the_novel_approach's review
3.0
2.5 Stars ~ I’m bummed to report that I was disappointed in this one. Having read, and LOVED, Rowan Speedwell’s books in the past, I had high expectations for this little Christmas short. Unfortunately, Angel Voices did not deliver. Fifty-six pages was just not enough to do this story justice. The character development was weak—although I did like both Will and Quinn, as well as Quinn’s family, I didn’t really care about either of them, which I think is an important distinction. The jump from ‘I’ve never really talked to you. At. All.’ to ‘Come. Be adopted by my family and fall in love with me.’ was a bit much for me to buy into. The whole thing was honestly just very clichéd and tidy.
Will’s situation is awful. Beyond awful. It’s something that happens to too many kids every single day. But, unfortunately, in a book this length it’s difficult to give it the weight it deserves. Rather than allowing the story to organically unfold, and allowing Will’s struggle and Quinn’s heroism to really mean something, it felt a bit manufactured and manipulative.
Again, though I wish I had known more about the guys; I did like them. Will was sweet, and Quinn was kind, as well as being sexy as heck. I loved that he wanted to pursue being a singer, and that Will was initially drawn in by his voice at the choir practice, before realizing who it was. The tiny glimpse we got to see of Quinn’s background was interesting. I could keep going about the things that didn’t quite hit the mark, but I’ll leave it there. I just wanted more, man…these guys and the story needed to be much more fleshed out, and the end was rushed and wrapped up too neatly.
So, yeah…I was sadly underwhelmed by this one.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
Will’s situation is awful. Beyond awful. It’s something that happens to too many kids every single day. But, unfortunately, in a book this length it’s difficult to give it the weight it deserves. Rather than allowing the story to organically unfold, and allowing Will’s struggle and Quinn’s heroism to really mean something, it felt a bit manufactured and manipulative.
Again, though I wish I had known more about the guys; I did like them. Will was sweet, and Quinn was kind, as well as being sexy as heck. I loved that he wanted to pursue being a singer, and that Will was initially drawn in by his voice at the choir practice, before realizing who it was. The tiny glimpse we got to see of Quinn’s background was interesting. I could keep going about the things that didn’t quite hit the mark, but I’ll leave it there. I just wanted more, man…these guys and the story needed to be much more fleshed out, and the end was rushed and wrapped up too neatly.
So, yeah…I was sadly underwhelmed by this one.
Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews
mrella's review
2.0
Will goes home for Christmas. Learning about Will being gay, his father cracks Will's head on the asphalt, a few ribs with his fist and kicks him out the house for evah and evah and evah for his gayness.
Will is hurt and cold and miserable. Quinn, his gay (who wudda've thunk?) friend/roommate picks him up, cleans him up and adopts him in more ways than one, along with Quinn's big, loving, warm and loud and altogether amazing, Mary Calms type, family.
Will is happy, he is all set with his new family and even a lover. Only his own family is now "sooo sowwy", but Will tells them to go screw. Everyone is proud of him. YAY!
Short time after, Will takes back brother and his mother and his aunt, all of whom did not bother to say something during "the banishing" let alone defend him. Everybody in Will's new family is proud again and as happy as can be for the amazing Will and his amazing old family (sans Dad). MORE amazement and more YAY follow.
Nothing I haven't read before.
Will is hurt and cold and miserable. Quinn, his gay (who wudda've thunk?) friend/roommate picks him up, cleans him up and adopts him in more ways than one, along with Quinn's big, loving, warm and loud and altogether amazing, Mary Calms type, family.
Spoiler
Will is happy, he is all set with his new family and even a lover. Only his own family is now "sooo sowwy", but Will tells them to go screw. Everyone is proud of him. YAY!
Short time after, Will takes back brother and his mother and his aunt, all of whom did not bother to say something during "the banishing" let alone defend him. Everybody in Will's new family is proud again and as happy as can be for the amazing Will and his amazing old family (sans Dad). MORE amazement and more YAY follow.
Nothing I haven't read before.
iguana_mama's review
3.0
Posted at Outlaw Reviews
Will suffers a severe beating at the hands of his father and is kicked out of the house when he learns Will is gay.
After a long walk, Will seeks shelter in a church where his college roommate, Quinn, is singing in the choir.
Even though Quinn and Will hardly know each other, it’s not long before they act on their mutual attraction and have sex before Will even has a chance to heal from his injuries.
The abrupt change in Will’s family left me feeling unconvinced and Quinn’s family was just a little too good to be true.
It’s a short, heartwarming holiday read, but too flimsy and predictable to make any real impact.
Thanks to Eli from Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group for lending this to me.
Will suffers a severe beating at the hands of his father and is kicked out of the house when he learns Will is gay.
After a long walk, Will seeks shelter in a church where his college roommate, Quinn, is singing in the choir.
Even though Quinn and Will hardly know each other, it’s not long before they act on their mutual attraction and have sex before Will even has a chance to heal from his injuries.
The abrupt change in Will’s family left me feeling unconvinced and Quinn’s family was just a little too good to be true.
It’s a short, heartwarming holiday read, but too flimsy and predictable to make any real impact.
Thanks to Eli from Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group for lending this to me.
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