I Hate This Town 1. Hard Won Happy Endings

Once again we are treated to another fine example as to why Gay Authors stands among the very best of gay story sites.

I Hate This Town is another example of the exceptional work we are privileged to find here.

This story had me fuming, pounding my keyboard in anger, pulling my hair out and reaching for some of the libations I not longer imbibe. I wasn't shy in voicing my reactions in the comments. Nor did I veer away from castigating the various and sundry  foilables we were exposed to, as the story wendt is way, taking us on an incredible ride.

It is the hallmark of any good story to elicit from we readers, our reactions, and this one has it in spades.

It is a challenging and at times a difficult tale to read. It asks you to think and plumb the depths of your emotions, while asking you...could you, would you have the inner strength, to come out on the other side of the life you were dealt? 

This story is full of depth as well as the qualities that keep one reading.  It is a very accurate picture of an individual with a severe anxiety disorder told very realistically but with a real love story, a journey to healing that is a process worked on daily but with progress supported by true love which has been avoided for a very long time.  The characters are wonderfully written.  This is a truly engaging story which will keep you looking forward to each chapter.  Highly recommended!

 If you have read previous stories from this author you are aware he deals with dark subject matters and some characters have suffered some ordeals. In this story its mental illness severe anxiety the main focus but by no means not the only issue.This author has stated the protagonist Alec was himself so he is uniquely qualified to discuss this.You will learn a lot about the thought process and emotions of a person with this condition and for anybody who may know somebody close with this I believe this story a valuable tool to help one understand.

We have Alec who has been homeschooled up until age 15 all of a sudden be thrust into a public high school and all the scary things that would entail for anybody let alone something with his issues.When Alec was homeschooled he admired from afar this boy who worked at a family bakery named Finn.On Alec first day in public school he see Finn and Finn is really friendly toward Alec.Turns out Finn is the most popular boys in school.It also turns out Finn is into Alec which Alec doesn't get at first. Under any circumstances the most popular star athlete being with a blued haired perceived misfit would come with hurdles to overcome let alone that it's a gay couple.There is also an religious extremis mother in the mix that as the title of the story suggests makes Alec want to get the hell out of town much to Finn's disappointment.

Circumstances years after high school reunite the pair and hear is where I'll leave it before I reveal too much.Despite the frustrations you grow to love the characters (and dislike a few) and that is the strength of this story. Highly recommended.

The characters are very likeable, and the story is captivating. One cannot do differently but feel for the characters.

I must thank the author for the, I feel realistic, glimpse into mental health issues (here anxiety). Everyone has felt anxious in their lives. Now, pitch that up a bit ... in a love story.

I also must say that sometimes it is a hard read and that sometimes I wanted to shout at the main character to get his act together. So, I got emotionally involved. Is that not what we want from a story?

Maybe everything is always as it should be. Maybe first love should be lost. Maybe it should be found again.

Stop reading this review and open Chapter One.

If you need more encouragement, liner notes, etc., read on.

Two boys fall in love. They’ll both make you question nature versus nurture but not about the gay part. 

If you’re reading this because you can’t sleep please pay attention to the Author’s notes and consume it carefully if you share Alec’s anxiety.

But you gotta meet Alec…

This story is like watching a freight train derailing and there's nothing the reader can do except keep reading, hoping it gets better.

Obviously, the story is about overcoming serious mental abuse by misguided parents and an unlikely love relationship caught up in the mess.

Before the introduction of Herky (Finn's dog) to the story, Finn himself was described, accurately as a big puppy. These two things gave smiles to my face amidst the tears of Alec's pain.

Even if the reader has never experienced these types of pain, this story would awaken empathy to help those in need in the real world.

Have tissues ready and hold on, this is a story to read.