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Transportation #1
Detour
Ethan Domani had planned the perfect graduation trip before tragedy put his life on hold. Smothered by survivor’s guilt and his close-knit family, he makes a break for the open road. He doesn't know what he's looking for, but he's got the whole summer to figure out who he misses his boyfriend, or the person he thought he was. It’s just him and his memories . . . until he almost runs over a hitchhiker. Nick Hamilton made some mistakes after his younger brother died. His violent ex-boyfriend was the most dangerous, and the one that got him shipped off to Camp Cornerstone’s pray-the-gay-away boot camp. His eighteenth birthday brings escape, and a close call with an idiot in a station wagon. Stranger danger aside, Nick’s homeless, broke, and alone. A ride with Ethan is the best option he’s got. The creepy corners of roadside America have nothing on the darkness haunting Ethan and Nick. Every interstate brings them closer to uncharted emotional territory. When Nick’s past shows up in their rearview mirror, the detour might take them off the map altogether. Word 89,400; page 339
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2018
17 people are currently reading
256 people want to read
About the author
Reesa Herberth
6 books38 followersReesa Herberth grew up in Hawaii, tried Arizona for a few years, and eventually settled in the D.C. area, where they have things like trees and rain.
She’s held a variety of crazy writer jobs, including book and video store manager for a defunct chain of music shops, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy, high school secretary, and dye-stained proprietress of a small yarn and fiber business.
When not writing, she can usually be found reading, gardening, cooking, or spinning yarns of another sort entirely. She often resents her need for sleep.
She welcomes your email at YlendrianEmpire@gmail.com
She’s held a variety of crazy writer jobs, including book and video store manager for a defunct chain of music shops, office goddess for an artisan ice cream maker, cheese-cup scrubber at an organic goat dairy, high school secretary, and dye-stained proprietress of a small yarn and fiber business.
When not writing, she can usually be found reading, gardening, cooking, or spinning yarns of another sort entirely. She often resents her need for sleep.
She welcomes your email at YlendrianEmpire@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 1, 2018
Wow, talk about a "healing" story. This was for sure that story, folks.
Eighteen year old Ethan Domani was still reeling from the sudden loss of his best friend / boyfriend over a year ago, but was embarking on the six-week, cross-country road trip they'd planned all throughout high school.
And his family had asked him for only a few things. One, to call home. Often. And two, don't pick up any hitchhikers and get taken to a 'murder cave', which was oddly specific.
Well, he ended up being crap about both of those requests, especially when he nearly ran over Nick Hamilton, also eighteen, during a really bad storm, only a few hours into his journey.
Nick had realized that very day that he could legally walk away from Camp Cornerstone, an insane pray-the-gay-away boot camp.
So he did just that, with only the clothes on his back and no real plan for his future in mind. Only to get the hell away from that awful place.
And then he met Ethan, whom he felt was more kind and caring than he had any right to deserve.
God, the scene where Nick told Ethan that it was his birthday? GAH! All the feels. All. Of. Them.
I absolutely loved watching as these two guys worked through their grief and guilt together, although it wasn't quite as easy as simply watching. The story immediately pulled me in and left me completely invested in their mutual fates.
Ethan had always led a bit of a charmed life, with an amazing family and a boy he'd met (and "playground married", how goddamn adorable is that?) in the second grade. Scott.
Since age fourteen, they'd planned to live their lives together, then tragedy struck, leaving Ethan broken and at odds with the person he had been versus the new person that he must become.
Nick had also suffered a death, his little brother's, which blew his home life apart and set him on a self-destructive path, one which led him to being locked away in a gay conversion camp by his emotionally-absent parents, mainly to keep him away from his abusive ex-boyfriend.
And let me tell you, Kyle, the ex? That bitch was CRAAAY-ZEE. Very much the type of controlling, violent stalker you pray to never ever have in your own life.
"Restraining Order, party of one. Restraining Order, party of one?"
I enjoyed the slow burn of this story, as the guys got to know and trust one another over the course of the road trip, as they made their way from Virginia to California.
Then everything imploded in New Mexico and led to lots of soul searching and important realizations for both of the guys.
The story never felt rushed and it just flowed, without any parts feeling contrived, unnecessary, or overly melodramatic.
There was a bit of steam, also, but the one *real* sex scene did fade-to-black, which left me a bit disappointed. Both of the guys were 18, after all, so why not go there to help bolster some of the feelings, beyond the obvious physical attraction?
But, other than that, I'm not sure I would have changed anything about the book.
Well, actually, that's a bit of a lie. While there was an epilogue from a state or two after California, I would have *killed* for an even later follow-up on the guys, showing that they were still happily together, maybe a year or so down the road.
Yet, in spite of my greediness, I'd still rate this story at around 4.5 highly-satisfying and touching stars.
I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a story about working through grief and coming out the other side, if not stronger, at least intact. Mostly.
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
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May 23, 2018
I'm really torn about Detour from Reesa Herberth and new-to-me author Michelle Moore. On one hand, I see why so many of my friends rated it 5-stars, but on the other hand, I just didn't emotionally connect the way I thought I would.
I'm not a huge YA/NA reader (these guys are 18, so just on the cusp of NA), but I like a meet-cute story and I figured a road-trip would be a great setting for one. I really had no idea how incredibly angsty this book was going to be. I mean... real trauma here, folks.
For some reason, it was hard for me to focus on this story. It took me ages to read, and I had no issues putting it down. I enjoyed it when I read it, but I wasn't glued to my Kindle. I wish I felt that spark of empathy instead of sympathy and really connected to the characters more.
The romance also was a little iffy for me. I enjoyed these two together, but I really wanted to send them both to therapy more. There was so much... well, MUCH happening with both of them in their personal lives that I wanted to hug them more than see them find love.
I loved that we got a POC MC (hispanic, I think), but I wish we had more descriptors of the two guys. There was a vague reference to one having darker skin and then a brief Spanish-speaking part later on, but I had trouble picturing each of them. I like really vivid descriptions of my MCs. To be honest, what we did get a lot of detail on (the buildings, the road-side sights) bored me a little.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and I can see why people loved it, but it wasn't a home-run for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
I'm not a huge YA/NA reader (these guys are 18, so just on the cusp of NA), but I like a meet-cute story and I figured a road-trip would be a great setting for one. I really had no idea how incredibly angsty this book was going to be. I mean... real trauma here, folks.
For some reason, it was hard for me to focus on this story. It took me ages to read, and I had no issues putting it down. I enjoyed it when I read it, but I wasn't glued to my Kindle. I wish I felt that spark of empathy instead of sympathy and really connected to the characters more.
The romance also was a little iffy for me. I enjoyed these two together, but I really wanted to send them both to therapy more. There was so much... well, MUCH happening with both of them in their personal lives that I wanted to hug them more than see them find love.
I loved that we got a POC MC (hispanic, I think), but I wish we had more descriptors of the two guys. There was a vague reference to one having darker skin and then a brief Spanish-speaking part later on, but I had trouble picturing each of them. I like really vivid descriptions of my MCs. To be honest, what we did get a lot of detail on (the buildings, the road-side sights) bored me a little.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and I can see why people loved it, but it wasn't a home-run for me.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
August 30, 2018
Road trip books are totally not my thing, but I found myself rather enjoying this. It can get depressing at times, but it was well written enough that it doesn't suck you so far down you just want to give up. And Ethan and Nick both have some tragic backstories that they have to work thru together and on their own. It just worked really well. And I don't know how their relationship will work out in the real world, but for this story is was incredibly believable.
March 11, 2018
This. I love this book so much! 💜
I didn’t think I would find another #foreverfavorites (they’re pretty hard to come by) but this goes straight to my top ten list.
Guys. This story made me so happy - I wore a goofy smile throughout the book.
I adore both Nick and Ethan to bits - two smart asses with so much baggage to carry I was torn between laughing and crying all the time.
It was funny, heartbreaking and pretty fucking adorable. I loved their banter - best I ever had the pleasure of reading.
I wish their trip never ended. I feel a little lost right now. I miss them already!!
Fantastic writing and memorable characters, a sweet love story with a spooky touch - everything I could possibly want.
I kinda wish I could push an erase button and forget every word I just read so I could enjoy it all over again and fall in love with these boys anew, chapter for chapter.
Many, many thanks to the publisher who kindly provided a free copy for an honest and impartial review.
I didn’t think I would find another #foreverfavorites (they’re pretty hard to come by) but this goes straight to my top ten list.
Guys. This story made me so happy - I wore a goofy smile throughout the book.
I adore both Nick and Ethan to bits - two smart asses with so much baggage to carry I was torn between laughing and crying all the time.
It was funny, heartbreaking and pretty fucking adorable. I loved their banter - best I ever had the pleasure of reading.
I wish their trip never ended. I feel a little lost right now. I miss them already!!
Fantastic writing and memorable characters, a sweet love story with a spooky touch - everything I could possibly want.
I kinda wish I could push an erase button and forget every word I just read so I could enjoy it all over again and fall in love with these boys anew, chapter for chapter.
Many, many thanks to the publisher who kindly provided a free copy for an honest and impartial review.
April 27, 2018
A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger warnings
Wow, this book hits you right in the feelz. As someone else already stated, don't judge a book by it's cover. This story is so much more emotional and deep and well written than the cover would lead one to initially believe.
Instead of summarizing what happens in the story, which should really be experience without spoilers, I want to talk about the feelings and journey of these characters. Both of them are hurt and scarred, carrying emotional burdens that weigh them down. What struck me the most was how natural their connection felt right from the start. When you think of insta-love stories, you might cringe a little because you don't feel their connection. That was NOT the case with Detour. Ethan and Nick are special in so many ways, and I never once doubted their feelings for the other. They may have been strangers, but I think their souls recognized each other.
Ethan is a good kid (young man) and he sees that Nick is in trouble and despite warnings from his family about picking up hitchhikers, Ethan brings Nick along for his trip across the country. This should have been a scary situation, but both of these guys were so sweet and adorable and in need that I didn't want to roll my eyes even once (eye rolling as a result of their antics was purely from incredulity not derision ;) ).
Nick, sigh, Nick. He was sent to a "pray-the-gay-away boot camp" which let's just say Ethan was tempted to commit homicide more than once. I don't want to give anything away since it's important you read and hear about these on your own. But I can tell you that riding with Ethan on his trip, he was able to feel safe for the first time in a long time. And how telling is that, since Ethan is technically a stranger?
I did not want to put this book down and never once felt like the story dragged. I didn't skip any of the words, which I am known to do (shhh!!!), because I had to absorb every last bite of information and romance these two dished out. I highly recommend this one and give it 5 super big road trip stars!!!
Trigger warnings
Wow, this book hits you right in the feelz. As someone else already stated, don't judge a book by it's cover. This story is so much more emotional and deep and well written than the cover would lead one to initially believe.
Instead of summarizing what happens in the story, which should really be experience without spoilers, I want to talk about the feelings and journey of these characters. Both of them are hurt and scarred, carrying emotional burdens that weigh them down. What struck me the most was how natural their connection felt right from the start. When you think of insta-love stories, you might cringe a little because you don't feel their connection. That was NOT the case with Detour. Ethan and Nick are special in so many ways, and I never once doubted their feelings for the other. They may have been strangers, but I think their souls recognized each other.
Ethan is a good kid (young man) and he sees that Nick is in trouble and despite warnings from his family about picking up hitchhikers, Ethan brings Nick along for his trip across the country. This should have been a scary situation, but both of these guys were so sweet and adorable and in need that I didn't want to roll my eyes even once (eye rolling as a result of their antics was purely from incredulity not derision ;) ).
Nick, sigh, Nick. He was sent to a "pray-the-gay-away boot camp" which let's just say Ethan was tempted to commit homicide more than once. I don't want to give anything away since it's important you read and hear about these on your own. But I can tell you that riding with Ethan on his trip, he was able to feel safe for the first time in a long time. And how telling is that, since Ethan is technically a stranger?
I did not want to put this book down and never once felt like the story dragged. I didn't skip any of the words, which I am known to do (shhh!!!), because I had to absorb every last bite of information and romance these two dished out. I highly recommend this one and give it 5 super big road trip stars!!!
February 26, 2020
Ethan & Nick
A roadtrip with a hitchhiker that leads to healing, self discovery and a new romance.
It wasn't a pretty road that these two traveled down but it was necessary for them to get to where they needed to be.
A decent read.
A roadtrip with a hitchhiker that leads to healing, self discovery and a new romance.
It wasn't a pretty road that these two traveled down but it was necessary for them to get to where they needed to be.
A decent read.
Did Not Finish
June 8, 2018I found the blurb very interesting so I pre-ordered this book. Sadly, when I started reading I realized that I couldn't get into this story. I found it boring and both MCs were written rather similar so I mixed them up constantly. And I realized that obviously books about road trips aren't my thing.
Now I just need to remind me as earlier I read another blurb about a road trip and I thought - maybe? No, Anke, no maybe!!!
Now I just need to remind me as earlier I read another blurb about a road trip and I thought - maybe? No, Anke, no maybe!!!
August 4, 2018
I really liked this. There is nothing in life I like more than road trips so I jump at the chance to read books about MC's on them. This story had a lot of depth and was very emotional in places. I really enjoyed the overall plot and both of the MC's. I also marked down a few places they went for my future roadtripping. I had never read either author before but will keep an eye out for future books of theirs.
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
May 22, 2018
Ethan and Scott were best friends and boyfriends. All through high school they planned on this amazing cross country trip. They were going to see all the kitschy things together. An all too common tragedy occurs senior year – Scott is killed by gunfire in a school shooting. Ethan has to get out of his town because of the guilt he feels for still living and the sympathy/pity of people, even as he doesn’t want to do this trip alone. So he hits the road, promising his parents he will call them and will not pick up hitchhiker’s who might take him to a murder cave and kill him.
He’s driving on a stormy night in the dark and nearly hits a hitchhiker. Despite his parents’ warning, he can’t leave the man there in the rain, so he offers him a ride. This is Nick and Nick is running away from a ton of bad things as well. Namely, he just escaped an abusive pray-the-gay-away conversion camp as well as an abusive ex-boyfriend, Kyle. Nick has a painful history and he knows what it’s like to grieve for someone, having lost his little brother to cancer. He accepts the ride with Ethan and Ethan offers him the chance to be a part of his great adventure, seeing all the ridiculous roadside attractions they can see.
There is a moment when Nick admits he has no money to do the sights and Ethan tells him Scott’s parents had given him a large amount, probably what they were going to give Scott for graduation, and it just made me cry. There are so many shattered dreams here. Ethan suffers from panic attacks, which Nick handles with care and kindness. For his part, Ethan treats Nick with the same care and kindness. The two of them can be snarky and funny and I thoroughly enjoyed. The scene at the haunted train tracks just made me happy and made me think that they could learn to be happy again.
Nick has a seriously abusive ex-boyfriend in Kyle and feelings of betrayal by his parents after being sent to Camp Cornerstone, i.e. abusive conversion therapy. He was able to walk away from the camp only because he turned eighteen. Ethan’s gift to him really showed the sweetness of Ethan and the vulnerability of Nick. “Eventually it became too much, got too close to the place inside him that wanted nothing more than to beg for any scrap of care he could get.” Oh, Nick, you deserve so much.
Ethan sends text messages to Scott and he’s very afraid he’s doing the trip wrong. “I don’t know if I want my life to happen without him.” There is no shying away from all the emotional turmoil for these guys. They have to work through it and though they have different issues, they are equally painful and hard to deal with. Nick’s trip through Cornerstone is horrific and it is brought on by the abuse of Kyle. And Kyle continues to be crazy, abusing, texting and going as far as to call Ethan’s parents, posing as Nick’s brother, to get information. That’s probably the least of what he did but stalker, abuser and psycho cover it. Add in that Nick doesn’t feel worthy of happiness sometimes. He has his own survivor’s guilt.
The book doesn’t pull its punches on dealing with some serious issues but it also conveys that these guys are young and they talk and act that way, even through stress and grief. They are there for each other, through the biggest guitar and talking to the police, but they work through their grief and guilt on their own as well. Their conversations could be so emotional, other times so sweet and funny. The “lie to me” made me want to cry sometimes.
“But, mostly, I think we get so obsessed with missing someone, trying to stay connected with who they were as people.” That is so true and it was the lesson both of them needed to understand. Ethan’s grasping that Scott was really, truly gone was just heartbreaking. “Scott would have changed. He would have learned things, and seen things, and we’d both be different people now than we were when he died. I think that was the ghost I was hoping to find. The person Scott would have become.” And that’s what you really can’t find, because that person will remain the same as you remember them while you continue to learn things, to grow and to change. “Instead of keeping Scott’s memory alive, I was trying to get away from the person I was becoming without him.”
Both Nick and Scott, so young to be dealing with such things and yet they do, working their way through guilt and through grief, through fear, learning they can lean on each other. I was pulling for these guys to get a little happiness. The one thing I would have appreciated was an epilogue to show that they were still together, still happy and still working on it.
He’s driving on a stormy night in the dark and nearly hits a hitchhiker. Despite his parents’ warning, he can’t leave the man there in the rain, so he offers him a ride. This is Nick and Nick is running away from a ton of bad things as well. Namely, he just escaped an abusive pray-the-gay-away conversion camp as well as an abusive ex-boyfriend, Kyle. Nick has a painful history and he knows what it’s like to grieve for someone, having lost his little brother to cancer. He accepts the ride with Ethan and Ethan offers him the chance to be a part of his great adventure, seeing all the ridiculous roadside attractions they can see.
There is a moment when Nick admits he has no money to do the sights and Ethan tells him Scott’s parents had given him a large amount, probably what they were going to give Scott for graduation, and it just made me cry. There are so many shattered dreams here. Ethan suffers from panic attacks, which Nick handles with care and kindness. For his part, Ethan treats Nick with the same care and kindness. The two of them can be snarky and funny and I thoroughly enjoyed. The scene at the haunted train tracks just made me happy and made me think that they could learn to be happy again.
Nick has a seriously abusive ex-boyfriend in Kyle and feelings of betrayal by his parents after being sent to Camp Cornerstone, i.e. abusive conversion therapy. He was able to walk away from the camp only because he turned eighteen. Ethan’s gift to him really showed the sweetness of Ethan and the vulnerability of Nick. “Eventually it became too much, got too close to the place inside him that wanted nothing more than to beg for any scrap of care he could get.” Oh, Nick, you deserve so much.
Ethan sends text messages to Scott and he’s very afraid he’s doing the trip wrong. “I don’t know if I want my life to happen without him.” There is no shying away from all the emotional turmoil for these guys. They have to work through it and though they have different issues, they are equally painful and hard to deal with. Nick’s trip through Cornerstone is horrific and it is brought on by the abuse of Kyle. And Kyle continues to be crazy, abusing, texting and going as far as to call Ethan’s parents, posing as Nick’s brother, to get information. That’s probably the least of what he did but stalker, abuser and psycho cover it. Add in that Nick doesn’t feel worthy of happiness sometimes. He has his own survivor’s guilt.
The book doesn’t pull its punches on dealing with some serious issues but it also conveys that these guys are young and they talk and act that way, even through stress and grief. They are there for each other, through the biggest guitar and talking to the police, but they work through their grief and guilt on their own as well. Their conversations could be so emotional, other times so sweet and funny. The “lie to me” made me want to cry sometimes.
“But, mostly, I think we get so obsessed with missing someone, trying to stay connected with who they were as people.” That is so true and it was the lesson both of them needed to understand. Ethan’s grasping that Scott was really, truly gone was just heartbreaking. “Scott would have changed. He would have learned things, and seen things, and we’d both be different people now than we were when he died. I think that was the ghost I was hoping to find. The person Scott would have become.” And that’s what you really can’t find, because that person will remain the same as you remember them while you continue to learn things, to grow and to change. “Instead of keeping Scott’s memory alive, I was trying to get away from the person I was becoming without him.”
Both Nick and Scott, so young to be dealing with such things and yet they do, working their way through guilt and through grief, through fear, learning they can lean on each other. I was pulling for these guys to get a little happiness. The one thing I would have appreciated was an epilogue to show that they were still together, still happy and still working on it.
May 8, 2018
4.25 Stars
Ethan has had an epic road-trip across the country planned for a long time. His boyfriend, Scott was supposed to accompany him on the trip, but Scott was tragically killed, so now Ethan, a newly graduated 18 year-old, sets off on his own. Upon leaving, he almost immediately breaks one of the most stressed upon promises to his parents, not to pick up a hitchhiker, but hey, he almost ran Nick over, so that changes everything, right?
Nick, also 18, is on the run from the pray-the-gay-away camp he’s spent the last year and a half at, as well as from his abusive ex, who is partially responsible for Nick’s stay at the camp. Ethan and Nick set out to together explore the country and along the way build a friendship that eventually turns into more.
This wasn’t always an easy read, both Ethan and Nick are a bit broken, but as they travel across the country and get to know one another, they slowly start to open up and build a trust, as well as begin to heal. Nick and Ethan form a beautiful friendship that eventually leads them to love.
This was a lovely, yet heartbreaking story of hurt and healing. It’s well-written and flows well. I enjoyed traveling across the country with these two young men, and although Ethan and Nick visit some spooky places I’d never even think about visiting, it was enjoyable all the same.
This story is packed with so much emotion and it brought me to tears more than once. While I would have liked a more solid ending, I have faith that although Ethan and Nick are young, they’ll have a long and happy future together. This was an enjoyable and recommendable read!
*copy provided from author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
May 3, 2018
I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is the story of an unlikely romance between Ethan, a recent high school graduate, and Nick, the hitchhiker he picks up on the first night of his graduation road trip. Neither boy is what he seems and both boys have endured unthinkable traumas.
I immediately loved both Nick and Ethan. The first taste of adult freedom is a heady rush and the joy they both take in their relatively mundane and predictable travels is contagious. I quickly grew bored of the road trip (why do Americans get so excited about travelling through their own country?) but the boys are funny and sweet and innocent and damaged and sometimes tragic. I fell hard for them both.
Beyond the road trip, this is a young adult/new adult book with very heavy adult themes. At 18, Nick and Ethan have both survived horrific experiences and the authors don’t shy away from the emotional fallout. Both kids feel real and their emotions are often raw, unfocused and complicated. The humour and the banter between Nick and Ethan keeps the story lighter than their issues suggest but while I thoroughly enjoyed their story, this isn’t always an easy read.
This is the story of an unlikely romance between Ethan, a recent high school graduate, and Nick, the hitchhiker he picks up on the first night of his graduation road trip. Neither boy is what he seems and both boys have endured unthinkable traumas.
I immediately loved both Nick and Ethan. The first taste of adult freedom is a heady rush and the joy they both take in their relatively mundane and predictable travels is contagious. I quickly grew bored of the road trip (why do Americans get so excited about travelling through their own country?) but the boys are funny and sweet and innocent and damaged and sometimes tragic. I fell hard for them both.
Beyond the road trip, this is a young adult/new adult book with very heavy adult themes. At 18, Nick and Ethan have both survived horrific experiences and the authors don’t shy away from the emotional fallout. Both kids feel real and their emotions are often raw, unfocused and complicated. The humour and the banter between Nick and Ethan keeps the story lighter than their issues suggest but while I thoroughly enjoyed their story, this isn’t always an easy read.
May 6, 2018
I very much agreed with Ethan's road trip as a method of self-reflection and healing. It was great to see him thinking through his sadness and issues. The postcards he sent were the epitome of survivor guilt and gentle love. The story of his lost love, slowly revealed, showed a lot about Ethan's safe life.
It's a strong comparison to Nick's circumstances, and the darkness his backstory brings to the road trip. Nick's attempts to solve his own problems were understandable, but I was so glad when he opened up honestly to Ethan and started to trust.
This is a sweet read, full of messages about overcoming adversity, and the style of writing made it even better. I found myself truly engaged and keen to cheer these boys on to their happy-ever-after. The ending was a bit abrupt, but as I return now to write this review, I see it's a number one. I am pretty certain the idea of a series wasn't here before.
So yay, more adventures, more travels maybe, more deepening of this relationship. Only no more stalkers, right?? Thanks Netgalley and Riptide for advanced copy. Detour is out May 7.
It's a strong comparison to Nick's circumstances, and the darkness his backstory brings to the road trip. Nick's attempts to solve his own problems were understandable, but I was so glad when he opened up honestly to Ethan and started to trust.
This is a sweet read, full of messages about overcoming adversity, and the style of writing made it even better. I found myself truly engaged and keen to cheer these boys on to their happy-ever-after. The ending was a bit abrupt, but as I return now to write this review, I see it's a number one. I am pretty certain the idea of a series wasn't here before.
So yay, more adventures, more travels maybe, more deepening of this relationship. Only no more stalkers, right?? Thanks Netgalley and Riptide for advanced copy. Detour is out May 7.
June 11, 2018
This wasnt for me. It was written well but it just had too much angst.
Ethan is a grieving 18 year old on a road trip to remember his boyfriend. Why would anyone think that it would be a good idea to let a grieving 18 year old do this?
As if that isnt enough he then picks up Nick, a hitch hiker who has run away from one of those religious re-education camps that seem to abound in the US, and Nick is also evading his parents and a controlling and violent ex.
Anyway thankfully it all ends well. This was just not for me.
Copy provided by Riptide Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Ethan is a grieving 18 year old on a road trip to remember his boyfriend. Why would anyone think that it would be a good idea to let a grieving 18 year old do this?
As if that isnt enough he then picks up Nick, a hitch hiker who has run away from one of those religious re-education camps that seem to abound in the US, and Nick is also evading his parents and a controlling and violent ex.
Anyway thankfully it all ends well. This was just not for me.
Copy provided by Riptide Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 16, 2018
I completely adored this book. Ethan and Nick were fantastic together. I loved how they both handled their situations with grace and humor and honesty, even when they were vulnerable. I wanted to hug them both constantly. lol <3 So happy I read this one! <3333 Full review coming to www.thenovelapproachreviews.com
April 4, 2018
full review to follow. <3
May 18, 2018
I’m just gonna lay my cards right out on the table…I completely adored this book. I’ve not read these authors before, but it seems that Detour was a labor of love for the writing duo of Reesa Herberth and Michelle Moore that’s been a long time in the making. If you missed their tour stop on The Novel Approach, you can read it HERE. I got a good chuckle at all the different incarnations Ethan and Nick have gone through over the years! I’m so glad the story ended up as it did, though, because I loved it. The Ethan and Nick we meet in Detour are so fantastic, I have to believe that these are the characters they were always meant to be and the way they were meant to meet and fall for each other.
Sometimes, oftentimes I guess, I have a clear favorite character in a book. That wasn’t the case here. If I had to choose, I think Ethan would jusssst barely edge out Nick, but I adored them pretty much equally. Ethan is the middle child of seven kids. With three older and three younger siblings, he’s probably never had a moment to himself in his entire life. So, I didn’t blame his family one bit for being worried about him as he set off alone on the road trip he was supposed to take with his boyfriend, Scott, who died a little over a year ago. He wasn’t alone for long, however. On his first day on the road, he ends up with an unexpected companion when he nearly runs over Nick, who is hitchhiking on a stormy backroad.
Nick is clearly going through something heavy, but Ethan doesn’t want to push him too hard to find out what it is right away. Ethan is no stranger to dealing with shit that you don’t want to talk about, and he recognizes that Nick is more than a little skittish at first, so he gives him some time to open up, and even offers him the ‘out’ of lying to him if a question or conversation hits a little too close to home. Ethan eventually finds out that Nick is running away from an abusive boot camp that his parents sent him to—though, technically he was allowed to leave, since he left on his eighteenth birthday, the day Ethan picked him up. Ethan also learns that Nick is dealing with his own grief, having lost his younger brother to cancer less than two years prior, and that he’s being stalked and possibly followed by his crazy ex-boyfriend, who was SO creepy and horrible.
One of the really surprising and refreshing things about this story was that even though it was dealing with these very heavy subjects—grief and loss, abuse, and PTSD among them—the authors kept the overall tone of the book very light. And, they did it through humor and the warmth and charm of these two characters. Ethan and Nick were fantastic together. I loved how they both handled their situations with grace and humor and honesty, even when they were vulnerable. Herberth and Moore nail the dialogue and situations the guys get into on the trip. The banter is witty, and fun, and feels true to the characters. It was so easy to get caught up in them, and to find myself full-on rooting for them over the course of the book. There are definitely some moments that are hard, some conversations that were gut-punchers, but the lightness always overcame the dark.
There are tons of things to love about this book, guys. And, I also JUST noticed that it’s titled as the first in a series, Transportation, on Goodreads, which makes me so happy! I can’t wait to see what else Herberth and Moore have in the works; I would love to read more from these authors. Maybe a book for Stefan?? A girl can hope! Check this one out for sure. Detour is a hopeful, feel-good, emotional but ultimately very happy and sweet book. It’s one I could absolutely see revisiting when I need something funny and happy-making to read. 😊
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
Sometimes, oftentimes I guess, I have a clear favorite character in a book. That wasn’t the case here. If I had to choose, I think Ethan would jusssst barely edge out Nick, but I adored them pretty much equally. Ethan is the middle child of seven kids. With three older and three younger siblings, he’s probably never had a moment to himself in his entire life. So, I didn’t blame his family one bit for being worried about him as he set off alone on the road trip he was supposed to take with his boyfriend, Scott, who died a little over a year ago. He wasn’t alone for long, however. On his first day on the road, he ends up with an unexpected companion when he nearly runs over Nick, who is hitchhiking on a stormy backroad.
Nick is clearly going through something heavy, but Ethan doesn’t want to push him too hard to find out what it is right away. Ethan is no stranger to dealing with shit that you don’t want to talk about, and he recognizes that Nick is more than a little skittish at first, so he gives him some time to open up, and even offers him the ‘out’ of lying to him if a question or conversation hits a little too close to home. Ethan eventually finds out that Nick is running away from an abusive boot camp that his parents sent him to—though, technically he was allowed to leave, since he left on his eighteenth birthday, the day Ethan picked him up. Ethan also learns that Nick is dealing with his own grief, having lost his younger brother to cancer less than two years prior, and that he’s being stalked and possibly followed by his crazy ex-boyfriend, who was SO creepy and horrible.
One of the really surprising and refreshing things about this story was that even though it was dealing with these very heavy subjects—grief and loss, abuse, and PTSD among them—the authors kept the overall tone of the book very light. And, they did it through humor and the warmth and charm of these two characters. Ethan and Nick were fantastic together. I loved how they both handled their situations with grace and humor and honesty, even when they were vulnerable. Herberth and Moore nail the dialogue and situations the guys get into on the trip. The banter is witty, and fun, and feels true to the characters. It was so easy to get caught up in them, and to find myself full-on rooting for them over the course of the book. There are definitely some moments that are hard, some conversations that were gut-punchers, but the lightness always overcame the dark.
There are tons of things to love about this book, guys. And, I also JUST noticed that it’s titled as the first in a series, Transportation, on Goodreads, which makes me so happy! I can’t wait to see what else Herberth and Moore have in the works; I would love to read more from these authors. Maybe a book for Stefan?? A girl can hope! Check this one out for sure. Detour is a hopeful, feel-good, emotional but ultimately very happy and sweet book. It’s one I could absolutely see revisiting when I need something funny and happy-making to read. 😊
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
August 1, 2018
I cherished this book. Completely. I loved Ethan and Nick, both of whom are, if not flawed, at least scarred deeply. Their experiences and personal histories are so painful to read but always full of hope that they will come out of this improved and even perhaps restored.
Ethan lost his beloved Scott in a school shooting. That’s a horrible way to lose anyone. How do you recover? I have no idea. It’s too heartbreaking to think about. When Ethan graduates from high school he takes the road trip he and Scott had always planned – to drive across the country from Virginia to the Pacific Coast. After that, what? Ethan takes Scott with him in a manner of speaking, hoping that he could somehow manage to move on. His contact with Scott’s mother is so endearing. Not long into his trip he nearly runs over Nick, who is fleeing his own demon.
Nick lost his only brother, after which his parents sent him to a pray-the-gay-away camp. There he met a man who attached himself to Nick like a leech. In his vulnerable state Nick allowed Kyle to come to mean too much to get rid of him, but running away from the camp is his first step toward the independence he needs. After Ethan picks Nick up and they continue Ethan’s trip together, it’s partly because Ethan doesn’t really want to be alone on the trip he planned with Scott and partly because Nick thinks he has no other options at the moment.
They have many adventures crossing the country, some funny, some goofy, some nostalgic, and some sad. I can’t tell more without spoiling the story but it’s worth the time to read it. I encourage you to do so. A wonderful book!
Ethan lost his beloved Scott in a school shooting. That’s a horrible way to lose anyone. How do you recover? I have no idea. It’s too heartbreaking to think about. When Ethan graduates from high school he takes the road trip he and Scott had always planned – to drive across the country from Virginia to the Pacific Coast. After that, what? Ethan takes Scott with him in a manner of speaking, hoping that he could somehow manage to move on. His contact with Scott’s mother is so endearing. Not long into his trip he nearly runs over Nick, who is fleeing his own demon.
Nick lost his only brother, after which his parents sent him to a pray-the-gay-away camp. There he met a man who attached himself to Nick like a leech. In his vulnerable state Nick allowed Kyle to come to mean too much to get rid of him, but running away from the camp is his first step toward the independence he needs. After Ethan picks Nick up and they continue Ethan’s trip together, it’s partly because Ethan doesn’t really want to be alone on the trip he planned with Scott and partly because Nick thinks he has no other options at the moment.
They have many adventures crossing the country, some funny, some goofy, some nostalgic, and some sad. I can’t tell more without spoiling the story but it’s worth the time to read it. I encourage you to do so. A wonderful book!
May 19, 2018
Though I enjoyed this book a fair lot and fell in awe of its effortlessly powerful writing, I did not love it, for I felt that it needlessly used clichés where less hackneyed tropes would have been neater and more effective and did not live up to the full potential of its deeply moving plot line by dint of a misplaced focus on gratuitously upbeat matters of only circumstancial, if not tengential, interest.
I am all for slow-burn romance between wounded heroes who are discovering that healing, closure and a promising future is what they can best provide the other one; in the case of Detour, though, the book promises more than it does actually deliver. Both the romantic stuff and the angst get squeezed in among a huge recrudescence of filler that soon become repetitive, if never actually stale thanks to the clever wording full of one-liners and entertaining punchlines, as the story contains in my opinion entirely too much cutesy and kitsch. No doubt about it, athletic Ethan is obsessed about food, so he and Ethan spend a disproportionaly high time either eating junk food in their motel room of the day or munching in at diners, bakeries, delis and theme park eateries, and if not that, deliberating in Ethan's SUV about what next finger food they are going to pick up. Add to this the time spent at such quirky venues as the Dolly Parton resort, Titanic re-enactment, world's giant pistachio, and so on, and you will understand 1) that both boys only ever have two substantive discussions about Nick's past that do not envolve the allowance Ethan gave the other boy to lie to him whenever truth proves to be too harsh to air it out in the open, and 2) that the sexy element only amounts to two blowjobs and one anal scene that fades to black very early. For 18 year-old boys, this low heat looked rather coy and uncalled for - all the more so since Nick gets a bit potty-mouthed in the second half of the book when it comes to evoking his relationship with asshole-in-chief Kyle. More time spend on the character building would not have been redundant either; indeed, neither the rationale behind the decision of Nick's parents to send him to a pray-the-gay-away camp after he got beaten down by Kyle, who had impressed them in the guise of being Nick's college buddy, nor their lack of affection for Nick once his little brother Drew had passed away, cut much ice, nor does Ethan's zealous quest for paranormal encounters in highlights of the weird American lore as the reflect of his fear to let go the soul of his deceased boyfriend. In this respect, the two points of the story where Ethan and Nick actually see something genuinely creepy in the haunted places they are roaming are not convincingly done; they send the plot into a momentary tailspin. Likewise the, rather awkwardly recounted, tarot reading in the epilogue that promises good things to come for the boys. Finally, I felt somewhat short-changed with the resolution of the book's major conflict - Nick's tearing into Kyle on the phone while he is fleeing from Ethan in a Greyhound bus (look at the sheer lack of verisimilitude of the entire situation!) amounts to nothing substantial in the way of closure and seemed to me to be an egregious case of too little too late. Actually, the entire ending was rushed and unsatisfactory - one feels that Nick has barely begun the process of healing and has a lot of work to do on himself because he can be the boyfriend Ethan deserves.
Equally disappointing was the heavy dependence of the two writers upon very hackneyed tropes. 1) Blond bombshell slash lacrosse player Ethan is the poster boy for WASP, liberal-leaning family with many rambunctious yet sweet kids, while biracial Latin-American Nick (his mom hails from Peru) belongs to a fractured family from a much more conservative background. 2) Scott's sudden death that had Ethan plummeting through the past year before the novel begins is due to a shooting at his school (a rather risqué, if not shameless, nod at the terrible actuality of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, and one, I fear, that is not exploided with any empathy or originality - so much so that Ethan's eleventh-hour conversation on the phone with Scott's mom, to whom he had not talked since the shooting, takes the cake for the most sugary dialogue in the entire novel). 3) Ethan had to be the jokester of the two (his puns are more often than not pretty terrible), the one most ridiculously addicted to gaudy baubles, ugly stuffed toys, and horrible goodies, so that Nick could tell his monstrously extravagant fibs with impunity under the oath of 'lie to me'; this felt sometimes extremely formulaic and joy killing. 4) Kyle as a stalker through the social medias did not possess any depth; truth is, the two ladies came short of plausible ideas on how to have him track the lads and make things complicated for them, so they fell back on the stale trope of Instagram trolling. 5) At the antigay boot camp, Nick was sexually harrassed by a senior counselor and made a friend in a younger one, who, as it most conveniently turns out, was gay himself and resigned in time to act as Nick's sounding board in the second half of the book. 6) A few dozen pages near the end, Kyle makes unexpected ripples with Ethan's overprotective parents which frighten Nick into leaving him for his own good, just so the novel could close down on a bang. I trust a fuller list would serve no purpose. Even the high literary chops of the joint writers could not save such an amount of cheesy or artificial situations.
I seldom comment upon covers; yet the artwork on this book was cheep and reeked of utterly bad taste.
Three stars and a half, rounded up to four because on the whole Detour engrossed me quite a lot. I will gladly read the follow up.
I am all for slow-burn romance between wounded heroes who are discovering that healing, closure and a promising future is what they can best provide the other one; in the case of Detour, though, the book promises more than it does actually deliver. Both the romantic stuff and the angst get squeezed in among a huge recrudescence of filler that soon become repetitive, if never actually stale thanks to the clever wording full of one-liners and entertaining punchlines, as the story contains in my opinion entirely too much cutesy and kitsch. No doubt about it, athletic Ethan is obsessed about food, so he and Ethan spend a disproportionaly high time either eating junk food in their motel room of the day or munching in at diners, bakeries, delis and theme park eateries, and if not that, deliberating in Ethan's SUV about what next finger food they are going to pick up. Add to this the time spent at such quirky venues as the Dolly Parton resort, Titanic re-enactment, world's giant pistachio, and so on, and you will understand 1) that both boys only ever have two substantive discussions about Nick's past that do not envolve the allowance Ethan gave the other boy to lie to him whenever truth proves to be too harsh to air it out in the open, and 2) that the sexy element only amounts to two blowjobs and one anal scene that fades to black very early. For 18 year-old boys, this low heat looked rather coy and uncalled for - all the more so since Nick gets a bit potty-mouthed in the second half of the book when it comes to evoking his relationship with asshole-in-chief Kyle. More time spend on the character building would not have been redundant either; indeed, neither the rationale behind the decision of Nick's parents to send him to a pray-the-gay-away camp after he got beaten down by Kyle, who had impressed them in the guise of being Nick's college buddy, nor their lack of affection for Nick once his little brother Drew had passed away, cut much ice, nor does Ethan's zealous quest for paranormal encounters in highlights of the weird American lore as the reflect of his fear to let go the soul of his deceased boyfriend. In this respect, the two points of the story where Ethan and Nick actually see something genuinely creepy in the haunted places they are roaming are not convincingly done; they send the plot into a momentary tailspin. Likewise the, rather awkwardly recounted, tarot reading in the epilogue that promises good things to come for the boys. Finally, I felt somewhat short-changed with the resolution of the book's major conflict - Nick's tearing into Kyle on the phone while he is fleeing from Ethan in a Greyhound bus (look at the sheer lack of verisimilitude of the entire situation!) amounts to nothing substantial in the way of closure and seemed to me to be an egregious case of too little too late. Actually, the entire ending was rushed and unsatisfactory - one feels that Nick has barely begun the process of healing and has a lot of work to do on himself because he can be the boyfriend Ethan deserves.
Equally disappointing was the heavy dependence of the two writers upon very hackneyed tropes. 1) Blond bombshell slash lacrosse player Ethan is the poster boy for WASP, liberal-leaning family with many rambunctious yet sweet kids, while biracial Latin-American Nick (his mom hails from Peru) belongs to a fractured family from a much more conservative background. 2) Scott's sudden death that had Ethan plummeting through the past year before the novel begins is due to a shooting at his school (a rather risqué, if not shameless, nod at the terrible actuality of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, and one, I fear, that is not exploided with any empathy or originality - so much so that Ethan's eleventh-hour conversation on the phone with Scott's mom, to whom he had not talked since the shooting, takes the cake for the most sugary dialogue in the entire novel). 3) Ethan had to be the jokester of the two (his puns are more often than not pretty terrible), the one most ridiculously addicted to gaudy baubles, ugly stuffed toys, and horrible goodies, so that Nick could tell his monstrously extravagant fibs with impunity under the oath of 'lie to me'; this felt sometimes extremely formulaic and joy killing. 4) Kyle as a stalker through the social medias did not possess any depth; truth is, the two ladies came short of plausible ideas on how to have him track the lads and make things complicated for them, so they fell back on the stale trope of Instagram trolling. 5) At the antigay boot camp, Nick was sexually harrassed by a senior counselor and made a friend in a younger one, who, as it most conveniently turns out, was gay himself and resigned in time to act as Nick's sounding board in the second half of the book. 6) A few dozen pages near the end, Kyle makes unexpected ripples with Ethan's overprotective parents which frighten Nick into leaving him for his own good, just so the novel could close down on a bang. I trust a fuller list would serve no purpose. Even the high literary chops of the joint writers could not save such an amount of cheesy or artificial situations.
I seldom comment upon covers; yet the artwork on this book was cheep and reeked of utterly bad taste.
Three stars and a half, rounded up to four because on the whole Detour engrossed me quite a lot. I will gladly read the follow up.
May 20, 2018
LOVED IT! made me cry a few times
May 3, 2018
This was one of those stories that had so much angsty potential. Ethan is coming to grips with a devastating loss and trying to get out from under the protective cocoon his parents want to keep him in. Nick is the complete opposite, sent away when he needed help the most, he suffers greatly until he can finally break free. They couldn't be more different, but on a dark road in the middle of a torrential downpour their worlds will collide and it should have been a glorious tearjerker of a read.
True story, I cry over two things: Christmas commercials and books. Full on waterworks, ugly sobs, snot everywhere. It's an outlet for me because I rarely ever reach that emotion in real life. So, I was confused when the dark, heavy stuff appeared on the page and I wasn't feeling a thing. It bothered me a lot actually because this book deals with a lot of dark heavy stuff, but the connection was lacking. What I did respond to was the humor. Both Nick and Ethan fall back on it constantly, and I got that more than anything else in the book.
The cross-country journey is ripe with fun places to visit (yes, I am planning a trip to the Titanic reenactment) and I loved all the kitschy stuff, but I didn't quite believe that Nick was ready to be with Ethan or that they had a chance unless Nick got some serious help reconciling his ghosts.
The book is well written, with a lot of vivid imagery, and characters you want to root for. I don't know why I didn't connect, but don't let that stop you from trying Detour.
True story, I cry over two things: Christmas commercials and books. Full on waterworks, ugly sobs, snot everywhere. It's an outlet for me because I rarely ever reach that emotion in real life. So, I was confused when the dark, heavy stuff appeared on the page and I wasn't feeling a thing. It bothered me a lot actually because this book deals with a lot of dark heavy stuff, but the connection was lacking. What I did respond to was the humor. Both Nick and Ethan fall back on it constantly, and I got that more than anything else in the book.
The cross-country journey is ripe with fun places to visit (yes, I am planning a trip to the Titanic reenactment) and I loved all the kitschy stuff, but I didn't quite believe that Nick was ready to be with Ethan or that they had a chance unless Nick got some serious help reconciling his ghosts.
The book is well written, with a lot of vivid imagery, and characters you want to root for. I don't know why I didn't connect, but don't let that stop you from trying Detour.
July 2, 2018
REVIEWED BY CINDY
If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I don’t give a 5 heart rating very often, but with this story, I couldn’t do anything less.
The back stories for both Ethan and Nick are absolutely heartbreaking and I don’t want to give anything away so I’m just going to say if you don’t fall for both boys in about 5 seconds flat, I question your humanity.
The real star of this story is their chemistry. It’s not all sappy and lovey-dovey at the beginning, but they do understand each other very quickly and how they react to each other is amazing. The back and forth is funny and sad and completely honest. I know friends and lovers who are like this and it makes me jealous to see how in tune with each other they are.
Even when they don’t know each other yet, when they’ve just met, they grief they are both carrying helps them make an instant connection, one that I’m okay with because it makes complete sense, given what they’ve both been through.
The differences between their families is a contrast that works, mostly because it highlights how different people react in similar circumstances. Trust me though, you’re going to want to hug Nick a lot.
The road trip they embark on (accidentally) together made me smile, as there are just as many light-hearted and sweet moments as there are sad ones. Everything works with this amazing balance that the authors pull together seamlessly and let me tell you, giggle crying is really one of my favorite reactions to a story.
Everything about this story is believable, especially the reactions of these two young, barely adult men who are both looking for a reason to keep going, in more ways than one. Watching as these guys look for their future while dealing with the consequences of their past was a real treat for me.
The authors put this together beautifully and it is probably one of the best stories I have read this year
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I don’t give a 5 heart rating very often, but with this story, I couldn’t do anything less.
The back stories for both Ethan and Nick are absolutely heartbreaking and I don’t want to give anything away so I’m just going to say if you don’t fall for both boys in about 5 seconds flat, I question your humanity.
The real star of this story is their chemistry. It’s not all sappy and lovey-dovey at the beginning, but they do understand each other very quickly and how they react to each other is amazing. The back and forth is funny and sad and completely honest. I know friends and lovers who are like this and it makes me jealous to see how in tune with each other they are.
Even when they don’t know each other yet, when they’ve just met, they grief they are both carrying helps them make an instant connection, one that I’m okay with because it makes complete sense, given what they’ve both been through.
The differences between their families is a contrast that works, mostly because it highlights how different people react in similar circumstances. Trust me though, you’re going to want to hug Nick a lot.
The road trip they embark on (accidentally) together made me smile, as there are just as many light-hearted and sweet moments as there are sad ones. Everything works with this amazing balance that the authors pull together seamlessly and let me tell you, giggle crying is really one of my favorite reactions to a story.
Everything about this story is believable, especially the reactions of these two young, barely adult men who are both looking for a reason to keep going, in more ways than one. Watching as these guys look for their future while dealing with the consequences of their past was a real treat for me.
The authors put this together beautifully and it is probably one of the best stories I have read this year
This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
May 11, 2018
The Story
Detour follows 18-year-old Ethan who embarks on a road trip shortly after his graduation. We learn that this was a trip Ethan had originally planned on taking with his boyfriend and love of his life Scott, who was murdered at school by a shooter. Ethan’s not really sure why he’s taking the trip though we do know that he’s still reeling from the loss of Scott so perhaps he’s hoping the trip will help him to figure out who he is without his boyfriend. It’s also worth mentioning that Ethan is suffering from a severe case of survivor’s guilt.
So it’s dark, the weather is bad, and Ethan almost runs over a hitchhiker. Despite his family’s repeated warnings of never picking up hitchhikers, Ethan offers the hitchhiker a ride. We learn that his name is Nick and that he also has his own demons he’s running away from. He has just left one of those “pray away the gay” type of camps called Camp Cornerstone and is basically homeless and broke.
Not only that, we learn that prior to Nick’s “enrollment” at Camp Cornerstone, he was in an abusive relationship with a controlling, stalkerish, and rather creepy man named Kyle. That being said, Nick is the much more mistrusting and bitter of the two, given that he’s been betrayed by every important person in his life. It’s additionally worth mentioning that Nick has also experienced the death of someone close to him, which adds to the emotional turmoil he's experiencing
So after having faith that neither of them is going to kill the other in their sleep (the topic of “stranger danger” comes up several times during the story), they decide to embark on Ethan’s road trip together. So basically, we have two characters who have gone through horrific events and who are basically broken -- they’re both confused, hurt and trying to find themselves in a world that up to this point, has not proven to be overly kind.
WHAT I LIKED
I really enjoyed the dynamics between these two vivid and lovable characters. Though they were both hurting and perhaps a bit mistrustful, they both opened up to each other and throughout the trip, treated each other with kindness and respect --- though it did take Nick somewhat longer to open up which isn’t surprising given that he’d been let down by everyone in his life up to this point.
But it was lovely to see the healing that took place with the both of them as they each helped the other work through the terrible events of their past and explored their grief together. I also really loved Ethan’s tender kindheartedness towards Nick, which I felt showed a lot of strength as a character.
There was a lot of enjoyable banter between the two of them, and both Ethan and Nick had a wonderful sense of humor which made me chuckle out loud on more than one occasion.
I also loved the slow burn romance aspect of this story, which I have to admit is one of my favorite tropes. I loved how the relationship between these two broken characters slowly developed over the trip, resulting not only in the blossoming of a new love but also in much-needed healing for the both of them. In fact, I felt that the entire story wasn’t at all rushed and unfolded at just the right pace. The author did a nice job at showing the relationship progress between Ethan and Nick.
I’m also a huge fan of road trip stories, and this one was no exception. It was fun experiencing through our characters all the zany and kitschy places they visited (Titanic museum and hotel, anyone?) and the adventures they had along the way.
But what especially worked for me in the story was the healing and growth these two characters experienced as we moved throughout the book. As their backstory unfolded and they confided more and more in each other, they both underwent several realizations and revelations that helped them grow as characters. Thus, they were able to overcome the adversity that had them both nearly paralyzed before they met.
In this way, Detour is about two lost souls finding themselves and not allowing their circumstances to prevent them from evolving into the people they’re meant to be.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Though I enjoyed the snappy banter between the two characters, there were a few times when I felt that it went on and on a bit too long. I did catch myself thinking on a few occasions that the non-stop snark was getting a bit tiring -- maybe even grating on my nerves a bit - and felt that the story could have done with a little less of it.
FINAL VERDICT
I ended up loving this book. In the midst of darkness and turmoil, there is fun and humor, and I found myself laughing out loud several times throughout the story at the witty dialog that Detour throws at the reader. Though it will break your heart in places, it is also sweet and playful in others.
The writing is solid and clear, and the touching backstory helped us to know and understand each character’s motivation. I also felt that the characters themselves are meticulously developed, and as such, the reader truly feels the depth of their hurt and guilt and their past unfolds.
Detour is a powerful and revelatory coming-of-age novel of two boys trying to overcome their pasts, so in this way, it’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The main charm of this book is in it's plain and simple relatability. Though we may not all have gone through the exact things as Ethan and Nick, the majority of us have at some point experienced heartbreak, grief or difficult circumstances that have kept us stuck.
All in all, Detour is a lovely sweet romance between two boys who, in working through their past demons, come out stronger on the other side and I loved it. I’d give this book 4 1/2 stars.
This was originally posted on my blog at rogerhyttinen.com.
Detour follows 18-year-old Ethan who embarks on a road trip shortly after his graduation. We learn that this was a trip Ethan had originally planned on taking with his boyfriend and love of his life Scott, who was murdered at school by a shooter. Ethan’s not really sure why he’s taking the trip though we do know that he’s still reeling from the loss of Scott so perhaps he’s hoping the trip will help him to figure out who he is without his boyfriend. It’s also worth mentioning that Ethan is suffering from a severe case of survivor’s guilt.
So it’s dark, the weather is bad, and Ethan almost runs over a hitchhiker. Despite his family’s repeated warnings of never picking up hitchhikers, Ethan offers the hitchhiker a ride. We learn that his name is Nick and that he also has his own demons he’s running away from. He has just left one of those “pray away the gay” type of camps called Camp Cornerstone and is basically homeless and broke.
Not only that, we learn that prior to Nick’s “enrollment” at Camp Cornerstone, he was in an abusive relationship with a controlling, stalkerish, and rather creepy man named Kyle. That being said, Nick is the much more mistrusting and bitter of the two, given that he’s been betrayed by every important person in his life. It’s additionally worth mentioning that Nick has also experienced the death of someone close to him, which adds to the emotional turmoil he's experiencing
So after having faith that neither of them is going to kill the other in their sleep (the topic of “stranger danger” comes up several times during the story), they decide to embark on Ethan’s road trip together. So basically, we have two characters who have gone through horrific events and who are basically broken -- they’re both confused, hurt and trying to find themselves in a world that up to this point, has not proven to be overly kind.
WHAT I LIKED
I really enjoyed the dynamics between these two vivid and lovable characters. Though they were both hurting and perhaps a bit mistrustful, they both opened up to each other and throughout the trip, treated each other with kindness and respect --- though it did take Nick somewhat longer to open up which isn’t surprising given that he’d been let down by everyone in his life up to this point.
But it was lovely to see the healing that took place with the both of them as they each helped the other work through the terrible events of their past and explored their grief together. I also really loved Ethan’s tender kindheartedness towards Nick, which I felt showed a lot of strength as a character.
There was a lot of enjoyable banter between the two of them, and both Ethan and Nick had a wonderful sense of humor which made me chuckle out loud on more than one occasion.
I also loved the slow burn romance aspect of this story, which I have to admit is one of my favorite tropes. I loved how the relationship between these two broken characters slowly developed over the trip, resulting not only in the blossoming of a new love but also in much-needed healing for the both of them. In fact, I felt that the entire story wasn’t at all rushed and unfolded at just the right pace. The author did a nice job at showing the relationship progress between Ethan and Nick.
I’m also a huge fan of road trip stories, and this one was no exception. It was fun experiencing through our characters all the zany and kitschy places they visited (Titanic museum and hotel, anyone?) and the adventures they had along the way.
But what especially worked for me in the story was the healing and growth these two characters experienced as we moved throughout the book. As their backstory unfolded and they confided more and more in each other, they both underwent several realizations and revelations that helped them grow as characters. Thus, they were able to overcome the adversity that had them both nearly paralyzed before they met.
In this way, Detour is about two lost souls finding themselves and not allowing their circumstances to prevent them from evolving into the people they’re meant to be.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Though I enjoyed the snappy banter between the two characters, there were a few times when I felt that it went on and on a bit too long. I did catch myself thinking on a few occasions that the non-stop snark was getting a bit tiring -- maybe even grating on my nerves a bit - and felt that the story could have done with a little less of it.
FINAL VERDICT
I ended up loving this book. In the midst of darkness and turmoil, there is fun and humor, and I found myself laughing out loud several times throughout the story at the witty dialog that Detour throws at the reader. Though it will break your heart in places, it is also sweet and playful in others.
The writing is solid and clear, and the touching backstory helped us to know and understand each character’s motivation. I also felt that the characters themselves are meticulously developed, and as such, the reader truly feels the depth of their hurt and guilt and their past unfolds.
Detour is a powerful and revelatory coming-of-age novel of two boys trying to overcome their pasts, so in this way, it’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The main charm of this book is in it's plain and simple relatability. Though we may not all have gone through the exact things as Ethan and Nick, the majority of us have at some point experienced heartbreak, grief or difficult circumstances that have kept us stuck.
All in all, Detour is a lovely sweet romance between two boys who, in working through their past demons, come out stronger on the other side and I loved it. I’d give this book 4 1/2 stars.
This was originally posted on my blog at rogerhyttinen.com.
May 8, 2018
4 Stars!
After graduation, Ethan starts the one-month-long trip that he's been planning for years and that he was supposed to take with his boyfriend, who died tragically. He's dealing with panic attacks and survivor's guilt and he's not sure he's actually going to make it until he almost runs over a hitchhiker a few hours into his trip and breaks his promise to his parents that he won't pick up hitchhikers on the road.
Nick, having just turned 18, checked himself out of the school/pray-the-gay-away camp his parents had enrolled in and is escaping from his past, even if he's not ready to really cut the strings that tie him to his abusive ex.
The two of them hit it off, striking an easy friendship that slowly morphs into more as they learn to trust each other while traveling through the country and visiting all sort of places, while they work on their issues. However, Nick's past might be getting too close for comfort and there's only so much running he can do, until it catches up with him.
This was such a delightful coming of age, hurt/comfort read! Both Nick and Ethan were adorable and my heart broke for all that they had gone through at 18, and maybe because of that, they both felt a bit more mature than your regular 18-year-old. I loved the progression of their relationship, from strangers to friends and finally, to lovers. They had amazing chemistry and their conversations were a thing of beauty.
This is my first book by these authors, but I really liked their writing style. It flowed well and the story was well-paced and interesting, perhaps a bit slow in the middle, but still intriguing enough to keep me wanting to find out what would happen next. Very recommendable!
*** Copy provided via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
After graduation, Ethan starts the one-month-long trip that he's been planning for years and that he was supposed to take with his boyfriend, who died tragically. He's dealing with panic attacks and survivor's guilt and he's not sure he's actually going to make it until he almost runs over a hitchhiker a few hours into his trip and breaks his promise to his parents that he won't pick up hitchhikers on the road.
Nick, having just turned 18, checked himself out of the school/pray-the-gay-away camp his parents had enrolled in and is escaping from his past, even if he's not ready to really cut the strings that tie him to his abusive ex.
The two of them hit it off, striking an easy friendship that slowly morphs into more as they learn to trust each other while traveling through the country and visiting all sort of places, while they work on their issues. However, Nick's past might be getting too close for comfort and there's only so much running he can do, until it catches up with him.
This was such a delightful coming of age, hurt/comfort read! Both Nick and Ethan were adorable and my heart broke for all that they had gone through at 18, and maybe because of that, they both felt a bit more mature than your regular 18-year-old. I loved the progression of their relationship, from strangers to friends and finally, to lovers. They had amazing chemistry and their conversations were a thing of beauty.
This is my first book by these authors, but I really liked their writing style. It flowed well and the story was well-paced and interesting, perhaps a bit slow in the middle, but still intriguing enough to keep me wanting to find out what would happen next. Very recommendable!
*** Copy provided via NetGalley for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
May 12, 2018
Check out our
Detour
post on Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is the story of an unlikely romance between Ethan, a recent high school graduate, and Nick, the hitchhiker he picks up on the first night of his graduation road trip. Neither boy is what he seems and both boys have endured unthinkable traumas.
I immediately loved both Nick and Ethan. The first taste of adult freedom is a heady rush and the joy they both take in their relatively mundane and predictable travels is contagious. I quickly grew bored of the road trip (why do Americans get so excited about travelling through their own country?) but the boys are funny and sweet and innocent and damaged and sometimes tragic. I fell hard for them both.
Beyond the road trip, this is a young adult/new adult book with very heavy adult themes. At 18, Nick and Ethan have both survived horrific experiences and the authors don’t shy away from the emotional fallout. Both kids feel real and their emotions are often raw, unfocused, and complicated. The humour and the banter between Nick and Ethan keeps the story lighter than their issues suggest; but while I thoroughly enjoyed their story, this isn’t always an easy read.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Detour (Transportation #1) by Reesa Herberth & Michelle Moore to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is the story of an unlikely romance between Ethan, a recent high school graduate, and Nick, the hitchhiker he picks up on the first night of his graduation road trip. Neither boy is what he seems and both boys have endured unthinkable traumas.
I immediately loved both Nick and Ethan. The first taste of adult freedom is a heady rush and the joy they both take in their relatively mundane and predictable travels is contagious. I quickly grew bored of the road trip (why do Americans get so excited about travelling through their own country?) but the boys are funny and sweet and innocent and damaged and sometimes tragic. I fell hard for them both.
Beyond the road trip, this is a young adult/new adult book with very heavy adult themes. At 18, Nick and Ethan have both survived horrific experiences and the authors don’t shy away from the emotional fallout. Both kids feel real and their emotions are often raw, unfocused, and complicated. The humour and the banter between Nick and Ethan keeps the story lighter than their issues suggest; but while I thoroughly enjoyed their story, this isn’t always an easy read.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Detour (Transportation #1) by Reesa Herberth & Michelle Moore to read and review for Wicked Reads.
July 8, 2018
2.5 stars
A lot of books I’ve read lately have been leaving me with a mixed reaction, and this is another one.
The scenario for the novel is interesting, if somewhat unlikely. Following his high school graduation, Ethan is taking off on a road trip he planned with his best friend and boyfriend, Scott. Since Scott was killed a year ago, though, Ethan is treating the trip as a memorial rather than anticipating a fun time. However, when he almost runs over a hitchhiker, Nick, Ethan finds himself with a passenger after all. But Nick has his own baggage—he’s just turned eighteen and left the conversion camp his parents sent him to after he was injured by his abusive ex-boyfriend, Kyle. Nick doesn’t want to go home, so a cross country trip with Ethan sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, Kyle proves less than willing to just let him go.
I like hurt-comfort stories, so this book should have been perfect for me, since both Ethan and Nick are suffering and provide support for each other. Some of the moments between them really worked, and I could buy into their friendship turned more. However, at other times, I just didn’t quite feel the relationship between the two 18-year-olds. It might be a telling commentary on their romance to note that I thought the most powerful scene in the book involved a telephone conversation between Ethan and Scott’s mother rather than any involving Ethan and Nick.
All in all, it's not a bad book, just not as good as I was hoping it would be. It's supposed to be the first in a series, though, and I'm curious about where the authors are going with the next book, so I'll probably give it a try.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
A lot of books I’ve read lately have been leaving me with a mixed reaction, and this is another one.
The scenario for the novel is interesting, if somewhat unlikely. Following his high school graduation, Ethan is taking off on a road trip he planned with his best friend and boyfriend, Scott. Since Scott was killed a year ago, though, Ethan is treating the trip as a memorial rather than anticipating a fun time. However, when he almost runs over a hitchhiker, Nick, Ethan finds himself with a passenger after all. But Nick has his own baggage—he’s just turned eighteen and left the conversion camp his parents sent him to after he was injured by his abusive ex-boyfriend, Kyle. Nick doesn’t want to go home, so a cross country trip with Ethan sounds like a great idea. Unfortunately, Kyle proves less than willing to just let him go.
I like hurt-comfort stories, so this book should have been perfect for me, since both Ethan and Nick are suffering and provide support for each other. Some of the moments between them really worked, and I could buy into their friendship turned more. However, at other times, I just didn’t quite feel the relationship between the two 18-year-olds. It might be a telling commentary on their romance to note that I thought the most powerful scene in the book involved a telephone conversation between Ethan and Scott’s mother rather than any involving Ethan and Nick.
All in all, it's not a bad book, just not as good as I was hoping it would be. It's supposed to be the first in a series, though, and I'm curious about where the authors are going with the next book, so I'll probably give it a try.
A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.
August 6, 2018
This book shocked me more than anything else. It wasn't one I was really looking forward to reading. It was for a challenge and I figured it would be an ok read but nothing that would keep me glued to my kindle. Instead I found I couldn't put it down. It wasn't just a road trip both with two kids screwing around and having fun. It was more about two guys trying to deal with pasts that haunted them and clinging to each other as a sort of lifeline in a world that isn't what they expected it to be. What really surprised me is throughout this books heavy issue but Nick and Ethan stayed in character. They both always felt like they were eighteen years old. They didn't feel old beyond their years or out of character for two kids. Their wasn't any miraculous happy ends or weird unexpected twists in the story. Between the angst there was humor in the weird places Ethan insisted on them visiting and lies they made up to cover up the truth that they didn't want to talk about. By the end of the book I really want to know know more about what happens to these guys.
September 20, 2018
So that's the second book in two days that got me crying at night.
True, I was freaking exhausted and prone to tears, but the themes this story covers are deep and well written. The characters feelings got me involved pretty quickly, especially Ethan's. While Nick's evolution was more interesting, I didn't feel as much for him, mostly because he doesn't quite get the same closure as Ethan. Since this book is apparently part of a series, which I wasn't aware of while reading, I'm guessing that part will be explored in deeper ways in the next instalment. Sadly, I wish it wasn't the case. I feel that this book could have been enough as a stand-alone, if Nick's case had been a bit more explored.
I'm definitely keeping faith in the authors, and I'm waiting eagerly for the second book, but before actually reading it, I don't think I'll be able to shake the feeling that something's missing here.
I'll still recommend it, though!
True, I was freaking exhausted and prone to tears, but the themes this story covers are deep and well written. The characters feelings got me involved pretty quickly, especially Ethan's. While Nick's evolution was more interesting, I didn't feel as much for him, mostly because he doesn't quite get the same closure as Ethan. Since this book is apparently part of a series, which I wasn't aware of while reading, I'm guessing that part will be explored in deeper ways in the next instalment. Sadly, I wish it wasn't the case. I feel that this book could have been enough as a stand-alone, if Nick's case had been a bit more explored.
I'm definitely keeping faith in the authors, and I'm waiting eagerly for the second book, but before actually reading it, I don't think I'll be able to shake the feeling that something's missing here.
I'll still recommend it, though!
August 31, 2018
3.5*
Well the cutsie cover hid a wealth of life experiences built into 18yr olds Ethan and Nick.
Both have hard roads travelled behind them and the story is really about how they begin to move forward.
They are very young and their road trip did take in the sights that titillate the young!
Their relationship gradually develops despite secrets still kept and I think the short time apart was needed.
Ethan needed to talk about Scott and Nick needed to report Kyle and Camp whatever for abuse.
The story read quite quickly, some hard parts, some humourous parts. They did consider a man twice their age as old (he wouldn’t even by 40!). It did show how parents don’t know what goes on when their child moves towards independence but also the child does not use the resource of parents (and in Ethan’s case, Scott’s parents)
Well the cutsie cover hid a wealth of life experiences built into 18yr olds Ethan and Nick.
Both have hard roads travelled behind them and the story is really about how they begin to move forward.
They are very young and their road trip did take in the sights that titillate the young!
Their relationship gradually develops despite secrets still kept and I think the short time apart was needed.
Ethan needed to talk about Scott and Nick needed to report Kyle and Camp whatever for abuse.
The story read quite quickly, some hard parts, some humourous parts. They did consider a man twice their age as old (he wouldn’t even by 40!). It did show how parents don’t know what goes on when their child moves towards independence but also the child does not use the resource of parents (and in Ethan’s case, Scott’s parents)
August 17, 2019
So, this book was very good, but it deals with some seriously serious stuff. I wasn't really prepared for how many things this was going to throw at the reader CW for With all of these issues, the authors tread fairly deftly.
I had to suspend disbelief for the meeting a bit, but I do love a road trip romance. It's just easier to buy the accelerated timeline when the characters are together 24/7. And you get a good sense of these two being kids, 18 and 19 years old, who've each had some very rough stuff happen to them, but are still figuring themselves out.
I didn't realize this was the first in a series, I would definitely read more about these two characters.
I had to suspend disbelief for the meeting a bit, but I do love a road trip romance. It's just easier to buy the accelerated timeline when the characters are together 24/7. And you get a good sense of these two being kids, 18 and 19 years old, who've each had some very rough stuff happen to them, but are still figuring themselves out.
I didn't realize this was the first in a series, I would definitely read more about these two characters.
June 6, 2021
I found this book as I was searching for “road trip” stories. It was a new to me author. I did like it. It was well written and well established, but a few things just didn’t sit with me right. First of all it was too long. It could have been about 100 pages shorter. Second, I don’t feel there was any true resolution to the numerous crisis that were permeating the story - the ex, both sets of parents and the future. All in all thought, It was an enjoyable story.
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