TW/CW: Underage substance abuse (alcohol, weed); homophobic language; covert racism (is there a better term??); Church's antigay agenda (but like they are so ignorant, they only address homosexuality); internalized homophobia; mentioned past outing; mentioned past suicide attempt; racist language (last year, I would have no idea the b word existed, or that it was something one would use on other people, never mind that it's racist and harmful - why do certain countries have words to insult everyone who is bipoc and/or of a different nationality?!); panick attack, not very descriptive; mentioned self harm; chauvinism; false imprisonment??
You must have read Loving Lakyn before reading this one. This is an unedited version.
So I gave this 4 stars as I have read the current draft and I know it is going to get better so I need to reserve the 5th star for then!
I smiled to myself, unsure of why the little shit laying next to me meant so much
I just love the relationship Charlotte has been able to build with the characters in this novel. She is able to bring your own memories and experiences into her writing, you live the story and feel every bit of heartbreak her characters do.
I am very excited to read the final version and will also be reading her first two novels as I know Scott features in them both!!
This book leaves you with all the feelings of hurt and comfort, of heartache and pain, even of rage and anger and wanting to punch someone. Hard. It's what I discovered is something Charlotte Reagan is really good at. Her words are cleverly written and they make you FEEL.
After having read Loving Lakyn, I was really looking for more by this author, but I found out her books are discontinued at Amazon and I was so happy to see this one, when it was added to her Goodreads author page. Unfortunately, it can only be read through Wattpad, and I think that's a shame, because more people should read her books. She's a wonderful writer and deserves a lot more notice than she seems to be getting.
This book is a follow up from Loving Lakyn. It's basically the same story, but told from Scott's view, which gives you an inside story of his character, of his life in general. In Loving Lakyn we already saw Scott seemed to have it all. At least he had friends, he was a popular guy at school, goodlooking too. But that was all just the outside. When you payed more attention, you could already see the scarfs and the cracks his seemingly perfect life was exposing. His dark secret, which was a heavy burden on his shoulders, mainly because he knew how his parents would react if they knew. Even when Scott and Lakyn are still young, you can feel how deeply their love goes, how they fit so perfectly well. The way they are able to heal each other. It doesn't come easy, not at all. It's a hard fight, a lot of hurdles that need to be taken before they get to their so well deserved happy ending, but then, in the end, it's there, within reach, and despite their age, I can't help believing it could be for infinity. Sometimes people are just meant to be. They are made for each other, and how lucky one can be when you find your significant other at a young age? That only means a long life of being together, of loving and caring and be loved. Who wouldn't want that? This book can't be read if you haven't read Loving Lakyn, but I highly, highly recommend it. I hope they will be available again in the near future, because they are so, so worth to be read by a large public.