Big Love

By: Rick R. Reed

Narrated by: Michael Pauley

Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Teacher Dane Bernard is a gentle giant, loved by all at Summitville High School. He has a beautiful wife, two kids, and an easy rapport with staff and students alike. But Dane has a secret, one he expects to keep hidden for the rest of his life - he's gay.

But when he loses his wife, Dane finally confronts his attraction to men. And a new teacher, Seth Wolcott, immediately catches his eye. Seth himself is starting over, licking his wounds from a breakup. The last thing Seth wants is another relationship, but when he spies Dane on his first day at Summitville High, his attraction is immediate and electric.

As the two men enter into a dance of discovery and new love, they're called upon to come to the aid of bullied gay student Truman Reid. Truman is out and proud, which not everyone at his small-town high school approves of. As the two men work to help Truman ignore the bullies and love himself without reservation, they all learn life-changing lessons about coming out, coming to terms, acceptance, heartbreak, and falling in love.

©2016 Rick R. Reed (P)2016 Dreamspinner Press

Rick R Reed Scores Big in Love

This is a great coming out story for the young and old-er. Gives hope when you don't think you'll find it and that there is love for all of us. Strength, courage, and love come in small packages if we're just willing enough to accept that we can't do this alone. One of my personal faves so far. I Oved it.

Good story, better narration

(Contains spoilers)

Dane is a teacher who is married to a woman and has two teenaged children. He knows he’s gay but has never acted on the fact as he and his wife got married out of college but were high school sweet-hearts.

When his wife dies suddenly, in a car wreck, he feels this release and the need to “be himself” so he tells his children he’s gay and has been hiding it all these years.

The very next day, one of his students attempts suicide for being bullied about being gay and Dane confesses to the entire school that he, too, is gay to show support to the student, Truman.

Seth is a new teacher in Dane’s department and he had developed a crush on Dane before he knew he was gay. He helps Dane help Truman and Truman’s mom during the time surrounding Truman’s suicide attempt. This allows him and Dane to get closer and explore their feelings for one another.

**

I have so many divided feelings about this book.

What I liked/loved:
Truman- he’s a great character and I loved the message that his story tells (Be yourself, no matter the cost!) I loved his little side romance and the ex, too.
The way it was told. I liked the alternating POVs. I felt like each man had their own growing and changing to do, and seeing the world through each of their eyes allowed them to all have a representative chunk of the story that was theirs and theirs alone. It felt really complete that way.
Truman’s mom – she was THE BOMB! I loved how she always knew that simply loving Truman was her best bet even if it might not always be enough.
Dane’s son- he was so supportive and yet a realistic teenager in that he didn’t go OTT to help out, just quietly supported his dad.

What didn’t work for me:
Dane – Is he gay or bi or demi? He says he really loved his wife, but yet never felt complete? I didn’t always understand his character. I really didn’t understand how he just blurted things out to his kids, the school, etcetera – without expecting major blow-back – and I would think being in the closet for all your life and just losing your wife – you might waffle a bit more than 6 months…
Seth and Dane – their relationship felt from out in left field. They barely knew each other, then their having sex, then they’re saying I love yous… it felt awkward in the grand scheme of things and really unfulfilling.
Truman – sometimes he acted in ways that felt older than his age – but that could be a function of his situation…
Coming out – I really felt like Dane would have had more issues coming out than he did.
Dane’s daughter – I never understood what her deal was and why Dane was virtually ignoring her eating disorder, letting her run around without permission and allowing her to treat him so badly…this bothered me a lot.

So… the book absolutely kept my attention – Rick Reed is a great writer and he knows how to draw you into a story – but there were several areas that just felt… imperfect to me. I liked it and was glad to have read it, but I had some high hopes that weren’t met.

3 of 5 stars

Audio

Michael Pauley did a really nice job with this. I liked his version of Dean and thought he created nice distinctions between all the characters pretty well. I think this was a great way to experience this story and I enjoyed listening to it.

4.5 of 5 stars

Overall 4 of 5 stars

Nice love story

I liked this book although I found it in the erotica section, this book was far from it. I liked the story it pulled me in and I felt a great connection with the characters. the title of this book is great for its content it's all about love not just the romantic kind but also compassionate love for people, it got me in the feels.....
I am not a big fan of the narrator and usually that can make or break a book for me but I guess that me liking this book as much as I did with this particular narrator is a testament of how great the story was.
good buy or credit.

I'm Nicole and I approve this message
*hey its election time lol*

BE TRUE TO YOURSELF

Truman is a high school freshman in a small town and he's gay. Truman doesn't hide that's he's gay and because of this he endures a lot of bullying from other students. This part of the story made me cry. I hurt for Truman and was angry with the principle for not doing something about it.

Dean is a teacher. He's married and has a 16 and 12 year old. He's known he was gay since he was a teen but kept it hid. When Dean's wife is killed in a car crash Dean decides to come out.

Seth is a teacher and openly gay. Seth has moved to get away from a past lover.

Not giving anything away...Dean and Seth help Truman. Also Dean and Seth become lovers.

This is a heartfelt story that takes you through an array of emotions. I rated the Overall and Story 4 stars because I think Seth and Dean's relationship was hurried. There could have been more time and detail spent on these two.

I was looking for something different and I found it. Absolutely worth the credit or $$.

This is a good love story

I liked the way he told the story of to.new gay love and how it grove it to love for both of them

I think they should have more love making in it but it was a good story

wowww!!!!!!!!!!! loved it so much! ❤❤❤

this book is absolutely perfect!!!! I can't explain how much I have enjoyed it!
it's not a book with sexual act... it's a book about acceptance the story of I lost men and a beautiful kid..... loved it so so much as always the narrator was amazing I'm in love with his voice so much.... im actually looking for books with Michael Pauley because his that good.

Narrator had an odd inflection

Story was still great. Lots of unexpected twists. I wish it had gone on for maybe one more chapter to close things up.

There is so much good in this book

Surely, I could relate to this book, I was married twice and didn't come out until I was 40. My two brothers don't talk with me and straight men always think I talking to them because I want to get into their pants, well, not all. I have had terrible things happen to me since I came out, hateful things, things that I kept in the closet to avoid. But it is better to deal with the hatred of others than to deal with my own self hatred. I hope this is a book that a lot of people who read it can get some hope from along with courage. I am very impressed with the writing by Rick Reed, and look forward to more of his books that I end up either reading on my Kindle, or listening to. The narration is perfect by Michael Pauley, I believe he has narrated other books that I have. There was a time where to get a nice little love story like this I would have to stealth myself into a "dirty book" store, hiding them from my wives and family, ashamed to even go up and buy them. Now, I can simply down load them and listen to them on my smartphone. I believe that is progress, I know I feel that it is. And of coruse, they are not dirty books. Now, they are gay romances, and I like that name much better. Peace & Love to all especially those who struggle with who they are.

The story was impacting every emotion.

The Story line was great. Very intrusive into a school teachers life but on the other hand intrusive to his true self. extremely well written. The narrator sounded like he either needed o2 or was on o2.
All in all its a solid 4 star book. once you get by the narrator.

Clean, inspirational romance

The first day of school in Summitville High, two people’s lives will take a drastic change. Dane meets a young freshman that is being bullied horribly. That same day his wife is killed. Dane has been hiding his sexuality his entire life. This chance meeting with Truman makes him realize he needs to be himself.
In the winter Seth, a new teacher shows up and immediately catches Dane's eye. He knows that a relationship with a co-worker is not a good idea, he is still mourning his wife and raising his kids.

Big Love is a story of three men and how their lives entwined and enriched each other. Truman, the young man that is being bullied so harshly is an inspirational character. His mother also is inspirational. All mothers should be like her.

I liked Dane as well. There is a lot of character growth as well. I liked Seth but felt we didn’t get a lot of his character. I felt there was something missing from Seth and Dane’s relationship, perhaps that it came at the end and seemed a bit rushed. I would have liked more.

Big Love is a clean story with lots of characters. Lots of character growth and some bullying.
If you like clean stories, teachers, out and proud young men, unique characters, coming out and an all-over good romance this is for you!