BarbsBooks

4 Stars

This is my first Jeff Erno read. Trust Me, it won’t be my last….

I could tell you about Shawn Graham and Bobby Wilder and how they fell in love. How they are twelve when they meet in 1984. Such a brief meeting, only a few minutes long, but neither Bobby or Shawn can forget the other. And three years later when they’re finally together, the adults in their life try to tear them apart. How tough-guy Bobby’s lonely and neglected and doesn’t give a toss about anyone but looking out for himself. How Shawn is smart and talented, an accomplished musician, honour roll student, religious and caring, every parent’s dream child and trying to live what he believes is a lie is just about killing him. But if I did, there wouldn’t be much point in reading about their journey of self-discovery yourself.

I could mention a few things that bothered me. About the story. How at fifteen, Shawn and Bobby seemed to handle sex with an emotional maturity that surpasses their years. And the writing. How sometimes the narrative read like an outline proposal to a publisher. Secondary characters had a POV that was little more than filler. At times it felt as though I was getting a crash course in Psych 101. How the author kept referring to Shawn as the little boy, the little guy and how reading about Little Shawn having sex with Bobby felt weird. But that could be me being picky, opinions are subjective.

What I will tell you is have Kleenex on hand. Unless you have a heart of stone, don’t read this in public, on the bus or train, waiting in the doctor’s office, killing time before your kid’s soccer match starts because those Kleenex moments will catch you off guard and it’s embarrassing having to explain to strangers why you’re suddenly sobbing.

Syd's review was originally posted at Live Your Life, Buy The Book