More than a decade after leaving Colorado to attend college and escape his past, Isaiah Greene moves back and builds a life in Denver as a special education teacher. When he meets Ben Woods, the mentor of one of his students, the attraction is immediate. The revelations that they’ve both suffered traumatic childhoods form a bond between them. Raised by an abusive grandmother, Ben is a recovering … recovering addict who has made a family with his construction worker boss, Hershel, and Hershel’s husband, Daniel–drag queen ManDonna. Adding Isaiah to his life gives Ben a glimpse of a future he’d never dreamed possible for himself.
Both Isaiah and Ben are survivors, but when guilt drives a wedge between them, the past threatens to end their relationship.
Ben and Isaiah embark on journeys of self-discovery. Though their path will be difficult at times, humor and love find a way to bring light to the darkness.
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What a lovely journey from the very beginning.
‘Under a Sky of Ash’ is a well written story of Isiah and Ben’s struggle to escape the clutches of the incidents of the past…past the tight grip the triggers hold on their current selves, the life they lead and their constant battle to move on.
Told through accounts of the past interspersed between the different stages of their relationship and their journey to a HEA, the emotive writing helps the reader relate to their pain and hurt.
I personally loved how the author portrayed both the MCs as strong-willed and determined individuals who have already won life’s big battles but continue to be held back by the demons of the past, trying to erase the pain, not realising that it is now a part of who they are.
The author deals with themes of homophobia, religion and racial discrimination in a very realistic and blunt manner, but also unfolds a contrasting world of whole hearted acceptance, limitless love and kindness in the hands of the side characters- RJ, Daniel-Macdonna, Hershel, Charity and Aaron, emphasizing the sentiment that family is not what we are born in to, but what we make.
The writing flows well and the author has augmented the intense emotion highs by comparing the mood of the sky and the surroundings. Very well done !
Overall, a heart-warming tale of the power to love and how it helps one see the stars under a sky of ash.
This is an amazing read, such an incredibly touching love story though not always the easiest on a reader’s heart. Both MC’s are survivors of terrible trauma’s in their childhoods and are still struggling with the repercussions of those events in the present day. Isaiah and Ben are drawn to each other from their first meeting, and alongside the butterflies of attraction a deeper bond soon develops when they recognize a kindred spirit in each other because of what they’ve both gone through. Ben and Isaiah have to deal with homophobia, false accusations and racism on top of all the other baggage they already carry on their shoulders, sometimes even coming from people who should be expected to be care for them and support them. My heart broke for them several times throughout this book. This is definitely a love story to be enjoyed with a box of tissues on hand, but it is well worth it. The secondary characters are very well-drawn as well, authentic and layered, if not always likable. ManDonna especially is fabulous, with a heart and personality that seem larger than life. RJ and Aaron also deserve a special mention, all the love for both of them.
Loved this story!! Brandon Witt did a really good job telling Ben and Isaiah’s back story, heart breaking. I was pulled into the story line right from the first chapter. Ben and Isaiah worked thru their own hurdles to be together. All the interactions in this story… I think I loved Ben and Aaron’s the most!! Aaron was a true challenge to both Ben and Isaiah. The back story and how it all tied together was heart wrenching for me personally to read. I truly got sucked into this story and am so glad for it! I highly recommend this to anyone who needs a good heartfelt story.
If you’re ever in need of a beautifully written, powerful story that pulls on all of your heartstrings, just look at Brandon Witt’s selection. No, I haven’t read them all; not even close. But, the several I have have touched me in ways few others do these days. With wonderful character development, unique and often sensitive subject matter, and the ability to totally shatter your belief in a happy ending before putting it back together again, Witt creates a new level within the contemporary romance genre.
This is a love story, full of great and extravagant secondary characters, where two men with difficult pasts find love in the arms of each other. Both men have their own insecurities about the baggage they carry, and to be honest, I wasn’t really sure they were the right fit for each other. Isaiah is a special ed teacher, and Ben is a “Big Brother” to one of his students. Isaiah is also mostly in the closet, while Ben is a player. However, the author wove the story so well that those issues blurred into the background.
When they realize the secrets from their pasts are indisputably connected, things become awkward fast. I’m not going to give any spoilers, but some information is hard to process. As Isaiah and Ben learn how to navigate their new realities, the stress becomes more and more difficult to process.
There was one thing at the end during an intimate scene that really bothered me; it completely conflicted with the rest of Ben’s story. When you read it, you’ll understand, but Isaiah tells Ben he had something for him but forgot it In the other room. It caught me off guard, and made the sexy time less than a stellar read IMO.
In the end, a new level of love and safety is built; between Ben and Isaiah; the two and Aaron, Isaiah’s student and Ben’s “little brother;” and the new family they have built from their shared past. ManDonna/Daniel and Hershel, Ben’s family by choice, are as always a great support system for our MCs. And, after all is said and done, we see the beginning of a beautiful happily ever after.
Happy reading!
* I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest opinion. *
But I chose to buy it anyway.
4.5 stars
I’m trying to think of an emotion that this story didn’t bring out in me, but I think Brandon Witt touched on all of them. I’m just going to put it out here right up front: this story will make you cry. You’ll cry for the young boys in this story who had no choice when their lives were changed by the adults around them, you’ll cry for the men who worked so hard to move forward only to have everything shatter once again and finally you’ll cry when it all starts to come back together in the end. The story isn’t all doom and gloom and angst; there’s a lot of love, humor and hope underneath it, but it is heavy and touches on painful issues on the way to Isaiah and Ben’s HEA.
I was immediately engaged with the main characters. Both Ben and Isaiah were forever changed by acts of violence when they were young. They are open and honest with each other from the start of their relationship, Ben especially feeling it important to lay his story out on the table on their first date. Although opposites in many ways, there is a physical chemistry between them and they have a great time together. Isaiah and Ben are falling hard and fast when their pasts again come back to haunt them and it’s really unclear whether they will ever be able to make things work regardless of how much they love each other. For Ben it’s not just the possibility of losing Isaiah for good, it’s also a risk to his hard won sobriety.
In addition to the main players, the cast of secondary characters is wonderful, adding to the emotional impact of the story. The story is told through alternating points of view and flashbacks and it works well to bring out the stories and mindsets of both men. All the characters feel real and the writing is straight forward. The story flows well, with some unexpected surprises and some pretty shocking moments. This was the second story I’ve read by Brandon Witt and he has found himself a place on my must read list.
Under a Sky of Ash is a story of surviving unimaginable loss, making family, finding love and letting go in order to move forward. There is so much more I could say about the story, but that would just deprive you of the pleasure of experiencing it for yourself. If you want an easy, sex and love conquers all as we ride off into the sunset story, this is not the book for you. If you’re willing to put in the effort and live the ups and downs Isaiah and Ben struggle through for a hard won happiness, this book won’t disappoint you.