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No River Wide Enough
Two years ago, Chris and his boyfriend escaped the turmoil of the big city to settle in a small town at the US-Canada border. Eager to settle into forever, Chris bought the Frontier Café and Bakery. A year later, his boyfriend dumps him, leaving Chris the only gay man in town and resigned to a life of romantic solitude and baked goods.
Hank is a loner who's spent the last ten years travelling through the country for his job as a water plant engineer. Deeply closeted, he's extremely careful about the men he meets. Like the rivers he studies during his travels, he flows fast through the land, never slowing down enough to be caught.
In town only for a few weeks on a water treatment facility project, he's intent on getting the job done and returning home out west to take care of his father. But when he sets eyes on the local ginger baker standing behind a table full of decadent desserts, the temptation is too much to resist.
Hank is a loner who's spent the last ten years travelling through the country for his job as a water plant engineer. Deeply closeted, he's extremely careful about the men he meets. Like the rivers he studies during his travels, he flows fast through the land, never slowing down enough to be caught.
In town only for a few weeks on a water treatment facility project, he's intent on getting the job done and returning home out west to take care of his father. But when he sets eyes on the local ginger baker standing behind a table full of decadent desserts, the temptation is too much to resist.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2018
About the author
Mel Bossa
32 books220 followersI think I've written and changed my bio on here a hundred times in the last decade. See, that's why I don't have tattoos!
I've been a GR for over ten years and I still use it daily to keep up with my reading and to learn about books, old and new ones, but more importantly, because as I grow older and hopefully wiser, I realize that readers are my favorite type of people. They seem to be a little more empathetic and open-minded, and generally more cultivated.
If you look at my shelves, you'll see that I used to read about 70 books a year but in the last years, I've grown more selective and take my time with my lovers, ahem, books.
Yes, I am also a LGBTQ writer and Francophone Montrealer.
I cherish my readers, and want to take this space here to thank you all personally for reading and reviewing my books. You make reality tolerable like a good class of wine.
May your life be blessed.
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August 28, 2019LT3 unfortunately had to close and this book was temporarily unavailable. You can now get it with JMS Books... As of August 28th 2019. I am giving away a few e-books for review if anyone is interested!
Just drop me a note here or email me. mbmelbossa@gmail.com
Thanks!
Just drop me a note here or email me. mbmelbossa@gmail.com
Thanks!
May 22, 2018
3 Stars!
The book starts off by letting us know it is set in 1992, when the AIDS epidemic is still very much talked about and being feared. This is one of the major reasons Chris and his then boyfriend moved. They were tired of burring their friends and the turmoil it brought them. Chris settled into small town life and ended up buying the Frontier Cafe and Bakery. Trevor, his boyfriend, couldn't handle the small town life and left to go back to the concrete jungle of New York. It has been a year since Trevor left Chris and although he has a job he loves and great friends, he is quite lonely. He figured being the only out gay man in town he will be living with his loneliness for the rest of his life. That is until the county fair. Him and his business partner have a booth sat up and it's there he meets the eyes of a tall dark handsome man. He hopes the long eye contact they keep means what he think it means.
Hank has been living a life of lies and solitude. He travels all over for his job and never stays in one place too long. He has an anxiety disorder that he deals with on his own. It affects him a lot especially when it comes to his sexuality. He's a 37 year old man who has been alone the entire time with no real relationships keeping himself locked up tight in that closet of his. He works, reads, and takes care of his ornery father. But meeting the eyes of the ginger man has him losing his self control that he tries so hard to obtain. He knows this man is going to be his game changer. The one who will pull him out of his solitude and that dark closet. The one who he will do anything to be with.
This is a slow burn love story about two men, one out and one not, who've been lonely in their own way finding each other and changing each others lives. There are many struggles both men go through together and separately. Hank struggles not only within himself but also with his relationship with his father. Chris struggles with choices and decisions he's made that essentially changed his outlook on things and how naive he had been.
It was a great story. I really enjoyed it. It just didn't wow me. The chemistry of these two characters took awhile for me to believe. They spent too much time apart for my liking. It was a quick read once I got started (RL interruptions). I never felt bored or that the story was dragging. It was a satisfying read.
Happy reading dolls! xx
**I RECEIVED AN ARC FROM NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.**
The book starts off by letting us know it is set in 1992, when the AIDS epidemic is still very much talked about and being feared. This is one of the major reasons Chris and his then boyfriend moved. They were tired of burring their friends and the turmoil it brought them. Chris settled into small town life and ended up buying the Frontier Cafe and Bakery. Trevor, his boyfriend, couldn't handle the small town life and left to go back to the concrete jungle of New York. It has been a year since Trevor left Chris and although he has a job he loves and great friends, he is quite lonely. He figured being the only out gay man in town he will be living with his loneliness for the rest of his life. That is until the county fair. Him and his business partner have a booth sat up and it's there he meets the eyes of a tall dark handsome man. He hopes the long eye contact they keep means what he think it means.
Hank has been living a life of lies and solitude. He travels all over for his job and never stays in one place too long. He has an anxiety disorder that he deals with on his own. It affects him a lot especially when it comes to his sexuality. He's a 37 year old man who has been alone the entire time with no real relationships keeping himself locked up tight in that closet of his. He works, reads, and takes care of his ornery father. But meeting the eyes of the ginger man has him losing his self control that he tries so hard to obtain. He knows this man is going to be his game changer. The one who will pull him out of his solitude and that dark closet. The one who he will do anything to be with.
This is a slow burn love story about two men, one out and one not, who've been lonely in their own way finding each other and changing each others lives. There are many struggles both men go through together and separately. Hank struggles not only within himself but also with his relationship with his father. Chris struggles with choices and decisions he's made that essentially changed his outlook on things and how naive he had been.
It was a great story. I really enjoyed it. It just didn't wow me. The chemistry of these two characters took awhile for me to believe. They spent too much time apart for my liking. It was a quick read once I got started (RL interruptions). I never felt bored or that the story was dragging. It was a satisfying read.
Happy reading dolls! xx
**I RECEIVED AN ARC FROM NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.**
April 23, 2018
I can't stress enough how much I like Mel Bossa's writing style. I have liked every single book I've read of hers so far and I have really high hopes that I'll continue to do so.
Ok, let's talk about the story now...
Have you read the blurb? That only gets you to about 30% of the book and, I have to be honest about it, it was my least favorite part of the book. But after the first few weeks of Chris and Hank getting to know one another, where everything was moving too fast and Hank was kind of all over the place, one minute saying one thing and the next doing the exact opposite, the story really started flowing. I couldn't put the book down, wanting to know what was going to happen not just with the MCs but with all the quirky people of St Clovis.
What I have figured out after reading many of this autor's books is that she has a knack for recreating the atmoshere of the '80s and the '90s. Many of her stories take place during that time period and it's refreshing (yes, I get the irony) to read about a time so simpler and at the same time so harder than today.
The lack of technology is apparent here but difficulty in communicating with others is a concept that gets more foreign as the years pass. Many times I found myself wondering why didn't Chris just call Hank on his cell instead of waiting for him to either show up or return to his motel. Well, the reason is that in '92 cellphones weren't exactly a common thing but I'm so used to that convenience that I kept forgetting the era the story was set in.
The title, about the river, plays a significant role in Chris and Hank's relationship as well as their lives. Their love for water is one of the things that bring them closer together and they use the rivers quite often to describe their lives.
The secondary characters were fully fledged people with their own problems, dreams and pasts. They were well-crafted and very interesting and, with the story taking place in a small town, we got to meet quite a few of them. The biggest surprise for me was Roy, he intrigued me and I really wanted to know more about his past and his time in prison. Hank's dad, Herman, was a weird character. He was stubborn, difficult and a mystery but he also had a good heart and he loved his son dearly. I wouldn't say no to a few more pages of him and Chris talking.
Would I recommend it? Definilety! But at the same time I'm not sure that this book is for everyone. If you're looking for a fluffy read, a simple romance, something to pass the time and not have to think too much about, then this probably isn't what you're looking for.
It's not angsy or heavy to read but it makes you think and it's more about personal relationships that it's about romance. It's the story of Chris making a life in a small town where he is te only out gay man, where he forms strong friendships and puts deep roots intending to spend the rest of his life with those people who slowly but surely are opening up to him and accepting him as one of their own. It's about Hank and his relationship with his father, his issues with his sexuality and his effort to be more brave and change his life to something he likes. It's about Chris and Hank, two lonely men, making a connecting and doing everything they can to make that connection stronger and lasting.
Tip: Be patient with the beginning of the book because what you get down the road is totally worth it!
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. *
Ok, let's talk about the story now...
Have you read the blurb? That only gets you to about 30% of the book and, I have to be honest about it, it was my least favorite part of the book. But after the first few weeks of Chris and Hank getting to know one another, where everything was moving too fast and Hank was kind of all over the place, one minute saying one thing and the next doing the exact opposite, the story really started flowing. I couldn't put the book down, wanting to know what was going to happen not just with the MCs but with all the quirky people of St Clovis.
What I have figured out after reading many of this autor's books is that she has a knack for recreating the atmoshere of the '80s and the '90s. Many of her stories take place during that time period and it's refreshing (yes, I get the irony) to read about a time so simpler and at the same time so harder than today.
The lack of technology is apparent here but difficulty in communicating with others is a concept that gets more foreign as the years pass. Many times I found myself wondering why didn't Chris just call Hank on his cell instead of waiting for him to either show up or return to his motel. Well, the reason is that in '92 cellphones weren't exactly a common thing but I'm so used to that convenience that I kept forgetting the era the story was set in.
The title, about the river, plays a significant role in Chris and Hank's relationship as well as their lives. Their love for water is one of the things that bring them closer together and they use the rivers quite often to describe their lives.
The secondary characters were fully fledged people with their own problems, dreams and pasts. They were well-crafted and very interesting and, with the story taking place in a small town, we got to meet quite a few of them. The biggest surprise for me was Roy, he intrigued me and I really wanted to know more about his past and his time in prison. Hank's dad, Herman, was a weird character. He was stubborn, difficult and a mystery but he also had a good heart and he loved his son dearly. I wouldn't say no to a few more pages of him and Chris talking.
Would I recommend it? Definilety! But at the same time I'm not sure that this book is for everyone. If you're looking for a fluffy read, a simple romance, something to pass the time and not have to think too much about, then this probably isn't what you're looking for.
It's not angsy or heavy to read but it makes you think and it's more about personal relationships that it's about romance. It's the story of Chris making a life in a small town where he is te only out gay man, where he forms strong friendships and puts deep roots intending to spend the rest of his life with those people who slowly but surely are opening up to him and accepting him as one of their own. It's about Hank and his relationship with his father, his issues with his sexuality and his effort to be more brave and change his life to something he likes. It's about Chris and Hank, two lonely men, making a connecting and doing everything they can to make that connection stronger and lasting.
Tip: Be patient with the beginning of the book because what you get down the road is totally worth it!
*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. *
April 23, 2018
Can you believe this is my first Mel Bossa's? I guess it's the first one from Bossa whose blurb I totally fall in love with: small town, solitude, loner, and BAKED GOODS. Plus the author herself promised slow burn romance.
And I LOVED it...
First of all, this sets in a Canadian small-town in the early 1990s, well 1992 to be exact. So there's still talks about AIDS and minimum usage of texting or internet/social media use. Why is that important? Because there is a separation happening between the two main characters - Chris and Hank -- in this book (outside force, Hank's an American and his project in the town falls through). And I thought the circumstance makes the separation has more impact to me as a reader because the two of them can't easily texting each other to keep contact.
AND postcards actually appear in this book as well *lol*
I loved the portrayal of Chris' solitude and how it changed when Hank came around. I LOVED reading Hank's struggle with his internalized homophobia and how he worked it out because he realized that life with Chris meant everything. Chris and Hank actually fell through the physical relationship quite fast, but because of the separation afterwards, I could consider this as slow burn. They couldn't get their HEA outright.
I also LOVED the small town portrayal here. Despite the timeline -- early 1990s -- the people of St. Clovis (pop. 1500) are quite open-minded and understanding towards Chris, as the only openly gay man there (so far). There were good neighbors and great friendship surrounding Chris. There was also another 'drama' with one of the teenage kids which I thought made the story felt more grounded.
All in all, my first Mel Bossa is a success one :)
And I LOVED it...
First of all, this sets in a Canadian small-town in the early 1990s, well 1992 to be exact. So there's still talks about AIDS and minimum usage of texting or internet/social media use. Why is that important? Because there is a separation happening between the two main characters - Chris and Hank -- in this book (outside force, Hank's an American and his project in the town falls through). And I thought the circumstance makes the separation has more impact to me as a reader because the two of them can't easily texting each other to keep contact.
AND postcards actually appear in this book as well *lol*
I loved the portrayal of Chris' solitude and how it changed when Hank came around. I LOVED reading Hank's struggle with his internalized homophobia and how he worked it out because he realized that life with Chris meant everything. Chris and Hank actually fell through the physical relationship quite fast, but because of the separation afterwards, I could consider this as slow burn. They couldn't get their HEA outright.
I also LOVED the small town portrayal here. Despite the timeline -- early 1990s -- the people of St. Clovis (pop. 1500) are quite open-minded and understanding towards Chris, as the only openly gay man there (so far). There were good neighbors and great friendship surrounding Chris. There was also another 'drama' with one of the teenage kids which I thought made the story felt more grounded.
All in all, my first Mel Bossa is a success one :)
June 30, 2018
3,5 stars:
the first 30%: 2 stars
the second part of the book: 5 stars
First of all I'd like to thank my GR friends, Ami and Meep, who LIKED this novel and whose reviews inspired me to KEEP ON READING
( BTW, Ami, it was also my first Mel Bossa 
)
This novel was a tough nut to crack. BUT ONLY during the first 30%.
It is why, on the one hand, I can understand the readers who DNF it within these cursing percentage. On the other hand, I feel pity for these readers. Because the remaining 70% was just amazing
...but they may never know it.
For the second part of the book I can't give anything less than 5 stars. But you have to be patient to get there.
No River Wide Enough is a SLOW-PACED romance that told you about two lonely men who found each other, fell in love with each other, but who first had to overcome obstacles, conquered their own difficulties and met the right decisions to be together. I really want to emphasize that this is a slow-pacing romance, not a slow-burning one. I think it was the reason why it took me so long to come through the first 30%. There is a lot of insta-love in the first part, that I didn't expect from a slow-burning romance, and I'm not a fan of it. But even if Chris and Hank knew relatively soon about their feelings, it was not an easy way to their HEA. Exactly THAT PART is actually a great story.
The author has a very pleasant writing style, quiet, smooth, beautiful. Maybe not a book that stays with you forever, but this love story won't leave you indifferent.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
the first 30%: 2 stars
the second part of the book: 5 stars
First of all I'd like to thank my GR friends, Ami and Meep, who LIKED this novel and whose reviews inspired me to KEEP ON READING
( BTW, Ami, it was also my first Mel Bossa )This novel was a tough nut to crack. BUT ONLY during the first 30%.
It is why, on the one hand, I can understand the readers who DNF it within these cursing percentage. On the other hand, I feel pity for these readers. Because the remaining 70% was just amazing
...but they may never know it.
For the second part of the book I can't give anything less than 5 stars. But you have to be patient to get there.
No River Wide Enough is a SLOW-PACED romance that told you about two lonely men who found each other, fell in love with each other, but who first had to overcome obstacles, conquered their own difficulties and met the right decisions to be together. I really want to emphasize that this is a slow-pacing romance, not a slow-burning one. I think it was the reason why it took me so long to come through the first 30%. There is a lot of insta-love in the first part, that I didn't expect from a slow-burning romance, and I'm not a fan of it. But even if Chris and Hank knew relatively soon about their feelings, it was not an easy way to their HEA. Exactly THAT PART is actually a great story.
The author has a very pleasant writing style, quiet, smooth, beautiful. Maybe not a book that stays with you forever, but this love story won't leave you indifferent.
***ARC provided kindly by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***
May 21, 2018
It's 1992. Two gay men meet in a small Canadian border town. One is out and proud but extremely lonely. The other is buried in the closet and suffers from anxiety. Their eyes meet and sparks fly. A little sneaking around and the relationship that should be over before it really starts develops into something deeper. Strong feelings between these two help them find a way through life's challenges.
I liked it. I had a bit of trouble with the "era" of the story. Why don't I remember 1992 very well? ... Oh yeah, I was out partying until my memory blanked. Oops. Oh well, I like 2018 much better anyways.
Other than that, it was a good story. It still needs some line editing and it's not a big, flaring romance, but it's moderately paced with strong relationships between all the characters.
I liked it. I had a bit of trouble with the "era" of the story. Why don't I remember 1992 very well? ... Oh yeah, I was out partying until my memory blanked. Oops. Oh well, I like 2018 much better anyways.
Other than that, it was a good story. It still needs some line editing and it's not a big, flaring romance, but it's moderately paced with strong relationships between all the characters.
April 16, 2018
4 stars
April 12, 2018
I LOVED everything about this story! No River Wide Enough flows like a long quiet river with some turns. The writing is beautiful, the characters are vivid and well-rounded. They will make you care, they will make you feel, suffer and love! If you're looking for a great romantic read set in the early 90s in a small Canada/U.S. border town with compelling characters, this is definitely for you! Highly recommended!
"The other thing about rivers," he said, "is that the parts where the water runs fastest carries the most particles, but everything lands in these quiet alleviate points like this one right here." He nodded, as though thinking of something. "It's in these places, where the water slows down, that the sediment is the richest and thickest."
That simple sentence moved me and I rested my head on his shoulder. Could I be his alleviate point?
"The other thing about rivers," he said, "is that the parts where the water runs fastest carries the most particles, but everything lands in these quiet alleviate points like this one right here." He nodded, as though thinking of something. "It's in these places, where the water slows down, that the sediment is the richest and thickest."
That simple sentence moved me and I rested my head on his shoulder. Could I be his alleviate point?
April 8, 2018
This is the best novel I've read in a long time. Thoroughly enjoyable, I found it really hard to put down. The writing is rich and poetic and delicately layered with so much more depth than you expect from most M/M Romances. I found myself completely vested in the characters and enveloped in their world. Mel Bossa's inspired writing provided me with everything I look for in a good book. No River Wide Enough, is touching and hopeful-- not just in romance-- but for renewed believe in the goodness of mankind.
August 29, 2018
4.5 stars
April 13, 2018
Maybe closer to 3.5 stars... The last third was quite strong - but, there were execution issues in the beginning, and editing issues throughout. :-/ I adored the two main characters, though, and ended up enjoying the end of the story a lot. Full review coming to www.thenovelapproachreviews.com
May 25, 2018
Debated my rating on this, have to admit it dragged a bit early on with lots of tell and not enough dialogue, but then I found myself caught up in the story and finished it with that satisfied feeling of everything having come together.
Can't shelf a book set in the early 90s as historical, but my have times changed. Social media, phones, people now are in constant contact, who now would think of sending postcards? The book is set in the times and carries with it the fears and worries of those times. Not a predominant theme, yet present and real.
I liked the characters, there's a real sense of loneliness, of need and connection. It's an insta-insta in many respects but the story isn't rushed, the men take time and we learn more of them and the struggles they face being accepted and accepting themselves.
There's a number of notable characters in the small town setting, good and bad. Some sass and some unexpected support.
Bossa has a way of writing that makes dangers clear without relying on overblown drama exploding. On the whole it's a quiet story. Some very real threats and concerns but mostly it's low-key; two men finding each other and having a chance. And baking. I liked it a lot.
Can't shelf a book set in the early 90s as historical, but my have times changed. Social media, phones, people now are in constant contact, who now would think of sending postcards? The book is set in the times and carries with it the fears and worries of those times. Not a predominant theme, yet present and real.
I liked the characters, there's a real sense of loneliness, of need and connection. It's an insta-insta in many respects but the story isn't rushed, the men take time and we learn more of them and the struggles they face being accepted and accepting themselves.
There's a number of notable characters in the small town setting, good and bad. Some sass and some unexpected support.
Bossa has a way of writing that makes dangers clear without relying on overblown drama exploding. On the whole it's a quiet story. Some very real threats and concerns but mostly it's low-key; two men finding each other and having a chance. And baking. I liked it a lot.
"Oh, baby, we all suffer. Life is only a series of unexpected moments of joy. You have to grasp at them when they drift your way."
April 13, 2018
No River Wide Enough by Mel Bossa
Set in 1992 this book deals with issues that I remember well. The AIDS epidemic was real and something that not everyone had full information about. Being in the closet for many was still a big issue - as it was for Hank Clifts in this story. There were some who were more open but not in small communities or in some conservative religious groups. Issues are more openly discussed now than then but there still needs to be more openness and acceptance in this world.
Okay, this book is a heartwarming love story set in a small community. It is also a story of friendship and sharing and caring. I liked and could relate to the characters and believe I would have enjoyed living in this town. Chris is such a good man and he always sees the best in others while trying to do what is right. He has made a home for himself and is content though he does dream of having a true love someday. When Hank shows up in town there is instant attraction and though it takes Hank a bit of time to make his move it is just what they both needed when they finally get together. They realize that it might be short-term but both wish it could be more…and with some work they do manage to eventually get their HEA.
Side stories include the friendship between Chris and his neighbor and the issues she is facing, the postcards Chris receives, a young man in town who is facing a personal crisis, a medical emergency, personal growth of more than one person, bigotry, the way community pulls together and more. The art and river and sharing and caring were wonderful.
I did question whether or not men would think and talk and behave as they did in this story BUT since I am not a man or a gay man…may never know how true to life these men might be. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would actually like to read a book about Donnie at some point in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Less Than Three Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
Set in 1992 this book deals with issues that I remember well. The AIDS epidemic was real and something that not everyone had full information about. Being in the closet for many was still a big issue - as it was for Hank Clifts in this story. There were some who were more open but not in small communities or in some conservative religious groups. Issues are more openly discussed now than then but there still needs to be more openness and acceptance in this world.
Okay, this book is a heartwarming love story set in a small community. It is also a story of friendship and sharing and caring. I liked and could relate to the characters and believe I would have enjoyed living in this town. Chris is such a good man and he always sees the best in others while trying to do what is right. He has made a home for himself and is content though he does dream of having a true love someday. When Hank shows up in town there is instant attraction and though it takes Hank a bit of time to make his move it is just what they both needed when they finally get together. They realize that it might be short-term but both wish it could be more…and with some work they do manage to eventually get their HEA.
Side stories include the friendship between Chris and his neighbor and the issues she is facing, the postcards Chris receives, a young man in town who is facing a personal crisis, a medical emergency, personal growth of more than one person, bigotry, the way community pulls together and more. The art and river and sharing and caring were wonderful.
I did question whether or not men would think and talk and behave as they did in this story BUT since I am not a man or a gay man…may never know how true to life these men might be. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and would actually like to read a book about Donnie at some point in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Less Than Three Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4 Stars
May 28, 2018
No River Wide Enough is a slow starter of a novel. The character building is uneven and the plot is difficult to follow, but we do get there eventually.
Despite these complaints, the characters are people you like to know and watch grow throughout the book. It’s hard to believe the 90s are so long ago, so what was true then is now a different story.
Chris and Hank, especially Hank, are good small town people. Chris has built himself a life by opening a bakery in St. Clovis. His business partner Drika is a good woman. Hank is having trouble finding his niche in this small town. He’s very intelligent but lonely, and is afraid of establishing a relationship with Chris, having been burned before.
The comparisons between water and rivers with Hank are wonderful. Hank meanders, with purpose, just as rivers do. This is a book to fall into and fall in love with the characters.
Despite these complaints, the characters are people you like to know and watch grow throughout the book. It’s hard to believe the 90s are so long ago, so what was true then is now a different story.
Chris and Hank, especially Hank, are good small town people. Chris has built himself a life by opening a bakery in St. Clovis. His business partner Drika is a good woman. Hank is having trouble finding his niche in this small town. He’s very intelligent but lonely, and is afraid of establishing a relationship with Chris, having been burned before.
The comparisons between water and rivers with Hank are wonderful. Hank meanders, with purpose, just as rivers do. This is a book to fall into and fall in love with the characters.
September 25, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
I enjoy author Mel Bossa’s work. This novel, No River Wide Enough, certainly had some wonderful moments. The relationship between Chris and his neighbor, Shirley, and her little boy, Troy, was lovely, as was meeting some of the townspeople who supported Chris. However, between his utter exhaustion and doubts about whether he could ever keep his café afloat after his business partner is taken ill and his utter loneliness, I was really unsure why he chose to remain behind in the place that made him so unhappy so often. When Hank comes to town, I had real hope that here was someone who Chris could help come out and make a life with, but Hank, too, was such a bundle of sadness that even their intimate times together were constantly tinged with doubts and fears. In short, this was a cautiously happy romance that didn’t see the happy part until near the very end. That’s a long time to stay rooted in constant anxiety and fear.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
I enjoy author Mel Bossa’s work. This novel, No River Wide Enough, certainly had some wonderful moments. The relationship between Chris and his neighbor, Shirley, and her little boy, Troy, was lovely, as was meeting some of the townspeople who supported Chris. However, between his utter exhaustion and doubts about whether he could ever keep his café afloat after his business partner is taken ill and his utter loneliness, I was really unsure why he chose to remain behind in the place that made him so unhappy so often. When Hank comes to town, I had real hope that here was someone who Chris could help come out and make a life with, but Hank, too, was such a bundle of sadness that even their intimate times together were constantly tinged with doubts and fears. In short, this was a cautiously happy romance that didn’t see the happy part until near the very end. That’s a long time to stay rooted in constant anxiety and fear.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
October 31, 2018
It is not the best of Mel Bossa but is not awful either
April 16, 2018
Ok, guys… Seriously mixed bag review ahead. I fear this write-up will be as all over the place as this book felt at times, but I’ll try to keep it reigned in. First, let me say that I ended up liking No River Wide Enough a fair amount. The last quarter of the story was very strong, but it was a struggle at times getting there. Also, in the beginning of the story, the emotion simply wasn’t there. We were told how Chris felt about things, and about how he was learning things about Hank, but there was a lot of on-page relationship development missing. We got there in time, I was rooting super hard for the MCs by the halfway point…but, it took until almost the halfway point before I was really feeling it.
There were a couple of other minor story niggles I had, but the main issue I had with this book was the editing. Or, I should say, glaring lack of editing. Usually I’m completely forgiving of errors, especially considering we often receive ARCs or copies that specifically state they are uncorrected proofs. But, in this case, the review copies were sent two days prior to release, so it should have gone through final edits by that point. And nowhere did it state that it was an uncorrected proof, so I’m left to believe that the book was put out into the world like this. Which is so unfortunate because, along with a few MASSIVE mistakes, there were a ton of typos, wrong words, missing words, and extra words. These problems took me out of the story time and time again.
Like I said, though, mixed bag… So, along with my complaints there are also lots of nice things to be said about No River Wide Enough. I truly enjoyed the characters, the setting was lovely, and the time period was interesting and allowed the author the ability to discuss conflicts that aren’t as prevalent today as they were in 1992. Ultimately, this book was a story of hope and possibility, and left me feeling positive and uplifted.
Most of that positivity came from the characters themselves. Both Chris and Hank are so, so charming. I loved them both. Chris’s boyfriend left him a year ago, deciding small-town life wasn’t for him, but Chris stayed and built a very nice life for himself in St-Clovis. He owns and runs a local bakery and café with his partner, Drika, who he adores, and lives next door to his best friend and her young son. He has mostly given up on the idea of having someone to spend his life with again, though, until Hank Clift comes to town. Hank is intelligent, well-read, kind, and very, very lonely. Having suffered a tough, humiliating, ugly breakup a couple of years ago, he had also all but given up on finding someone, until seeing Chris. These guys were beautiful together. They had so many gorgeous, swoony moments. I loved this, for example:
I’ll sum up by saying, I finished the book with a smile on my face—it really did leave me with a good feeling—but, it was sort of a messy journey. I liked the premise and a lot of the parts, but the execution wasn’t perfect. I kept getting glimmers of what made Craving’s Creek (the only other book I’ve read by this author) so magical—there was some stunning dialogue and beautiful imagery that went along with the water theme—but at other times I wondered if this was the same Mel Bossa. And, that editing was so hard to get past. Sorry I don’t have a more definitive yay or nay for you guys. I’m sure some people are going to love it and be more able to overlook the things I couldn’t. But, for me, it was a bumpy read.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
There were a couple of other minor story niggles I had, but the main issue I had with this book was the editing. Or, I should say, glaring lack of editing. Usually I’m completely forgiving of errors, especially considering we often receive ARCs or copies that specifically state they are uncorrected proofs. But, in this case, the review copies were sent two days prior to release, so it should have gone through final edits by that point. And nowhere did it state that it was an uncorrected proof, so I’m left to believe that the book was put out into the world like this. Which is so unfortunate because, along with a few MASSIVE mistakes, there were a ton of typos, wrong words, missing words, and extra words. These problems took me out of the story time and time again.
Like I said, though, mixed bag… So, along with my complaints there are also lots of nice things to be said about No River Wide Enough. I truly enjoyed the characters, the setting was lovely, and the time period was interesting and allowed the author the ability to discuss conflicts that aren’t as prevalent today as they were in 1992. Ultimately, this book was a story of hope and possibility, and left me feeling positive and uplifted.
Most of that positivity came from the characters themselves. Both Chris and Hank are so, so charming. I loved them both. Chris’s boyfriend left him a year ago, deciding small-town life wasn’t for him, but Chris stayed and built a very nice life for himself in St-Clovis. He owns and runs a local bakery and café with his partner, Drika, who he adores, and lives next door to his best friend and her young son. He has mostly given up on the idea of having someone to spend his life with again, though, until Hank Clift comes to town. Hank is intelligent, well-read, kind, and very, very lonely. Having suffered a tough, humiliating, ugly breakup a couple of years ago, he had also all but given up on finding someone, until seeing Chris. These guys were beautiful together. They had so many gorgeous, swoony moments. I loved this, for example:
“Yes…I was that river. Trickling, when I should have been gushing down mountains and pouring through valleys. They split me up. All of them. My father. The military academy. People. And I lost my strength. My dignity. But somehow, in spite of all that, I flowed down to you. And now going back home without you, feels like flowing backwards against my own stream.”
I’ll sum up by saying, I finished the book with a smile on my face—it really did leave me with a good feeling—but, it was sort of a messy journey. I liked the premise and a lot of the parts, but the execution wasn’t perfect. I kept getting glimmers of what made Craving’s Creek (the only other book I’ve read by this author) so magical—there was some stunning dialogue and beautiful imagery that went along with the water theme—but at other times I wondered if this was the same Mel Bossa. And, that editing was so hard to get past. Sorry I don’t have a more definitive yay or nay for you guys. I’m sure some people are going to love it and be more able to overlook the things I couldn’t. But, for me, it was a bumpy read.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach
December 4, 2019
“If you need me, call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far. Just call out my name, I'll be there in a hurry. You don't have to worry 'Cause baby,there ain't no mountain high enough. Ain't no valley low enough. Ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you.” ~ Tammy Tyrell and Marvin Gaye (Ain't No River Wide Enough)
Still reeling from being abandoned by his ex-boyfriend, Chris, of 'No River Wide Enough' by Mel Bossa, is trying to make sense of his life without him. Trying to be philosophical, Chris admits that even without his ex, he loves the small border town, the people, and his work in the bakery he co-owns with a local woman named Drika. Chris throws himself into his baking, as he usually does when he is upset, and tries to keep a low profile, not wanting to cause any controversy about being the only gay man in town. Chris has resigned himself to a lonely, but otherwise happy life.
Things change when Hank, a water plant engineer, comes into town. After a traumatic experience of two years, Hank has decided that being out is not worth it so he avoids involvement with other men. Also, Hank's father who is an alcoholic, difficult, homophobic man makes his life even more difficult. But, when Hank meets Chris, the handsome, talented young man with baking skills out of this world, it gives him pause. Chris is almost positive that he's getting the interested vibes from Hank, yet, he is playing the pull me-push me game that Chris finds extremely irritating. Finally, Chris takes the initiative and gives Hank his address, a clear indication that he is interested. Still, Hank isn't taking him up on getting together. He wants to, but his fear is keeping him from acting on it, until Hank gets the nerve to actually make it to Chris's front door where Christ welcomes him in. Even then, Hank doesn't want to stay too long for fear that someone will see him and put two and two together. It's not the best of situations but Chris agrees to keep their relationship under wraps, at least for now.
All too soon, it becomes clear that the site in town Hank is evaluating, is not appropriate. Chris knows Hank will be leaving soon, but by this time, they are both deeply involved with each other. When Hank's job is over, he has to go back home to deal with his father who has gotten kicked out of every nursing home in the area for being so contrary. The fact is, his father wants to live with his son, but there's no way Hank can tolerate him. Hank has tried all his life to be the son his father wants but it seems like nothing he does is ever good enough. Heaven forbid that he find out that Hank is gay! Hank and Chris don't know exactly where they stand although they have promised to keep in touch; however, they don't know when or if they will ever see each other again. The entire situation leaves Chris feeling like he “let him get away” without trying to keep him there with him.
This is a great endearing, but realistic look at what being gay in the 1990s was like. The degree of tolerance varied from place to place, but I was happy to find that, for the most part, the townspeople liked Chris and accepted him for who he was – a kind, patient man with a good heart who won many of them over through their stomachs with his desserts and pastries. I loved Drika, the co-owner of his shop and a very open-minded and good friend, as well as his best friend, Shirley, whose friendship and advice saw him through many difficult times. If you like endearing stories about out and proud gay men, good baking, miscommunication, redemption, and happy endings, you may enjoy this story. Thanks, Mel, for the touching story of the power of love.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Still reeling from being abandoned by his ex-boyfriend, Chris, of 'No River Wide Enough' by Mel Bossa, is trying to make sense of his life without him. Trying to be philosophical, Chris admits that even without his ex, he loves the small border town, the people, and his work in the bakery he co-owns with a local woman named Drika. Chris throws himself into his baking, as he usually does when he is upset, and tries to keep a low profile, not wanting to cause any controversy about being the only gay man in town. Chris has resigned himself to a lonely, but otherwise happy life.
Things change when Hank, a water plant engineer, comes into town. After a traumatic experience of two years, Hank has decided that being out is not worth it so he avoids involvement with other men. Also, Hank's father who is an alcoholic, difficult, homophobic man makes his life even more difficult. But, when Hank meets Chris, the handsome, talented young man with baking skills out of this world, it gives him pause. Chris is almost positive that he's getting the interested vibes from Hank, yet, he is playing the pull me-push me game that Chris finds extremely irritating. Finally, Chris takes the initiative and gives Hank his address, a clear indication that he is interested. Still, Hank isn't taking him up on getting together. He wants to, but his fear is keeping him from acting on it, until Hank gets the nerve to actually make it to Chris's front door where Christ welcomes him in. Even then, Hank doesn't want to stay too long for fear that someone will see him and put two and two together. It's not the best of situations but Chris agrees to keep their relationship under wraps, at least for now.
All too soon, it becomes clear that the site in town Hank is evaluating, is not appropriate. Chris knows Hank will be leaving soon, but by this time, they are both deeply involved with each other. When Hank's job is over, he has to go back home to deal with his father who has gotten kicked out of every nursing home in the area for being so contrary. The fact is, his father wants to live with his son, but there's no way Hank can tolerate him. Hank has tried all his life to be the son his father wants but it seems like nothing he does is ever good enough. Heaven forbid that he find out that Hank is gay! Hank and Chris don't know exactly where they stand although they have promised to keep in touch; however, they don't know when or if they will ever see each other again. The entire situation leaves Chris feeling like he “let him get away” without trying to keep him there with him.
This is a great endearing, but realistic look at what being gay in the 1990s was like. The degree of tolerance varied from place to place, but I was happy to find that, for the most part, the townspeople liked Chris and accepted him for who he was – a kind, patient man with a good heart who won many of them over through their stomachs with his desserts and pastries. I loved Drika, the co-owner of his shop and a very open-minded and good friend, as well as his best friend, Shirley, whose friendship and advice saw him through many difficult times. If you like endearing stories about out and proud gay men, good baking, miscommunication, redemption, and happy endings, you may enjoy this story. Thanks, Mel, for the touching story of the power of love.
NOTE: This book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
June 11, 2018
Actual rating 3.5 stars
I requested this on NetGalley because I instantly liked the title and the description. It looked like it would be a sweet romance and, in many respects, that was completely true.
Chris and his boyfriend leave New York in 1992 during the height of the AIDS crisis because they are tired of burying friends and move to a small town and open up a bakery. They break up and Chris' boyfriend moves back to New York, leaving Chris as the only gay man in town. Enter Hank who is there to test the old water plant and things kick off. Rivers play a huge part in this book, bringing the main couple together and continuing to be something which remains a theme of the book.
I really like the variety of characters there were in this book. While the main plot was between Chris and Hank, there were smaller subplots of Shirley and her husband, Troy, coming out of prison, Donnie and his strained relationship with his father and Drika wanting to do the right thing for her nephew while risking her relationship with her brother. Bossa creates varied characters that you can understand, even if you don't agree with their decisions. Liliana wants to send her son to a gay conversion camp because she believes it would be the best thing for him and the psychological, emotional and physical abuse of these camps was not nearly well publicised twenty years ago, nor how completely pointless they were because it led to encouraging self-hatred and denial rather than actually turning people straight. I completely disagree with this decision of hers but Bossa makes it very clear that this ignorant, misguided decision has good intentions behind it and she does this for a lot of bad decisions in this book. We can see why Hank is so scared of being out but we know it is going to stop him being happy if he continues like he is.
This book is set in 1992 and the setting really drives the book. There are all the misconceptions about gay people and AIDS itself which were even more prominent back then, when the only information you got was from books and the media. Sometimes I forgot which time it was set in but it was always brought back to the forefront because it was such an important part of the plot. Hank and Chris find the long-distance relationship even worse when they have only landline phones to communicate on and I really felt for them when events were going on in Chris' life and he didn't want to talk about them over the phone.
Then we come to the relationship. I absolutely loved the last two-thirds of this book where Hank and Chris had confessed to each other but it wasn't a happily ever after, as the two of them had to work through their own issues and outside conflicts as well. It was so nice to see a romance novel where the conflicts weren't based around stupid misunderstandings or mistaken cheating or one breaking up with the other for their own good. Their fights and conflicts stemmed from understandable fear and distance between each other and I loved how it was resolved as well. That being said, the first third of the book was incredibly insta-lovey and if this book wasn't such an easy read, I would have given up on it. I'm really glad I didn't give up on it but I found myself rolling my eyes at how quickly Hank and Chris' relationship developed and wished we could have gotten a more slow-burn start to their romance.
If I was reviewing the first third and the second two-thirds separately, there would be two very different ratings. Together, I would say this book is 3.5 stars and I would recommend it, as long as you get through the first third.
*I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I requested this on NetGalley because I instantly liked the title and the description. It looked like it would be a sweet romance and, in many respects, that was completely true.
Chris and his boyfriend leave New York in 1992 during the height of the AIDS crisis because they are tired of burying friends and move to a small town and open up a bakery. They break up and Chris' boyfriend moves back to New York, leaving Chris as the only gay man in town. Enter Hank who is there to test the old water plant and things kick off. Rivers play a huge part in this book, bringing the main couple together and continuing to be something which remains a theme of the book.
I really like the variety of characters there were in this book. While the main plot was between Chris and Hank, there were smaller subplots of Shirley and her husband, Troy, coming out of prison, Donnie and his strained relationship with his father and Drika wanting to do the right thing for her nephew while risking her relationship with her brother. Bossa creates varied characters that you can understand, even if you don't agree with their decisions. Liliana wants to send her son to a gay conversion camp because she believes it would be the best thing for him and the psychological, emotional and physical abuse of these camps was not nearly well publicised twenty years ago, nor how completely pointless they were because it led to encouraging self-hatred and denial rather than actually turning people straight. I completely disagree with this decision of hers but Bossa makes it very clear that this ignorant, misguided decision has good intentions behind it and she does this for a lot of bad decisions in this book. We can see why Hank is so scared of being out but we know it is going to stop him being happy if he continues like he is.
This book is set in 1992 and the setting really drives the book. There are all the misconceptions about gay people and AIDS itself which were even more prominent back then, when the only information you got was from books and the media. Sometimes I forgot which time it was set in but it was always brought back to the forefront because it was such an important part of the plot. Hank and Chris find the long-distance relationship even worse when they have only landline phones to communicate on and I really felt for them when events were going on in Chris' life and he didn't want to talk about them over the phone.
Then we come to the relationship. I absolutely loved the last two-thirds of this book where Hank and Chris had confessed to each other but it wasn't a happily ever after, as the two of them had to work through their own issues and outside conflicts as well. It was so nice to see a romance novel where the conflicts weren't based around stupid misunderstandings or mistaken cheating or one breaking up with the other for their own good. Their fights and conflicts stemmed from understandable fear and distance between each other and I loved how it was resolved as well. That being said, the first third of the book was incredibly insta-lovey and if this book wasn't such an easy read, I would have given up on it. I'm really glad I didn't give up on it but I found myself rolling my eyes at how quickly Hank and Chris' relationship developed and wished we could have gotten a more slow-burn start to their romance.
If I was reviewing the first third and the second two-thirds separately, there would be two very different ratings. Together, I would say this book is 3.5 stars and I would recommend it, as long as you get through the first third.
*I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
June 6, 2018
This is a new to me author. I didn’t know what to expect when I started to read this book. The blurb makes out this book to be a some what light read. That the seriousness of it would be that Hank is really so far in the closet. But nope!
We have Hank’s severe anxiety about coming out and we have a depressed teenager wanting to spread his wings and be true about how he wants to live his life and we have the whole AIDS thing going on in the book.
Not what I was expecting.
Right off the bat... the tone of this book seemed kinda serious. The pace of the book wasn’t to my liking. And Chris seemed way older than he was.
Once Hank came into the picture I thought things would pick up. But they didn’t really. It was kinda boring. I wasn’t really connecting to both main characters. Or all the secondary characters either.
At the 15% mark...their 1st time. It started off hot and heated. But then it slowed down to making love. Ughhh... they had like 2 very short conversations before Hank went to Chris’s house to just have sex. There should be no making love! Not that fast anyway!
Then Hank left and didn’t talk to him for days!
Overall this book wasn’t for me. It took me a long time to read it too. I just kept putting it down. I never got to a point where I just couldn’t wait to see what happens next. This book just wasn't for me.
*ARC provided by Less Than Three Press via Netgalley for an honest review*
We have Hank’s severe anxiety about coming out and we have a depressed teenager wanting to spread his wings and be true about how he wants to live his life and we have the whole AIDS thing going on in the book.
Not what I was expecting.
Right off the bat... the tone of this book seemed kinda serious. The pace of the book wasn’t to my liking. And Chris seemed way older than he was.
Once Hank came into the picture I thought things would pick up. But they didn’t really. It was kinda boring. I wasn’t really connecting to both main characters. Or all the secondary characters either.
At the 15% mark...their 1st time. It started off hot and heated. But then it slowed down to making love. Ughhh... they had like 2 very short conversations before Hank went to Chris’s house to just have sex. There should be no making love! Not that fast anyway!
Then Hank left and didn’t talk to him for days!
Overall this book wasn’t for me. It took me a long time to read it too. I just kept putting it down. I never got to a point where I just couldn’t wait to see what happens next. This book just wasn't for me.
*ARC provided by Less Than Three Press via Netgalley for an honest review*
June 7, 2018
Title provided via Netgalley.
Oi. I wish I could say I liked this, but this just wasn't my cup of tea. I loved the premise, but the execution wasn't there for me. I didn't like the writing style and that pulled me out of the story immediately. I couldn't feel anything when reading it. It was in first person, but it was like the character was having an out of body experience and that's what it read like. The writing and characters had no grounding connection in the story to me.
I also think the setting might have been a bit weird for some. I was born in the 90s so it wasn't too removed from my frame of reference and understanding of the time. For some that may have been an issue, also because generally authors tend to write no more than 5-10 years from the year in which they write. The year for the setting was a good little thing that added charm, because it was just outright different for me from what I've read recently. It's been a while since I read anything with a setting pre-2000 so that was a plus, but the rest of it just fell flat for me.
Oi. I wish I could say I liked this, but this just wasn't my cup of tea. I loved the premise, but the execution wasn't there for me. I didn't like the writing style and that pulled me out of the story immediately. I couldn't feel anything when reading it. It was in first person, but it was like the character was having an out of body experience and that's what it read like. The writing and characters had no grounding connection in the story to me.
I also think the setting might have been a bit weird for some. I was born in the 90s so it wasn't too removed from my frame of reference and understanding of the time. For some that may have been an issue, also because generally authors tend to write no more than 5-10 years from the year in which they write. The year for the setting was a good little thing that added charm, because it was just outright different for me from what I've read recently. It's been a while since I read anything with a setting pre-2000 so that was a plus, but the rest of it just fell flat for me.
April 13, 2018
Reviewed for Netgalley
Despite the many typos and grammar issues, I enjoyed No River Wide Enough. I don’t think a story like this one would work in a modern setting, but for taking place in 1992, it is effectively told and the mentions of having to answer a pager were a good reminder of when the story was happening.
I liked Chris. He was naïve, sweet, and heartbreakingly lonely. I thought the deeply closeted and repressed Hank was also an interesting character, but I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the supporting characters who made up the small town of St. Clovis. From the single-mom neighbor to the distraught Donnie, the lesser characters were really what made the overall story so endearing. Bossa captured the small town vibe and brought the story to life with this family that Chris didn’t even realize he had until he was forced to come out from his shell and interact with his customers.
Despite the many typos and grammar issues, I enjoyed No River Wide Enough. I don’t think a story like this one would work in a modern setting, but for taking place in 1992, it is effectively told and the mentions of having to answer a pager were a good reminder of when the story was happening.
I liked Chris. He was naïve, sweet, and heartbreakingly lonely. I thought the deeply closeted and repressed Hank was also an interesting character, but I think what I enjoyed most about this book was the supporting characters who made up the small town of St. Clovis. From the single-mom neighbor to the distraught Donnie, the lesser characters were really what made the overall story so endearing. Bossa captured the small town vibe and brought the story to life with this family that Chris didn’t even realize he had until he was forced to come out from his shell and interact with his customers.
June 6, 2018
I really got into this book. Chris is the only gay man in a small town and had adjusted to being along. When Hank shows up in town, they are immediately attracted to one another, but Hank is reluctant to get involved because of the fallout from a previous relationship. I loved the story and the characters and would recommend this one.
May 12, 2018
4.5 stars. great story but the editing is sloppy.
May 4, 2020
A more complex than usual M/M romance which also explores friendship and community and family in a small Canadian town.
July 16, 2018
Book – No River Wide Enough
Author – Mel Bossa
Star rating - ★★☆☆☆
No. of Pages – 213
Cover – So pretty!
POV – 1st person, one character
Would I read it again – No
Genre – LGBT, Contemporary, Romance
Content Warning – aids crisis
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
DNF'd at 18%
Sadly, this one just wasn't for me. It started out okay, but the writing was very choppy and needed a few beta readers or another round of edits to bring it all together.
I was initially confused as to why the year 1992 was used at the top of Chapter 1, where a POV note would normally be, but when the story went on to talk about San Francisco and ACT UP, it made more sense, but that didn't come until halfway through the chapter.
The writing wasn't my favourite. Though it had some decent storytelling ability, there was just far too much back story, too many info dumps, and too much telling instead of showing. There was 2 years of history between Chris and Lewis that was explained in one chapter, through Chris thinking to himself. It started to wear, after a while, because it wasn't organically explained, at moments that made sense. Chris was also made out to be some shy, desperate gay man in the middle of nowhere, who had given up his dreams, stopped living, put on weight, had no self confidence, yet was completely irresistible to Hnak the moment he showed up in town. It felt too contrived.
I didn't feel any chemistry between Chris and Hank. There were furtive looks and mumbling, lots of uncomfortable moments between them, but it felt too much like two gay men desperate for any kind of attention at all that they just pounced on the only other gay man close by. Within days of meeting, and not seeing each other for more than two seconds, Chris gives out his home address. A few days later, Hank shows up and two steps in the door is snogging and undressing him, until they – and I quote – “Slowly, and for hours, we made love.” Then Hank went all conservative and closeted, insisting it couldn't happen again and that he had to leave. I get that these two haven't had sex in (a year, for Chris, and two for Hank) a while, but the way they jump each other without even knowing each other isn't natural, romantic, or even makes sense. There's not even the kind of spark or chemistry that would usually precede a one night stand. It felt more like – well, I'm gay, you're gay, so let's have sex.
There were quite a few editing issues, like Drika asking Hank to introduce himself when pages before they had already introduced themselves; Chris knowing with certainty that the deep voice he hears is Hank when that's impossible to know; missing punctuation marks. I was also confused by the decision for Shirley to mention the t-shirts at the county fair only for Chris to start mentally lamenting her ex-husband and how he was no good for her, then needing Drika to reintroduce the topic of the t-shirts a paragraph later. It made no sense. We already knew Chris' thoughts on Roy, Shirley's ex, so there was no need for it and it made the entire passage feel disjointed.
The only character that I actually really liked was Donnie – the silent kid who seemed to be the teenager with a crush on Chris who was always ignored.
Overall, while Chis was supposed to be 29 years old, I felt like he acted more of a teenager than Donnie did. He was so utterly desperate for human contact but painfully shy that he was a cliché and stereotype all rolled up into one. Sadly, while I loved the concept in the blurb and the writing was okay if littered with issues, I just couldn't get into the story. I found myself bored, my mind wandering, and not liking Chris or Hank very much. I didn't believe in them. I didn't believe they had any reason to be drawn to each other. And, if I'm not interested in the main characters or their potential relationship, there's really no point of continuing.
Author – Mel Bossa
Star rating - ★★☆☆☆
No. of Pages – 213
Cover – So pretty!
POV – 1st person, one character
Would I read it again – No
Genre – LGBT, Contemporary, Romance
Content Warning – aids crisis
** COPY RECEIVED THROUGH NETGALLEY **
DNF'd at 18%
Sadly, this one just wasn't for me. It started out okay, but the writing was very choppy and needed a few beta readers or another round of edits to bring it all together.
I was initially confused as to why the year 1992 was used at the top of Chapter 1, where a POV note would normally be, but when the story went on to talk about San Francisco and ACT UP, it made more sense, but that didn't come until halfway through the chapter.
The writing wasn't my favourite. Though it had some decent storytelling ability, there was just far too much back story, too many info dumps, and too much telling instead of showing. There was 2 years of history between Chris and Lewis that was explained in one chapter, through Chris thinking to himself. It started to wear, after a while, because it wasn't organically explained, at moments that made sense. Chris was also made out to be some shy, desperate gay man in the middle of nowhere, who had given up his dreams, stopped living, put on weight, had no self confidence, yet was completely irresistible to Hnak the moment he showed up in town. It felt too contrived.
I didn't feel any chemistry between Chris and Hank. There were furtive looks and mumbling, lots of uncomfortable moments between them, but it felt too much like two gay men desperate for any kind of attention at all that they just pounced on the only other gay man close by. Within days of meeting, and not seeing each other for more than two seconds, Chris gives out his home address. A few days later, Hank shows up and two steps in the door is snogging and undressing him, until they – and I quote – “Slowly, and for hours, we made love.” Then Hank went all conservative and closeted, insisting it couldn't happen again and that he had to leave. I get that these two haven't had sex in (a year, for Chris, and two for Hank) a while, but the way they jump each other without even knowing each other isn't natural, romantic, or even makes sense. There's not even the kind of spark or chemistry that would usually precede a one night stand. It felt more like – well, I'm gay, you're gay, so let's have sex.
There were quite a few editing issues, like Drika asking Hank to introduce himself when pages before they had already introduced themselves; Chris knowing with certainty that the deep voice he hears is Hank when that's impossible to know; missing punctuation marks. I was also confused by the decision for Shirley to mention the t-shirts at the county fair only for Chris to start mentally lamenting her ex-husband and how he was no good for her, then needing Drika to reintroduce the topic of the t-shirts a paragraph later. It made no sense. We already knew Chris' thoughts on Roy, Shirley's ex, so there was no need for it and it made the entire passage feel disjointed.
The only character that I actually really liked was Donnie – the silent kid who seemed to be the teenager with a crush on Chris who was always ignored.
Overall, while Chis was supposed to be 29 years old, I felt like he acted more of a teenager than Donnie did. He was so utterly desperate for human contact but painfully shy that he was a cliché and stereotype all rolled up into one. Sadly, while I loved the concept in the blurb and the writing was okay if littered with issues, I just couldn't get into the story. I found myself bored, my mind wandering, and not liking Chris or Hank very much. I didn't believe in them. I didn't believe they had any reason to be drawn to each other. And, if I'm not interested in the main characters or their potential relationship, there's really no point of continuing.
May 27, 2018
*I received a book in exchange for an honest review*
TW: Explicit on-page homophobia, AIDS discussions, physical assault, talk about conversion therapy
I was surprised when I saw the date at the beginning of the book, because nowhere in the blurb does it say when the story is happening. From the description I imagined that it is happening in a small town in today’s times. But no, it is happening in 1992 (a year before I was born 🙂 ) and in a small town.
But the story fit. And I cannot believe what I will say now, but it does feel more historical than contemporary. It is unsettling to say that, but it does show how different times were back then.
Chris has been living in the city on his own for about a year, since his ex decided that small-town-living is not for him and moved back to a big city. But Chris has decided to stay, to take care of the bakery, despite being the only openly gay man in the town. And during the stereotype-fuelled times, with AIDS epidemic still in full swing.
Hank, on the other hand, is deeply closeted, and after having a bad experience years ago when someone outed him to a small circle of people, he is afraid of ever coming out. But he cannot deny his attraction to Chris.
Their story starts quickly, it is pretty much…I don’t know if actually insta-love, but certainly attraction is there from the beginning, and they fall in love. But Hank has a hard-ass father for whom he has to care, or find a home that will take him, after every single one near their actual home doesn’t want to.
As said in TWs, there is explicit homophobia and physical assault from a homophobe father who thinks Chris has ‘turned’ their son gay, as well as a discussion about sending the boy to conversion therapy. Luckily, the boy has a good grandmother who gives him money to move to the city, and Chris gives him a contact of his ex, so that someone will help the boy avoid the major traps. (The assault is basically a man pushing Chris, causing him some minor injuries, and it is over pretty quickly, but it is still there).
There is not much discussion about Chris’ ex on page, but I did not find it missing as much, I liked how it was all focused on the present.
The book seemed very realistic, especially in describing the AIDS epidemic, telling how Chris and his ex have seen many funerals, and how it affected people’s views of gay men. And even the HEA ending seemed very realistic. It is not as ones you would find in books happening nowadays, but it does say in the epilogue that it was 1993.
It is not the easiest book to read, as it deals with many issues I described above, but I liked it a lot.
TW: Explicit on-page homophobia, AIDS discussions, physical assault, talk about conversion therapy
I was surprised when I saw the date at the beginning of the book, because nowhere in the blurb does it say when the story is happening. From the description I imagined that it is happening in a small town in today’s times. But no, it is happening in 1992 (a year before I was born 🙂 ) and in a small town.
But the story fit. And I cannot believe what I will say now, but it does feel more historical than contemporary. It is unsettling to say that, but it does show how different times were back then.
Chris has been living in the city on his own for about a year, since his ex decided that small-town-living is not for him and moved back to a big city. But Chris has decided to stay, to take care of the bakery, despite being the only openly gay man in the town. And during the stereotype-fuelled times, with AIDS epidemic still in full swing.
Hank, on the other hand, is deeply closeted, and after having a bad experience years ago when someone outed him to a small circle of people, he is afraid of ever coming out. But he cannot deny his attraction to Chris.
Their story starts quickly, it is pretty much…I don’t know if actually insta-love, but certainly attraction is there from the beginning, and they fall in love. But Hank has a hard-ass father for whom he has to care, or find a home that will take him, after every single one near their actual home doesn’t want to.
As said in TWs, there is explicit homophobia and physical assault from a homophobe father who thinks Chris has ‘turned’ their son gay, as well as a discussion about sending the boy to conversion therapy. Luckily, the boy has a good grandmother who gives him money to move to the city, and Chris gives him a contact of his ex, so that someone will help the boy avoid the major traps. (The assault is basically a man pushing Chris, causing him some minor injuries, and it is over pretty quickly, but it is still there).
There is not much discussion about Chris’ ex on page, but I did not find it missing as much, I liked how it was all focused on the present.
The book seemed very realistic, especially in describing the AIDS epidemic, telling how Chris and his ex have seen many funerals, and how it affected people’s views of gay men. And even the HEA ending seemed very realistic. It is not as ones you would find in books happening nowadays, but it does say in the epilogue that it was 1993.
It is not the easiest book to read, as it deals with many issues I described above, but I liked it a lot.
April 18, 2018
This is a sweet and heartwarming story of a gay couple in the early 90s. A bit of insta-love, but much of it felt true to life.
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