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Letting Go
Dear Author,
This past year has not been easy for me. Every time I try to pick myself up, another setback blindsides me. I need to learn to let go and start again. I just don’t know if I can.
Photo Description:
The photo is very crisp and detailed, shot in black and white— super zoomed-in close-up shot of a hand, palm facing the camera. The palm is scarred and rough, meant to make a statement, to show struggle. There are black words written across the palm— “It’s time to let go… (it will be okay)”
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
This past year has not been easy for me. Every time I try to pick myself up, another setback blindsides me. I need to learn to let go and start again. I just don’t know if I can.
Photo Description:
The photo is very crisp and detailed, shot in black and white— super zoomed-in close-up shot of a hand, palm facing the camera. The palm is scarred and rough, meant to make a statement, to show struggle. There are black words written across the palm— “It’s time to let go… (it will be okay)”
This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group's "Love Has No Boundaries" event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.
53 pages, ebook
First published July 24, 2013
2 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Anthony
14 books41 followersC. J. Anthony grew up watching soap operas and reading piles of books. She attributes her love of reading and romance to her mother who not only taught her to read but also made countless trips to the library lugging those piles of books home for her to read. It wasn’t a far jump to start writing her own stories, early childhood tales about flower families and travelling to the moon with her best friend.
C. J.’s favorite stories to read and write include “opposites attract” pairings—couples who might appear to be an odd couple to the rest of the world, but to each other fit together perfectly, finding their own happy ever after with a little hard work and a whole lot of love.
Not surprisingly, C. J. is a big lover of rom coms—she’ll gladly take Julia Roberts standing in front of Hugh Grant asking him to love her, over car crashes and shoot-em up movies any day. She also watches way too much TV and every singing reality show there is. She loves music and musicians of all genres and attending live concerts.
She spends most of her time juggling a day job and a commute and freelance design work on the side and falling asleep on her couch, dreaming of a day when she can work all day in her pajamas while living in a house by the beach.
C. J.’s favorite stories to read and write include “opposites attract” pairings—couples who might appear to be an odd couple to the rest of the world, but to each other fit together perfectly, finding their own happy ever after with a little hard work and a whole lot of love.
Not surprisingly, C. J. is a big lover of rom coms—she’ll gladly take Julia Roberts standing in front of Hugh Grant asking him to love her, over car crashes and shoot-em up movies any day. She also watches way too much TV and every singing reality show there is. She loves music and musicians of all genres and attending live concerts.
She spends most of her time juggling a day job and a commute and freelance design work on the side and falling asleep on her couch, dreaming of a day when she can work all day in her pajamas while living in a house by the beach.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 14, 2015
After a secret night in a gay club, Sam and his boyfriend Dustin end up in a terrible car crash and suddenly Sam’s world is turned upside down. He has not only to face the heartbreaking consequences of the accident, but he is also forced into a “rehab facility” by his own parents in order to cure him from his devious sexual tendencies.
At not even eighteen, Sam is put trough some of the most horrifying things that can happen, but with the help of his sister Emmy and a young man called Nick he is finally able to overcome his past.
Letting Go tells as a beautiful story about loss, healing and about moving on. I wasn’t able to put this book down and my heart was breaking for Sam. Knowing that there are still too many stories like Dustin’s out there, this story gives hope that one day humanity might be able to overcome discrimination and homophobia.
5 stars!
At not even eighteen, Sam is put trough some of the most horrifying things that can happen, but with the help of his sister Emmy and a young man called Nick he is finally able to overcome his past.
Letting Go tells as a beautiful story about loss, healing and about moving on. I wasn’t able to put this book down and my heart was breaking for Sam. Knowing that there are still too many stories like Dustin’s out there, this story gives hope that one day humanity might be able to overcome discrimination and homophobia.
5 stars!
August 23, 2013
*sniffle sob*
I'm just a gooey sappy Mandy and of course this one hit my *mommy buttons* too.
Sam is in a car accident, that was actually the least of his problems, this short covers a gamut of issues, depression, suicide, grief, religion, abandonment, counseling, abuse of a parents responsibility to their children.
I love how the author was able to incorporate the picture prompt into the story. I would have loved a little peek down the road, just to see how Sam is doing and where he goes with his life..
A HUGE Thank you to all the generous and wonderful LHNB authors.
I'm just a gooey sappy Mandy and of course this one hit my *mommy buttons* too.
Sam is in a car accident, that was actually the least of his problems, this short covers a gamut of issues, depression, suicide, grief, religion, abandonment, counseling, abuse of a parents responsibility to their children.
I love how the author was able to incorporate the picture prompt into the story. I would have loved a little peek down the road, just to see how Sam is doing and where he goes with his life..
A HUGE Thank you to all the generous and wonderful LHNB authors.
July 24, 2013
Phew, a big bucket o' angst and guilt. And the rage I felt! Before breakfast even! Anthony definitely engaged my emotions in this one. I get very upset when I think there really are anti-gay facilities for teenagers. It's incomprehensible.
July 24, 2013
Now that I've dried my tears, I urge you to read this free little story about a young man who has to deal not only with zealously religious parents and a horrific accident that puts him in a coma, but also with the suicide of his boyfriend who folds under the hate and pressure from his own parents. Through hard work and with help from his sister and his Doctor, Sam learns to forgive himself and find a way to move forward.
I didn't appreciate singling out Catholics as the only perpetrators of hate speech and fuckawful behavior against gays and lesbians, and that cost the story its 5th star, but while the parents' reactions towards their sons' homosexuality might have been extreme, I've seen enough at my age to know that this shit does happen. Westboro Baptist Church, anyone?
As a parent myself, and as the aunt of a gay man, I want to say this to all who agree with Sam's and Dustin's parents:
FUCK YOU, YOU HOMOPHOBIC ASSHOLE BIBLE THUMPING HYPOCRITES.
Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, let me conclude this little review with a tissue warning. Have your Kleenex ready when reading this awesome story.
I didn't appreciate singling out Catholics as the only perpetrators of hate speech and fuckawful behavior against gays and lesbians, and that cost the story its 5th star, but while the parents' reactions towards their sons' homosexuality might have been extreme, I've seen enough at my age to know that this shit does happen. Westboro Baptist Church, anyone?
As a parent myself, and as the aunt of a gay man, I want to say this to all who agree with Sam's and Dustin's parents:
FUCK YOU, YOU HOMOPHOBIC ASSHOLE BIBLE THUMPING HYPOCRITES.
Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, let me conclude this little review with a tissue warning. Have your Kleenex ready when reading this awesome story.
July 26, 2013
While this was certainly a very moving story, it was also kind of predictable.
The wording in the blurb made me expect a little more heartbreak before the HEA.
This is a sad and far to often true to life story, I just never really felt the ending lived up to the realism of the rest of the story.
The wording in the blurb made me expect a little more heartbreak before the HEA.
This is a sad and far to often true to life story, I just never really felt the ending lived up to the realism of the rest of the story.
July 24, 2013
As it normally happens with CJ´s writing, have your tissues handy.
When I first saw the picture promt and her first draft of the story I was sure it was gonna break my heart.
So I patiently (not) waited for it.
Sam wakes up in hospital after a car accident he doesn´t really remember. He does remember that his lover, Dustin, was with him.
What follows is a heartbreaking story about a boy trying to get back on his feet after losing his lover, his family and almost losing his sanity along the way.
Insert Nick and Sam is on the way to recovery.
A road that is not an easy one, and the author gets to make it real. After everything Sam´s been through he needs support, comfort, a shoulder to cry on. And maybe, someone to love again.
Marking Time will remain my favorite CJ book but this one comes close.
Another great addition to our LHNB Event collection.
When I first saw the picture promt and her first draft of the story I was sure it was gonna break my heart.
So I patiently (not) waited for it.
Sam wakes up in hospital after a car accident he doesn´t really remember. He does remember that his lover, Dustin, was with him.
What follows is a heartbreaking story about a boy trying to get back on his feet after losing his lover, his family and almost losing his sanity along the way.
Insert Nick and Sam is on the way to recovery.
A road that is not an easy one, and the author gets to make it real. After everything Sam´s been through he needs support, comfort, a shoulder to cry on. And maybe, someone to love again.
Marking Time will remain my favorite CJ book but this one comes close.
Another great addition to our LHNB Event collection.
June 27, 2015
There was a lot of angst in this, Sam starts the story in a really bad place. For me the HEA is too easy with everything else going on, it felt tacked on and who the love interest was just seeme convenient.
November 24, 2020
Almost DNF because the middle part was just so painful to read. To see how Sam lost so many important people in his life in that short period of time , being betrayed by people who claimed to love him for so long while he was grieving was just heartbreaking. But knowing he will get his happiness made me continue through. Nothing beats more than seeing characters getting their happiness after suffering.
November 10, 2013
And that was just plain BEAUTIFUL! The fact that such hateful, closed minded people live in this world would be unfathomable to me if I didn’t know it was so sadly true. This story manages to deal with a lot of the negative very angsty elements in a way that still remains hopeful.
Sam is too young to have had his heart broken, but that’s what has happened. Not even eighteen he and his best friend and lover took their fake ideas and travelled out of town away from their extremely bigoted uber Catholic families. Together he and Dusty had a fabulous night finally able to openly be themselves, but on the way home the unthinkable happened. After getting hit by a drunk driver Sam wakes up in the hospital to find his world turned on its head leaving his heart desolate with loss.
This story touches on so many really uncomfortable topics, extreme homophobia, religion, death, the forced “cleansing” of gay teens. It could very easily have tipped the scales into an angst fest to beat all angst fests. Yet it didn’t. Not to say I didn’t tear up and it didn’t touch me, because I did and it does.
I wish these types of parents didn’t exist but sadly Dusty’s story is probably more common than any of us really wishes to face. Sam’s growth though, his healing, was absolutely lovely to read. I believed in his will to live and was on his roller coaster through his highs and lows. Even his confusion that his parents could resort to putting him in “hospital” like that was so perfectly apt. It must be devastating to realize the parents you idolize can’t and won’t ever accept you for the person that you are and instead see you as an abomination. I’m a ministers daughter and I thank god that my life was never pushed to be so narrow minded and bigoted. The use of religion to perpetrate these kind of atrocities against other people offends me so much. Love and acceptance should be the first things we learn in this life.
I really appreciated the fact that for this short this story wasn’t all about his relationship with Nick. This is a story about recovery and healing. Moving on is a huge part of that, but it’s not everything and certainly not the first step. Even Nick’s status as a counselor to Sam in the beginning I felt was handled really well. I could feel Sam piece by piece reclaiming his life and this story ends on such a hopeful note with the idea of the many wonderful things to come for such a strong, brave young man. This was just brilliant and I will look for more from this author as soon as I can fit it in.
Sam is too young to have had his heart broken, but that’s what has happened. Not even eighteen he and his best friend and lover took their fake ideas and travelled out of town away from their extremely bigoted uber Catholic families. Together he and Dusty had a fabulous night finally able to openly be themselves, but on the way home the unthinkable happened. After getting hit by a drunk driver Sam wakes up in the hospital to find his world turned on its head leaving his heart desolate with loss.
This story touches on so many really uncomfortable topics, extreme homophobia, religion, death, the forced “cleansing” of gay teens. It could very easily have tipped the scales into an angst fest to beat all angst fests. Yet it didn’t. Not to say I didn’t tear up and it didn’t touch me, because I did and it does.
I wish these types of parents didn’t exist but sadly Dusty’s story is probably more common than any of us really wishes to face. Sam’s growth though, his healing, was absolutely lovely to read. I believed in his will to live and was on his roller coaster through his highs and lows. Even his confusion that his parents could resort to putting him in “hospital” like that was so perfectly apt. It must be devastating to realize the parents you idolize can’t and won’t ever accept you for the person that you are and instead see you as an abomination. I’m a ministers daughter and I thank god that my life was never pushed to be so narrow minded and bigoted. The use of religion to perpetrate these kind of atrocities against other people offends me so much. Love and acceptance should be the first things we learn in this life.
I really appreciated the fact that for this short this story wasn’t all about his relationship with Nick. This is a story about recovery and healing. Moving on is a huge part of that, but it’s not everything and certainly not the first step. Even Nick’s status as a counselor to Sam in the beginning I felt was handled really well. I could feel Sam piece by piece reclaiming his life and this story ends on such a hopeful note with the idea of the many wonderful things to come for such a strong, brave young man. This was just brilliant and I will look for more from this author as soon as I can fit it in.
July 25, 2013
Wow, just wow. This was such a heartbreakingly beautiful story. As a mother myself I would NEVER let anything my children did or chose in life stop me from loving them with my whole heart. But it truly breaks my heart because I know its happening each and every day in real life. A parent is supposed to love their children unconditionally no matter what! This was such a touching story and its definitely one I have a feeling I will be thinking about from time to time.
August 11, 2013
For me it was a highly emotional trip - don't read it if you are not feeling well at the moment. It combined really everything - loss, hate, homophobic parents, even a facility where they wanted to train the gay away. Duh...I was a wreck, just like Sam. The story is mostly about his struggle through all these obstacles and only in the end we can see some light when he's finally able to let go. I only wish I could have read a bit more happy time.
July 28, 2013
LHNB Story released 24.7.13
A shade over 4 stars
This was a very nicely written story using some topics that could have made the story totally over the top in terms in angst terms. Yes, there is serious injury, mental abuse in the name of religion and suicide, but the tone of the story despite a few tear jerking moments was positive. I liked that the fact the new relationship with the counsellor when it did happen wasn't just accepted but the implications on his position were taken into account - albeit after the fact. Overall really enjoyed this one.
A shade over 4 stars
This was a very nicely written story using some topics that could have made the story totally over the top in terms in angst terms. Yes, there is serious injury, mental abuse in the name of religion and suicide, but the tone of the story despite a few tear jerking moments was positive. I liked that the fact the new relationship with the counsellor when it did happen wasn't just accepted but the implications on his position were taken into account - albeit after the fact. Overall really enjoyed this one.
July 24, 2013
Letting Go, was an amazing story that everyone should read just for the amazing way the author handled a horrendous situation. So many teenagers are faced with situations like this everyday and I thought the author did a wonderful job with staying true to what life is like.
I definitely recommend reading this story to everyone, it will make you think, it will make feeling, and most of all it inspires what hope can be.
I definitely recommend reading this story to everyone, it will make you think, it will make feeling, and most of all it inspires what hope can be.
December 30, 2014
THis one was a sad one but with hope and second chances. Young at heart Dustin and SAM wanted to get away, but what they didn't plan on is an car accident waiting to happen. What happens next is is sam in hospital and Dustin dies. I leave you to read find out what happens. BUt such a heartbreaking heartfelt. Sam just in limbo not no what comes next. This story deals with grief homophobia,suicide, second chances hope. It is a hard road back to recovery but its worth it in the end.
July 27, 2013
OK, sobbing here! This was just...hard to get through, but so so beautiful and emotional, wow! The writing was excellent, so angsty and vivid and real. I can't imagine how people could do what Dusty and Sam's parents did to them, but I know it happens all too much. Thank you for this wonderful story, and for giving Sam some happiness.
July 30, 2013
3.5 stars. I have mixed feelings on this one. It was so sad, and although I love angst I don't like total sadness or .But it was very well written.
September 6, 2013
Oh. My. What a sad story. Thank goodness it had a HEA.
So much heartbreak and angst.
I don't understand why people have to be so hateful. But, to be that way to your child.
Sammy not quiet 18 yet is in a car accident with his boyfriend.
So young, with no support from his parents to get over his grief.
This story was about loosing a piece of your soul to another and then living again.
So much heartbreak and angst.
I don't understand why people have to be so hateful. But, to be that way to your child.
Sammy not quiet 18 yet is in a car accident with his boyfriend.
So young, with no support from his parents to get over his grief.
This story was about loosing a piece of your soul to another and then living again.
September 21, 2013
4,5*
Oh my, what a tear jerker!!! The worst about this story is that these thing do in fact happen. And I always wonder how a parent can be so brainwashed to abandon their instinct to protect and love their children whatever happens.
Well, there re many reviews warning you you about angst, suicide, depression and so on. It's a tough read but worth it. Just don't expect fluffy romance.
Oh my, what a tear jerker!!! The worst about this story is that these thing do in fact happen. And I always wonder how a parent can be so brainwashed to abandon their instinct to protect and love their children whatever happens.
Well, there re many reviews warning you you about angst, suicide, depression and so on. It's a tough read but worth it. Just don't expect fluffy romance.
August 23, 2014
as part of the Love Has No Boundaries first volume i understand that it had to be short...
But man what a story!
its heart breaking and touching,it shows what some people, any normal person who isn't accepted, could go though when they lose a loved one...
i liked it, even through at a time it felt a bit rushed it was a really nice read...
But man what a story!
its heart breaking and touching,it shows what some people, any normal person who isn't accepted, could go though when they lose a loved one...
i liked it, even through at a time it felt a bit rushed it was a really nice read...
August 15, 2013
This story had me up and down the whole way through. At points the anger was tangible on the page. It was heartbreaking. But I loved how it was brought together at the end and how the healing could be seen. Great job!
August 25, 2013
This story is so powerful it grabbed a hold of me and didn't let go. I highly recommend this, but make sure you bring tissues. I was crying. It is a HEA but you have a very bumpy ride before you get there.
November 22, 2013
A sweet short story about a young guy recovering from a car accident which indirectly lead to the death of his boyfriend and alienation from his parents.
This was well written and seemed to capture the mood and emotions well.
This was well written and seemed to capture the mood and emotions well.
April 18, 2015
3.5 - Emotional and touching story. Nice interpretation of the photo and the story letter. Thank you C. J. Anthony for donating your story, your time and your talent.
February 1, 2018
Second reading... still cried!
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Oh, I'm still leaking tears! Such an emotional and important story.
Another 5 Star story from C.J. Anthony!
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Oh, I'm still leaking tears! Such an emotional and important story.
Another 5 Star story from C.J. Anthony!
July 27, 2013
Much angst. Much horrible-ness. Much to get through, for both characters and readers.
This pain too, will pass.
But there are happy moments. So there's that. Satisfying resolution.
This pain too, will pass.
But there are happy moments. So there's that. Satisfying resolution.
August 15, 2013
3.5 stars. Very sad, but with hope at the end.
September 10, 2016
Very touching. The story of a young man's battle to move on after his best friend (and lover's) death.
July 27, 2014
3.5* Stupid books that make me cry. I really liked the writing but the romance didn't quite work for me.
November 1, 2015
This wonderful story about loss, pain, desperation and hope had me on the verge of crying from page one and I couldn't stop reading until I reached the last one.
June 22, 2019
This was almost too painful to read, but I liked it very much. So much, indeed that I wouldn't have minded, if it were longer. The second half felt a bit rushed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews