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A Surplus of Light
"He's a psycho." That's what Mike is told when he asks who the kid is with the dark swoop of hair and eyes that look like icebergs floating in milk. From that moment, it becomes Mike's mission to find out everything about this kid. The kid who can fight better than anyone, but doesn't want to. The kid who is the greatest artist Mike's ever met. The kid who only wants to be his friend during the lightest days of summer. The kid who tells him that being his friend at school will only ruin Mike's reputation. Regardless of what the kid tells Mike, he doesn't realize that summer is the best time--it has the most light--and it makes it easier for Mike to see who he truly is. And there's no way Mike will back off once he sees this kid for who he truly is.
167 pages, ebook
First published September 6, 2018
176 people are currently reading
2089 people want to read
About the author
Chase Connor
39 books316 followersBANG BANG HE SHOT HER DOWN - the fourth book in the Head Rock Harbor Mystery series - can be pre-ordered here!
https://mybook.to/HRHM4BBHSHD
GHOST IN THE CUPBOARD - the first book in the NEW Silas Erie Paranormal Cozy series - can be pre-ordered here:
https://mybook.to/SEPC1GitC
Chase Connor spends his days writing about the people who live (loudly and rent-free) in his head when he’s not busy being enthusiastic about naps and Pad Thai. Chase started his writing career as a confused gay teen looking for an escape from reality. Ten years later, one of the books he wrote during those years, Just A Dumb Surfer Dude: A Gay Coming-of-Age Tale, was published independently. Chase has numerous projects in various stages of completion lined up for publishing. Chase is a multi-genre author, but always with a healthy dollop of gay.
https://mybook.to/HRHM4BBHSHD
GHOST IN THE CUPBOARD - the first book in the NEW Silas Erie Paranormal Cozy series - can be pre-ordered here:
https://mybook.to/SEPC1GitC
Chase Connor spends his days writing about the people who live (loudly and rent-free) in his head when he’s not busy being enthusiastic about naps and Pad Thai. Chase started his writing career as a confused gay teen looking for an escape from reality. Ten years later, one of the books he wrote during those years, Just A Dumb Surfer Dude: A Gay Coming-of-Age Tale, was published independently. Chase has numerous projects in various stages of completion lined up for publishing. Chase is a multi-genre author, but always with a healthy dollop of gay.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
January 15, 2025
Pre-Read:
After reading back to back fantasy I need a good romance book. and I know my boys Mike and Ian got me 🤭
_________________________
First read:
THIS BOOK!!!!!!
“And if you need solace...just don’t need solace,” I said.
“Will you hug me when I need comfort?” He whispered.
His voice came out sounding like he was his actual age for once.
“Yes.” I exhaled. “Anytime. Any place.”
After reading back to back fantasy I need a good romance book. and I know my boys Mike and Ian got me 🤭
_________________________
First read:
THIS BOOK!!!!!!
“And if you need solace...just don’t need solace,” I said.
“Will you hug me when I need comfort?” He whispered.
His voice came out sounding like he was his actual age for once.
“Yes.” I exhaled. “Anytime. Any place.”
July 6, 2020
Audiobook - 4 stars ✨
Story - 4.25 stars ✨
New author to me, this is definitely a start of something good. I will be reading more of his books.
This is a beautiful coming of age story about Ian and Mike. Best friends who are trying to navigate the horror that is highschool, while trying to figure out what they are feeling for each other and deal with some family issues.
The best part is that this read like YA.. No grown-up teenagers here. The writing is nostalgic, eerie, beautiful, sad-happy, simple without being too simple. 🤭 I don't think i make sense, but that is just how i feel.
The characters are well fleshed out. I wish i got more of Mike's background, but that didn't deter me from knowing him. Ian was a very interesting complicated guy. I loved his directness.
Overall, i ended up enjoying it so much more than I thought i would.
Highly recommended to YA/NA coming of age story lovers.😍
Story - 4.25 stars ✨
New author to me, this is definitely a start of something good. I will be reading more of his books.
This is a beautiful coming of age story about Ian and Mike. Best friends who are trying to navigate the horror that is highschool, while trying to figure out what they are feeling for each other and deal with some family issues.
The best part is that this read like YA.. No grown-up teenagers here. The writing is nostalgic, eerie, beautiful, sad-happy, simple without being too simple. 🤭 I don't think i make sense, but that is just how i feel.
The characters are well fleshed out. I wish i got more of Mike's background, but that didn't deter me from knowing him. Ian was a very interesting complicated guy. I loved his directness.
Overall, i ended up enjoying it so much more than I thought i would.
Highly recommended to YA/NA coming of age story lovers.😍
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October 14, 2022
reread: october 2022
after feeling ✨emotional damage✨ bc of the two books i read prior to this (angst-filled back to back), i just needed to reread a comfort book and Ian and Mike are everything to me. 🥺
***
4.5 stars ☆
"It is summer." I clenched my teeth.
"It always has the most light." He laid his forehead against mine.
I sighed. "The best time to see me."
"I see all of you all of the time," Mike whispered against my mouth. "Even here. Right now. In the dark."
there's something so... innocent and pure, nostalgic about YA coming of age stories and it's why i adore them. i loved the writing style of this story as we follow Mike and Ian through four summers of first love, friendship, longing, jealousy and familial issues. i loved how, when it's just the two of them hanging out by the creek each summer, they feel free and can be themselves around each other. this was cute and wholesome, with a bit of angst mixed in and it gave me all the feels. 🥺🤍
favorite moments:
thank you to alyssa for recommending me this book! i discovered a hidden gem bc of you. 😌✨
after feeling ✨emotional damage✨ bc of the two books i read prior to this (angst-filled back to back), i just needed to reread a comfort book and Ian and Mike are everything to me. 🥺
***
4.5 stars ☆
"It is summer." I clenched my teeth.
"It always has the most light." He laid his forehead against mine.
I sighed. "The best time to see me."
"I see all of you all of the time," Mike whispered against my mouth. "Even here. Right now. In the dark."
there's something so... innocent and pure, nostalgic about YA coming of age stories and it's why i adore them. i loved the writing style of this story as we follow Mike and Ian through four summers of first love, friendship, longing, jealousy and familial issues. i loved how, when it's just the two of them hanging out by the creek each summer, they feel free and can be themselves around each other. this was cute and wholesome, with a bit of angst mixed in and it gave me all the feels. 🥺🤍
favorite moments:
thank you to alyssa for recommending me this book! i discovered a hidden gem bc of you. 😌✨
September 25, 2021
I could see Ian’s dark figure standing on the bank of the creek, waiting for me. The smile that bloomed on my face was immediate and painful. I felt like my face would split.
well i wasn’t expecting to cry on a Friday afternoon... yet here i am✋🏻
shout out to Marci for ruining my life with this book.
this was so refreshing, sweet and wholesome, filled with so much childhood and teenage innocence it was difficult to stop smiling. reading it was like a breath of fresh air, honestly.
it was just so soft, unassuming and heartbreaking in its adolescent frustration, sincerity and hope.
“I’m still…broken.” His lips moved against my ear again. “I’ll put myself back together. For you.”
“Put yourself back together for you,” I whispered back, breathing in the scent of his hair that lay against my face.
despite the amount of telling rather than showing in this... i really loved the writing style? i think the telling worked, depicting all the beautiful, fun and heartfelt things Ian and Mike did over their summers when they could finally be together. it just had this golden glow about it, the freshness of summer that filtered through the pages, through Mike’s longing and confusion.
i think the style worked so well bcos it aligned with the essence of boyhood Mike and Ian emanated— the turmoil, the whirlwind of angst, pining, hurt, jealousy and ultimately, love. the stream of consciousness in parts of the writing just heightened the jumbled feelings of two teenagers navigating their first love. it might not be to everyone’s tastes but i sure loved it.
and it was surprisingly fleshed out for a novella. in all honesty, i forgot until i had finished it that this wasn’t a full length novel bcos it still read like one. their love for each other was so full of life and hope, it was hard not to fall in love with this— i expected to enjoy myself but not be as immersed in the story as i ended up being. like my dad kept trying to talk to me about the news and i was like “i– dude Ian is about to confess his love to Mike under the Strawberry Moon, can you like... not?”
Michael Steedman had ventured out to the creek to find me. He assumed that he would bring snacks and he would talk to me and we’d become best friends. He would open up to this strange, violent, bad kid who sketched things, and we would suddenly be tied at the hip. He was right.
i could totally imagine this as a cutesy, YA Netflix movie with all the summery teen vibes and a dash of melancholy of All The Bright Places with the pining and longing of two queer teenagers constantly orbiting each other of The Half of It. and i could totally imagine Cosmic Love by Florence + the Machine being played over them finally coming together at their creek. low-key this book deserves a full playlist😌
this and He Made Me Stay are probably my favourite novellas of all time, wow. both so short but pack one hell of an emotional punch. i am low-key mentally exhausted from this but in the best way possible... now i need to read or watch some dumb shit to restore the balance.
“How long have you loved me?” I smirked at him.
“Since that time you saw the squirrel and worried that it was dead.” He smiled widely. “Since I saw your heart.”
“When didn’t you love me?” I asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed.” He replied. “Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
I smiled at him.
“I’ve loved you since I first saw the light of the sun, felt its warmth,” I replied. “Because I knew that it was telling me that you were coming.”
brb, just going to cry over how in love Mike is with Ian🤧
(update: several hours later, here i am sobbing again over the short story of them years later😭 thanks to Marci for ruining my life AGAIN with Mike and Ian’s love... here’s the short story if you want a boost of serotonin— https://chaseconnor.com/2021/05/18/a-...)
August 30, 2025
Second reading 08/2025
Yep, still loving it.
First reading 10/2022
magnificent, beautiful, gorgeous
This is an extraordinary wonderful story.
I don't really like jumps between the present and the past, but here everything flows together wonderfully, I don't think you could have told this story in a better way.
Chase Connor has an incredible talent for weaving the characters into each other without giving away too many details. I am absolutely fascinated.
I am not really able to put this book into words. You must read it! I am simply blown away. ✨💗🌟💕
“Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
I smiled at him.
“I’ve loved you since I first saw the light of the sun, felt its warmth,” I replied. “Because I knew that it was telling me that you were coming.”
Yep, still loving it.
First reading 10/2022
magnificent, beautiful, gorgeous
This is an extraordinary wonderful story.
I don't really like jumps between the present and the past, but here everything flows together wonderfully, I don't think you could have told this story in a better way.
Chase Connor has an incredible talent for weaving the characters into each other without giving away too many details. I am absolutely fascinated.
I am not really able to put this book into words. You must read it! I am simply blown away. ✨💗🌟💕
“Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
I smiled at him.
“I’ve loved you since I first saw the light of the sun, felt its warmth,” I replied. “Because I knew that it was telling me that you were coming.”
October 24, 2024
This book is so damn perfect.
First the writing will pull you in.
Then it's the characters. Not just the main characters but every character that the author lets you get a glimpse of.
Then it's the unexpected events that happen in the book.
Then it's the way the story unfolds some of the most unexpected things that stabs your heart.
And the slow burn romance will burn you.
But it's just not about this beautiful young romance.
It's about fighting for the ones you care about; fighting for yourself. This story is about standing up for yourself and the few others who are invisible to the rest of the world.
This story handles bullying and domestic abuse. So trigger warnings for these.
The description of friendship, fine line between romance and friendship, and then romance have been done exceptionally well.
Character development is just damn amazing. The later half of the book is something I didn't expect when I picked up this book. I knew already it's going to be one of my 2020 favorites when I was just into 30 percent of the book.
The second half of the book genuinely surprised me. It made me cry because my faith in humanity has been restored.
I will always root for Ian and Mike.
I ended up liking the bully Carson. Even the kid he bullied, Kevin.
This is such a wholesome story.
I couldn't help feeling the 'I-am-reading-a-good-Manga' vibes while I was reading the first half of the book. All that talking about sketches and young school love with all that good writing. Sometimes I felt like I was in a beautiful dream while reading the whole book as most of the interaction between the two main characters took place in the woods or some secluded places but dreamy places with nature at its beautiful best.
This is just my kind of book.
And I ended up crying too much towards the end because the whole book has been so beautiful. It made me whole again.
Damn. I need a hardcover editor's collection please.
First the writing will pull you in.
Then it's the characters. Not just the main characters but every character that the author lets you get a glimpse of.
Then it's the unexpected events that happen in the book.
Then it's the way the story unfolds some of the most unexpected things that stabs your heart.
And the slow burn romance will burn you.
But it's just not about this beautiful young romance.
It's about fighting for the ones you care about; fighting for yourself. This story is about standing up for yourself and the few others who are invisible to the rest of the world.
This story handles bullying and domestic abuse. So trigger warnings for these.
The description of friendship, fine line between romance and friendship, and then romance have been done exceptionally well.
Character development is just damn amazing. The later half of the book is something I didn't expect when I picked up this book. I knew already it's going to be one of my 2020 favorites when I was just into 30 percent of the book.
The second half of the book genuinely surprised me. It made me cry because my faith in humanity has been restored.
I will always root for Ian and Mike.
I ended up liking the bully Carson. Even the kid he bullied, Kevin.
This is such a wholesome story.
I couldn't help feeling the 'I-am-reading-a-good-Manga' vibes while I was reading the first half of the book. All that talking about sketches and young school love with all that good writing. Sometimes I felt like I was in a beautiful dream while reading the whole book as most of the interaction between the two main characters took place in the woods or some secluded places but dreamy places with nature at its beautiful best.
This is just my kind of book.
And I ended up crying too much towards the end because the whole book has been so beautiful. It made me whole again.
Damn. I need a hardcover editor's collection please.
September 18, 2021
4.25 beautiful stars ⭐️
I don't like to read novellas. But when @preeti gave a 5-star to a YA, coming-of-age story, I could not help but pulled that book into my needy hands. If the writing style wasn't enough to impress me, the sweetness of the characters and the depth of their feelings absolutely did.
This isn't real but I want it to be real. Badly. This is the story about two boys who were in their cutest age, exploring their sexuality and romance. Ian and Mike’s story is utterly fascinating and perfect. The story is like the right amount of slow burn, friendship, romance is wrapped up in a fantastic bundle and delivered to me as I always expected from a book.
Fav quotes
“I see you, Ian. I’ve always been able to see you. You emit your own light.”
__________________________
“Every bit of Ian, everything that we’d done together, that we would do together, would stay there until my heart was no longer. I promised myself that.”
__________________________
“How long have you loved me?” I smirked at him.
“Since that time you saw the squirrel and worried that it was dead.” He smiled widely. “Since I saw your heart.”
“When didn’t you love me?” I asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed.” He replied. “Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
Niggle: I'm so glad if I could get more of Mike's story. Because we actually didn't know anything about Mike’s family background, and It made me feel like something really off of the story.
Still, this is one of my fav YA stories!
Highly recommended!
I don't like to read novellas. But when @preeti gave a 5-star to a YA, coming-of-age story, I could not help but pulled that book into my needy hands. If the writing style wasn't enough to impress me, the sweetness of the characters and the depth of their feelings absolutely did.
This isn't real but I want it to be real. Badly. This is the story about two boys who were in their cutest age, exploring their sexuality and romance. Ian and Mike’s story is utterly fascinating and perfect. The story is like the right amount of slow burn, friendship, romance is wrapped up in a fantastic bundle and delivered to me as I always expected from a book.
Fav quotes
“I see you, Ian. I’ve always been able to see you. You emit your own light.”
__________________________
“Every bit of Ian, everything that we’d done together, that we would do together, would stay there until my heart was no longer. I promised myself that.”
__________________________
“How long have you loved me?” I smirked at him.
“Since that time you saw the squirrel and worried that it was dead.” He smiled widely. “Since I saw your heart.”
“When didn’t you love me?” I asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed.” He replied. “Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
Niggle: I'm so glad if I could get more of Mike's story. Because we actually didn't know anything about Mike’s family background, and It made me feel like something really off of the story.
Still, this is one of my fav YA stories!
Highly recommended!
June 20, 2025
Mixed feelings about this book.
I can see why so many readers loved the story and the writing. It's very atmospheric and lyrical, not at all realistic. But sometimes it felt too much for me and I could feel that I was being emotionally manipulated. Not a fan of that. The writing also felt repetitive at times. If not for the audiobook, I would have checked how many times the word "creek" was mentioned. So many that I'm surprised it's not in the title.
I liked the concept. I think it worked well for a short story, since there's not much room for a backstory. I liked Mike a lot, but Ian frustrated me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for the whole 'we can't be together' thing, or I'm not into it in general. As unrealistic as the story is, his life situation still felt forced to me.
The audiobook was enjoyable once I got used to the narration. It felt monotone at first, but I guess it fit the mood of the story.
I can see why so many readers loved the story and the writing. It's very atmospheric and lyrical, not at all realistic. But sometimes it felt too much for me and I could feel that I was being emotionally manipulated. Not a fan of that. The writing also felt repetitive at times. If not for the audiobook, I would have checked how many times the word "creek" was mentioned. So many that I'm surprised it's not in the title.
I liked the concept. I think it worked well for a short story, since there's not much room for a backstory. I liked Mike a lot, but Ian frustrated me. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for the whole 'we can't be together' thing, or I'm not into it in general. As unrealistic as the story is, his life situation still felt forced to me.
The audiobook was enjoyable once I got used to the narration. It felt monotone at first, but I guess it fit the mood of the story.
May 20, 2021
Reading this felt like falling down a deep dark hole that now being finished with it, I am reentering this realm and being reacquainted with the sun. I have emerged feeling for certain that to forget this story would be near impossible. It was a completely engrossing and all consuming experience for me, nothing could distract me from the yearning and the anticipation. To quote my favorite singer on this planet, miss Taylor Swift, everything is brighter now. For me. For them. Mike & Ian's love story can be felt in two of Taylor's songs: Daylight & August. I will never be able to listen to those songs without thinking of this book and for that I am grateful. It is a coming of age tale of bravery and first love amongst other things and I believe it is well worth your time. 💙
September 19, 2021
This was so sweet and lovely. Mike and Ian meet the summer before freshman year. Mike is the perfect happy all American boy, Ian is the broken tough guy from the bad side of town. They become best friends.
Every summer they spend all their free time together. Mike loves Ian, but Ian keeps refusing him. He doesn’t want to break Mike’s heart. They are best friends every summer, but only in the summer, and they both live for those summers.
It’s a short book, spanning over five summers. Five summers of happiness by the creek. We see them grow up, discover themselves. We see their friendship and love grow. Such a beautiful book.
Was it perfect? No.
It’s not very realistic, the idea that teenagers would pine for years and not get into other relationships, not fall in love during the school year. Life happens in school at that age. Kids change from one year to the next. And they live in a small town, how does nobody know they are friends? Does nobody see them in the summer? And where are Mike’s parents? How is he sneaking out, never home, roaming all night long? Every summer?
I loved Mike and Ian so much though that I didn’t care about those details.
❤️❤️❤️
Every summer they spend all their free time together. Mike loves Ian, but Ian keeps refusing him. He doesn’t want to break Mike’s heart. They are best friends every summer, but only in the summer, and they both live for those summers.
It’s a short book, spanning over five summers. Five summers of happiness by the creek. We see them grow up, discover themselves. We see their friendship and love grow. Such a beautiful book.
Was it perfect? No.
It’s not very realistic, the idea that teenagers would pine for years and not get into other relationships, not fall in love during the school year. Life happens in school at that age. Kids change from one year to the next. And they live in a small town, how does nobody know they are friends? Does nobody see them in the summer? And where are Mike’s parents? How is he sneaking out, never home, roaming all night long? Every summer?
I loved Mike and Ian so much though that I didn’t care about those details.
❤️❤️❤️
September 17, 2021
“How long have you loved me?”
“Since that time you saw the squirrel and worried that it was dead.”
The real question is when didn’t I know I loved you?”
When didn’t you know?” He asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed.” He replied.
“Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
Oh!!! god!! How can such a beautiful, coming of age story, make me cry this much? 😿😿Like, literal, silent tears. I kept sobbing, not because it was sad, no it's hauntingly beautiful. Even though the book captures the beauty of summer, It has a melancholy feel.
The story is of Mike and Ian, two boys who have completely different lives But, they come together to spend every summer and create some wonderful memories.
I can't stress how much, I recommend this to everyone. Thanks, @Marci for suggesting this book in your review. And, I think I will re-read it just to meet Ian and Mike again.🥰🥰
"The reason why God made the days of summer so long. Provided so much light. So that we could see each other clearly".
“Since that time you saw the squirrel and worried that it was dead.”
The real question is when didn’t I know I loved you?”
When didn’t you know?” He asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed.” He replied.
“Once I knew you existed, there wasn’t a time that I didn’t love you.”
Oh!!! god!! How can such a beautiful, coming of age story, make me cry this much? 😿😿Like, literal, silent tears. I kept sobbing, not because it was sad, no it's hauntingly beautiful. Even though the book captures the beauty of summer, It has a melancholy feel.
The story is of Mike and Ian, two boys who have completely different lives But, they come together to spend every summer and create some wonderful memories.
I can't stress how much, I recommend this to everyone. Thanks, @Marci for suggesting this book in your review. And, I think I will re-read it just to meet Ian and Mike again.🥰🥰
"The reason why God made the days of summer so long. Provided so much light. So that we could see each other clearly".
April 21, 2025
Whoa, this one’s surprisingly hard to review. I fully expected to fall in love with it the way so many others have - but I just didn’t. And I’ve been trying to unpack why.
I think the biggest hurdle for me was Ian. I didn’t love him. Honestly, I didn’t even really like him (even though I felt for him) and maybe that’s because I never fully understood him.
The whole I love you too much to be with you logic felt frustrating and unfair. He knows Mike loves him, even loves him back, yet still sleeps with others ‘for solace’ and goes so far as to set up intimate situations for Mike while withholding anything real himself.
The imbalance between them was hard to read for me. Mike is all want and need and ache, while Ian seems to stay cool, calm, collected; almost emotionally detached. He gives Mike crumbs: a look, a kiss, a touch, just enough to keep the connection alive, but never enough to let it grow into something real. Rejecting him time and time again without ever rejecting him fully. And everything in their relationship is always on Ian’s terms: when to talk, when to be friends, when to be touched, when to touch Mike, when to retreat. And the I’m too broken for you martyrdom sentiment that was given as explanation for his hurtful behaviour irked me. Let people choose you, flaws and all.
Also: If you put the ‘now’ chapters (which span over a few hours) after one another, the development from emotionally unavailable Ian saying no to Mike repeatedly to relenting and being all-in didn’t feel realistic and organic at all.
That said, there were parts I did love. The writing is stunning - emotional, immersive, and deeply atmospheric. The sense of place was easily the strongest part of the story. That dreamy, bubble-like feeling of these four isolated summers where nothing else exists gave the book a kind of magic. It made their world feel intimate and suspended in time, and I adored that energy.
So while the emotional dynamics left me a bit frustrated and sad, I can still appreciate the craft and beauty of the writing. I just wish their relationship development had worked for me the way the prose did.
I think the biggest hurdle for me was Ian. I didn’t love him. Honestly, I didn’t even really like him (even though I felt for him) and maybe that’s because I never fully understood him.
The whole I love you too much to be with you logic felt frustrating and unfair. He knows Mike loves him, even loves him back, yet still sleeps with others ‘for solace’ and goes so far as to set up intimate situations for Mike while withholding anything real himself.
The last time that I had sex with that girl, I did it angrily, bitterly. It wasn’t sex. It wasn’t solace. It was frustration being released. It was anger and frustration with Ian. He was denying me the one thing that would make me feel like a complete person. Even when I finally released at the end of my thrusting into her, I wanted more. But not from her. She would never be enough.
I mean, ouch, for everyone involved. Including me.
The imbalance between them was hard to read for me. Mike is all want and need and ache, while Ian seems to stay cool, calm, collected; almost emotionally detached. He gives Mike crumbs: a look, a kiss, a touch, just enough to keep the connection alive, but never enough to let it grow into something real. Rejecting him time and time again without ever rejecting him fully. And everything in their relationship is always on Ian’s terms: when to talk, when to be friends, when to be touched, when to touch Mike, when to retreat. And the I’m too broken for you martyrdom sentiment that was given as explanation for his hurtful behaviour irked me. Let people choose you, flaws and all.
Also: If you put the ‘now’ chapters (which span over a few hours) after one another, the development from emotionally unavailable Ian saying no to Mike repeatedly to relenting and being all-in didn’t feel realistic and organic at all.
That said, there were parts I did love. The writing is stunning - emotional, immersive, and deeply atmospheric. The sense of place was easily the strongest part of the story. That dreamy, bubble-like feeling of these four isolated summers where nothing else exists gave the book a kind of magic. It made their world feel intimate and suspended in time, and I adored that energy.
So while the emotional dynamics left me a bit frustrated and sad, I can still appreciate the craft and beauty of the writing. I just wish their relationship development had worked for me the way the prose did.
January 3, 2022
*Update (January 2, 2022): I am deceased for Chase Connor himself has announced
a sequel
of all things for sometime this year called THE BEES AND OTHER WILD THINGS: https://twitter.com/ChaseConnor7/stat...
THANK YOU KIND SIR FOR MAKING MY YEAR 🤧💖
*Update (May 18, 2021): HEAR YE, HEAR YE! WE GOT A FOLLOW-UP FOLKS!!!!! Grab the free(!) short story "A Species of Special Concern" here: https://chaseconnor.com/2021/05/18/a-...
⚠️ Intensive fangirling ahead:
---Original review---
“The real question is when didn’t I know I loved you?”
“When didn’t you know?” He asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed,” I said. “Once I knew you existed, well, there wasn’t a time I didn’t love you.”
EVERYONE DROP WHAT YOU'RE READING AND PICK THIS UP RIGHT NOW!!!!
Think summer indie teen film vibes, watching friendship and love bloom between two boys who interact solely during the summer. Jumping between present and memories of summers past, the story carries a bittersweet tone throughout with the approach of the end of their high school days. The future looms like a storm cloud ahead, the fear of goodbye heightening as their fifth and final summer together in this tiny Texas town inches ever closer.
From strangers-to-friends-to-more, Mike and Ian are absolutely captivating, their push and pull hypnotic, the writing achingly powerful and emotional.
Ian Chambers. Righter of wrongs. Protector of the weak. Brave. Selfless. Tough. Kissable lips.
Dealt a bad hand in life, Ian is mature beyond his years. His reputation in town is tainted by mere association with his family, and he's forced to deal with the baseless rumors and isolation that come with it. And yet his heart shines as bright as the summer sun. Beaten and battered, yes, but he never wavers in standing up for others and putting their needs in front of his, even those who respond with poison.
Ian Chambers. It might as well have been the name of a God.
Mike can't bring himself to look away from the boy who is Ian Chambers. He disregards the whispers and gossip, and with Coke and Cheetos in hand, nervously walks to where Ian sits sketching at the edge of the creek to befriend him.
Mike grows to be unabashedly upfront and honest about his feelings and the yearning!!! It’s so sensual. Pure poetry.
"If I'm willing to get my heart broken, the least you can do is agree to be the one who breaks it."
There's nothing quite like the feeling of someone seeing you and accepting you for who you truly are. The relief to just be.
I found the book's length perfect, enough to pull you in and bond with the characters without getting too bogged down by details. It's elegant in its simplicity, and I appreciate the focus on the MCs as they are. (But I won't say no if Chase Connor ever decides to expand their story as adults with a sequel and maybe some Carson and Kevin on the side *wink wink nudge nudge*)
The whole experience was pretty darn near perfect if you ask me. If you haven't read this already, know that you're in for a treat 💖
THANK YOU KIND SIR FOR MAKING MY YEAR 🤧💖
*Update (May 18, 2021): HEAR YE, HEAR YE! WE GOT A FOLLOW-UP FOLKS!!!!! Grab the free(!) short story "A Species of Special Concern" here: https://chaseconnor.com/2021/05/18/a-...
⚠️ Intensive fangirling ahead:
---Original review---
“The real question is when didn’t I know I loved you?”
“When didn’t you know?” He asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed,” I said. “Once I knew you existed, well, there wasn’t a time I didn’t love you.”
EVERYONE DROP WHAT YOU'RE READING AND PICK THIS UP RIGHT NOW!!!!
Think summer indie teen film vibes, watching friendship and love bloom between two boys who interact solely during the summer. Jumping between present and memories of summers past, the story carries a bittersweet tone throughout with the approach of the end of their high school days. The future looms like a storm cloud ahead, the fear of goodbye heightening as their fifth and final summer together in this tiny Texas town inches ever closer.
From strangers-to-friends-to-more, Mike and Ian are absolutely captivating, their push and pull hypnotic, the writing achingly powerful and emotional.
Ian Chambers. Righter of wrongs. Protector of the weak. Brave. Selfless. Tough. Kissable lips.
Dealt a bad hand in life, Ian is mature beyond his years. His reputation in town is tainted by mere association with his family, and he's forced to deal with the baseless rumors and isolation that come with it. And yet his heart shines as bright as the summer sun. Beaten and battered, yes, but he never wavers in standing up for others and putting their needs in front of his, even those who respond with poison.
Ian Chambers. It might as well have been the name of a God.
Mike can't bring himself to look away from the boy who is Ian Chambers. He disregards the whispers and gossip, and with Coke and Cheetos in hand, nervously walks to where Ian sits sketching at the edge of the creek to befriend him.
Mike grows to be unabashedly upfront and honest about his feelings and the yearning!!! It’s so sensual. Pure poetry.
"If I'm willing to get my heart broken, the least you can do is agree to be the one who breaks it."
There's nothing quite like the feeling of someone seeing you and accepting you for who you truly are. The relief to just be.
I found the book's length perfect, enough to pull you in and bond with the characters without getting too bogged down by details. It's elegant in its simplicity, and I appreciate the focus on the MCs as they are. (But I won't say no if Chase Connor ever decides to expand their story as adults with a sequel and maybe some Carson and Kevin on the side *wink wink nudge nudge*)
The whole experience was pretty darn near perfect if you ask me. If you haven't read this already, know that you're in for a treat 💖
March 27, 2021
3.5 Stars
"Sometimes…sometimes… being broken and put back together makes a person stronger and happier than ever."
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novella and a short read. I’m not going to complain abot the writing because I liked it but there was something missing here. I think if it was a full novel, it could have been more enjoyable. I wanted to know more about their pasts, a background of their lives, specially about Mike because after finishing the story I still don’t know anything special about his life. This goes for Ian too. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well!
"Sometimes…sometimes… being broken and put back together makes a person stronger and happier than ever."
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novella and a short read. I’m not going to complain abot the writing because I liked it but there was something missing here. I think if it was a full novel, it could have been more enjoyable. I wanted to know more about their pasts, a background of their lives, specially about Mike because after finishing the story I still don’t know anything special about his life. This goes for Ian too. All in all, I enjoyed it and hope you like it as well!
April 21, 2025
“The real question is when didn’t I know I loved you?”
“When didn’t you know?” He asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed,” I said. “Once I knew you existed, well, there wasn’t a time I didn’t love you.”
I was not expecting this book to be so beautiful 😭 I cried a bit there at the end, not because the end was sad but because I was so invested in Ian and Mike's story that I just wanted them to be happy already.
I feel like I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages and NGL I'm pretty sure I added it because the cover is pretty, I honestly had no idea what it was about, not even that it was YA. I am so glad that I finally picked up because it's an amazing story and the writting style is beautiful, my only complaint is that the book is not long and I would have loved to read about them for pages on end.
From the first chapter, the story grabbed me and didn't let me go. The book starts with "The Present" and we get to see Mike and Ian form a tenuous friendship that eventually develops into much more because like Mike says, he and Ian were never friends, they were always more, their HEA is so satisfying and we even get a mini redemption arc from a side character that I wouldn't mind if he got his own book.
“When didn’t you know?” He asked.
“When I didn’t know you existed,” I said. “Once I knew you existed, well, there wasn’t a time I didn’t love you.”
I was not expecting this book to be so beautiful 😭 I cried a bit there at the end, not because the end was sad but because I was so invested in Ian and Mike's story that I just wanted them to be happy already.
I feel like I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages and NGL I'm pretty sure I added it because the cover is pretty, I honestly had no idea what it was about, not even that it was YA. I am so glad that I finally picked up because it's an amazing story and the writting style is beautiful, my only complaint is that the book is not long and I would have loved to read about them for pages on end.
From the first chapter, the story grabbed me and didn't let me go. The book starts with "The Present" and we get to see Mike and Ian form a tenuous friendship that eventually develops into much more because like Mike says, he and Ian were never friends, they were always more, their HEA is so satisfying and we even get a mini redemption arc from a side character that I wouldn't mind if he got his own book.
October 28, 2019
Wow I what a surprise, I picked this one up and finished it in a day full of emotions well told looking forward to see what else I can read from this author
September 19, 2021
When they both just 'know'. Ian had a tough time growing up, and Mike's home life is negligible. So a real friend is important to them both. They gravitate toward each other quickly after meeting the summer before high school. Most of this story occurs down at the local creek where the high schoolers hang out to cool off from the Texas heat, and for the social environment. It is still not a world where Ian and Mike can feel open. So they wander off to the nearby woods to talk while Ian sketches. They become invisible to each during the school year. Their summer meetings might be in mornings, afternoons, evenings, or even after midnight down by the creek.
Ian is the smartest one, taking advanced classes, yet retaining a troublemaker label. Thus they don't end up in classes together. Even at lunch, Ian's common sense forces them to remain sitting apart. Mike was a more popular kid that still did well at school. They would look forward to that first day of summer, and the wooded area by the creek. Their 'tough' and 'cool' personas, respectively, disappeared when they were alone.
We learn early in Ch 1 during a time-jump starting the book during high school senior summer, that Ian has sights for Columbia in NY, while Ian is focused on in-state college. Ch 2 then begins the linear story as they meet at the creek the summer before high school at age 15.
There was a lack of any other substantial characters in this book. We hear almost nothing about the nine month long high school years. The author is very consistent about focusing strictly on the incredible trust and friendship these two boys develop. There is conversation, some hugs and kissing. The story stays true to the mature side of Ian wanting to 'wait'. They have many beautiful moments together just being best friends. There are no lies between them.
I like the way this book balances not getting cheesy with local real/perceived homophobia. The inner thoughts conveyed by Ian and Mike are not soapbox statements about society, but rather focus on their thoughts about each other in the current moment, and then their desire to see each other the next time.
Chapters alternate (approximately) by POV, with each chapter titled either Mike or Ian, per POV. Maybe a slight trigger warning for the fist-fights Ian has with his drunk father, and even with another kid in school. They are short, but enough description to feel the pain.
I might score this book in the 3 to 3.5 for literature. It has a very first-book feel to the text. But it is a story I'd like to re-read per the talks and walks between these two pure friends. It is a short book, which I happened to buy (since it was not available at my local library). I feel certain that I will read this again. Heck, I'm already re-reading passages! My net 4.5* rounds this into 5* territory.
Ian is the smartest one, taking advanced classes, yet retaining a troublemaker label. Thus they don't end up in classes together. Even at lunch, Ian's common sense forces them to remain sitting apart. Mike was a more popular kid that still did well at school. They would look forward to that first day of summer, and the wooded area by the creek. Their 'tough' and 'cool' personas, respectively, disappeared when they were alone.
We learn early in Ch 1 during a time-jump starting the book during high school senior summer, that Ian has sights for Columbia in NY, while Ian is focused on in-state college. Ch 2 then begins the linear story as they meet at the creek the summer before high school at age 15.
There was a lack of any other substantial characters in this book. We hear almost nothing about the nine month long high school years. The author is very consistent about focusing strictly on the incredible trust and friendship these two boys develop. There is conversation, some hugs and kissing. The story stays true to the mature side of Ian wanting to 'wait'. They have many beautiful moments together just being best friends. There are no lies between them.
I like the way this book balances not getting cheesy with local real/perceived homophobia. The inner thoughts conveyed by Ian and Mike are not soapbox statements about society, but rather focus on their thoughts about each other in the current moment, and then their desire to see each other the next time.
Chapters alternate (approximately) by POV, with each chapter titled either Mike or Ian, per POV. Maybe a slight trigger warning for the fist-fights Ian has with his drunk father, and even with another kid in school. They are short, but enough description to feel the pain.
I might score this book in the 3 to 3.5 for literature. It has a very first-book feel to the text. But it is a story I'd like to re-read per the talks and walks between these two pure friends. It is a short book, which I happened to buy (since it was not available at my local library). I feel certain that I will read this again. Heck, I'm already re-reading passages! My net 4.5* rounds this into 5* territory.
May 4, 2019
It's been a month since I've read this book. I couldn't write a review immediately after reading it because this book hit some deep personal places. I was broken for days. And still sometimes I just get lost in thinking about it. This is one of those books you can reread million times and never get enough, I know I will.
It is beautifully written. Like poetry.
This is the book you didn't know you have to read. Seriously. This is something you need in your life. If I could I would hit 5 stars multiple times. Just read it. You can thank me later.
It is beautifully written. Like poetry.
This is the book you didn't know you have to read. Seriously. This is something you need in your life. If I could I would hit 5 stars multiple times. Just read it. You can thank me later.
May 31, 2020
3.75 stars**
May 19, 2025
“The real question is when didn’t I know I loved you?”
“When didn’t you know?”
“When I didn’t know you existed. Once I knew you existed, well, there wasn't a time I didn’t love you.”
I’m aware this is a very unpopular opinion, but it’s the truth: this didn’t work for me, even though I enjoyed certain aspects of it.
A Surplus of Light is a novella of 160 pages about two best friends who are only allowed to be friends during the summer. The story goes back and forth from present to past summers when they were together. From the beginning you know that one of them, Mike, wants to be friends (and more than friends) after the summer too, but he respects that the other, Ian, refuses both wishes.
My expectations were in the sky when I started this. I loved the writing style, it was lyrical and flowed really well. I also enjoyed the initial suspense of now knowing if Ian liked Mike back and why couldn’t they be friends. But, when I reached the reason why, I didn’t buy it and everything went downhill.
I think this is one of those books that 's written to play with our emotions (like A Little Life, but A Surplus of Light is a more friendly level and less heartbreaking). The author is all the time hinting that everything is going to be a tragedy, even when it’s not.
I don’t like to think the author is playing with my emotions, and I didn’t believe in this book. What was happening to Ian was awful, but I’m not going to love a book only because you decided to give a character a heartbreaking backstory. It’s about how you execute that backstory that I’ve read several times before. In this case, the execution left a sour taste in my mouth.
“If I’m willing to get my heart broken, the least you can do is agree to be the one who breaks it..”
Ian reminded me sometimes of Jude, from A Little Life, who is just awesome at everything except at taking care of himself. I get that his excuse is that he’s all the time trying to protect his beloved ones, but the reality is that he doesn’t. Everything he does makes little sense and feels like a plot device. They are together all summer, going to places other people can see them, but it’s okay because, as long as they aren’t meeting after the summer, nobody will know ¿?
They could have kept meeting outside school during the school year. They don’t live in a big city to excuse why people forget seeing them together during the summer. Especially when they have interacted with people from school during the summer, while they were together. And don’t get me started with those scenes with other people. I don’t know what the author was thinking.
To be honest, the only reason I finished this was because it was only 160 pages and I had only 40 left. I just wasn't feeling the story anymore and didn’t care about it. It annoyed me because I was struggling through Dust of Dreams (Malazan 9th) and let myself read this in the middle to fangirl a bit and get some energy, and it ended up pushing me closer to a reading slump.
Overall, the book was beautifully written and I highlighted some quotes I enjoyed, but this was way too sappy and dramatic for me. I just don’t like tragedies, especially when they don't feel realistic.
December 17, 2020
4.5 stars. While I wish I’d gotten a deeper look at their lives *except for Ian’s home life, I got quite enough of that 🤬*, what was between Mike and Ian was warm and lovely while still twisted up with longing. I loved their relationship and I liked who they were, apart from each other.
This was beautifully written and so resonant with all the different emotions the two were dealing with, there was quite a lot of tugging on the heartstrings. I loved the ending, though there was one small heartfail, I was happy with how bright the future was. 🥰
Thanks once more to Sugarplum the snowflake dancing elf, aka Roger ❤️, for the awesome book, I loved it!
****
Look what I got from Sugarplum the snowflake dancing elf! *hugs book* Thank you so much, I can't wait to read it! xxx
This was beautifully written and so resonant with all the different emotions the two were dealing with, there was quite a lot of tugging on the heartstrings. I loved the ending, though there was one small heartfail, I was happy with how bright the future was. 🥰
Thanks once more to Sugarplum the snowflake dancing elf, aka Roger ❤️, for the awesome book, I loved it!
****
Look what I got from Sugarplum the snowflake dancing elf! *hugs book* Thank you so much, I can't wait to read it! xxx
August 31, 2025
5 ⭐️
Guys. People. How. HOW had I missed this book? WHY.
It existed and I never knew 😭
Idk who of my GR friends liked a review or commented or something. But I’m grateful. Because I found this gem and I read it 😭💗
That said. That’s the most beautiful book I’ve read in a good while.
The story isn’t complex. It couldn’t be, as it has only 160 pages to it. It feels a little bit naive. But in the best of ways.
The depth and complexity of relationships and feelings though? That was something that swept me off my feet. And made me cry. Several times. And honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever cried multiple times while reading such a short book.
So.
An exceptionally beautiful, pure, sad but hopeful and wonderful YA book. That I love.
Guys. People. How. HOW had I missed this book? WHY.
It existed and I never knew 😭
Idk who of my GR friends liked a review or commented or something. But I’m grateful. Because I found this gem and I read it 😭💗
That said. That’s the most beautiful book I’ve read in a good while.
The story isn’t complex. It couldn’t be, as it has only 160 pages to it. It feels a little bit naive. But in the best of ways.
The depth and complexity of relationships and feelings though? That was something that swept me off my feet. And made me cry. Several times. And honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever cried multiple times while reading such a short book.
So.
An exceptionally beautiful, pure, sad but hopeful and wonderful YA book. That I love.
October 6, 2019
Perfect for a chilly Sunday afternoon.
Dreamy and romantic, a little sad,
Dreamy and romantic, a little sad,
May 31, 2020
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, but I'm happy to say that this was a very good read!
The longing you guys, the longing! It was described so realistically, it was so well done. I really liked Ian and Mike, the two main characters. Even though I was suffering because of the way things were, I understood why this was all happening. This obviously didn't stop me from rooting for them so bad. Overall I really enjoyed reading about Ian and Mike's relationship and their Summers together.
I totally recommend this read!
The longing you guys, the longing! It was described so realistically, it was so well done. I really liked Ian and Mike, the two main characters. Even though I was suffering because of the way things were, I understood why this was all happening. This obviously didn't stop me from rooting for them so bad. Overall I really enjoyed reading about Ian and Mike's relationship and their Summers together.
I totally recommend this read!
April 13, 2019
I can't think of another book that so honestly captures the ache of longing, especially between two characters who let, at least temporarily, the outside world keep them apart.
I grew up not unlike SURPLUS's Mike (so of course this review is skewed to reflect my own experiences) and the idea of having an Ian-figure as a young man unlocked a lot of feelings that I don't always let myself explore.
SURPLUS centers on two young men who are always in proximity to each other, but who only grow their relationship in the summers. Taken literally, the premise is a little strange (although Connor makes it work). I read it, though, as a representation of what it's like to grow up full of feelings that you have been taught are inappropriate, if not wicked. When can I touch? When can I be honest? When can I relax? When can I be myself?
The limits on Mike and Ian's relationship aren't exactly that. Ian explains why he makes himself unavailable for three seasons each year, and they make sense in the world Connor creates. Even so, I found myself as frustrated as Mike during their separations. The nights at the creek and the days sketching in the woods are so beautifully described and so emotionally raw that the winters felt unbearably cold. This is not to say that the story is heavy, per se; it's no more so than a lot of YA fiction, and certainly no more so than life itself. What I am saying is that Connor creates a beautiful, almost mythically inscrutable character in Ian, then shades him in over time, letting us learn him and fall in love with him as Mike does. Along the way, we experience the joy of finding that person who lets us live without apology, but only after both characters pay a lot of emotional and social dues.
This is a lovely book, and I'm afraid my review misses out on a lot of the humor and sweetness that exists between Mike and Ian. It's a book that made me think, and made me remember, but it's also a book that I really enjoyed. I highly recommend it.
I grew up not unlike SURPLUS's Mike (so of course this review is skewed to reflect my own experiences) and the idea of having an Ian-figure as a young man unlocked a lot of feelings that I don't always let myself explore.
SURPLUS centers on two young men who are always in proximity to each other, but who only grow their relationship in the summers. Taken literally, the premise is a little strange (although Connor makes it work). I read it, though, as a representation of what it's like to grow up full of feelings that you have been taught are inappropriate, if not wicked. When can I touch? When can I be honest? When can I relax? When can I be myself?
The limits on Mike and Ian's relationship aren't exactly that. Ian explains why he makes himself unavailable for three seasons each year, and they make sense in the world Connor creates. Even so, I found myself as frustrated as Mike during their separations. The nights at the creek and the days sketching in the woods are so beautifully described and so emotionally raw that the winters felt unbearably cold. This is not to say that the story is heavy, per se; it's no more so than a lot of YA fiction, and certainly no more so than life itself. What I am saying is that Connor creates a beautiful, almost mythically inscrutable character in Ian, then shades him in over time, letting us learn him and fall in love with him as Mike does. Along the way, we experience the joy of finding that person who lets us live without apology, but only after both characters pay a lot of emotional and social dues.
This is a lovely book, and I'm afraid my review misses out on a lot of the humor and sweetness that exists between Mike and Ian. It's a book that made me think, and made me remember, but it's also a book that I really enjoyed. I highly recommend it.
December 31, 2022
I could not put this down for a single moment. I’m not quite sure how to put my thoughts into words that would do justice to this book. This reads like poetry. It’s almost lyrical.
It’s overwhelming, beautiful, heartbreaking, emotional and it completely overtook me.
I am so completely in love with Ian and Mike. Their love was innocent and pure and limitless. They were were connected deep within their souls. They could speak without words. Their hearts knew they’d found their other half. Their young love transcended their age and time.
There was nothing easy about their story but they did have summer. They came alive in the summer. They could hope and laugh in the summer. It was all the time between that would cause them suffering and pain.
There is light at the end so you will be able to breathe!!
It’s overwhelming, beautiful, heartbreaking, emotional and it completely overtook me.
I am so completely in love with Ian and Mike. Their love was innocent and pure and limitless. They were were connected deep within their souls. They could speak without words. Their hearts knew they’d found their other half. Their young love transcended their age and time.
There was nothing easy about their story but they did have summer. They came alive in the summer. They could hope and laugh in the summer. It was all the time between that would cause them suffering and pain.
There is light at the end so you will be able to breathe!!
September 6, 2025
Oh myyyyy…. all the feels.
I’ll come back to review this. I didn’t really have the time to finish reading this in the first place - but I could not stop!
Update ——————>
m/m • YA • coming of age • dv • friends to lovers • novella ~160p
The summer before freshman year, Mike, a kind, popular jock-sort and Ian, an artsy, intelligent loner with a bad reputation, become fast friends. During the school year though, they hang in different circles (Ian on his own) and pretend the other doesn’t exist…
This story describes the boys’ friendship over the course of four summers and is played out in dual POV and dual timelines.
The present - end of senior year, from Ian’s pov.
The past - all the previous summers, from Mike’s pov.
That first summer Mike becomes infatuated by Ian… And Ian lets Mike look at him, lets Mike really see him. A deep friendship and a deep love develops, but Ian holds Mike at arms length. He doesn’t want Mike to become tainted by being associated with the ‘bad kid’. So after each school year ends, Mike and Ian reconnect for the summer.
Mike desperately wants them to be more, Ian repeatedly denies him in an effort to protect them both.
They are best friends.
“I don’t want you to give yourself to me, Ian.” Mike was in front of me now. “I want you to share yourself with me.”
“I’m going to keep asking you for more.” I gave him a firm look. “All summer. Every summer.”
Seriously… 🥹❤️😭
This story grabbed me by my tender feels right from the outset. The writing is stunning, almost poetic, with strong imagery and characterisation.
There is SUCH tenderness and emotion in Mike and Ian’s relationship. The forehead touches, the intertwining of fingers… the feels feels feels.
Ian and Mike are so honest with each other, they truly know one another and it is just magic ✨
I loved this SO much. I could not put it down.
A beautiful, beautiful coming of age book 💗 I cried like a little b!tch at the end (and I’m no cry baby!)
5⭐️
0.5…1 ? 🌶️ things happen on page, but nothing I’d call explicit. More like, a display of sensual tenderness… ❤️
——————
My only minor gripe is that there’s a bonus chapter which tells their meeting from Ian’s pov which I think could’ve been left out. But that’s just me, I generally don’t like dual POV of the same story and timeline.
I’ll come back to review this. I didn’t really have the time to finish reading this in the first place - but I could not stop!
Update ——————>
m/m • YA • coming of age • dv • friends to lovers • novella ~160p
The summer before freshman year, Mike, a kind, popular jock-sort and Ian, an artsy, intelligent loner with a bad reputation, become fast friends. During the school year though, they hang in different circles (Ian on his own) and pretend the other doesn’t exist…
This story describes the boys’ friendship over the course of four summers and is played out in dual POV and dual timelines.
The present - end of senior year, from Ian’s pov.
The past - all the previous summers, from Mike’s pov.
That first summer Mike becomes infatuated by Ian… And Ian lets Mike look at him, lets Mike really see him. A deep friendship and a deep love develops, but Ian holds Mike at arms length. He doesn’t want Mike to become tainted by being associated with the ‘bad kid’. So after each school year ends, Mike and Ian reconnect for the summer.
Mike desperately wants them to be more, Ian repeatedly denies him in an effort to protect them both.
They are best friends.
“I don’t want you to give yourself to me, Ian.” Mike was in front of me now. “I want you to share yourself with me.”
“I’m going to keep asking you for more.” I gave him a firm look. “All summer. Every summer.”
Seriously… 🥹❤️😭
This story grabbed me by my tender feels right from the outset. The writing is stunning, almost poetic, with strong imagery and characterisation.
There is SUCH tenderness and emotion in Mike and Ian’s relationship. The forehead touches, the intertwining of fingers… the feels feels feels.
Ian and Mike are so honest with each other, they truly know one another and it is just magic ✨
I loved this SO much. I could not put it down.
A beautiful, beautiful coming of age book 💗 I cried like a little b!tch at the end (and I’m no cry baby!)
5⭐️
0.5…1 ? 🌶️ things happen on page, but nothing I’d call explicit. More like, a display of sensual tenderness… ❤️
——————
My only minor gripe is that there’s a bonus chapter which tells their meeting from Ian’s pov which I think could’ve been left out. But that’s just me, I generally don’t like dual POV of the same story and timeline.
October 29, 2019
Beautiful.
September 27, 2023
Una historia corta y fácil que acaba resultando muy bonita.
Solo un inciso, llevo años leyendo literatura Americana y sigo sin aclararme con el Junior, senior, freshman, sophomore.....no podian decir el curso y yo ya hago cuentas....es que es realmente lioso 😃😃!!!!
Solo un inciso, llevo años leyendo literatura Americana y sigo sin aclararme con el Junior, senior, freshman, sophomore.....no podian decir el curso y yo ya hago cuentas....es que es realmente lioso 😃😃!!!!
March 9, 2025
5/5 ⭐️ - This is hands down the most beautiful coming-of-age story I’ve ever read and it’s only 170 pages! The author must be some kind of writing wizard, throwing magical voodoo spells into this book, because I love every. single. thing. about it. I’m obsessed!
It’s sooo nostalgic, so eerie, so warm, but at the same time, it’s filled with anticipation, love, yearning, and angst. Honestly, I was edging the entire way through and it’s YA lmaooo (the vibes are giving major Call Me By Your Name energy.)
I nearly had a heart attack at the end because I thought it was heading somewhere completely different, but nope - the ending is absolute ✨perfection✨
Even though it’s a romance, this book is such a powerful reminder that kindness is free and we need more compassion in the world. You never know what someone else might be going through.
If, for some reason, you’re seeing this review right now, stop whatever you’re doing, go download this book on your Kindle ASAP. Trust me! you need it in your life!
Quotes I loveeee:
“A few times, when we passed in the hallway, his fingers would brush against mine. It wasn't much—but it was so erotic.”
"We hope to see you again." That's what lan said every time after that first time. And every time, I'd turn at the door and say:
"Nothing could keep me away."
“lan Chambers. I was seventeen years old at the end of summer and his name was still my mantra.”
"I'd promise you the moon and then find a way to deliver, lan."
"Once I knew you existed, there wasn't a time that I didn't love you." I smiled at him. "I've loved you since I first saw the light of the sun, felt its warmth," I replied. "Because I knew that it was telling me that you were coming."
It’s sooo nostalgic, so eerie, so warm, but at the same time, it’s filled with anticipation, love, yearning, and angst. Honestly, I was edging the entire way through and it’s YA lmaooo (the vibes are giving major Call Me By Your Name energy.)
I nearly had a heart attack at the end because I thought it was heading somewhere completely different, but nope - the ending is absolute ✨perfection✨
Even though it’s a romance, this book is such a powerful reminder that kindness is free and we need more compassion in the world. You never know what someone else might be going through.
If, for some reason, you’re seeing this review right now, stop whatever you’re doing, go download this book on your Kindle ASAP. Trust me! you need it in your life!
Quotes I loveeee:
“A few times, when we passed in the hallway, his fingers would brush against mine. It wasn't much—but it was so erotic.”
"We hope to see you again." That's what lan said every time after that first time. And every time, I'd turn at the door and say:
"Nothing could keep me away."
“lan Chambers. I was seventeen years old at the end of summer and his name was still my mantra.”
"I'd promise you the moon and then find a way to deliver, lan."
"Once I knew you existed, there wasn't a time that I didn't love you." I smiled at him. "I've loved you since I first saw the light of the sun, felt its warmth," I replied. "Because I knew that it was telling me that you were coming."
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