Camping 101

Pride Camp 2025

By: B L Maxwell

Narrated by: Guy Veryzer

Gavin Johnson has been camping as long as he can remember. His family spent a few weeks every summer either on the coast of California or in the forests of the Sierra enjoying the simple life and getting closer to nature. Which is why when he had the opportunity to buy Camp Acorn where he’d worked in his twenties, he jumped at the chance.

Wyatt Jackson loves his life. He has everything he wants or needs at home. But he starts to crave change. He wants a new start, and new experiences. When he sees an ad for a camp for adults nestled deep in the Sierra, he registers for a two-week stay before he has the chance to change his own mind, and quickly regrets that decision.

Staying in a cabin for two weeks is supposed to be an adventure, but Wyatt soon realizes it’s far from luxurious, and there’s also poison oak, bugs, and rattlesnakes to watch out for. Gavin is always there to lend a hand and really wants them all to have fun. Afterall, that’s what Camp Acorn is all about, teaching adults how to have fun and survive in the wilderness, even if they complain the whole time.

Welcome to Pride Camp where diversity and inclusion is our motto. We’ve got daddies, mommies, littles, pets and families of all kinds. So, unroll your sleeping bag, make a couple of smores, and enjoy the show!

©2025 B L Maxwell (P)2025 B L Maxwell

Wonderful story.

Gavin works at his family’s camp ground. He has gone there since he was a kid and now he bought it from his parents. He decided to have an adult LGBTQ friendly session before the regular season starts. Wyatt is a young man who has never been camping or really anywhere outside of his home. He decided he wanted to try something new so he decided to go to Gavin’s camp because he is gay and wanted to be comfortable. After the adventures these two had during the start of camp they feel that they are perfect for each other and want to be together after camp is over. Guy brought the camping adventure to life with his narration and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I recommend this book to everyone who loves mm camping outings with strangers and friends to.

Cute, enjoyable, but probably forgettable

This is the first book I've listened to or read from this particular series. The audio narration by Guy Veryzer was decent enough even though his name was completely new to me. In this story, Wyatt Jackson regrets lying about being sick in his youth to get out of going on a school camping trip, so he decides to go to an adult wilderness LGBTQ camp. Wyatt may or may not develop some chemistry with the new director of the camp, Gavin Johnson. Hijinx ensue. As advertised, this was very much a "no angst" romance, so would make a good vacation read for those looking for lighter fare. For me though, the lack of any angst, or any serious plot developments, and the lack of any detailed characterization as a result from the novella-length storyline, results in a rather forgettable storyline in the end. I usually prefer to wait a week or two after finishing a book before reviewing it to see if I am still thinking about the characters or plot long after I've finished it. I did not at all with this one. It was an enjoyable way to pass three hours, but that was all.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Loved it

I loved Camping 101 and struggled to put it down. Guy Veryzer's voice really brings this story to life. The story is amazing and I enjoyed reading Wyatt and Gavin's story.

I Enjoyed It

I really enjoyed this book, so I was happy to get to listen to it in audio. (Original ebook review below) Guy Veryzer's narration is too slow for me, so I always have to listen to it at a faster speed.

Overall: 4 stars
Performance: 3 stars
Story: 4 stars


Original Ebook Review 7/10/25

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun adventure and a sweet romance. I loved both Gavin and Wyatt. They were really cute together. I liked that they were opposites in that Gavin has been camping his whole life and now his father was putting him in charge. In opposition, Wyatt was regretting registering for two weeks of camping having never done it before and was intimidated and completely overwhelmed. Gavin did his best to calm his anxiety and I liked the way the two connected.

I'd read one other book from the Pride Camp series, and in that book, the LGBTQ+ camp was for children. I liked that this one was for adults. It gave it a different atmosphere than a children's camp.

A fun romance. 4 stars.

Yet another excellent audio book from BL Maxwell!

Yet another excellent book from BL Maxwell! Loved the story and was immediately hooked. I will be reading all of the other books from BL Maxwell.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.