The Rebuilding Year

By: Kaje Harper

Narrated by: Gomez Pugh

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

It took losing nearly everything to discover what they can't live without.

A few excruciating minutes pinned under a burning beam cost Ryan Ward his job as a firefighter, the easy camaraderie of his coworkers, his current girlfriend, and damn near cost him his left leg. Giving up, though, wasn't an option. He fought and won the battle back to health, over a painful year. Now, choosing a new profession, going back to school, and renting a room from the college groundskeeper should be simple.

Until he realizes he's falling in love with his housemate and things take a turn for the complicated.

John Barrett knows about loss. After moving twice to stay in touch with his kids, he could only watch as his ex-wife whisked them away to California. Offering Ryan a room seems better than rattling around his empty house alone. But as casual friendship moves to something more, and emotions heat up, the big old house feels like tight quarters.

It's nothing they can't learn to navigate, until life adds in unhappy teen kids, difficult family members, and mysterious deaths on campus. Rebuilding will be far from easy, even for two guys willing to open their minds, and hearts.

©2012 Kaje Harper (P)2017 Kaje Harper

Lovely and heartwarming.

I loved the voice actor for this book. Gave such warmth to the characters and also did a wonderful job making each voice distinct.
The story was light but still interesting. Enough of a dramatic plot without taking over from the main focus, which is the relationship building between the two men. For me it was an added bonus that they were both mature, and not in their early 20's.

Amazing story

This story is written in a very realistic setting with characters that could any of us. This story gives hope to all of us over 30 that there is still hope to find love. Gomez is an exceptional narrator

beautiful

I think that the story itself and the characters are beautiful.. wonderful narration as well #fave

Where's the second book?

Not just a romance. Nice attempt to weave in some suspense and mystery. I'd keep listening if someone would produce the next book in the series.

good narration

interesting storyline, great narration. I look forward to 2nd book. i always enjoy Gomez work.

One of my all time Favorite mm stories!

Ryan is a med student, former fireman who was injured in the line of duty, looking for a cheap place to stay while studying. He meets John on campus where John does the maintenance for the university. John is recently divorced father of two who is looking for a friend and someone to share expenses.

John and Ryan quickly become great friends and find themselves inexplicably attracted to one another as more than friends. Neither has identified as gay before but are suddenly seeing the other as very attractive.

There are a lot of hurdles. Neither is willing to jump into this without being sure of their feelings. Ryan has scars on his body that makes him leery of opening himself up to anyone. John’s wife and family aren’t going to see this as something to embrace. And – there’s a dead body found on campus and John is a suspect!

With a lot of careful movements forward and some deep discussion the couple explore their new feelings and in the end find a deep and abiding love.

**

This was one of the first mm books I ever read and I have re-read it dozens of times! I absolutely loved it. It’s a double GFY, both male “virgins” and they are so very sweet with each other! Kaje Harper is an amazing writer, she carefully crafts their relationship so that it is believable and romantic and yet full of realistic challenges and day to day hurdles.

I can’t recommend this book enough and I am ever so excited to read the sequel (finally!)!

6 of 5 stars

Audio

It’s so funny how different (sometimes) a book can “hit” you when you listen to it rather than read it. This was one of my all time favorite books because it does such a nice job of really exploring “gay for you” and now that I know more about sexuality, I think John is probably more “demisexual” than bi or gay. I think Ryan is probably bisexual – not that any of this matters, but I was noticing how frustrated I got when both men jumped on to the “I’m gay now” bandwagon, when really… they probably aren’t.

In any case, I also noticed how much John annoyed me with his letting Cynthia get away with murder… and how wishy washy he was at times – well – they both were at times…

But… Gomez Pugh is one of those delightful narrators who could read me (probably) any book and I’d at least be entertained if not love it! He’s a great voice actor and really knows how to handle emotions and timing.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this and couldn’t stop once I started.

Highly Recommended!


6 of 5 stars

MASTERFUL!!!

WOW!!!!

I expected to read a story from my favorite genre and found a thriller and suspense also.
It was the best all around read I've read in a while.

The excitement and anticipation for that GFY connection was great, but there was so much more depth to it than just that of the fabulous MC's.

A definite must read!

Naration was perfect. Loved the voices.

This is Fabulous series

I happened upon this author who was new for me. I had just purchased 3 new credits so used one to get her book, which turned into immediately getting her next book. The stories were long, interesting, and kept my attention. You will NOT be disappointed! I highly recommend.

The Coming Together of two gentle men

How important are first impressions?

Ryan Ward knows he hasn’t made a good one on his first day of medical school. Instead of using his cane, vanity caused him to leave it at home, and when his knee gave out, he fell down a flight of stone stairs and hit his head.

He doesn’t lose consciousness but finds himself looking into kind compassionate eyes.

John Barrett is the groundskeeper of the campus and holder of its many secrets. He knows many of the students by sight and keeps a paternal eye on them. Since his wife took their two children (Tori aged twelve and Mark, almost fifteen) from Wisconsin to L.A., this is as close as he comes to being a father.

Doctoring the soon-to-be doctor gives his day some purpose. When the men run into each other a few days later at a pub, they strike up a friendship. When Ryan hits the limit of patience with his partying roommate, John offers to rent him a room in his too-big empty house.

These are both older men, John a bit more so. He might even have a grey hair. But he shares how much he misses his children. Ryan is the second-youngest in a family of 4 boys, doesn’t know much about kids but he does remember the nice things his older brother used to do for him. Ryan shares this advice with John.

Then there’s the night that changes everything.

Men aren’t known for opening up and sharing their feelings, but there is a moment when Ryan and John do exactly that. Both men have survived incidents of profound sorrow. John assures Ryan that it’s not a contest to see whose pain is deeper – because they both have reasons for profound grief. The empathy between the two men is palpable.

So is the kiss an expression of that empathy, a logical extension of their friendship, or something much more profound?

GFY (gay-for-you) is a common trope, but Kaje handles it with the humour and emotion that befits the situation. Neither man planned this – both being straight – and they are coming to this relationship from very different experiences. But there is something undefinably right about them. As always, life gets in the way of a smooth-sailing relationship.

John’s children play an endearing and important role in the book. His ex-wife Cynthia is a bit shrill, but maybe that explains why she left him. The relationship between John and Ryan, of course, becomes an issue with custody. The men’s love for the children was wonderful.

There is one thing that niggled me. There is a subplot that almost felt out-of-place. Just too much. Maybe it’s because I felt the emotions between John and Ryan were so real, the kids so important, that no other crises were needed. It did, however, lead to a very dramatic scene that did move the relationship forward, so I understood why it was included. It also enabled characters to face their fears which is heartening.

I loved these two men, the gentle exploration of what it means to be a man, and why friendship can be the perfect basis for a great romantic relationship.

The book has a happily-ever-after, but I did notice there is a sequel and there will be a Christmas novella soon. My only disappointment is that they aren’t out on audio, but that is a small quibble because I loved the book. A friend introduced me to Kaje’s writing and I’ve been hooked ever since. If you enjoy this book, you will love "Into Deep Waters" and vice versa.

I cannot say enough good things about Gomez Pugh. He is the perfect narrator. Ryan and John’s voices helped me create a picture in my mind and he did great work with the kids and secondary characters. You need to listen to these books.

Story, Characters and Narration

I thought the author told a very good story, did an excellent job of building characters we could like and believe are real. I've lived a life similar in some ways to this story. Neither my husband or I had ever been with another man and both of us had been married, but neither had children. And the children in this story add an important and interesting element. The narration was "spot on", so much so that I forgot there was a narrator. I found it compelling and entertaining.