Acting Out, we are told that Greg did the first draft of the screenplay with the real names and then changed the names for the final version -- and we are also told near the end of the book that Aaron thinks of the characters in the movie as Aaron and Greg, even though the characters aren't really named that. Very confusing!
Second, there's some retconning between the two books in terms of what Greg will or will not apologize for. In the second book we're told that Greg is willing to apologize to anyone EXCEPT for Aaron -- but in the first book, Greg is specifically unwilling to apologize to ANYONE. "He’d never wanted anything badly enough to say sorry. He’d always made do rather than lower himself into that viper pit of vulnerability." But is this simply a difference between the "movie" version of Greg and the "real life" version? Once again, confusing.
And another continuity problem --
In both books, the combination of movie with "real life" was an interesting conceit that, unfortunately, also brought problems along with it. Fortunately, I think that in general the benefits of the double story outweighed the problems. If you can stand the uncertainty of never actually knowing the "true" story of Greg and Aaron's early life, then I can highly recommend this book over all.
July 7, 2012
Slick's review posted on Guilty Pleasures
4.5 Stars
Write down this name, Tibby Armstrong, and don’t forget it. I’ll admit, I have a cache of “go to” authors, ones I will always buy their books no matter what because I know I’m going to get my money’s worth and get a great story. Until I started reviewing for Guilty Pleasures, I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t branch out very much. Mainly because when I did, I was disappointed 70% of the time. Since starting at Guilty Pleasures, my “go to” author list has tripled and I’m very happy to add Tibby Armstrong to that list. Today, I’m reviewing her book, No Apologies.
I’ve never read a book like No Apologies before and that’s not a bad thing. While I guess it could be called a coming of age story about two young men who attend the same boarding school, it’s not really that. You see, their story is told through a film written by one of the men, Greg Faulker. He’s basically written and produced this movie as a love letter to his long time partner, Aaron Blake. The problem is Aaron is tired of waiting for Greg to admit his homosexuality. He’s tired of being Greg’s dirty little secret. He’s tired of being ignored and he’s decided that he just can’t do it anymore. Greg realizes that it might be too little, too late but he’s determined to make Aaron understand how he feels. The book opens with this look at Aaron and Greg ten years after high school and then we flash back as we “watch” the premier of Greg’s movie.
Because of the way this book is written, we really don’t see a lot of the Greg and Aaron of today. Instead we see Greg’s version of their life at school and soon after. He admits it is part truth and part fiction. We see them struggling with their growing feelings towards each other, facing ridicule and abuse from fellow students and teachers, Greg dealing with some serious issues at home, and Aaron coming out to his parents.
I can’t even begin to explain the range of emotions I had while reading this book. At times I was scared for Greg and Aaron, I cried, I laughed, and I was horrified and I was happy. To say that Tibby packs a punch when she writes is understated. I honestly can’t even verbalize how much this book touched me. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction because what I really wanted to do was scoop these two young men up and bring them home and show them how parents treat their children, no matter what!
While this is a beautifully told romance story, it isn’t typical because the situation isn’t typical. Yes, there is quite a bit of sex but for the most part it was done secretly. There was also kind of a D/s vibe running through their relationship but it wasn’t truly D/s. They struggled for control and figuring out what each other needed. While Aaron had experimented with a couple of girls, Greg never had which is why I found it interesting that he was the one having issues with “coming out”. Aaron however was very sheltered but yet had a very dominant personality. I really enjoyed watching them coming to terms with what they meant to each other.
No Apologies is a book that I know I will revisit again and again. It’s not an easy book to read, I can almost guarantee you will be emotional while reading it. But, I hope that by the time you get to the end you’ll know just how special this book truly is. I’m giving it 4.5 stars only because I would have like a little more time with Greg and Aaron as the adults they are today. That being said, I’ll tell you that we do see more of them as adults in book two, Acting Out!
4.5 Stars
Write down this name, Tibby Armstrong, and don’t forget it. I’ll admit, I have a cache of “go to” authors, ones I will always buy their books no matter what because I know I’m going to get my money’s worth and get a great story. Until I started reviewing for Guilty Pleasures, I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t branch out very much. Mainly because when I did, I was disappointed 70% of the time. Since starting at Guilty Pleasures, my “go to” author list has tripled and I’m very happy to add Tibby Armstrong to that list. Today, I’m reviewing her book, No Apologies.
I’ve never read a book like No Apologies before and that’s not a bad thing. While I guess it could be called a coming of age story about two young men who attend the same boarding school, it’s not really that. You see, their story is told through a film written by one of the men, Greg Faulker. He’s basically written and produced this movie as a love letter to his long time partner, Aaron Blake. The problem is Aaron is tired of waiting for Greg to admit his homosexuality. He’s tired of being Greg’s dirty little secret. He’s tired of being ignored and he’s decided that he just can’t do it anymore. Greg realizes that it might be too little, too late but he’s determined to make Aaron understand how he feels. The book opens with this look at Aaron and Greg ten years after high school and then we flash back as we “watch” the premier of Greg’s movie.
Because of the way this book is written, we really don’t see a lot of the Greg and Aaron of today. Instead we see Greg’s version of their life at school and soon after. He admits it is part truth and part fiction. We see them struggling with their growing feelings towards each other, facing ridicule and abuse from fellow students and teachers, Greg dealing with some serious issues at home, and Aaron coming out to his parents.
I can’t even begin to explain the range of emotions I had while reading this book. At times I was scared for Greg and Aaron, I cried, I laughed, and I was horrified and I was happy. To say that Tibby packs a punch when she writes is understated. I honestly can’t even verbalize how much this book touched me. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction because what I really wanted to do was scoop these two young men up and bring them home and show them how parents treat their children, no matter what!
While this is a beautifully told romance story, it isn’t typical because the situation isn’t typical. Yes, there is quite a bit of sex but for the most part it was done secretly. There was also kind of a D/s vibe running through their relationship but it wasn’t truly D/s. They struggled for control and figuring out what each other needed. While Aaron had experimented with a couple of girls, Greg never had which is why I found it interesting that he was the one having issues with “coming out”. Aaron however was very sheltered but yet had a very dominant personality. I really enjoyed watching them coming to terms with what they meant to each other.
No Apologies is a book that I know I will revisit again and again. It’s not an easy book to read, I can almost guarantee you will be emotional while reading it. But, I hope that by the time you get to the end you’ll know just how special this book truly is. I’m giving it 4.5 stars only because I would have like a little more time with Greg and Aaron as the adults they are today. That being said, I’ll tell you that we do see more of them as adults in book two, Acting Out!
July 17, 2014
There was a lot to like in this book. And then a lot that annoyed me. So, I'm struggling...
The premise is interesting. Greg and Aaron are a classic enemies-to-lovers story. They met in high school, each bringing with them their own baggage, and their lives intertwine for over 10 years. As characters, I found myself completely invested in their journeys. As they build their friendship with each other. As they discover and explore their sexual chemistry. As they are bullied and attacked at school for their relationship. As they figure out how coming out affects their lives. As they leave behind family baggage to start anew. As they grow together as adult men.
But there’s a catch: When we first meet Greg and Aaron, they’re adults (present-day). Greg is a screenwriter, Aaron a movie producer. And their tale, starting from when they were high school boys, is actually told through Greg’s latest movie release, “No Apologies”, a semi-autobiographical love letter to Aaron.
This would seem kind of a cool twist. But I found it rather disappointing to be honest.
As the curtain is pulled back between fact and fiction, all the little things, though seemingly minor, made me, the reader feel…betrayed? Misled? I grew to love Greg and Aaron as their story was told on page (or on screen, as it's played out in the book). Come to later find that those details were modified for the “movie version” and weren’t all entirely factual. And this wasn’t revealed until much later in the book, after I’d already invested myself in what I believed to be the facts. And it was thrown in there in such a nonchalant way…”oh your grandma who I came to love and adore didn’t actually exist and it was actually your grandpa?” ?????? Not cool…
I think it was a risky creative move for the book and for me, it didn't work. I don't mind the flashback method of telling a story, but add in the additional 'movie' angle and having not all the details be authentic, well, as I mentioned, I felt a bit misled. I questioned at the end if I really knew Greg and Aaron at all (<-god, that sounds melodramatic...but that is what I wondered...)
I also would say that one of my least favorite scenes in any romance is when one dominant lover commands the other to “come” during sex and he does…just like that. I can tolerate it once…but it happened over and over and over again in this book and I wanted to scream, “it’s NOT that easy, dude!” The come-on-demand thing started to really irritate me.
Ok, so despite all this, I really do like Greg and Aaron…well, the parts I think are the real Greg and Aaron and not the movie characters. And I’m actually interested enough to read on to book 2. I don’t know that I’d recommend this book on it’s own, but plenty of series that I’ve come to thoroughly enjoy as a whole had rocky starts in their first books. So, I’ll keep on and let you know if the series is worth the investment…
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