Reviewed by Morgan
Title: Making Ends Meet
Authors: S.L. Armstrong and K. Piet
Heroes: Zach/Wil
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 166 Pages
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Release Date: October 26, 2012
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Zach is just seventeen years old, but despite his youth, he has more than his fair share of responsibility. An experimental fling in high school has led him down the path of single fatherhood. Now, he holds down a job, takes his college classes online, and pays his own bills as best he can—all while juggling daycare and chores and play-dates for his four-month-old, Mae. It’s a rough, 24/7 life, but to Zach, Mae is worth every penny spent and every minute of his day.
With no free time to speak of, it feels like a miracle when Zach meets Wil in the check-out line at his work. Handsome, grounded, from the proverbial “right side of the tracks”, and—even better—good with kids, Wil is everything he could want in a boyfriend. But as interested as Wil is in Zach, he has his own life, his own family, his own job and college career to think about. All the various draws on their time means that it’s hard just to find chances to be together. But Zach’s no stranger to hard tasks, and believes he owes it to himself to try.
Review: This is a very direct storyline about the struggles a 17 year old single father faces while raising a newborn and trying to go to school while having a relationship.
The only “hurdle” in the story is Zach’s constant worry. He worries about being a good father. He worries he’s too much of a burden to Wil. He worries about making ends meet. He worries about being in a safe neighborhood. He worries about distancing Wil’s family. Etc.
Zach is very insecure and this is really the only angst in this story.
On the one hand, I enjoyed watching the storyline roll out – seeing Zach navigate these hurdles and admiring him for being willing to do all this on his own.
On the other hand, I kept scratching my head … Why would Wil want any of this? (Not that he shouldn’t want it – but WHY does he?) The authors do not do a good job of giving Wil motivation to be with Zach other than an initial chemical attraction at the beginning of the story.
The other issue that had me scratching my head was the author’s choice to make Zach 17. He could have had all of these difficulties at 18, 19, 20 etc; but at 17 he also has the hurdle of legalities and the uncomfortable skeeviness of “statutory” issues.
While I appreciated the conflict Wil’s family situation brought to the story, I did not understand Wil’s response. In fact, Wil was the most misunderstood character in the whole story. I felt like I understood his parents and sibling’s motivations more than his at times.
All in all, it was an interesting read. It was thorough and descriptive. The drawings – while a little startling to run across – were cute. For someone in need of a low-angst story involving young lovers and a baby (low steam), this is your book. For someone looking for a romance that burns up the pages – keep looking.
Overall Impression: It was good
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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