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Chasing Hope
Loss chased him away, Hope brought him love...But is that enough?
Sean is only twenty-seven, but he’s already lost everything that gave him life. On the verge of losing hope for a future, he moves to a town where no one knows about him, the death of his child, or his failed marriage; but when his nightmares and his guilt follow him without the pitying glares, he realizes he can’t move forward on his own.
Jonah has worked tirelessly to keep his father’s memory alive and be a fixture in the small town he grew up in. Now, nearing forty, his dreams have been long forgotten to keep everyone else’s alive, and he doesn’t know how to reclaim his life as his own without losing his last connection to his father.
But when the two men’s lives collide, they’re forced to confront their grief and accept that there can be life and hope after loss—if you’re willing to chase it.
Chasing Hope is a ~70k small-town, second chance at love, M/M Romance. There are subject matters in this book that may act as triggers for some. Readers are invited to check out the complete trigger warning on the copyright page, which can be viewed by clicking on the "Look Inside" preview or by downloading the sample. These triggers contain spoilers for the book.
Sean is only twenty-seven, but he’s already lost everything that gave him life. On the verge of losing hope for a future, he moves to a town where no one knows about him, the death of his child, or his failed marriage; but when his nightmares and his guilt follow him without the pitying glares, he realizes he can’t move forward on his own.
Jonah has worked tirelessly to keep his father’s memory alive and be a fixture in the small town he grew up in. Now, nearing forty, his dreams have been long forgotten to keep everyone else’s alive, and he doesn’t know how to reclaim his life as his own without losing his last connection to his father.
But when the two men’s lives collide, they’re forced to confront their grief and accept that there can be life and hope after loss—if you’re willing to chase it.
Chasing Hope is a ~70k small-town, second chance at love, M/M Romance. There are subject matters in this book that may act as triggers for some. Readers are invited to check out the complete trigger warning on the copyright page, which can be viewed by clicking on the "Look Inside" preview or by downloading the sample. These triggers contain spoilers for the book.
260 pages, ebook
First published February 19, 2021
About the author
Gwen Martin
11 books149 followersGwen Martin grew up in Florida where the sun was always shining, the humidity was high, and Disney was just a hop skip away. She currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee to experience seasons and be closer to the mountains. When she’s not trying to write one of her million story ideas, she’s usually hanging out with her husband and five cats.
Gwen first started writing at a young age, coming up with stories in class instead of paying attention to her math lessons. Since then she has been exploring her love of writing in various fan communities where she has learned how to cultivate character development and romantic interactions.
She has a strong love affair with cold brew coffee, black cats, and nerding out in various fandoms. When she’s not writing, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on, listening to a lot of lo-fi and making playlists, chilling with her gatos and obsessing about Pusheen. Because it’s always about Pusheen.
Gwen first started writing at a young age, coming up with stories in class instead of paying attention to her math lessons. Since then she has been exploring her love of writing in various fan communities where she has learned how to cultivate character development and romantic interactions.
She has a strong love affair with cold brew coffee, black cats, and nerding out in various fandoms. When she’s not writing, she’s reading everything she can get her hands on, listening to a lot of lo-fi and making playlists, chilling with her gatos and obsessing about Pusheen. Because it’s always about Pusheen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
Did Not Finish
July 20, 2021okay, i guess i'm throwing in the towel on this book. DNF @ 23%.
the first chapter was very good; it felt moody and serious and had me very intrigued as to what would follow in the story. that didn't last very long, unfortunately nn. even by the second chapter the book ditched the somber vibe and started to feel like your typical m/m romance, complete with ~sUpEr QuIrKy~ side characters and "witty" banter. i have to say, it was quite a disappointment. i held out hope that the first chapter wouldn't just be a fluke... but nope, it never quite manages to capture again what made the first chapter so appealing to me.
the characters were pretty bland, too, and had no real defining characteristics. like, by the point i quit reading all i really knew about Jonah was that he runs a diner and misses his dad, and all i knew about Sean was he likes coffee and was grieving his daughter (and cried in public a lot). how am i supposed to get invested in characters when there's nothing to latch onto? it was just... a smorgasbord of blandness. and adding to that, none of the characters have any kind of defining voice to their dialogue, either. you could pretty much switch who said what in any of the group scenes and it wouldn't have changed anything! the major side characters all acted exactly the same, too.
on top of all of that, i found the writing quite... confusing? at times, too. like, side characters would be introduced by name and i guess i was expected to extrapolate who they were right away and their whole backstories without any kind of introduction or explanation. or someone would be introduced by name and halfway through a scene someone would offhandedly mention, "oh, they manage the diner" or something. i was like???? you couldn't say that straight away???
anyway. this was a pas por moi. nn
the first chapter was very good; it felt moody and serious and had me very intrigued as to what would follow in the story. that didn't last very long, unfortunately nn. even by the second chapter the book ditched the somber vibe and started to feel like your typical m/m romance, complete with ~sUpEr QuIrKy~ side characters and "witty" banter. i have to say, it was quite a disappointment. i held out hope that the first chapter wouldn't just be a fluke... but nope, it never quite manages to capture again what made the first chapter so appealing to me.
the characters were pretty bland, too, and had no real defining characteristics. like, by the point i quit reading all i really knew about Jonah was that he runs a diner and misses his dad, and all i knew about Sean was he likes coffee and was grieving his daughter (and cried in public a lot). how am i supposed to get invested in characters when there's nothing to latch onto? it was just... a smorgasbord of blandness. and adding to that, none of the characters have any kind of defining voice to their dialogue, either. you could pretty much switch who said what in any of the group scenes and it wouldn't have changed anything! the major side characters all acted exactly the same, too.
on top of all of that, i found the writing quite... confusing? at times, too. like, side characters would be introduced by name and i guess i was expected to extrapolate who they were right away and their whole backstories without any kind of introduction or explanation. or someone would be introduced by name and halfway through a scene someone would offhandedly mention, "oh, they manage the diner" or something. i was like???? you couldn't say that straight away???
anyway. this was a pas por moi. nn
February 23, 2021
One word to describe this book... Dreamy
Title: Chasing Hope by Gwen Martin
I loved this book from start to finish.
1. The Characters:
Sean was beautiful in his pain, in his vulnerability and in his hidden strength. #IWillRise
Jonah was low-key powerful. he blew life into Sean with just being himself, caring for him and just being there. #HereForYou
2. The Plot..
It is a journey of healing, for both of the men. together and apart they find a way to clear their obstacle and be healthy enough to be together. #MakeMeWhole
3. The Romance...
It happens organically, over months of friendship, attraction and eventually love. it was soft, dreamy and natural. #Flawless
4. Steam-o-meter: Lowish Steam
5. Angst-o-meter: Angsty. Mind the trigger warning.
6. HEA...
It was the perfect ending to their journey. it shows how far they have both come to find their happy ending. #Forever
#HappyReading
Title: Chasing Hope by Gwen Martin
I loved this book from start to finish.
1. The Characters:
Sean was beautiful in his pain, in his vulnerability and in his hidden strength. #IWillRise
Jonah was low-key powerful. he blew life into Sean with just being himself, caring for him and just being there. #HereForYou
2. The Plot..
It is a journey of healing, for both of the men. together and apart they find a way to clear their obstacle and be healthy enough to be together. #MakeMeWhole
3. The Romance...
It happens organically, over months of friendship, attraction and eventually love. it was soft, dreamy and natural. #Flawless
4. Steam-o-meter: Lowish Steam
5. Angst-o-meter: Angsty. Mind the trigger warning.
6. HEA...
It was the perfect ending to their journey. it shows how far they have both come to find their happy ending. #Forever
#HappyReading
March 3, 2021
The book had a very strong beginning but, by the end, it lost me completely.
The beginning of the relationship was very tentative. There were small conversations and glances. There was a friendship formed. It moved slowly, and I was fully on-board. I liked both Jonah and Sean.
Honestly, for the first two-thirds of the novel, I was really liking it. And there are still parts of it that weren't ruined for me by the last third. I think the author did a good job of showing us Sean's grief. The writing in the book was good. I also liked some of the side-characters. And just the theme of healing, by giving yourself time and distance, was done well. I still had a couple of issues—like the L-word coming too soon—but no major complaints. But at around 65%, I started to get bored.
At that point, it felt like the plot of the novel was done. There was no conflict, and it was like the book paused to have an early, extended epilogue (there's one at the end, too) for a couple that I wasn't fully sold on yet. It was tedious to read.
And then, after like 40 pages of that, we finally got a conflict, except I didn't like the way it was handled. There were time jumps, lack of communication on Sean's part, and things glossed over. And by the end, I kinda wanted Sean and Jonah to not end up together. That, for a romance novel, is not good.
Overall though, this wasn't a bad read. Like I said, it started off strong. It just starting going downhill for me after a certain point. But that is, once again, an unpopular opinion. Most people who've read the book loved it. I wish I could have as well.
The beginning of the relationship was very tentative. There were small conversations and glances. There was a friendship formed. It moved slowly, and I was fully on-board. I liked both Jonah and Sean.
Honestly, for the first two-thirds of the novel, I was really liking it. And there are still parts of it that weren't ruined for me by the last third. I think the author did a good job of showing us Sean's grief. The writing in the book was good. I also liked some of the side-characters. And just the theme of healing, by giving yourself time and distance, was done well. I still had a couple of issues—like the L-word coming too soon—but no major complaints. But at around 65%, I started to get bored.
At that point, it felt like the plot of the novel was done. There was no conflict, and it was like the book paused to have an early, extended epilogue (there's one at the end, too) for a couple that I wasn't fully sold on yet. It was tedious to read.
And then, after like 40 pages of that, we finally got a conflict, except I didn't like the way it was handled. There were time jumps, lack of communication on Sean's part, and things glossed over. And by the end, I kinda wanted Sean and Jonah to not end up together. That, for a romance novel, is not good.
Overall though, this wasn't a bad read. Like I said, it started off strong. It just starting going downhill for me after a certain point. But that is, once again, an unpopular opinion. Most people who've read the book loved it. I wish I could have as well.
February 21, 2021
Podobała mi się, ale czegoś mi tu brakowało.
March 11, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5 stars
Chasing Hope is a contemporary, standalone novel that takes place in what seems to be a rural-esque area. Jonah is a local gay shop owner with a robust family network. Sean comes from a wealthy family, but his recent tragedies have affected him so deeply, he’s both unsure he’s worthy of happiness with anyone and whether this is truly a time to explore an aspect of his sexuality he’d only previously encountered while at a rowdy college party. Additionally, there is a decade of an age gap between our main love interests and a smidgen of “richer” and “poorer.”
I think the mix of having two characters devastated by death at opposite ends of a person’s life, plus the romance, made for an interesting mix. Both Sean and Jonah keep their feelings about losing a child and parent respectively incredibly close to their chests. For me, this was sort of a double-edged sword. Being privy to both characters’ losses, I could instantly tell when one or the other was hiding their hurt feelings from the other. This builds a lot of tension into their relationship.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
3.5 stars
Chasing Hope is a contemporary, standalone novel that takes place in what seems to be a rural-esque area. Jonah is a local gay shop owner with a robust family network. Sean comes from a wealthy family, but his recent tragedies have affected him so deeply, he’s both unsure he’s worthy of happiness with anyone and whether this is truly a time to explore an aspect of his sexuality he’d only previously encountered while at a rowdy college party. Additionally, there is a decade of an age gap between our main love interests and a smidgen of “richer” and “poorer.”
I think the mix of having two characters devastated by death at opposite ends of a person’s life, plus the romance, made for an interesting mix. Both Sean and Jonah keep their feelings about losing a child and parent respectively incredibly close to their chests. For me, this was sort of a double-edged sword. Being privy to both characters’ losses, I could instantly tell when one or the other was hiding their hurt feelings from the other. This builds a lot of tension into their relationship.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
February 20, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this poignant, emotional story of two men whose lives are defined by grief and loss. I wanted a cathartic read, but made it through the whole book with only a few tears shed until I read the author’s note. Then I just lost it. You'll probably want to check the trigger warning at the beginning.
There's about a 10 year age gap between Zach and Sean, but the younger man, Sean, has lived through a lot in a short period so there's not a huge gap in life experience between them. He’s been through the death of a child, divorce, and is trying to rebuild his life in a new place, a small town, while somehow holding on to the child he lost. Zach keeps his father’s memory alive by making a success of the family diner.
Zach’s gay, Sean’s bi, but never acted on it, so their relationship is a slow burn but both sweet and hot. I adored the small town, the whole atmosphere, and the low-key humor. I will be checking out more of Gwen Martin’s work because of the deft way she handled a sensitive subject.
It's a much, much better book than my review is.
There's about a 10 year age gap between Zach and Sean, but the younger man, Sean, has lived through a lot in a short period so there's not a huge gap in life experience between them. He’s been through the death of a child, divorce, and is trying to rebuild his life in a new place, a small town, while somehow holding on to the child he lost. Zach keeps his father’s memory alive by making a success of the family diner.
Zach’s gay, Sean’s bi, but never acted on it, so their relationship is a slow burn but both sweet and hot. I adored the small town, the whole atmosphere, and the low-key humor. I will be checking out more of Gwen Martin’s work because of the deft way she handled a sensitive subject.
It's a much, much better book than my review is.
February 14, 2021
This was my first book by this author so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. This book made me have all the feels. This book is a heartbreaking symphony; the kind that rips your heart out and then puts it back together again. Both of the main characters in this book are dealing with grief in their own ways. Jonah has been running the diner that was his late father’s dream. He lost his dad after a nasty round of cancer and has never really moved on even though it was 10 years ago. He has basically placed his life on hold in order to make everything work. Sean’s grief is much more recent and traumatizing. He lost his wife and his daughter within nine months of each other. When his baby girl was stillborn, it absolutely destroyed his marriage and his wife left him to deal with it her way. Sean was left feeling like everything was his fault and suffers from some pretty heavy PTSD and depression. The journey these two go on to recovery, both together and separately is crafted beautifully in this book. I could literally feel Sean’s pain and his guilt. These two men do not have an easy road to their HEA but they do arrive there in the end and this book is a stunning testament to the power of forgiveness and healing. This book is NOT a light read, but I would highly recommend it if you enjoy that type of story. It is worth a read.
February 23, 2021
4.5 Stars
Chasing Hope is a riveting and harrowing read by Gwen Martin. This story will break your heart over and over again.
It's a heavy read, with grief front and center in Sean's life. If the loss of a child is a trigger for you, run far from this book and never, ever look back.
Sean moves to a small town to escape his pain, but his pain continues to haunt him. Meeting Jonah causes everything to change, but damn, it isn't easy.
Of course, Jonah is also dealing with his own grief, as his whole life was upended upon the death of his father. It was a long time ago, but he still struggles.
The author does a terrific job with Sean's grief, as well as his insecurities with moving forward with his life. It's tough enough for him to try to allow happiness in his life, but he also struggles with being with a man for the first time.
Again, this isn't an easy read. It is heavy and the emotions never give you a break. Sean's pain and grief jumps off the pages. One can easily feel everything along with him. And they will.
That said, oh man, I wanted to shake Sean at times. I wanted to yell at him to not lose his chance for love again. One can totally understand why he holds himself back, but, oh, it's so sad to read.
This story is both riveting and compelling, as we follow these men through their pain and long journey to healing.
It's definitely annoying how tight lipped Sean is about everything. I am shocked at how Jonah let him get so close while also keeping so many secrets. I'm still baffled by Jonah going along with things. This aspect just seems so strange.
And then there's Sean's sexuality. He's bisexual but has never been with a guy. He struggles to come out to Jonah in the strangest of ways. But I do love how he finally comes out to him. And oh, that kiss!
This is a beautiful story, as the two men definitely belong together. Just being with Jonah helps to calm Sean. Too bad the rest isn't that easy. My heart hurt for Jonah at how he was treated.
As for Sean's parents, well, they can just...
Overall, Chasing Hope is a heart breaking tale of finding a second chance at love. Gwen Martin weaves a lot of emotion into this realistic and painful story. There's guilt and grief. There's pain, depression, and PTSD. But there's also trust and love. It's a powerful reminder that one can survive anything.
Chasing Hope is a riveting and harrowing read by Gwen Martin. This story will break your heart over and over again.
It's a heavy read, with grief front and center in Sean's life. If the loss of a child is a trigger for you, run far from this book and never, ever look back.
Sean moves to a small town to escape his pain, but his pain continues to haunt him. Meeting Jonah causes everything to change, but damn, it isn't easy.
Of course, Jonah is also dealing with his own grief, as his whole life was upended upon the death of his father. It was a long time ago, but he still struggles.
The author does a terrific job with Sean's grief, as well as his insecurities with moving forward with his life. It's tough enough for him to try to allow happiness in his life, but he also struggles with being with a man for the first time.
Again, this isn't an easy read. It is heavy and the emotions never give you a break. Sean's pain and grief jumps off the pages. One can easily feel everything along with him. And they will.
That said, oh man, I wanted to shake Sean at times. I wanted to yell at him to not lose his chance for love again. One can totally understand why he holds himself back, but, oh, it's so sad to read.
This story is both riveting and compelling, as we follow these men through their pain and long journey to healing.
It's definitely annoying how tight lipped Sean is about everything. I am shocked at how Jonah let him get so close while also keeping so many secrets. I'm still baffled by Jonah going along with things. This aspect just seems so strange.
And then there's Sean's sexuality. He's bisexual but has never been with a guy. He struggles to come out to Jonah in the strangest of ways. But I do love how he finally comes out to him. And oh, that kiss!
This is a beautiful story, as the two men definitely belong together. Just being with Jonah helps to calm Sean. Too bad the rest isn't that easy. My heart hurt for Jonah at how he was treated.
As for Sean's parents, well, they can just...
Overall, Chasing Hope is a heart breaking tale of finding a second chance at love. Gwen Martin weaves a lot of emotion into this realistic and painful story. There's guilt and grief. There's pain, depression, and PTSD. But there's also trust and love. It's a powerful reminder that one can survive anything.
February 21, 2021
Such a great book!
I’ve been a fan of Gwen Martin’s writing since I read Give Me a Hand just about a year ago. I said back then that it was rare for me to give a 5-star rating to a new-to-me author but that the book really deserved it. Well, this is now my third book by Gwen and ALL of them have been 5-star reads.
While Chasing Hope is a very different type of book than the other two I’ve read by Gwen, the writing was just as fantastic. This is a story that’s difficult to read a times as it deals with some pretty heavy subject matter (use the “look inside” feature for trigger warnings), but it is ultimately uplifting as Sean and Jonah find their HEA.
I’m afraid if I give too many details about the story it will be too much of a spoiler. I’ll just say that I think a lot of times when it comes to the kind of loss this story deals with that people don’t consider what it does to a man. Chasing Hope shows that they can be every bit as devastated as anyone else. (Trying not to give away too much here.)
This is a book that I will be thinking about for sometime to come. Well done, Gwen, I’m looking forward to reading more of your work.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I’ve been a fan of Gwen Martin’s writing since I read Give Me a Hand just about a year ago. I said back then that it was rare for me to give a 5-star rating to a new-to-me author but that the book really deserved it. Well, this is now my third book by Gwen and ALL of them have been 5-star reads.
While Chasing Hope is a very different type of book than the other two I’ve read by Gwen, the writing was just as fantastic. This is a story that’s difficult to read a times as it deals with some pretty heavy subject matter (use the “look inside” feature for trigger warnings), but it is ultimately uplifting as Sean and Jonah find their HEA.
I’m afraid if I give too many details about the story it will be too much of a spoiler. I’ll just say that I think a lot of times when it comes to the kind of loss this story deals with that people don’t consider what it does to a man. Chasing Hope shows that they can be every bit as devastated as anyone else. (Trying not to give away too much here.)
This is a book that I will be thinking about for sometime to come. Well done, Gwen, I’m looking forward to reading more of your work.
A copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
February 23, 2021
4.5 Stars
Sean is going through a parent's nightmare, losing their child, and on top of that, he's also dealing with divorce. And Jonah has been grieving for his father for a long time, seeing him everywhere and trying to fill the very large shoes he left. They strike an easy friendship, which turns to more, but is Sean really ready to move past his guilt and grief?
I found Sean's story absolutely heartbreaking and I was happy that he moved to this small town where he met so many caring people. Jonah was so supportive of him and so understanding, a bit too much sometimes, but I really loved them together. This wasn't an easy road for either of them, but it was more than worth it.
This was my first book by Gwen Martin, but it won't be the last. It was an emotional, character-driven, angsty, hopeful, loving, realistic read. One you definitely won't want to miss out on. Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Sean is going through a parent's nightmare, losing their child, and on top of that, he's also dealing with divorce. And Jonah has been grieving for his father for a long time, seeing him everywhere and trying to fill the very large shoes he left. They strike an easy friendship, which turns to more, but is Sean really ready to move past his guilt and grief?
I found Sean's story absolutely heartbreaking and I was happy that he moved to this small town where he met so many caring people. Jonah was so supportive of him and so understanding, a bit too much sometimes, but I really loved them together. This wasn't an easy road for either of them, but it was more than worth it.
This was my first book by Gwen Martin, but it won't be the last. It was an emotional, character-driven, angsty, hopeful, loving, realistic read. One you definitely won't want to miss out on. Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
December 30, 2023
DNF @ 10%.
I just can’t get over how cringe-inducing those lines are. If I try to keep reading, I know those words will haunt me the entire time.
Like, forget the fact you don’t know this guy lost his baby… you a) just met him b) are at work where he is a customer c) your niece is 18 and d) I’m mortified on behalf of the niece
Surely the author could have found some other way to have Sean spook at the mention of babies?
“You sure did win my niece’s heart over. She may ask you to marry her and have her baby when you see her again.”
I just can’t get over how cringe-inducing those lines are. If I try to keep reading, I know those words will haunt me the entire time.
Like, forget the fact you don’t know this guy lost his baby… you a) just met him b) are at work where he is a customer c) your niece is 18 and d) I’m mortified on behalf of the niece
Surely the author could have found some other way to have Sean spook at the mention of babies?
October 4, 2024
The theme of overwhelming grief was really beautifully written in this story. Sean's struggles after losing the most important people in his life felt really realistic. However, he just spent a bit too much time in the book running away from Jonah, which put a bit more emphasis on that rather than Sean's growing relationship with him and his slow start to recovery. However, on the whole, a touching story requiring some tissues while reading.
February 15, 2021
Chasing Hope by Gwen Martin is about 27 year old Sean and Jonah, who is nearing 40. I really liked their story. It is well written. Read the trigger warning before reading.
March 3, 2021
Wow. This book had so many feels and it was wonderful. Sean is struggling with dealing with life after the death of his daughter and break up of his marriage. He’s in a really bad place. He meets Jonah and has trouble believing he is deserving of happiness, but finds acceptance and love with Jonah.
This broke my heart but was not overly angsty. I found myself sad a few times, but it was more that my heart was sad for Sean and really glad to see him come through the other side. These two went through a lot together, but together is when they were strongest.
I enjoyed the book a lot as I read, but the fact that I’m still thinking about it with a warm smile on my face after finishing it makes me give it 5 stars.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by Gay Romance Reviews
This broke my heart but was not overly angsty. I found myself sad a few times, but it was more that my heart was sad for Sean and really glad to see him come through the other side. These two went through a lot together, but together is when they were strongest.
I enjoyed the book a lot as I read, but the fact that I’m still thinking about it with a warm smile on my face after finishing it makes me give it 5 stars.
I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by Gay Romance Reviews
February 26, 2021
Such a beautiful soulful read. Gwen Martin's heart is written and poured over these pages. This couple will stick with me forever.
June 6, 2021
This was a well wrote book. The subject of grief and losing someone run throughout the book. This is a serious subject and was handled well. But I’m sorry Sean was a total arse. He treated Jonah worse then rubbish. Closed off and prickly then finally doing a runner. Of course Jonah accepted him back. Sorry but grief does not give you the right to treat people the way Sean did in this book. I just wanted one person to tell him to pull his head out of his arse. I have been through this sort of grief and really this book was just one long wallow fest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2021
dnf at 57%
I really tried to like this book because it started good but then I couldn’t connect with anything in the story, not the characters or the romance or the plot.
I really tried to like this book because it started good but then I couldn’t connect with anything in the story, not the characters or the romance or the plot.
March 5, 2021
*4.5*
Chasing Hope is a beautifully written story of loss and heartbreak, guilt and forgiveness.
Sean moves to Harmony Creek to get away from the family, friends and constant memories of his life that was he supposed to be living with his wife and daughter. He's buried under the weight of loss after the death of his daughter and then divorce. He has so much to work through just to get through every single day but meeting Jonah at the diner in town gives him a bright moment to each day that slowly develops into a minute, an hour, a day as something develops between them that he's never experienced before.
Jonah mostly lives to work to ensure his diner is successful. Since his father passed away, he's aimed hard to make it more his own and gets through with a couple of close friend but nobody closer than that. Sean's appearance at the diner sparks something in him and he wants to bring a smile to the sad looking man.
Their relationship is hard fought, as is the trust that takes a lot of time to build up especially with his hard Sean finds it to give up any details of his previous life. With such big moments weighing him down it's not long before things are revealed and it takes a great strength from both men to move forward, believe in what they have found together and trust in each other and the love that they kind of stumbled into.
This is definitely a story that tugs on your heart. I would say to be wary of any triggers for those that have lost someone but especially a child. The emotion pours from the pages with everything that both men have experienced but Sean's is a lot fresher and he's still struggling to move on, not to negate Jonah's memories and loss. They click straight away and can see something in each other that they need in their lives. Jonah is especially patient and seems aware of the emotional moments that Sean goes through. Something they have in common is the love and support of their best friends, always there for them at any moment.
I would recommend reading this, and the author's note at the end just makes it that much more poignant.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
Chasing Hope is a beautifully written story of loss and heartbreak, guilt and forgiveness.
Sean moves to Harmony Creek to get away from the family, friends and constant memories of his life that was he supposed to be living with his wife and daughter. He's buried under the weight of loss after the death of his daughter and then divorce. He has so much to work through just to get through every single day but meeting Jonah at the diner in town gives him a bright moment to each day that slowly develops into a minute, an hour, a day as something develops between them that he's never experienced before.
Jonah mostly lives to work to ensure his diner is successful. Since his father passed away, he's aimed hard to make it more his own and gets through with a couple of close friend but nobody closer than that. Sean's appearance at the diner sparks something in him and he wants to bring a smile to the sad looking man.
Their relationship is hard fought, as is the trust that takes a lot of time to build up especially with his hard Sean finds it to give up any details of his previous life. With such big moments weighing him down it's not long before things are revealed and it takes a great strength from both men to move forward, believe in what they have found together and trust in each other and the love that they kind of stumbled into.
This is definitely a story that tugs on your heart. I would say to be wary of any triggers for those that have lost someone but especially a child. The emotion pours from the pages with everything that both men have experienced but Sean's is a lot fresher and he's still struggling to move on, not to negate Jonah's memories and loss. They click straight away and can see something in each other that they need in their lives. Jonah is especially patient and seems aware of the emotional moments that Sean goes through. Something they have in common is the love and support of their best friends, always there for them at any moment.
I would recommend reading this, and the author's note at the end just makes it that much more poignant.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
February 23, 2021
PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS BOOK!!!!
I've never said a bad word about a Gwen Martin book and I'm certainly not going to say any about this one because it is breathtaking in its sensitivity on so many levels. GM shares her background to this personal book at the end and you can feel it throughout; it is heartfelt and beautifully written with obvious pain and knowledge of the subjects covered, not just the main one.
GM guides the reader through the journeys of the two main characters from their first tongue-tied conversation to better times. Two beautiful men, in a small town, who both like climbing; why wouldn't they be attracted to each other! And of course they recognise a shared need in each other as well. They are supported by a secondary cast of characters who are pretty close to the action most of the time; best friends are closer than real family and family are not at all close. But all the characters are so well written with great depth and personality you feel like part of the group, as if you could be asked to hold the cold pack, or share the corn bread!
As with all GM books it ebbs and flows like a river over pebbles; the pace is just perfect and I read it in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down. The story just led me through page after page of tender caring love and support as well as beautiful descriptions of amazing skies, clouds, trees, sunsets and everything else seen by the characters. I'm not a climber but I almost wanted to be in the Grand Canyon!
This book won't be for everyone, it deals with some very difficult subjects that some people will find hard to read because they will recognise themselves and still be struggling; but others will read it and see it as the uplifting book it is, giving hope to everyone who needs it, no matter how bad things are, it will get better and you do deserve to be loved xx
I've never said a bad word about a Gwen Martin book and I'm certainly not going to say any about this one because it is breathtaking in its sensitivity on so many levels. GM shares her background to this personal book at the end and you can feel it throughout; it is heartfelt and beautifully written with obvious pain and knowledge of the subjects covered, not just the main one.
GM guides the reader through the journeys of the two main characters from their first tongue-tied conversation to better times. Two beautiful men, in a small town, who both like climbing; why wouldn't they be attracted to each other! And of course they recognise a shared need in each other as well. They are supported by a secondary cast of characters who are pretty close to the action most of the time; best friends are closer than real family and family are not at all close. But all the characters are so well written with great depth and personality you feel like part of the group, as if you could be asked to hold the cold pack, or share the corn bread!
As with all GM books it ebbs and flows like a river over pebbles; the pace is just perfect and I read it in one sitting as I just couldn't put it down. The story just led me through page after page of tender caring love and support as well as beautiful descriptions of amazing skies, clouds, trees, sunsets and everything else seen by the characters. I'm not a climber but I almost wanted to be in the Grand Canyon!
This book won't be for everyone, it deals with some very difficult subjects that some people will find hard to read because they will recognise themselves and still be struggling; but others will read it and see it as the uplifting book it is, giving hope to everyone who needs it, no matter how bad things are, it will get better and you do deserve to be loved xx
February 18, 2021
I’m speechless. This book left me heartbroken, but at the same time full of hope. This author wrote the most beautiful words I’ve read in a while. You can feel the loneliness, the anguish, the love, with every sentence, every chapter. It was one of the most stunning books I’ve ever read. And I could feel every emotion deep inside my heart. It was breathtaking.
The characters were so well written, I connected with them like they were part of me, like I knew them all my life. It was truly amazing to read.
Sean’s mind is trapped in a nightmare, reliving that pain over and over again, seeing no way to get out. It was excruciating to read, I could feel his suffering with every word, every tear, every bad dream. It was heartbreaking.
And then Jonah happened. His light. When he’s there Sean can forget, even if only for a moment. He can breathe a little easier, see a little brighter and feel a little lighter. He brings him piece. He makes him feel like the pain can get better, even if the memories will never disappear.
It wasn’t an easy journey between them. Sean has too much scars, he struggled with trusting and being honest with Jonah. But that was the beauty of this book, seeing them overcome their fears and nightmares, relying on each other, sharing their pain.
This book makes me believe that no matter what you go through, no matter the pain, no matter how dark life looks, you can get through it. It won’t be easy, nothing worthy ever is, but if you have the will to do it, then you can overcome everything.
This is a book that I won’t ever forget and will forever keep close to my heart, it touched me deeply and I will cherish each word this author wrote 💗
The characters were so well written, I connected with them like they were part of me, like I knew them all my life. It was truly amazing to read.
Sean’s mind is trapped in a nightmare, reliving that pain over and over again, seeing no way to get out. It was excruciating to read, I could feel his suffering with every word, every tear, every bad dream. It was heartbreaking.
And then Jonah happened. His light. When he’s there Sean can forget, even if only for a moment. He can breathe a little easier, see a little brighter and feel a little lighter. He brings him piece. He makes him feel like the pain can get better, even if the memories will never disappear.
It wasn’t an easy journey between them. Sean has too much scars, he struggled with trusting and being honest with Jonah. But that was the beauty of this book, seeing them overcome their fears and nightmares, relying on each other, sharing their pain.
This book makes me believe that no matter what you go through, no matter the pain, no matter how dark life looks, you can get through it. It won’t be easy, nothing worthy ever is, but if you have the will to do it, then you can overcome everything.
This is a book that I won’t ever forget and will forever keep close to my heart, it touched me deeply and I will cherish each word this author wrote 💗
March 8, 2021
Sean is running from his hometown after the loss of his daughter as well as a failed marriage. He arrives in Harmony Creek looking to find himself again. Jonah is the owner of a local diner working to keep his father's legacy going. Sean uses the diner as a way to get out of the house and it's there the two characters meet.
Since the relationship develops slowly, you're able to get glimpses into how each character is grieving. Even though Jonah is still mourning the loss of his father, he's willing and wanting to be there to support Sean. This makes for some truly touching moments. But just when the relationship seems to be going well, Sean has a setback in which both characters are forced to confront how they've been handling their grief.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I was drawn in to the developing relationship and felt it developed at just the right pace. The scene with the 1st real kiss was great! I did find myself getting frustrated with Sean as he passes up one opportunity after another for help. As a reader, we're able to recognize that his path to happiness and love needs to include opening up to both Jonah and a therapist. However, as a person, we need to remember that not everyone's healing from grief and loss are the same. Often times we think we can do it alone but in reality a little help can sometimes go a long way. What's true in real life sometimes needs to be true in our made up stories. Keeping this in mind along with the author's note allowed me to connect better with the characters.
Since the relationship develops slowly, you're able to get glimpses into how each character is grieving. Even though Jonah is still mourning the loss of his father, he's willing and wanting to be there to support Sean. This makes for some truly touching moments. But just when the relationship seems to be going well, Sean has a setback in which both characters are forced to confront how they've been handling their grief.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I was drawn in to the developing relationship and felt it developed at just the right pace. The scene with the 1st real kiss was great! I did find myself getting frustrated with Sean as he passes up one opportunity after another for help. As a reader, we're able to recognize that his path to happiness and love needs to include opening up to both Jonah and a therapist. However, as a person, we need to remember that not everyone's healing from grief and loss are the same. Often times we think we can do it alone but in reality a little help can sometimes go a long way. What's true in real life sometimes needs to be true in our made up stories. Keeping this in mind along with the author's note allowed me to connect better with the characters.
February 22, 2021
3,25/5
Ce roman parle de seconde chance, du deuil, de la reconstruction après la perte d'un être cher. Petit plus pour m'attirer : un age gap !
C'est l'historie de Sean, qui, du au de ses vingt-sept ans a déjà vécu l'impensable, la pire des choses qu'il peut arriver à un parent. Il décide de prendre du recul et part loin de chez lui. Sur place, dans cette nouvelle ville, il rencontre Jonah.
L'histoire de Sean est bouleversante. C'est quelque chose qui prend aux tripes, vraiment... Encore plus lorsqu'on lit les mots de l'auteur en fin de récit. Celle de Jonah l'est aussi, car lui aussi a vécu des choses dramatiques.
Ce qui m'a gêné ici, c'est comment leur romance est traitée. J'aurais souhaité plus de subtilité, notamment au début, lors de leurs premières rencontres. J'aurais peut-être aimé que l'approche soit différente. Là, ça fait un peut genre, premier coup d’œil, tiens il me plaît, je vais tenter une approche, et ce, des deux côtés. J'exagère un peu, mais pour moi, compte tenu du parcours et de l'histoire des deux hommes, ça ne va pas. Leur début aurait du être plus délicat pour m'atteindre et croire et me faire fondre dans leur histoire d'amour.
Ensuite, certaines choses sont un peu bancales. Genre, on n'invite pas son petit-ami, enfin presque, dans sa famille, sans lui expliquer certaines choses. Il était évident que sur place, l'autre apprend ce que l'autre lui cache depuis le départ, enfin omet de lui dire.
Je suis embêtée d'écrire cet avis et de mettre cette note, car on sent que l'auteur a tout mis, tout donné dans ce livre, pour qui elle l'a écrit. L'histoire est certes belle, pleine d'amour et d'espoir, mais la romance en elle-même ne m'a pas convaincue plus que ça.
Ce roman parle de seconde chance, du deuil, de la reconstruction après la perte d'un être cher. Petit plus pour m'attirer : un age gap !
C'est l'historie de Sean, qui, du au de ses vingt-sept ans a déjà vécu l'impensable, la pire des choses qu'il peut arriver à un parent. Il décide de prendre du recul et part loin de chez lui. Sur place, dans cette nouvelle ville, il rencontre Jonah.
L'histoire de Sean est bouleversante. C'est quelque chose qui prend aux tripes, vraiment... Encore plus lorsqu'on lit les mots de l'auteur en fin de récit. Celle de Jonah l'est aussi, car lui aussi a vécu des choses dramatiques.
Ce qui m'a gêné ici, c'est comment leur romance est traitée. J'aurais souhaité plus de subtilité, notamment au début, lors de leurs premières rencontres. J'aurais peut-être aimé que l'approche soit différente. Là, ça fait un peut genre, premier coup d’œil, tiens il me plaît, je vais tenter une approche, et ce, des deux côtés. J'exagère un peu, mais pour moi, compte tenu du parcours et de l'histoire des deux hommes, ça ne va pas. Leur début aurait du être plus délicat pour m'atteindre et croire et me faire fondre dans leur histoire d'amour.
Ensuite, certaines choses sont un peu bancales. Genre, on n'invite pas son petit-ami, enfin presque, dans sa famille, sans lui expliquer certaines choses. Il était évident que sur place, l'autre apprend ce que l'autre lui cache depuis le départ, enfin omet de lui dire.
Je suis embêtée d'écrire cet avis et de mettre cette note, car on sent que l'auteur a tout mis, tout donné dans ce livre, pour qui elle l'a écrit. L'histoire est certes belle, pleine d'amour et d'espoir, mais la romance en elle-même ne m'a pas convaincue plus que ça.
March 10, 2021
4 ¼ Stars
Chasing Hope is the first I’ve read by this author.
I’m not gonna lie; some parts of this book were hard to read. The abject pain and confusion stemming from terrible loss are never easy to read, but this was harder than most for me.
I quickly became invested in these two men. The road to their HEA was not smooth or without angst, but I was glad to see them moving in the right direction most of the time. There are some beautiful moments and some that will break your heart, but there was nothing that would have made me put this book down. I had to finish it. I had to see that there would be happier times. I could feel the author’s emotions in some of the harsher scenes, and it wrecked me.
There were a few times, though, that I wanted to give them both a poke to 1. Make Jonah press a little harder for a real connection, and 2. Make Sean open up to Jonah about his past. That got somewhat annoying toward the end, but they worked it out through passion and patience and got their HEA. I’m pleased and satisfied with that.
The only thing that bothered me was the timeline. It was not smooth for me, and I was pulled out of the story several times to figure out when a scene was happening.
All in all, I enjoyed this book.
I will read more from this author.
Chasing Hope is the first I’ve read by this author.
I’m not gonna lie; some parts of this book were hard to read. The abject pain and confusion stemming from terrible loss are never easy to read, but this was harder than most for me.
I quickly became invested in these two men. The road to their HEA was not smooth or without angst, but I was glad to see them moving in the right direction most of the time. There are some beautiful moments and some that will break your heart, but there was nothing that would have made me put this book down. I had to finish it. I had to see that there would be happier times. I could feel the author’s emotions in some of the harsher scenes, and it wrecked me.
There were a few times, though, that I wanted to give them both a poke to 1. Make Jonah press a little harder for a real connection, and 2. Make Sean open up to Jonah about his past. That got somewhat annoying toward the end, but they worked it out through passion and patience and got their HEA. I’m pleased and satisfied with that.
The only thing that bothered me was the timeline. It was not smooth for me, and I was pulled out of the story several times to figure out when a scene was happening.
All in all, I enjoyed this book.
I will read more from this author.
February 16, 2021
This was definitely a heavyish kind of read in terms of the topic that is featured within the main story. One of the main characters, Sean, is dealing with a divorce and the death of his infant daughter. The grief that he felt was palpable from the beginning of the book to the end. It was always there, but in moments it was like one could see how he was both fighting his grief and accepting it. At times I was angry that Sean wouldn't let Jonah in, but I also understood why. It was still hard to see him push Jonah away.
However, Jonah, the other main character, is dealing with his own grief of a loved one, his father. Jonah struggles to uphold his father's legacy and finds it difficult to maintain a life outside of work. When Sean enters into his diner, it starts something unforeseen for both of them. I loved the gradual progression of their relationship, but I felt like Sean didn't truly fight for Jonah like he fought for him.
I felt like Jonah, in a way, allowed Sean to go unanswered for his behavior towards him. I understand how one cannot control their reactions to their personal trauma, but he essentially ghosted Jonah and that did not sit well with me.
I loved the ending, but I feel like there could be more to the story. Jonah wants children, but Sean is still grieving for his daughter. I do wonder if there could be more to their story.
*I received an ARC of the title from Gay Romance Reviews, and I have given my honest review.*
However, Jonah, the other main character, is dealing with his own grief of a loved one, his father. Jonah struggles to uphold his father's legacy and finds it difficult to maintain a life outside of work. When Sean enters into his diner, it starts something unforeseen for both of them. I loved the gradual progression of their relationship, but I felt like Sean didn't truly fight for Jonah like he fought for him.
I felt like Jonah, in a way, allowed Sean to go unanswered for his behavior towards him. I understand how one cannot control their reactions to their personal trauma, but he essentially ghosted Jonah and that did not sit well with me.
I loved the ending, but I feel like there could be more to the story. Jonah wants children, but Sean is still grieving for his daughter. I do wonder if there could be more to their story.
*I received an ARC of the title from Gay Romance Reviews, and I have given my honest review.*
February 19, 2021
Chasing Hope is an amazingly beautiful story that gives a realistic depiction of dealing with loss, learning to love again, how guilt can take over your life, finding joy and how important it is to take the time to truly grieve on your own timeline. This well written book is emotional, sweet, funny, heartbreakingly sad, uplifting, inspiring, full of hope, the characters are wonderful and I could not put it down. Jonah and Sean are perfect for each other as they have a strong connection and great chemistry. I love how their relationship evolves from friendship to so much more and even though they both are dealing with a personal loss they are trying to move forward. Jonah is patient and understanding but Sean has to learn how to open up about his past and let Jonah in if they have any hope of a future together. The secondary characters add so much to this story and I love how supportive and caring they are to Jonah and Sean. I love that Sean has the chance to confront his past, the ending is perfect and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
February 21, 2021
Engaging story with strong emotional impact.
Dual 3rd person POV, fleshed out likable MCs, bi-awakening. The story is well-paced - I was engaged from the first page till the very end. Sean's grief is palpable and raw and it's realism is one the strongest aspects of the book. At the same time emotions associated with it overshadowed the romance between MCs. They were instantly attracted to each other but there was not enough on page togetherness (conversations, getting to know each other, etc) to show how they fall in love, it was more about telling me how they feel.
I love well written hurt-comfort stories and this aspect of the book was great, Jonah is amazing with a level of understanding and support he provides to Sean. It was less obvious the other way around. I think it would be more convincing if Jonah's father passed away a couple of years ago, the timeline with 10 years didn't make sense at times.
I truly liked the story and absolutely recommend it to anybody looking for angst, true hurt and healing. 5 glorious starts for Sean's storyline, 3 for romantic aspect, 4 as an end result.
Dual 3rd person POV, fleshed out likable MCs, bi-awakening. The story is well-paced - I was engaged from the first page till the very end. Sean's grief is palpable and raw and it's realism is one the strongest aspects of the book. At the same time emotions associated with it overshadowed the romance between MCs. They were instantly attracted to each other but there was not enough on page togetherness (conversations, getting to know each other, etc) to show how they fall in love, it was more about telling me how they feel.
I love well written hurt-comfort stories and this aspect of the book was great, Jonah is amazing with a level of understanding and support he provides to Sean. It was less obvious the other way around. I think it would be more convincing if Jonah's father passed away a couple of years ago, the timeline with 10 years didn't make sense at times.
I truly liked the story and absolutely recommend it to anybody looking for angst, true hurt and healing. 5 glorious starts for Sean's storyline, 3 for romantic aspect, 4 as an end result.
February 28, 2021
This is an amazing book that grabbed my attention and I was so captured by the need to find out what was happening that I ended up reading it in one day - 2 if you consider the fact that I didn't finish it until 3am. Sean broke my heart and Jonah gave it hope. It has been a long time since I have read a book that caused me to tear up in small ways throughout. Sometime all it took was one sentence to bring a tear to my eye. The pain of loss and emotional damage Sean was forced to live with would break many and almost destroyed him. Then he allows Jonah in very slowly and sometimes reluctantly until he is forced to step back and save himself. Jonah also suffered loss but had the support he needed. I love that Jonah didn't give up on Sean and instead had the patients to go at the pace Sean needed. Though it broke my heart that Jonah was made to feel that he wasn't enough when Sean left. Their reconnection made my heart warm and this time brought happy tears to my eyes. Inspiring line: "what I saw was a man who rose up through the ashes of loss and kept going." That statement is true for both men and is one I will think about in my personal life as well.
March 7, 2021
4.5 stars. Never has a title been so perfect.
Sean and Jonah are both in the throes of grief - maybe at different stages, but both are still letting grief define their lives to some extent. Finding each other means they need to assess just how much they need to let go of that grief, allow it to change into something else, so they can live and love.
This book is lovely and sweet and intense and sometimes seemed to hit me from nowhere - just like love and grief and life do. The two MCs slowly build a relationship with each other, but the author doesn’t pull punches on just what can happen if personal loss is not addressed fully. It was a shock in a way - so often romances make the new relationship the cure for all that ails the MCs - but a welcome shock, and the resolution was realistic and thoughtful.
I expected a sweet romance about love after loss; I got a lovely story of dealing with loss and grief to be worthy of that new chance at love and transforming that grief to honor one’s past within one’s future.
All I can say is, read this book.
I received a free copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Sean and Jonah are both in the throes of grief - maybe at different stages, but both are still letting grief define their lives to some extent. Finding each other means they need to assess just how much they need to let go of that grief, allow it to change into something else, so they can live and love.
This book is lovely and sweet and intense and sometimes seemed to hit me from nowhere - just like love and grief and life do. The two MCs slowly build a relationship with each other, but the author doesn’t pull punches on just what can happen if personal loss is not addressed fully. It was a shock in a way - so often romances make the new relationship the cure for all that ails the MCs - but a welcome shock, and the resolution was realistic and thoughtful.
I expected a sweet romance about love after loss; I got a lovely story of dealing with loss and grief to be worthy of that new chance at love and transforming that grief to honor one’s past within one’s future.
All I can say is, read this book.
I received a free copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
February 21, 2021
Chasing Hope was an absolutely beautiful book about love lost, love found, and the journey of grief and recovery. I absolutely ached for the loss Jonah and Sean experienced. Anyone who has experienced life altering loss be it a child, parent, friend, pet or love will identify with Sean and Jonah. The hopelessness of loss is something that is incredibly hard to wade through and while neither Sean nor Jonah had fully dealt with their grief, Sean was just drowning in his. Meeting and finding each other was like a light in the dark for them both. They just sort of slid into love with each other. It was really heart warming and uplifting to see them fit together so naturally. Unfortunately, but very realistically, falling in love didn’t fix their issues. Sean in particular, really struggled to find his feet despite the joy he found in Jonah. Neither could be truly happy until they learned to live with their loss. When they finally found their feet, the sense of happiness in how healthy they both were was almost tangible. It was truly a heart-touching story.
February 19, 2021
One of the words possible to describe this book is "tear jerker" and I do not want that to be misconstrued as a shallow, manipulative attempt by the author to make the reader feel sad. This book is an excellent exploration of what it feels like to try to come back from a devastating death and the guilt a survivor feels every time they enjoy something, laugh or do anything that feels good for them personally. Sean has those feelings and when he meets Jonah and starts to feel things for him it is heartbreaking to watch him try to deal with the guilt that beginning to move on causes. Jonah also will make you think about yourself or anyone you know who has always put themselves second and is now dealing with the complicated feelings of wanting to move on and get something good for himself but fearing he may betray others by doing that. I found this a deeply moving story with wonderful characters.
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