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That Feeling When
Dance Academy reject, Archie Corrigan, resents the stereotype guy ballet dancers are gay. Because he isn’t. At all. Forced to reassess his life goal at Camp Crystal Cove, it’s by sheer dumb luck he meets Landon Summers, who turns everything Archie was sure of into chaos.
Poor boy turned teen heartthrob, Landon Summers, is the name on everyone’s lips. With his unexpected leap to fame, his agent advises him to keep his bi status on the down low. Not a problem! Until Landon meets Archie.
Their unexpected friendship leads to an inevitable kiss, but their moment is caught in high definition and used as fuel for blackmail. If the truth gets out, Landon’s career could be over, and Archie will be forced to acknowledge the one thing he’s fought to deny.
But how do you go back to your average life once you’ve experienced That Feeling When ... you’re finally happy?
Poor boy turned teen heartthrob, Landon Summers, is the name on everyone’s lips. With his unexpected leap to fame, his agent advises him to keep his bi status on the down low. Not a problem! Until Landon meets Archie.
Their unexpected friendship leads to an inevitable kiss, but their moment is caught in high definition and used as fuel for blackmail. If the truth gets out, Landon’s career could be over, and Archie will be forced to acknowledge the one thing he’s fought to deny.
But how do you go back to your average life once you’ve experienced That Feeling When ... you’re finally happy?
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2018
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716 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
August 8, 2018
4.5*
That Feeling When is a really cute, very sweet coming of age love story that highlights the ups and downs teens go through as they traverse that overwhelming stage right before becoming “full-fledged” adults. It also brings to light the real struggle many deal with when it comes to their identity, especially in regards to their sexuality, as Archie does in this book. Lots of uncertainty and questioning, and worry.
I really enjoyed Archie and Landon’s story, they are both such wonderful characters. They are very different- Landon is confident in who he is, has a very awesome and supportive family, while Archie is just starting to finally learn and accept things about himself, thanks to his developing friendship with Landon.
There were some ups and downs as their relationship moved past the point of friendship, especially when a private moment is threatened to be exposed.
Archie's uncertainty was a bit of a sticking point as well. I felt for Archie, as he was really trying, but when everything you've believed about yourself is suddenly up in the air, it's kind of hard to wrap your head around. And sometimes you do stupid things with the best of intentions.
For Archie, what was supposed to be one last summer at camp to figure out his future, turned out to have more of an impact on his future than he could have ever imagined.
That Feeling When is a really cute, very sweet coming of age love story that highlights the ups and downs teens go through as they traverse that overwhelming stage right before becoming “full-fledged” adults. It also brings to light the real struggle many deal with when it comes to their identity, especially in regards to their sexuality, as Archie does in this book. Lots of uncertainty and questioning, and worry.
I really enjoyed Archie and Landon’s story, they are both such wonderful characters. They are very different- Landon is confident in who he is, has a very awesome and supportive family, while Archie is just starting to finally learn and accept things about himself, thanks to his developing friendship with Landon.
There were some ups and downs as their relationship moved past the point of friendship, especially when a private moment is threatened to be exposed.
Archie's uncertainty was a bit of a sticking point as well. I felt for Archie, as he was really trying, but when everything you've believed about yourself is suddenly up in the air, it's kind of hard to wrap your head around. And sometimes you do stupid things with the best of intentions.
For Archie, what was supposed to be one last summer at camp to figure out his future, turned out to have more of an impact on his future than he could have ever imagined.
May 19, 2019
2.5 stars
It's a cute book. I could completely relate to Archie. He just didn't care about this whole socializing thing. The fake smiles and unnecessary small talk.
Everyone told him all his life he's "so gay" because of dancing, but he wasn't. And then he met Landon and it turned out he might not be straight after all and he panicked. I liked this part. Seeing Archie figure out this stuff. But then came the stupid drama with the blackmailing. Ugh! And there was a big misunderstanding too at the end. Ugh! And then the time came to come out to the parents and the mom goes "Oh, I'm your Mom, I know things." Even though Archie himself didn't know. Ugh!
So I rolled my eyes quite a lot! But for teenagers it could be a good book, I guess. It's completely non-sexual.
It's a cute book. I could completely relate to Archie. He just didn't care about this whole socializing thing. The fake smiles and unnecessary small talk.
Everyone told him all his life he's "so gay" because of dancing, but he wasn't. And then he met Landon and it turned out he might not be straight after all and he panicked. I liked this part. Seeing Archie figure out this stuff. But then came the stupid drama with the blackmailing. Ugh! And there was a big misunderstanding too at the end. Ugh! And then the time came to come out to the parents and the mom goes "Oh, I'm your Mom, I know things." Even though Archie himself didn't know. Ugh!
So I rolled my eyes quite a lot! But for teenagers it could be a good book, I guess. It's completely non-sexual.
September 29, 2018
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
That feeling when…you realize you need to read the blurb to figure out what’s going on.
I may be in the minority, but I just didn’t care for this book. It was okay at best. Partly, because of the use of present tense and first person POV, but mostly, I didn’t get the attraction between a movie star of unknown age and a 17-year-old camper.
I finally read the blurb after I was over a quarter of the way through because I just didn’t get why an actor, whose age is never mentioned, would fall for a teen. According to the blurb, Landon Summers is a teen heartthrob, but his age is never mentioned in the story. He does state, at one point, that legal age for drinking in Australia is eighteen so when he offers a drink to the 17-year-old he has a crush on, he jokes that his trailer can be the Australian embassy. To me, that means he’s over eighteen.
The story also indicates he’s done three seasons on a teen show and he’s doing the movie for a teen audience and it’s filming at the camp where 17-year-old Archie and his twin are attending. We know Landon is on his own in Hollywood as his parents and siblings are still down under. Correct me if I’m wrong, but my math brain makes him a minimum of eighteen or nineteen, more likely twenty or twenty-one. And that just doesn’t float for me with his crush on and “insta”love for the formerly straight, now questioning, teen. More food for thought: Archie and his sister are there to improve their SAT scores but have apparently applied for colleges already because Archie has received a rejection from the dance academy he wanted to attend. That makes me believe they are going to be high school seniors. If true, I just don’t get this “romance” at all.
Landon is an okay character, but his decisions and worries seem rather childish. Most of his friends and family know he’s bi but coming out for someone has the potential to ruin his career. His behaviors in those instances are teen-worthy, but again, no age is specified. Archie, however, is worse with his worries about his father’s ambitions for him and his statements about not wanting to be both gay and a dancer. And he’s totally clueless as to why he’s attracted to Landon. Honestly, given the first person present tense of the story, I felt as if I were reading a girl’s diary.
I honestly don’t have anything good to say about the story, though I made a commitment to go to the end, where we discover the guys are finally going to spend some time together as more than friends. There were so many holes in the story and so much of it made me squeamish about Landon’s age that the most I can say is it was okay. Two stars.
That feeling when…you realize you need to read the blurb to figure out what’s going on.
I may be in the minority, but I just didn’t care for this book. It was okay at best. Partly, because of the use of present tense and first person POV, but mostly, I didn’t get the attraction between a movie star of unknown age and a 17-year-old camper.
I finally read the blurb after I was over a quarter of the way through because I just didn’t get why an actor, whose age is never mentioned, would fall for a teen. According to the blurb, Landon Summers is a teen heartthrob, but his age is never mentioned in the story. He does state, at one point, that legal age for drinking in Australia is eighteen so when he offers a drink to the 17-year-old he has a crush on, he jokes that his trailer can be the Australian embassy. To me, that means he’s over eighteen.
The story also indicates he’s done three seasons on a teen show and he’s doing the movie for a teen audience and it’s filming at the camp where 17-year-old Archie and his twin are attending. We know Landon is on his own in Hollywood as his parents and siblings are still down under. Correct me if I’m wrong, but my math brain makes him a minimum of eighteen or nineteen, more likely twenty or twenty-one. And that just doesn’t float for me with his crush on and “insta”love for the formerly straight, now questioning, teen. More food for thought: Archie and his sister are there to improve their SAT scores but have apparently applied for colleges already because Archie has received a rejection from the dance academy he wanted to attend. That makes me believe they are going to be high school seniors. If true, I just don’t get this “romance” at all.
Landon is an okay character, but his decisions and worries seem rather childish. Most of his friends and family know he’s bi but coming out for someone has the potential to ruin his career. His behaviors in those instances are teen-worthy, but again, no age is specified. Archie, however, is worse with his worries about his father’s ambitions for him and his statements about not wanting to be both gay and a dancer. And he’s totally clueless as to why he’s attracted to Landon. Honestly, given the first person present tense of the story, I felt as if I were reading a girl’s diary.
I honestly don’t have anything good to say about the story, though I made a commitment to go to the end, where we discover the guys are finally going to spend some time together as more than friends. There were so many holes in the story and so much of it made me squeamish about Landon’s age that the most I can say is it was okay. Two stars.
August 8, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable read!
Archie's a snarky, closed-off grouch. He has an overbearing father whose name everyone knows. He really doesn't want to be at camp. And he's straight, no question of it. Damn the stereotype that all guy ballet dancers are gay, that's 100% not him!
Landon's a confident, warm-hearted optimist. He's worked hard and sacrificed much for his success. He feels blessed to be where he is, even if the homesickness is a constant, debilitating ache in his chest. And he's comfortably bi, but heaven forbid his legion of fans discovers this.
In theory, their vastly different worlds should have made them incompatible.
In practice, their differences complement the best from each other.
This love story starts out on a sharp kick of animosity, banters through a tentative friendship, hits some rocky tension, knocks some major feels off-kilter, and then, finally, hard-won but inevitable, lands on a most beautifully satisfying HEA.
Archie wasn't always all that likable, but his internal monologue sure delivered entertainment. Landon was an absolute sweetheart from start to finish and his crippling self-doubt masked in confidence was so relatable.
The scenes of the two getting to know each other and working to understand each other were some of the best.
The added mystery element really upped the drama.
And witnessing Archie's grey world change into vibrant colour thanks to Landon's patience and affection had me melting.
I recommend this to everyone who loves a good-story-well-told and is not dead inside.
*Many thanks to Gay Book Promotions and S.M. James for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Archie's a snarky, closed-off grouch. He has an overbearing father whose name everyone knows. He really doesn't want to be at camp. And he's straight, no question of it. Damn the stereotype that all guy ballet dancers are gay, that's 100% not him!
Landon's a confident, warm-hearted optimist. He's worked hard and sacrificed much for his success. He feels blessed to be where he is, even if the homesickness is a constant, debilitating ache in his chest. And he's comfortably bi, but heaven forbid his legion of fans discovers this.
In theory, their vastly different worlds should have made them incompatible.
In practice, their differences complement the best from each other.
This love story starts out on a sharp kick of animosity, banters through a tentative friendship, hits some rocky tension, knocks some major feels off-kilter, and then, finally, hard-won but inevitable, lands on a most beautifully satisfying HEA.
Archie wasn't always all that likable, but his internal monologue sure delivered entertainment. Landon was an absolute sweetheart from start to finish and his crippling self-doubt masked in confidence was so relatable.
The scenes of the two getting to know each other and working to understand each other were some of the best.
The added mystery element really upped the drama.
And witnessing Archie's grey world change into vibrant colour thanks to Landon's patience and affection had me melting.
I recommend this to everyone who loves a good-story-well-told and is not dead inside.
*Many thanks to Gay Book Promotions and S.M. James for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
October 5, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
S.M. James creates the perfect setting for a coming out story with the release of That Feeling When. Not only a love story, but also a novel keen on exploring the idea of discovering who you really are and realizing that you must push back at not only society’s preconceived notions about being gay, but also your own. Archie struggles with his fear about being gay, not just because he worries it will make his already distant feeling parents angry, but also because he can’t endure adding to what he perceives as their growing disappointment in him and his lack of focus over a future career path. He doesn’t want to take on the family business and follow in his father’s footsteps, but he also knows that dance may not be the career he hopes it could be.
Being rejected by his first choice in dance schools still smarts and when he arrives at camp, he is already determined to be miserable. Then he sees Landon Summers and his belly does this strange flip flop thing and then he accidentally kisses the guy back and then runs—as fast as he can away from the idea that he may be gay. Archie is aces at running from himself and often simply loses himself in his music until he can cope with all the conflicting feelings inside. This time the conflict is a living, breathing, gorgeous, kind, sweet boy—and Archie is doomed.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
S.M. James creates the perfect setting for a coming out story with the release of That Feeling When. Not only a love story, but also a novel keen on exploring the idea of discovering who you really are and realizing that you must push back at not only society’s preconceived notions about being gay, but also your own. Archie struggles with his fear about being gay, not just because he worries it will make his already distant feeling parents angry, but also because he can’t endure adding to what he perceives as their growing disappointment in him and his lack of focus over a future career path. He doesn’t want to take on the family business and follow in his father’s footsteps, but he also knows that dance may not be the career he hopes it could be.
Being rejected by his first choice in dance schools still smarts and when he arrives at camp, he is already determined to be miserable. Then he sees Landon Summers and his belly does this strange flip flop thing and then he accidentally kisses the guy back and then runs—as fast as he can away from the idea that he may be gay. Archie is aces at running from himself and often simply loses himself in his music until he can cope with all the conflicting feelings inside. This time the conflict is a living, breathing, gorgeous, kind, sweet boy—and Archie is doomed.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
October 21, 2018
"Bi. Calling me gay erases who I am."
I hate giving a book 2 stars because it looks bad - but it isn't.
Honestly, the amount of books I dnf is a bit terrifying. So me making it to the end of the book means something.
While I quite enjoyed this, it felt a bit too insta for me. There wasn't really enough of a foundation in their few interactions for the intensity of feelings.. but sometimes when I read YA I feel like that, and it could be the book or it could be that I'm not really in the target audience anymore (sobs).
Archie is so badly in denial and absolutely terrified. I wish his love for dancing was spoken about a bit more, it felt a little like an afterthought as something to add to the story instead of who he was.
Landon is a famous actor stuck in a foreign country who misses his family. I also felt that the big risks he was willing to take felt a bit contrived for how much time they'd spent together/the basis of their relationship in light of what he had sacrificed to get to where he was.
One day you will look back and realize it's not the whats but the whos that bring value to life.
You can follow your thinks or you can follow your feels.
I hate giving a book 2 stars because it looks bad - but it isn't.
Honestly, the amount of books I dnf is a bit terrifying. So me making it to the end of the book means something.
While I quite enjoyed this, it felt a bit too insta for me. There wasn't really enough of a foundation in their few interactions for the intensity of feelings.. but sometimes when I read YA I feel like that, and it could be the book or it could be that I'm not really in the target audience anymore (sobs).
Archie is so badly in denial and absolutely terrified. I wish his love for dancing was spoken about a bit more, it felt a little like an afterthought as something to add to the story instead of who he was.
Landon is a famous actor stuck in a foreign country who misses his family. I also felt that the big risks he was willing to take felt a bit contrived for how much time they'd spent together/the basis of their relationship in light of what he had sacrificed to get to where he was.
One day you will look back and realize it's not the whats but the whos that bring value to life.
You can follow your thinks or you can follow your feels.
April 26, 2020
This was a cute and somewhat internally-angsy YA falling in love and coming out story that was appealing and I enjoyed it, despite a few flaws. Archie is the son of a rich and powerful businessman. He's been compelled by his father to go to summer camp the summer after his senior year in high school, when the dance college he wanted to get into rejects him. His dad is set on him finding a new career path. Archie has no clue what he wants, and even though he still has other school possibilities for dance, he's unable to stand up to his father and insist on them.
Landon is a young Aboriginal Australian actor, filming an action movie at the same site as the camp. He's lonely, missing his family, faking a relationship with his female co-star for the promo opportunity, even though they have no real interest in each other. He meets Archie accidentally, when Archie wanders into a night shoot. From the moment Archie backtalks at him, unimpressed by his celebrity, and walks away, Landon is intrigued.
And out of that moment of chemistry, something grows that builds each time they see each other. Which scares the hell out of Archie, who has always insisted he's not the gay dance student stereotype. Male dancers can be straight and he is. Except when he looks at Landon.
There are some things I really enjoyed about this story. Both leads are appealing young men. It's not gay-for-you but a confused kid who had reasons to repress his own identity, figuring out who he is. Landon is also very staunchly bisexual, and won't let that be erased. There is a pretty predictable misunderstanding, but the drama in here isn't overblown and most of the characters turn out to be less one-dimensional than they seem at first. The relationship, for all its insta beginning, has some time to build.
The writing is good. I was pulled into the story and eagerly moved on to the novella that followed it (which I also enjoyed - I got the box set.)
I do wonder if the author is Australian, though, because they missed out on a huge problem. Archie is 17. In California the age of consent is 18. There is no Romeo and Juliet exemption - if Landon were to have sex with Archie, he is guilty of statutory rape, no matter how consensual it is. What's more, although there is a bill in the works to fix it, right now gay sex (anything but straight vaginal sex) with an underage person puts the adult on the sex-offender list for life, with no room for leniency by the judge.
So as soon as Archie said he was 17, Landon should have run. And if he was too ignorant to do it (although given a past scandal his agent should have had all kinds of conversation with him on this subject), then Kelly his costar, or anyone else there who was from California and found out should have dragged him away and told him to wait a year. Because the risk of being caught in this relationship wasn't some little thing like movie publicity. It was jail time and a life-long sex-offender designation. And frankly, Archie should have been aware, as a smart teen living in California. You don't put someone you care about at that kind of risk.
The whole problem would be resolved by having Archie be 18, and it would do nothing to damage the story. So I just pretended he was 18, as I read the story, to keep from mentally screaming at Landon to run away.
I'm not sure how the novella "In Real Life" is packaged if you buy the books separately - it's listed as "book 12" but included in the box set after the novel. It's not listed here on GR at all.
I enjoyed this further look at Archie and Landon, as they head to visit Landon's family in Australia. This was sweet and warm, with a nice array of secondary characters. The relationship between the guys deepens, and they actually talk to each other about real topics.
The time frame is a bit confused from the epilogue to this (some bits seem to be many months later, or at least long enough to film a whole season of a TV show, but Archie says he's still 17, and he's still just getting into a school.)
I just pretended Archie was eighteen and enjoyed this episode in their lives.
Landon is a young Aboriginal Australian actor, filming an action movie at the same site as the camp. He's lonely, missing his family, faking a relationship with his female co-star for the promo opportunity, even though they have no real interest in each other. He meets Archie accidentally, when Archie wanders into a night shoot. From the moment Archie backtalks at him, unimpressed by his celebrity, and walks away, Landon is intrigued.
And out of that moment of chemistry, something grows that builds each time they see each other. Which scares the hell out of Archie, who has always insisted he's not the gay dance student stereotype. Male dancers can be straight and he is. Except when he looks at Landon.
There are some things I really enjoyed about this story. Both leads are appealing young men. It's not gay-for-you but a confused kid who had reasons to repress his own identity, figuring out who he is. Landon is also very staunchly bisexual, and won't let that be erased. There is a pretty predictable misunderstanding, but the drama in here isn't overblown and most of the characters turn out to be less one-dimensional than they seem at first. The relationship, for all its insta beginning, has some time to build.
The writing is good. I was pulled into the story and eagerly moved on to the novella that followed it (which I also enjoyed - I got the box set.)
I do wonder if the author is Australian, though, because they missed out on a huge problem. Archie is 17. In California the age of consent is 18. There is no Romeo and Juliet exemption - if Landon were to have sex with Archie, he is guilty of statutory rape, no matter how consensual it is. What's more, although there is a bill in the works to fix it, right now gay sex (anything but straight vaginal sex) with an underage person puts the adult on the sex-offender list for life, with no room for leniency by the judge.
So as soon as Archie said he was 17, Landon should have run. And if he was too ignorant to do it (although given a past scandal his agent should have had all kinds of conversation with him on this subject), then Kelly his costar, or anyone else there who was from California and found out should have dragged him away and told him to wait a year. Because the risk of being caught in this relationship wasn't some little thing like movie publicity. It was jail time and a life-long sex-offender designation. And frankly, Archie should have been aware, as a smart teen living in California. You don't put someone you care about at that kind of risk.
The whole problem would be resolved by having Archie be 18, and it would do nothing to damage the story. So I just pretended he was 18, as I read the story, to keep from mentally screaming at Landon to run away.
I'm not sure how the novella "In Real Life" is packaged if you buy the books separately - it's listed as "book 12" but included in the box set after the novel. It's not listed here on GR at all.
I enjoyed this further look at Archie and Landon, as they head to visit Landon's family in Australia. This was sweet and warm, with a nice array of secondary characters. The relationship between the guys deepens, and they actually talk to each other about real topics.
The time frame is a bit confused from the epilogue to this (some bits seem to be many months later, or at least long enough to film a whole season of a TV show, but Archie says he's still 17, and he's still just getting into a school.)
I just pretended Archie was eighteen and enjoyed this episode in their lives.
September 18, 2018
3.5 stars - I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
This is a cute coming of age romance. When we first meet Archie, he is a spoiled, miserable rich kid who somehow manages to resent spending his summer at a luxurious camp. Landon is a young actor filming a movie at the summer camp. He’s a long way from home and he’s lonely and homesick.
Landon is instantly likeable. Despite his film star status, his loneliness and his self doubt make him relatable. Archie is a more difficult character to like. His entitled apathy and his caustic observations at the start of the story are irritating. However, I love the way Archie grows into himself in this book. Events and interactions prompt self-reflection and genuine growth. Much of the book focuses on Archie growing up and figuring himself out. I found myself liking Archie as a person right about the time Archie starts to like himself.
While I enjoyed Archie and Landon’s story, I felt there was something missing in the romance between them. I feel like we are told about the connection or the chemistry between Archie and Landon but we never really see or feel it. I felt Archie’s personal growth and Landon’s newfound confidence but I didn’t really feel any passion in the connection between them.
This story fits somewhere between young adult and new adult writing. Archie is seventeen or eighteen and Landon is probably a few years older. But because of the summer camp setting - and Archie’s complicated relationship with his parents - this feels most like a teen romance. I didn’t love the summer camp setting - the kids feel too old to be campers rather than camp staff and the camp environment lacks the sense of joy and nostalgia that I usually love in YA summer camp stories. I found it odd that while the blurb makes Archie’s dancing seem like a huge part of the story, it is only mentioned a few times.
This is a cute coming of age romance. When we first meet Archie, he is a spoiled, miserable rich kid who somehow manages to resent spending his summer at a luxurious camp. Landon is a young actor filming a movie at the summer camp. He’s a long way from home and he’s lonely and homesick.
Landon is instantly likeable. Despite his film star status, his loneliness and his self doubt make him relatable. Archie is a more difficult character to like. His entitled apathy and his caustic observations at the start of the story are irritating. However, I love the way Archie grows into himself in this book. Events and interactions prompt self-reflection and genuine growth. Much of the book focuses on Archie growing up and figuring himself out. I found myself liking Archie as a person right about the time Archie starts to like himself.
While I enjoyed Archie and Landon’s story, I felt there was something missing in the romance between them. I feel like we are told about the connection or the chemistry between Archie and Landon but we never really see or feel it. I felt Archie’s personal growth and Landon’s newfound confidence but I didn’t really feel any passion in the connection between them.
This story fits somewhere between young adult and new adult writing. Archie is seventeen or eighteen and Landon is probably a few years older. But because of the summer camp setting - and Archie’s complicated relationship with his parents - this feels most like a teen romance. I didn’t love the summer camp setting - the kids feel too old to be campers rather than camp staff and the camp environment lacks the sense of joy and nostalgia that I usually love in YA summer camp stories. I found it odd that while the blurb makes Archie’s dancing seem like a huge part of the story, it is only mentioned a few times.
September 14, 2018
This is my first read by S.M. James and I’m so glad I took a chance. I really loved Landon and felt so much for Archie as he came to terms with himself and his sexual orientation. I thought this book was a good coming of age love story. Although I didn’t care for the cliché part towards the end, that’s why I took off half a star. If you are looking for a friendship, coming of age, thought provoking love story, then I recommend “That Feeling When”, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
I give this book 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Book Promotions and SM James and received no compensation for my honest review.
I give this book 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gay Book Promotions and SM James and received no compensation for my honest review.
November 13, 2020
The light clicks on
Fun read with a bit of mystery too. Coming to terms with who you are and what you want is the theme. Not your average summer camp for sure. 3.25 for chocolate.
Fun read with a bit of mystery too. Coming to terms with who you are and what you want is the theme. Not your average summer camp for sure. 3.25 for chocolate.
July 29, 2019
TFW you get your hands on a sweet and angsty Young Adult romance…
Archie Corrigan made a deal with his dad, which he lost, so now he’s spending the summer of his seventeenth year at camp trying to refocus his life goals on something that doesn’t include him becoming a professional ballet dancer. Sure, he’s heard all the slurs and taunts, and they’ve left a mark on him, just as they were intended to do, but he still loves dancing with all the passion of a dreamer. It’s just become ingrained in him to make sure the line between his sexuality and his love of ballet remains clearly defined. Archie is straight. End of story.
Landon Summers is the someone who makes Archie question that line. Landon happens to be filming a movie at Camp Crystal Cove, and his first encounter with Archie can’t be described as anything as wholesome as a meet-cute, nor is this quite an enemies-to-boyfriends story either. There are a lot of assumptions made and conclusions jumped to on both Landon’s and Archie’s part—preconceived notions such as Landon must be the typical douchey, egotistical Hollywood teen heartthrob; and Archie has got to be the preppy, privileged, spoiled rich boy he appears to be. It’s the decimating of those first impressions that begins something like a friendship between the two boys, and then evolves into something more. At least for Landon. Because Archie is straight….
“Have you ever wondered what would happen if you took a chance?”
This quote is, essentially, the novel condensed into one succinct and unvarnished ideation. That Feeling When relies on some familiar tropes of Young Adult romance, and also addresses some real-world subjects such as self-acceptance, exploring labels, and coming out. The story doesn’t gloss over these things in a simplistic way, as there is a necessary course of self-doubt and introspection on Archie’s part. He struggles mightily with his evermore confusing feelings for Landon and the fear of what those feeling will mean for him, especially when it comes to his family, his dad in particular. That fear determines and influences how he acts and reacts to everything, from Landon to girls to his dancing. It’s his reckoning, awakening, and finding someone worth taking a chance on that is the heart and soul of this story.
In the end, it all boils down to letting yourself fall.
That Feeling When is a boy meets boy/boy loses boy/boy gets boy back story. It’s the parts around and in between those occurrences that make this such a sweet and angsty book filled with all the pathos of first love and the heartbreak of first loss, and the joy of finally discovering that special someone who is worth the risk of falling for. The support Archie gets from the people he thought were least likely to have his back added an extra layer of emotion to the story, and while there were secrets that came to light, moments of confession and discovery that enlightened, acts of kindness on both Landon’s and Archie’s parts that came to define their relationship, and a blackmail threat that added more tension to an already emotion-heavy plot, it’s their romance that gives this novel so much sentiment.
TFW you get your hands on a sweet and angsty Young Adult romance can be rather nice.
Reviewed for The Novel Approach
Archie Corrigan made a deal with his dad, which he lost, so now he’s spending the summer of his seventeenth year at camp trying to refocus his life goals on something that doesn’t include him becoming a professional ballet dancer. Sure, he’s heard all the slurs and taunts, and they’ve left a mark on him, just as they were intended to do, but he still loves dancing with all the passion of a dreamer. It’s just become ingrained in him to make sure the line between his sexuality and his love of ballet remains clearly defined. Archie is straight. End of story.
Landon Summers is the someone who makes Archie question that line. Landon happens to be filming a movie at Camp Crystal Cove, and his first encounter with Archie can’t be described as anything as wholesome as a meet-cute, nor is this quite an enemies-to-boyfriends story either. There are a lot of assumptions made and conclusions jumped to on both Landon’s and Archie’s part—preconceived notions such as Landon must be the typical douchey, egotistical Hollywood teen heartthrob; and Archie has got to be the preppy, privileged, spoiled rich boy he appears to be. It’s the decimating of those first impressions that begins something like a friendship between the two boys, and then evolves into something more. At least for Landon. Because Archie is straight….
“Have you ever wondered what would happen if you took a chance?”
This quote is, essentially, the novel condensed into one succinct and unvarnished ideation. That Feeling When relies on some familiar tropes of Young Adult romance, and also addresses some real-world subjects such as self-acceptance, exploring labels, and coming out. The story doesn’t gloss over these things in a simplistic way, as there is a necessary course of self-doubt and introspection on Archie’s part. He struggles mightily with his evermore confusing feelings for Landon and the fear of what those feeling will mean for him, especially when it comes to his family, his dad in particular. That fear determines and influences how he acts and reacts to everything, from Landon to girls to his dancing. It’s his reckoning, awakening, and finding someone worth taking a chance on that is the heart and soul of this story.
In the end, it all boils down to letting yourself fall.
That Feeling When is a boy meets boy/boy loses boy/boy gets boy back story. It’s the parts around and in between those occurrences that make this such a sweet and angsty book filled with all the pathos of first love and the heartbreak of first loss, and the joy of finally discovering that special someone who is worth the risk of falling for. The support Archie gets from the people he thought were least likely to have his back added an extra layer of emotion to the story, and while there were secrets that came to light, moments of confession and discovery that enlightened, acts of kindness on both Landon’s and Archie’s parts that came to define their relationship, and a blackmail threat that added more tension to an already emotion-heavy plot, it’s their romance that gives this novel so much sentiment.
TFW you get your hands on a sweet and angsty Young Adult romance can be rather nice.
Reviewed for The Novel Approach
September 20, 2018
This is a new-to-me author, and I was pleasantly surprised with what was a very well written coming of age story. The characters had depth, the story flowed nicely, and my interest was captured right away and held to the very end.
Archie is in a position that many young adults find themselves, denying he could be anything but straight (and getting annoyed with people who assume he isn’t because he is a dancer), but then questioning things due to feelings that he develops for Landon. It’s confusing for him, and the path that follows is his journey of self discovery. Landon on the other hand knows he is bisexual, but keeps that fact out of public knowledge due to his job as an actor. They go from strangers to acquaintances to friends, then finally to more once Archie realizes the truth about himself.
Things aren’t simple though, and with the blackmail threat the angst level shoots up. It’s really good to see the support both Landon and Archie have from friends and family, in particular with Archie’s parents. While the heavily positive attitude from most of the characters in the story may not reflect actual real-world experiences even in this day and age, it is refreshing to read about, and puts their relationship in an encouraging light—something young adult readers need to show them that not every coming out experience will be fraught with trouble.
So often relationships in YA stories lack a feeling of permanence since the characters are young enough to be still finding their way and discovering who they are...That Feeling When may not be a full HEA because of that, but it still is a more than satisfying ending that made my heart sing, and does point toward a bright future for Landon and Archie together.
That Feeling When was a 4.5-star read for me, and I highly recommend it—especially for mature young adult readers who need positive stories regarding coming out and coming of age.
Archie is in a position that many young adults find themselves, denying he could be anything but straight (and getting annoyed with people who assume he isn’t because he is a dancer), but then questioning things due to feelings that he develops for Landon. It’s confusing for him, and the path that follows is his journey of self discovery. Landon on the other hand knows he is bisexual, but keeps that fact out of public knowledge due to his job as an actor. They go from strangers to acquaintances to friends, then finally to more once Archie realizes the truth about himself.
Things aren’t simple though, and with the blackmail threat the angst level shoots up. It’s really good to see the support both Landon and Archie have from friends and family, in particular with Archie’s parents. While the heavily positive attitude from most of the characters in the story may not reflect actual real-world experiences even in this day and age, it is refreshing to read about, and puts their relationship in an encouraging light—something young adult readers need to show them that not every coming out experience will be fraught with trouble.
So often relationships in YA stories lack a feeling of permanence since the characters are young enough to be still finding their way and discovering who they are...That Feeling When may not be a full HEA because of that, but it still is a more than satisfying ending that made my heart sing, and does point toward a bright future for Landon and Archie together.
That Feeling When was a 4.5-star read for me, and I highly recommend it—especially for mature young adult readers who need positive stories regarding coming out and coming of age.
November 11, 2018
I absolutely devoured this book!
Truthfully, it's been on my watch list for a while now, but I always convinced myself to get other priorities first. What was I thinking?
Luckily, book 3 in the #lovehim series came up for review so I couldn't resist convincing myself that I just had to read the first 2, before I started. And I'm so glad I did.
I'm not usually a fan of 1st person, present tense, but it really worked for this book. Along with the gorgeous presentation, Archie's natural snark, and the most adorkable teen romance you've ever seen, there wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. Nothing.
There was a sweet and tender start to the romance, after much snark and teen angst, and it completely sucked me into the teen, camp, romance feel of the novel. The slow realisation of self, the subtle chemistry, the self-discovery. It was all so beautifully done. The awkwardness of teenagers was so brilliantly written that it took me straight back to being in high school.
Landon was a complicated mess; Archie was sweet and lost; Landon's mother was incredible. Owen and Brittany, Kelly and Meredith, were incredible supporting cast. I loved the struggles over self - being aboriginal, being gay, being confused, being famous - and the logical fear that what they had might only last as long as the camp did.
I cried. I loved it. It was perfect. Adorkable. Sweet. Ridiculously beautiful. And exactly what I needed.
That Feeling When...is an adorkable story of young love, blushing romance, self discovery, and growing up, wrapped in a summer camp, teen angst, and the absolutely awful hormones of teen life. I can't wait to read more.
~
Favourite Quote
"And there he goes, holding my stare for that beat longer than he probably means to before letting loose this adorable, little smile. I'm putty. Just a gloopy, gooey mess. This guy is a menace."
Truthfully, it's been on my watch list for a while now, but I always convinced myself to get other priorities first. What was I thinking?
Luckily, book 3 in the #lovehim series came up for review so I couldn't resist convincing myself that I just had to read the first 2, before I started. And I'm so glad I did.
I'm not usually a fan of 1st person, present tense, but it really worked for this book. Along with the gorgeous presentation, Archie's natural snark, and the most adorkable teen romance you've ever seen, there wasn't anything I didn't love about this book. Nothing.
There was a sweet and tender start to the romance, after much snark and teen angst, and it completely sucked me into the teen, camp, romance feel of the novel. The slow realisation of self, the subtle chemistry, the self-discovery. It was all so beautifully done. The awkwardness of teenagers was so brilliantly written that it took me straight back to being in high school.
Landon was a complicated mess; Archie was sweet and lost; Landon's mother was incredible. Owen and Brittany, Kelly and Meredith, were incredible supporting cast. I loved the struggles over self - being aboriginal, being gay, being confused, being famous - and the logical fear that what they had might only last as long as the camp did.
I cried. I loved it. It was perfect. Adorkable. Sweet. Ridiculously beautiful. And exactly what I needed.
That Feeling When...is an adorkable story of young love, blushing romance, self discovery, and growing up, wrapped in a summer camp, teen angst, and the absolutely awful hormones of teen life. I can't wait to read more.
~
Favourite Quote
"And there he goes, holding my stare for that beat longer than he probably means to before letting loose this adorable, little smile. I'm putty. Just a gloopy, gooey mess. This guy is a menace."
August 15, 2018
That Feeling When is a good young adult story.
Forced to attend a summer camp, Archie is resentful until he stumbles upon teen heartthrob Landon, who is on location filming a movie. They become friends, and the chemistry is strong between them.
When Archie discovers that Landon is actually bisexual, he is even more confused since he, himself is straight. But those sparks. That chemistry. What does it all mean?
Both young men are dealing with some personal issues, which they hopefully can help each other with. Meanwhile, they have to deal with some blackmail, some family issues, fighting their sexual urges, and figuring out what their dreams actually are.
This story has some fantastic lines -
"You can follow your thinks or you can follow your feels. Only one of them will make you happy."
"No one is one thing and not another."
"Change is good. Everything changes, and every change gets us where we're meant to be."
Each of these lines are perfect in the story, but are things we all need to remember.
Overall, That Feeling When is a great little young adult story. SM James manages to combine some great issues in this coming of age story.
Forced to attend a summer camp, Archie is resentful until he stumbles upon teen heartthrob Landon, who is on location filming a movie. They become friends, and the chemistry is strong between them.
When Archie discovers that Landon is actually bisexual, he is even more confused since he, himself is straight. But those sparks. That chemistry. What does it all mean?
Both young men are dealing with some personal issues, which they hopefully can help each other with. Meanwhile, they have to deal with some blackmail, some family issues, fighting their sexual urges, and figuring out what their dreams actually are.
This story has some fantastic lines -
"You can follow your thinks or you can follow your feels. Only one of them will make you happy."
"No one is one thing and not another."
"Change is good. Everything changes, and every change gets us where we're meant to be."
Each of these lines are perfect in the story, but are things we all need to remember.
Overall, That Feeling When is a great little young adult story. SM James manages to combine some great issues in this coming of age story.
June 12, 2019
4.5* . . . Rounded up
I had a hard time putting this YA novel down and then didn't want it to end. Of course, you will have to suspend your imagination to allow for a major movie set cast to be interacting with teenage campers, even if the movie set is near the camp grounds.
That said, the characters are aptly drawn, the dialogue is sharply captured, and the falling in love is achingly apt. When Landon, the young star of the action film, is magnetically drawn to Archie, the young camper and heir to a publishing dynasty, angst ensues. The aches are whimsical yet believable, and the camp/coast setting offers its own veracity.
My one caveat is how the MCs do plot-delaying acts such as throwing their phones across the room so they can't receive calls for days. Such head-scratching acts seem to increase near the end. And honestly, it feels dishonest.
Otherwise, a fun summer escape book!
I had a hard time putting this YA novel down and then didn't want it to end. Of course, you will have to suspend your imagination to allow for a major movie set cast to be interacting with teenage campers, even if the movie set is near the camp grounds.
That said, the characters are aptly drawn, the dialogue is sharply captured, and the falling in love is achingly apt. When Landon, the young star of the action film, is magnetically drawn to Archie, the young camper and heir to a publishing dynasty, angst ensues. The aches are whimsical yet believable, and the camp/coast setting offers its own veracity.
My one caveat is how the MCs do plot-delaying acts such as throwing their phones across the room so they can't receive calls for days. Such head-scratching acts seem to increase near the end. And honestly, it feels dishonest.
Otherwise, a fun summer escape book!
July 24, 2018
Who knew camp could change your life
I didn't know what to expect from this book, most YA/NA coming of age books I’ve read have been a bit lackluster. I’m so glad I took a chance on this because I wouldn't have wanted to miss Archie and Landon’s story. They were such great characters, filled with fears and uncertainties but still finding their way to happiness. I really enjoyed it and I wasn't ready for it to end, I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys that first foray into young love.
I didn't know what to expect from this book, most YA/NA coming of age books I’ve read have been a bit lackluster. I’m so glad I took a chance on this because I wouldn't have wanted to miss Archie and Landon’s story. They were such great characters, filled with fears and uncertainties but still finding their way to happiness. I really enjoyed it and I wasn't ready for it to end, I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys that first foray into young love.
November 4, 2020
This book was pretty cute. There were a couple parts that confused me though. How their relationship rekindles when they are blackmailed and then all of that ending were the main ones. Overall I enjoyed it though. Wish it wasn’t so tame. All the thoughts of taking off cloths and touching, but not doing so :(
October 3, 2018
Enjoyed everything about this story.
September 28, 2019
Recommended- but beware that this is New Adult with the attendant lack of sex :)
Sweet, readable story. Not too much conflict but charming characters, diverse cast and some humor.
Sweet, readable story. Not too much conflict but charming characters, diverse cast and some humor.
September 4, 2018
Title: That Feeling When
Author: S. M. James
Publisher: May Books
ISBN: B07DTB7MJ4
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/That-Feeling-W...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
#LoveHim 1
Archie Corrigan is an angry teen, pigeon-holed by a stereotype.
Landon Summers is a Hollywood heartthrob, whose role doesn’t end when the cameras stop filming.
When the two guys meet at Camp Crystal Cove, they have literally nothing in common. Despite their differences, Archie can’t help but be enthralled by Landon’s confidence, and Landon has never met anyone so completely immune to his charms.
Their unexpected friendship has them both revealing parts of themselves they’ve tried to keep hidden, but accepting the truth isn’t always easy.
Archie and Landon have to decide.
Stick to the safety of the pretend lives they’ve built up?
… Or give in to That Feeling When they’re finally happy?
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Archie has spent his life trying to live down his father’s fame and focus on what he loves, dancing. He lost a bet forcing him to attend Camp Crystal Cove, but he never expected that the place he least wanted to be was where fate was leading him. Landon is trying his best to get into the character he is playing, but things are just not going his way. That is until Landon sees Archie and unlike everyone else Archie doesn’t fall all over him. Archie knows who he is and isn’t impressed about him fame. Now Archie isn’t as disinterested as he appears, but his life has way to many complications as It is. Wanting to be a ballet dancer has people questioning his sexuality without giving them more ammunition. Things become more complicated when Archie receives a picture of them and a threat to stay away or the picture will be released. It is difficult enough for Archie to decide where his life is going on top of his growing feelings for Landon. Landon knows it would be best for his career to keep a lid on his feelings for Archie, but some things just can’ t contained. I loved how it was Archie and Landon’s differences where what initially brought them together, but that was only the beginning to their story. Archie never wanted to be in the spotlight making him question what he was feeling for Landon.
This is a wonderful story that shows firs love can be both simple and complex first love is depending on how you look at it, but it is never boring.
Author: S. M. James
Publisher: May Books
ISBN: B07DTB7MJ4
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/That-Feeling-W...
Reviewer: Teresa Fallen Angel
Blurb:
#LoveHim 1
Archie Corrigan is an angry teen, pigeon-holed by a stereotype.
Landon Summers is a Hollywood heartthrob, whose role doesn’t end when the cameras stop filming.
When the two guys meet at Camp Crystal Cove, they have literally nothing in common. Despite their differences, Archie can’t help but be enthralled by Landon’s confidence, and Landon has never met anyone so completely immune to his charms.
Their unexpected friendship has them both revealing parts of themselves they’ve tried to keep hidden, but accepting the truth isn’t always easy.
Archie and Landon have to decide.
Stick to the safety of the pretend lives they’ve built up?
… Or give in to That Feeling When they’re finally happy?
Total Score: 5/5
Summary:
Archie has spent his life trying to live down his father’s fame and focus on what he loves, dancing. He lost a bet forcing him to attend Camp Crystal Cove, but he never expected that the place he least wanted to be was where fate was leading him. Landon is trying his best to get into the character he is playing, but things are just not going his way. That is until Landon sees Archie and unlike everyone else Archie doesn’t fall all over him. Archie knows who he is and isn’t impressed about him fame. Now Archie isn’t as disinterested as he appears, but his life has way to many complications as It is. Wanting to be a ballet dancer has people questioning his sexuality without giving them more ammunition. Things become more complicated when Archie receives a picture of them and a threat to stay away or the picture will be released. It is difficult enough for Archie to decide where his life is going on top of his growing feelings for Landon. Landon knows it would be best for his career to keep a lid on his feelings for Archie, but some things just can’ t contained. I loved how it was Archie and Landon’s differences where what initially brought them together, but that was only the beginning to their story. Archie never wanted to be in the spotlight making him question what he was feeling for Landon.
This is a wonderful story that shows firs love can be both simple and complex first love is depending on how you look at it, but it is never boring.
July 9, 2018
Compelling, thought-provoking and immensely enjoyable!!
I was hooked from the first page and just couldn't put this book down!
This is a great coming of age story, with two young men finding love and friendship where they least expect it. The book focuses on Archie and Landon, but their interactions and friendships with the secondary characters are very important too, giving the book a similar feel to that found in the wonderful "Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda".
The blackmail plot and its fallout give the story some added tension, upping the stakes for the MC's.
Archie has a bit of a chip on his shoulder when he arrives at the camp, and his snarky internal dialogue makes for very entertaining reading. We sense his unhappiness, but the reasons for it remain unclear for a while. Archie closes himself off from everyone, even his twin sister, maybe unconsciously afraid of truly being know by anyone, even himself.
Landon/Yarran is extremely lovable!! Very much the handsome boy next door, hardworking, humble and so very decent! His mum raised him right! Landon's just so sweet!!
I loved his connection to his family and how he clings to his mum and the principles she instilled in him, even in the face of a decidedly grumpy Archie.
The Australian accent was brilliant! I simply couldn't get enough of the Oi's, mates, barbie and the bloody this or that!
I really loved that we got an Aboriginal character "in the lead" in this book, especially one with a very succesful career.
The author leaves us bread crumbs to follow throughout the story, only giving us more insight into Archie and Landon in the most subtle and piecemeal way.
This challenges the reader and helps us join Archie on his road of self-discovery.
I loved the conclusion of the book!
It ends in a very romantic, optimistic fashion. Utterly delightful!
I was hooked from the first page and just couldn't put this book down!
This is a great coming of age story, with two young men finding love and friendship where they least expect it. The book focuses on Archie and Landon, but their interactions and friendships with the secondary characters are very important too, giving the book a similar feel to that found in the wonderful "Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda".
The blackmail plot and its fallout give the story some added tension, upping the stakes for the MC's.
Archie has a bit of a chip on his shoulder when he arrives at the camp, and his snarky internal dialogue makes for very entertaining reading. We sense his unhappiness, but the reasons for it remain unclear for a while. Archie closes himself off from everyone, even his twin sister, maybe unconsciously afraid of truly being know by anyone, even himself.
Landon/Yarran is extremely lovable!! Very much the handsome boy next door, hardworking, humble and so very decent! His mum raised him right! Landon's just so sweet!!
I loved his connection to his family and how he clings to his mum and the principles she instilled in him, even in the face of a decidedly grumpy Archie.
The Australian accent was brilliant! I simply couldn't get enough of the Oi's, mates, barbie and the bloody this or that!
I really loved that we got an Aboriginal character "in the lead" in this book, especially one with a very succesful career.
The author leaves us bread crumbs to follow throughout the story, only giving us more insight into Archie and Landon in the most subtle and piecemeal way.
This challenges the reader and helps us join Archie on his road of self-discovery.
I loved the conclusion of the book!
It ends in a very romantic, optimistic fashion. Utterly delightful!
September 30, 2018
4.5
I’m not sure that I would refer to this book as strictly a romance. There was just so much more to it – parental drama, self-discovery, fear, prejudice on so many levels and last, but certainly not least, understanding and accepting the fact that accepting and liking yourself first is always the most important thing.
This book brought back so many feeling memories for me – the intensity, uncertainty, fear and utter mindless exhilaration of that first deep overwhelming emotion for another person. There’s a part of your heart that never forgets (and never really recovers) and a book like this, certainly triggers those heart muscle memories.
Love is never easy; sometimes it’s that hard rolling boil with water hurling itself out of the pot that you need to be able to cook spaghetti and sometimes it’s that very gentle simmer, so gentle that all it has are a few stray and random bubbles to assure you that there is heat (a heat perfect for melting chocolate). Cooking analogies make sense to me – whatcha gonna do?
In this case, Archie and Landon are at both of these levels of heat at different times of the book which to me makes the journey of their relationship so realistic. It isn’t about whether a boy likes girl or a boy likes boys, it’s about two souls finding each other at just the right, completely unexpected time. It’s beautifully written, even the drama and angst and the emotion is so well communicated that I found myself holding my breath at times and giving into a tear or two at others.
My feeling about these MC’s is that both, at heart, are introverts and they deal with it on their public faces in different ways.
Archie comes across as very closed off, almost permanently mentally sneering at those around him. It could make it difficult to like him from the beginning but I felt very strongly that I understood him and his behavior – he lives in the shadow of a larger than life father, where people hear his last name and their eyes go big and light up with possibilities, he has aspirations that his father doesn’t approve of and feels like his dreams are beyond his reach. He has kept so much of himself and his feeling so deeply locked up inside of him, not even trusting his twin sister with his real thoughts and emotions and he really only appreciates people when he can be sure that they are authentic, because he’s a boy who has had enough fake.
For him, no one is more real than Landon. Which is ironic since Landon is starring in a movie and playing more than just that role. Landon has to keep movie executives, agents and fans happy and while there’s a smile plastered on his face, it takes its toll on him. He wasn’t born for the Hollywood life and while he loves acting, it’s the roles off the screen and the rules he must follow that makes life difficult for him.
Archie has defensive walls up so high from a lifetime of people wanting to use him for his connection to his dad while feeling like the family disappointment where his dad is concerned but even that feeling of being a disappointment to his father doesn’t stop him from wanting the dreams he wants for himself even as he tries to push it deeper within himself. Landon is friendly (most days :-)) and has a warmth and generosity of spirit that comes of a lifetime of being loved and accepted unreservedly by his big family but even that spirit doesn’t take away his self-doubt and fear. With Archie, his soul found a kindred spirit.
I would never call this book cute. I feel that the word takes away from the depth of the content. It’s a beautiful look at two boys who are trying against difficult odds to understand and accept who they are in spite of and because of all the hurdles in their lives. It’s not just the love story, it’s also about both of them needing to figure out how to grab the future that they want for themselves individually too.
Archie may have been struggling with his sexuality in this book (because it’s the one thing he was most adamantly sure that he didn’t have to even think about) but Landon was also struggling with his identity and how the image he has to portray was at cross purposes about who he had accepted himself to be.
There is a real depth to their relationship and my romantic heart feels that once that choice is made, that they’ll both be willing to do the work to make it work for the long haul. I loved that the Main Characters were gay but were not written in a typical camp way as people, when taking the easy way, are often inclined to do when writing gay characters. It was very respectfully written. This story could’ve happened this way even with a straight couple.
There is a scene towards the end that made me sad that the author had gone there. It was a disappointing and unnecessary action that would’ve made some sense at an earlier part of the book, but not at that point, especially when one considers where that specific MC’s head was at in that moment. It was as I said, disappointing and I nearly skipped over it.
The thing is though is that that particular moment was a necessary catalyst for some widespread healing of relationships and so I question the .5 I want to deduct, even while wishing it could’ve been handled a different way.
All in all, it was a beautiful, fun, compassionately well-written book with a story that gratefully had the opportunity to be told.
Thank you SM James for the voice.
I’m not sure that I would refer to this book as strictly a romance. There was just so much more to it – parental drama, self-discovery, fear, prejudice on so many levels and last, but certainly not least, understanding and accepting the fact that accepting and liking yourself first is always the most important thing.
This book brought back so many feeling memories for me – the intensity, uncertainty, fear and utter mindless exhilaration of that first deep overwhelming emotion for another person. There’s a part of your heart that never forgets (and never really recovers) and a book like this, certainly triggers those heart muscle memories.
Love is never easy; sometimes it’s that hard rolling boil with water hurling itself out of the pot that you need to be able to cook spaghetti and sometimes it’s that very gentle simmer, so gentle that all it has are a few stray and random bubbles to assure you that there is heat (a heat perfect for melting chocolate). Cooking analogies make sense to me – whatcha gonna do?
In this case, Archie and Landon are at both of these levels of heat at different times of the book which to me makes the journey of their relationship so realistic. It isn’t about whether a boy likes girl or a boy likes boys, it’s about two souls finding each other at just the right, completely unexpected time. It’s beautifully written, even the drama and angst and the emotion is so well communicated that I found myself holding my breath at times and giving into a tear or two at others.
My feeling about these MC’s is that both, at heart, are introverts and they deal with it on their public faces in different ways.
Archie comes across as very closed off, almost permanently mentally sneering at those around him. It could make it difficult to like him from the beginning but I felt very strongly that I understood him and his behavior – he lives in the shadow of a larger than life father, where people hear his last name and their eyes go big and light up with possibilities, he has aspirations that his father doesn’t approve of and feels like his dreams are beyond his reach. He has kept so much of himself and his feeling so deeply locked up inside of him, not even trusting his twin sister with his real thoughts and emotions and he really only appreciates people when he can be sure that they are authentic, because he’s a boy who has had enough fake.
For him, no one is more real than Landon. Which is ironic since Landon is starring in a movie and playing more than just that role. Landon has to keep movie executives, agents and fans happy and while there’s a smile plastered on his face, it takes its toll on him. He wasn’t born for the Hollywood life and while he loves acting, it’s the roles off the screen and the rules he must follow that makes life difficult for him.
Archie has defensive walls up so high from a lifetime of people wanting to use him for his connection to his dad while feeling like the family disappointment where his dad is concerned but even that feeling of being a disappointment to his father doesn’t stop him from wanting the dreams he wants for himself even as he tries to push it deeper within himself. Landon is friendly (most days :-)) and has a warmth and generosity of spirit that comes of a lifetime of being loved and accepted unreservedly by his big family but even that spirit doesn’t take away his self-doubt and fear. With Archie, his soul found a kindred spirit.
I would never call this book cute. I feel that the word takes away from the depth of the content. It’s a beautiful look at two boys who are trying against difficult odds to understand and accept who they are in spite of and because of all the hurdles in their lives. It’s not just the love story, it’s also about both of them needing to figure out how to grab the future that they want for themselves individually too.
Archie may have been struggling with his sexuality in this book (because it’s the one thing he was most adamantly sure that he didn’t have to even think about) but Landon was also struggling with his identity and how the image he has to portray was at cross purposes about who he had accepted himself to be.
There is a real depth to their relationship and my romantic heart feels that once that choice is made, that they’ll both be willing to do the work to make it work for the long haul. I loved that the Main Characters were gay but were not written in a typical camp way as people, when taking the easy way, are often inclined to do when writing gay characters. It was very respectfully written. This story could’ve happened this way even with a straight couple.
There is a scene towards the end that made me sad that the author had gone there. It was a disappointing and unnecessary action that would’ve made some sense at an earlier part of the book, but not at that point, especially when one considers where that specific MC’s head was at in that moment. It was as I said, disappointing and I nearly skipped over it.
The thing is though is that that particular moment was a necessary catalyst for some widespread healing of relationships and so I question the .5 I want to deduct, even while wishing it could’ve been handled a different way.
All in all, it was a beautiful, fun, compassionately well-written book with a story that gratefully had the opportunity to be told.
Thank you SM James for the voice.
August 20, 2018
This is a sweet and entertaining story about 2 boys who are finding themselves. Archie is a dancer, who is the son of a very privileged man, but is desperately struggling with his sexual orientation. Landon is a young actor, who comes from a very loving family, and is very comfortable in being bisexual. This is a well written story and the moral of the story is accepting yourself as you are, and not others expectations. I was intrigued and hooked throughout, and look forward to reading more of this authors’ work!
September 15, 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book via Voracious readers only.
I loved this book, it was absolutely incredible. I loved the characters, how Archie was so closed off and yet slightly more open with London and I like how it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows from the beginning and how the book showed and explained the struggle that Archie went through. I also loved how London was so outgoing yet he still seemed to have insecurities.
I loved the ending of the book and how beautiful it was. I will read anything more about the characters in this book it was awesome
I loved this book, it was absolutely incredible. I loved the characters, how Archie was so closed off and yet slightly more open with London and I like how it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows from the beginning and how the book showed and explained the struggle that Archie went through. I also loved how London was so outgoing yet he still seemed to have insecurities.
I loved the ending of the book and how beautiful it was. I will read anything more about the characters in this book it was awesome
September 17, 2018
I was hooked from Landon and Archie’s first encounter! I love their attitudes and sometimes they butt heads. But it’s not only a love story, but I finding out who you really are and accepting it. I also enjoyed the happiness and troubles they face together and the ending wraps it all up. Very good book!
December 14, 2019
Loved this book so much!
November 21, 2018
3,5/5
Once in a while, in-between heavier books, I need a light read to cheer me up and that's exactly why I picked up this book! I needed a cute, easy and sweet read, and this book gave me everything I was looking for (but, omg, so MuCH PiNINg).
I usually don't have high expectations for these books, but I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the writing style, sometimes teenagers are portrayed as just TOO much, but it was easy to emphatize with Archie. He is 17, and of course he is confused about himself and his sexuality, and I think that the author managed to portray his insecurities and his internal turmoil really well.
On the other hand, what I didn't really like was Landon's pushiness. I understand that he is comfortable with his sexuality, but to me it felt like he was saying 'I know that I'm bi, why don't you know if you're gay or not?'. I understand that Archie's behaviour was frustrating for him, as he first gets close to Landon and then retreats into himself. But even though he said he was going to give Archie time to figure himself out, I felt like he was pushing it on him and it didn't quite sit right with me.
Apart from my mixed feelings on Landon's behavior, I liked the story and I will probably read the other short stories!
Once in a while, in-between heavier books, I need a light read to cheer me up and that's exactly why I picked up this book! I needed a cute, easy and sweet read, and this book gave me everything I was looking for (but, omg, so MuCH PiNINg).
I usually don't have high expectations for these books, but I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the writing style, sometimes teenagers are portrayed as just TOO much, but it was easy to emphatize with Archie. He is 17, and of course he is confused about himself and his sexuality, and I think that the author managed to portray his insecurities and his internal turmoil really well.
On the other hand, what I didn't really like was Landon's pushiness. I understand that he is comfortable with his sexuality, but to me it felt like he was saying 'I know that I'm bi, why don't you know if you're gay or not?'. I understand that Archie's behaviour was frustrating for him, as he first gets close to Landon and then retreats into himself. But even though he said he was going to give Archie time to figure himself out, I felt like he was pushing it on him and it didn't quite sit right with me.
Apart from my mixed feelings on Landon's behavior, I liked the story and I will probably read the other short stories!
July 14, 2022
*3.75
July 19, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
Archie Corrigan wants nothing more than to be a ballet dancer, much to his father’s annoyance. So, when he loses a bet he grudgingly agrees to attend Camp Crystal Cove and re-evaluate his career goals.
Landon Summers wants nothing more than to succeed as an actor (minus living in the limelight). But fame means keeping his bisexuality under wraps.
A chance encounter. A tentative friendship. A stolen kiss.
Suddenly, these boys find themselves wanting so much more.
That Feeling When is a fun, coming-of-age story about friendship, love and finding yourself. Throw in a bit of blackmail and betrayal and you’ve got yourself a book that is at once cute and compelling, and insanely addictive!
The good:
There are a lot of good things to say about this book!
First and foremost is the positive representation! Landon is both bisexual AND a person of colour. Not to mention he’s Australian. (I’m Australian and bisexual myself, so I both love and appreciate seeing some positive queer, Aussie rep in books.) It’s hard to pull off a character like Landon without coming across as tokenistic. Unfortunately, with no other queer or coloured characters (besides Archie) that I can recall, S.M. James doesn’t quite pull it off. Fortunately, Landon is a super likeable character, who is proud of his bisexuality and his Aboriginal heritage. I have a particular appreciation for the way S.M. James wrote Landon, avoiding negative stereotypes like promiscuity and drug addiction. It was refreshing.
The struggle Archie has with his sexuality is very realistic and relatable. As a ballet dancer, he’s had to face slurs and assumptions his whole life, with people automatically deciding he’s gay before he’s had a chance to consider it for himself. Discovering your sexuality isn’t always a black and white process. Queer or straight you can appreciate when people are attractive. It can be hard sometimes to distinguish between sexual attraction or mere admiration.
The romance wasn’t rushed, thank god! I’ve read so many insta-love romances and crappy love triangles that I was put off the whole genre until recently. But That Feeling When is a nice, slow burn that builds the anticipation and sexual tension so much your heart actually starts pounding. I know mine did when I read the ‘inevitable kiss’ scene! And this whole story is just so cute! It’s a good thing I was alone when I was reading this because I was openly laughing and smiling and squealing and that’s just something people who don’t read wouldn’t understand.
I loved the added layer of the blackmail to the plot. It had me both enjoying the cute romance and eagerly trying to work out who the blackmailer was (I managed to work it out before the big reveal, woo!)
The not so good:
The book started out strong but fell a little flat towards the end.
About three quarters of the way in the pacing changes drastically for a moment. The span of half a week passes in as many pages, as opposed to the day-by-day narrative of the rest of the book. It jarred the story and made it feel like the author was just trying to rush to the end. I would have preferred the story just skip to the next part, rather than offer random little snippets of each day.
There is a very cliché scene towards the end . It was a cheap ploy to create tension and made the last part of the book too predictable for me. It was disappointing.
There are some minor typos in the copy I received, but they are infrequent enough that you barely notice.
Favourite quotes:
“The legal drinking age in Australia is eighteen. I like to think of my trailer as an Australian embassy.”
“Bi. Calling me gay erases who I am.”
Overall:
3.5/5 stars
That Feeling When is a sweet LGBT+ romance that breaks away from the tragic bury-your-gays trope, unapologetically giving queer characters the happily ever after they deserve! It captures the dizzying excitement of young love in a way that is delightfully outlandish, but also relatable. For many readers they will likely be able to relate to the struggle of navigating that tricky precipice of adulthood. I liked this book so much in the beginning, so it was sad when the last quarter let it down. Until that point, the interesting premise, smooth dialogue and blossoming romance had 4 stars from me. (I rounded up because I enjoyed the rest of the book so much.) I recommend this book to anyone who loves LGBT+ romance and a hint of mystery.
Theme song recommendation: My My My! by Troye Sivan
Summary:
Archie Corrigan wants nothing more than to be a ballet dancer, much to his father’s annoyance. So, when he loses a bet he grudgingly agrees to attend Camp Crystal Cove and re-evaluate his career goals.
Landon Summers wants nothing more than to succeed as an actor (minus living in the limelight). But fame means keeping his bisexuality under wraps.
A chance encounter. A tentative friendship. A stolen kiss.
Suddenly, these boys find themselves wanting so much more.
That Feeling When is a fun, coming-of-age story about friendship, love and finding yourself. Throw in a bit of blackmail and betrayal and you’ve got yourself a book that is at once cute and compelling, and insanely addictive!
The good:
There are a lot of good things to say about this book!
First and foremost is the positive representation! Landon is both bisexual AND a person of colour. Not to mention he’s Australian. (I’m Australian and bisexual myself, so I both love and appreciate seeing some positive queer, Aussie rep in books.) It’s hard to pull off a character like Landon without coming across as tokenistic. Unfortunately, with no other queer or coloured characters (besides Archie) that I can recall, S.M. James doesn’t quite pull it off. Fortunately, Landon is a super likeable character, who is proud of his bisexuality and his Aboriginal heritage. I have a particular appreciation for the way S.M. James wrote Landon, avoiding negative stereotypes like promiscuity and drug addiction. It was refreshing.
The struggle Archie has with his sexuality is very realistic and relatable. As a ballet dancer, he’s had to face slurs and assumptions his whole life, with people automatically deciding he’s gay before he’s had a chance to consider it for himself. Discovering your sexuality isn’t always a black and white process. Queer or straight you can appreciate when people are attractive. It can be hard sometimes to distinguish between sexual attraction or mere admiration.
The romance wasn’t rushed, thank god! I’ve read so many insta-love romances and crappy love triangles that I was put off the whole genre until recently. But That Feeling When is a nice, slow burn that builds the anticipation and sexual tension so much your heart actually starts pounding. I know mine did when I read the ‘inevitable kiss’ scene! And this whole story is just so cute! It’s a good thing I was alone when I was reading this because I was openly laughing and smiling and squealing and that’s just something people who don’t read wouldn’t understand.
I loved the added layer of the blackmail to the plot. It had me both enjoying the cute romance and eagerly trying to work out who the blackmailer was (I managed to work it out before the big reveal, woo!)
The not so good:
The book started out strong but fell a little flat towards the end.
About three quarters of the way in the pacing changes drastically for a moment. The span of half a week passes in as many pages, as opposed to the day-by-day narrative of the rest of the book. It jarred the story and made it feel like the author was just trying to rush to the end. I would have preferred the story just skip to the next part, rather than offer random little snippets of each day.
There is a very cliché scene towards the end . It was a cheap ploy to create tension and made the last part of the book too predictable for me. It was disappointing.
There are some minor typos in the copy I received, but they are infrequent enough that you barely notice.
Favourite quotes:
“The legal drinking age in Australia is eighteen. I like to think of my trailer as an Australian embassy.”
“Bi. Calling me gay erases who I am.”
Overall:
3.5/5 stars
That Feeling When is a sweet LGBT+ romance that breaks away from the tragic bury-your-gays trope, unapologetically giving queer characters the happily ever after they deserve! It captures the dizzying excitement of young love in a way that is delightfully outlandish, but also relatable. For many readers they will likely be able to relate to the struggle of navigating that tricky precipice of adulthood. I liked this book so much in the beginning, so it was sad when the last quarter let it down. Until that point, the interesting premise, smooth dialogue and blossoming romance had 4 stars from me. (I rounded up because I enjoyed the rest of the book so much.) I recommend this book to anyone who loves LGBT+ romance and a hint of mystery.
Theme song recommendation: My My My! by Troye Sivan
October 31, 2018
Adorable!! I love Landon so much!
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