The journey that began in top-rated, best-selling Bright Side, continues …This is the story of Gus. Losing himself. Finding himself. And healing along the way.” … but the honest-to-God truth is I don’t even know how to function anymore. Bright Side wasn’t only my best friend; she was like my other half … the other half of my brain, the other half of my conscience, the other half of my sense … sense of humor, the other half of my creativity, the other half of my heart. How do you go back to doing what you did before, when half of you is gone forever?”
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When they met it wasn’t love at first sight. She was a broken, scared little girl and he was a broken, lost guy buried in grief. They were hiding from the world.
Narrators:
Lidia Dornet was extremely talented being able to perform both the female and male characters voices. She could’ve easily performed the entire book without the need for the other narrator.
Alex Kydd was the male voice for Gus. His performance for Gus was good. When he voiced the female characters or any other male character it wasn’t as good. Let’s just say he has one tone and sound quality which works for performing one character. He can perform Gus’s voice but the others were not as good.
Having two narrators perform the same character was confusing. Lidia had Mrs. Randolph sounding like Daisy Duke from Dukes of Hazard while Alex had her sounding like the older lady she was. Having two unique sounds for the same character was confusing.
Overall:
There were too many minor/supporting characters that crowded the story with minute details. Each one brought a bag of depressing dialogue.
The premise was great but the execution and dialogue was lacking. It’s too matter of factly. It reads like journal entries with too many dates. I didn’t like that type of execution it was choppy. The post it notes was cute the few times they were used.
Scout was an exhausting character. Her introduction to the story had so much potential. I thought she was going to be a badass who was going to whip Gus into shape.
I’m a sucker for lead singers or anything to do with music so no one is as surprised as me that Gus’s character didn’t fulfill my rockstar need. His character was lacking. He had genuine characteristics who was this great guy, but I wanted an edgy dark brooding character that gave me chills. I had one moment of connection when he strummed his guitar on stage. I needed more of that.
After finishing an emotional story about Kate I expected another emotional journey with Gus, I was surprised and disappointed the direction of Gus’s character.
If your reading Gus immediately after reading Bright Side you’ll find it’s not the same emotional story as Kate’s journey. Gus’s character is feeling lost and empty without Kate. His transition without Kate in his life is destructive. He’s not coping well eventhough he continues to perform in the band whose on tour.
I got so attached to Kate that I too had separation anxiety. I felt a heavy loss for Kate. I felt heartbroken for Keller. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Gus. I knew very little about Gus. Receiving Gus’s character after the fact is more challenging to form a connection. The only connection I can ascertain is the love Kate had for him. I felt Gus’s pain. Learning about his pain was difficult especially after the fact.
I really wanted Keller’s story not Gus’s story. I’m not bonding with Gus and his pain. Even the new character Scout has me uninterested. When characters are blasé with each other I feel that disconnect. It’s taking quite a bit of time to feel a pen emotional connection with these two characters.
The heart that was shattered into a million pieces is starting to heal with GUS. It teaches a very imporant life lesson – life flows in one direction and it doesn’t heal wounds but makes the pain bearable. How can you not remember Bright Side Kate sedgwick , but with a smile on your lips and song in your heat. That girl radiated sunshine And taught you how to bask in It. Gus is shattered and in pain and is looking for a catalyst to start living. He finds it in Scout Impatient ! A perfect antidote to the pain in his heart. Together they heal, grow close, fall in love and remember Bright Side with a smile.
didn’t think it was possible to start crying, but I do and am filled with joy and happiness that I got to read this book.
I’m so honored to have come across kim holden. She’s brilliant like a diamond
very intelligent, smart piece of writing.i thoroughly enjoyed reading them back to back.
Loved Kellan and miss stella and jamie and Franco too.
love you kim
sticky notes became my new favorite
Holy smokes I absolutely couldn’t wait for more of Gus And Samantha Story after Reading Gunner’s book and let me tell Leslie didn’t disappoint us readers . I think all of us women want that one true love and soulmate we are searching for and with Gus and Samantha it might of took them 25 years to finally find each other again, but Gus has been given a double whammy by Samantha keeping her secret August and Harper but can Gus forgive her? Can they work through it or is it to late? I am such a great fan of Leslie Wilder and her books really touch a spot in my heart and soul and just makes you connect with the characters and their emotions they go through. Bravo Leslie you did it again and Gus was absolutely fantastic.
Just twist the knife that was placed in my heart in Bright Side, why don’t you!
I think this is exactly what I needed. I too grieved with Gus and came out the other side feeling much better. I don’t know what has taken me so long to get to this series.
Kim is a queen when it comes to breaking your heart and helping to put the pieces back together. (Review by Terri “Jane”)
This book was just amazing! I loved Bright Side so much I can’t stop thinking about all of them I had to read Gus but my heart had to heal a little because I cried a lot during Bright Side.
Gus is Broken his career is on the top of the world and he has everything he ever dreamed of except Kate and Gracie. He can’t deal he needs to get himself together for the band but his heart is shattered. He needs to figure this out for the band and for himself.
Gus try’s to handle himself the only way he knows how with alcohol and women. He can’t seem to function unless he’s wasted and that’s not good for the band or himself.
Scout is very quiet and very reserved when she got offered a job to be a pa to Gus. Scout is one of my favorite characters she grows and gets out of her shell. She is so good for Gus she brings the kindness back into his life he is missing from Kate.
They both teach each other new things and to enjoy the simple things in life but Do Epic at the same time. She has so much love to give and she shows it in the best ways.
I loved how every one shows up in this book and the healing process they all go through after loosing Kate.
This book was Epic. I loved the whole thing. I am so happy Franco has a book because I can’t stand to see this end yet.
Another amazing novel from Kim Holden. This one is so healing after reading Bright Side. Still absolutely love Gus. Scout is also an amazing character. Great novel about learning to live again after the loss of a loved one.
Gus certainly did make me moist (in the eyes)! 😉
The perfect sequel to Bright Side! Gus’ story captured his perfections and imperfections so eloquently! How does one move on after losing their better half? How do they get back on their feet and enjoy life again? Gus has to figure that out on his own until Scout comes into his life and throws him into a tailspin. Between the lost of Kate, his music, trying to find himself again and his developing feelings for Scout, this story really proves that you are in control of your own happiness and nothing can bring you down unless you let it.
Such a perfect HEA story for two characters who were beyond worthy of it!
I finished this with a big smile on my face. Personally, I enjoyed this story a little bit more than Bright Side. They’re both great and everything, but I really dig Gus. The dude is the bee’s knees! This story just made me really happy.
After reading Bright Side I went straight onto Gus and what a read. Poor Gus was so lost and broken there for a while. I knew he was devastated after losing his best friend but to learn that it was more than that, that he’d never revealed the full extent of his feelings. Ugh, so sad. For so long through this book I wondered if he could ever be saved, if he would ever come out the other side of his self destructive path.
I loved Scout. She was just what Gus needed to snap him out of his mess of alcohol and women. Watching him change, seeing him start to heal emotionally was good to see. Watching the relationship begin to develop and catching up with characters from Bright Side was great.
Loved this book so much. I’d never read books by this author prior to Bright Side and Gus, but I will definitely be reading more, that’s for sure.
There is something about Kim Holden’s books that leave you completely speechless. This book will have feeling so many raw emotions that it feels as though The Evil Queen has shoved her hands through your chest, grabbed a hold of your heart, and inflicts the sweetest torture. Yes, that was totally a OUAT reference. I did that.
If you thought you loved Gus before, this book will have you loving him even more. Yes, its totally possible. Oh my sweet, chill, loving Gus. This book picks up almost where Bright Side left off. Gus is a wreck. He is spiraling into the abyss and he’s falling fast, one bad decision after another. His grief is almost all consuming while on the european portion of their tour. He is drowning and even Franco doesn’t know how to help him. That’s when the introverted Scout comes on tour to help out with the tour. I mean her name is friggin Scout. How awesome is that? Scout is very introverted and hardly interacts with another on the bus, but she’s very observant, and her caring nature strikes a cord with Gus. She slowly pulls out the Gus without even trying. There a friendship forms that is so beautiful.
Gus gradually gets back to the lighthearted, caring person he was when we meet him in Bright Side. His grief over Kate had him in a bad place, but once he returns home, he finds solace and shared grief with his mother. Let me say that Gus and his mom have the best relationship ever. She is so supportive of Gus and I love that she understands what hes going through since she loved Kate and Grace just as much as he did. Scout is the sweetest. I love how she slowly integrates herself into this close family. While she is healing Gus, he is also healing her. He coaxes Scout out of that insecure, introverted shell, and see the beautiful and bright woman she is.
I loved Gus and Scout. They formed a real genuine friendship and she inspired him to start writing again, she gave him back his inspiration. I also love getting more Keller and Stella because I love them so much. Not just that you get to see all the characters you love so much in Bright Side and they form this beautiful family all through their love for one amazing girl, Kate. Scout and her cousin Paxton become a part of this big family.
I cried sad and grief filled tears for Gus’s heartache. I cried happy tears at how much I loved everyone in this book and all the great things happening in their lives because I wanted them all to find happiness. It amazed me at how Kim Holden could create such an amazing family formed not just through blood, because family isn’t always who you share genes with. Family is a big part of this book and it brought tears to my eyes at how caring and protective they were of each other.
So needless to say that I love this book so much. It touched my heart in a real and raw way. If you haven’t read this book, please don’t hesitate to read it. Its that great.
Loved this one, was relieved that the characters found happiness. Couldn’t put it down.