This is not your average love story. Ben Easton is not your average romantic hero. He’s a tattooed, badass, wannabe rock star, working in a perfectly horrible dive bar in Camden Town. His life is good, and he’s totally unprepared for how one man will turn it upside down. Stan isn’t your average heroine. As a gender-fluid man, he proudly wears his blond hair long, his heels sky-high, and his … sky-high, and his makeup perfectly executed. A fashion industry prodigy, Stan is in London after stints working in Italy and New York City, and he quickly falls for Ben’s devil-may-care attitude and the warm, soft heart Ben hides behind it.
Beneath the perfect, elegant exterior, Stan has plenty of scars from teenage battles with anorexia. And it only takes the slightest slip for his demons to rush back in while Ben is away touring with his band. With the band on the brink of a breakthrough, Ben is forced to find a way to balance the opportunity of a lifetime with caring for his beautiful boyfriend.
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I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. The characters have depth and are very sexy together. Stan is adorable. I wasn’t sure I’d like him or be able to get over the “transgender” thing, but that’s not really the focus of the book. The focus is just these two men falling in love. The book picks on some tough subjects without throwing politics and the author’s opinions in the reader’s face. The book also explain’s Stan’s sexuality incredibly well and in a non-confrontational manner. Well done. I’ll be recommending this book to people who I think would enjoy being pushed out of their comfort zone a little bit.
The Rocker and the Fashionista (an audio review)
Stan is an enigma. His blond hair is long. He wears dresses and high heels. He knows how to apply makeup like a professional. He works in the fashion industry but not as a model, despite the fact he could. When he meets Ben in a bar, they click. Ben plays in the band Ares and they are on the verge of breaking out. Stan originally hailed from Russia and is in London via New York and Italy. Ben is a Kiwi who came with his family when he was younger and has stayed, making the vibrant but expensive city his home. His mother has remarried and he has three much younger siblings. His bandmates are his found family.
In some ways this is a predictable romance and in others not so much. Stan’s battle with anorexia was painful, as was Ben’s need to feel connected. Their worlds collide when Ben goes on tour with the band and Stan is left behind. That whole section of the book nearly broke my heart. I could see how Stan was the impossible boy. But they find a way to make it work, and I got my happy ending.
Dan Calley narrates this series and I was thrilled. He did a great job bringing the characters to life. I enjoyed his performance and can’t wait for the next book.
This is one of those books that I’ve owned for a couple of years, that I’ve been intrigued by, but has never made it to the top of my TBR pile. Having Dan Calley, one of my favourite narrators, voicing the book gave me the push to read and listen to it. Wow…have I been missing out.
Ben and Stan are amazingly strong. In fact, the whole cast of characters is very well written, with Tone being my favourite. He is so real. The absolute biggie for me, though, is the acceptance that runs throughout this book for people who dare to be different. It has been many years since I lived in London, but this is what I always remember about it.
Dan Calley did a sterling job of pulling off both Ben and Stan’s accents and maintaining them throughout the audiobook. He brings that much more to a story that is already perfect. I wish I could give more that 5 stars.
Oh…and even though I had my doubts about reading the follow up, The Lost Boy, I am so, so glad that I did.
After I had finished The Impossible Boy by Anna Martin , I was on the fence about the rating. The time lapses in the story seemed abrupt, and it kind of bugged me, so I decided to think about the story for a few days and before writing anything. The more I thought about it, the more I appreciated its message and importance.
This story is about Stan and Ben. Stan is genderfluid. He’s a man and a woman. In the beginning, he has just moved to England to begin a new job. He works in the fashion industry and loves being a part of it except he would never model because he knows it puts to close to an old demon- anorexia. He was happy working in the background of the industry and determined to live a healthy lifestyle.
One night Stan ventures to a bar and meets Ben. Ben is bisexual; he’s open and kind. On a whim, he leaves Ben his number and what ensues is beautiful romance. I’m going to stop here and go into the highlights even though my brain and fingers are itching for a full-on summary of the book.
My highlights:
-Relationship development. We were on this journey with them from the first moment they met. The progression it took felt natural, and it blossomed exquisitely.
-The characters. All of them- the main characters and supporting ones.
-The plot. I always love slice of life stories best. There’s no evil villain lurking, no crime that needs to be solved. It’s a story that is real. I loved that Anna Martin brought a spotlight to gender identity and eating disorders. She treated both subjects with the importance and understanding.
-Narration. It’s told from a dual POV.
-Chemistry. These two were lovely together- no doubt they were meant to be.
-The end. It was realistic and left me feeling that everything will be ok. Ben and Stan are in it for the long haul.
My rating… I was initially going to go with 4 Stars<---which is by no means bad. But after thinking about it and as I typed my review I'm going with 4.9. I won't get preachy, but I believe that stories like these need to be told. Well done, Anna Martin!
Anna Martin has written the most beautiful, thought-provoking novel!
“The Impossible Boy” is part meeting, falling in love and part overcoming what life throws in your way for the main characters, Ben and Stan.
Ben wants to find a way to balance his new burgeoning career and caring for his “Beautiful Impossible Boy,” Stan. Stan has been battling anorexia since his teenage years. This is something he wants to work through on his own. Ben feels rejected but in the end, realizes Stan just needs the support of his ‘boyfriend’ not a ‘parent’.