Rick R. Reed

More than this is a story about two men having a relationship, it felt to me as though it was about families and the mistakes we make when we love people... and when they hurt us. Both the main characters in this book have tumultuous histories with their families, things they don't want to discuss, and at the same time, they are almost immediately drawn to one another.

There are some intense and authentic feelings about the suicide of a character in this book. No doubt it will be difficult show more for some people to read, but it's well done. I've experienced that kind of loss myself and the instant dread combined with the "wishing" that it would all go away and not be real felt very credible. I liked the exchange of emails between Rob and Jasper and the way that they revealed a little each time. I suppose I just wished that the "getting to know each other" phase had been a bit longer.

These two characters do manage to resolve some issues by the end of the novel but I suspect there is much more work for them both to do. There's very little resolution in terms of Rob's relationship with his remaining family members. Perhaps the author has a sequel in mind. I am still very curious about Rob's family and all the convoluted things that have happened in their past.

At times, I found the relationship moved a bit quickly for me. There were moments when a character would seem reluctant then his emotions would whiplash back to the complete opposite and I had trouble keeping up with it. Early in the novel, Jasper remarks that he's been in love before and is surprised that Rob hasn't been; later in the novel, they seem to be saying the exact opposite.

All in all this well-written and it gets 3-stars from me. show less

This book is absolutely chilling - and it's not just the ghost! Reed covers some pretty heavy themes, and does so skillfully. The characters all felt so real that at times I almost expected to see Tommy's ghost sitting next to me and reading over my shoulder. At times the story made my heart ache for the characters, even when I found it hard to particularly like some of them. This is a fast-paced story that I ended up reading over the course of one night (seriously set aside some time before show more starting this, you won't want to put it down)! End note: don't go into this looking for a romance, and be prepared for drug use if that's a potential trigger for you. show less

This was a thrilling, wild ride, that grabbed me from page one. There were some moments that might be difficult for some readers, but they're not gratuitous by any means. The father-daughter bond will absolutely warm your heart, and Trey will just leave your stomach in knots from the moment he's introduced. There's an underlying element of all-to-realness that will give you goosebumps throughout the story, after all, not all monsters live under our beds or in our nightmares. A dark story show more you'll want to read with the lights on, and your phone off. show less

I think I'm in love with this book, and the characters in it. You'll experience a wide range of emotions as you get wrapped up in the stories you read. When the synopsis promised characters I would never forget, I was skeptical. It's rare that a book stays with me after I read it, but I want to go back and read this again, just to spend more time with the colorful cast that live in these pages. A beautiful, emotional read that will carve out a spot for itself on your heart. Cannot recommend show more enough, and would give this more than five stars if I could. show less