Bobby Green

Johnnies, Book 5

By: Amy Lane

Narrated by: Gomez Pugh

Length: 13 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Vern Roberts couldn’t wait to turn 18 and get the hell out of Dogpatch, California. But city living is expensive, and he’s damned desperate when Dex, from Johnnies, spots him bussing tables.

As “Bobby”, he’s a natural at gay porn. Soon, he’s surrounded by hot guys and sex for the taking, but it’s not just his girlfriend back in Dogpatch - or her blackmailing brother - that keeps him from taking it, it’s the sweet guy who held the lights for his first solo scene and who showed him decency, kindness, and a smile.

Reg Williams likes to think he’s too stupid to realize what a shitty hand life dealt him, but Bobby knows better. What Reg lacks in family, opportunity, education, and money, he makes up for in heart. One fumbling step at a time, they connect, not just in their hearts, but in their bodies, where sex that’s not on camera, casual, or meaningless, becomes the most important thing in the world.

But Reg is hampered by an inescapable family burden, and he and Bobby will never fly unless he can find a way to manage it. Can he break the painful link to his unrealized childhood and grow into the love Bobby wants to give?

©2018 Amy Lane (P)2018 Dreamspinner Press

I loved the Johnny series

I would love to have Ms Lane help me write my story
[e-mail] plz contact me an please help me with my book.
Jim Arrowsmith

The grass isn't always greener

Five books in and the author still manages to bring something new to the story. I was so drawn to both these guys right away, to their struggles and their differences that wrapped them together in a messy, tattered and knotted bow from that first scene. Bobby might have been young, but he was far from naive. Reg, ten years his senior, was forced to grow up far too soon being the only person to care for his schizophrenic older sister. And though he's a little slow and (in my opinion) autistic and never diagnosed, he manages to tread water at the very least. Drawn to each other from the start, Bobby dismisses his feelings while Reg honest to god doesn't even realize why he gets so nervous around the new guy with the great body and stunning green eyes. One day at a time they go from co-workers to friends then lovers, but a relationship? Out of the question. That would me they'd have to tell someone else and neither are ready for that.... yet.

I loved the push and pull in this story, the way Bobby slowly circled Reg, knowing he was like a scared rabbit that wanted to be chased, to be loved, but would run like hell the second Bobby released his grip. The way Lane described Reg's thoughts and feelings when Bobby made love to him, like the only thing that ever made him feel whole, feel truly safe was Bobby. It was almost like Bobby touched his soul from the inside. It was a thing of beauty.

I tell you what though, the chapter where the guys from Johnnies go to Dogpatch to help Bobby get his mom packed made me laugh so hard. But then there needed to be some lightheartedness in the story as it's very intense and emotional. Pugh did a really great job coming in on book 5 and still managing to stay true to the original characters while bringing Bobby and Reg to life and giving each and every person their own unique tone in the story.

Definitely a must for fans of the Author or series.

Great ending for the series

I loved this final book: the plot, the characters and the heartbreaking story of severe mental illness. This book could be read as a stand alone, but knowing the past characters makes it more enjoyable.

I did have a pet peeve. As a former special education teacher, I had a hard time forgetting about the misinterpretation of an 83 IQ. IQ has nothing to do with educational achievement. Also, 83 IQ is below average but not anywhere near a cognitive impairment level.

Love the angst and passion

Chase in Shadow and Dex in Blue are two of my favorite audiobooks. Not only do I love their characters and the stories, but Amy’s writing and the angst they endure.

I haven’t read Ethan’s or Johnny’s story yet, and although events from their stories are alluded to (as they happen concurrently) I felt I could still follow Bobby Green and could piece together what was happening with these other characters.

This series shows Amy writing gritty, edgy storylines, with plenty of depth and detail as always. We are shown how these characters suffer before they attain their HEA.

In Bobby Green, we have depth of characters and storyline. And it’s another intense and emotional one. One of tragedy in several ways.  

Bobby manages to escape from a dead-end life in a small town where he is being blackmailed into giving bjs by a ‘straight’ friend. His goal is to earn enough money to support his put-upon mother. He enters porn as a way of providing a better home and life for them both.

Reg, although ten years older and a porn veteran, has his own difficulties and has taken on the responsibility of caring for his sister, who is not only a paranoid schizophrenic but also intensely homophobic. Looking after her is exhausting and impacts on his life and relationships in so many ways. 

Both men are lovely characters, helpful and supportive of others. I liked how they gradually move from ‘work colleagues’ to friends and eventually to lovers. It’s a long road for them with many traumas along the way. Gah! I love the trials Amy puts her boys through. We are also treated to some beautiful moments that show how much they have come to care for each other.

Gomez Pugh has admirably taken over from the previous narrator. Not an easy task coming in at book #5. It worked for me because it’s been awhile since I’ve listened to #1 and #2, so I had no fixed idea of how Dex and the other characters should sound. I always enjoy his performances and he made the fourteen hours of listening highly entertaining.

surprised and enjoyable read.

I went into this book with a open mind, I was not disappointed. I didn't realize until the end credits that it was book 5, so now I have to catch up and read the rest. Overall I liked the book addressing mental health issues as I have never seen that before in a book I've read. the book dove deep into characters and made it easy to follow and put yourself in their world. I will now be buying the rest of the series so I can dive deep into the other characters in the book.

The Johnnies Family Highlighted

This was such a lovely book. it really highlighted how Johnnies, an unlikely source, really created a family when some of these guys really needed one. and to highlight mental illness, its struggles, and the different sorts of relationships formed was amazing.

this will join my “favorites shelf" - love gomez!

love the Johnny series! It ranks up with the top 3 of series I read and read again. I was really looking forward to Bobby’s story and I was not disappointed. (I don’t think you have to have read all the books to appreciate this but I think you should. I think there’s a lot of background in the other stories that help you to appreciate Bobby’s story and there’s a lot of things going on with other characters that help you to understand Bobby and his situation better.)

Digger is such a tough character. As is V. These two characters are both so easy to love and so hard to love in the way because they don’t fit any sort of typical mold. I appreciate the fine line Amy draws here with Digger’s IQ and that she fully shows us that despite the numbers Digger is a fully functioning adult who maybe doesn’t always make the best decisions. He also has a hard time with “gray areas” or nuance but many people are like that. V, on the other hand is so clearly in pain and suffering but Digger can’t forget his promise to her – despite all the time that has passed and the changes that have occurred in her mental status.

Vern’s story is no less heart breaking. He can’t identify with his true self because he’s spending so much time fighting for his mom and for his own life.

One aspect of the story that really helped me to see our guys in a forever relationship was how long it took them to have sex. The sex should have been the easy part – but it wasn’t and our guys realized this. I really appreciated Digger’s lack of understanding of the situation and how frustrated he was and confused because, – you know – love is confusing sometimes, too. Bobby didn’t know where he was with that either so the whole thing was just confusing.

The writing is beautiful and touching as always and this will gladly join my “favorites shelf” beside the others in the Johnnies Series.

PS

I really hope they get Sean Crisden to do the narration for this!



Audio

Welllll – they didn’t get Sean but Gomez is awesome! I liked the idea of Sean and consistency, but if they couldn’t go there, I was glad they got someone as great as Gomez. He gives everyone a unique voice/presence, he’s great with timing and emotion, and so easy to listen to. Highly recommended!

5 of 5 stars

Best of the Series

I loved all of the Johnnies series but this is my favorite. All the characters from other books appear including Galen! Bobby is the youngest but is also mature beyond his years. Reg is sweet and I love the way Amy Lane portrays him.
Narration is great and Gomez Pugh does a great job with the characters.

Hope we are gifted with more in the series but I am afraid the story has run its arc. TrueType awesome story.

Just simply brilliant

I always thought, when it comes to the Johnnies series today Chase and Dex were my favorites however upon reflection and emerging myself into Bobby and Reg's story in this superb narration I realize that I was wrong, so wrong - these boys, these two beautiful boys are my favorites.

Gomez has beautifully captured the wonder of their relationship, the horror of coping with Vi and all that she is, the stability of their friends and the glory that becomes their love. I took my time listening to this, daily treats as I resubmerged myself into their world, over and over. I remember being so blown away when the book was originally published and I am more so now.

A simply brilliant book, pun totally intended.

All you need is love, good support and mom.

It's been a while since I read a book from this series but I had no problem sliding right back into the crazy world at Johnnie's. These boys have experienced so much, some good, some bad. The best part though is being able to depend on one another and the family they have formed with one another. Bobby and his mother become part of that family and they suffer their own trials and yet manage to maintain a positive outlook and love for one another and those within their circle. I can see a lot of Bobby's mother's strength and goodness in him, which serves him well in his dealings with Reggie and his sister. A strong story with great characters.

Gomez Pugh provides the narration for this series and he does a wonderful job delivering the passion, pain, and optimism for each of Johnnies' boys.