Shawn's Voice

by Project Amy

Since kindergarten, Ryan has wanted only one thing for Christmas, his best friend, Shawn. As Christmas rolls around again, will Ryan finally get the present he's been wishing for all these years?

Words: 19,332 complete

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Disability, Contemporary, Short Stories, Young Adult, Romance

58 pages, ebook

First published December 25, 2011

About the author

Not much to say here but that I write male slash, and I like it :P. I thank everyone who takes the time to read my stuff and even comment or rate it.
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/806466...

Reviews

[Vio · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.35 stars
I feel like shouting in glee at finding another fantastic freebie. The friendship is the "story" and the eventual romance is the icing on the cake. I loved Shawn and Ryan they wormed their way into my heart. Ryan is this forceful dynamo who decides that Shawn will be his friend, he's 5 years old and wont allow Shawn to build barriers with his speech impairment. They both gravitate towards each other and stick together like glue, a confidence boost for Shawn and Ryan is the one to bring him out of his shell. A wonderful lifelong friendship and an absolute joy to read. I do wish that each chapter in their lives was longer and maybe a bit more story near the end as grown ups, but its free so I shouldn't complain too much. It worked wonders for me!

[vLadimiR · Rating 5 out of 5]

FREE Read Everyone!

I was reduced to a sobbing mess from just first few lines of the story. Four year old Shawn gripped my heart in a vise and he was just so adorably fragile that I wanted bundle him up in my arms.



Shawn Peters suffers from selective mutism which keeps him from interacting with people and makes him a target of ridicule. Through all the hardships in Shawn's life, there's one constant ray of sunshine in the form of his best friend (and knight-in-shinning-armor) Ryan Hannah.

The setting spans many years from childhood and focuses on each Christmas holiday leading up to their early twenties. The story is filled with angst and a lot of heartache but the tender moments between Shawn and Ryan serve as a balm through it all. I also appreciate that Shawn's Dad wasn't portrayed as the antagonist but instead, he was shown as a man so deep in sorrow which keeps him from being a good father to his son. Still redeemable in my opinion.

The plot was crafted beautifully and I'm not even going to complain about the typos here and there because I was sooo smitten with the relationship development of our MCs.



This is definitely how a love story should be written and I'll never get tired of reading this one again and again.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just beyond adorable (thank you, Vio!). This short story captured 16 Christmases over the span of Shawn's life (15 of them with his best friend, Ryan, who ends up as his beloved).

The first Christmas, when Shawn was only 4-years old just broke my heart *sniff*. But the rest of them are wonderful, WONDERFUL, seeing how the two boys grew up together, and how Ryan will always be Shawn's everything: his voice, his best friend, his protector, the love of his life...

Yes, the story only revolves around Christmas time, and it would be nice to see more of their lives together outside the holiday season -- but then it's just me being picky ^^

[Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows Shawn and Ryan from age four to age twenty. Every few years we get a slice of their lives at Christmas and it's killer, very emotional in the early years and doesn't let up. I loved their friendship and how it evolved and grew into more. Lovely free story with such a different kind of storyline. Just a stellar read.

[Mandy*reads obsessively* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to thank Vio for bringing this little gem to my attention.
Shawn is such a sweet little boy, and I am so glad he had Ryan and his family, even if I wish someone had given his father a swift kick in the rear.
Shawn has issues talking, he has a sad home life and he has a best friend Ryan who will do almost anything for him.
It's told in short increments from their first meeting at the tender age of 5 until they are grown and out of High School.
It's sweet, touching, cute,free, sappy and just a nice all around story and well worth reading.

[Emma Sea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars, despite the quiet voice in my head whispering that having one person be your everything - your family, your lover, your very voice - is an incredibly poor idea.

[Deeze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be warned the tissues will be needed right from the start. Child Shawn will break your heart

I loved the story of Shawn and Ryan. As heartbreaking as the start was it flourished into a beautiful ending. The middle was a mix of tears and smiles too lol. Watching Ryan struggle with his feelings was one of the best parts lol.

Thanks Vio, this took me back to all those wonderful free on line stories I used to read, but you owe me a few tissues.




There are a few inconsistencies and due to the shortness a few unexplained aspects. There are also quite a few mixed up word errors but if you can overlook them you will find a lovely little short that’s worth reading. I also found the sex scene didn't work very well for me and could easily of been left out.

For me personally I think this story has real potential to be more than just a free online short. With a bit of time and effort this could easily become a beautiful novella.

[Elsa Bravante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yo tengo un hijo con un Language Disorder y me despiertan mucha curiosidad y ternura cualquier texto con un personaje con problemas con el habla o el lenguaje. Este short, fancfiction, aunque tiene problemas al, evidentemente, no ser editado, ha sido muy dulce. Lo he disfrutado. Muy bonita la evolución de los personajes a través de las Navidades durante 16 años.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapter of this book completely gutted me. If anyone reading this review was on the Yonge-University subway line in Toronto this morning and saw a man sniffling in to his tablet, that might have been me.


This story is a collection of moments over sixteen years. It begins with the death of Shawn's mother when he was only four years old, moving on to when Shawn met Ryan, and then on through the years as they grow into adults.

Each part of this fic revolves around Christmas time, which I thought worked pretty well. As angsty as this fic is, the lighter holiday moments provided a good balance. Whether it was at a sadder moment or a happier one, I wanted to wrap Shawn up and tell him everything would be okay.

My only complaint has to do with Ryan's lack of growth or maturity. I was hoping that eventually Ryan would realize that being overbearing to the point of controlling Shawn was wrong. That never really happens, which is a shame because that's something that would probably be an issue for the two sometime down the road after they've been together for a few years. It just didn't sit right with me.

But still, it's a free read that'll be sure to pluck at your heartstrings. Recommended!

[Macky · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 *
Another lovely short story that I would never have found if it hadn't been for checking out friends choices on GR,
a beautiful poignant and tender tale of a friendship that stretches over 14 yrs between two boys, one ( Shawn) who will pluck at your heartstrings and the other( Ryan) who you will love for his fierce protective nature. You get to watch their relationship change and grow into something much more over that period of time, I loved it! Shawns Voice is one of those stories that leaves you wanting to go right back to the beginning to start again just because its so feelgood..its very emotional at the start so tissues are a must, but as it progresses - and you can see where its going - it gets more sweet and tender and satisfying till at the end your left sighing happily! I agree with another reviewer that in a way the love scene is probably not really needed. Its the getting there that is the delight but it doesn't spoil it so no probs really. Truly a lovely story.

[Tutu · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you can fall completely in love with a story, then call me head over heels.
Since it was first posted on AFF, a year ago, I periodically read this story and it never fails to make me happy and to comfort me.
Shawn’s Voice is a short story but it really packs a punch. Project Amy manages to provoke so many emotions with a few chapters, something that many full length novels fail to accomplish.
The story starts with a very emotional scene between 4 years old Shawn and his mother. This scene opens you up emotionally and everything that happens between Shawn and Ryan over the years never fails to touch you.

This is not a plot story. As Vio said, it’s a friendship story, immortalized over the years, every Christmas. You get to meet them as babies :)at 4-5 years and experience an incredibly sweet friendship. A true friendship for better or for worse. They grow up together and help each other be the men they are.
Towards the end, at 20 years old you witness them take the next clear step, at a romantic relationship. And who could be better for them than the person they loved their whole life.

There’s no doubt while reading this story that they’re perfect for each other.
You just read it and wait for them to grow up and figure it out. To find their perfect timing.

An amazing story! Cute, lovely, sweet, emotional, endearing, comforting, special and I could go on and on.

READ IT! You’ll love it!

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect..... A perfect love story.
They met when they were four years old. The beginning was heartbreaking. I cried out loud.
I cried for Shawn and felt proud for Ryan. Ryan was Shaws protector.
They were so connected together.
Over all those Christmas years they were unbreakable.
The story goes over sixteen years and there is not one moment that was boring.
I loved them both very much. The end was ahhhhh sweet
A free read so worthy to read
https://www.fictionpress.com/s/306038...

[BevS · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars from me for this one which I really enjoyed, sniff!

Lots of reviews have been done already, so I'll just say thanks to V, and highly recommended.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars! Adorable, sweet, and free. Friends to lovers in the sweetest building-the-bond-from-childhood way. Just the warm and fuzzy I needed to help nudge me along during my reading slump.

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little freebie a bunch of GR friends had already read and enjoyed. Friends-to-lovers genre, always a mood-lifter!

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars
Beautiful story of friendship that leads to more over time.

At the tender age of 4, Ryan becomes Shawn's best friend and protector. Over the next 15 years we get glimpses into thier lives as the boys grow up and grow closer.

This sweet story is primarily about friendship. The eventual transition to lovers takes the story to the next level and the end result is pure awesomeness!

Highly recommended free story.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet little gem! And free too.
Like turning the pages of a family photo album, we see tiny snapshots of each Christmas they spend together within a span of about 15 years. Heartbreaking at times but a really lovely story! :)

Thanks for the rec Vio! :D

[Camy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy amount of typos but this is a lovely story. It's so sweet!
I loved it :-)

[Major English (Laura) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet read. Love best friends-to-lovers! Would have loved for this story to have been even longer, so that's telling you that I really liked it.

I think how and when Shawn and Ryan got together finally was a bit rushed and thrown in towards the end. I would have loved more tension or build up or something, but it was good. Especially once the boys got together at the end. But would have loved to have seen more of their lives together after that point and even more romance between them.
I'm glad I got a chance to read it! Wonderful, wonderful freebie!!

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This didn't work for me. For the most part I liked the story, but the execution fell short. All the head-hopping and typos removed me from the enjoyment of the story. Both characters were endearing when they were young, but I felt a detachment once they finally got together. Although Ryan was always a bit controlling, I was hoping for more tenderness at this point.

[John The Cosmic Wanderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awwww this was really sweet. 4.5

[Vivian ♪(┌・。・)┌ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a gorgeous, heart-warming and just plain endearing story. It's a short read, only being 3k, but it's so exquisitely written that it just drags you under, forcing you experience emotion after emotion whether you want to or not. Disabilities have always been a very sobering read for me, but in that same sense, they also have the potential to be some of the most beautiful stories.

[Tamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story. The snapshot in the life of a lonely little boy and his new best friend... moving towards their future. All I can say is I loved it and will probably re-read it because it took a place in my heart. Shawn and Ryan are destined to be together forever and that is just perfect.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

D'awwwwww, that hurt and it was beautiful at the same time. These two couldn't have been more perfect for each other. Typos abound in the version I read, but I didn't even care because I was too busy falling for Shawn and Ryan.

[Trisha Harrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sweet, but I really wish Shawn and Ryan had become a couple sooner.

[YullSanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5

[Rhe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this free story years ago and while it could use some corrections and editing, it's one of my favorite things I've ever read. Not everything that gets published is good, and there are some hidden gems floating around from writers who will probably never be published, but should be.
This story stuck with me for a long time. I was already crying in the first chapter. The whole thing is just so sweet and a beautiful story overall. I also think it was told in a creative way with the Christmas theme.
I'm happy to see it's on Goodreads so I can add it to my favorites and review it. I wish the author would publish it in a format that I can keep - I'd love to buy it!

[Tj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply beautiful. Your heart will break for tiny Shawn and his loss. But as the saying goes when life closes a door, it opens a window. Ryan is that window.

This novella follows Shawn and Ryan's lives from the time they are five until they are 20 and is set against the backdrop of the Christmases they share. Find that feeling of Christmas and fall in love with gentle Shawn and protective Ryan by reading their story.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story was highly emotional, sweet, adorable and all the other beautiful adjectives one can think of. My one small issue is that the ending felt a bit rushed and Shawn's feelings of romantic love had not seemed to come through until then.

[Maygirl7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars