Not one for me :-(

I didn't enjoy the writing style, and the storyline didn't grab me.

Not sure if I will be reading anymore by this author.

I always am excited to try out a new author and I love MM books so I was excited to start reading this one. Blue Umbrella Sky alternates between the present and flashbacks of the past of both men's lives, which adds an interesting perspective to the book. I unfortunately did not find myself connecting to the characters or the story line at all, and I did not feel a connection between the main characters. The book talked about meaningful and emotional topics including alcoholism, Alzheimer's disease, losing a spouse, etc, however, it all felt somewhat surface level to me and in the end I did not feel a deep connection to the story.

RICK R REED – BLUE UMBRELLA SKY

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Set under the blue umbrella skies of sweltering Palm Springs, this is the tale of young and gorgeous, but recovering alcoholic Billy, and his older recently widowed neighbour Milt.

Milt is still recovering from the trauma of losing his long-time partner, Corky, who at the end of his life had lived with Alzheimer’s. Milt had made a promise, that they would be together forever, and is struggling with his inner demons, not wanting to let his dead partner down, but at the same time needing to move on.

This is a simple but well-realised story, with two sympathetic main characters who not only ring true, but who you root for. You will them to get together. No prizes for guessing the outcome. This is a romance, after all.

The author lives in Palm Springs and I am not surprised. The setting is as important as the characters. You can feel the heat and see the brightness of the stars and I found myself googling places they visit.

I was sorry when their story ended. I enjoyed being part of their lives for a few hours and wish that it could have been longer.

This was a beautiful story about healing and learning to give and accept love again following loss. Both Milt and Billy were flawed characters who are actively working on healing themselves and maintaining their balance.

This was a solid 3.5 star book for me. I loved both of the characters and felt that their journeys were natural and true to the way that Rick Reed developed them. The steaminess factor was low, with minimal descriptions of physical interactions focusing instead on the relationships and emotional connections between characters. The backdrop of Palm Springs was perfect for this story, and as a SoCal native who has frequently visited the area it was easy to picture the mobile home park, hiking trails and even the strip malls.

This was a beautiful story and I recommend to someone looking for a book that really focuses on emotional connections.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley and voluntarily give my review.

Very thick with prose but Reed always brings lots of emotional layers to his tales. It's a long ride for the main characters. Definitely a book that shows the journey in flashbacks and helps each man move through his pain to something new. It's not a fast read and the emotions will stick with you long after you've finished.

I read an ARC provided by Netgalley. The book primarily follows Milt, a recent widower, as he restarts his life in California. He starts a relationship with Billy, a younger man who lives in his newfound community. They make for an unlikely pair, yet part of the interesting elements of the plot are how they navigate their backgrounds. There are quite a few flashbacks to help inform their backstories. These scenes do help to flesh out and support the obstacles that divide them, particularly when it comes to Milt's late spouse. Ultimately, this is a good book for people interested in May-December relationship stories and are LGBT-friendly.

Rick R. Reed has created two remarkable, memorable characters in his latest novel, Blue Umbrella Sky.

Milt Grabaur is a 42 year old high school teacher from Ohio and Billy Blue is a young 30 year old native Californian who once dreamed of becoming a singer but now works at Trader Joe’s. They are years apart in age, but each has been and continues to deal with some of life’s most difficult issues.

Milt is dealing with the pain of twice loosing his husband, Corky, whom he dearly loved - first to Alzheimers’ and then to death. The intensity of Milt’s love for his dead husband has closed him off to the possibility of ever loving again.

Billy is an alcoholic living alone in a rented trailer at Summer Winds, a trailer park in the Coachella Valley at the foothills of Palm Springs’ San Jacinto mountains. It’s to Summer Winds that Milt eventually escapes, living in a trailer next to Billy’s.

Add to the mix Ruby, Milt’s adopted gray-and-white pitbull mix puppy, and you have to know that love will eventually win out. As a dog lover, I chuckled at Reed’s description of Ruby as looking ferocious but being a big softie, easily frightened, shy, and with a disposition that made Mother Teresa look like a terrorist.

Getting to love was not easy, though. Through numerous episodes of miscommunication, misunderstandings, and genuine angst, as well as several chapters devoted to Milt’s recurring dreams and nightmares, I was beginning to wonder if things would ever work out.

The final chapter left me in tears.

From that final chapter it’s clear that love does win the day. But there is also room for at least one more story to come. Will the two remain together (it seems likely); where will they settle; will Billy ever achieve his dream of becoming a singer, will they adopt more than just their dog, and will Milt resume his teaching career or choose some other path. Only Mr Reed knows for sure.

I hope he’ll let the rest of us know as well.

I received an Advance Review Copy of ‘Blue Umbrella Sky’ from NetGalley and NineStar Press in exchange for an honest review. #BlueUmbrellaSky #NetGalley

Most of Rick R. Reed's books are an automatic request for me when it comes to reviews. I'm so glad that I read Blue Umbrella Sky. This book isn't really a romance in the usual sense...but I'll explain that!

When the book begins, Milt is living in a trailer in Palm Springs... When his husband died of Alzheimer's, he sold his house and left behind his friends to start over. The problem seems to be that he didn't really start over, he just continued to exist. He's living in a trailer with his dog Ruby.

A flood catches him off guard and he is rescued by his neighbor, Billy. Who would know that flooding was even a possibility in Palm Springs!? Well, Billy does. Billy has been trying to get Milt's attention, but Milt is so wrapped up in his grief that he doesn't even see it.

And here is where this book differs from other romances. This isn't just about a potential new relationship, it's about first love. It's about living a full and loving life with someone, losing them, and then trying to figure out what is next. Milt had a fantastic marriage but when Corky became ill... he began to slip away from Milt. Of course, Milt stuck with him. He cared for his husband, watched over him and continued to love him even between the few moments of clarity that remained.

This past love in Milt's life is a touching story. Losing a partner to such a terrible illness is all-encompassing and the grief can be completely overwhelming. I really liked how Rick wrote Milt's character. He wasn't overwhelmed by his grief all the time...but he had those familiar moments that shock him: a mug on the counter, dreams of a conversation, a touch. Rick has written a beautiful and subtle exploration of a character's guilt, relief, fear, sadness and all the other emotions and feelings that are wrapped up in losing someone. Corky and Milt's love was the read kind. It was messy and painful in the end, but there are so many memories for Milt to relish in as he tries to move on.

Billy is on his own journey in this novel. He is an alcoholic in recovery. He spotted Milt when he first moved in and despite his attempts to introduce himself, they don't become friends until a minor flood gives an unexpected opportunity. Billy is confident and insecure at the same time. He's a lovely character and I really enjoyed reading about his journey with his sobriety. It was well thought out and very authentic.

This is one of those books that will lead you on a bit of a journey in your own mind. There's a lot to think about as you read along with these two characters. I loved this beautiful story.

🌴A well-told tale of loss and the fear of moving on🌵⛅

4-4.5🌟stars
I found this another highly moving and evocative read by an author whose works I've only recently come to know and love. Author Rick R. Reed does not skirt around the tough issues in life. He is particularly adept at describing grief and the longing for shared moments missed. And although the journey may take time and some mistakes along the way, his characters eventually make it through to a positive and uplifting ending.

In this story, recently-widowed Milt has also come through an extended period of caregiving for his failing husband Corky. He picks up stakes and transplants himself to the other side of the country to escape his grief and start fresh but it's not working. The eruption of a violent storm and handsome Billy Blue into his life pushes him out of his solitary sorrow. Billy appears to him "like an angel" and I really liked Billy, a man who's seen the error of his ways and realized the necessity for a radical change. Billy's own past was rough and he is dealing with it with grace. His support meetings that helped him keep on the sober path were relevant but slowed the pace of the action a bit. Billy's positivity, patience and empathy, described with such an adroit hand, made him a heroic and eminently lovable character.

Told in alternating point of view between Milt and Billy, this story packed some major life issues and touches of spirituality in with the slowly-brewing romance. It never gets explicit, focusing on their emotional growth and connection. Really well done!👍👍

Thanks to publishers NineStar Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Congratulations to Rick R. Reed! Blue Umbrella Sky is a Finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in the Gay Romance category.

First off, "Blue Umbrella Sky" is a beautifully written story of loss, grief, addiction, failure, redemption and recovery. What it isn't is a garden variety M/M romance full of steamy, sweaty sex against any number of surfaces. So, perhaps adjust your expectations ... and get ready for an absolutely wonderful book.

If you've read Reed's "Big Love" (and you definitely should - it is exceptional), Milt is Dane Bernard's friend and fellow teacher in Summitville, Ohio, and after the death of his beloved husband Corky, Milt decides to move away and settle in a Palm Springs, CA trailer park. Caring for Corky and watching his gentle bear of a husband disappear bit by bit to the ravages of Alzheimer's disease has left Milt depressed and convinced he will never love again.

Enter Billy Blue, a recovering alcoholic living in the same trailer park who has watched Milt from afar and is harboring a crush on the lonely attractive widower. A flash flood brings the two men together and they begin a friendship based on long hikes and shared meals. The pace of the story is slow, but necessary as we get a series of flashbacks and learn of Billy's dreams of being a singer, his fierce battle with alcoholism and his recovery via the community he finds at AA. We also see Milt caring for Corky while hoping that deep down inside the man he loves is still there and realizes the extent of his care and devotion.

I love how Reed uses Ruby, the frightened rescue dog Milt saves at the start of the book, as a metaphor for both men. "But, God, she was a scared thing. I'd lift my hand to pet her and she'd cower, tail between her legs, terrified eyes looking at me, just begging. It broke my heart." Just as Ruby changes due to Milt's love, Milt's loneliness and self-isolation changes in the kindness Billy exudes. And as for Billy:

"Billy himself had been an abused animal, and the abuser had been the worst kind of enemy - himself."

Reed's writing is eloquent as he slowly unfolds this tale of two men who emerge from their respective losses to find one another, to truly see one another. 5 stars and a Recommended Read for "Blue Umbrella Sky."

"Yeah. I know this is something, what we have here. I know it is not in my head so much, but in my heart. My head tells me all the things Dane would say. But my heart knows. The heart always knows what it wants, what it needs. [...] Who it needs. What matters."

Billy and Milt both live on a trailer park at Palm Springs. Billy already lives there and Milt chose this place for a new start. Billy saw the new man arrive and was instantly smitten by the lonely, silent guy. He watched him with his dog and when there is a flood and Milt shout for help Billy is there to help him.
When Milt tells his story about his life with his deceased husband to Billy, Billy’s heart sank more and more. He can never compete with this husband. Instead, they build a friendship.

With the look-backs on both men’s lives, we get to know them, what they’ve been through. The devastating situations they’ve been through, both in their own way.
Billy’s life was and is so emotional, and Milt was going through a very hard time, I shed more than once tears for them.

Milt was not available at all. He was grieving.
Billy makes a decision... if Milt doesn’t want to start anything with him, he’ll just leave this place. Because staying here would hurt too much.

The struggle both men had, one with his constantly nagging addiction and one with a massive hole in his heart was palpable on every page. Chapter after chapter we get to know more and more about them. It was an emotional journey.
The way this all was written was incredibly kind and with so much dedication, I felt so involved. Even after finishing I’m still flooding with emotions.
It’s not a light fluffy read, it’s profound and thoughtful, it has a respectful approach to both men with their complex characters and circumstances, it’s all wonderful developed and captivating.