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Fall
When you think you have everything, one small step twists your life around.
Golden-boy and medical student Jake has everything laid out for him: wealth, studies, and a brilliant girlfriend. A life people could only dream of. Until one morning, he trips during his morning run and is helped up by a kind stranger. This should be it, but Jake can’t get those green eyes out of his mind. There’s only one tiny problem: they belong to a man.
This encounter triggers a series of ripple effects which will haul their lives over and lead them down unknown paths. An all-consuming burning love with heights and lows, and a pit of suffering, will shatter Jake’s world of lies, and shed light on truths he is terrified of embracing.
Will Jake take that step into the unknown void he’s facing? Will Doug be there to catch him?
As both of them plummet to depths unknown, will their love be strong enough to bridge the gaps between their worlds, and make them overcome the obstacles put in their paths?
Golden-boy and medical student Jake has everything laid out for him: wealth, studies, and a brilliant girlfriend. A life people could only dream of. Until one morning, he trips during his morning run and is helped up by a kind stranger. This should be it, but Jake can’t get those green eyes out of his mind. There’s only one tiny problem: they belong to a man.
This encounter triggers a series of ripple effects which will haul their lives over and lead them down unknown paths. An all-consuming burning love with heights and lows, and a pit of suffering, will shatter Jake’s world of lies, and shed light on truths he is terrified of embracing.
Will Jake take that step into the unknown void he’s facing? Will Doug be there to catch him?
As both of them plummet to depths unknown, will their love be strong enough to bridge the gaps between their worlds, and make them overcome the obstacles put in their paths?
560 pages, ebook
Published March 31, 2021
13 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Maxime Jaz
13 books51 followersMaxime is a queer author who writes about guys falling in love in various places and times. Although the books could be labelled as queer romance laced with erotica, they do not fit a single genre, and are filled with drama, and sometimes darkness. Maxime likes to explore complex emotions, the journey to self-discovery, and living a life true to oneself, and their characters often struggle before finding happiness.
Maxime has an MA in language and literature, and a long international teaching career as teacher of English language and literature. Being multilingual, they also love incorporating various languages in their works.
On top of being an avid reader, Maxime loves horse riding, hiking with their dog and spending time with their family.
Maxime has an MA in language and literature, and a long international teaching career as teacher of English language and literature. Being multilingual, they also love incorporating various languages in their works.
On top of being an avid reader, Maxime loves horse riding, hiking with their dog and spending time with their family.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 3, 2022
One of the most addictive books I’ve read this year.
FALL by Maxime Jaz sucked me in from page one with characters who stole my heart and left me breathlessly turning pages all the way to the end of this masterpiece of a book. Jake, our first MC, is a medical school student. He is from a wealthy family that is very controlling, is best friends with Elliott and engaged to Laura. He and Elliott, and Laura and her best friend (Elliott’s fiancée) are a close friend group and are planning a group engagement/wedding.
Everything changes the moment he meets Doug, a circus performer and talented trapeze artist, for whom he feels instant chemistry. I loved so many things about this story, from the intricately described relationships in Doug’s close-knit Romani family, to Jake’s troubled drama-filled relationships with his. So many cozy scenes of cooking pancakes and bacon, or Hungarian food. This is a book you just want to curl up in an armchair with all day and once you’re done you just yearn for more chapters. So. Freaking. Good.
I loved the detailed descriptions of the carnival work, from the artwork to the trapeze work, to Doug’s work with his beloved fiery horses. The costumes and the nets. It was so wonderfully described that you could see it like you were really there. I love books with lots of juicy drama, and Jake’s manipulative dad (along with Laura) and all the trouble they caused made for an exciting read. FALL had lots of sweet romantic moments, lots of heart-pounding urgent moments in the story where I was getting nervous about what would happen next to the characters (Doug, the kitten, the fire, his homelessness and that whole sequence of events broke my heart), and just was really well paced. I loved what a great story of finding your true self and love conquering all this was. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next!
FALL by Maxime Jaz sucked me in from page one with characters who stole my heart and left me breathlessly turning pages all the way to the end of this masterpiece of a book. Jake, our first MC, is a medical school student. He is from a wealthy family that is very controlling, is best friends with Elliott and engaged to Laura. He and Elliott, and Laura and her best friend (Elliott’s fiancée) are a close friend group and are planning a group engagement/wedding.
Everything changes the moment he meets Doug, a circus performer and talented trapeze artist, for whom he feels instant chemistry. I loved so many things about this story, from the intricately described relationships in Doug’s close-knit Romani family, to Jake’s troubled drama-filled relationships with his. So many cozy scenes of cooking pancakes and bacon, or Hungarian food. This is a book you just want to curl up in an armchair with all day and once you’re done you just yearn for more chapters. So. Freaking. Good.
I loved the detailed descriptions of the carnival work, from the artwork to the trapeze work, to Doug’s work with his beloved fiery horses. The costumes and the nets. It was so wonderfully described that you could see it like you were really there. I love books with lots of juicy drama, and Jake’s manipulative dad (along with Laura) and all the trouble they caused made for an exciting read. FALL had lots of sweet romantic moments, lots of heart-pounding urgent moments in the story where I was getting nervous about what would happen next to the characters (Doug, the kitten, the fire, his homelessness and that whole sequence of events broke my heart), and just was really well paced. I loved what a great story of finding your true self and love conquering all this was. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next!
dnf
June 26, 2023I read a good portion of this last night and then I skimmed some and then I jumped farther in the book to see if it got any better. This has so much potential, that’s what kills me. The story, at its core, is so good! I read a few reviews that said they don’t think the authors first language is English and I agree that could be true. Things are said that don’t make sense, almost like they are translated incorrectly. There are also a few times that I thought maybe this was taking place in England because they said words like “mum” and “chap” but the author states in the beginning of the book that it’s supposed to take place in the USA.
The book does start off well but quickly goes over the top with the characters doing things. Jake is so easily manipulated by every single person in his life. His father goes so far with certain plots and it’s too much. The book is also so long. If this was cleaned up, edited and maybe shortened or split into two books I’d love to read this again.
The book does start off well but quickly goes over the top with the characters doing things. Jake is so easily manipulated by every single person in his life. His father goes so far with certain plots and it’s too much. The book is also so long. If this was cleaned up, edited and maybe shortened or split into two books I’d love to read this again.
dnf
October 19, 2021I don’t rate this book because I didn’t finish it but I believe I should make a quick note since I went through more than half.
This book has some good things going on, I did like the story. It started very nicely and almost captivated me demanding to read more. It has a soul, if that make sense.. but the thing that is missing so dearly from this book is POV.
There’s absolutely no point of view in the book what so ever and this makes it extremely hard for readers to focus and read.
Some books have god POV or flexible POV or any other kind of POV and it works for them beautifully in various cases. But this book has none which is a shame since I could get over all the other problems and finish it only if I was allowed to focus.
One more thing that “Fall” lacks is editing. A vicious, full blast editing can bring a book to its fullest potential. And lack of it… well lets just say it’s almost a crime to publish a book even remotely close to their first draft! Things must change and get polished. Words has to be massaged into paragraphs and pages so they become worthy of a great book.
Unfortunately this book felt like, not exactly a first draft, but very close to an early version.
I hope author would consider revising Fall and getting another version out. I’d love to go back and finish the story, but until then, I’m out. ✌️
This book has some good things going on, I did like the story. It started very nicely and almost captivated me demanding to read more. It has a soul, if that make sense.. but the thing that is missing so dearly from this book is POV.
There’s absolutely no point of view in the book what so ever and this makes it extremely hard for readers to focus and read.
Some books have god POV or flexible POV or any other kind of POV and it works for them beautifully in various cases. But this book has none which is a shame since I could get over all the other problems and finish it only if I was allowed to focus.
One more thing that “Fall” lacks is editing. A vicious, full blast editing can bring a book to its fullest potential. And lack of it… well lets just say it’s almost a crime to publish a book even remotely close to their first draft! Things must change and get polished. Words has to be massaged into paragraphs and pages so they become worthy of a great book.
Unfortunately this book felt like, not exactly a first draft, but very close to an early version.
I hope author would consider revising Fall and getting another version out. I’d love to go back and finish the story, but until then, I’m out. ✌️
Read
February 8, 2022I am really sorry to give this book a review that is less than good, because I bought it with the sole intention of reading, enjoying and reviewing an Indy writer, so that I could support them, as I would hope that others would do for me.
I hope that I never get a review for my work like the one I am about to leave below, but I will do my absolute best to be constructive with my criticism, because the world should always be a kind place when it can.
I can actually appreciate the story and the points that it is trying to make. The characters are interesting and an unusual but enjoyable mix, if perhaps a little bit caricature at times. There are some great pieces where the writing flows really well and the intimacy that builds is quite beautiful, but it is also quite naive and when the flow does get halted it’s hard to then get back on track.
It seems in the way that it is written, that the writers first language might not be English and that they may have used technology to aid there search for certain words or phrases and the tech has let them down on spelling, grammar and formatting. It also seems that the beta readers may have been overly kind or not actually capable of giving feedback, as there are numerous bits that just don’t make sense or don’t feel necessary.
A good proof reader and editor could make this in to a great book and it might even make a good film, with a bit of updating in certain places and attitudes.
The preface is scary. The way that it is written is quite threatening and harsh and I’m not sure that I would have bothered including it at all.
I know that it’s hard to write LGBTQ+ literature without having to have some sort of coming out, even if it is just an introduction, but the reader/viewer has seen this so often now and the process has become far less oppressive in the last few years, although I know it’s still not a perfect world to be gay in, but give us pleasant stories of love, because the more we focus on the positive in the relationships we build and the fun and light we can have in our lives, the more we accept ourselves until everyone else has to join in. In some ways that is one of the points that the author is trying to make.
Sadly though, a lot of the important plot points get lost due to the frustration for the reader, as the whole book seems to be written in lists. That combined with the other issues made it quite a hard book to get through and put me off reading, even the books that I usually like, because this one became such an effort and I put off reading anything at all.
I just found that the dialogue was clumsy, there was no shortening of words or “Yeah” instead of “Yes” or “It’s” instead of “It is”, which made the conversations clunky and unreal.
And there wasn’t really any mystery to start with, as the story jumps straight in without much set up of the lead character, Jake’s previous environment or political views. We didn’t get to see him as the cocky straight guy, before his world was turned upside down.
It also loses its flow, because of the errors, which cause you to stop, re-read and try to understand what the author was actually trying to say.
The point of view is lost as well, you never know who is thinking what, because each chunk is a mixture of contributions from any number of characters. It may have been better if Jake and Doug alternated as the lead narrator for each short moment, without using the others at all.
There are also a lot of words or phrases that are overused. So many references to eye colour and “bleaching”, which I can only assume means that they paled in colour. Also, towards the end, there is a car with “Tainted” windows.
I did enjoy some of the social commentary. The author tries to show the differences between the two lead characters upbringings and the way they now live their lives. At times it can be preachy, but there is a cleverness to the idea that I appreciated.
Some of the attitudes and reactions were hard to believe though. It’s a struggle to think that, in the 2010’s, Jake’s Co workers would have been so negative about his sexuality, especially as they were all supposed to work in the caring industry of a hospital.
The press’ reaction to a big shot business man’s son being gay was over the top too.
It was also strange the way that Gina’s character changed half way through the book, as if suddenly the author needed her to be something different to move the story forward.
I would also say that, in some moments, there was too much sauce. I love a good sex scene, but they were constantly kissing and doing other things at the most inappropriate times and places.
The biggest disappointment though for me was that there was no resolution for the actions of Jake’s Dad. The ending is somewhat rushed to be all “Happily Ever After” and so Dad gets away with being a bastard. The editing also gets much worse towards the tail end of the book, with confusion between “In” and “On” as well as the language getting a bit weird.
I really hope that the author is not put off by my review and that they instead consider their options for future editions of this story and any others. I don’t mean to offend, I just want it to be the best it can be.
I can’t give it a rating, because I don’t think that it is worth a 1 as it currently stands.
I hope that I never get a review for my work like the one I am about to leave below, but I will do my absolute best to be constructive with my criticism, because the world should always be a kind place when it can.
I can actually appreciate the story and the points that it is trying to make. The characters are interesting and an unusual but enjoyable mix, if perhaps a little bit caricature at times. There are some great pieces where the writing flows really well and the intimacy that builds is quite beautiful, but it is also quite naive and when the flow does get halted it’s hard to then get back on track.
It seems in the way that it is written, that the writers first language might not be English and that they may have used technology to aid there search for certain words or phrases and the tech has let them down on spelling, grammar and formatting. It also seems that the beta readers may have been overly kind or not actually capable of giving feedback, as there are numerous bits that just don’t make sense or don’t feel necessary.
A good proof reader and editor could make this in to a great book and it might even make a good film, with a bit of updating in certain places and attitudes.
The preface is scary. The way that it is written is quite threatening and harsh and I’m not sure that I would have bothered including it at all.
I know that it’s hard to write LGBTQ+ literature without having to have some sort of coming out, even if it is just an introduction, but the reader/viewer has seen this so often now and the process has become far less oppressive in the last few years, although I know it’s still not a perfect world to be gay in, but give us pleasant stories of love, because the more we focus on the positive in the relationships we build and the fun and light we can have in our lives, the more we accept ourselves until everyone else has to join in. In some ways that is one of the points that the author is trying to make.
Sadly though, a lot of the important plot points get lost due to the frustration for the reader, as the whole book seems to be written in lists. That combined with the other issues made it quite a hard book to get through and put me off reading, even the books that I usually like, because this one became such an effort and I put off reading anything at all.
I just found that the dialogue was clumsy, there was no shortening of words or “Yeah” instead of “Yes” or “It’s” instead of “It is”, which made the conversations clunky and unreal.
And there wasn’t really any mystery to start with, as the story jumps straight in without much set up of the lead character, Jake’s previous environment or political views. We didn’t get to see him as the cocky straight guy, before his world was turned upside down.
It also loses its flow, because of the errors, which cause you to stop, re-read and try to understand what the author was actually trying to say.
The point of view is lost as well, you never know who is thinking what, because each chunk is a mixture of contributions from any number of characters. It may have been better if Jake and Doug alternated as the lead narrator for each short moment, without using the others at all.
There are also a lot of words or phrases that are overused. So many references to eye colour and “bleaching”, which I can only assume means that they paled in colour. Also, towards the end, there is a car with “Tainted” windows.
I did enjoy some of the social commentary. The author tries to show the differences between the two lead characters upbringings and the way they now live their lives. At times it can be preachy, but there is a cleverness to the idea that I appreciated.
Some of the attitudes and reactions were hard to believe though. It’s a struggle to think that, in the 2010’s, Jake’s Co workers would have been so negative about his sexuality, especially as they were all supposed to work in the caring industry of a hospital.
The press’ reaction to a big shot business man’s son being gay was over the top too.
It was also strange the way that Gina’s character changed half way through the book, as if suddenly the author needed her to be something different to move the story forward.
I would also say that, in some moments, there was too much sauce. I love a good sex scene, but they were constantly kissing and doing other things at the most inappropriate times and places.
The biggest disappointment though for me was that there was no resolution for the actions of Jake’s Dad. The ending is somewhat rushed to be all “Happily Ever After” and so Dad gets away with being a bastard. The editing also gets much worse towards the tail end of the book, with confusion between “In” and “On” as well as the language getting a bit weird.
I really hope that the author is not put off by my review and that they instead consider their options for future editions of this story and any others. I don’t mean to offend, I just want it to be the best it can be.
I can’t give it a rating, because I don’t think that it is worth a 1 as it currently stands.
June 4, 2021
For the length of the book it flowed continuously. I pause at 5 stars though. Perhaps there is a language translation issue, but one moment you were reading about one person or situation and the next it had changed to another person/situation. I felt mental whiplash at times. Also not all the words translated exactly right, but once I got used to some of the more common ones it became less of a distraction. There are some truly heinous characters in this book, Truly vile! I applaud the writing, that the author could get into the readers emotions and play merry havoc. I do wish Jake's father had his comeuppance - there were several opportunities but nothing came of them. That was a little anti-climactic. Both the MC's are wonderful people - although I have to admit Jake took some getting used to. I wanted to strangle his weakness for a lot of the book (although I got it better the more his fathers behaviour became better known - odious man). But he sure dived in once he made up his mind. A loving, kind, forgiving person, Jake found his true home with his gypsy, Doug and his eclectic family. Fear, torment, love, friendship, betrayal, trust, pain, loss, sexy times and more. Its all here in this book
April 7, 2021
A tale of self-discovery and finding love
The vulnerability of Doug and Jake's struggle will hold you from the start of the story. You will want to reach inside the pages and gather them in a hug. They are two souls from different social backgrounds making a life together despite the pain, hatred, and deception from their nearest ones. Doug and Jake's journey hits you deep in the chest. There are so many endearing characters in this book.
The vulnerability of Doug and Jake's struggle will hold you from the start of the story. You will want to reach inside the pages and gather them in a hug. They are two souls from different social backgrounds making a life together despite the pain, hatred, and deception from their nearest ones. Doug and Jake's journey hits you deep in the chest. There are so many endearing characters in this book.
November 15, 2021
Be ready to cry! This tender and frequently heart-breaking love story between Jake (a trainee doctor from a powerful and wealthy family) and Doug (a circus performer - trapeze artist and horse trainer) reduced me to tears. The story has stayed with me too. It's no quick read, as quickly forgotten, but rather a deeply compelling story, filled with pain as the protagonists try to survive and thrive in an often heartless and uncaring world.
Jaz explores in detail what it means to be homeless, and the careless cruelty of those who have too much in material terms and too little in their hearts. The growth of love between the protagonists is warm and wholly believable. I loved Doug's character from the beginning, and, in the end, Jake's too (though he did make me angry at times) as the latter emerges from the suffocating control his father exerts over him. There may be fairytale moments, but this is real, raw life, with harsh truths and much suffering on the way. A truly memorable read.
Jaz explores in detail what it means to be homeless, and the careless cruelty of those who have too much in material terms and too little in their hearts. The growth of love between the protagonists is warm and wholly believable. I loved Doug's character from the beginning, and, in the end, Jake's too (though he did make me angry at times) as the latter emerges from the suffocating control his father exerts over him. There may be fairytale moments, but this is real, raw life, with harsh truths and much suffering on the way. A truly memorable read.
May 31, 2021
So, I'm a sucker for a good romance story, and I was sucked into this within the first few pages. This book is such an incredible journey of self-discovery, love in its many forms, and the value of family and friendship. The romantic leads are so sweet together and every time they were sharing screen time I was grinning from ear-to-ear at their remarkable chemistry that was evident from the start. The book also has an incredible and memorable cast of characters, each playing a significant role in the lead couples' lives. Reading this book was an emotional roller coaster with highs and lows, dips and turns until I reached the end, breathless, emotionally wrung out, ultimately satisfied.
June 14, 2021
An incredibly romantic story that made my heart melt. The journey to love is not easy for Doug and Jake- our MC’s. There were moments when I wanted to cry with sadness at the challenges they faced, and cry with joy at the soul deep love they forged. Doug & Jake make beautiful foils for each other, and I enjoyed their character arcs. I loved the setting, the support characters, and the insight into culture. A great read and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. 4⭐️
February 24, 2022
This is a satisfying, but sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. Jake is a well-to-do medical student who seemingly has everything one could want: he comes from a rich family, has a gorgeous girlfriend, and has his life plotted out for him. A chance encounter in a park during a run changes all that. When Jake falls and twists his ankle, he's helped by a kind stranger - Doug. As Jake continues to plod through his life, he can't stop thinking about Doug... and we also learn Doug can't stop thinking about him. Jaz does a great job building up the want and need between these two and the sex scenes are fun and steamy. Some of the side characters are a bit two dimensional and it takes Jake and Doug a bit long to finally fall into each other's arms, but this is a book any romance lover should have on their TBR.
January 20, 2022
Jack doesn’t really know who he is, but it’s very clear he isn’t who everyone else wants to make him into: not his fiancee, his parents, or his obnoxious bff Eliot. A chance meeting in the park leads him to a stranger who will point him in the right direction, however.
Doug is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet: strong, handsome, hard-working and deeply connected to his adoptive family--and it’s quite obvious why Jack should fall in love with him. But the course of true love never did run smooth as Lysander says, and Jack and Doug encounter a veritable panoply of obstacles as they try to navigate the trails of proving their devotion. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.
Jaz has a knack for escalating the horrors as the characters suffer physical and emotional setbacks in this roller-coaster romance that will have you gnashing your teeth and crying tears of both sorrow and joy.
Doug is the nicest guy you’ll ever meet: strong, handsome, hard-working and deeply connected to his adoptive family--and it’s quite obvious why Jack should fall in love with him. But the course of true love never did run smooth as Lysander says, and Jack and Doug encounter a veritable panoply of obstacles as they try to navigate the trails of proving their devotion. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.
Jaz has a knack for escalating the horrors as the characters suffer physical and emotional setbacks in this roller-coaster romance that will have you gnashing your teeth and crying tears of both sorrow and joy.
July 18, 2021
An unusual happiness
Jake and Doug fight through many trials to find a forever happiness. Maxime Jaz has a fine hand with romance. You will fall in love with some of the characters and some you'll want to slap really hard. I really loved this book!!
Jake and Doug fight through many trials to find a forever happiness. Maxime Jaz has a fine hand with romance. You will fall in love with some of the characters and some you'll want to slap really hard. I really loved this book!!
August 23, 2021
A very entertaining and captivating read. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.
August 25, 2021
Wow
This book is so freaking good. Unbelievable. It is so real, and the characters are so believable. Wow, so awesome.
This book is so freaking good. Unbelievable. It is so real, and the characters are so believable. Wow, so awesome.
December 5, 2022
If any book deserves 5 stars, believe me, it's this one.
Basically, what happened yesterday - I picked up another book, no big deal, right? New author. Let's check it out. Expectations are good, but mellow, as always, you never know.
And then - WHAM. I was completely obsessed with both Doug and Jake from page one. I loved the writing. Most of all, I felt like I was submerged by this huge tidal wave of emotions, and I kid you not - I cried for 50% of this book. Sometimes every chapter. Good tears, scared tears, angry tears, all of it. I certainly did not expect to become so obsessed, I had to stay up until 3 am, so I could finish it.
So let's count all the ways I love this book - 1) Every character was so real, the story was told from multiple perspectives, but not in a confusing way, and I fell in love with half of these people, the other half I just wanted to strangle, lol. 2) The plot was... insane. Basically, I was at 20% when I felt like everything in the world that could possibly happen, happened, and I felt the same way at 50%, lol. I loved all the twists and turns, but if you don't like angst, maybe this might be too much for you. It's definitely not light reading. 3) Most of all, I loved the little girl Zia, for being so adorable, Mamma, for being the strongest mother in the history of mothers, and the moments when someone reached a hand to a stray animal. I cannot stress enough - I love it when authors remember to be kind to animals. 4) The main character, Doug, is the best person, ever. Period. I am in love with him. :D 5) There were so many small soulful moments that I felt like... I felt like I was proud to be human. Some of them were angry, and I screamed at the injustice, but then there were twice as many quiet moments when your heart leaps for whoever's on the page, and you want to embrace them and thank them for existing. This is such a beautiful case study of what it is to be human - all of the facets of humanity are in this book. 6) The author has done not just an amazing work with writing this - it's brilliantly written - but every part of it, the characters, the plot, the arcs, the emotions, everything is so masterfully done, I am obsessed and will proceed to read everything they have written. Rarely do I find something I can love so much and that I feel like I have *lived* for a few hours. 7) I loved the little insights into another culture - gypsies - and I know this culture since we have a lot of those in my country. Fascinating and accurate. 8) One of the things I liked the best was the stark contrast between the two MCs - one is a rich, spoiled guy and everyone around him is so awfully arrogant and awful. The other is a humble, poor circus performer, who only cares about the people in his life, not the money. It was portrayed in a beautiful and often heart-wrenching way. 9) Finally, the love between the two characters - there were so many moments I lost hope, but I knew they'd pull through. The hope kept me going, and once they were together, I was so happy and invested in their relationship. But I have to say, the author sure tortured me for a while. :D 10) One more thing - even the characters that annoy you get a bit of a redemption arc. These are real people with faults, who change, just like we do, over time, and for good reasons.
Let's also talk about the things I didn't like - 1) I found it strange that there was only straight and gay, no bisexual mentioned in the whole book, but maybe that's just me. I always find it weird when people forget it exists. 2) There were some mistakes, but mostly tiny, and I didn't mind since the story gave me *so much*, I really couldn't complain about it. 3) There was a 'bad guy' but at the end that's life. We don't always get that. 4) If you don't like cheating in your romances, this might be uncomfortable, but I understand why it was there, and it wasn't a big deal for me, since I was so invested in the story. 5) I was so annoyed at one of the MCs,
So you see, even when I didn't like something, it wasn't a big deal, and I definitely would recommend this book, and this author, to anyone who loves queer romance. I'd give more than 5 stars if I could.
Ugh, I cried so much reading this, and I feel like I can burst into tears writing this right now. I still have a hangover after reading it yesterday. Trust me, if you're like me and you like to be emotionally swept off your feet and feel *everything*, then this book is for you. Enjoy it. :)
Basically, what happened yesterday - I picked up another book, no big deal, right? New author. Let's check it out. Expectations are good, but mellow, as always, you never know.
And then - WHAM. I was completely obsessed with both Doug and Jake from page one. I loved the writing. Most of all, I felt like I was submerged by this huge tidal wave of emotions, and I kid you not - I cried for 50% of this book. Sometimes every chapter. Good tears, scared tears, angry tears, all of it. I certainly did not expect to become so obsessed, I had to stay up until 3 am, so I could finish it.
So let's count all the ways I love this book - 1) Every character was so real, the story was told from multiple perspectives, but not in a confusing way, and I fell in love with half of these people, the other half I just wanted to strangle, lol. 2) The plot was... insane. Basically, I was at 20% when I felt like everything in the world that could possibly happen, happened, and I felt the same way at 50%, lol. I loved all the twists and turns, but if you don't like angst, maybe this might be too much for you. It's definitely not light reading. 3) Most of all, I loved the little girl Zia, for being so adorable, Mamma, for being the strongest mother in the history of mothers, and the moments when someone reached a hand to a stray animal. I cannot stress enough - I love it when authors remember to be kind to animals. 4) The main character, Doug, is the best person, ever. Period. I am in love with him. :D 5) There were so many small soulful moments that I felt like... I felt like I was proud to be human. Some of them were angry, and I screamed at the injustice, but then there were twice as many quiet moments when your heart leaps for whoever's on the page, and you want to embrace them and thank them for existing. This is such a beautiful case study of what it is to be human - all of the facets of humanity are in this book. 6) The author has done not just an amazing work with writing this - it's brilliantly written - but every part of it, the characters, the plot, the arcs, the emotions, everything is so masterfully done, I am obsessed and will proceed to read everything they have written. Rarely do I find something I can love so much and that I feel like I have *lived* for a few hours. 7) I loved the little insights into another culture - gypsies - and I know this culture since we have a lot of those in my country. Fascinating and accurate. 8) One of the things I liked the best was the stark contrast between the two MCs - one is a rich, spoiled guy and everyone around him is so awfully arrogant and awful. The other is a humble, poor circus performer, who only cares about the people in his life, not the money. It was portrayed in a beautiful and often heart-wrenching way. 9) Finally, the love between the two characters - there were so many moments I lost hope, but I knew they'd pull through. The hope kept me going, and once they were together, I was so happy and invested in their relationship. But I have to say, the author sure tortured me for a while. :D 10) One more thing - even the characters that annoy you get a bit of a redemption arc. These are real people with faults, who change, just like we do, over time, and for good reasons.
Let's also talk about the things I didn't like - 1) I found it strange that there was only straight and gay, no bisexual mentioned in the whole book, but maybe that's just me. I always find it weird when people forget it exists. 2) There were some mistakes, but mostly tiny, and I didn't mind since the story gave me *so much*, I really couldn't complain about it. 3) There was a 'bad guy' but at the end that's life. We don't always get that. 4) If you don't like cheating in your romances, this might be uncomfortable, but I understand why it was there, and it wasn't a big deal for me, since I was so invested in the story. 5) I was so annoyed at one of the MCs,
So you see, even when I didn't like something, it wasn't a big deal, and I definitely would recommend this book, and this author, to anyone who loves queer romance. I'd give more than 5 stars if I could.
Ugh, I cried so much reading this, and I feel like I can burst into tears writing this right now. I still have a hangover after reading it yesterday. Trust me, if you're like me and you like to be emotionally swept off your feet and feel *everything*, then this book is for you. Enjoy it. :)
January 10, 2023
What to say... I feel like I have to say goodbye to friends, family.
That's how I know a book is great. I'm going to miss them – I wish they were real people. Not Aaron, he better not come anywhere near me!
I think we should be allowed to give more than five stars. This gem deserves the whole sky!
That's how I know a book is great. I'm going to miss them – I wish they were real people. Not Aaron, he better not come anywhere near me!
I think we should be allowed to give more than five stars. This gem deserves the whole sky!
November 14, 2022
Give this a chance, you won’t regret it!
At first I couldn’t get into this book—I believe English may be the author’s second language. so some of the phrasing is a little odd. However once I got past that, this book took me on a dreamlike ride, like a story told by a Romani campfire. I grew to love these characters, and the twists and turns were well plotted.
This book is full of color and warmth, and while it’s not always happy, there is a happy ending. How they get there is a wonderful journey of love and discovery.
Give this book a chance, and then another. Let yourself be pulled into a world of found family and tradition that goes back centuries, of the bonds formed by circus performers and the vestiges of the Old World touching the New.
Just let go—and Fall.
At first I couldn’t get into this book—I believe English may be the author’s second language. so some of the phrasing is a little odd. However once I got past that, this book took me on a dreamlike ride, like a story told by a Romani campfire. I grew to love these characters, and the twists and turns were well plotted.
This book is full of color and warmth, and while it’s not always happy, there is a happy ending. How they get there is a wonderful journey of love and discovery.
Give this book a chance, and then another. Let yourself be pulled into a world of found family and tradition that goes back centuries, of the bonds formed by circus performers and the vestiges of the Old World touching the New.
Just let go—and Fall.
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