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Train Track Princes
The cabin forced them to face each other. Returning to Goodtown will force them to face everything else...
When high school senior and known nuisance Evergreen Cutler saves his ex-best friend Garrett from being hit by a truck, he's offered a week-long trip to a cabin in the Rocky Mountains. Tragically, the cabin comes with a Garrett is coming too, in honor of their shared New Year's Day birthday. The last thing that he wants to do is share a tiny hunting cabin with the person who hurt him the most, but he's always been a sucker.
Garrett Spelling, captain of the baseball team at Prairie Mount High School, has done everything that he's ever been asked. He follows a strict diet and upholds his golden boy name over the colorful parts beneath. For most of his life, he's tamped down his biggest secret. Garrett is gay, and now he's stuck in a cabin with the reason he realized his sexuality in the first place. His other secret? He biked into that truck on purpose.
Combating all the problems they left behind in the rearview mirror of Garrett's pickup truck will take a lot more than beaded bracelets and dancing in their underwear. CONTENT This book contains explicit sexual content, references to drugs and alcohol, and discussion of homophobia, depression, suicide, and eating disorders.
When high school senior and known nuisance Evergreen Cutler saves his ex-best friend Garrett from being hit by a truck, he's offered a week-long trip to a cabin in the Rocky Mountains. Tragically, the cabin comes with a Garrett is coming too, in honor of their shared New Year's Day birthday. The last thing that he wants to do is share a tiny hunting cabin with the person who hurt him the most, but he's always been a sucker.
Garrett Spelling, captain of the baseball team at Prairie Mount High School, has done everything that he's ever been asked. He follows a strict diet and upholds his golden boy name over the colorful parts beneath. For most of his life, he's tamped down his biggest secret. Garrett is gay, and now he's stuck in a cabin with the reason he realized his sexuality in the first place. His other secret? He biked into that truck on purpose.
Combating all the problems they left behind in the rearview mirror of Garrett's pickup truck will take a lot more than beaded bracelets and dancing in their underwear. CONTENT This book contains explicit sexual content, references to drugs and alcohol, and discussion of homophobia, depression, suicide, and eating disorders.
200 pages, Paperback
Published January 3, 2023
10 people are currently reading
225 people want to read
About the author
Scarlett Barnhill
9 books22 followersScarlett is actually a raccoon feeding on fictional garbage in a fictional dumpster. She refuses to leave, because at least dumpsters are cozy. Her accolades include a GED, five psychiatric medication prescriptions, and excellent taste in clothing.
That's what my books say. The longer story is this: I'm a neurodivergent queer woman who was written off as a "bad kid." I write books for little me, and for every kid who was never given a chance.
That's what my books say. The longer story is this: I'm a neurodivergent queer woman who was written off as a "bad kid." I write books for little me, and for every kid who was never given a chance.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 8, 2023
Catch me giving five stars to my own book! Train Track Princes is a book that I wrote in a feral few weeks on my phone. It’s one that I immediately knew wasn’t commercially marketable based upon the internal nature of the conflict, so I kept calling it garbage. That’s why it seemed like the perfect book to publish myself — it’s not something traditional. It’s just two boys falling in love and the worlds inside them. I wrote a great deal of it with my students in mind, in hopes of creating something that would make them feel a little less alone. I hope that’s a feeling that everyone reading it gets. Thank you to everyone who’s given it a shot 👽
November 7, 2023
all the stars! what a gem of a book!
i knew i'd love it since the opening scene (and the cover, haha). the writing is superb and every word and sentence is well-crafted and beautiful.
it is a must read for all heartstopper fans and for parents (and i'm telling you this as a mother myself) and despite very important and difficult topics covered, the book still gives a warm, fuzzy feeling. i'm so happy after reading this and love these boys, Ev and Garrett so much that I demand a continuation of their story. yes!
i knew i'd love it since the opening scene (and the cover, haha). the writing is superb and every word and sentence is well-crafted and beautiful.
it is a must read for all heartstopper fans and for parents (and i'm telling you this as a mother myself) and despite very important and difficult topics covered, the book still gives a warm, fuzzy feeling. i'm so happy after reading this and love these boys, Ev and Garrett so much that I demand a continuation of their story. yes!
December 14, 2024
The mental health representation through this authors work has been insanely good. As someone who’s struggled most of my life, I wish I had found books like these sooner. As a teenager I think they might have changed my life. As an adult, it’s exactly the representation I needed to look inward with kindness and compassion. This book made me feel so seen. Especially Garrets POV. Scarlett is now an automatic read author for me!
March 6, 2023
An absolutely incredible read
I absolutely loved this book. The pacing and writing style draws you right into the story and there are so many wonderfully written lines that just sucker punch you in the heart. The characters are excellently written, within just a few pages you already have such a strong sense of who Ev and Garrett are. The humor is absolutely wonderful. The story and development of their relationship is so beautiful and full of heart. I absolutely adored this book, and I am so looking forward to any more books by the author.
I absolutely loved this book. The pacing and writing style draws you right into the story and there are so many wonderfully written lines that just sucker punch you in the heart. The characters are excellently written, within just a few pages you already have such a strong sense of who Ev and Garrett are. The humor is absolutely wonderful. The story and development of their relationship is so beautiful and full of heart. I absolutely adored this book, and I am so looking forward to any more books by the author.
June 9, 2023
A wonderful, touching story.
I would have preferred to see more of the angst and hurt/comfort elements touched upon, but I do appreciate the lengths the author went to in order to avoid dragging the flow down. Or even shifting the pacing in order to accomodate such a shift.
Inside is a relatively light-hearted, good-humored pair of friends figuring each other and life out. How family is where and what you decide it should be.
I finished reading this the day after it came out, and Im sorry its taken me so long to get this review here. <3 Kin
I would have preferred to see more of the angst and hurt/comfort elements touched upon, but I do appreciate the lengths the author went to in order to avoid dragging the flow down. Or even shifting the pacing in order to accomodate such a shift.
Inside is a relatively light-hearted, good-humored pair of friends figuring each other and life out. How family is where and what you decide it should be.
I finished reading this the day after it came out, and Im sorry its taken me so long to get this review here. <3 Kin
February 3, 2025
A good mix
I liked this book, I liked the characters and the storyline. I usually don’t read gay male stories written by females but I did this time, interested in the preview. It’s an exception as mostly I believe that gay male books written by women are written for women, judging by the reviews. Rarely a male reviewing. And I have nothing against that, fiction is fiction and readers are readers. I also don’t think males should write lesbian romance, stick to what you know. I expect to be chastised.
I liked this book, I liked the characters and the storyline. I usually don’t read gay male stories written by females but I did this time, interested in the preview. It’s an exception as mostly I believe that gay male books written by women are written for women, judging by the reviews. Rarely a male reviewing. And I have nothing against that, fiction is fiction and readers are readers. I also don’t think males should write lesbian romance, stick to what you know. I expect to be chastised.
August 20, 2023
A sweet story about rediscovering who you are. I love Scarlett's writing - I think she's one of those rare adult writers who still understands and writes teenagers in a way that doesn't feel like she's talking down or writing maturity levels that aren't suited to the age of the characters. I'm not the target audience, which is to be expected as a 30something, but I think this is such an important story for those who are.
3.5* rounded up.
3.5* rounded up.
January 10, 2023
Romance novels are not really my thing, and so I occasionally branch out and try reading things outside my usual genres.
Track Track Princes is good, it's nice, it's wholesome in a way that isn't twee.
The pacing is well done, the plot is pleasantly straightforward, and all the characters feel 3D rather than plot devices.
If you like queer YA romance, you should give this a read.
Track Track Princes is good, it's nice, it's wholesome in a way that isn't twee.
The pacing is well done, the plot is pleasantly straightforward, and all the characters feel 3D rather than plot devices.
If you like queer YA romance, you should give this a read.
January 11, 2023
What an amazing queer romance novel! I fell in love with both of the main characters, and saw a lot of myself in them. I loved their adventures, and how they were able to rekindle with each other. This will definitely be a warm and fuzzy re-read.
January 30, 2023
A fabulous debut novel
For anyone who's ever felt like the weird kid, this one's for you. A sweet, hopeful love story about two young men finding their way back to each other and into the world.
For anyone who's ever felt like the weird kid, this one's for you. A sweet, hopeful love story about two young men finding their way back to each other and into the world.
August 22, 2023
The MCs in this book are warm, painfully relatable and the story has some of my fav tropes like close proximity and enemies to lovers. But it's so much more then that. Train Track Princes ruined me in the best way. Its going on my list of comfort reads from here on out.
dnf
March 30, 2024everything just kinda started happening before i felt any sort of connection to the characters which just ruined it tbh. i think it could've been good if it was a slow burn, everything happened too fast for me to be invested enough to finish the book.
February 14, 2023
OMG!!! 😭😭😭😭😭
April 30, 2023
Couldn't really get into this one. Maybe just a bit too gen z for me?
September 3, 2023
3.5
This was really sweet :)
This was really sweet :)
December 14, 2023
I absolutely cannot get over how special this book is!
March 27, 2024
Really really cute ,everything was happening do fast but i dont mind it too much. They were the cutest also love mental health representations.
April 30, 2024
Such a wonderful and underrated story!! Wish I had this book when I was a teenager.
May 29, 2023
so cute! love it!!
wow. this book runs the gambit of emotions. it’s heart-wrenching and sweet, funny and sad. it honestly took me longer than it should to finish this because i was so emotionally invested in these boys that i was anxious about them leaving their happy little cabin bubble. needless to say that i need not have feared (too much anyway!). the ending is happy. the tone is realistic and felt so raw and hopeful.
i love this so much and highly recommend!
wow. this book runs the gambit of emotions. it’s heart-wrenching and sweet, funny and sad. it honestly took me longer than it should to finish this because i was so emotionally invested in these boys that i was anxious about them leaving their happy little cabin bubble. needless to say that i need not have feared (too much anyway!). the ending is happy. the tone is realistic and felt so raw and hopeful.
i love this so much and highly recommend!
February 21, 2023
✰ 4.25 stars ✰
“You are special. You are important. People notice you because you’re worth noticing... You’re a good dude, and frankly, you’re already a prince.”
I really enjoyed reading Train Track Princes by Scarlett Barnhill. Childhood friends to lovers due to forced proximity, after a life-changing moment, is one of my favorite situations, and in this case, I thought it was delivered really well. Told in dual POV, the writing was very easy to follow and clearly depicted the different personalities of both our respective MCs.
Ever and Garett were childhood inseparable friends, but after an unfortunate misstep, they steadily grew apart. But, after a life-and-death situation forced them to spend a week snowed-in in a cabin together, they slowly but surely realized that they may in fact be meant for one another. And I ate it up!
I loved how they were so appreciative and respectful of their own needs and well-being, and being supportive and caring at all the right times and matters. I won't go into the nitty gritty of their individual personal matters, but it ended with the signs of solidarity and strength and friendship that made it all worthwhile.
A wholesome and well-balance read, that depicted a loving and understanding relationship. A quick, but very wonderful read, and if you're a fan of YA M/M books, then definitely give it a shot. 😊
“You are special. You are important. People notice you because you’re worth noticing... You’re a good dude, and frankly, you’re already a prince.”
I really enjoyed reading Train Track Princes by Scarlett Barnhill. Childhood friends to lovers due to forced proximity, after a life-changing moment, is one of my favorite situations, and in this case, I thought it was delivered really well. Told in dual POV, the writing was very easy to follow and clearly depicted the different personalities of both our respective MCs.
Ever and Garett were childhood inseparable friends, but after an unfortunate misstep, they steadily grew apart. But, after a life-and-death situation forced them to spend a week snowed-in in a cabin together, they slowly but surely realized that they may in fact be meant for one another. And I ate it up!
I loved how they were so appreciative and respectful of their own needs and well-being, and being supportive and caring at all the right times and matters. I won't go into the nitty gritty of their individual personal matters, but it ended with the signs of solidarity and strength and friendship that made it all worthwhile.
A wholesome and well-balance read, that depicted a loving and understanding relationship. A quick, but very wonderful read, and if you're a fan of YA M/M books, then definitely give it a shot. 😊
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews