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Driven
Eighteen-year-old Oliver’s troubles don’t end when he’s released from prison. He has nowhere to go, and he can’t even think about moving past his crimes while trying to survive homelessness.
Helping an elderly woman after a fall guides Oliver into at least a temporary home. In exchange for odd jobs and some assistance, he’s welcomed into a life with the old twin spinsters, and it seems too good to be true. The neighbor, Simon, certainly thinks it is. He doesn’t trust Oliver or his motives. Oliver is used to that kind of judgment, but it isn’t helping him overcome his guilt. Maybe Simon is right and Oliver doesn’t deserve happiness—or any of the other feelings stirring in a heart Oliver thought he’d closed off for good.
Oliver has two let the pain of his past swallow him and destroy all hope for the future, or move on to the new possibilities in front of him. Choosing to live won’t be easy, and Oliver might not be able to do it alone.
Helping an elderly woman after a fall guides Oliver into at least a temporary home. In exchange for odd jobs and some assistance, he’s welcomed into a life with the old twin spinsters, and it seems too good to be true. The neighbor, Simon, certainly thinks it is. He doesn’t trust Oliver or his motives. Oliver is used to that kind of judgment, but it isn’t helping him overcome his guilt. Maybe Simon is right and Oliver doesn’t deserve happiness—or any of the other feelings stirring in a heart Oliver thought he’d closed off for good.
Oliver has two let the pain of his past swallow him and destroy all hope for the future, or move on to the new possibilities in front of him. Choosing to live won’t be easy, and Oliver might not be able to do it alone.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2017
502 people want to read
About the author
M.B. Mulhall
6 books135 followersMB Mulhall is a published author who typically has way too much on her plate. In between making vlogs and writing books, she tests her patience and pays the bills by helping to manage a home for developmentally disabled adults. She has a BA in Comparative Literature and Languages from Hofstra University as well as an Elementary Education degree from Georgian Court University.
She’s a crafter, a pet parent to a dog and two hedgehogs, a wife, a Jersey girl, a Whovian, and a lover of ink. Her next novel, Driven, is due out in March ’17 with Harmony Ink Press. You can find her all over social media posting pics of books, pets, and food porn.
She’s a crafter, a pet parent to a dog and two hedgehogs, a wife, a Jersey girl, a Whovian, and a lover of ink. Her next novel, Driven, is due out in March ’17 with Harmony Ink Press. You can find her all over social media posting pics of books, pets, and food porn.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 7, 2017
I found this one to be just okay, but definitely not love.
For much of the book, it didn't really feel like there was much going on, especially for a 210 page story.
Plus, although the MC's are 18 and 'a number slightly larger' (we aren't told a definitive age,) to me the story read much more Young Adult than New Adult.
Same as with the book, I 'liked' both Ollie and Simon, but it wasn't love. For one, they didn't actually spend that much on-page time together, which is about the only way to sell me on the 'feels.' Second, we weren't given all that much backstory on either, except for 'the big accident' and 'the stupid thing after,' which wasn't enough to get me that invested.
The majority of the drama was from Ollie beating himself up with guilt, but there was a sub-plot about prostitution and drug dealers, which I was fairly 'meh' about.
Other than a few semi-chaste kisses, the story is sex-free, which was a slight disappointment. Maybe if there had been a few racy scenes, the book would have had more of a New Adult feel for me.
The book was fine, but didn't give me nearly the same level of excitement that I got from reading just the blurb and picturing where the story might go from there.
This one was well-written and extremely well-edited, but left me wanting a bit more, so I'd have to rate it at around 2.75 stars.
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My ARC copy of the story was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
March 21, 2017
4.5 I wanted more stars!
This book had my attention at the blurb. It sounded like my type of read. It was just as good as I wanted and a lot more emotional than I was expecting. I wasn't expecting sunshine and rainbows, but the pain and torment Oliver went through really had me connecting with him. I wanted his life to improve drastically and I wanted him to recover from the trauma of his past.
I liked the relationships he built with Tude and Vera, the twins, and Simon, his love interest. I also liked his relationship with Richard's, and later Richard's wife. It was nice to see people care about him again, especially after learning about the issues surrounding his family. I won't go into detail about that because it would be a spoiler. But it's heavily hinted at before being revealed in the book later on.
I wish we'd had more exploration of Oliver's struggles and his recovery. I wanted/needed more of that in this book. We see how much he struggles, the guilt he carries around with him because of what happened, but there wasn't enough watching the recovery for me. Although I still enjoyed this book immensely and loved watching him slowly start to open himself up to people.
I love this authors writing style. I've read Heavyweight by her before and loved that one, too. This was very different, but very enjoyable. It gives me a push to read more of her work one day, because I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest, too.
ARC provided by author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This book had my attention at the blurb. It sounded like my type of read. It was just as good as I wanted and a lot more emotional than I was expecting. I wasn't expecting sunshine and rainbows, but the pain and torment Oliver went through really had me connecting with him. I wanted his life to improve drastically and I wanted him to recover from the trauma of his past.
I liked the relationships he built with Tude and Vera, the twins, and Simon, his love interest. I also liked his relationship with Richard's, and later Richard's wife. It was nice to see people care about him again, especially after learning about the issues surrounding his family. I won't go into detail about that because it would be a spoiler. But it's heavily hinted at before being revealed in the book later on.
I wish we'd had more exploration of Oliver's struggles and his recovery. I wanted/needed more of that in this book. We see how much he struggles, the guilt he carries around with him because of what happened, but there wasn't enough watching the recovery for me. Although I still enjoyed this book immensely and loved watching him slowly start to open himself up to people.
I love this authors writing style. I've read Heavyweight by her before and loved that one, too. This was very different, but very enjoyable. It gives me a push to read more of her work one day, because I'm sure I'll enjoy the rest, too.
ARC provided by author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
February 28, 2017
3.5 Stars
This was an okay read. It was good, just not great. Ollie is 18 and has been through some really tough times. He's lost his father and sister, been in prison, lived on the streets and has had to do things he's ashamed of to survive on the streets. Ollie is so broken and my heart broke for him. But as much as this young man has been through, his and Simon's characters came off as immature. The story had a very young adult vibe, rather than the new adult one, I would have expected.
The writing was good and the story was paced well, but the book was just kinda meh. The characters were likable, but I was left wanting more, especially of them as a couple. The didn't have as much page time together as I felt the should.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Recommendable!
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn’t a requirement.*
Read
March 21, 2017DNF, therefore no rating.
Wasn't that into the story from the beginning but at first it wasn't really bad so I kept reading. It went downhill fast though. The last straw though was how the other characters handle the PTSD and anxiety from Ollie. Telling him to just "get over it" and to just not freak out. Or calling an anxiety attack a "tantrum". And that from his PO who should know better because it's his fucking job!
"You need to face your fears and try to get over the anxiety."
Things like this are toxic and shouldn't EVER said to someone with anxiety. As if he could just "get over it".
"You're lucky to have survived. You need to honor their memory and stop beating yourself up."
HE HAS PTSD, FFS! He's not beating himself up for fun and kicks.
"I'm not sure I can do the car ride back. What if I freak out? Won't it scare the girls? I don't want to scare them..." Oliver spewed quickly before the girls made it back to the kitchen. "Well, I guess you'll just have to work hard at keeping it together so you don't frighten them."
And because this BS isn't enough he then makes fun of it:
"This was a start, Ollie. Maybe I'll come take you for a ride every week. If nothing else, it's entertaining to my children," Richards replied.
Great that the anxiety is so entertaining for them.
That was the point I decided a dnf would be best here. Can't recommend this.
Another gem I just found in my notes:
"If you ask me, his daddy should have been more liberal with the rod. None of those sissy time-outs or no video machine punishments."
Nothing like a bit of abuse, right?
**an ARC of this was provided in return of an honest review
Wasn't that into the story from the beginning but at first it wasn't really bad so I kept reading. It went downhill fast though. The last straw though was how the other characters handle the PTSD and anxiety from Ollie. Telling him to just "get over it" and to just not freak out. Or calling an anxiety attack a "tantrum". And that from his PO who should know better because it's his fucking job!
"You need to face your fears and try to get over the anxiety."
Things like this are toxic and shouldn't EVER said to someone with anxiety. As if he could just "get over it".
"You're lucky to have survived. You need to honor their memory and stop beating yourself up."
HE HAS PTSD, FFS! He's not beating himself up for fun and kicks.
"I'm not sure I can do the car ride back. What if I freak out? Won't it scare the girls? I don't want to scare them..." Oliver spewed quickly before the girls made it back to the kitchen. "Well, I guess you'll just have to work hard at keeping it together so you don't frighten them."
And because this BS isn't enough he then makes fun of it:
"This was a start, Ollie. Maybe I'll come take you for a ride every week. If nothing else, it's entertaining to my children," Richards replied.
Great that the anxiety is so entertaining for them.
That was the point I decided a dnf would be best here. Can't recommend this.
Another gem I just found in my notes:
"If you ask me, his daddy should have been more liberal with the rod. None of those sissy time-outs or no video machine punishments."
Nothing like a bit of abuse, right?
**an ARC of this was provided in return of an honest review
March 4, 2017
Review to come
March 9, 2017
Driven by MB Mulhall is a young adult contemporary about a boy who is taken in by kind elderly ladies who want to help him out. He comes with a ton of dark secrets that creep into his everyday life. Mix that with the cute boy next door and we have a hankering for a good story.
My Likes
Multi-Level Characters
Driven houses many different types of characters. It has our troubled protagonist, Oliver, that just wants to move on with his life but his past keeps creeping behind every corner. The cute boy next door, Simon, who is still in the closet but begins to open up around Ollie. Of course we can't forget the lovely ladies Vera and Tude, who have such big hearts to want to take Ollie in and help change his life for the better.
Mulhall does a great job making these characters jump off the page with varying levels of personality and backstory. Although the overall story can sometimes feel pretty cliche and unrealistic, the characters are what keep it grounded.
Cute Romance
I quite enjoyed the romance between Ollie and Simon. You can tell there were sparks shooting off the page every time they were in the same room. Even though they started off pretty rocky, we can see them grow closer chapter after chapter.
Mulhall was able to show off the cute charms that both boys have and it was hard not to swoon over the two. Although they don't get much further than kisses, you can tell that this is just the beginning of a steamy relationship!
Quick Pace
Driven moves at a brisk pace. One of the highlights is how the story keeps going without being muddled by too much unnecessary back story. Everything seems to flow nicely.
Mulhall makes sure that there is never a dull moment which makes for a very quick read. If you're looking for something fun and easy, definitely give Driven a go!
My Dislikes
Lacks Depth
Here lies the biggest issue I had with Driven. There was a huge lack of depth in a couple areas of the story. Driven's over all plot lacks proper execution of sympathy. I never felt the emotion of sorrow for Ollie, which given all that happens to him, would seem to warrant some. I liked him as a character, but the lack of depth in the plot took away from that.
I recommend this for the contemporary lovers. Let me know what you guys thought of Driven by MB Mulhall! I would love to hear your opinions as well!
Until next time,
March 11, 2017
4.5 STARS
The blurb gave me the idea that this was going to be a very angsty, dark story, and to some extent it was, but the intense romance that normally accompanies such angst was absent here. Driven is a young adult tale, and though the romance between Oliver and Simon is present, it wasn’t the be all and end all when it came to relaying this story.
Oliver an eighteen year old, ex-con, streetkid is our main character. We spend an awful lot of time in his head with his depressing, self-loathing, suicidal thoughts. He feels responsible for the deaths of his father and sister, and to some extent an old man he didn’t even know, and now he imagines that his only reason for still being alive is to suffer and repent until he’s endured enough pain to atone for his sins. The joy that he experiences each time he believes he might be about to die is so unbelievably sad, and I spent a few chapters near the end of the story actually in tears. While I’m not going to attempt to call the book perfect – I’ll admit, it took too long to feel immersed in this story – the author did an amazing job of creating a character that was absolutely fascinating to me. Oliver’s torment and reactions, while suitably dramatic for a teenager, also rang true. His pain felt real to me, even though I’ve never experienced anything like he has.
The cast of secondary characters added some much needed lightness to the story: the elderly twins, the caring cop, and the cute but judgmental “boy next door”. While they all sound like well-used stereotypes the author managed to make them seem fresh and original. Having some kindness and a bit of humor on page broke up the morose thoughts that really were the focus of much of the story.
As I mentioned, Driven is very much a young adult book, and though there are references to past sexual experiences, including prostitution, there isn’t any sex between Oliver and Simon. I didn’t find the story suffered because of that lack, but then again I’m a fan of young adult stories. Those readers who don’t normally read YA but are drawn to the heavy feel of the blurb, may miss the sexual element of the romance.
I definitely recommend this book to people who prefer their teenage love stories on the darker side.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/03/0...
The blurb gave me the idea that this was going to be a very angsty, dark story, and to some extent it was, but the intense romance that normally accompanies such angst was absent here. Driven is a young adult tale, and though the romance between Oliver and Simon is present, it wasn’t the be all and end all when it came to relaying this story.
Oliver an eighteen year old, ex-con, streetkid is our main character. We spend an awful lot of time in his head with his depressing, self-loathing, suicidal thoughts. He feels responsible for the deaths of his father and sister, and to some extent an old man he didn’t even know, and now he imagines that his only reason for still being alive is to suffer and repent until he’s endured enough pain to atone for his sins. The joy that he experiences each time he believes he might be about to die is so unbelievably sad, and I spent a few chapters near the end of the story actually in tears. While I’m not going to attempt to call the book perfect – I’ll admit, it took too long to feel immersed in this story – the author did an amazing job of creating a character that was absolutely fascinating to me. Oliver’s torment and reactions, while suitably dramatic for a teenager, also rang true. His pain felt real to me, even though I’ve never experienced anything like he has.
The cast of secondary characters added some much needed lightness to the story: the elderly twins, the caring cop, and the cute but judgmental “boy next door”. While they all sound like well-used stereotypes the author managed to make them seem fresh and original. Having some kindness and a bit of humor on page broke up the morose thoughts that really were the focus of much of the story.
As I mentioned, Driven is very much a young adult book, and though there are references to past sexual experiences, including prostitution, there isn’t any sex between Oliver and Simon. I didn’t find the story suffered because of that lack, but then again I’m a fan of young adult stories. Those readers who don’t normally read YA but are drawn to the heavy feel of the blurb, may miss the sexual element of the romance.
I definitely recommend this book to people who prefer their teenage love stories on the darker side.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/03/0...
March 7, 2017
Full review at: https://optimummblog.wordpress.com/20...
I don’t really know where to start with this review that would even come close to doing this book, and what I can only describe as a phenomenal piece of writing proper justice. I also don’t want to give anything about the story away because the way the story builds, progresses and flows is something you need to experience yourself. From the very first paragraph, I was completely and utterly hooked and read it straight through in one sitting.
The story centres around the main character, Oliver Sutton, who for the last 2 years has spent his time in prison and then on the streets. One day whilst on the street, he meets Tude Westling, an elderly lady who has taken a fall. After some not so subtle prompting, Oliver agrees to help Tude home, here he meets her twin sister Vera. As a thank you for his help, the ladies ask him to stay for dinner and then the night. The next day, Oliver literally bumps into Simon Green, who’s the young and handsome neighbor of Tude and Vera. From this point, everything in Oliver’s life changes. With the help of the twins, Simon and his Parole Officer, John Richards, Oliver discovers what family, love, acceptance and forgiveness really means.
The plot of the story was simply brilliant and had me on the edge of my seat desperate to find out what the next pages and chapters were going to bring. There’s nothing at all about this book that I can fault. The author took us on a journey of Oliver’s life. We got to see the background story that led us to this point, but there was mystery and intrigue and secrets that remained hidden until exactly the right moment for their reveal which added to the excitement. There were quite a few times I had to force back the tears that were threatening because my heart was shattering for Oliver and the way he treated himself because he thought it’s what he deserved. Every character and moment in the book felt real, nothing seemed like it was far-fetched and couldn’t happen in daily life and I think that’s why I connected with the story as much as I did.
Apart from some kissing and lustful excitement, there isn’t anything sexual about this book. So if you’re looking for hot and steamy sex then this is not for you, but if you want a story that will grip you, pull at your heart strings and then leave you feeling warm and fuzzy at the end, then this book couldn’t be more perfect.
This is my first time reading anything by this author, but she is one I will definitely be keeping a look out for from now on. With this one book she has gained a reader/fan for life. A very easy 5 star read, I only wish I could give it more.
***The ARC was provided by Harmony Ink Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
I don’t really know where to start with this review that would even come close to doing this book, and what I can only describe as a phenomenal piece of writing proper justice. I also don’t want to give anything about the story away because the way the story builds, progresses and flows is something you need to experience yourself. From the very first paragraph, I was completely and utterly hooked and read it straight through in one sitting.
The story centres around the main character, Oliver Sutton, who for the last 2 years has spent his time in prison and then on the streets. One day whilst on the street, he meets Tude Westling, an elderly lady who has taken a fall. After some not so subtle prompting, Oliver agrees to help Tude home, here he meets her twin sister Vera. As a thank you for his help, the ladies ask him to stay for dinner and then the night. The next day, Oliver literally bumps into Simon Green, who’s the young and handsome neighbor of Tude and Vera. From this point, everything in Oliver’s life changes. With the help of the twins, Simon and his Parole Officer, John Richards, Oliver discovers what family, love, acceptance and forgiveness really means.
The plot of the story was simply brilliant and had me on the edge of my seat desperate to find out what the next pages and chapters were going to bring. There’s nothing at all about this book that I can fault. The author took us on a journey of Oliver’s life. We got to see the background story that led us to this point, but there was mystery and intrigue and secrets that remained hidden until exactly the right moment for their reveal which added to the excitement. There were quite a few times I had to force back the tears that were threatening because my heart was shattering for Oliver and the way he treated himself because he thought it’s what he deserved. Every character and moment in the book felt real, nothing seemed like it was far-fetched and couldn’t happen in daily life and I think that’s why I connected with the story as much as I did.
Apart from some kissing and lustful excitement, there isn’t anything sexual about this book. So if you’re looking for hot and steamy sex then this is not for you, but if you want a story that will grip you, pull at your heart strings and then leave you feeling warm and fuzzy at the end, then this book couldn’t be more perfect.
This is my first time reading anything by this author, but she is one I will definitely be keeping a look out for from now on. With this one book she has gained a reader/fan for life. A very easy 5 star read, I only wish I could give it more.
***The ARC was provided by Harmony Ink Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
March 1, 2017
Ok, so if we overlook the fact that a large portion of the book is highly unlikely, It's a good story. It would be awesome if old ladies would happily take in a lodger in the form of a teenage boy who has been released from prison - without even asking his crime! - but I don't think I'd be so generous. Maybe those ladies exist somewhere out there, who knows. That aside, I actually liked the characters, they are a loving and compassionate bunch and despite Oliver's personal story being a pretty sad one, he gets an HEA that he never thought he'd deserve, much less find.
Oliver has been released from prison but due to the fact that he's determined to punish himself for an event that took the lives of his father and younger sister, he has been living on the streets and doing what is necessary in order to survive. After a little coercion from his parole officer (I loved his character), Oliver finds himself being duped into staying with two incredibly generous old ladies. It is through these ladies that we meet Oliver's love interest - Simon. Simon isn't quite so willing to accept that Oliver is genuine and he makes it clear that he doesn't trust this new house guest. Their initial introduction is a little rocky but Oliver is determined to prove himself. Despite his initial misgivings, Oliver finds this brash neighbour quite attractive and slowly and steadily, the boys come to form a bond. When they do finally decide to act upon their attraction, it's all a bit too PG and so there is no chemistry. I don't need a book to be filled with over the top sex scenes to make it worth reading but a brand new relationship between boys above the age of consent should be exciting and they should be desperate to be in each others company but I didn't get that from the book.
The story flows well and is easy to read plus there's plenty going on so you won't get bored but a large proportion of the story is taken up with Oliver being convinced that everyone would abandon him if they found out his background, making this not exactly the most lighthearted of reads. All in all, it's a nice story but it really could have been a great one.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cheryl from Alpha Book Club
Alpha Book Club
All Alpha Males Accepted
alphabookclub.org
Oliver has been released from prison but due to the fact that he's determined to punish himself for an event that took the lives of his father and younger sister, he has been living on the streets and doing what is necessary in order to survive. After a little coercion from his parole officer (I loved his character), Oliver finds himself being duped into staying with two incredibly generous old ladies. It is through these ladies that we meet Oliver's love interest - Simon. Simon isn't quite so willing to accept that Oliver is genuine and he makes it clear that he doesn't trust this new house guest. Their initial introduction is a little rocky but Oliver is determined to prove himself. Despite his initial misgivings, Oliver finds this brash neighbour quite attractive and slowly and steadily, the boys come to form a bond. When they do finally decide to act upon their attraction, it's all a bit too PG and so there is no chemistry. I don't need a book to be filled with over the top sex scenes to make it worth reading but a brand new relationship between boys above the age of consent should be exciting and they should be desperate to be in each others company but I didn't get that from the book.
The story flows well and is easy to read plus there's plenty going on so you won't get bored but a large proportion of the story is taken up with Oliver being convinced that everyone would abandon him if they found out his background, making this not exactly the most lighthearted of reads. All in all, it's a nice story but it really could have been a great one.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cheryl from Alpha Book Club
Alpha Book Club
All Alpha Males Accepted
alphabookclub.org
March 8, 2017
It's always an interesting experience when I read a book by a new to me author. I read the blurb for M.B. Mulhall's new book, Driven and was immediately intrigued. I am a huge lover of YA books, and Harmony Ink Press always puts out top notch books, so I was definitely looking forward to reading this one. I liked this book, unfortunately I didn't love it, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of good things going on here.
Oliver and Simon were likable characters. I was really invested in Oliver's struggles to start over again once he was released from prison. Homeless and without a family, he's all alone. Obviously, he's pretty broken and he really tugged at my heartstrings with all he's been through. The amount of guilt this poor guy has to carry around with him was just awful and it was hard to read about him struggling so much. Enter Simon. There wasn't a whole lot of back story given about him so it was a little difficult to get a clear picture of him.
This book was a pretty easy read, even if I wasn't fully engaged in the characters. Like I said I liked them, just wasn't in love with them. The writing is done well and the pacing makes it so the story doesn't drag. There is next to no steam in this book, which I don't mind in the least, however it made it so the connection between Oliver and Simon fell a bit flat. I think there was a bit too much page time spent on Oliver wallowing in his guilt to ever really get to the romance between Oliver and Simon. All in all, this was a good book and I hope you give it a chance.
*this review will also be posted on www.diversereader.blogspot.com*
Oliver and Simon were likable characters. I was really invested in Oliver's struggles to start over again once he was released from prison. Homeless and without a family, he's all alone. Obviously, he's pretty broken and he really tugged at my heartstrings with all he's been through. The amount of guilt this poor guy has to carry around with him was just awful and it was hard to read about him struggling so much. Enter Simon. There wasn't a whole lot of back story given about him so it was a little difficult to get a clear picture of him.
This book was a pretty easy read, even if I wasn't fully engaged in the characters. Like I said I liked them, just wasn't in love with them. The writing is done well and the pacing makes it so the story doesn't drag. There is next to no steam in this book, which I don't mind in the least, however it made it so the connection between Oliver and Simon fell a bit flat. I think there was a bit too much page time spent on Oliver wallowing in his guilt to ever really get to the romance between Oliver and Simon. All in all, this was a good book and I hope you give it a chance.
*this review will also be posted on www.diversereader.blogspot.com*
December 24, 2018
3.5 stars
April 23, 2017
The Boy Next Door
Do you come from a troubled past? Did your teenage years and High School make you wish they never were? Then you might connect with this book.
The story is told from Oliver's point of view. He is the main character in the story. He comes from a very troubled and traumatic past. I won't go into detail because it would be a big spoiler. A wrong decision lands him in prison and when he comes out he has nowhere to go. Helping an older lady home gives him a place to stay with her and her sister for help around the house and doing some errands. Meeting the boy next door starts a relationship that is rocky for most of the book, but ends with an HEA.
We also get to meet his parole officer and his family as well as some questionable past friends of his that leads to some police drama.
I thought being a contemporary romance that the plot and story with be about Oliver & Simon, but surprisingly, that's only part of it. There is police drama as well as action in this book which was a surprising delight. So, this story is like a capsule with different genres and storylines in it. Very entertaining.
My only criticisms is that the majority of the book has Oliver talking about his past and expressing how sad and guilty he feels. He puts himself down a lot. I think this was a bit overkill. Also, his relationship with Simon could have been better. They were off more than on and I wish they would have expressed their love for each other much earlier on.
The ending was so so. I like how it ended with Simon, but I wish it would have been happier and better.
Overall, it was a good book and I do recommend it. If you like some angst and drama and sadness and you don't want one that is very happy and mushy, then this would be the book for you.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review by Gay Book Reviews
Do you come from a troubled past? Did your teenage years and High School make you wish they never were? Then you might connect with this book.
The story is told from Oliver's point of view. He is the main character in the story. He comes from a very troubled and traumatic past. I won't go into detail because it would be a big spoiler. A wrong decision lands him in prison and when he comes out he has nowhere to go. Helping an older lady home gives him a place to stay with her and her sister for help around the house and doing some errands. Meeting the boy next door starts a relationship that is rocky for most of the book, but ends with an HEA.
We also get to meet his parole officer and his family as well as some questionable past friends of his that leads to some police drama.
I thought being a contemporary romance that the plot and story with be about Oliver & Simon, but surprisingly, that's only part of it. There is police drama as well as action in this book which was a surprising delight. So, this story is like a capsule with different genres and storylines in it. Very entertaining.
My only criticisms is that the majority of the book has Oliver talking about his past and expressing how sad and guilty he feels. He puts himself down a lot. I think this was a bit overkill. Also, his relationship with Simon could have been better. They were off more than on and I wish they would have expressed their love for each other much earlier on.
The ending was so so. I like how it ended with Simon, but I wish it would have been happier and better.
Overall, it was a good book and I do recommend it. If you like some angst and drama and sadness and you don't want one that is very happy and mushy, then this would be the book for you.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review by Gay Book Reviews
February 8, 2017
Arc provided my publisher
I didn't love this story, I do love the cover though!
I didn't love this story, I do love the cover though!
May 15, 2017
Originally posted at ScatteredThoughtsAndRogueWords.com
3 out of 5 stars
I found this book a frustrating combination of a nice spin on the hurt/comfort trope, but with frequent sections that bothered me: long boring inner monologues by the main character, Oliver, and moments of incredible stupidity that literally made me want to DNF the book several times. I persevered because I was reading it for this review, and in the end I was glad I did, but it was close!
Oliver is a homeless young man who is brought out of the vicious cycle of his self-recrimination and loathing by the kindness of several people in the community. His love interest, Simon, is actually a rather small part of the group that ultimately makes Oliver believe that he can be loveable, and I thought that was pretty refreshing.
The book starts with a flash forward to a moment when it seems that Oliver is dying. He is thinking of all the people he will miss, and the story truly commences at the time when he first meets the main secondary characters in the book. Two kind old ladies offer him a place in their home on a provisional basis, with the expectation that he help them out around the house. In addition to food and shelter, they offer him respect and kindness, which he has a hard time accepting as he has come to think of himself as the worst kind of criminal. There are hints about an accident, and incarceration, though the details are not revealed (and then only sketchily so) until later in the book. Simon is the boy next door who also befriends the skittish Oliver and encourages him to stay and give the old ladies, and himself, a chance. In the end, of course, Oliver learns to believe in himself and have faith in others, and has a promising future – and that's not really a spoiler, just the expected resolution of a hurt/comfort romance.
The tragic events in Oliver's past life were only somewhat vaguely explained, and I didn't truly follow the path from accident to jail to homelessness. It was all fueled by Oliver's self-hate, but those endless monologues just made me think he was whiny rather than feeling compassionate for his suffering. He also several times got into situations that he responded to with “too stupid to live” actions that just made no sense, when he was otherwise supposed to be a pretty smart guy. Those seemed like gratuitous drama and angst to me, and completely turned me off. I think different writing could have made me believe that Oliver's self-hate was justified, but I just didn't feel it. I didn't get what his art had to do with anything, it really felt superfluous to his personality and to the story. I never understood what kind of hold Marcus (the bad guy) had over him. The book was also fairly long for the plot and action that occurred, which I blame on those long monologues, and that made the pace of the book slow, and I found myself putting it down frequently to pursue something more exciting – like doing laundry.
I guess, in the end, the blurb was everything I wanted the story to be, but the execution was kind of a swing and a miss for me.
3 out of 5 stars
I found this book a frustrating combination of a nice spin on the hurt/comfort trope, but with frequent sections that bothered me: long boring inner monologues by the main character, Oliver, and moments of incredible stupidity that literally made me want to DNF the book several times. I persevered because I was reading it for this review, and in the end I was glad I did, but it was close!
Oliver is a homeless young man who is brought out of the vicious cycle of his self-recrimination and loathing by the kindness of several people in the community. His love interest, Simon, is actually a rather small part of the group that ultimately makes Oliver believe that he can be loveable, and I thought that was pretty refreshing.
The book starts with a flash forward to a moment when it seems that Oliver is dying. He is thinking of all the people he will miss, and the story truly commences at the time when he first meets the main secondary characters in the book. Two kind old ladies offer him a place in their home on a provisional basis, with the expectation that he help them out around the house. In addition to food and shelter, they offer him respect and kindness, which he has a hard time accepting as he has come to think of himself as the worst kind of criminal. There are hints about an accident, and incarceration, though the details are not revealed (and then only sketchily so) until later in the book. Simon is the boy next door who also befriends the skittish Oliver and encourages him to stay and give the old ladies, and himself, a chance. In the end, of course, Oliver learns to believe in himself and have faith in others, and has a promising future – and that's not really a spoiler, just the expected resolution of a hurt/comfort romance.
The tragic events in Oliver's past life were only somewhat vaguely explained, and I didn't truly follow the path from accident to jail to homelessness. It was all fueled by Oliver's self-hate, but those endless monologues just made me think he was whiny rather than feeling compassionate for his suffering. He also several times got into situations that he responded to with “too stupid to live” actions that just made no sense, when he was otherwise supposed to be a pretty smart guy. Those seemed like gratuitous drama and angst to me, and completely turned me off. I think different writing could have made me believe that Oliver's self-hate was justified, but I just didn't feel it. I didn't get what his art had to do with anything, it really felt superfluous to his personality and to the story. I never understood what kind of hold Marcus (the bad guy) had over him. The book was also fairly long for the plot and action that occurred, which I blame on those long monologues, and that made the pace of the book slow, and I found myself putting it down frequently to pursue something more exciting – like doing laundry.
I guess, in the end, the blurb was everything I wanted the story to be, but the execution was kind of a swing and a miss for me.
March 5, 2017
This is such a sad story. It is heartbreaking the things that Oliver went through starting at a very young age.
Oliver has not had an easy life by far. At the age of eighteen he is homeless and no future in sight. He is not ready to give up on life yet but the guilt that he carries around with him may end up doing him in one day if he does not learn to deal with it.
One day a lady that is passing him by falls and asks for his help. Of course Oliver is not going to refuse helping her when she needs it but he never expected to be asked to stay for supper by the ladies twin sister for helping her sister home after she hurt herself. He definitely did not expect to be offered a warm place to sleep for the night. And he most most definitely did not expect them to offer him a place to live for the foreseeable future with the stipulation of a trail run.
To say that he felt blessed for this is an understatement. When he learns that his probation officer Richards had a hand in bringing him to stay with these ladies he feels betrayed by them. So in Oliver true fashion he takes off. Only this time he has Simmon, the twins next door neighbor, waiting on the other side of the door to hang out with and take a time out and cool off.
As Simmon and Oliver start to grow closer, Simmon realizes that at some point he is going to have to share some of his past secrets with Simmon if he wants to learn how to build a relationship with someone for the first time. But before Oliver is able to open up to Simmon, something happens and Oliver is scared that history is about o repeat itself.
Oliver's answer is once again to run but this time there is no one to stop him because he blames himself for Simmon getting hurt.
Will Oliver ever be able to let go of his past and leave the guilt behind? If he can do that will he be able to have a future withDimmon or will his past mistakes be the cause of them not being together in the end.
This was a very sad read about someone carrying around so much guilt that they almost let that guilt cause him to give up on not only himself and everyone else but in life all together. It took a lot for Oliver to get over everything he has been through but if he can do that then he may be able to finally have a stable and happy life.
It is heartbreaking everything that Oliver had to go through. I really hurt for this character. But that does not mean that I did not lik his book because I did. It was a good read and I believe MB Mulhall did a great job writing it.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Oliver has not had an easy life by far. At the age of eighteen he is homeless and no future in sight. He is not ready to give up on life yet but the guilt that he carries around with him may end up doing him in one day if he does not learn to deal with it.
One day a lady that is passing him by falls and asks for his help. Of course Oliver is not going to refuse helping her when she needs it but he never expected to be asked to stay for supper by the ladies twin sister for helping her sister home after she hurt herself. He definitely did not expect to be offered a warm place to sleep for the night. And he most most definitely did not expect them to offer him a place to live for the foreseeable future with the stipulation of a trail run.
To say that he felt blessed for this is an understatement. When he learns that his probation officer Richards had a hand in bringing him to stay with these ladies he feels betrayed by them. So in Oliver true fashion he takes off. Only this time he has Simmon, the twins next door neighbor, waiting on the other side of the door to hang out with and take a time out and cool off.
As Simmon and Oliver start to grow closer, Simmon realizes that at some point he is going to have to share some of his past secrets with Simmon if he wants to learn how to build a relationship with someone for the first time. But before Oliver is able to open up to Simmon, something happens and Oliver is scared that history is about o repeat itself.
Oliver's answer is once again to run but this time there is no one to stop him because he blames himself for Simmon getting hurt.
Will Oliver ever be able to let go of his past and leave the guilt behind? If he can do that will he be able to have a future withDimmon or will his past mistakes be the cause of them not being together in the end.
This was a very sad read about someone carrying around so much guilt that they almost let that guilt cause him to give up on not only himself and everyone else but in life all together. It took a lot for Oliver to get over everything he has been through but if he can do that then he may be able to finally have a stable and happy life.
It is heartbreaking everything that Oliver had to go through. I really hurt for this character. But that does not mean that I did not lik his book because I did. It was a good read and I believe MB Mulhall did a great job writing it.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
March 9, 2017
2.5
I loved the blurb and the promise of this book, it is fair to say though the writing style didn't quite work for me.
I liked the way MB Mulhall set up the story; chapter one gave me a taste of something terrible to coma and it did make me want to read more. It was dramatic enough, written with just the right amount of information given and withheld and I was absolutely eager for more. Moving on into the story, I liked the whole premise of it and I liked the characters (particularly the twins!)
Unfortunately, that is where I stopped liking it. For my taste the writing style didn't work, it tended to be a bit overly dramatic for my tastes and sometimes reasoning for actions and reactions felt convenient. I had eye-rolling moments. Several of them - but (and I know I harp back to this time and again) what is an eye-rolling moment for me, is the cherry on the top for another reader. Plenty of my very closest reader friends and I disagree on writing styles. (MY own sister doesn't like Harry Potter. I mean, that's nearly worthy of disowning, right?) All I can say is what didn't work for me.
Some of the descriptions were a bit over the top for my liking. One scene that stuck in my head was how Oliver is absolutely petrified of getting into a car, it is a main theme of the book - yet when he does sexy thoughts of Simon help him not realise the journey had past. For me this felt like a big WTF because there is no way I could relate to it. Not the fear, but the way dirty thoughts overcame the fear. They felt so unrelated and unbelievable to me - yet I'm sure that many other readers wouldn't have thought twice about this. Or, you know, liked the way Oliver was distracted from the fear.
I did absolutely hate Oliver's mum and I really didn't like the way she was given some redemption. It was too little too late. I'm not saying that she shouldn't be allowed the redemption, but it was just given because of circumstances and ... well, it pissed me right off to be honest. I understood her pain, I really truly did, I can't imagine it. but she was still Oliver's mum and Oliver needed her. I was so angry at her.
I don't know, it's not a bad book but it really wasn't for me. Check out other reviews because they're probably saying something completely different.
Review previously at BMBR.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the blurb and the promise of this book, it is fair to say though the writing style didn't quite work for me.
I liked the way MB Mulhall set up the story; chapter one gave me a taste of something terrible to coma and it did make me want to read more. It was dramatic enough, written with just the right amount of information given and withheld and I was absolutely eager for more. Moving on into the story, I liked the whole premise of it and I liked the characters (particularly the twins!)
Unfortunately, that is where I stopped liking it. For my taste the writing style didn't work, it tended to be a bit overly dramatic for my tastes and sometimes reasoning for actions and reactions felt convenient. I had eye-rolling moments. Several of them - but (and I know I harp back to this time and again) what is an eye-rolling moment for me, is the cherry on the top for another reader. Plenty of my very closest reader friends and I disagree on writing styles. (MY own sister doesn't like Harry Potter. I mean, that's nearly worthy of disowning, right?) All I can say is what didn't work for me.
Some of the descriptions were a bit over the top for my liking. One scene that stuck in my head was how Oliver is absolutely petrified of getting into a car, it is a main theme of the book - yet when he does sexy thoughts of Simon help him not realise the journey had past. For me this felt like a big WTF because there is no way I could relate to it. Not the fear, but the way dirty thoughts overcame the fear. They felt so unrelated and unbelievable to me - yet I'm sure that many other readers wouldn't have thought twice about this. Or, you know, liked the way Oliver was distracted from the fear.
I did absolutely hate Oliver's mum and I really didn't like the way she was given some redemption. It was too little too late. I'm not saying that she shouldn't be allowed the redemption, but it was just given because of circumstances and ... well, it pissed me right off to be honest. I understood her pain, I really truly did, I can't imagine it. but she was still Oliver's mum and Oliver needed her. I was so angry at her.
I don't know, it's not a bad book but it really wasn't for me. Check out other reviews because they're probably saying something completely different.
Review previously at BMBR.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2017
I loved Oliver. I have a thing for broken characters and the ones dealing with mental illness, which is something I try to see very critically. I was pleased with the result on that matter, it was easy to see from the start that Oliver had important anxiety issues, and it was portray in a very realistic way.
The romantic part of the story was a little bit underwhelming, but otherwise it would have felt forced. It did had some very beautiful moments and the shyness of both MC was something very sweet. It was understandable that the relationship developed slowly. Sure there was lust, but I think Oliver needed to heal before he was ready to trust someone enough to be in a relationship.
The plot was good, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. I did have some nice surprises, but I don’t think that was the best part of the story. What I loved the most was Oliver, the feelings that, most of the time, were very easy to feel connected with. To understand his pain, guilt and self-loathing. Simon was ok, but I didn’t care for him as much as I did for Oliver, he wasn’t flawless which was nice, but I felt like there wasn’t much character development from his side, maybe because the story was told from Ollie’s point of view, but I still felt like something was missing there.
Another part I loved about it were the secondary characters, I liked them even more than I liked Simon. I think Ollie had a better connection with some of them than he did with Simon, not a romantic one but a connection either way.
Overall I really liked it. It was my first book from the author and it was a great first impression.
The romantic part of the story was a little bit underwhelming, but otherwise it would have felt forced. It did had some very beautiful moments and the shyness of both MC was something very sweet. It was understandable that the relationship developed slowly. Sure there was lust, but I think Oliver needed to heal before he was ready to trust someone enough to be in a relationship.
The plot was good, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. I did have some nice surprises, but I don’t think that was the best part of the story. What I loved the most was Oliver, the feelings that, most of the time, were very easy to feel connected with. To understand his pain, guilt and self-loathing. Simon was ok, but I didn’t care for him as much as I did for Oliver, he wasn’t flawless which was nice, but I felt like there wasn’t much character development from his side, maybe because the story was told from Ollie’s point of view, but I still felt like something was missing there.
Another part I loved about it were the secondary characters, I liked them even more than I liked Simon. I think Ollie had a better connection with some of them than he did with Simon, not a romantic one but a connection either way.
Overall I really liked it. It was my first book from the author and it was a great first impression.
April 7, 2017
overall a good story with good characters, buuuut the plot was a little messy and most of the time the dialogue felt unnatural.
April 4, 2017
1.5 stars
April 20, 2017
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
M.B. Mulhall executes her storytelling perfectly in Driven, propelling the narrative by arousing a range of emotions within her reader. Our compassion towards Oliver’s situation soon becomes frustration at his unwillingness to let anyone in. We then feel a sense of hope as his relationship with Simon begins, which is quickly replaced by fear and disgust as Oliver is manipulated and used by low life, Marcus. We empathize with Oliver’s shame about the car accident in which his father and younger sister died, while feeling anger towards the mother who turned him away. During the latter stages of the novel, our disappointment with Oliver becomes understanding and warm optimism.
The events are clearly important within this story, both past and present, but I love the depth of Mulhall’s characters and the very specific role each one plays. Oliver is at the center of Driven and aside from being the protagonist who connects the reader to the plot, he also challenges us. He is not someone I always liked. In fact, there were several times I could have screamed at him!
Vera and Tude are the most delightful characters. They are warm, knowing, a little cantankerous, and provide the reader with wonderful light-hearted moments, like the time when Tude has too many mimosas, dances on a table and breaks her ankle!
Read Kirsty’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
M.B. Mulhall executes her storytelling perfectly in Driven, propelling the narrative by arousing a range of emotions within her reader. Our compassion towards Oliver’s situation soon becomes frustration at his unwillingness to let anyone in. We then feel a sense of hope as his relationship with Simon begins, which is quickly replaced by fear and disgust as Oliver is manipulated and used by low life, Marcus. We empathize with Oliver’s shame about the car accident in which his father and younger sister died, while feeling anger towards the mother who turned him away. During the latter stages of the novel, our disappointment with Oliver becomes understanding and warm optimism.
The events are clearly important within this story, both past and present, but I love the depth of Mulhall’s characters and the very specific role each one plays. Oliver is at the center of Driven and aside from being the protagonist who connects the reader to the plot, he also challenges us. He is not someone I always liked. In fact, there were several times I could have screamed at him!
Vera and Tude are the most delightful characters. They are warm, knowing, a little cantankerous, and provide the reader with wonderful light-hearted moments, like the time when Tude has too many mimosas, dances on a table and breaks her ankle!
Read Kirsty’s review in its entirety here.
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