Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
32 global ratings
5 star
58%
4 star
23%
3 star
5%
2 star
11%
1 star
3%
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Tony
5.0 out of 5 stars When hate kills
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2014
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This book was emotionally powerful and charged for me. I don't want to go into the plot much...others have done so already. The story is not perfect in every way, there are some situations that are a stretch, yet it seemed so real for me. Watching the two boys fall in love and watching as their world falls apart for the sole reason of the hate and unacceptance of others. When I was in high school I watched this happen to a good friend, which is why the ending tore at me so much. One commenter said this was not a good example for gay youth. I disagree. It shows what could have been if they had held on just a little longer. But in their situation, perhaps they felt they had held out long enough. Not many books bring tears to my eyes, but this was one of them. This book I will definitely read again and I would recommend it.
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Ricky
5.0 out of 5 stars utter sadness.
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2013
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This book made me cry more than any book I read before, the thought that anyone could go through what Mark and Taylor went through broke my heart.
To be in love is a beautiful thing it's magical and sweet and yes sometimes sad, but to be hated for loving someone to care for someone for that to be a bad thing to someone else to the point they lash out at you hate you and try to destroy you is beyond my imagination. though this book mad me very sad and even a filling of hopelessness being gay myself it help me to remember what gay kids do go through in this world, I never went through this in high school I had a beautiful boyfriend and I loved him but we never had this kind of harassment my heart goes out to all the kids in school who have. Mark Roeder helps us to keep are eyes open and to remember what gay kids may still be going through that's why I give this book five stars.
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HonestReviews4u
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! A+ nicely written gay teen love story
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2012
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I'm glad I found this author! I got a kindle fire for christmas and this was the first book I bought from Amazon. If your a gay jock you will like this book, whether your 16 or 60. Nice to read about other guys like myself. I really enjoyed the authors style, I lost myself in the book and couldn't stop reading. It's exactly the type of gay novel I like to read. The author made me feel like I was part of the story. VERY highly reccomended. A+++ I'm currently reading another book from this author and love it too!
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regpinky
VINE VOICE
5.0 out of 5 stars His writing is fantastic, and once I pick up any of his ...
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2015
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I'm addicted to all of Mark Roeder's books. His writing is fantastic, and once I pick up any of his books I can't stop reading them. I'm only getting 5 hours of sleep per night because of it. I've now spent hundreds of dollars just to get the next book in his stories... I can't get enough. This book is fantastic and extremely sad at the same time. Though tells a good morale. I did cry a few times while reading it.
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Lo Tony
4.0 out of 5 stars when you fall in love so bad
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2008
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The story of Mark and Taylor will always emboss in the bottom of my heart!!

The first book I read from Roeder was "Someone is Watching" instead of Ethan and Nathan I was more addicted to Mark and Taylor by the time I was reading it, but now the passion is growing even bigger! The more I read, "The soccer flied is empty" the more I love Mark and Taylor.

First, loving someone is really hard, and being love with the person you dream about is even harder, reading about Mark and Taylor give me hopes that there is really true love in this world. The way they acted between themselves, the way the look upon others... is just more than everything in the world. It felt so real when I read it!! Roeder able to create an environment that is believable, which makes you think you are a part of the story!!

Although they ended in way I never wanted to, but it still can't stop you from liking reading!!

The only problem I had with the book is the cover, most of the reader would just buy the cover because of the cover, I have noticed this book for while, however the cover just turned me off!! Until I read, "Someone is Watching", I realized it was about Mark and Taylor, which it is a must I have to buy a bad cover!!!!
BUT the story is great... any
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J. Buke
2.0 out of 5 stars SAVE YOUR MONEY GET IT OUT OF THE LIBARY
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2013
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This book was okay, In the hands of an accomplished writer it could have been great. While reading this and finding it was set in 1980 I realized I was seventeen then, just a year older than the characters in the story, I do not remember falling in love with someone I DID NOT know, or even thinking of spending my life with that someone I did Not know, but yet these characters are saying stuff like this at 16? In love with someone they just met with all their heart...really at 16? This book is a mess, as is the story. Really cheesy. Also very preachy... and really out of date by today's standards. I was surprised with all the good reviews out here. I like Mr. Roeder's writing style. But the characters are suppose to be writing in journals but both sound like the same person there is no differential voice to them, I can't tell one from the other. That is a real problem. They are writing about the same thing one after another, I found it really annoying. I have read that this was titled something else with just Mark's journal telling the story. I think that would have been better. I will try the next book in this series and see if I it is any better, I love books that are part of an anthology, always fun to see characters reappear in another story. But once again, this story really didn't knock me off my feet and didn't stay with me as other books have. I found myself whispering at some parts: "DAMN DUDE, GET TO THE POINT" or "DUDE,YOU HAVE SAID THIS TEN TIMES ALREADY. I KNOW YOU'RE NOT JUST ATTRACTED TO HIS BODY OR FACE, BUT IF YOU KEEP SAYING THIS I AM NOT GOING TO BELIEVE YOU." Like I said really cheesy, not anything to write home about or pass on to someone else. Also, with the rate of kids being bullied and killing themselves I am surprised that this book is still on the market and not being pulled off the shelves. There are other options and I feel that the author while trying to bring on the tears (which he did not to this reader) did not give his characters the chance to have another way out of this problem. Also, someone commented on the fact that these two guys were having unprotected sex...well to that all I have to say is AIDS did not raise it's ugly, deadly head until 1981. It was I believe two years later that they said to start wearing a condom when having sex, so that was a weak, cheep shot. I found myself groaning when I looked at this book and made myself pick it up to read it. I picked up another book to read at one point. That is when I can tell a book is really bad when I have to pick up another book to read. I will give a few titles to readers who may want to read some good books: IF I TOLD YOU SO by Timothy Woodard (really good, I read that one a month ago and it is still in my head. One of the few that nailed me to my seat I couldn't move until I finished it). DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER, GO WEST, YOUNG MAN, A STAR IS BORN all by Robbie Michaels (very good, it is a trilogy). FULL CIRCLE by Michael Thomas Ford ( one of the best I read this summer) LAST SUMMER by Michael Thomas Ford ( fun summer read). THE MEN FROM THE BOYS, WHERE THE BOYS ARE, MEN WHO LOVE MEN by William J. Mann (it is a trilogy and wonderful) And the classic THE FRONT RUNNER by Patricia Nell Warren (very, very, amazingly good).Check them out if you have a chance.
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Top reviews from other countries

Ralph
4.0 out of 5 stars Lets fill the soccer field with young people enjoying life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 22, 2015
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A story of two young guys just trying to be themselves and the rest of their world just hating them for it. The book is a good strong read, the author is good at building up the characters of the tale. In the central chapters the story does tend to flag and get a little flabby but the pace of the last section of chapters pick up the tale and get it up to a crushing end, the tale may have many readers in tears. If you are a young gay person I hope this tale is seen as what it is and does not leave you depressed. If there are any schools, establishments who still act as the school in this tale then you should be ashamed. Unfortunately there are still some so called humans who think gays should not be tolerated but slowly attitudes are changing.
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R. L. Judd
3.0 out of 5 stars The 1st in the series...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2008
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This is the first novel in the 'Gay Youth Chronicles' series by Mark Roeder and its a fair, but not excellent start.

The text is heavily repetative, plus the initial chapters are so slushy and unbelievable that I put the book down on several occasions as I couldn't stand to continue. However, reference is made to the story of Mark & Taylor in later (and better) novels in the series and so I was determined to continue, which I did, and was rewarded with a sad, harrowing ending which highlights better than other books the possible result of school bullying, descrimation and hatred.

If you intend to read other books in this series (such as the wonderful 'A Better Place') then you must read this first otherwise surprises will be spoiled and you'll never know how everything started.......
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David Spanswick
5.0 out of 5 stars an awful truth
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2013
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A "forbidden" love story that ends in such an incredibly tragic way a la Romeo and Romeo that it further convinces me that homophobic bullying must be eradicated in this "new" century.. Education, as ever, is the seat of bullying; a permission is given in our society if not shunned by the system.

A moving story that left me saddened and abgry
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Michael Wild
2.0 out of 5 stars Tedious and obsessive
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2019
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Tedious, obsessive and endlessly repetitive. Maybe that is the point, but it focuses on one area of stress in a gay teenagers life, when there is so much more
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars heartbreaking and powerful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2014
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This is an exceptional story giving insight into the minds and hearts of two teenage boys and their love for each other and the challenges that brings, it is extremely well written and very emotional book, well worth reading, but make sure you have some tissues handy!
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