Daniel Keyes is an orphan, fostered by the Walker’s. The product of a lonely childhood, he is thrown into the chaos of the Walker family and into the life of his new foster brother Jamie. This story is the journey of Daniel and Jamie finding their place in the world. Through Jamie being a victim of hate crime to coming out to family and friends, there are many decisions the boys have to make … to make before they become men.
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It has come to my notice that the previous version of this book came through with a few editing errors… these have now been fixed. My sincere apologies to anyone who was thrown out of the story by these. Rj x
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Sweet story. It was an interesting read following Daniel and Jamie as they grew up experiencing life. The characters and their family were amazing. This is a fun, funny feel good, with a little trauma thrown in to dilute. I absolutely love RJ Scott’s stories. I received and ARC from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I must admit that I am not too hip on YA books, but I totally enjoyed this one. Daniel and Jamie’s journey to love was so sweet. Growing up together and sharing their young lives was so sweet. It was them against them all. The crap they went through together was just so much for these young hearts. I was in awe with how the whole family handled their love and how it came out that they loved each other. If only all gay kids had this kind of family growing up. I really would have loved a more in future type epilogue but the ending was sweet too. Being able to move into adulthood together was so great. I really enjoyed this book and the author, such a great writer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely LOVED this marvelous, sweet, grab-you-by-the-feels, charming, endearing, slow burning, tug-at-your-heartstrings, amazing, beautiful, emotionally charged, heartfelt, and totally awesome coming-of-age story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jamie and Daniel were in foster care together, best friends, and opposites, Jamie are a bookworm and quiet. Daniel is loud, a jock, and love to have fun. Their story is about coming of age, first love, first time, friends to lovers, some angst, sweet, and romantic. You will fall in love with these two as I did and I love their romance. The characters are believable and the story line is well-written.
Beautifully written coming of age story.
Jaime and Daniel ended up in the same household due to unforeseen circumstances. Life has a way of throwing you curve balls. Some are harder to get over than others for adults. I could not imagine enduring them as a child.
As foster brothers, they learn a lot about one another on a surface and intimate level. Going from youthful friends to so much more is a definite page turner.
**I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
I found myself totally interested in the storyline it has well developed and engaging characters throughout the pages and the flow was great.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3.5 rounded up
This is an entertaining coming of age story. I have to admit that flashbacks in books tend to annoy me, and the memories in this are just several years apart. The characters are fairly well developed, but I especially enjoyed the mom and Daniel. At times, they seemed to have the most honest reactions.
Daniel is fostered with the Walkers when he is about nine years old, the same age as their middle son, Jamie. He is nervous and depressed due to the circumstances leading to his placement, and he is dismayed by the exuberant ball of energy that is Jamie.
The story jumps around a bit, giving bits and pieces of the present before returning to when Daniel was new to the house. The reader does learn enough about each of the boys to keep up, especially for the YA audience. I personally would have liked the story to have been fleshed out more, but that’s just my opinion.
Although I saw it coming, I was still surprised that the author took the romance in the direction she did. It’s quite a popular trope for adult readers, but I’m not sure how YA readers will react. When Dan works up the courage to tell the family his secret, he gets the reaction he expects from his brother and best friend; just not for the reasons he expected.
There is a pretty violent hate crime on page, so be prepared, or if you’re checking for a younger reader, beware the trigger warning. But, after much angst and questioning, the family gets together and talks. There is some on page intimacy, but nothing I wouldn’t let my 13 going on 14 year old read.
Overall, while I did fly through this book, I definitely think it is better suited for a YA reader. I usually really enjoy books for most ages, but I just wanted more details about what made the boys come to the decisions they made. The story ends with a potential HFN/HEA as they head out to college.
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest opinion. *
I think some of the criticism of parts of this book come from the fact that it was published in January 2012. There has been a great deal of change and adjustment in attitude since then for many people, so the 2012 aspect doesn’t help the story flow as well as it might. And the author’s writing has also likely improved since then, sharpening writing skills and tools of the trade (grammar, spelling, punctuation). That being said, more than usual diligence should be given to an older publication to make sure it is up-to-date and with any annoying grammar and usage errors swept away. But the author’s handling of the story line is kind and may open avenues of awareness in people.
Daniel Keyes is an orphan, fostered by the Walker family who always wanted lots of children. He was a quiet person, but that’s not always possible with foster brother Jamie who can’t sit still for more than a minute. And as Daniel gets older, comes out of his shy stage a bit, he realizes his attraction to Jamie.
This story is the journey of Daniel and Jamie discovering where they fit in. When Jamie experiences a vicious hate crime and is exposed to family and friends, will he and Daniel be able to maintain a relationship? Can they stay friends? Or is there too much damage left to deal with the fallout? The characters are likable and the book is worth reading.
I first read this book many moons ago in 2011, when I first started reading mm romance. I consumed everything left and right back in the early days of reading. In 2020, I’m more in tune with what my comfort zone is when I need it. RJ Scott is still one of few authors I always enjoy reading books by them to this day. I’m glad I got the opportunity to revisit their work. I lost an unknown amount of ebooks in the epic computer crash of 2017. I seem to be revisiting more of books from that year, and I have to say that this one still one of the good ones.
The Decisions We Make is a sweet book about Daniel being adopted into a family and falls for his adopted brother, Jamie. This story had a nice flow to it. I love the various character development in this book. Daniel’s journey of saying goodbye to his birth family and feeling maybe more settle in living his truth. Jamie’s self-confidence in his pursuit of happiness was a nice thing to read. Highly Recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Daniel and Jamie were wonderfully written characters and really enjoyed following along with them on their emotional journey of discovery. The storyline was compelling and hard to put down, another wonderful addition to my collection.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was an excellent YA story! I loved how the author gave up the then/now views into their past/present. Daniel was orphaned and went to live with the Walkers. Jamie decided that Daniel will be his best friend/brother. As the two grow up, so does their attraction and love. Their journey is sweet and perfect and a little heart breaking at times. I am voluntarily leaving a review form an advanced copy that I received from Booksprout. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
Daniel becomes part of the Walker family through foster care. Jamie the middle child is Daniel’s age and they become best friends. When they’re seniors in high school their feelings for each other change. I really enjoyed this book.
This is one of the best coming of age stories I have ever read. I put off reading it for awhile and I am sorry I did.
This book gave me hope, for our world. You look like what how does a gaya coming of age romance give you hope. Well Daniel and Jamie of course, the rest of the family as well, but the character shown in these two make the story. Typical teenage boys discovering who they are, what they want to do with their lives and the steps they take. I cry ed and laughed and found hope in this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story had a bit of everything, romance, darkness, humour and sadness. I love this lady’s work, and this one did not disappoint. Daniel and Jamie worked so well as a couple, it broke my heart that they had to go so much to be together. Regardless of the challenges the boys faced, the message of hope, understanding, optimism and sharing problems comes soundly through. A lovely, and eventual uplifting read from Ms Scott.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a well written book with strong characters in Daniel and Jamie. The author does a beautiful job building the story and bringing realistic characters and well defined scenes. He shows their past as well as their present relationship as they move forward in life. It’s an emotional story and I enjoyed reading.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
Jamie and Daniel have a close relationship, forged years ago when Daniel came into Jamie’s family as a foster-kid. In their last year of high school, brotherly bonds evolve into something more, and complications ensue. This book is at times angsty, at times sweet, and definitely will get you invested in Daniel and Jamie. The storytelling mixes flashbacks of childhood with current events, and it gives a good sense of the rich past that informs the present: both Daniel’s insecurities and traumas as a foster and the development of the friendship that evolves into love. The other siblings are great, as are, for the most part, Jamie’s parents, although his mother really really fails to step up in a crucial moment. Well written, with compelling characters, and definitely worth the read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This story was super sweet and emotional. I loved these two guys, kids really, Daniel and Jamie, and their coming of age story.
The book deals with a very particular “family situation”. I mean obviously Daniel and Jamie are not biological brothers, but have been raised as such since Daniel became a foster kid in the Walker family at 8. So for the past 8 years there has been this extremely close bond between the two kids, bordering the edge between best friends and brothers.
But when growing up both of them start to feel that their feelings toward each other are not at all brotherly… well, that’s when all starts unravelling.
A very emotional book, two lovely MCs and a family that, no matter what, rallies around them!
I’m not normally a YA fan I like my stories with a bit of heat and more mature characters but I love RJs writing style so I thought why not give it a shot. I’m so glad I did I loved the story but more than that I loved the writing style. I really appreciate the way we got snippets of the back story in little flash backs so that we can see what brought them together.
Daniel lost his parents way too young and with no family to take him in he ends up in foster care. Going from an uptight all about presentation family to going to a loud laid back family was had at first but the help of Jamie he soon settles in. Jamie and Daniel might be polar opposites but they form a bond that’s in breakable.
There is some angst but that’s to be expected but it’s not too much and with the sweetness of the story it’s needed. Really good read and i would recommend it.
Daniel is 9 years old when he moves in with this amazing foster family that already has two sons and a daughter in residents. This beautiful story loosely follows Daniel and Jamie who is also 9 threw out their younger years then it will switch to now which is just as they both are graduating from high school. Oh boy can those two get them selves in a load of mischief from the very first day that they meet.
When Daniel comes of age he figures out he is gay. Then Jamie and Daniel start discovering each other then some tense moments happen. This is the beginning of love awareness and two boys trying to figure it all out.
Be advised you will be thinking of this story long after the book is closed.
Emotional journey about finding out exactly where you belong and taking chances. Daniel was brought into the family as a foster child when his parents died. He instantly connected with Jamie. Through the years growing up the boys were inseparable and once Daniel comes out to the family, Jamie realizes that what the two had was more than just brotherly love. But with this realization comes the thought of breaking the family dynamics….will their love be accepted? In true RJ Scott fashion, love outweighs everything and the reader is right along for the ride. Heartwarming!!