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Arrows Through Archer
After the loss of his parents, Archer Hart is consumed by grief. Each day, he struggles his way through classes, parties, and trying to put on a good front for the sake of his best friend. But at night, he falls asleep to the sound of gunshots ringing in his ears.
Mallory is a man fighting a war of emotions all his own. When his son invites his best friend back home to Banff over a college break, he’s happy for the company.
Some time during the late-night talks, subtle smiles, and long, long silences, the two men begin to find solace in one another.
But love isn’t always easy, especially when it strikes you straight through the heart.
Mallory is a man fighting a war of emotions all his own. When his son invites his best friend back home to Banff over a college break, he’s happy for the company.
Some time during the late-night talks, subtle smiles, and long, long silences, the two men begin to find solace in one another.
But love isn’t always easy, especially when it strikes you straight through the heart.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 12, 2017
About the author
Nash Summers
19 books564 followersNash Summers rarely has any idea what she’s doing. But when she likes to pretend, she pretends by writing stories at the pace of drying paint. As if that wasn’t exhilarating enough, Nash also enjoys absolute silence, general politeness, and waiting her turn in line.
Needless to say, she’s a bona fide hell raiser.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nash.summers...
Nash also has a super cool newsletter which can be found here: http://eepurl.com/boD5TP
Needless to say, she’s a bona fide hell raiser.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nash.summers...
Nash also has a super cool newsletter which can be found here: http://eepurl.com/boD5TP
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 750 reviews
March 13, 2018
*Price drop to $0.99 at Amazon US, 3/13/18*
*4.5 stars*
My first read by Nash Summers, if you can believe it, and I was BLOWN AWAY! This book was basically like a checklist of everything that I love in romance, and I simply couldn't put it down!
What makes this book so special, you ask? Well, it's the FEELS!!!! SO MANY FEELS! Sure, it's pretty F-ing angsty, but you won't be crying or wishing you never started it (like I've felt with some rip-your-heart-out books). It's just deep stuff, people, and it will make you believe in love again.
So why is this book basically a hit list of my favorite themes? Funny you should ask because I'm about to tell you!
First of all, it's my holy grail: a sexuality discovery story. I would definitely categorize Mallory as a pansexual because he falls in love with people, not genders, but, GAH, I love it when someone realizes they had feelings for a man for a first time.
Secondly, it's a slow burn. A REALLY slow burn. At this point in my reading career, a slow burn is practically a requirement for me, if I'm being honest. Gone are the days where I feel okay with instalove, and now I need that emotional build-up to be satisfied. This was a DELICIOUS slow burn, the kind that starts innocuously and just builds and builds until it all comes to a, ehem, head.
It is also an age-gap story, 17 years to be exact. I have an almost 10 year age gap with my husband, so I'm a sucker for an age gap any day of the week.
We also get a hurt-comfort, which isn't usually enough for me by itself, but it also includes an , which is always a HUGE bonus for me in romance. I love a story with an underdog or when sometimes has to overcome obstacles.
Finally, we get a second-chance-at-love romance, which, for some reason always seems to work for me from an emotional perspective. I think the emotions are just more intense, more heightened when it's a love found after the MC has lost someone. It reminded me of some of my all-time favorite romances (After Ben, Second Chances).
The only thing I had trouble with was the POV change about 2/3 of the way through the story. I'm not a big fan of that, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to the goodness that is Arrows Through Archer.
I could go on and on about all the glorious things about this book, but the only thing you REALLY need to know is that you should buy it. Like now.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
*4.5 stars*
My first read by Nash Summers, if you can believe it, and I was BLOWN AWAY! This book was basically like a checklist of everything that I love in romance, and I simply couldn't put it down!
What makes this book so special, you ask? Well, it's the FEELS!!!! SO MANY FEELS! Sure, it's pretty F-ing angsty, but you won't be crying or wishing you never started it (like I've felt with some rip-your-heart-out books). It's just deep stuff, people, and it will make you believe in love again.
So why is this book basically a hit list of my favorite themes? Funny you should ask because I'm about to tell you!
First of all, it's my holy grail: a sexuality discovery story. I would definitely categorize Mallory as a pansexual because he falls in love with people, not genders, but, GAH, I love it when someone realizes they had feelings for a man for a first time.
Secondly, it's a slow burn. A REALLY slow burn. At this point in my reading career, a slow burn is practically a requirement for me, if I'm being honest. Gone are the days where I feel okay with instalove, and now I need that emotional build-up to be satisfied. This was a DELICIOUS slow burn, the kind that starts innocuously and just builds and builds until it all comes to a, ehem, head.
It is also an age-gap story, 17 years to be exact. I have an almost 10 year age gap with my husband, so I'm a sucker for an age gap any day of the week.
We also get a hurt-comfort, which isn't usually enough for me by itself, but it also includes an , which is always a HUGE bonus for me in romance. I love a story with an underdog or when sometimes has to overcome obstacles.
Finally, we get a second-chance-at-love romance, which, for some reason always seems to work for me from an emotional perspective. I think the emotions are just more intense, more heightened when it's a love found after the MC has lost someone. It reminded me of some of my all-time favorite romances (After Ben, Second Chances).
The only thing I had trouble with was the POV change about 2/3 of the way through the story. I'm not a big fan of that, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to the goodness that is Arrows Through Archer.
I could go on and on about all the glorious things about this book, but the only thing you REALLY need to know is that you should buy it. Like now.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
January 6, 2022
“Don’t you want to be happy, Ace?”
And because he was my best and only friend, I said, “I don’t know. I don’t remember what it feels like anymore.”
Deeply emotional, angsty, and hopeful, Arrows Through Archer follows the story of two grieving men who find solace and comfort in each other's wounds.
Archer Hart is grieving the death of both of his parents who died in a car accident. He's struggling in his classes, fakes his smiles, hardly gets up on time, and ignores important necessities. When his best friend, Danny, invites him back to his home in Banff, Archer complies for the sake of his best friend. Danny's dad, Mallory, is grieving on his own as well, mourning the loss of his wife. He spends his time working and running, but isolates himself and spends his time alone. When the two find each other sharing personal and similar connections of grief and loneliness, they find company and comfort through each other, shared through small smiles, brief talk, and shared loneliness. But before they know it, coming to accept and move on with their feelings may be more difficult than each man may think.
What I appreciated the most here is how prioritized the topic of grief is. It isn't subtle and doesn't become neglected or pushed away as a component of the plot for it, yet rather it assumes control over the entire story and makes a feeling of support through the characters. Both Archer and Mallory are grieving on their own and fighting their inner demons, but they both find themselves finding comfort in each other's inner wounds, providing self-assuring healing that isn't loaded with misdirecting and awkward exchange that just inflicts the wounds more. All things considered, the two men understand the solace and comprehension of quiet and casual conversation.
Adding on to that, grief continues to be part of the entire book, even towards the end. It did not take away the emotion from the story but instead added to it. Nash Summers not only crafted emotionally realistic and relatable characters, but her writing is also powerful in terms of grasping attention and not letting it go. I was rooting for both characters as individuals first and foremost, and I was anticipating how they would come to acceptance with their past.
That was the strange thing about misery: it loved company.
This is, out of everything, a hurt/comfort book. The relationship between Archer and Mallory develops through personal hardships that are creating invisible weights on their shoulders. What started off as a night of small-talk of getting to know each other turns into a familiar routine where both become not only accustomed to each others company but become used to the presence of each other. I found their friendship to be raw and heartbreaking. Two men who couldn't find happiness in any person or thing come to the conclusion that having the option to connect with the deficiency of somebody significant in your life. Mallory and Archer are different but all the same. Both are quiet and reserved, isolated and internally wounded, stoic and cold. While Archer may be 17-years Mallory’s junior, they’re both aware and mature of the attachment they begin sharing. Summers makes it simple to feel for the two characters. Neither appeared to be exhausting or layered, however rather their characters would sparkle as time elapsed, through little signals and activities each would start appearing and sharing.
“How can you not know I love you, Archer? I’ve dreamt of you every night that you weren’t by my side. I can’t imagine someone knowing you like I have and not loving you.”
Yet, I do have to mention I was not always rooting for their relationship, per se. While their friendship developed into something more, one where both began to feel tension between each other and realize they wanted more, actions later turned into second thoughts and mistaken assumptions. To an extent, I was able to understand, especially for Mallory. Not only was everything new to him, but he was still processing his emotional connection to his wife. Yet, when he pushed Archer away, the book skipped not one, now two, but three years. We are momentarily mindful of what both Mallory and Archer are doing now, both in various circumstances.
When the two see each other again after three years apart, they connect physically. Mallory shows frustration, annoyance, anger, and jealousy at the fact that Archer has been with other men. Archer, in reply to his emotions, tells him he did it to forget because Mallory didn't want him, which is quite true, but not entirely. Yet, he is correct, Mallory did send him away after their first night together and didn't stop himself or try to earn him back. He let him walk away, just as he asked him to. Three years pass, and all it took was for the two to hit the bedroom to forget everything and resolve all the negative pressure and conflicts that were encompassing one another. This threw me off a little because I would have preferred Mallory fight for Archer and Archer have him win his trust back. Not only did Mallory's anger and jealousy feel abrasive and quite unnecessary (especially since everything that happened was because of him), but I was unable to see how effectively Archer excused him after all that he put him through. Archer tells Mallory how depressed he got after he left, which caused him so much more pain than he already had. All in all, in spite of how the two actually loved one another, I would have preferred Archer to make it less simple and not have given in as fast as he did.
Adding on to that, I'm usually not a fan of time jumps. With the book already being short in length, three years being skipped and jumped didn't help understand Mallory and Archer's situations more. We switch POVS, going from Archer's three years before their reunion, to Mallory being the narrator after three years. This also threw me off, especially because when I was reading Archer's point of view, I was wondering what Mallory was thinking, whereas then I was wondering what Archer was thinking in Mallory's point of view. It additionally removed piece of the feeling of the book on account of how much might have happened to the two characters. For example, such as how Archer was still going through his physical recovery, how Mallory started working less, how Archer and Danny kind of distanced themselves, and more.
“And maybe I have. Maybe it’s the change of seasons this year, or maybe it’s been enough time. But I’m finally feeling like the wound, right now, isn’t quite as deep as it used to be.”
In conclusion, despite the emotional background of this and how the first part had be sobbing (if you know, you know), I can't help but feel a little unsure of my overall feelings due to the missed opportunities between the two that caused drama for the sake of it. I will say that I appreciated how Danny did not react immaturely and too harsh when he found out about the relationship between his dad and best friend. All in all, with a few personal quibbles, Arrows Through Archer was still beautiful and moving, showing me the beauty of finding love and happiness in people who share your pain.
June 11, 2017
4.5 Stars.
Loved it.
This book worked in so many ways for me.I loved the Before and After first from Archer's pov and then from Mallory.And a story that spans over years is totally my thing.
It's not an easy read at times,it deals with a lot of emotive subjects and it's definitely not a fluffy MM with an abundance of sex scenes.
I made the mistake of reading some reviews just after I started reading it and a few mentioned something that I would have preferred not to know in advance so I'm going to be deliberately vague here.
Archer is grieving over the loss of his parents three years ago.He's exsisting......
As a reader you can feel his sadness and emptiness.Then he meets Danny who is pushy,endearing,and turns out to be a great friend to Archer in so many ways.An invitation from Danny for Archer to spend Thanksgiving with him and his father is about to change his life....
Mallory is dealing with his own grief.He's living a solitary life really only focusing on his work.
There is no insta lust here,no immediate attraction,no falling into bed.It's a slow burn but the story wouldn't have had such a strong impact on me if that was the case here.
Despite the age difference (17 years ), Archer and Mallory have a lot of similarities.They are both quiet,reserved and are comfortable in each others silences.They develop a friendship and feelings long before anything physical happens.
I found this really difficult to review without spoilers.
I don't want to give anything away...
-not why the story spans over a number of years,
-not how their relationship plays out,
-not how family plays a part.
Read the blurb,go into it relatively blind and I'm sure you'll love it.Yes,it's sad but it's actually quite beautiful.
Highly Recommended.
An Arc of Arrows Through Archer was kindly provided to me by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
Loved it.
This book worked in so many ways for me.I loved the Before and After first from Archer's pov and then from Mallory.And a story that spans over years is totally my thing.
It's not an easy read at times,it deals with a lot of emotive subjects and it's definitely not a fluffy MM with an abundance of sex scenes.
I made the mistake of reading some reviews just after I started reading it and a few mentioned something that I would have preferred not to know in advance so I'm going to be deliberately vague here.
Archer is grieving over the loss of his parents three years ago.He's exsisting......
As a reader you can feel his sadness and emptiness.Then he meets Danny who is pushy,endearing,and turns out to be a great friend to Archer in so many ways.An invitation from Danny for Archer to spend Thanksgiving with him and his father is about to change his life....
Mallory is dealing with his own grief.He's living a solitary life really only focusing on his work.
There is no insta lust here,no immediate attraction,no falling into bed.It's a slow burn but the story wouldn't have had such a strong impact on me if that was the case here.
Despite the age difference (17 years ), Archer and Mallory have a lot of similarities.They are both quiet,reserved and are comfortable in each others silences.They develop a friendship and feelings long before anything physical happens.
I found this really difficult to review without spoilers.
I don't want to give anything away...
-not why the story spans over a number of years,
-not how their relationship plays out,
-not how family plays a part.
Read the blurb,go into it relatively blind and I'm sure you'll love it.Yes,it's sad but it's actually quite beautiful.
Highly Recommended.
An Arc of Arrows Through Archer was kindly provided to me by the Author in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2020
5 huge stars!
I loved everything about this book. The story. The setting. The characters. The writing.
It was emotional, warm and exceptionally beautiful.
One of my favourite reads this year!
************
Re-read 1/2019
I loved everything about this book. The story. The setting. The characters. The writing.
It was emotional, warm and exceptionally beautiful.
One of my favourite reads this year!
************
Re-read 1/2019
July 25, 2017
Maybe if this universe of ours was different. Maybe if everything was different and the sky was the ocean and the clouds were the soil. Maybe if life hadn't engrained me with apprehension or uncertainty or a longing for some things I obviously could not have. Maybe then, we would've had words for each other.
Nash Summers' writing needs no accolades. It stands apart in stark beauty.
Arrows Through Archer is about love and loss, grief and loneliness; it's about being stuck and moving on.
I wasn't anticipating Mallory's actions. I wish he'd done more to seek out Archer versus waiting for chance (or fate?).
This isn't an easy romance; it's angsty and sad. Yet so many things about this story appealed to me:
- AGE GAP of 17 years that was at once everything (Mallory can't imagine building a life with his son's best friend) and nothing (Archer makes Mallory feel alive for the first time in forever)
- Archer and Mallory's friendship and the simmering SLOW BURN, which made their coming together so much more sensual
- emotional and physical comfort/healing (Mallory is as deeply wounded as Archer)
- a strong HEA, all the more satisfying because it wasn't easily earned (after all, 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value)
June 17, 2018
Warning! This gushing I call review and might contain spoilers! Proceed with caution.
5++++++++++++stars
“Have you ever kissed a man?”
“Yes.” He took my hand, brought it to his mouth, and kissed the palm of my hand. “You.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.
This book is sooooooo GOOOOOOOD! It goes right up there with Infamous as my second best mm romance.
I read, re-read, re-read the chapters, replayed them in my head over and over.
Why did i wait so long to read this? *Facepalm*
I agree with all the great reviews written for this book.
MC 1: Archer (Ace)- the one who lost his parents and now doesn't know how to live and he is basically just existing.
MC2: Mallory – the one who lost his wife and now doesn’t know how to move on.
These two broken souls bond over their loneliness and misery and the result is magic.
People fall into each other in different ways. Some people fall together in laughter, surrounded by energy and joy. Some fall into each other in passion, unable to keep their skin from touching.
But Mallory and I fell into each other slowly, gently, tentatively, like almost everything we did. We were quiet and fluid.
Have you ever read a book, that makes you feel the way the characters feel? Well I have. This book made me feel all the feeling.
The writing is so good, it sucked me from the first page. When I read the first paragraph I knew I was a goner.
One morning I woke, but the two halves of my heart did not. That murky morning I pulled the sheets away, stood, and looked out at the fog caressing the sharp-tipped blades of grass on our front lawn.But miles and miles and miles away, before I’d known it, something was about to break my heart.
And just like that boom! I was hooked.
It is one amazing slow-burn and I have discovered I am a sucker for slow-burn, huh! I love stories that span over years, I feel they are more believable. And boy! did this book deliver.
I felt the way Archer and Mallory felt, I was with them when they first met, i was with them through their grieving process, when Mallory showed Archer his workshop, when he taught Archer how to cook food that Danny can manage to eat, when Archer laughed so hard for the first time in years because what Mallory said was funny, when they would go to the supermarket together and look all domestic, sit outside and just watch the stars, sit by the fire place… I can go on and on but i need to stop. Yap! It was that good. You know the little things.
Archer and Mallory had chemistry from the first time they met. These two developed a wonderful friendship born out of grief and misery that developed into a romance.
His nose brushed against mine. His hair tickled my forehead. And then when I closed my eyes, he pressed his lips against mine.
That too was slow. Painfully slow. It was sweet and tentative like a first kiss between two people who had no clue what they were doing.
His thumb brushed against the bottom of my lip as he kissed it.
I groaned and he deepened the kiss, pressing a little harder, running his tongue against the seam of my mouth.
It would be considered a felony not to mention Danny the best friend, and he gets the award for the best supportive best friend and son. He was funny, strong, and always being there for his grieving father and best friend, without judging them.
There is no INSTA anything here, if you are looking for fluff then this is not for you,if you are looking for Daddy kink then too bad, if you don’t mind reading about how different characters cope with and try to overcome grief, sadness, while searching for hope and happiness they once knew and very good writing then by all means READ IT!
Just going to leave this here:
“Look.” Danny, one hand on the wheel, pointed into the distance through the front windshield.
“What am I looking at?” I asked, leaning forward.
Danny threw me a look. “The mountains. Duh.”
Within the hours, the small speckles of color in the distance had grown to huge, towering rock formations I could barely wrap my mind around. In person, they were nothing like pictures. They were massive and littered with trees. Snow covered the tops, along with a thick, white fog, which created the illusion of an infinitely tall mountain. As we continued to drive along the winding road, deeper and deeper into the mountains, we became completely surrounded. It was like we’d entered a different world where the sky no longer existed, but these old titans took their place
Alright does that make you feel like you are in the car with Danny and Ace? Of course it does!
Highly Recommended.
5++++++++++++stars
“Have you ever kissed a man?”
“Yes.” He took my hand, brought it to his mouth, and kissed the palm of my hand. “You.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.
This book is sooooooo GOOOOOOOD! It goes right up there with Infamous as my second best mm romance.
I read, re-read, re-read the chapters, replayed them in my head over and over.
Why did i wait so long to read this? *Facepalm*
I agree with all the great reviews written for this book.
MC 1: Archer (Ace)- the one who lost his parents and now doesn't know how to live and he is basically just existing.
MC2: Mallory – the one who lost his wife and now doesn’t know how to move on.
These two broken souls bond over their loneliness and misery and the result is magic.
People fall into each other in different ways. Some people fall together in laughter, surrounded by energy and joy. Some fall into each other in passion, unable to keep their skin from touching.
But Mallory and I fell into each other slowly, gently, tentatively, like almost everything we did. We were quiet and fluid.
Have you ever read a book, that makes you feel the way the characters feel? Well I have. This book made me feel all the feeling.
The writing is so good, it sucked me from the first page. When I read the first paragraph I knew I was a goner.
One morning I woke, but the two halves of my heart did not. That murky morning I pulled the sheets away, stood, and looked out at the fog caressing the sharp-tipped blades of grass on our front lawn.But miles and miles and miles away, before I’d known it, something was about to break my heart.
And just like that boom! I was hooked.
It is one amazing slow-burn and I have discovered I am a sucker for slow-burn, huh! I love stories that span over years, I feel they are more believable. And boy! did this book deliver.
I felt the way Archer and Mallory felt, I was with them when they first met, i was with them through their grieving process, when Mallory showed Archer his workshop, when he taught Archer how to cook food that Danny can manage to eat, when Archer laughed so hard for the first time in years because what Mallory said was funny, when they would go to the supermarket together and look all domestic, sit outside and just watch the stars, sit by the fire place… I can go on and on but i need to stop. Yap! It was that good. You know the little things.
Archer and Mallory had chemistry from the first time they met. These two developed a wonderful friendship born out of grief and misery that developed into a romance.
His nose brushed against mine. His hair tickled my forehead. And then when I closed my eyes, he pressed his lips against mine.
That too was slow. Painfully slow. It was sweet and tentative like a first kiss between two people who had no clue what they were doing.
His thumb brushed against the bottom of my lip as he kissed it.
I groaned and he deepened the kiss, pressing a little harder, running his tongue against the seam of my mouth.
It would be considered a felony not to mention Danny the best friend, and he gets the award for the best supportive best friend and son. He was funny, strong, and always being there for his grieving father and best friend, without judging them.
There is no INSTA anything here, if you are looking for fluff then this is not for you,if you are looking for Daddy kink then too bad, if you don’t mind reading about how different characters cope with and try to overcome grief, sadness, while searching for hope and happiness they once knew and very good writing then by all means READ IT!
Just going to leave this here:
“Look.” Danny, one hand on the wheel, pointed into the distance through the front windshield.
“What am I looking at?” I asked, leaning forward.
Danny threw me a look. “The mountains. Duh.”
Within the hours, the small speckles of color in the distance had grown to huge, towering rock formations I could barely wrap my mind around. In person, they were nothing like pictures. They were massive and littered with trees. Snow covered the tops, along with a thick, white fog, which created the illusion of an infinitely tall mountain. As we continued to drive along the winding road, deeper and deeper into the mountains, we became completely surrounded. It was like we’d entered a different world where the sky no longer existed, but these old titans took their place
Alright does that make you feel like you are in the car with Danny and Ace? Of course it does!
Highly Recommended.
April 4, 2021
This book is so amazing.. I loved it even more this time around, so bumped the stars to 5. I reread the whole book in one sitting today, so that should tell you how much I loved it. It just hurt so damn good.
------Original Review, slightly modified after 2nd reading------
Arrows Through Archer is a story about loss. Of grief. And finding a reason to live again. There's a lot of angst in these pages -- a metric ton of it -- but there is also hope and healing. I read this novel in a single sitting, unable to put it down. The story is broken into two parts, the first one told from Archer's POV, and the second from Mallory's. And in each part you can feel the narrator's pain and regret, as well as their hope.
Archer Hart grieves alone. He doesn't think he'll ever heal. In fact, he won't let himself. He was close to his parents when they were killed and now he lives his life for them. Certainly not for himself. He's working on his degree in business and marketing, not because he loves it, but because it was what his mother did. And he plans to apply to the police academy after graduating, in honor of his father. I'm not sure Archer has ever really done anything just for himself.
Mallory Patel is used to being alone. His wife died several years ago from cancer and since then Mallory has lived a solitary life in a cabin on the outskirts of Banff, Alberta. He's a carpenter and he makes custom furniture and that has become his life and only outlet. While Mallory still grieves for his wife, he isn't really lost in the grief, anymore. But he hasn't really moved on, either, so he's extremely lonely.
Mallory and Archer are a lot alike. They're both quiet and reserved. They both appreciate silence and whiskey. Puzzles and conversation. Neither expected to find a kindred spirit in the other. Neither expected to find solace. It just sort of happened. But not at Thanksgiving. No, it wasn't until later when Archer needed a place to convalesce after a brutal attack that they became more.
The romance in Arrows Through Archer is a very slow burn. Though there is a 17 year age difference (Archer is 24 and Mallory is 41 when the story begins), Archer is really older than his years would suggest. He's been through so much and lost so much and that really does take its toll. It isn't Archer that has trouble with the age difference, though. Mallory has such a hard time with it. But how do you tell your son you're in love with his best friend? How do you tell yourself?
It wrecked me when Mallory took the cowards way out and sent Archer away. He had his reasons, for sure, but it wrecked me. They have a long separation. One year. Two years. Three years. The chapters marked for dramatic effect. And it worked.
And where in part one, we can feel the tangible despair that Archer feels in the beginning, in part two we can feel all of Mallory's regrets about how things ended with Archer.
Their second chance very well might not have happened. They meet again, by chance, when Archer is back in Banff for work. Mallory is miserable and Archer is still feeling the sting of rejection. Archer doesn't let go of hurt easily. He carries it close to his heart. But their pull is still strong and while Archer doesn't forgive Mallory right away, and he is cautious, he doesn't take much convincing, really.
The angst is just so tangible and I loved every moment of it.
I loved Arrows Through Archer. I loved and connected with both MC's, which was impressive considering that they are both kind of closed off. Having both POV's did help greatly in understanding where each MC was coming from. The story is angsty and full of grief. Even the thread of hope I felt in the story was weighed down by the grief that the MC's felt. The steam level is low to moderate and the ending was a strong HFN, that I might actually consider an HEA. I found the ending to be pretty satisfying, overall, with both men finally actually working on healing and moving on -- together.
----------------------------------
ARC of Arrows Through Archer was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
------Original Review, slightly modified after 2nd reading------
Arrows Through Archer is a story about loss. Of grief. And finding a reason to live again. There's a lot of angst in these pages -- a metric ton of it -- but there is also hope and healing. I read this novel in a single sitting, unable to put it down. The story is broken into two parts, the first one told from Archer's POV, and the second from Mallory's. And in each part you can feel the narrator's pain and regret, as well as their hope.
Archer Hart grieves alone. He doesn't think he'll ever heal. In fact, he won't let himself. He was close to his parents when they were killed and now he lives his life for them. Certainly not for himself. He's working on his degree in business and marketing, not because he loves it, but because it was what his mother did. And he plans to apply to the police academy after graduating, in honor of his father. I'm not sure Archer has ever really done anything just for himself.
Mallory Patel is used to being alone. His wife died several years ago from cancer and since then Mallory has lived a solitary life in a cabin on the outskirts of Banff, Alberta. He's a carpenter and he makes custom furniture and that has become his life and only outlet. While Mallory still grieves for his wife, he isn't really lost in the grief, anymore. But he hasn't really moved on, either, so he's extremely lonely.
Mallory and Archer are a lot alike. They're both quiet and reserved. They both appreciate silence and whiskey. Puzzles and conversation. Neither expected to find a kindred spirit in the other. Neither expected to find solace. It just sort of happened. But not at Thanksgiving. No, it wasn't until later when Archer needed a place to convalesce after a brutal attack that they became more.
The romance in Arrows Through Archer is a very slow burn. Though there is a 17 year age difference (Archer is 24 and Mallory is 41 when the story begins), Archer is really older than his years would suggest. He's been through so much and lost so much and that really does take its toll. It isn't Archer that has trouble with the age difference, though. Mallory has such a hard time with it. But how do you tell your son you're in love with his best friend? How do you tell yourself?
It wrecked me when Mallory took the cowards way out and sent Archer away. He had his reasons, for sure, but it wrecked me. They have a long separation. One year. Two years. Three years. The chapters marked for dramatic effect. And it worked.
And where in part one, we can feel the tangible despair that Archer feels in the beginning, in part two we can feel all of Mallory's regrets about how things ended with Archer.
Their second chance very well might not have happened. They meet again, by chance, when Archer is back in Banff for work. Mallory is miserable and Archer is still feeling the sting of rejection. Archer doesn't let go of hurt easily. He carries it close to his heart. But their pull is still strong and while Archer doesn't forgive Mallory right away, and he is cautious, he doesn't take much convincing, really.
The angst is just so tangible and I loved every moment of it.
I loved Arrows Through Archer. I loved and connected with both MC's, which was impressive considering that they are both kind of closed off. Having both POV's did help greatly in understanding where each MC was coming from. The story is angsty and full of grief. Even the thread of hope I felt in the story was weighed down by the grief that the MC's felt. The steam level is low to moderate and the ending was a strong HFN, that I might actually consider an HEA. I found the ending to be pretty satisfying, overall, with both men finally actually working on healing and moving on -- together.
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ARC of Arrows Through Archer was generously provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
April 9, 2019
Still a 5 star read. I noticed a lot of my friends still haven't read this. Chop chop!
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This review will make more sense to you after reading the book. I choose to keep it as spoiler free as possible, because I want everyone to experience it the way I did. But I'm telling you beforehand that this is my favorite Nash Summers to date, and I highly recommend it. But know that here be ghosts.
BEFORE...
This is a story about grief. But it's not just about that. It's about the things that were left unsaid. About not knowing. About finding some hope and contentment that will keep you afloat, only for it to be snatched away from you again. About finding LOVE.
AFTER...
Mallory's hung ups and the way he acted in the first part of the book resonated a lot with me. I can only imagine being in his place. But even if I blamed him for...things, he would have won me back in the second part of the book. He was amazing.
The narrative structure and the POV change are brilliant. The time jump and the way it is depicted on page is brilliant too. The writing is evocative, sometimes raw, sometimes almost lyrical. There is tons of UST and slow burn. And TONS of feels.
If you 're looking for daddy kink, look elsewhere. If you 're looking for light and funny (like Maps), that's not your book. I won't lie, this is a not an easy read. But easy reads don't leave an impression on me, and this one slayed me.
Arrows through Archer is about the journey to love another person and yourself. I'm happy that Archer reached both destinations in the end.
................................................................................
This review will make more sense to you after reading the book. I choose to keep it as spoiler free as possible, because I want everyone to experience it the way I did. But I'm telling you beforehand that this is my favorite Nash Summers to date, and I highly recommend it. But know that here be ghosts.
BEFORE...
"One morning I woke, but the two halves of my heart did not.
This is a story about grief. But it's not just about that. It's about the things that were left unsaid. About not knowing. About finding some hope and contentment that will keep you afloat, only for it to be snatched away from you again. About finding LOVE.
AFTER...
"Around him, the world continued. Around me, the world must’ve continued as well. But it didn’t feel like it.[...]
He might’ve still looked like an angel, but even from a mile away, I would be able to see the devil on his shoulder. Archer."
Mallory's hung ups and the way he acted in the first part of the book resonated a lot with me. I can only imagine being in his place. But even if I blamed him for...things, he would have won me back in the second part of the book. He was amazing.
The narrative structure and the POV change are brilliant. The time jump and the way it is depicted on page is brilliant too. The writing is evocative, sometimes raw, sometimes almost lyrical. There is tons of UST and slow burn. And TONS of feels.
If you 're looking for daddy kink, look elsewhere. If you 're looking for light and funny (like Maps), that's not your book. I won't lie, this is a not an easy read. But easy reads don't leave an impression on me, and this one slayed me.
Arrows through Archer is about the journey to love another person and yourself. I'm happy that Archer reached both destinations in the end.
December 24, 2021
It might look like my rating for this is five stars but my actual rating is closer to five million stars.💙 This book easily goes into my top five list that lives in my head of my favorite m/m books - a list that is never concrete and ever changing but one thing is for certain Arrows Through Archer will never leave it. I hit quite a milestone with this one - I was sobbing through a sex scene!!!!!!
“I feel so light. Like maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” “There is.” I kissed the top of his head. “And if there isn’t, I’ll dig a way out for us. Because I’ll be wherever you are. Now and forever.”
“I feel so light. Like maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.” “There is.” I kissed the top of his head. “And if there isn’t, I’ll dig a way out for us. Because I’ll be wherever you are. Now and forever.”
July 20, 2017
4.5 Stars!
So so good. I was immediately invested in the story.
While this one was very hard to read at times and very sad it was impossible not to root for an HEA.
I loved the split POVs, even though the turning point hits you straight in the heart.
In the end it was worth it. I couldn't help but smile.
So so good. I was immediately invested in the story.
While this one was very hard to read at times and very sad it was impossible not to root for an HEA.
I loved the split POVs, even though the turning point hits you straight in the heart.
In the end it was worth it. I couldn't help but smile.
August 6, 2017
All the stars
I absolutely adored this story!!! It's definitely the best book I've read this year and one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read.
I loved everything about it. Even the painful scenes, the heartbreak, the tears. My heart was shattered into tiny pieces while reading it, but I couldn't put it down. I've read it in one sitting even if I wasn't feeling well and I was extremely tired. This is how much I loved it.
I am not sure I can explain in words my feelings towards this story. Not sure there are words to do it justice. To say I was completely mesmerized by this author's writing, would be an understatement. I highlighted so many wonderful and poetic parts in this book. Amazing writing!
Unfortunately I can't seem to gather my thoughts at the moment and write a proper review, so I will have to stop here.
I still want to share more, but I am speechless right now.
I will get back to it when I'll feel ready. Until then, I recommend this book with all my heart!
I absolutely adored this story!!! It's definitely the best book I've read this year and one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read.
I loved everything about it. Even the painful scenes, the heartbreak, the tears. My heart was shattered into tiny pieces while reading it, but I couldn't put it down. I've read it in one sitting even if I wasn't feeling well and I was extremely tired. This is how much I loved it.
I am not sure I can explain in words my feelings towards this story. Not sure there are words to do it justice. To say I was completely mesmerized by this author's writing, would be an understatement. I highlighted so many wonderful and poetic parts in this book. Amazing writing!
Unfortunately I can't seem to gather my thoughts at the moment and write a proper review, so I will have to stop here.
I still want to share more, but I am speechless right now.
I will get back to it when I'll feel ready. Until then, I recommend this book with all my heart!
July 5, 2021
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Does Time Heal All Wounds?*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This book was beautiful in some ways. It was a healing process for both main characters. While nothing truly happened, it was still enjoyable and pulled at your heartstrings. As someone familiar with pain having lost both my brothers for example, I can relate to Archer. Plus, I have a thing for cold and unapproachable character. However, Ace wasn't really all that cold, he was just in pain and didn't like to talk about said pain. That said, even though I enjoyed this book, I lost a bit of interested between the Before and the After jump. Might be because of the switch of POV. The Before chapters are from Archer's POV and the After (3 years after Before) chapters are Mallory's. I wished Mallory was more dominant, to be honest. More Alpha male. But we can't all get what we want, eh? Overall, I liked this book. I had expected more pain in my chest from reading this story, but I guess can handle a whole lot more as this book didn't even bring tears to my eyes.
His eyes sparkled but his face remained stern. I blinked at him, heart racing, head spinning. “Do I want to know why you so badly want me to go with you?”
“You know why.” His voice sounded gentle—too gentle—and I had to stare at the wall behind his head.
This was what it came down to.
The same thing it always came down to: I, Archer Hart, couldn’t be trusted to be alone because my best friend thought the moment I was, I’d pull out my father’s old Smith & Wesson and blow my brains out.
I leaned forward, head in my hands, and breathed in deeply, letting the smell of dark coffee waft around me. Danny didn’t say a word, and I wasn’t sure if that made it better or worse.
Eventually, when we both knew I was breaking, I nodded into my hands.
The Characters:
↦ Archer ‘Ace’ Hart (24(?) in part 1: Before. 27(?) in part 2: After.) He's studying business as his major and minoring in marketing, just as his mother did when she was his age. And then when he's finished school, he's going to join the police academy, just like his father.
↦ Danny Patel, Acher's best friend.
↦ Mallory ‘Mal’ Patel (41? in part 1: Before. 44 in part 2: After) 17 years older than Ace), Danny's father. He's a carpenter: makes furniture. Owns his own shop; Oak & Varnish: Custom Wood Furniture. Sophia, his wife and Danny's mother who died of cancer a few years ago.
↦ Josh, Keith, Matthew and Matthew ‘Matt’, childhood friends of Danny - from Canada, Banff.
↦ Andrew ‘Bullseye’ Hart (5 years old than Ace), Ace's brother. Who, according to Ace, was the person who knew their parents better than anyone else in the universe told Ace they would've have hated the person Ace has become.
↦ Sarah, an old friend of Mallory and Sophia’s
↦ Philip ‘Phil’, friend of Mallory. His wife, Nancy and him owned the bakery next door to Mallory's shop.
↦ Derek, a co-worker of Ace in the After chapter.
↦ Amanda, Andrew Hart’s ex-wife. Aiden (4), her and Andrew's son.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Contemporary Romance (M/M)
Series: - Standalone.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Archer ‘Ace’ Hart.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure.
Will I read this again in the future? - Unsure.
Rating - 3 stars.
April 20, 2018
4.5 stars
How beautiful a well written sadness can be.
“I was still living in this deep, dark pit composed of my own hurt” … Oh Archer Hart ....How sad the premise of your book is and how you and Mallory turned it upside down to have that happy ending.
I don’t know why I waited so much to read this beautiful story. A story where the conversations are good, intimate, and constructive but the silences shared between our guys are even better than those great dialogues. Whiskey, a fireplace, a smile... the intimacy created by those evocative moments is half the magic and greatness of the book. A book based in pain, depression and loneliness but with the permanent shine of something. That encouraging trust a lantern hidden in your backpack can give you when you’re entering a cave, and you know it’s dark but you also know you can light up your way and see the exit once you took that flashlight out.
This story shows us loneliness. This story tells us how difficult can be facing a reality you’re not happy with. A world that doesn’t give you what you want, what you need. This is two men dealing with their own grieving process but creating an amazing and solid bond while doing it. This is friendship. This is family. This is sexy too. And warmth. This is sweet and the most important thing: this is not depressing at all.
To me Mallory is peace. He is home. He is that shelter in the mountains we all need. Even if stubborn and a coward (yes, I’ve said that *gasping in Spanish*) he is like the place he lives in: Lonely and silent but full of a warming and supporting attitude. I loved him as much as I loved my poor Archer and I understood Mallory completely, every single minute of him even when he was doing something I didn’t approve. And let me tell you: that’s a well written character. Both are.
(This is Banff, Alberta, the setting of this story. And this is Mallory to me. A peaceful and precious refuge)
Something that I particularly love about this book is how Nash Summers doesn’t need to demonize a first love to make the second one stronger, vital and unforgettable. We can love more than once in our lives. We can met someone special, fall in love with that someone and after that, meet who is gonna be the love of our lives, our new life, our new beginning. Another chapter.
These men belong together but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a past. They have and that’s the reason they met and start something beautiful and meaningful. They are each other’s reason to breath and that’s touchable and I felt it to the core.
I loved everything in this book. From the meaning in the title and the way the plot and main subject is treated, to the lovable characters and the good dialogues. A highly recommend read about a man falling in love for his son’s best friend who’s no other than a stunning twenty something tired of the absence of happiness in his life. A dual POV awesomely narrated that will leave you with a smile on your face and knowing two fictional characters have found happiness and love.
Reviews for Book Lovers
How beautiful a well written sadness can be.
“I was still living in this deep, dark pit composed of my own hurt” … Oh Archer Hart ....How sad the premise of your book is and how you and Mallory turned it upside down to have that happy ending.
I don’t know why I waited so much to read this beautiful story. A story where the conversations are good, intimate, and constructive but the silences shared between our guys are even better than those great dialogues. Whiskey, a fireplace, a smile... the intimacy created by those evocative moments is half the magic and greatness of the book. A book based in pain, depression and loneliness but with the permanent shine of something. That encouraging trust a lantern hidden in your backpack can give you when you’re entering a cave, and you know it’s dark but you also know you can light up your way and see the exit once you took that flashlight out.
This story shows us loneliness. This story tells us how difficult can be facing a reality you’re not happy with. A world that doesn’t give you what you want, what you need. This is two men dealing with their own grieving process but creating an amazing and solid bond while doing it. This is friendship. This is family. This is sexy too. And warmth. This is sweet and the most important thing: this is not depressing at all.
To me Mallory is peace. He is home. He is that shelter in the mountains we all need. Even if stubborn and a coward (yes, I’ve said that *gasping in Spanish*) he is like the place he lives in: Lonely and silent but full of a warming and supporting attitude. I loved him as much as I loved my poor Archer and I understood Mallory completely, every single minute of him even when he was doing something I didn’t approve. And let me tell you: that’s a well written character. Both are.
(This is Banff, Alberta, the setting of this story. And this is Mallory to me. A peaceful and precious refuge)
Something that I particularly love about this book is how Nash Summers doesn’t need to demonize a first love to make the second one stronger, vital and unforgettable. We can love more than once in our lives. We can met someone special, fall in love with that someone and after that, meet who is gonna be the love of our lives, our new life, our new beginning. Another chapter.
These men belong together but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a past. They have and that’s the reason they met and start something beautiful and meaningful. They are each other’s reason to breath and that’s touchable and I felt it to the core.
I loved everything in this book. From the meaning in the title and the way the plot and main subject is treated, to the lovable characters and the good dialogues. A highly recommend read about a man falling in love for his son’s best friend who’s no other than a stunning twenty something tired of the absence of happiness in his life. A dual POV awesomely narrated that will leave you with a smile on your face and knowing two fictional characters have found happiness and love.
Reviews for Book Lovers
June 11, 2017
Arrows Through Archer by Nash Summers slayed me. It's a story about death, depression, patience, hope, and love. It's about Archer, a young man who his still grieving for the parents he lost and the brother who disowned him, and Mallory, Archer's best friend Danny's father. Mallory lost his wife years ago but still hasn't completely moved on- he misses her. Neither man was searching for love but found it in each other.
My highlights:
-The tone of the story. Nash Summers' writing here has a quiet, melancholy, poetic feel to it that I love. The tone and pace matched the characters and their story perfectly.
-The characters. They were fleshed out and experienced character growth as the story progressed.
-Relationship development. If you've read my reviews you know I love a slow burn, and this is one of the best I've ever read. From the start, their relationship never felt paternal; Archer has been through so much that he's an old soul at heart. Theirs was a friendship that grew into more, and while those feelings were growing, they stole my breath.
-Angst. This story was emotional and packed a punch at times, but it never felt so overwhelming I thought about taking a break.
-The time lapse. When you read it (and you all need to), you will know what I mean.
-The climax was perfectly executed. There's nothing I hate more than a drawn out, overdramatic conflict- not so here.
-The end. They're in it for the long haul, and I would love to read a Christmas novella-I practically salivate at the idea.
Do I have any negatives? I don't; this was perfect.
There's no way I could do this book justice in a review. It's beautiful and heartfelt and one you should read and experience for yourself. This is going on my Top Ten for the year. 5+ Stars!
**Review to be cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
June 19, 2020
4.5 Stars
"Arrows Through Archer" is about two men who are grieving and one of them is struggling with life. These two found happiness and solace in each other but this happiness and peace wouldn't come easily to their lives...
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novel. I’d read some of this author’s books and so far this one is what I liked more. It’s emotional, a bit angsty, and slow burn. I’m not a big fan of slow romances but I couldn’t read this one faster, I read it in one sitting. It’s well-written and contains an almost 17 years old age gap. Love both characters so much. Overall, loved it and hope you enjoy it as well!
"Arrows Through Archer" is about two men who are grieving and one of them is struggling with life. These two found happiness and solace in each other but this happiness and peace wouldn't come easily to their lives...
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s a standalone novel. I’d read some of this author’s books and so far this one is what I liked more. It’s emotional, a bit angsty, and slow burn. I’m not a big fan of slow romances but I couldn’t read this one faster, I read it in one sitting. It’s well-written and contains an almost 17 years old age gap. Love both characters so much. Overall, loved it and hope you enjoy it as well!
July 4, 2017
I generally steer clear of books that involve grieving and/or depression. I decided to read this one because I wanted to try something different. I'm glad I did. I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. The tone is pretty serious and the MCs are complex but this book was an emotional and beautiful read.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
I look forward to reading more by this author.
Read
July 13, 2017Live now! And free to read on KU!
And a link to my Pinterest inspiration board for this one: https://www.pinterest.com/nashsummers...
Buy Link: http://a.co/3rW5nxG
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Blurb up, cover up, and here's a sneak peek at the print cover!
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A M/M contemporary romance between a young man and his best friend's father.
This might sting a bit.
And a link to my Pinterest inspiration board for this one: https://www.pinterest.com/nashsummers...
Buy Link: http://a.co/3rW5nxG
---
Blurb up, cover up, and here's a sneak peek at the print cover!
---
A M/M contemporary romance between a young man and his best friend's father.
This might sting a bit.
January 5, 2022
I wanted this to be my first review of 2022 but...I FORGOT!
Anyways.....
This book was my last read of 2021. I wanted to end the year with an epic book, something unforgettable and just plain special.
Well... I got my wish. I read a remarkable book.
But it was HARD. Hard to read, Hard to put down and hard to forget.
Let's have a Q&A:
Q: What took you son long to read this book is it's that good?
A: *stares* Next question.
Q: Ooookay. What are tropes?
A: Age gap, Close Proximity, Best friend's dad and Bi-awakening/gfy.
Q: That's a great combo! What did you love about it?
A: Beautiful writing style, Emotional read, sucked me in from the very first sentence and didn't let me go even after I was done reading.
Q: Seems intense! What about the characters?
A: Both will really break your heart. Both men are drowning in grief from the loss of family members. Both are quiet and introspective. Both find solace in each other's company. It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Q: I know it's a silly question but.... Angst-o-meter?
A: *snort* It's super angsty.
Q: what about the steam-o-meter?
A: It's a slow burn with medium steam and alot of first times for dear old Mallory!
Q: Ok but it has an HEA right?
A: It does!!! Lordt after all that angst and hurt, they FINALLY have a worthy HEA.
Anyways.....
This book was my last read of 2021. I wanted to end the year with an epic book, something unforgettable and just plain special.
Well... I got my wish. I read a remarkable book.
But it was HARD. Hard to read, Hard to put down and hard to forget.
Let's have a Q&A:
Q: What took you son long to read this book is it's that good?
A: *stares* Next question.
Q: Ooookay. What are tropes?
A: Age gap, Close Proximity, Best friend's dad and Bi-awakening/gfy.
Q: That's a great combo! What did you love about it?
A: Beautiful writing style, Emotional read, sucked me in from the very first sentence and didn't let me go even after I was done reading.
Q: Seems intense! What about the characters?
A: Both will really break your heart. Both men are drowning in grief from the loss of family members. Both are quiet and introspective. Both find solace in each other's company. It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Q: I know it's a silly question but.... Angst-o-meter?
A: *snort* It's super angsty.
Q: what about the steam-o-meter?
A: It's a slow burn with medium steam and alot of first times for dear old Mallory!
Q: Ok but it has an HEA right?
A: It does!!! Lordt after all that angst and hurt, they FINALLY have a worthy HEA.
July 16, 2017
One morning I woke, but the two halves of my heart did not.
Arrows Through Archer grabbed me from this first sentence and I loved it from the first word to the very last.
This was my fourth BR with my my lovely ladies Josy and Christelle, with the help from Karen and Jewel playing the roles of ourstalker moral supporters this time, and it was once again another winner. Girls, thank you so much for holding my hand, you were once again the icing on the cake!!! Normally, I don't know if it is due to the buddy read that makes a book that much more special or if it is the book itself, but this time it was definitely both.
We could probably read the manual of a lawnmower and the girls would make it an outstanding experience, but this book alone deserves all the stars in the universe.
Arrows Through Archer is a beautifully written story about
loss and life
grief and coping
lost hope and self-discovery
second chances and love
I lost count of how many times this book made me cry and I guess I made sure that the tissue industry won't go bust anytime soon, but it was worth each and every crack in my heart. One thing is for sure: the story left behind a huge impression and will be on my mind for a long time.
Highly recommended!
Arrows Through Archer grabbed me from this first sentence and I loved it from the first word to the very last.
This was my fourth BR with my my lovely ladies Josy and Christelle, with the help from Karen and Jewel playing the roles of our
We could probably read the manual of a lawnmower and the girls would make it an outstanding experience, but this book alone deserves all the stars in the universe.
Arrows Through Archer is a beautifully written story about
loss and life
grief and coping
lost hope and self-discovery
second chances and love
I lost count of how many times this book made me cry and I guess I made sure that the tissue industry won't go bust anytime soon, but it was worth each and every crack in my heart. One thing is for sure: the story left behind a huge impression and will be on my mind for a long time.
Sometimes words weren't enough. Sometimes words weren't anything at all.
Sometimes words meant nothing. Other times, they meant far, far too much.
Highly recommended!
June 16, 2017
Gah....I loved every minute of this. I haven't been this wow'd by a book in a long time.
I read a lot of books. Sometimes I can go months before a book really jumps out and catches my attention. This is that book. I was looking forward to this because I’m already a big fan of this author’s other works. I’m excited to say that this was everything I was hoping it would be.
Archer is a college student who is really struggling. He’s had some major losses in his life and has some internal issues that he struggles with. He goes to classes and parties and tries to pretend everything is alright but inside he’s drowning in grief. His best friend Danny though, is aware of everything and keeps a constant eye on him.
Over a holiday, Danny takes Archer home with him and there he meets Danny’s father Mallory. Despite their age gap, the two men find they have a lot in common. They’re both quiet and reserved and they’re both stuck on losses in their lives they can’t seem to move past.
A series of incidents bring the two men together for an extended amount of time and they begin to find solace and healing in each other. There are a lot of extenuating factors though and things aren’t easy.
I don’t want to say much else about the plot (& I know I have been super vague about everything so far) because I really think this is a book you should go into not knowing much about. You need to experience how the story unfolds. I think the author set the format up in a unique manner. The way she handles the point of views and the time periods was brilliant and had a powerful impact on the reader. (I believe my reading update accused her of being an “evil genius”)
The writing style really drew me in. It had a lyrical quality to it and it set the atmosphere so well. I could feel Archer’s grief and sadness from the very first page. And later, when he’s in the mountains with Mallory, you feel like you’re right there with them as they stare into the fire or gaze into the night sky.
I think this is the most believable age gap story I’ve read. These two feel so right for each other from the very beginning. The growth of their relationship was quiet and slow and I think even more beautiful as a result. It all felt realistic and was something I could really see happening.
The story is interesting in the fact that there are very few other characters in the book. The ones that are there are only seen in short glimpses but they have important roles. Most of the story though is just Archer and Mallory. At one point Mallory asks what’s happening and Archer thinks “We’re falling in love”, and really that’s what this is about. This is a story about two men falling in love and working through their own issues so they can love themselves and be the best they can be for the other one.
I really can’t fan girl enough about this book. I would love to see everyone read this. Realistically though, you should note the triggers in regards to grief, depression etc. This is not a light read and may not work for some. I personally didn’t think it was too bad but I’m a big fan of angst and realism in my books. For the rest of you though, run get this right now. The author’s going to tear your heart out, but she’s also going to put it back together and it’s going to be beautiful when you get there.
I read a lot of books. Sometimes I can go months before a book really jumps out and catches my attention. This is that book. I was looking forward to this because I’m already a big fan of this author’s other works. I’m excited to say that this was everything I was hoping it would be.
Archer is a college student who is really struggling. He’s had some major losses in his life and has some internal issues that he struggles with. He goes to classes and parties and tries to pretend everything is alright but inside he’s drowning in grief. His best friend Danny though, is aware of everything and keeps a constant eye on him.
Over a holiday, Danny takes Archer home with him and there he meets Danny’s father Mallory. Despite their age gap, the two men find they have a lot in common. They’re both quiet and reserved and they’re both stuck on losses in their lives they can’t seem to move past.
A series of incidents bring the two men together for an extended amount of time and they begin to find solace and healing in each other. There are a lot of extenuating factors though and things aren’t easy.
I don’t want to say much else about the plot (& I know I have been super vague about everything so far) because I really think this is a book you should go into not knowing much about. You need to experience how the story unfolds. I think the author set the format up in a unique manner. The way she handles the point of views and the time periods was brilliant and had a powerful impact on the reader. (I believe my reading update accused her of being an “evil genius”)
The writing style really drew me in. It had a lyrical quality to it and it set the atmosphere so well. I could feel Archer’s grief and sadness from the very first page. And later, when he’s in the mountains with Mallory, you feel like you’re right there with them as they stare into the fire or gaze into the night sky.
I think this is the most believable age gap story I’ve read. These two feel so right for each other from the very beginning. The growth of their relationship was quiet and slow and I think even more beautiful as a result. It all felt realistic and was something I could really see happening.
The story is interesting in the fact that there are very few other characters in the book. The ones that are there are only seen in short glimpses but they have important roles. Most of the story though is just Archer and Mallory. At one point Mallory asks what’s happening and Archer thinks “We’re falling in love”, and really that’s what this is about. This is a story about two men falling in love and working through their own issues so they can love themselves and be the best they can be for the other one.
I really can’t fan girl enough about this book. I would love to see everyone read this. Realistically though, you should note the triggers in regards to grief, depression etc. This is not a light read and may not work for some. I personally didn’t think it was too bad but I’m a big fan of angst and realism in my books. For the rest of you though, run get this right now. The author’s going to tear your heart out, but she’s also going to put it back together and it’s going to be beautiful when you get there.
June 15, 2017
**** 4.5 Stars ****
Available on Kindle Unlimited.
I have to say, after reading a few reviews I was prepared to take a mean punch in terms of angst but I think I need to take into consideration my previous read. After having my feelings and emotions shattered by it, this one tasted like candy.
The MC's had a gap of 17 years which I am a sucker for. It didn't feel that way though, because Archer although young, had an old soul.
Archer and Mallory were very similar in their quietness.
Both of them trying to heal in silence.
Gotta love these troubled guys! They were so adorable.
There was a bit of drama, but just the right amount to add some spice in the Romance.
The pace in which the story unfolded was perfect. Nothing was rushed, which only added credibility to their feelings.
Arrows Through Archer left my mind in a zen place, with a sense of tranquility, peace and good vibes.
Loved it!
December 19, 2022
This is just so effortless in the best possible way.
The moment Mallory carried his son up the stairs to make Archer feel better about the situation is the moment I fell in love with him.
I love how quiet, meditative and considerate they are of each other. The author managed to make their grief both aching yet beautiful.
The small, innocent touches are the best. Especially the way they make him relax when he’s so filled with tension.
That was the most weighted conversation about puzzles that I never imagined. It felt like the end of a very important chapter and the beginning of one that’s life changing.
They danced and the world opened up with all these new horizons. This quote best narrates how lovely the falling was …
“People fall into each other in different ways. Some people fall together in laughter, surrounded by energy and joy. Some fall into each other in passion, unable to keep their skin from touching.
But Mallory and I fell into each other slowly, gently, tentatively, like almost everything we did. We were quiet and fluid.”
Then he made a mistake and it tarnished him a little but not enough to ruin him. Slowly but surely like everything else they do he proved his worth and it was everything.
The moment Mallory carried his son up the stairs to make Archer feel better about the situation is the moment I fell in love with him.
I love how quiet, meditative and considerate they are of each other. The author managed to make their grief both aching yet beautiful.
The small, innocent touches are the best. Especially the way they make him relax when he’s so filled with tension.
That was the most weighted conversation about puzzles that I never imagined. It felt like the end of a very important chapter and the beginning of one that’s life changing.
They danced and the world opened up with all these new horizons. This quote best narrates how lovely the falling was …
“People fall into each other in different ways. Some people fall together in laughter, surrounded by energy and joy. Some fall into each other in passion, unable to keep their skin from touching.
But Mallory and I fell into each other slowly, gently, tentatively, like almost everything we did. We were quiet and fluid.”
Then he made a mistake and it tarnished him a little but not enough to ruin him. Slowly but surely like everything else they do he proved his worth and it was everything.
May 4, 2018
5 thousand stars! I loved, LOVED this book!
I start to develop a fondness for age gap stories, though I like them more if the characters are connected somehow from before. That's what happened here so happy dance.
This story takes us through the years, another favorite of mine in books. There is a pretty big time jump but I think it was necessary for the story to continue. Maybe it could have been slightly shorter but it worked as it was too.
There is no manufactured drama, no unnecessary angst. Don't get me wrong, it's not all hearts and flowers, the opposite is true actually, but nothing that happens feesl void of purpose. Everything happens the way they do because otherwise the story wouldn't happen. The chracters experience a lot of pain and heartacke, they are broken pieces at the start and for most of the story but there is light at the end and they reach for it. Each has his own pace but they are both strong and stubborn enough crawl their way towards it.
Archer's life is a struggle no matter how you look at it. He looses everything that matters to him and still he moves forward. He was such a strong person, tortured, lonely, depressed and still not giving up on life. A single bad decision changed the course of his life and he couldn't do anything about it but follow the new path he found himself in. This new path turned out to lead him to Mallory but he didn't know that from the start.
Their connection developed slowly, through months of living together out of necessity, through quiet mornings making breakfast in the kitchen and dark nights gazing up at the stars, through endless silences. It wasn't love at first sight, it wasn't even attraction, that came later. At first it was just a father meeting his son's best friend.
I wish there was an epilogue taking place a few years down the line but what we did get was pretty awesome too. It was a new chapter, a promise for better days to come, a hope that life goes on no matter what the past holds. "Arrows Through Archer" is a deeply emotional story, full of silence, new beginnings and black, starry nights.
Don't miss out on this little gem!
*ETA because I was so excited about the story that I completely forgot to put this here before now.
Thank you Vir for this amazing gift! Reading this took me in a journey that I won't forget anytime soon.*
I start to develop a fondness for age gap stories, though I like them more if the characters are connected somehow from before. That's what happened here so happy dance.
This story takes us through the years, another favorite of mine in books. There is a pretty big time jump but I think it was necessary for the story to continue. Maybe it could have been slightly shorter but it worked as it was too.
There is no manufactured drama, no unnecessary angst. Don't get me wrong, it's not all hearts and flowers, the opposite is true actually, but nothing that happens feesl void of purpose. Everything happens the way they do because otherwise the story wouldn't happen. The chracters experience a lot of pain and heartacke, they are broken pieces at the start and for most of the story but there is light at the end and they reach for it. Each has his own pace but they are both strong and stubborn enough crawl their way towards it.
Archer's life is a struggle no matter how you look at it. He looses everything that matters to him and still he moves forward. He was such a strong person, tortured, lonely, depressed and still not giving up on life. A single bad decision changed the course of his life and he couldn't do anything about it but follow the new path he found himself in. This new path turned out to lead him to Mallory but he didn't know that from the start.
Their connection developed slowly, through months of living together out of necessity, through quiet mornings making breakfast in the kitchen and dark nights gazing up at the stars, through endless silences. It wasn't love at first sight, it wasn't even attraction, that came later. At first it was just a father meeting his son's best friend.
I wish there was an epilogue taking place a few years down the line but what we did get was pretty awesome too. It was a new chapter, a promise for better days to come, a hope that life goes on no matter what the past holds. "Arrows Through Archer" is a deeply emotional story, full of silence, new beginnings and black, starry nights.
Don't miss out on this little gem!
*ETA because I was so excited about the story that I completely forgot to put this here before now.
Thank you Vir for this amazing gift! Reading this took me in a journey that I won't forget anytime soon.*
May 15, 2023
2023.05.15
When ever I feel like reading something "deeper" I tend to fall back on some of the books I know won't disappoint me. Arrows Through Archer will forever be one of my staples.
I love this book.
2021.09.10
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/comp...
Before you judge.. it's really bad form to be nasty to people for having a hang-up on a book. LOL
Yes, I read it yet again. So what? Malory is a epic book crush guy. It can't be helped.
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2021.06.25 - Second time around. I can honestly say that it still brought tears to my eyes and it still made me ache in the best way. This book is one of a kind. One of those a will come back to again and again. I was scared to read it again, for fear of finding fault or not honoring the memory of how it made me feel. No worries though. It's still so good. ;-)
---------------------------
Overall book rating: 5
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.8
First Nash Summers!
Off the top of my mind...
Beautifully written. Emotional. Right in the feels. Sad. Absolute fabulous characters.
What more can I say?
I can’t tell you how much I LOVE this book. I can’t.
And it’s ALL about the WAY it was WRITTEN. In my humble opinion. This story could have been just a nice story. But it was so much more in the hands of this author.
I don’t know Nash Summers’s writing style, as I said, this is the very first time I read one of her books, but she is talented if this is her usual style.
To some, even myself I have to agree, the way Archer just couldn’t deal with the loss of his parents, even after all this time, could have felt dragged out. I could have lost a little patients or empathy if it wasn’t done so absolutely well. If the author didn’t make you FEEL his sadness the way she did.
The emotional drama between Archer and Mallory was handled so good. It hurt to the times 20 but wow.. did it pack a punch that will make me love these guys forever!
They way they are with each other. How they FEEL each other.
I LOVE MALLORY! He's epic and awesome and he is the word to Archer. (and you can count me into his fan girl group forever)
I’m speechless and struck dumb. It irritates me when I read something this SPECIAL, because this is SPECIAL, and I don’t have the words to tell anyone how amazing it was. How much it made me feel.
There are COUNTLESS moments in this book that made me hold my breath. Countless little things that meant so much. Things that hurt in a good way and things that hurt in a bad way and things that made this one of my ALL-TIME-FAVOURITE-BOOKS-EVER.
If you haven’t read this yet, I hope you do. And if you have, well, let’s read it again okay? Because it’s great. It just is.
When ever I feel like reading something "deeper" I tend to fall back on some of the books I know won't disappoint me. Arrows Through Archer will forever be one of my staples.
I love this book.
2021.09.10
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/comp...
Before you judge.. it's really bad form to be nasty to people for having a hang-up on a book. LOL
Yes, I read it yet again. So what? Malory is a epic book crush guy. It can't be helped.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
2021.06.25 - Second time around. I can honestly say that it still brought tears to my eyes and it still made me ache in the best way. This book is one of a kind. One of those a will come back to again and again. I was scared to read it again, for fear of finding fault or not honoring the memory of how it made me feel. No worries though. It's still so good. ;-)
---------------------------
Overall book rating: 5
Audio Book: N/A
Book Cover: 3.8
First Nash Summers!
Off the top of my mind...
Beautifully written. Emotional. Right in the feels. Sad. Absolute fabulous characters.
What more can I say?
I can’t tell you how much I LOVE this book. I can’t.
And it’s ALL about the WAY it was WRITTEN. In my humble opinion. This story could have been just a nice story. But it was so much more in the hands of this author.
I don’t know Nash Summers’s writing style, as I said, this is the very first time I read one of her books, but she is talented if this is her usual style.
To some, even myself I have to agree, the way Archer just couldn’t deal with the loss of his parents, even after all this time, could have felt dragged out. I could have lost a little patients or empathy if it wasn’t done so absolutely well. If the author didn’t make you FEEL his sadness the way she did.
The emotional drama between Archer and Mallory was handled so good. It hurt to the times 20 but wow.. did it pack a punch that will make me love these guys forever!
They way they are with each other. How they FEEL each other.
I LOVE MALLORY! He's epic and awesome and he is the word to Archer. (and you can count me into his fan girl group forever)
I’m speechless and struck dumb. It irritates me when I read something this SPECIAL, because this is SPECIAL, and I don’t have the words to tell anyone how amazing it was. How much it made me feel.
There are COUNTLESS moments in this book that made me hold my breath. Countless little things that meant so much. Things that hurt in a good way and things that hurt in a bad way and things that made this one of my ALL-TIME-FAVOURITE-BOOKS-EVER.
If you haven’t read this yet, I hope you do. And if you have, well, let’s read it again okay? Because it’s great. It just is.
August 7, 2018
My beautiful GR friends, I love all of you dearly. I especially love sharing thoughts about great books with you. I've read all your raving reviews about this one. I put off reading it myself for a little while because I was afraid it might be too angsty for me. However, this month, it was picked on two separate challenges for me, so I took the plunge.
Knowing how well loved this story is, I'm going to try to be as respectful as possible when explaining why it didn't work for me. I've changed into my old cleaning clothes before sitting down to write my review. Go ahead and collect your rotten tomatoes now.
*waits patiently while friends rummage through the back of their produce drawer*
It started out slow for me, with an overcast, somber mood to it. I felt like I was slogging through the first half of the book. Death, loss, depression, isolation ... it was all there in spades.
I normally like age gap stories. The seventeen years in this one shouldn't have been a problem. But his son's best friend? A college kid who'd lost both of his parents in a car accident? I wasn't feeling completely comfortable with the scenario. I had a problem with that. It didn't help that the next chapter was several years later. I always hate reading about lost, wasted time. In this case it didn't even make sense. It seemed strange to me that Mallory didn't know anything about Archer's life during those three years. Archer and Mallory's son Danny were best friends. Archer never came up in conversation between father and son? Even though Archer had spent months recuperating at Mallory's house? Even through Danny's college graduation?
To be perfectly honest, at this point in the story I would have stopped reading. But since it was a group challenge book for me, I kept going.
I should have dnf'd earlier.
I'm so very sorry to say that this story did not work for me on any level. There are many more things I could complain about, inconsistencies, fact-checking errors, and plausibility holes, but I won't list them here. Just ask if you're curious. I honestly have no idea why I didn't get the same thing out of it as most of you did. I wish I had because I certainly went into it with every intention of loving it as much as everyone else did.
Knowing how well loved this story is, I'm going to try to be as respectful as possible when explaining why it didn't work for me. I've changed into my old cleaning clothes before sitting down to write my review. Go ahead and collect your rotten tomatoes now.
*waits patiently while friends rummage through the back of their produce drawer*
It started out slow for me, with an overcast, somber mood to it. I felt like I was slogging through the first half of the book. Death, loss, depression, isolation ... it was all there in spades.
I normally like age gap stories. The seventeen years in this one shouldn't have been a problem. But his son's best friend? A college kid who'd lost both of his parents in a car accident? I wasn't feeling completely comfortable with the scenario. I had a problem with that. It didn't help that the next chapter was several years later. I always hate reading about lost, wasted time. In this case it didn't even make sense. It seemed strange to me that Mallory didn't know anything about Archer's life during those three years. Archer and Mallory's son Danny were best friends. Archer never came up in conversation between father and son? Even though Archer had spent months recuperating at Mallory's house? Even through Danny's college graduation?
To be perfectly honest, at this point in the story I would have stopped reading. But since it was a group challenge book for me, I kept going.
I should have dnf'd earlier.
I'm so very sorry to say that this story did not work for me on any level. There are many more things I could complain about, inconsistencies, fact-checking errors, and plausibility holes, but I won't list them here. Just ask if you're curious. I honestly have no idea why I didn't get the same thing out of it as most of you did. I wish I had because I certainly went into it with every intention of loving it as much as everyone else did.
June 8, 2021
Bawling my eyes out again! Whats new? My only niggle was how the friendship in this story wasn't as strong as I was expecting it to be. I love how the mcs struggled from start to finish. A story about grief, failed dreams, and moving on. I need another pack of tissues.
October 5, 2020
All. The. Stars. My heart exploded from the overhwhelming emotions.
"“What are we doing, Archer?” Mallory asked. Falling in love, I thought. But instead I said, “Kissing.”"
Two heartbroken men. Learning to love again. I think that is my favourite kind of love story. I love a good age gap story, bisexual discovery, best friend's dad. But none of those things matter here. None of those made the story. This book is about feelings. So many feelings.
Grief stories really get to me, because like Archer, I carry my grief around my heart without ever letting it go. I feel all those feelings. And seeing two grieving men finding love and happiness again was so heartwarming.
It's a slow burn romance, with heartbreak in the middle. The first half is told in Archer's POV. The second half in Mallory's POV. I loved both of those men.
Was it perfect? When I analyze it, some things annoyed me, like the timeline of the beginning. Is it American Thanksgiving? or Canadian Thanksgiving? Because the dates are not the same. And then did we skip over Christmas? And at some point they say the days are starting to get shorter, but it's after Christmas, so the days should be lengthening. Just little details. And this is probably the only time I ever said this, but I wish it was 100 pages longer. The second half was too fast for me, I feel like Archer forgave too easily, or we just didn't spend enough time watching them reconnect.
But in the end, none of that mattered, because this book OWNED me. Definitely one of my all time favourite romances. I reread all my favourite parts this morning, after staying up late last night to finish it. I want to do it all over again.
"“What are we doing, Archer?” Mallory asked. Falling in love, I thought. But instead I said, “Kissing.”"
Two heartbroken men. Learning to love again. I think that is my favourite kind of love story. I love a good age gap story, bisexual discovery, best friend's dad. But none of those things matter here. None of those made the story. This book is about feelings. So many feelings.
Grief stories really get to me, because like Archer, I carry my grief around my heart without ever letting it go. I feel all those feelings. And seeing two grieving men finding love and happiness again was so heartwarming.
It's a slow burn romance, with heartbreak in the middle. The first half is told in Archer's POV. The second half in Mallory's POV. I loved both of those men.
Was it perfect? When I analyze it, some things annoyed me, like the timeline of the beginning. Is it American Thanksgiving? or Canadian Thanksgiving? Because the dates are not the same. And then did we skip over Christmas? And at some point they say the days are starting to get shorter, but it's after Christmas, so the days should be lengthening. Just little details. And this is probably the only time I ever said this, but I wish it was 100 pages longer. The second half was too fast for me, I feel like Archer forgave too easily, or we just didn't spend enough time watching them reconnect.
But in the end, none of that mattered, because this book OWNED me. Definitely one of my all time favourite romances. I reread all my favourite parts this morning, after staying up late last night to finish it. I want to do it all over again.
Read
July 2, 2017One of the best books I've read this year (and I've read a bunch of awesome stories!). Subtle and understated in all the powerful ways. Beautiful writing and masterful sense of place and emotion.
So much love.
So much love.
March 7, 2021
Reread. Again.
All the stars. All of them.
All the stars. All of them.
June 1, 2017
I had the privelege to beta and proofread this hauntingly beautiful story.
A bit of advice: have plenty of tissues handy.
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