At Santa Cruz Central High School, they called them the misfits, the outcasts, the weirdos. But most of us knew them as the Lost Boys...
Holden Parish survived his parents' horrific attempts to make him "the perfect son." After a year's stint in a Swiss sanitarium to recover, he has vowed to never let anything--or anyone--trap him again. Brilliant but broken, he seeks refuge behind alcohol, meaningless sex, and uses his wicked sense of humor to keep people away. He only has to ride out one year in the coastal town of Santa Cruz with his aunt and uncle before he inherits his billions and can make his escape. Disappear.
Falling in love is not in the plans.
River Whitmore. Star quarterback of the Central High football team, Prom King, Mr. Popular, ladies' man. He leads the perfect life...except it's all a lie. His father has River's future in the NFL all planned out, while River's dream is to run the family business in the town that he loves. But his mother's illness is tearing the family apart and River is becoming the glue that holds them together. How can he break his father's heart when it's already shattering?
River's carefully-crafted façade explodes when he meets Holden Parish. A guy who dresses in coats and scarves year-round, drinks expensive vodka, and spends his free time breaking into houses for the fun of it. They're complete opposites. River seeks a quiet life, away from the spotlight. Holden would rather have dental surgery than settle down.
Holden's demons and River's responsibilities threaten to keep them apart, while their undeniable attraction crashes them together again and again, growing into something deep and real no matter how they resist.
Until one terrible night changes everything.
Wow, When You Come Back to Me is a powerful read. If you're in the mood for angst, look now further. This Emma Scott tale is loaded with grief and the long term effects of conversion therapy.
The second book in the Lost Boys series, it's easily read as a standalone.
Meet River and Holden. Two boys who are drowning in their pain.
Certain stories ruin you, and theirs is one such story.
River is living a life he doesn't want, as he's living his father's dream, not his own. If that isn't bad enough, he's also dealing with his mother's cancer, knowing she is dying and he can't do anything about it.
As for Holden, he's a survivor of a conversion camp, but he's barely holding on. His pain is front and center throughout and it's one hell of a tough read. His life is agony and it's agony to read.
Holden's pain and suffering is staggering. He doesn't know what love is. He doesn't know how to let himself be happy. Conversion therapy truly ruined him. And the reader gets a first hand look into all of his pain.
It's a heavy read, but it's a great read.
It's angst heavy and perfectly riveting.
It's the perfect combination of hurt/comfort, grief, and coming of age.
Best of all is the slow going for these two. I one hundred percent appreciate that nothing is fluffed off in this book. I praise the author for how the tale ends, with a realistic and poignant manner. I love that nothing's forced or glossed over.
And, oh dear god, the water. Holy crap. The water is definitely it's own character in this story, as it represents something so damn awful to Holden. It's a fascinating and meaningful addition of the story.
Written in alternating 1st person pov, the emotions fully jump off the pages. These two men and all their emotions are there for the reader to experience along with the young men.
But, damn, When You Come Back To Me is one hell of a heavy read. I can't recommend this book enough. Definitely pick it up the next time you're in the mood for something serious and meaningful. It's a stunning read. You won't regret it. And rest assured, there is a happy ending.
