The Nothingness of Ben

By: Brad Boney

Narrated by: Charlie David

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Ben Walsh is well on his way to becoming one of Manhattan's top litigators, with a gorgeous boyfriend and friends on the A-list. His life is perfect until he gets a phone call that brings it all crashing down: a car accident takes his parents, and now he must return to Austin to raise three teenage brothers he barely knows.

During the funeral, Ben meets Travis Atwood, the redneck neighbor with a huge heart. Their relationship initially runs hot and cold, from contentious to flirtatious, but when the weight of responsibility starts wearing on Ben, he turns to Travis, and the pressure shapes their friendship into something that feels a lot like love. Ben thinks he's found a way to have his old life, his new life, and Travis too, but love isn't always easy. Will he learn to recognize that sometimes the worst thing imaginable can lead him to the place he was meant to be?

©2012 Brad Boney (P)2013 Brad Boney

"If you leave, I'll still be broken."

Any additional comments?

What a beautiful love story for Ben, his brothers, and Travis.

Truly, this type of story has all the ingredients I love about a mm romance:

***********SOME SMALL SPOILERS **********

1. Two, likable main characters, strong supporting characters, finding love, losing love, only to find it again much stronger than the first time.

2. A plot built on two individual learning how to live for themselves and the mistakes or bad decisions thay make along the way of their journey to understanding love and what true loves means and the sacrifices you make for true love.

****

Moments to remember:

Ben and his father making a late night snack together in the kitchen (one of my fav scenes)

Travis overhearing Ben's thoughtless words about him to his ex (-sad sigh-)

Ben truly realizing the mistake he made with Travis.

Ben steps up to the plate to help his little brother who made a major 'no no' at a party.


*****

I love that the plot was thick with what I consider romance (2 people in the midst of chaos, newness, discovery, and family trying to make a life together) and NOT full of erotica, which so many mm romance writer's use in place of an actual story now a days.

The narration was the best part

I don't know you guys.... I know it's gotten more than a few raving reviews in the past, I just didn't feel it. I didn't feel for Ben, and for me it’s tough to enjoy a book when I dislike one of the main characters. Sure I’m all for redemption, growing up and in general realise there’s another way. But I have to believe in the transformation. I need to believe and feel something for the character and with Ben I just didn’t.

Hot shot lawyer Ben Walsh is living life in New York. He has what he wants, he has plans for the future. Plans that comes crumbling down when his parents are killed in a car crash and he suddenly finds himself in charge of his three teenage brothers. Brothers living in Austin, Texas – as far as Manhattan that it might as well be in another world. And it kind of is. During the funeral Ben meets their neighbour Travis, a family friend and honorary big brother to the teens. Travis is there for Ben in the beginning and they form a friendship. It’s not long after that until that relationship reaches another level.

All of this sounds good – in theory. But it didn’t work for me, and especially Ben. I mean he was so selfish throughout the book, only thinking of how things would impact him. The way he treated Travis made my blood boil. He never stood up for him in any way. Never tried to make things work. Never made an effort. Travis had to make all the concessions, all the changes, all the fighting in their relationship. Ben was kind of there, making the demands and doing nothing other than care for himself and his needs. I mean, more than once he puts Travis down for being blue collar and “only” works as a mechanic. Not always in so many words, but it’s there in his actions and words. I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t want for a relationship between them. Travis deserved much better.

For all of this coming from a tragedy I’s surprisingly light and fluffy. Too light. I mean we have a loving and close knit family with two parents and three teenage boys. Suddenly both parents die and in swoops a long lost older brother they only see once a year. There’s going to be trouble, pain and friction, sorrow. But there never really was. It was all smooth sailing, sure there were a few minor things, but they were easily resolved. And I’m sorry but I just don’t believe that. Where was the grief and pain from the loss? Sure I don’t need it to be all encompassing and always full front and central, but some mention would have been nice – especially in the beginning.

Then there is the long lost brother suddenly in charge of three teenage boys. They’ve barely spent time together in the past, and suddenly in the middle of supposedly grief of their parents, they end up living together. After a few harsh words the first few days it all seemed friction free. Instead of trying to make the new family work, the focus is on the budding romance, lust fest really, between Ben and Travis. Too much and too fast and just not enough.

So the story sure didn’t work for me, but Charlie David did. He did a good job narrating this book. In a perfect world I would have loved for the characters to have a Texan accent to go with their origin, but then again you can't get everything. And "settling" for an awesome voice, great pacing and a lot of feelings is no hardship for me. So all in all I don’t think I’ll pick up more books in this series, but leave it as is.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

I cried ....It was beautiful

Where does The Nothingness of Ben rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks in my top 5. I have a hard time putting a particular number on a book because I love them all...but this one drove me to tears

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Nothingness of Ben?

I loved when Ben finally broke down and came to terms with the fact that his parents were really gone. I didn't realize how important it was for me to see him acknowledge his parents death until he did, and my heart broke for him.

What does Charlie David bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I loved his voices, his southern drawl. It was sexy when it needed to be, strong when it needed to be and kept me enthralled as much as the story did.

If you could rename The Nothingness of Ben, what would you call it?

I couldn't rename this book. The title is so apt. We see a man at the height of his life brought to his knees, laid bare and empty. It forced me to see myself stripped to that nothingness and left me wondering how and if I could make it to the other side.

Good story. Good narration.

This is what I think of as a "I need some hope that the world can be okay" story.

I wanted to be annoyed by the class snobbery in the story, but the end kinda fixed things for me.

Just a bit puzzled by the SD references in so many M/M books. I just can't seem to escape that place...

Couldn't put this down!

Any additional comments?

A real slice of life that kept me deeply involved in Ben and Travis' story. Family and friends play a huge part in the story, giving it wonderful depth. Just loved it!

WOW! Great Book

For the first time in quite a while i have absolutely no complaints about a book. This book was well written, well narrated, the characters were very realistic and easy to relate to and the story line flowed so well. An A+ Listen!

Looooved it!

I have read this story numerous time, but this was my first listen.
Charlie gave me all the feels that I had gotten just by reading and more. I cannot say enough about this story or the narration. Except you will not be disappointed in any way.

Adored the entire cast of characters!

I will more of this wonderful author. It was all so real to me and was a real page turner. the story was outstanding and held NY interest from beginning to satisfying ending.

found the overall story very good, though...

I feel like the main pair was sorta forced together rather than making it feel more natural. Despite that I felt like writing was very good and the romance as well.

Wishing it was a series :)

Such a great book! Wish it was a series so I could find out what happens with Colin :)