Fever Pitch (Love Lessons Book 2)

My Review:I had a chance to get this book from the publisher for review and passed up on it because I wasn't so sure about the whole music theme. Then all the reviews started coming in and I had to have it because everyone was raving about it. And to be honest, I loved the first book in the series so I don't know why I didn't jump on this one besides an overpacked review schedule.And just so you know up front...yes, the hype was right. This book is excellent!The book starts with the end of high school with Giles and Aaron. Giles was the flaming gay kid that was bullied all through school...to the point of repeat hospitalizations. So he is thrilled about going off to college where people are more open minded, but his best friend, Mina, talks him into going to one final party in their hometown. There he runs into Aaron. Aaron is a new kid, but he's managed a level of popularity just because he's good looking and doesn't make waves. He's also deeply closeted and unsure about every single thing in his life. His parents make the decisions for him with an iron fist and that's left him unable to stand up for what he wants. Right now his main concern is college and finding a plan that will satisfy his very demanding father. The two guys have a single night together and then things are misunderstood between them. But it does do two things...that night lets Aaron know that yes, he is most definitely gay; and he plans to go to the same college as Aaron.And that's when the real journey begins. And this book is a journey. It's about college and discovery and for these guys...learning to stand on their own and make their own connections and discoveries about themselves and others. Nothing is easy for anyone in this book. Giles has spent his life hiding in the shadows from the bullies. Aaron has spent his life living for his parents. And those are just the main two characters, but this book is rich with other characters, just as tormented and lost, making their own discoveries. It's an amazing book and as a mother of a college-age boy, I just wanted to round them all up and protect them from the realities of a harsh world. But that's kind of the point...they are learning how to stand up for themselves for the first time in their lives.There are so many layers to this book...the harsh realities of the GLBT life; making adult decisions; finding a support network; seeing when others need a lift up; standing up for what you believe in. But it's all set to a world filled with acapella music that I loved. If ever a book needed to come with a soundtrack, I wished this one did, but Heidi Cullinan did an amazing job describing the score and the sounds and the magic that Aaron could create with his music. The book swept me away and I immediately wanted to reread the entire book when I reached the last page.I hope that Samhain releases this one in print like they did the first book in the series. This is a series I want on my print keeper shelf. And there's another book coming. I'm crossing my fingers that it's about Baz and Elijah, although I'm not sure my heart can take the angst that will come with their story. Both these guys...my heart bleeds for them. Just like it did for all of them in this book. Heidi Cullinan stole my heart with these characters. Such an amazing book!I highly, HIGHLY recommend it!! Oh, and read book #1 too...just because it's really good too. But they both work as stand-alones.

If this one does not move you, you may not be human.This just may be the best Heidi Cullinan book to date. This gifted author has really outdone herself and proven herself to be the incredibly talented writer her fans have always believed she is - including me.What got to me most was the insight she shows into parallel tracks, each of which requires some real in-depth knowledge or experience. The first track is battered and bullied gay kids and the fears and damage they carry with them as they grow into adults. The next track is kids with parents who want to run their childrens' lives, regardless of their childrens' wishes - parents who consider their kids failures if they don't go to Law school or join their father's firm, parents who kick their kids out in the street if they don't become the carbon copy their parents demand. The third track is the poor gay kids raised by fanatically fundamentalist "Christian" parents, like the ones who send their kids to ex-gay concentration camps and make their own childrens' lives as miserable as possible in order to enforce some perverted notion of morality - one that includes neither love nor acceptance.This book deals with all three themes through a strong, well-developed primary cast of at least a half-dozen major characters, not to mention their parents, professors and best friends. And under Ms. Cullinan's assured hand, these characters all come to life vividly and wend their way into your heart without really even trying, or so it seems - they are rendered so realistically and eloquently that the reader barely notices it happening.But what really blew me away was the way she wove music into every theme and character with such deep insight that it stuns me that she is not a trained musician herself. Trust me, I know. I have a degree in music and (in my youth) sang in Europe and the U.S. She is the first writer I've ever read to accurately describe the way music comes from the musician's heart, wraps around his or her entire soul and becomes magic when released into the world, with talented performers making it tangible, real and important. She gets it - music matters, and not just as a commercial exercise, but as an essential part of the human condition, as an art that lifts, challenges, ennobles and moves us - much as this book does.This is an author dealing with serious subjects - the suffering of an oppressed minority of young people at the hands not just of society and religion, but of their own parents, as well. And this amazingly talented author nails it, and in doing so, moves the reader, profoundly, with this story of love and music.Do yourself a favor. Read this one.

I loved the way Fever Pitch started, jumping right into the fray with Giles and Aaron escaping a party neither of them wanted to be at anyway and escaping, even for just a little while, into each other. Once they both got to university, though, I spent probably 25% of the book wanting to smack them both upside their heads. But they are young and either don't have experience or have had mostly bad experiences with interpersonal relationships. So, I did my best to cut them some slack.Meanwhile, though, I loved how both Giles and Aaron each found their way in their new world, navigating what others expected of them versus what they wanted for themselves. And I loved how they became friends before they finally got their act together and gave in to their desire for more. When that happened, I practically did somersaults!But there is so much more going on in this story. Things happened that I certainly did not expect and the directions sometimes went in way I would not have considered. And it was brilliant. I loved that Heidi Cullinan included a little taste of Ed and Laurie from Dance With Me (which is still my favorite book of hers that I have read) and I loved seeing Walter and Kelly from Love Lessons again. Plus all the new characters we get to know. It reminds me that family isn't just who shares your DNA. Hell, sometimes they are not family at all. Family is who sticks by you when you need a hand. And family protects their own.I cannot wait for Baz & Elijah's story - I have a feeling they are going to blow it out of the water. We get to know just a touch of their back stories here. Enough to realize that we've only scratched the surface and I cannot wait to read more about them.So, yeah, I loved this story.

Hmm, just read the other reviews, and as much as I enjoyed the book I originally thought it was about football! LOL I want to give this 3.75 stars because I'm wavering.I buy books at random, forget what they're about and then eventually read them so its quite often a surprise. Whilst I enjoyed the storyline with Aaron and Giles I wasn't terribly keen on the Fame/Glee aspect of it. Heidi obviously knows her stuff re music but it wasn't so great for me. It just made me remember Fame when all the 'kids' got together and made things happen - yeah right. Everyone was so inspired and motivated and it all went their way. Not in this world!I might be wrong generation, but I've never heard the song Titanium, I'm not a massive fan of Florence and the Machine only knowing the few songs they play on the radio, however I do like a bit of Keane and knew the song that Aaron played, so it wasn't all that alien!I suppose I would write about the music I like and that was familiar to me so good for you Heidi, but the college scene was just a bit too much for me to swallow, it would be nice to believe though. There has to be a story about Baz because we were left hanging as well as the utterly miserable and misunderstood Elijah. And now I find there are more in the Love lesson's series so I will read them. I do like this authors work but as I say it was the whole 'Fame/Glee' aspect that had me gagging; for me, if not for that - great book and great plot!

I loved this story, I didn't think it could live up to the first one which I read some time ago and is what started me following this author. However, the way you saw both couples worked so well together, and the glimpses of Walter and Kelly were some of my favourite parts. I laughed and cried at some bits, and would recommend it... more stories with these guys in please!

Heidi Cullinan is quickly becoming a firm favourite. I love this series. It covers a gammut of emotions. The first book, 'Love Lessons,' was brilliant, this, I think was even better. The characters are so richly written. Ms Cullinan really knows how to pull at the heart strings. A must read. Can't wait for the third in the series. Definitely a must read!

I really enjoyed this. Yes some of the musical references went right over my head but it was a slow burning romance which kept me turning the pages and wanting to know more about some of the supporting cast. Well done. I recommend this book and will be following up on the series.

So sweet, so emotional, so good.....talk about tugging-at-the-heart strings!Loved it.