Learned to Lie

A tale of familial separation that will have readers clutching their hearts. I recommend reading this hard-hitting story. As for this reader, I'm eagerly waiting for a sequel. 

A mother's love is supposed to be forever, thank goodness for the kindness of a stranger.

A short yet powerful story that will leave you thinking...

Another hard hitting story.

Again we deal with mentions of attempted suicide.

We meet Joel who has a good life, until he makes a mistake and gets thrown out of home.

There's not much more I can say without revealing to much, a great read. Suggest you give it a go.

January 2026

Since my original review @Krista has expanded this story.

It becomes even more hard hitting as we learn more about Joel.

This is a sad, but gripping, tale about a teen that is outed and how he and his family deal with the situation.  Although this is well worth reading, I feel it requires another chapter to let us know how the situation is resolved.  

Joel is a youth discarded by parents that care more for their image than their son. This is a tale of the immediate aftermath of Joel being thrown out of the only home he has known. I'm hoping the author will continue Joel's story, and I hope it has a happy conclusion. A tear-jerking read that covers a lot of ground and emotions in a short story. I recommend that you read it.

Joel is one of the most lovable characters ever written

He possesses a true heart of gold

His story has only just begun

A sequel is mandatory

This cannot end here

This is a well-written story. It's a difficult and necessary read. It's hard to believe this kind of thing continues to happen to our children.

Don't miss this one.

Great story....

Yet it feels like so much more could be told...

We've heard about his first month, but would love to hear more about his year...

If ever a story deserved to have a sequel, this is one!

This story follows one single month in Joel’s life - but what a month it is. A life-changing turning point, it pushes him in a direction he never expected. Forced to confront a truth he has long hidden from himself, Joel must learn not only who he really is, but how to share that truth with people who may or may not, accept him.

Standing on the threshold of adulthood, Joel is old enough to make his own choices, yet still young enough to need support. As he navigates a new school, new friends, and a first love, he begins to discover what real family truly means.

Is Joel a traitor for refusing to play for a rival school - or is he the one betrayed by those who were supposed to stand by him? Where does he belong, and who is he meant to be?

@Krista's magnificent story is an emotional and thought-provoking journey of identity, loyalty, and self-discovery. Read on to find out whether Joel finally finds himself.

Oh noes. I never typed up that review I promised. Well, here it is about 2 months late:

For a while, Joel, a high schooler, has learned to lie, keeping a big part of him away from his family and friends. When his big secret is forced out into the open, his world changes, and he has to learn to tell the truth and let people in to his bubble.

I really have enjoyed the story so far, and even though the last chapter was subtitled End, I hope that the story continues or has a sequel.

This is a story that was well told of a young man kicked out of his home by a bigoted mother.  How another adult took him into his own family home and gave him, Joel, a reason to continue on in life.

Joel's life is destroyed or so he thinks. He arrives home to find out his older brother learned he was gay from reading his computer. His mother is told and thinks he is defective and will hurt his younger brother. His dad does not oppose his wife, Joel is thrown out with no possessions. Joel loses all hope and moves to a bridge and contemplates suicide. Before he shoots himself, a kind hearted man , Trace, talks to him and talks him out of shooting himself.

Trace drives him to his home and offers him a place to stay. Joel joins a new family---Trace and his wife, Celia,  have two children and two young men who help them around their farm. Joel has to learn how to handle his gay sexual nature, his current plan on being in the closet, his approach and adjusting to a new high school that was a rival to his old one and his desire to make friends. He is young, hurt and just beginning to find his way. Luckily. he has two good adult role models to help along.

Life will not be easy for Joel. He is forced to grow up and make decisions I think you will begin to like Joel and hope he grows stronger. You will benefit from the author's active involvement in the comments on each chapter.

Read on to find out how Joel turns out