A quiet coffee shop gives two men who have lost too much a chance at love.Joe Calloway has been on the run since he was sixteen, homeless and alone. He never lets anyone close. Between his traumatic past and his autism, he isn’t used to people taking the time to understand him. Even so, when a stranger offers him a way to build a better life for himself, Joe finds the strength to go for it.Madden … to go for it.
Madden Fields is fully devoted to his older sister, her autistic son, and his job as a nurse, but when he meets Joe, his carefully ordered life begins to pick up speed.
As their connection deepens, Madden realizes he’s going to have to hold on tight if he wants to be an anchor strong enough for Joe to stay.
“Stay” is a 88,000 words gay hurt/comfort romance novel.
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Finding the one (an audio review)
I’m always game to try a new author, and I’m glad I picked up this book. This story spoke to me. Made me smile – both with gladness and with sadness. This wasn’t an easy read, but then I’m always up for what they call hurt/comfort books. As long as they have a happy ending.
Madden has it all. A great job as an ER nurse, a sister he adores, and an autistic nephew he dotes on. He has everything he could want – except someone to share that life with. He’s okay with that, though, until he crosses paths with a young man who is going to change everything.
Joe’s had a rough life. From a horrifically abusive home to living on the streets, he’s scrambled to survive. He’s young, but he’s got a lot of mileage. His life is about surviving. One day he enters a coffee shop, desperate, and the owner sees something in him. She offers him a job, and then makes a monumental effort to get the young man on his feet. Joe is on the spectrum and that only complicates his life. Then he meets Madden and something wonderful happens.
It’s not all roses and sunshine, though. Joe has some ingrained protective habits, including throwing up walls. Madden’s patience isn’t infinite, although pretty darn close. As they navigate the treacherous waters of a physical and emotional relationship, Joe’s past rears its ugly head and they might lose everything.
I really enjoyed the book. It spoke to me, and I love neurodivergent characters who are underrepresented. This book had touchstones that worked for me. I have to say that Isaac Grisham is a new narrator to me and I won’t hesitate to get another book narrated by him. He did a great job. Anyway, I’ll be keeping my eye on Ash Knight.
A Beautifully Heartfelt Story! Great Narration
Stay
By: Ash Knight
Narrated by: Isaac Grisham
Ash Knight wowed me completely with her book, it drew me in right from the start, grabbed my heart and my attention captivating both for the entire book. She is a gifted author with a wonderful writing style, the characters and storylines she created are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with. The story flows naturally and is beautifully written. Joe Calloway has not had the easiest of lives, it was heartbreaking to learn what type of childhood he had and what he had to endure. He ran away from home when he was 16, always fending for himself, never staying in one place too long because he is afraid his past will catch up with him and take him back home. He never allow anyone to get too close to him, being on the spectrum people usually do not take the time to get to really know him, so he just keeps his distance. His life takes a turn when a caring cafe owner shows him some kindness. Madden Fields, a nurse, felt an instant connection with the new guy at the cafe he gets his coffee from. He had to go back there and learn more about him. The two become friends and Madden takes him under his wing. Madden was great with Joe, patient, caring and respectful of his boundaries. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, angst, heartfelt and emotional moments and a wonderful slow burn romance. I loved how much Joe grew as a person, also loved the twist in the end. Ash Knight, thank you for this awesome story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
And for the fabulous narration, Isaac Grisham was great at bringing the characters and their story to life. He set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the character’s emotions and projected them into his performance. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for the great listen
Thank you GRR
I really loved the way the author took us inside Joe’s head and let us feel his struggles, his emotions and his triumphs. Madden and Joe together are such a wonderful couple, perfect for each other and Madden’s interactions with his sister and nephew were so great to see. I love it when a book teaches me things I didn’t know and this one certainly is informative about the spectrum without ever resorting to an information dump. Everything was seamlessly woven into the plot.
Despite slightly slower pace I enjoyed this hurt/comfort angsty romance. The MCs were likable and easy to relate, the little twist in the end brought the story to a nice conclusion and the amount of emotional pain was just right. It’s is said you met a person with autism, you have met ONE person with autism. Yes, there is a set of common traits that people with autism have, but all of them are also unique in their own way. Joe’s ability to cope on his own, to persevere despite circumstances made him such a strong character and I loved when he finally learned to trust Madden and let go. That made him even stronger. Madden was a natural born caretaker, and I loved his understanding, patience and compassion. Both men suited each other well, had wonderful chemistry and had ample chance to fall in love as well as in lust.
The hard subjects of abuse and neglect were seamlessly written into present day events and helped understand where Joe came from, what drove him to push and how far he has come on his own. The connection he shared with Madden was further cemented by him trying to communicate even when it was hard, and Madden was there patiently waiting for him and ready to catch Joe should he stumble. I loved the sweet and tender moments as well as when the author brought the heat between them. It was good story full of hurt/comfort, angst, medium amount of steam and told from dual POV. I enjoyed it. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
I really enjoyed this book, Joe and Madden, hurt/comfort, the slow burn. I think the book needs some editing, but it was very good to read.
OMG I was tearing up from the word go with this one! Joe’s painful past was gut-wrenching. The love that blossoms between this young, autistic man and the slightly older Madden is one of the most beautiful romance stories I have ever read. Ash Knight has done a superb job painting vivid images that give a little insight into the enigmatic mind of the hero, Joe.
I highly recommend this m/m romance. Just make sure you have the tissues handy!
Very educational!
I’ve never been in a head of a person on a spectrum. I’ve never met one, so this book was a new experience to me, revealing the struggle people with autism experience completing simple tasks.
The book was way lighter and sweeter than what I usually read, but I still enjoyed it. The writing was amazing and the descriptions so vivid, I could see every little detail in my head.
I am looking forward to Ash’s future works, as I will be reading this author more.
Wow what an emotional story. Watching Joe & Madden’s story unfold evoked so many emotions. This story felt so real and raw. To experience all the good times and bad times with them made the characters feel more real. They are flawed yet beautiful, and perfect for each other. Highly recommended. A new author you don’t want to miss.
3.5 stars for both the story and the narration.
I was given a free audio copy from the author and the GRR arc team for review.
Warning: depiction of past child sexual abuse. Though it does cut off before it gets too graphic. Also adult attempted rape, physical assault and attempted murder. All of which there is no warning about on the Audible book description.
There are some minor inconsistencies missed in editing that I noticed. I really could have done without the creepy flashback scene from Joes childhood involving his dads friend Devon. I think Joe just explaining that his reactions are from trauma from past child sexual abuse would have been sufficient. I don’t really have any triggers but I don’t know why anyone would want to read some predatory scene involving a child. Also, there are some things mentioned in renfrence to Joes Autism that didn’t ring true for me and some comments made that came across as odd and untrue. Also, the scene with the sister is just mind boggling and very insulting.
With all that aside I thought this was a very sweet hurt/comfort read that had the potential to be a 5 star read. Both characters were loveable and complimented each other well. The general plot was interesting. It was fairly low angst IMO given the subject matter. There is some drama that is brief. This was low heat which I think suited the plot. There was more for us on building trust and intimacy. I enjoyed the gradual character and relationship development. It kept my interest from start to finish but I do think that there were some parts that felt slightly draggy and repetitive and it could have been shortened some.
The narrator did a decent job. Their voice was pleasant. I did have to speed it up quite a bit though. He expressed the emotions well. Unfortunately he didn’t use different voices for the characters.
STAY, a standalone contemporary romance, was more than I expected. It was more than just a meet-cute with strong hurt/comfort elements. STAY is about two men who have to not only learn and understand each other, but also fight to battle the demons from the past. Joe is a neurodivergent character who is on the autism spectrum who has had to learn to fend for himself after escaping an abusive father. When he meets Madden, the local nurse who visits the coffee shop Joe works at, Joe’s life completely changes—and so does Madden’s. I really loved the sweetness of Joe and Madden’s relationship. They both cared and loved each other deeply, and did this through respecting and learning to understand each other. I really liked that Ash Knight took the time to make the characters complex and dynamic. I truly loved both Joe and Madden and found their love story so touching and wonderful. The plot also had elements of suspense and action (which some readers may find triggering, so please read the warnings), but overall, the romance between the two men was the main focus of this story, and I loved it.
GRR Audio Review
Such a moving book
Wow, I loved this book. It makes you think.
Joe has had a very traumatic life and is on the autistic spectrum, homeless with no one.
Such a great story pulls you through Joe’s life from the start when he was a young child.
Madden has a special way about him, and once he sets eye upon Joe, he knows there someone special within that shy exterior. An ending that I wasn’t expecting. A beautiful HEA.
A hurt/comfort book that is so emotional. Be prepared.
This is my first book by Ash Knight, and what an excellent writer. The characters are so well developed that you invest your feelings in them. I will now have to hunt out more books.
The narration was perfect, precise, and the first time I have heard a book read by Isaac Grisham, this won’t be the last. I will look for more books by him. I didn’t have to speed it up as I do with most audios on audible. Made a nice change. The characters came to life.
Stay
By: Ash Knight
Narrated by: Isaac Grisham
Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
Overall
Narration
Story
Read at 1.00 speed on Audible
Excellent! Beautiful and heartbreaking. I adored Joe and watching him blossom into a confident man as he opened himself up to everything Madden offered was wonderful. Madden impressed me with his kindness and how he allowed Joe to set the pace in their relationship. He was quick to apologize when he made mistakes and didn’t allow Joe to run from what they were building together. The bad guys are truly evil monsters. The revelation was not something I saw coming and it made me actually cry.
Highly recommended
Audiobook: the narrator spoke clearly and with a decent cadence.
This book is everything I’ve ever wanted in a romance novel. I cannot express with words how much I loved this story.
Joe and Madden are both incredible, fully fleshed main characters. I adored them both from the beginning and I was instantly invested in their lives and relationship. The author does an excellent job of crafting one of the healthiest relationships I’ve read about involving someone with special needs.
Joe’s portrayal especially was amazing. As someone with a special needs younger sister it was so refreshing to see Joe’s journey to independence and to have his story not solely revolve around this autism even though it was a prevalent theme. Madden gives me hope that my sister might one day find love and someone who will understand her needs while still adoring her.
And god without spoiling things the twist at the end was everything to me!!!! I never saw it coming! And PHANTOM!! Thank you kind author for including that line about them at the end because I was so worried about them the whole time!
Okay wow I’m just yelling now. *deep breaths*
Basically this book is incredible. I recommend it to everyone. It’s sweet, sexy, and both heart wrenching and heart warming at the same time. This is one of the best stories I’ve ever read and I could keep screaming it’s praises for the next hour but I’ll stop now before this review turns into a novel.
This book was a nice dark gritty story. It was relatable on a few levels. Mostly it was just nice in the big sea of M/M romance to read something with more than surface value and steamy sex. Which I love, but sometimes It’s nice to have something more solid and this story provided that.
Wow! Newbie author! Brilliant read!
This story grabbed me from Page 1 and took me on a journey of love, filled with sweet moments, giggles, pain and tears.
Joe and Madden and their story is well written , great paced, with great story and well built characters.
Absolutely 5 stars and i am looking forward to reading any further books the author releases
As an educator of autistic students, Ash has done a remarkable job portraying Joe.
As a reader of mm romantic suspense, the plot is tight and intriguing.
As a student of the world around me, I found the entire bond between Joe and Madden fascinating and beautiful.
We as a society need to do so much better.
Ash has written some beautiful images:
‘…the cars parked in rows like headstones in a cemetery…
…If I really had these things—these both tangible and intangible things in my life now—did that mean that I was a real person? What as keeping me a black and white version of myself? How much more would it take to become Technicolor?’
A insightful and emotional story about real love.
Sweet, funny, and touching.
An incredible debut featuring characters so deep and raw you will feel like you know them, and a story you will want to remember for a very long time.
Slow building romances drive me crazy. Hate them. You get into the story and think, “These two are going to end up together so let’s get to some good moments.” But in ‘Stay,’ slow was perfection.
Joe is a young man who has endured a hell of a life. Correction: hellish life. He’s been abused and has communication issues (established very early on so this is not a spoiler). His pain is felt from page one and all I wanted was for poor Joe to be loved and shown kindness. He needed it. He deserved it. Someone PLEASE be a person to care for poor Joe!
Enter Madden. A wonderful character who had the personality of every good nurse I’ve ever met (again, not a spoiler). He was real, caring, strong, and patient. Of course, he’s perfect for Joe and vice versa.
Start the slow build of romance. As I said, I hate slow build because it’s usually meh obstacles or a level of dishonesty between the lovers the prevents them from connecting. I usually read with thoughts of “Come on! Just talk with one another!” However, Knight flawlessly avoided this pitfall. Joe is someone who needs boundaries. HE needs slow. HE needs patient. HE needs care. In this way, the romance felt safe, healthy, and beautiful. Even when there were missteps in the relationship (because without any hiccups, it would be a boring book), none were forced or fabricated, but real obstacles people come across and have to overcome in personal and emotional growth.
This book wasn’t a Will They, Won’t They book as much as it was Please Please Please Let Them Work Because I Love Them Together And They Should Be Together kind of book. I highly recommend ‘Stay.’