Bigger Love

Bigger Love, Book 1

By: Rick R. Reed

Narrated by: Brian Stoddard

Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Truman Reid is Summitville High’s most out-and-proud senior. He can’t wait to take his fierce, uncompromising self away from his small Ohio River hometown, where he’s suffered more than his share of bullying. He’s looking forward to bright lights and a big city. Maybe he’ll be the first ever genderfluid star to win an Academy Award. But all that changes on the first day of school when he locks eyes with the most gorgeous hunk he’s ever seen.

Mike Stewart, big, dark-haired, and with the most amazing blue eyes, is new to town. He’s quiet, manly, and has the sexy air of a lost soul. It’s almost love at first sight for Truman. He thinks that love could deepen when Mike becomes part of the stage crew for Harvey, the senior class play Truman’s directing. But is Mike even gay? And how will it work when Truman’s mother is falling for Mike’s dad?

Plus Truman, never the norm, makes a daring and controversial choice for the production that has the whole town up in arms.

See how it all plays out on a stage of love, laughter, tears, and sticking up for one’s essential self...

©2020 Rick R. Reed (P)2022 Rick R. Reed

great ya story!

Loved Truman and Mike! I loved how Truman is open and was femme in his own way, he’s also brave. He couldn’t wait to leave his hometown. Mike has recently moved to town; he was out in the town he lived in but here he tries to be under the radar. They are attracted to each other, but Mike is kind of cold to him. Brian Stoddard is a new to me narrator, he did a great job telling the story. Well done. Overall, a great ya story!

Young love

This is a lovely School love, it centres around the adversity that they need to overcome. Sweet, and easy to listen to. Very enjoyable

Great YA story!

Other than the not always great audio quality, this book was pretty good. Loved the sassy, kind-hearted, loving, unapologetically himself (while privately feeling terrified and insecure) hero Truman, and feeling conflicted about his love interest Mike. Truman doesn’t let the bullies stop him, he is awesome!

Bigger Love

I enjoyed this story I really liked Truman and his mom and his friends I didn’t really like mike but Truman did so I’m happy for them and was glad Truman had mikes support at the play.

High School Love

I listened to this book on audiobook. I absolutely loved it. Both of the main characters are in high school, but this featured very mature young men and some fantastic side characters who are supper supportive. Truman is an out and proud senior. He has been bullied since coming out and all he wants is to just be accepted for the fabulous fem guy he is. Mike is the new guy in school. He notices Truman the first day he rode the bus, but decides to stay away from temptation by not riding it again Mike is in the closet and just wants to get out of school before he lives life like he wants to. Truman decides to go out for a part in this high school play, becomes the Assistant Director, then after an actor leaves suddenly he gets that part... portraying a woman! Mike volunteers to do the background stage building.

Truman's mom and Mike's dad are dating, but when Truman and Mike are caught by Mike's dad, he says that Mike should be like normal guys and thus Truman's mom dumps him. Truman is confronted by a few small minded people protesting him being in the show, but Mike shows his support to Truman and comes out of the closet at the same time.

This is beautifully written, and the narrator is really good. I enjoyed it so much and hope there will be more in this series.

I received an ARC of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.

YA and so good

This is a YA audiobook and I truly enjoyed listening. I laugh out loud at the last sentence in the epilogue! Truman’s mom makes a great supporting character, Mike’s dad, not quite so much!

a heart-felt coming of age

This is my first book by Rick R. Reed and narrator, Brian Stoddard, and I enjoyed every bit of it. It’s a heart-felt coming of age story with real characters facing very real problems.

How One character makes a big difference

For a queer YA novel with some adult themes, Bigger Love has a predictable set up, with Truman, one of the main characters, living in a small-town with small-minded people. So you can easily imagine the bigotry and hypocrisy surrounding this young openly gay, gender-fluid boy.

However, where this novel stands out is how Truman is written. He is resilient and brave, it becomes quite easy to cheer him on. You see him struggle, internally, with what he has to deal with living in his small-town, but the way he faces these people and deals with the hurt they cause is inspiring. Also the fact that he has the mother he does – Patsy is the best – is a breath of fresh air. He’s not completely alone.
Often in young adult romances – at least the ones that I’ve read – the queer teen has little to no support, and a big effort is made for us to pity them.

As for Mike, the boy who caught Truman’s eye, he could have remained Truman’s crush for all I cared. But I found interesting that Mike decided to be more private about his sexuality once he moved into this small town – I can’t seem to remember the name of it. Because it seemed like he wasn’t as much in the closet beforehand. To me this illustrate how as queer people we sometime have to adapt to our surroundings for our own safety. Next to Truman it seemed to be a cowardly move, since Mike can pass as straight and Truman can’t. Yet seeing this difference in their experience of being young queer men was nice.

This story is a nice example of how one character can make a big difference in a story that may seem run of the mill. Truman really pulls you in, he’s kind, mature, and strong-willed. I enjoyed his story.

Very sweet story!

I love this author but never know what to expect from his books. This book is about Truman and Mike. Their story is very sweet. They are both young, and I like seeing them deal with life and the tough decisions that includes at times.

Feel Good Story

I enjoyed this book, I didn't read Big Love, but I felt this was a standalone, I will go back and read the book about teachers now though. This was a YA story, not usually my favorite genre, but I enjoy this author's stories and this was no exception. Truman is my favorite MC, and I loved Patsy, great supporting character. Narrator did a good job telling this story and overall this was a good listening experience.