made me cry

this book made me cry several times, amazing performance, amazing voice actor, the story hits home somehow

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Loved it!

After reading several good books, but with disappointing conclusions, lately. This one was a great book, and also left me feeling content.
Also, without spoiling it, it's much more than just a story about a gay boy who has a straight crush. There's some serious issues going on too, which was a pleasant surprise.
I really enjoyed this one. I highly recommend a listen.
The narrator also does an excellent job reading it.

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wonderful

delightfully it starts from the cliché and how two people can still love each other

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Compelling listen

So many twists and turns in this book. Amazingly read that kept me gripped like I just had to know what happened after each turn.

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A full experience

I’ll be honest, this book is a little shaky at the beginning. There’s a lot of teen drama and pubescent romance in the first few chapters, but the story really rounds out by the end and finishes with some tension and a good message. Would recommend.

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Perfect

Jay Bell is especially talented at squishing a person's heart. Imagine one of those old fashioned mangles they used before washing machines and spin cycles, Jay Bell uses a metaphorical one in every book. He'll run your heart through it, sometimes more than once. Don't worry though he has the ability to make sure it's (mostly) intact by the end. This book is no exception. Bloody brilliant, read it now...or listen as the narrator is also fabulous.

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Painfully Beautiful

As a writer, I envy Jay Bell's ability to stick to his self imposed boundaries, excellently demonstrated in this book.
It was painful in parts, I was clawing my heart out, just begging and rooting for the two main characters to get together in the end.
What followed was pure and true to life relationship that can, and does, occur between heterosexual and homosexual, friendships and companionships.

I often joke that it is a gay man's prerogative to fall in lust and love with his straight best mate. But this story gives a cute but cutting insight into the emotional spectrum at work for the young and conflicted, walking the tightrope between unconditional love and selfish need for impulsive gratification. Nurturing something real and lasting or taking something momentary and having nothing but regret to look back on.

I have seen reviews saying that the ending was rushed, and it did feel quick... Because I wanted a lot more. This story told the tale it needed to and Jay Bell delivered wonderfully. I saw the romance direction coming a mile away and while I was worried it would distract from the point of the story. It didn't. The romantic element was sweet and offered a nurturing respite and insight into the differences between love that occurs chemically, instantaneously, and the love that grows over time from life experience and meaning. I was still a bit blind sided by the ending which was nicely fulfilling and gave a rounded sense of closure.
First loves and relationships seldom survive the growth of maturity and the changes that occur in life, but friendships can stand to weather and offer a flexibility that allowed what our hero Carter offered to make a lifelong and meaningful bond that was needed if not initially wanted.

The peril and psychological secondary plot was well tempered and delivered honestly and true to life, along with the perspectives of other characters, their motives and dispositions and destinations, tackling delicate subjects that didn't shy away from the reality of these themes and the effects they can have on people and those around them.

I particularly love what the teacher brought to the story. A sense of wisdom and guidance in chaotic circumstances. He preached the strengths that come with responsibility. It offered our characters the opportunity to reflect, check their feelings and maintain an optimism and a hope for the best in people, even though we can't control everything and our best intentions don't guarantee success.
All we can do is what we can. Can we look back and be proud of our actions? Can we learn and grow from our mistakes? Or is it 'their' fault? Do we stay stuck in our own personal hell and make others responsible for our wellbeing? Life isn't about fairness and getting what we want simply because we desire it intensely, not for Andrew and not for Bobby. Yet when we commit to a path we can be proud of, we can often find something unexpected and deeply worthwhile.

This story lands a needed, and grounded-in-reality, tale of aiming for the best and letting life sort out the rest.

Thank you Mr. Bell! This was the first of your work for me. I will deffo be reading more.

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2 people found this helpful

Loved it

Heartfelt and touching. In certain parts it was so reminiscent of situations I had found myself living in my younger days (Except the who ending, without wanting to give it away). Excellent listen,

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Powerful and moving story

Straight Boy is a coming of age story about Andrew, who has recently moved to Chicago from Albuquerque for senior year of high school.

The story charts his making friends, and enemies, his hunt for love, and his seemingly straight best friend.

The characters are complex and compelling, and the story balances emption and adventure to keep you interested. I couldn't help become deeply pinvested in Andrew, and felt his heartache and fears over his relationship with Carter. I may have ugly cried. A few times.

This is my first book by this author, and will not be my last! It is not my first book by this narrator, and yet again, Kirt gives a stellar performance, heaping on the emotion, and capturing the teen angst. It will take some time to recover.

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Another good book by Jay Bell

This is not exactly a romance according to me but knowing Jay Bell books, was a good thing to read. Did it twice. We meet Carter and Andrew, not exactly a couple. Then we will see a troublemaker Bobby character and Jackson, who I really enjoyed in this book. Why do Andrew and Carter meet in Chicago? How do they meet the rest of their friends? Who was Renzo and why he was important to Carter? Olivia and Vicky had the same secret but didn't want to tell anyone. We go through teenage bad kind of parties, cold Chicago winter and bad friends circle and we'll have one or I think two trips to Arizona. We'll see how love can blind us and what we can do because of love. You should read this as it shows nobody is perfect and how many mistakes in life we take. Two boys, one gay, one straight...can they be together? How many things do they share with each other? Read it to find out.

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