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The Angel of 13th Street #1
The Angel of 13th Street
The Angel. That’s what the young hustlers call Noah Everett, the man who’ll help them get off the streets. Once a hustler himself, Noah doesn’t take his own good advice, which is, “Don’t let this ruin your life.” Haunted by the past and those he couldn’t save, Noah carefully keeps others at bay until his self-imposed loneliness is shattered by determined, ambitious, but homeless eighteen-year-old Jeremy Kincaid.
A ruthless pimp has targeted Jeremy, but if Noah will fight to get anonymous young men out of the life, he’ll fight harder to keep Jeremy from getting in, even if it means a return to old stomping grounds to make a deal with the devil. To save Jeremy, Noah risks more than just his body. He risks his soul as well, because Willie Carnell, pimp, was once Billy Cordell, Noah’s lover.
A ruthless pimp has targeted Jeremy, but if Noah will fight to get anonymous young men out of the life, he’ll fight harder to keep Jeremy from getting in, even if it means a return to old stomping grounds to make a deal with the devil. To save Jeremy, Noah risks more than just his body. He risks his soul as well, because Willie Carnell, pimp, was once Billy Cordell, Noah’s lover.
132 pages, ebook
First published May 12, 2010
About the author
Eden Winters
83 books662 followersYou will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures, she has written over thirty gay romance novels, lost count of novellas and short stories, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s cosplaying for children's charities or hanging out at the farm being a mother, grandmother, and vegetarian.
Her natural habitats are hardware stores and on the backs of motorcycles.
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures, she has written over thirty gay romance novels, lost count of novellas and short stories, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s cosplaying for children's charities or hanging out at the farm being a mother, grandmother, and vegetarian.
Her natural habitats are hardware stores and on the backs of motorcycles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
August 28, 2011
I read to Chapter 12 or 71% before giving up.
I was loving this book, the characters and how the relationship was developing between Jeremy and Noah until 43% or around there, after that I couldn’t find interest enough to even finish the book. I forced myself to keep reading hoping I would get back into it but I never did.
I was loving this book, the characters and how the relationship was developing between Jeremy and Noah until 43% or around there, after that I couldn’t find interest enough to even finish the book. I forced myself to keep reading hoping I would get back into it but I never did.
December 16, 2018
2.5 stars
This was just an okay read for me. I wasn’t too crazy about the writing. Not that it was bad; it just didn’t fit with the story. I was in the mood for a dark, gritty, raw read. Unfortunately, I found the writing too subdued for the story itself. My other issue was the lack of chemistry between the MCs. Noah and Jeremy didn’t fit. Maybe it’s because the romance in this story took a back seat. Or maybe it was because Noah still seemed to be hung up on his ex Billy (aka Willie Carnell) *shrugs* I really can’t be sure. No sense in trying to figure it out. I’m just ready to move on to my next read.
This was just an okay read for me. I wasn’t too crazy about the writing. Not that it was bad; it just didn’t fit with the story. I was in the mood for a dark, gritty, raw read. Unfortunately, I found the writing too subdued for the story itself. My other issue was the lack of chemistry between the MCs. Noah and Jeremy didn’t fit. Maybe it’s because the romance in this story took a back seat. Or maybe it was because Noah still seemed to be hung up on his ex Billy (aka Willie Carnell) *shrugs* I really can’t be sure. No sense in trying to figure it out. I’m just ready to move on to my next read.
May 26, 2010
There's soooo much I can go on about here regarding this book, but my fingertips are brutally paining me while chewing the death out of them reading this story.
I have a confession to make: In most stories we harp and moon and go gaga over the main characters and I won't deny that Noah and Jeremy are seriously to die for, but they were not where my head was/is at when I had completed reading it and I felt like grieving and was lost over one character mostly. He had affected me the most like no other. Even the dude is considered the the 'badass' to most of you having had read this already. To me he was someone lost, someone who believed that life didn't have choices and only one direction for him. I shed a tear for this one character. Who you might ask? I'll tell you either way: It's Billy, would be my answer. Something about him added an extra punch to the story that won't allow you to forget him so easily even after all is said and done.
I was highly impressed and utterly amazed with reading this story. It's intense, it's got the angst, it's got the action and it'll touch every little spot your brain seeks in all areas and it's got love in a place you'd least expect.
Fan-fawking-tastic, Eden! :two thumbs up:
I have a confession to make: In most stories we harp and moon and go gaga over the main characters and I won't deny that Noah and Jeremy are seriously to die for, but they were not where my head was/is at when I had completed reading it and I felt like grieving and was lost over one character mostly. He had affected me the most like no other. Even the dude is considered the the 'badass' to most of you having had read this already. To me he was someone lost, someone who believed that life didn't have choices and only one direction for him. I shed a tear for this one character. Who you might ask? I'll tell you either way: It's Billy, would be my answer. Something about him added an extra punch to the story that won't allow you to forget him so easily even after all is said and done.
I was highly impressed and utterly amazed with reading this story. It's intense, it's got the angst, it's got the action and it'll touch every little spot your brain seeks in all areas and it's got love in a place you'd least expect.
Fan-fawking-tastic, Eden! :two thumbs up:
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May 21, 2010
4.5 stars
What a beautiful story *sigh*. This book hits me in all the right places. An eighteen-year-old boy with determination for the better life, who refuses to give up. A thirty-year-old man with a heart of gold even with a dark past. A story about kindness, redemption, hope, and love. Very, very beautiful (and it doesn't have a lot of sex, it focuses on character building and what happens outside sex, which I happen to love) and squeezes my heart when it nears the end -- I admit I have tears.
Like with all books that reduces me to tears, high praise and high rating are well deserved
What a beautiful story *sigh*. This book hits me in all the right places. An eighteen-year-old boy with determination for the better life, who refuses to give up. A thirty-year-old man with a heart of gold even with a dark past. A story about kindness, redemption, hope, and love. Very, very beautiful (and it doesn't have a lot of sex, it focuses on character building and what happens outside sex, which I happen to love) and squeezes my heart when it nears the end -- I admit I have tears.
Like with all books that reduces me to tears, high praise and high rating are well deserved
July 8, 2012
This is a sweet book. I went in with waay too high expectations, and expected something more touching and well-written. It's not that touching, and it's not particularly well-written, but it is a perfectly good run-of-the-mill romance.
It's the situation that is presented as touching and emotional (which it is) and the author trades on that to avoid having to get me invested through their words. I did feel a lot of empathy for the MCs and the secondary characters, but it was the same kind of empathy I'd gain from a piece of journalism, rather than a novel. A different handling of the material could have had me sobbing my heart out with the same plot, better done. This was just too cut and dried.
Although the MCs both want each other from the outset, and are together throughout the whole book, they don't have sex until the end of the book. This was nice in that we get to see them together in a non-sexual way, but there is no sense of a growing attraction. One MC gets all impressed-as-hell by the other MCs business acumen, but this is not the same as a tender build-up to love.
2.5 stars for me.
It's the situation that is presented as touching and emotional (which it is) and the author trades on that to avoid having to get me invested through their words. I did feel a lot of empathy for the MCs and the secondary characters, but it was the same kind of empathy I'd gain from a piece of journalism, rather than a novel. A different handling of the material could have had me sobbing my heart out with the same plot, better done. This was just too cut and dried.
Although the MCs both want each other from the outset, and are together throughout the whole book, they don't have sex until the end of the book. This was nice in that we get to see them together in a non-sexual way, but there is no sense of a growing attraction. One MC gets all impressed-as-hell by the other MCs business acumen, but this is not the same as a tender build-up to love.
2.5 stars for me.
June 2, 2018
Definitely a little outdated and Noah's insta-lust for the homeless eighteen year old he just saved from the streets freaked me out at first. But I'm glad I gave it time because I ended up enjoying it very much. On to the next one.
December 1, 2011
Noah owns a bar on Thirteenth Street. Actually Twelfth Street, but who wants to tempt fate, right? In a tough neighborhood filled with drugs, violence and prostitution, through sheer force of will and personality he turned the place into a spot people would want to visit again. Rugged, scarred, alone, his real mission is to help get young men working the streets back home, or at least somewhere safe. On the streets, they call him, sardonically, the Angel.
Jeremy is eighteen now, aged out of the foster care system, but not finished with high school yet. Alone on the streets, he is trying to stay safe long enough to finish school, win a scholarship and go to college. He just has to dodge the street gangs and pimps looking to recruit new talent. Seems his old boyfriend Trent is a recruiter for Willie, the pimp who runs the area.
A chance encounter brings Jeremy to Noah's attention. Determined to keep the young man safe, he makes a deal with the devil to keep Jeremy safe. Seems Willie is Billy, Noah's boyfriend from his days living on the street. Can Noah save this young man's future without damning himself along the way? And can he open himself back up to love?
This book was one of those amazing perfect storms that doesn't happen very often. The characters are so sharply drawn, but disturbingly human and shaded and nuanced, the storyline engaging and relevant without pretense, the dialogue crisp, and the romance heartbreakingly painful and bittersweet. I was drawn in and grabbed from the first page, and was unable to put this book down until I had devoured it whole.
All of the main characters are so strongly constructed - Noah, Jeremy and Willie. Jeremy is the true innocent - eighteen, a streetsmart survivor, open and vulnerable without being a fool, but tough and resilient without hardening his heart. Noah is a knight with a mission; paying his savior back by helping as many young men as he can leave the sex trade. He is so wrapped up in others, he sacrifices himself and his happiness.
And the most intriguing and complex character of all - Willie. A streetwise hustler as a young man, now a ruthless and hardened pimp and procurer, he is an enigma. He both uses young men, according to his own twisted code of ethics, but also funnels runaways back to Noah for rescue, under the guise of "thinning the herds". I was both drawn to and repulsed by him, but totally, totally fascinated.
And this book is all about relationships.
Jeremy, such a young man with an old soul, self sufficient, betrayed by his one boyfriend. I would have expected him to be bitter and hardened, but Ms. Winters chooses to make him still a romantic at heart. He falls for Noah, but is it a case of gratitude and hero worship or true romantic feeling?
And Noah, so closed down to love, but so hopeful, just for others. He has dedicated himself to rescuing these young men so they have a true chance at happiness, but at the cost of shutting himself off any chance of love and hope for himself. What stirs in his gut for Jeremy cuts dangerously close to what he felt for Billy, so he clamps it down under the pretense of the age difference.
And Willie, or Billy. So quick to deny Noah his love when they were younger, and so determined to remind him he doesn't believe in love. This man appalls me, but there is just something about him that kept making me go...but...no. Noah loved him. Why?
And then we find out why, and our hearts break and we bleed along with these tragic young men and then we are put together again and made whole and get to hope for them again.
God, I loved this book. I read it through twice just to savor what it tastes like and feels like and smells like when a master prepares a feast for me.
Read this and wonder.
Tom
Jeremy is eighteen now, aged out of the foster care system, but not finished with high school yet. Alone on the streets, he is trying to stay safe long enough to finish school, win a scholarship and go to college. He just has to dodge the street gangs and pimps looking to recruit new talent. Seems his old boyfriend Trent is a recruiter for Willie, the pimp who runs the area.
A chance encounter brings Jeremy to Noah's attention. Determined to keep the young man safe, he makes a deal with the devil to keep Jeremy safe. Seems Willie is Billy, Noah's boyfriend from his days living on the street. Can Noah save this young man's future without damning himself along the way? And can he open himself back up to love?
This book was one of those amazing perfect storms that doesn't happen very often. The characters are so sharply drawn, but disturbingly human and shaded and nuanced, the storyline engaging and relevant without pretense, the dialogue crisp, and the romance heartbreakingly painful and bittersweet. I was drawn in and grabbed from the first page, and was unable to put this book down until I had devoured it whole.
All of the main characters are so strongly constructed - Noah, Jeremy and Willie. Jeremy is the true innocent - eighteen, a streetsmart survivor, open and vulnerable without being a fool, but tough and resilient without hardening his heart. Noah is a knight with a mission; paying his savior back by helping as many young men as he can leave the sex trade. He is so wrapped up in others, he sacrifices himself and his happiness.
And the most intriguing and complex character of all - Willie. A streetwise hustler as a young man, now a ruthless and hardened pimp and procurer, he is an enigma. He both uses young men, according to his own twisted code of ethics, but also funnels runaways back to Noah for rescue, under the guise of "thinning the herds". I was both drawn to and repulsed by him, but totally, totally fascinated.
And this book is all about relationships.
Jeremy, such a young man with an old soul, self sufficient, betrayed by his one boyfriend. I would have expected him to be bitter and hardened, but Ms. Winters chooses to make him still a romantic at heart. He falls for Noah, but is it a case of gratitude and hero worship or true romantic feeling?
And Noah, so closed down to love, but so hopeful, just for others. He has dedicated himself to rescuing these young men so they have a true chance at happiness, but at the cost of shutting himself off any chance of love and hope for himself. What stirs in his gut for Jeremy cuts dangerously close to what he felt for Billy, so he clamps it down under the pretense of the age difference.
And Willie, or Billy. So quick to deny Noah his love when they were younger, and so determined to remind him he doesn't believe in love. This man appalls me, but there is just something about him that kept making me go...but...no. Noah loved him. Why?
And then we find out why, and our hearts break and we bleed along with these tragic young men and then we are put together again and made whole and get to hope for them again.
God, I loved this book. I read it through twice just to savor what it tastes like and feels like and smells like when a master prepares a feast for me.
Read this and wonder.
Tom
January 11, 2015
Wow...ummmmm....errrrrr...this book totally took me by surprise.
What did I think?
What did I think?
What did I think?
I thought it was tough.
I thought it was beautiful.
I thought it was magnificent!
Noah is a high school drop out, hasbeen hooker, and savior.
Jeremy is a homeless high school senior in dire need of saving.
Noah refuses to fall in love again, but sometimes you can't stop love.
I tend to balk at such age differences (18 and 30) but I couldn't fight their connection anymore than they could.
Heavy on the angst and light on the smut.
The writing was solid. The characters were endearing. The story was touching.
I was lucky enough to catch this when it was a freebie, maybe you can too.
I can't wait to check out more of Winter's work.
*4.5 glorious-guardian-angel stars*
What did I think?
What did I think?
What did I think?
I thought it was tough.
I thought it was beautiful.
I thought it was magnificent!
Noah is a high school drop out, hasbeen hooker, and savior.
Jeremy is a homeless high school senior in dire need of saving.
Noah refuses to fall in love again, but sometimes you can't stop love.
I tend to balk at such age differences (18 and 30) but I couldn't fight their connection anymore than they could.
Heavy on the angst and light on the smut.
The writing was solid. The characters were endearing. The story was touching.
I was lucky enough to catch this when it was a freebie, maybe you can too.
I can't wait to check out more of Winter's work.
*4.5 glorious-guardian-angel stars*
May 29, 2010
I have a soft spot for the whole rent boy turns good with help angle and Winters plays it like a master. She’s written a beautiful, haunting story filled with light, dark, and infinite shades of gray. I continue to be impressed with the writing from this author and if you haven’t picked up any of her work.. do so now please. You won’t regret it. This particular offering is filled with sympathetic characters, nuanced villains, seedy underbelly of crime, a gritty urban setting, a lovely romance, and some hot sex. This is a story I’ll read again and I can only hope we see more of these characters in the future.
Jeremy is one of those unfortunate foster children that fall through the cracks. He’s 18 so no longer provided a home, food, and basic living but he’s still struggling to finish high school. He lives in a damp, abandoned warehouse basement struggling to cling to the few cents he manages to scrounge and the one meal a day at school. He is being hounded by a former boyfriend to turn into a rent boy and they won’t take no for an answer. When Jeremy meets Noah, an ex-rent boy himself determined to help boys get off the streets, he can’t believe his luck.
Following Jeremy as he struggles in the beginning, alone and penniless, sets the scene vividly against a gritty urban background. You can’t help but feel for Jeremy who is doing everything he can to provide himself with opportunity and a better life. In some ways Jeremy is slightly too good to be true with his intelligence, moral standing, and ability to bounce back even after what he’s been through. But I can’t say that bothered me at all while reading and in fact Jeremy is a great, younger foil for the older, more cynical Noah. Together they have solid chemistry and it’s easy to see why the two click but circle around each other for an extended time before giving in.
Noah is perhaps the real star of the novel as a wounded, cynical older man giving his life to helping others if possible. He’s not a total saint or an angel and he has help. He keeps Jeremy at a distance for longer than necessary because of Noah’s issues and fears. His relationship with Billy/William the pimp is subtle, nuanced, and filled with shades of gray. William is a pimp and has no problems exploiting others but he’s not an inherently bad person. He has reasons, flaws, and his own strengths that play on Noah’s emotions in both good and bad ways.
The writing is exactly what I expect of Winters. There is not much dialogue but instead careful character studies with a wealth of setting and detail. The pace can be slower due to this but the story builds slowly, layer by layer. It’s a journey rather than a race when reading one of EW’s books. Some times the resolutions feel a bit too easy and the characters edge into one extreme or another but each story I read just gets better so these issues aren’t enough to bother or decrease your entertainment. Angel on Thirteenth Street is a lovely, thoroughly satisfying story.
Jeremy is one of those unfortunate foster children that fall through the cracks. He’s 18 so no longer provided a home, food, and basic living but he’s still struggling to finish high school. He lives in a damp, abandoned warehouse basement struggling to cling to the few cents he manages to scrounge and the one meal a day at school. He is being hounded by a former boyfriend to turn into a rent boy and they won’t take no for an answer. When Jeremy meets Noah, an ex-rent boy himself determined to help boys get off the streets, he can’t believe his luck.
Following Jeremy as he struggles in the beginning, alone and penniless, sets the scene vividly against a gritty urban background. You can’t help but feel for Jeremy who is doing everything he can to provide himself with opportunity and a better life. In some ways Jeremy is slightly too good to be true with his intelligence, moral standing, and ability to bounce back even after what he’s been through. But I can’t say that bothered me at all while reading and in fact Jeremy is a great, younger foil for the older, more cynical Noah. Together they have solid chemistry and it’s easy to see why the two click but circle around each other for an extended time before giving in.
Noah is perhaps the real star of the novel as a wounded, cynical older man giving his life to helping others if possible. He’s not a total saint or an angel and he has help. He keeps Jeremy at a distance for longer than necessary because of Noah’s issues and fears. His relationship with Billy/William the pimp is subtle, nuanced, and filled with shades of gray. William is a pimp and has no problems exploiting others but he’s not an inherently bad person. He has reasons, flaws, and his own strengths that play on Noah’s emotions in both good and bad ways.
The writing is exactly what I expect of Winters. There is not much dialogue but instead careful character studies with a wealth of setting and detail. The pace can be slower due to this but the story builds slowly, layer by layer. It’s a journey rather than a race when reading one of EW’s books. Some times the resolutions feel a bit too easy and the characters edge into one extreme or another but each story I read just gets better so these issues aren’t enough to bother or decrease your entertainment. Angel on Thirteenth Street is a lovely, thoroughly satisfying story.
December 20, 2014
This is the 2nd book I read by Eden Winters, but she is now officially one of my favorite authors.
This was a m/m challenge read picked from their Barely Legal shelf, so I wasn't quite sure I would like it. I was pleasantly surprised.
Jeremy is homeless, cast out of his foster home when he turned 18. He's struggling to survive on the streets and trying to stay out of grasp of a local pimp. He is determined to get out and focuses on staying in school and winning a scholarship to college. On one of his trips to do what little laundry he has and complete his homework, he goes to the Tubs of Suds. There he meets Noah, owner of Twelfth Street Bar and Grill adjacent to Tub of Suds. Noah has seen Jeremy a few times and wants to reach out and help him.
The relationship with Noah and Jeremy builds slowly. Since Jeremy is 18 and Noah 30, Noah thinks of Jeremy as just a kid. He wants to shelter and protect him. Jeremy is attracted to Noah, and keeps trying to convince Noah that he is no kid.
It's a great story full of angst and suspense. My heart went out to Noah. It is both heart-breaking and heartwarming. I did get teary-eyed at several places. I cannot wait to read more stories by her.
This was a m/m challenge read picked from their Barely Legal shelf, so I wasn't quite sure I would like it. I was pleasantly surprised.
Jeremy is homeless, cast out of his foster home when he turned 18. He's struggling to survive on the streets and trying to stay out of grasp of a local pimp. He is determined to get out and focuses on staying in school and winning a scholarship to college. On one of his trips to do what little laundry he has and complete his homework, he goes to the Tubs of Suds. There he meets Noah, owner of Twelfth Street Bar and Grill adjacent to Tub of Suds. Noah has seen Jeremy a few times and wants to reach out and help him.
The relationship with Noah and Jeremy builds slowly. Since Jeremy is 18 and Noah 30, Noah thinks of Jeremy as just a kid. He wants to shelter and protect him. Jeremy is attracted to Noah, and keeps trying to convince Noah that he is no kid.
It's a great story full of angst and suspense. My heart went out to Noah. It is both heart-breaking and heartwarming. I did get teary-eyed at several places. I cannot wait to read more stories by her.
May 18, 2012
I was a little worried that this book would not live up to the way I remembered it. I'm glad to say I worried for nothing.
The story of Noah and Jeremy is a wonderful story of love lost and found, of hope when all seems hopeless, of fear and strength, of the worst of society mixed with the best.
The story of Noah and Jeremy is at times both heartbreaking and uplifting. There were times I was on the edge of my seat and others I sat back with a satisfied sigh.
This review is sadly lacking simply because I don't have the words to do it justice.
If you want to read a great story of real life love and hope mixed in with some drama and excitement then this is the book to choose.
Eden Winters is one of the most compelling romance writers of this genre. Her characters are both believable and totally loveable.
The story of Noah and Jeremy is a wonderful story of love lost and found, of hope when all seems hopeless, of fear and strength, of the worst of society mixed with the best.
The story of Noah and Jeremy is at times both heartbreaking and uplifting. There were times I was on the edge of my seat and others I sat back with a satisfied sigh.
This review is sadly lacking simply because I don't have the words to do it justice.
If you want to read a great story of real life love and hope mixed in with some drama and excitement then this is the book to choose.
Eden Winters is one of the most compelling romance writers of this genre. Her characters are both believable and totally loveable.
December 18, 2014
I really couldn't get into this pairing. I liked Noah (big, gruff, muscled Noah sigh!) - upstanding former rent boy turned business owner - who was trying to give back to the community. I also liked Jeremy - young (18), determined to finish school and become a business owner, and absolutely refusing to resort to prostitution to do so. I just didn't like them together.
For the most part, the author did everything right. Noah offers to help Jeremy with no strings attached. He deflects Jeremy's attempts to convince him he's in love with him by telling him he's too young. Noah also gives Jeremy leeway to make contributions to the business that cause it to thrive. All great. All commendable. I guess I just couldn't get it out of my head that Jeremy looked like an underfed, malnourished 16yr old (hence the reason Willie the pimp wanted him in the first place) and Noah was a larger than life, grown ass man. There is nothing sexy to me about a little boy's body. I have no issue with age differences, even big ones (I like older men myself), but when I think of books that rub me the wrong way, they are usually ones where the older partner is HUGE and the younger partner looks like (or has the body of) a 12 yr old... even though he is 'legal'. Uh huh.
I pretty much skimmed anything relationship wise between the two MCs, and flat out skipped the sex scene. I literally coudn't read it. Funny enough, the relationship that interested me the most was Noah and Billy/Willie's. The end of that (at 85%) broke my heart and
I wasn't interested in reading further. I really didn't care what happened between Noah and Jeremy, sorry.
For the most part, the author did everything right. Noah offers to help Jeremy with no strings attached. He deflects Jeremy's attempts to convince him he's in love with him by telling him he's too young. Noah also gives Jeremy leeway to make contributions to the business that cause it to thrive. All great. All commendable. I guess I just couldn't get it out of my head that Jeremy looked like an underfed, malnourished 16yr old (hence the reason Willie the pimp wanted him in the first place) and Noah was a larger than life, grown ass man. There is nothing sexy to me about a little boy's body. I have no issue with age differences, even big ones (I like older men myself), but when I think of books that rub me the wrong way, they are usually ones where the older partner is HUGE and the younger partner looks like (or has the body of) a 12 yr old... even though he is 'legal'. Uh huh.
I pretty much skimmed anything relationship wise between the two MCs, and flat out skipped the sex scene. I literally coudn't read it. Funny enough, the relationship that interested me the most was Noah and Billy/Willie's. The end of that (at 85%) broke my heart and
I wasn't interested in reading further. I really didn't care what happened between Noah and Jeremy, sorry.
May 22, 2012
4.5 Stars. What a great read. I loved the relationship between Jeremy and Noah and how it developed slowly. All of the characters seemed very realistic and none were too over the top. I enjoyed this because the author provided a little angst, a little suspense and a little action which all brought the story together without seeming like it was just thrown together. I didn't think I would like the character of Willie and kinda didn't want to, but ended up wishing that things for him would have been different. I am looking forward to the next book.
July 12, 2010
This was an ok read. Loads of angst and navel gazing about an ex prostitute who's turned his life around and is helping others do the same. Interesting action that requires some suspension of disbelief and plenty of angst if that's your thing. Liked the tension between the main characters and it had plenty of sexy stuff.
April 27, 2011
Eden is a talented writer who pulled me into this story from the first page. She really got inside the heads of her characters, even the background ones. She truly understands the psychology of those who have been reduced to sexual objects and that the scars do remain even when the person is healed enough to move on.
March 26, 2011
Oh boy this book saved me! I was SOOOOOO close to quitting M/M romance after all the HORRIBLE reads I'd come across. But then this book gave me a good plot with much better developed characters! Where the emphasis was on STORY and not cramming in as much tasteless sex as possible!
If it wasn't for this story I would have quit last year June. Thanks for the great read, Eden!
If it wasn't for this story I would have quit last year June. Thanks for the great read, Eden!
March 7, 2016
4.5 stars!
This book opens the reader's eyes to one of the most under-reported social issues - aging out of the foster care system. Most states in the US end all support upon the child's 18th birthday, and offers very little in ways of support or education to help them find their footing.
Jeremy is one of those forgotten children. Kicked out of his most recent foster home, when the checks stopped coming, he is still struggling to go to school even though he's now homeless. He knows that his only saving grace comes in the form of a full scholarship to college, and he knows he has to graduate high school with the best possible grades.
Winter is coming, and not only is Jeremy in danger of freezing, but he's also being hunted by Trent, his former boyfriend who wants to recruit him for the stable of one Willie Carnell, the ex-boyfriend's pimp. Jeremy is not interested - he's not yet at the stage where he's willing to sell his body, sell himself, to survive the streets.
Noah is in his late 20s and owns the 12th Street Bar, as well as the laundromat next door, in an area rife with prostitution, drugs, and violent crime. Despite this, he's managed to turn the bar into a well-performing business. He's single, not interested in finding a partner, and still carries the scars (physical and psychological) from his time on the streets. A former prostitute himself, he's familiar with Willie and the pimp's ruthless pursuit of fresh meat. When he stumbles upon Jeremy at the laundromat, he can immediately see the young man's plight.
See, Noah has made it his life's mission to save the ones he can save from the streets. He knows what it's like to work under people like Willie, and he had the good fortune to be able to walk away with the help of Doc. For the last ten years, he and Doc have helped numerous kids find their way home.
Eden Winters paints a realistic picture of not only what it means to lose your social net when aging out of the foster care system, but also gives insights in the plight of runaways and young men who are kicked out of their homes, simply for being who they are, simply for not conforming to their parents' expectations of being straight. They are kicked into the streets by the very people who are supposed to love them unconditionally, without means to support themselves, and are thus primed for falling into the hands of ruthless people who will use them for their own monetary gain. Drugs follow the sex for hire, and many of them end up dead before they have really lived.
This isn't a fluffy romance novel. While Jeremy and Noah do end up in a relationship, this book isn't merely about their slow-burn romance, it's about the fight to help as many kids as Noah can, to give them a chance at the life they should have, to bring down the likes of Trent and Willie.
It's well-written, the language crisp and direct, avoiding anything approaching purple, and the anguish, grief, and sorrow Noah relays in his thoughts and in his actions are evident. Noah's history, and the pain from that history, play a huge role in his actions, and for a while he doesn't believe that Jeremy expresses interest for anything other than gratitude. He fights his own attraction to the young man, and it's a real pleasure to watch their interactions.
Jeremy may be young, but he's not stupid. He's more mature than his years, and he is not deterred by Noah's denials. Aspiring to go to business school, he offers Noah a deal.
In some areas, the book was possibly a bit over the top, especially the plot to dethrone Willie, but it worked within the remaining plot lines, and created a full picture of Noah's past, and the reasons behind his actions.
I liked that he got some closure in the end, and that he also realized that Jeremy wasn't just some stupid kid. And I really liked that Noah got to see the people he saved stand up for him - that scene made me tear up a bit.
I'm definitely interested in reading the 2nd book.
** I received a free copy of this book from its author via Pride Promotions. A positive review was not promised in return. **
This book opens the reader's eyes to one of the most under-reported social issues - aging out of the foster care system. Most states in the US end all support upon the child's 18th birthday, and offers very little in ways of support or education to help them find their footing.
Jeremy is one of those forgotten children. Kicked out of his most recent foster home, when the checks stopped coming, he is still struggling to go to school even though he's now homeless. He knows that his only saving grace comes in the form of a full scholarship to college, and he knows he has to graduate high school with the best possible grades.
Winter is coming, and not only is Jeremy in danger of freezing, but he's also being hunted by Trent, his former boyfriend who wants to recruit him for the stable of one Willie Carnell, the ex-boyfriend's pimp. Jeremy is not interested - he's not yet at the stage where he's willing to sell his body, sell himself, to survive the streets.
Noah is in his late 20s and owns the 12th Street Bar, as well as the laundromat next door, in an area rife with prostitution, drugs, and violent crime. Despite this, he's managed to turn the bar into a well-performing business. He's single, not interested in finding a partner, and still carries the scars (physical and psychological) from his time on the streets. A former prostitute himself, he's familiar with Willie and the pimp's ruthless pursuit of fresh meat. When he stumbles upon Jeremy at the laundromat, he can immediately see the young man's plight.
See, Noah has made it his life's mission to save the ones he can save from the streets. He knows what it's like to work under people like Willie, and he had the good fortune to be able to walk away with the help of Doc. For the last ten years, he and Doc have helped numerous kids find their way home.
Eden Winters paints a realistic picture of not only what it means to lose your social net when aging out of the foster care system, but also gives insights in the plight of runaways and young men who are kicked out of their homes, simply for being who they are, simply for not conforming to their parents' expectations of being straight. They are kicked into the streets by the very people who are supposed to love them unconditionally, without means to support themselves, and are thus primed for falling into the hands of ruthless people who will use them for their own monetary gain. Drugs follow the sex for hire, and many of them end up dead before they have really lived.
This isn't a fluffy romance novel. While Jeremy and Noah do end up in a relationship, this book isn't merely about their slow-burn romance, it's about the fight to help as many kids as Noah can, to give them a chance at the life they should have, to bring down the likes of Trent and Willie.
It's well-written, the language crisp and direct, avoiding anything approaching purple, and the anguish, grief, and sorrow Noah relays in his thoughts and in his actions are evident. Noah's history, and the pain from that history, play a huge role in his actions, and for a while he doesn't believe that Jeremy expresses interest for anything other than gratitude. He fights his own attraction to the young man, and it's a real pleasure to watch their interactions.
Jeremy may be young, but he's not stupid. He's more mature than his years, and he is not deterred by Noah's denials. Aspiring to go to business school, he offers Noah a deal.
In some areas, the book was possibly a bit over the top, especially the plot to dethrone Willie, but it worked within the remaining plot lines, and created a full picture of Noah's past, and the reasons behind his actions.
I liked that he got some closure in the end, and that he also realized that Jeremy wasn't just some stupid kid. And I really liked that Noah got to see the people he saved stand up for him - that scene made me tear up a bit.
I'm definitely interested in reading the 2nd book.
** I received a free copy of this book from its author via Pride Promotions. A positive review was not promised in return. **
June 7, 2010
I'd read excellent reviews of this novel which tempted me to buy it – and I also loved the cover which is pretty rare for books in the m/m romance genre! It tells the story of Jeremy, an eighteen year old recently made homeless and struggling to finish school and stave off the attentions of his ex-boyfriend who wants to bully him into selling his body on the streets. He is saved by Noah, a much older man with a chequered past, who now makes it his business to save young men from prostitution and enable them to start a new life. As Jeremy grows in confidence and Noah deals with the demons of his past, the romance between them grows.
I've been mulling this one over in my mind since I finished reading it, because I want to write a fair review but that's difficult my reading experience has been spoilt by having an incomplete ebook sent to me, which took a couple of days for the publisher to sort out. By the time I resumed reading my momentum had been lost, and I felt slightly disassociated from the characters, especially that of Jeremy who hadn't featured much in the middle section of the novel.
I think that this was a really well written story, and I will definitely read more by Eden Winters if the blurb appeals, but I think it worked rather better as Noah's story than it did as a romance, because Jeremy's character just didn't grab me in the same way. Part of that could be because Jeremy was so much younger and less experienced, but I think if there had been more from his point of view then I would have cared about him more. But the other reason I didn't find it working so well for me was that I found both Jeremy and Noah to be almost too nice. I would have enjoyed some juicy character flaws, but instead they were kind and noble. This may say more about me than about the novel, and probably this very feature is why some readers absolutely adored this novel.
As for me... I think it's well worth a read, but it fell short of greatness. Still, there are some great action packed scenes and the part where all of Noah's protégés return to help him out really touched me. Also, had I been able to read the whole thing over two days like I wanted to, I may well have been more positive about it!
I've been mulling this one over in my mind since I finished reading it, because I want to write a fair review but that's difficult my reading experience has been spoilt by having an incomplete ebook sent to me, which took a couple of days for the publisher to sort out. By the time I resumed reading my momentum had been lost, and I felt slightly disassociated from the characters, especially that of Jeremy who hadn't featured much in the middle section of the novel.
I think that this was a really well written story, and I will definitely read more by Eden Winters if the blurb appeals, but I think it worked rather better as Noah's story than it did as a romance, because Jeremy's character just didn't grab me in the same way. Part of that could be because Jeremy was so much younger and less experienced, but I think if there had been more from his point of view then I would have cared about him more. But the other reason I didn't find it working so well for me was that I found both Jeremy and Noah to be almost too nice. I would have enjoyed some juicy character flaws, but instead they were kind and noble. This may say more about me than about the novel, and probably this very feature is why some readers absolutely adored this novel.
As for me... I think it's well worth a read, but it fell short of greatness. Still, there are some great action packed scenes and the part where all of Noah's protégés return to help him out really touched me. Also, had I been able to read the whole thing over two days like I wanted to, I may well have been more positive about it!
May 9, 2012
Brilliant! And the best book I've read in a long time...
I'm not going to write a proper review, because there are several of them that are wonderful and say everything that I could say. Plus, I felt so connected to this story and these characters that I feel as if this story took me in and spit me out. I'm all turned around, trying to organize my thoughts, but only thinking that this is the best book I've read of Eden's so far, which is saying quite a lot considering they're all wonderful and diverse.
What I will say are two thins that made this story extra special. What I first started reading was a story that I assumed I'd read before. There are no shortages books of the seedy underbelly of the streets and the endless cycle of victims it perpetuates. The pacing and characters swept me along, but somewhere around the last third, I started to see all the threads weaving together, forming a poignant story of redemption, courage and the contrast of goodness and evil and the choices we make to serve them.
Tying into that is the second, the characters. There are four first presented in dichotomous fashion: Jeremy and Noah, and Willie and Trent, but whose later choices blend them into a sort of hazy symmetry of the blindness of young love and the harsh reality of adult consequences. The further I read, the more excited I became watching these characters, learning bits about their past that shed light on who they are now. Noah, the star and narrator (also, the "Angel") holds the spotlight here, but it is Eden's character Willie, the antagonist, though in his own way maybe an anti-hero, who is perhaps most well written. This is most likely because he is seen through Noah's eyes, which is at one moment regretful and the other loving.
I could see the love for the characters and attention to detail so much in this book. Eden Winters has so much talent that I almost can't believe how much she grows from book to book, and this from a book near the beginning of her career... I can barely wait for the book she's yet to write.
I'm not going to write a proper review, because there are several of them that are wonderful and say everything that I could say. Plus, I felt so connected to this story and these characters that I feel as if this story took me in and spit me out. I'm all turned around, trying to organize my thoughts, but only thinking that this is the best book I've read of Eden's so far, which is saying quite a lot considering they're all wonderful and diverse.
What I will say are two thins that made this story extra special. What I first started reading was a story that I assumed I'd read before. There are no shortages books of the seedy underbelly of the streets and the endless cycle of victims it perpetuates. The pacing and characters swept me along, but somewhere around the last third, I started to see all the threads weaving together, forming a poignant story of redemption, courage and the contrast of goodness and evil and the choices we make to serve them.
Tying into that is the second, the characters. There are four first presented in dichotomous fashion: Jeremy and Noah, and Willie and Trent, but whose later choices blend them into a sort of hazy symmetry of the blindness of young love and the harsh reality of adult consequences. The further I read, the more excited I became watching these characters, learning bits about their past that shed light on who they are now. Noah, the star and narrator (also, the "Angel") holds the spotlight here, but it is Eden's character Willie, the antagonist, though in his own way maybe an anti-hero, who is perhaps most well written. This is most likely because he is seen through Noah's eyes, which is at one moment regretful and the other loving.
I could see the love for the characters and attention to detail so much in this book. Eden Winters has so much talent that I almost can't believe how much she grows from book to book, and this from a book near the beginning of her career... I can barely wait for the book she's yet to write.
May 30, 2010
I was so sad and so happy at the same time reading this book. I was thrilled that Noah finally found someone who really loved him in the form of the young, but wise beyond his years Jeremy, but so sad that Noah lost Billy along the way. It just tears your heart out to see two me who so belong together but one of them is not smart enough to know what is best for him. Billy was so lost and not able to take that leap of faith to run away from the horror of his life to be with Noah. By the same token, if he had, then all the boys that Noah saved from a life of prostitution would have been lost. All things do happen for a reason and this story is a beautiful testament to that. I feel uneasy after reading this but in a good way. I mourn the loss of Billy, but rejoice that Noah has Jeremy who does, whole-heartedly, love him. I wanted Billy to be saved but the reality of it is that he was lost before the story even started. It's a wonderful story that I will read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2017
3.8 Stars
Even with this being the longer, second edition I felt like the romance took a back seat to both characters' development. And that's okay to a point. Still, I would have liked a bit more connection between the two - given there were only two sex scenes (plus a couple solitary masturbation scenes) and one of those was with the ex and not current love interest MC. Oh well. Maybe someday I'll read the sequels...although the blurb for the one with these characters looks like more character development and growing maturity.
Even with this being the longer, second edition I felt like the romance took a back seat to both characters' development. And that's okay to a point. Still, I would have liked a bit more connection between the two - given there were only two sex scenes (plus a couple solitary masturbation scenes) and one of those was with the ex and not current love interest MC. Oh well. Maybe someday I'll read the sequels...although the blurb for the one with these characters looks like more character development and growing maturity.
March 27, 2015
I'm sorry but I just don't see what others see in this book. Okay, fine, it annoyed the hell out of me. And here is why...
It starts with out 18 year old street kid meeting the Laundromat proprietor, the Angel (very mild spoilers below):
Street Kid: *looks wearily at big scary dude*
The Angel: Don't worry kid, I won't hurt you.
Street Kid: Stay away, you just want to rape me.
The Angel: No, I only want to give you money for, uh, watching my laundry, and food.
Street Kid: No rape?
The Angel: Nope, I mean you no harm. Just come to my apartment, far away from where anyone can hear you scream.
Street Kid: Oh, since you've said it three times it must be true. I trust you now completely. [...] On second thought, you're hot, sure you don't want to rape me?
So maybe I've employed a bit of artistic license there but... seriously? The street kid who is street smart and weary of bullies/criminals trusts so easily? Oh, that's so realistic.
Then there is pining. Oh so much pining. *gags* And the random religious references.
Cue the violins as the Angel's melodramatic past and ex are revealed.
And then to top it all off... the stupidest criminal on the planet. I mean if Trent was real he'd win a Darwin Award. Or five.
In the end, it all plays out within the criminal justice system of... what country? Definitely not the US. I mean, the author should have at least watched an episode of Law and Order, she would have been more accurate. Or, hey, an idea... read an actual book. Small inaccuracies or stretches of the truth for the sake of a story I can forgive, the butchering of the justice system in a crime itself!
What specifically did I find wrong with it?
So fine, in the end the novel had some entertainment value, I had fun writing this review. But its all that it was good for.
It starts with out 18 year old street kid meeting the Laundromat proprietor, the Angel (very mild spoilers below):
Street Kid: *looks wearily at big scary dude*
The Angel: Don't worry kid, I won't hurt you.
Street Kid: Stay away, you just want to rape me.
The Angel: No, I only want to give you money for, uh, watching my laundry, and food.
Street Kid: No rape?
The Angel: Nope, I mean you no harm. Just come to my apartment, far away from where anyone can hear you scream.
Street Kid: Oh, since you've said it three times it must be true. I trust you now completely. [...] On second thought, you're hot, sure you don't want to rape me?
So maybe I've employed a bit of artistic license there but... seriously? The street kid who is street smart and weary of bullies/criminals trusts so easily? Oh, that's so realistic.
Then there is pining. Oh so much pining. *gags* And the random religious references.
Cue the violins as the Angel's melodramatic past and ex are revealed.
And then to top it all off... the stupidest criminal on the planet. I mean if Trent was real he'd win a Darwin Award. Or five.
In the end, it all plays out within the criminal justice system of... what country? Definitely not the US. I mean, the author should have at least watched an episode of Law and Order, she would have been more accurate. Or, hey, an idea... read an actual book. Small inaccuracies or stretches of the truth for the sake of a story I can forgive, the butchering of the justice system in a crime itself!
What specifically did I find wrong with it?
So fine, in the end the novel had some entertainment value, I had fun writing this review. But its all that it was good for.
February 5, 2015
"Please don't let them catch me"
This opening had me on full alert from the beginning. Jeremy is trying to make it home without getting caught by a group of men out to 'recruit' him for a local pimp.
Needless to say they don't care too much about whether Jeremy is actually looking for new job opportunities.
So I was on the edge of my seat crossing all fingers for Jeremy to make it home safe. Until I got to see that home and my heart just broke for him.
Noah wasn't strong enough to refuse the 'job offer' when he himself was younger. But he got out and now puts every effort into helping other young rent boys leave the life and get a chance to start over.
He takes Jeremy under his wings. There is a nearly instant attraction between the two which soon develops into a deeper connection. Jeremy makes no secret of what he wants, but Noah resists his advances insisting on just being Jeremy's friend, thinking he is too old, that it's unethical for him to sleep with someone he's saved, and most of all believing he can never be good enough for Jeremy.
As Noah helps Jeremy get his life back on track and settle into a routine, the recruiters never relent and Noah knows only one way to get them off Jeremy's back: He seeks out Willie Carnell, the pimp looking to add Jeremy to his stable, as well as Noah's old lover and probably in his mind, the one he never managed to save.
Now I won't lie. Noah's meeting with Willie was unpleasant to read. From the many times Noah's thoughts wander back to his and Willie's mutual past we know there is history and real feelings between them.
Their evening together is an odd mixture. In their current lives they are on opposite sides with Noah doing whatever he can to get as many boys as possible out of Willie's claws. Yet feelings are still there, the attraction is still there and at the same time Willie is pretty much twisting the knife in old wounds. I so did not want to see them together; it almost made me sick and yet it held a strong fascination to see how emotions of past and present were intertwined.
(On a side note, since I read that elsewhere, I did not see any cheating here. Jeremy and Noah were not in a relationship.)
With Jeremy safe for the time being they return their focus on Jeremy's school work and Noah's businesses. Way too good to last, obviously!
So yes, shit hits the fan. I don't want to reveal to many details here, but suddenly there is an awful lot of action going on. The last part of the book was certainly more fast-paced than the beginning. So I was back to edge of my seat again before getting my expected ending.
This opening had me on full alert from the beginning. Jeremy is trying to make it home without getting caught by a group of men out to 'recruit' him for a local pimp.
Needless to say they don't care too much about whether Jeremy is actually looking for new job opportunities.
So I was on the edge of my seat crossing all fingers for Jeremy to make it home safe. Until I got to see that home and my heart just broke for him.
Noah wasn't strong enough to refuse the 'job offer' when he himself was younger. But he got out and now puts every effort into helping other young rent boys leave the life and get a chance to start over.
He takes Jeremy under his wings. There is a nearly instant attraction between the two which soon develops into a deeper connection. Jeremy makes no secret of what he wants, but Noah resists his advances insisting on just being Jeremy's friend, thinking he is too old, that it's unethical for him to sleep with someone he's saved, and most of all believing he can never be good enough for Jeremy.
As Noah helps Jeremy get his life back on track and settle into a routine, the recruiters never relent and Noah knows only one way to get them off Jeremy's back: He seeks out Willie Carnell, the pimp looking to add Jeremy to his stable, as well as Noah's old lover and probably in his mind, the one he never managed to save.
Now I won't lie. Noah's meeting with Willie was unpleasant to read. From the many times Noah's thoughts wander back to his and Willie's mutual past we know there is history and real feelings between them.
Their evening together is an odd mixture. In their current lives they are on opposite sides with Noah doing whatever he can to get as many boys as possible out of Willie's claws. Yet feelings are still there, the attraction is still there and at the same time Willie is pretty much twisting the knife in old wounds. I so did not want to see them together; it almost made me sick and yet it held a strong fascination to see how emotions of past and present were intertwined.
(On a side note, since I read that elsewhere, I did not see any cheating here. Jeremy and Noah were not in a relationship.)
With Jeremy safe for the time being they return their focus on Jeremy's school work and Noah's businesses. Way too good to last, obviously!
So yes, shit hits the fan. I don't want to reveal to many details here, but suddenly there is an awful lot of action going on. The last part of the book was certainly more fast-paced than the beginning. So I was back to edge of my seat again before getting my expected ending.
April 20, 2012
Noah Everett is the Angel of 13th Street. A former hustler himself, Noah was saved by a kind man 10 years ago and is paying it forward. Whenever he can, he talks with young hustlers in his area and tries to convince them to go home. As the owner of a bar and an attached laundromat, Noah keeps his eye out for a young boy who he feels needs help.
Jeremy is living on the street after he falls out of the Foster Care system at the age of 18. Looking even younger than his years, Jeremy is propositioned by pimps and hustlers who want to bring him into the business. With a good head on his shoulders, Jeremy is more concerned with eating day-to-day, finishing his schoolwork, and hopefully earning a scholarship to college. He is managing for now, but with the winter looming he knows that it's going to be hard to survive the cold and damn does his stomach keep growling.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. Not only was Noah a great person, but he was completely selfless throughout the book. I really loved his character and appreciated that he held to his morals. Jeremy was an extremely sweet "kid" and I enjoyed watching him blossom from a scared, hungry, boy to a confident, independent young man. I also liked that it wasn't an "insta-lust" performance and that they really developed their relationship slowly and surely. You could feel their respect and love for each other grow throughout the book. I felt all the characters were really well-developed.
The overall plot was decent. There were some obstacles thrown in throughout the story that kept me interested. I really enjoyed the ending and felt the author did a great job giving the reader a lot of closure.
This is my first full Eden Winters novel and I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.
Jeremy is living on the street after he falls out of the Foster Care system at the age of 18. Looking even younger than his years, Jeremy is propositioned by pimps and hustlers who want to bring him into the business. With a good head on his shoulders, Jeremy is more concerned with eating day-to-day, finishing his schoolwork, and hopefully earning a scholarship to college. He is managing for now, but with the winter looming he knows that it's going to be hard to survive the cold and damn does his stomach keep growling.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. Not only was Noah a great person, but he was completely selfless throughout the book. I really loved his character and appreciated that he held to his morals. Jeremy was an extremely sweet "kid" and I enjoyed watching him blossom from a scared, hungry, boy to a confident, independent young man. I also liked that it wasn't an "insta-lust" performance and that they really developed their relationship slowly and surely. You could feel their respect and love for each other grow throughout the book. I felt all the characters were really well-developed.
The overall plot was decent. There were some obstacles thrown in throughout the story that kept me interested. I really enjoyed the ending and felt the author did a great job giving the reader a lot of closure.
This is my first full Eden Winters novel and I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.
June 5, 2010
What I really liked about this book was that Noah, the "savior", wasn't the overpoweringly rich guy, nor was Jeremy, the "saved boy", a hustler or otherwise helpless figure. This made the story refreshingly different from what I had expected based on the title.
The realism of the threat to both Jeremy and Noah, as well as their carefully developing and growing relationship kept me glued to the pages. I liked that Noah needed saving, in a way, and that Jermey had a real contribution to make. The balance between both partners was much stronger this way. If you're looking for a story with a twist and some unexpected turns you'll probably like this one.
The realism of the threat to both Jeremy and Noah, as well as their carefully developing and growing relationship kept me glued to the pages. I liked that Noah needed saving, in a way, and that Jermey had a real contribution to make. The balance between both partners was much stronger this way. If you're looking for a story with a twist and some unexpected turns you'll probably like this one.
January 9, 2012
Excellent m/m romance about a bar owner and former rentboy who, with help, turned his life around and now helps other young men get off the street and out of the life... and then one of his rescues really starts to get to him.
Shelved as 'not-my-kind-of-book'
February 5, 2015This review says it all.
Bubbles Hunty Honest & Direct Opinions 's review
Bubbles Hunty Honest & Direct Opinions 's review
December 28, 2010
The Angel of 13th Street opens on a highly charged scene where Jeremy Kinkaid is running from a former boyfriend, Trent Adams, and few other guys who work pimp, Willie Carnell. Trying to remain in high school to earn a scholarship for college while staying away from the hustling life is becoming increasingly challenging as winter approaches. The fact he lives in a dingy, water-logged basement and only possesses threadbare clothing doesn’t help.
Noah Everett, once hustler and former boyfriend of Willie Carnell, has made it his mission to save boys from the hustler’s life; a favor once extended to him 12 years earlier. When he spots Jeremy sitting in the dilapidated laundromat he owns, located next to his bar, The 12th Street Bar and Grill, he sees a boy who is heading down the wrong path, but he also sees something more…a young man who has potential and who reminds him of himself.
While Noah is skilled at putting the needs of others ahead of his own, he has never faced his own demons, preferring to shield himself and others from a past which was filled with darkness and mistakes. As the story progresses and we follow the attraction between Noah and Jeremy, Noah continues to remain haunted by ghosts; memories and pain which he must face if he wants to love himself and open up to the love of another.
The story picks up pace as Trent, Willie’s second in command, continues to keep an eye on Jeremy, waiting for his chance to succeed where he had initially failed. The tension increases until Trent finds his opportunity. Jeremy finds himself in a dangerous situation and Noah must put himself on the line in order to save him. But, in saving Jeremy, he may have to sacrifice himself.
I found The Angel of 13th Street to be at once powerful and moving. Eden Winters handles the sensitive topic of hustling with compassion and tact, without flinching from the harsh realities of the life. She delves past stereotypes and pierces to the heart of the pain which caused these young men rent themselves out in the first place.
From the start, I was drawn into Jeremy and Noah’s stories, particularly how parallel their lives had been. By helping Jeremy, in a sense Noah seems to be helping himself to finally address the issues which have haunted him for over a decade. We feel Noah’s investment in helping keep Jeremy off the street as if it is compulsion. He doesn’t want to see the light fade from Jeremy’s eyes. At the same time, it is a chance for him to reclaim the person he had been so many years ago, before his own light had faded.
Noah’s struggle is believable, compelling, and emotional. It reveals how damaging self-loathing can be and the healing effect of forgiveness and acceptance. Oddly, this same strength is one of the books weaknesses. Noah’s past and his current struggles are so prominent, they overshadow the developing relationship with Jeremy for a good portion of the book.
Rather than being the person with the maturity and life experience to guide Jeremy, Noah is often drowning in his own insecurities. Jeremy, the person he is trying to protect, is the one who seems to have greater insight into what it means to live and love. While this works in terms of following Noah’s story, it is not until later, when Trent places Jeremy in harm’s way, that the focus shifts to Noah and Jeremy’s relationship and how it progresses.
The one other aspect of this book which robs the story of greater tension is the pacing. In many cases, Ms. Winters introduces a conflict, only to resolve it in a matter of pages. This happens several times until the main conflict arises. Then everything in the story comes together and she allows it to unravel over the course of several gratifying chapters. Once the main conflict is solved, one additional twist is thrown in, carrying the book a bit beyond where it needed to go.
Overall, The Angel of 13th Street is an excellent story, one filled with emotional struggle and self-discovery. I believe the book ranks high in terms of telling a story about self-acceptance, but not as high in terms of portraying a love story between the two main characters. With that said, the sex scenes which occur are written in a manner which extends beyond physical pleasure, incorporating loving and caring emotions. Where there are limited ways to describe body parts and what they do, Ms. Winters has pushed the envelope, presenting a fresh description and charges love scenes.
As a reader who enjoys reading about self-discovery and forgiveness, I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to others. Both heart-rending and sweet, the journey touches the doubts and fears, hopes and dreams, and ultimate need to love oneself, which we all must face in order to find happiness.
Noah Everett, once hustler and former boyfriend of Willie Carnell, has made it his mission to save boys from the hustler’s life; a favor once extended to him 12 years earlier. When he spots Jeremy sitting in the dilapidated laundromat he owns, located next to his bar, The 12th Street Bar and Grill, he sees a boy who is heading down the wrong path, but he also sees something more…a young man who has potential and who reminds him of himself.
While Noah is skilled at putting the needs of others ahead of his own, he has never faced his own demons, preferring to shield himself and others from a past which was filled with darkness and mistakes. As the story progresses and we follow the attraction between Noah and Jeremy, Noah continues to remain haunted by ghosts; memories and pain which he must face if he wants to love himself and open up to the love of another.
The story picks up pace as Trent, Willie’s second in command, continues to keep an eye on Jeremy, waiting for his chance to succeed where he had initially failed. The tension increases until Trent finds his opportunity. Jeremy finds himself in a dangerous situation and Noah must put himself on the line in order to save him. But, in saving Jeremy, he may have to sacrifice himself.
I found The Angel of 13th Street to be at once powerful and moving. Eden Winters handles the sensitive topic of hustling with compassion and tact, without flinching from the harsh realities of the life. She delves past stereotypes and pierces to the heart of the pain which caused these young men rent themselves out in the first place.
From the start, I was drawn into Jeremy and Noah’s stories, particularly how parallel their lives had been. By helping Jeremy, in a sense Noah seems to be helping himself to finally address the issues which have haunted him for over a decade. We feel Noah’s investment in helping keep Jeremy off the street as if it is compulsion. He doesn’t want to see the light fade from Jeremy’s eyes. At the same time, it is a chance for him to reclaim the person he had been so many years ago, before his own light had faded.
Noah’s struggle is believable, compelling, and emotional. It reveals how damaging self-loathing can be and the healing effect of forgiveness and acceptance. Oddly, this same strength is one of the books weaknesses. Noah’s past and his current struggles are so prominent, they overshadow the developing relationship with Jeremy for a good portion of the book.
Rather than being the person with the maturity and life experience to guide Jeremy, Noah is often drowning in his own insecurities. Jeremy, the person he is trying to protect, is the one who seems to have greater insight into what it means to live and love. While this works in terms of following Noah’s story, it is not until later, when Trent places Jeremy in harm’s way, that the focus shifts to Noah and Jeremy’s relationship and how it progresses.
The one other aspect of this book which robs the story of greater tension is the pacing. In many cases, Ms. Winters introduces a conflict, only to resolve it in a matter of pages. This happens several times until the main conflict arises. Then everything in the story comes together and she allows it to unravel over the course of several gratifying chapters. Once the main conflict is solved, one additional twist is thrown in, carrying the book a bit beyond where it needed to go.
Overall, The Angel of 13th Street is an excellent story, one filled with emotional struggle and self-discovery. I believe the book ranks high in terms of telling a story about self-acceptance, but not as high in terms of portraying a love story between the two main characters. With that said, the sex scenes which occur are written in a manner which extends beyond physical pleasure, incorporating loving and caring emotions. Where there are limited ways to describe body parts and what they do, Ms. Winters has pushed the envelope, presenting a fresh description and charges love scenes.
As a reader who enjoys reading about self-discovery and forgiveness, I enjoyed this book immensely and recommend it to others. Both heart-rending and sweet, the journey touches the doubts and fears, hopes and dreams, and ultimate need to love oneself, which we all must face in order to find happiness.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2011
4.5 of 5.
My favorite of Eden Winter's books so far - a touching, sometimes bite-your-fingernails/edge-of your-seat novella about a former street hustler who owns a bar and now makes it his life's work to give other young men a way out of the business.
MILD SPOILERS FOLLOW:
As always from Ms. Winters, the story is well-written and well-paced, although perhaps a bit heavier on narrative than dialogue. The only thing holding me back from a full five stars was the fact that I wanted more interaction between the two main characters, Jeremy and Noah - I felt close to understanding the relationship between the two men, but never connected fully. On the other hand, I felt as though Noah's relationship with his old love was more thoroughly explored.
A beautiful and touching love story. All the more poignant for the fact that the backdrop of kids aging out of foster care is a real problem (one I am familiar with in my day job). It's even more of a problem in this age of cuts to social services. Every city needs a Noah - a savior for its young adults in trouble. No doubt Ms. Winters chose that particular name for a reason.
My favorite of Eden Winter's books so far - a touching, sometimes bite-your-fingernails/edge-of your-seat novella about a former street hustler who owns a bar and now makes it his life's work to give other young men a way out of the business.
MILD SPOILERS FOLLOW:
As always from Ms. Winters, the story is well-written and well-paced, although perhaps a bit heavier on narrative than dialogue. The only thing holding me back from a full five stars was the fact that I wanted more interaction between the two main characters, Jeremy and Noah - I felt close to understanding the relationship between the two men, but never connected fully. On the other hand, I felt as though Noah's relationship with his old love was more thoroughly explored.
A beautiful and touching love story. All the more poignant for the fact that the backdrop of kids aging out of foster care is a real problem (one I am familiar with in my day job). It's even more of a problem in this age of cuts to social services. Every city needs a Noah - a savior for its young adults in trouble. No doubt Ms. Winters chose that particular name for a reason.
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