Endings

Such a wonderful journey that will engage your mind and your emotions.  This is a well written story that captivates from the first paragraph to the last.  From the mere number of comments where readers reacted and conversed with one another, you will find that your own passions are challenged.  It is one of the best I have read on this site!

Another well written,💯 emotional piece...thanks Gary!!

This is a twisting, bumpy, nail-biting journey that'll have you wanting to pop a dramamine, emphasis on the drama, before it's over. What really pulls you in is how relatable and realistic the characters are as you'll find yourself immersed in their lives from the very beginning. I don't want to give any spoilers lest it ruin the enjoyment of reading the story for yourself yet I will say that this story references the dangers of making assumptions. Communication is the true key to a lasting relationship and this story emphasizes that perfectly. This is definitely a must read...in like I dunno an hour because trust me you're not going to stop once you get started. 😉

One thing you definitely need going into this story is tissues. Its a beautifully written piece of lierature. It has love, loss, regrets, betrayal, and more. Definitely worth reading again and again.

Hmmm, how to best word this ... You've really got to read this latest Headstall tale. Seriously, I don't want to give anything away but this is classic Headstall with a twist. The story is told from the viewpoint of one person, Chase. You get to watch as he grows and develops into the man he was meant to be. That's all I'm going to say except, the overwhelming amount of reader comments and discussion, some quite impassioned, is an indication of just how captivating this story is.

This story of Headstall is beautiful.
It starts dark and sad. You hope that everything will be okay again, that the main characters can reconcile and that they can move on with their lives. What I found very well written is how the main character changes, how he takes his life back into his hands after a severe setback and again looks for a better life in which he can be himself to the fullest.

This is a story that about two people who lost their way from each other and still find their way back to each other despite their obstacles it’s a really beautiful story that lets you believe  love conquerors all

Well, Gary’s done it again.

Endings was a journey of discovery and a cautionary tale of the havoc depression can wreak on our lives. Chase was damaged by the death of his mother and Hank was tortured by the apparition of parents he didn’t understand, and each wound festered until what was an undeniably loving relationship detonated in the span of a single night.

We watched as Chase struggled to pick up the shattered pieces of his life, rejected by the majority of his and Hank’s mutual friends. He found support in his sister and later his father, with true friends like Stacy — no ‘e’ — and Dawson, and learned valuable tools from his therapist. Without them urging him forward, he may not have overcome the guilt that drove him to punish himself over and over again.

While we caught Chase on the upswing, Hank’s downward spiral was unveiled to us over time. The perceived sins of his own mother, Lilah, weighed so heavily on his shoulders that he couldn’t help but nosedive after catching Chase in the very same position he did her, and he did so spectacularly. Whereas Chase’s biggest mistake was to drunkenly flirt with a sociopath, Hank willingly and soberly allowed himself to be pulled into the waiting arms of another man.

Cave-In deserves a dressing down of his own but he isn’t worth the effort.

Throughout their story, Chase and Hank’s orbit never really broke. Their love for one another may have been buried under tons of psychological baggage and months of emotional hurt from what happened between them, but it was there and it was real. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been salvageable. They laid their sins to rest and started anew, and this time their relationship will blossom into a love story for the generations.

One character we never had the pleasure of meeting was Chase’s dearly departed mother, Christine. Yet her presence was felt from the very beginning and her forethought actually proved invaluable in healing her sons. If the heartfelt dialogue and dynamic characters weren’t enough to demonstrate how absolutely talented Gary is as a writer, then let the gentle warmth of a mother’s love remind you that he was able to impart that without her saying a word.

Endings was a journey and a cautionary tale, all right, but it was also a testament to a mother’s love and the power it has to shape our lives. Gary showed us the meaning of redemption and taught us patience — and not only because he refused to post more than once a week — and had me terribly invested in his characters’ lives.

Though it pains me to know it’s over, as will you, I couldn’t ask for a happier ending.

Endings is one of those amazing stories that can so easily play through nearly every emotion and draws the reader into it fully.  A journey of growth, that runs the gauntlet from sad and agngry, to the discovery of forgiveness, acceptance, and ultimately love. It shows how complex emotions can be and how hard it can be to for two people to truly communicate and effectively be a couple. Easily one of my favorite stores from my favorite author!

Once again a perfectly written story! Full of color and texture feelings that are just so great.

Gary magic at it's best. You will love this story as much as I have!

Read and see if I am right!

Painful, beautiful, had me in tears so many times. 100% worth your time to ride along on this emotional roller coaster

"Endings" is a story of trust issues, forgiveness and down right stubbornness. Hank and Chase individually have demons in their past to conquer before they can move on  and in the process they each change. It is a long battle  with a few ups and many downs until they can come to terms with themselves. There is an intense beginning of the story and that intensity carries until the last chapter which I think will surprise you.  This is from one of my favorite GA authors and makes for an excellent read.

A bit of a tear jerker of a love story, both Chase and Hank are stubborn and headstrong and it takes them along time to sit down with each other to talk without being bitter with the other man as to why they broke up.  Sometimes you just want to get both of them in a room and say talk about your issues with each other, but you would need to mediate for them, men we can be daft at times.  
Did the boys get back together or not? You will have to read the book to find out the answer to this question. 

A beautiful story.  I felt the journey of the characters.

Once I started reading I needed to know the outcome now.

No spoilers, I swear!

Engaging, heartfelt and beautifully written cautionary tale of inner strength, forgiveness, self growth and the risks of assuming too much.

Treat yourself to this amazing story, you won't be disappointed in the least!

WOW! That was a AWESOME story! And now please write Book 2 cause I want to hear about their wedding! And see them go see Dawson and Brent! See their friends faces when they find out they are ack together. Also to see Charles and Lilah find out they reconciled!

A beautiful story about loss and rebirth. It makes you realize how much our past can influence our future, how one misinterpreted memory can effect how we lead our lives. Sometimes the truth isn't what it seems and letting go can lead you to the ultimate truth where you can find peace and learn to live again. 

Gary you did an incredible job on this piece. Your ability to capture the intimate nuances of loss and grief, of moving forward and healing,  made me search my own soul and wonder how many misconceptions have I perceived in my life.  This was a beautiful and truly relatable story.

Thank you my friend 

@Headstall is the master of communication and dialogs writing, and this story is the very best of it. Throughout the story, we see the growth of the men, becoming mentally stronger with developing self-confidence. The final confrontation, where every word spoken hit the right point is one of the best scenes and dialogs, I have red on GA. One of those rare moment when you think that author hit the top - there is simply no other or better way to write it than the author did it! I'm coming back often to this story, to reread at least last chapter. 

Endings is one of the most beautiful and complex stories I have ever read.  It was a challenging read for me, but also a very rewarding one.  Hank and Chase have a very loving relationship that ends abruptly sending both men into some very dark spaces.  Both men have a difficult struggle ahead. 

@Headstall has written a complex tale of difficult situations and powerful emotions that is very compelling.  Gary has also written the entire story from just one POV.  This form is very difficult, but with his talent, it is done magnificently.  He has written perfectly balanced characters which is extremely difficult to do from one POV.  While knowing what one character thinks, readers need to find the facts and clues to understand the motivations and feelings of the other characters. The clues and facts are all there.  The fun thing is that you will have to find them and get to interpret them.  (I was slow on the uptake the first time I read this story.)   I loved this story and will read it again.  I sincerely hope you will read this beautiful story of love, family, friends and new beginnings.

When a writer draws on their own experience in their stories, readers inevitably compare the story to their own life experiences. I believe Headstall, with this life story, wanted to offer food for thought to all his readers. In the struggle to understand and forgive, the two protagonists Chase and Hank lead us to explore life's hardest journeys: loss, hatred, fear, abandonment. But in the darkness of the deepest depression, Headstall shows us that courage, forgiveness, and understanding lie in the strength of true feelings. The power of rebirth lies in recognizing love when and where it exists. Reading "Endings" is good for the heart; it teaches us to forgive ourselves and those who love us. Don't miss it! Thanks again, Headstall.