The Boy I Loved is a hauntingly beautiful story that lingers in your mind long after the final page. Set against the brutal backdrop of war, it tells a tender yet heart-wrenching tale of forbidden love—a love between men at a time when such a bond was met with punishment as unforgiving as the battlefields they endured.

The author’s writing is poetic and evocative, painting vivid scenes of both the horrors of war and the quiet, fragile moments of love and connection. The emotions are raw and unflinching, pulling you into the depths of the characters’ struggles, courage, and heartbreak.

This is not just a story of love; it’s a story of resilience, sacrifice, and the profound cost of being true to oneself in an unforgiving world. The emotional weight of the narrative is balanced by the thought provoking writing, making it impossible to put down even as it breaks your heart.

I highly recommend The Boy I Loved to anyone who appreciates stories of love that defy the odds, and historical fiction that doesn’t shy away from the painful truths of the past. It’s a deeply moving and unforgettable read—a masterpiece of war and love.

4/5 stars


I was lucky to be sent the audiobook early and the narrator did a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, and singing songs of the time.

This audiobook fell a bit flat for me.
I was so excited because the premise sounded really interesting and cute co
But it just (and maybe it was the audio)
Didn't really do it for me?
I felt quite bored the whole time and just wasn't interested enough in the story to care what was happening.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book honestly in exchange for an ARC!

I really enjoyed this love story set in World War 1. The narrator kept me hooked and it was well paced and clear to follow. Hussey's novel does not shy away from the horror or war and how it dehumanises everyone concerned, but it offers hope in spite of everything. I was totally invested in the story between Danny and Stephen and how gently their feelings develop for each other. In our modern age, this is a story which needed to be told; though fictional, it is inspired by many true events and I thought the topic was delicately handled and with extreme sensitivity.

The ending was unexpected for me and quite shocking - reading it as a modern reader, it is appalling to think of the 'crime' committed by Stephen and the price he pays. A brave soldier who went back to the field when it was not necessary should never have been treated in that manner and we should be thankful that LGBTQ is now accepted rather than ostracised. The fact that Stephen's father was the local vicar who sends his son to war rather than accept a gay son was a truly harrowing detail for me!

If you enjoy reading books set in the war, this will not disappoint, though I felt that it offered so much more. Interestingly, there is a short recording from the author at the end who explains how he came to write the novel and I found that insightful and appreciated the story even more. He created characters I really cared for.

I need 900 years to recover from emotional damage.

♾️ stars.

This book is a sensation. I can already tell it will be one of my top reads of the year and its the 6th of January.

Hussey embraces and embodies the lives of Danny and Stephen, creates a vivid sense of realism around the Somme and life at the front. The book, at it's core, is lyrical and tender.

The novel follows Stephen, a 19 year old soldier who returns to the front line despite previous wounds. There, he meets Danny, a new recruit with who he quickly forms a bond. Danny is quick witted and the singer to Stephens artist. The narrator captured the lyricism and use of song with a perfection that made for a beautiful listening experience. Set against the backdrop of WW1 their love is forbidden in all senses, yet the pair prevail.

The sadness and dark backdrop are balanced beautifully with moments of hope and joy. This novel is a poignant exploration of love, courage and human spirit in the face of adversity.
Stories like this need to be told and I am so glad that I have read this one.

Lovers of Alice Winn's In Memoriam will adore this. I implore you to add it to your TBR.

Huge thankyou to the publisher and to netgalley for an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC audiobook.

This book was way sadder than I thought going on and really broke my heart. This might also be the most stunning book cover ever.

This story follows Private Danny and Lieutenant Stephan in WW1. Stephen is returning to the front lines after already previously being injured and horribly injured and suffering very undiagnosed PTSD. On the train back to France he meets a new recruit Danny - whose evanescence personality instantly draw Stephen in and he can't get the new recruit out of his mind.

They are soon teaming up together as Lieuntenant and Solider servant, Danny's happy-go-lucky personality and cheeky attitude are a bright light to Stoehen whose has been scarred from War in more ways than one.

This book is only one POV and takes place over a short time period - however I think that fact they are at War and tramua Bonded makes sense why their instant connection and love is so strong. At the front line they are constantly seconds away from death , which puts a lot of things in perspective.

I think this was a powerful queer love story at a time when being queer was a crime.

However my only complaint is I think Roberts words to Stephen in Prison don't make sense to his character and in my head Danny and Stephen escaped to the country and lived happily together as 'bachelors' for the rest of their lives.

OMG, this book. I am sobbing! I just knew I was going to love this book from the synopsis and the fact that Mr Hussey has been a 5* author for me before, but I wasn't prepared for just how invested and emotional I'd become in the story.

It's probably not a perfect book, but the emotions that this evoked were just beyond what most books can manage for me. The author says it all in the acknowledgements: 'these boys were fighting for a country that despised them'. Just think of the bravery and patriotism that that takes.

I was given access to the audiobook by the publisher via Netgalley. I've got to say that the audio experience really enhanced my enjoyment. There are a few occasions where one of the characters sings and the narrator sung so beautifully and so in keeping with the character that it was in those moments that I realised how much I was loving this book. Pure audiobook perfection.

Highly recommend to everyone!

The Boy I love is a beautiful, tender and often brutal tale of love and found family in the trenches of WW1.

I listened to the audio version of this book and Alex Wingfield absolutely blew me away with his performance. Each character had their own accent and differences which easily enabled me to decipher between characters. And wow- the singing! Such a wonderful touch to this story.

The amount of names I called Captain Beddows throughout this story, and the times my heart leapt and prayed these boys would make it through shows the authors knack for writing fully fleshed out characters and situations.

I loved the bond the Manchesters shared and the camaraderie between the boys in the platoon, and the shenanigans of Robert and Percy really relayed the fact that these were really just boys sent to war.

I Will most certainly be Reading more from this author in future.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to receive a copy of this audio book via Netgalley.

THE BOY I LOVE is a tender, bittersweet, and moving tale of love in the trenches of the First World War in the lead up to the 1916 Battle of the Somme.

This book depicts the horrors of the trenches - the slaughter and pitiful living conditions as well as the ignorance and pig headedness of senior commanders. We see the injustice and inequality, the senselessness of many of the deaths and attacks. It is a book that looks unflinchingly at the trenches.

At the same time, this book also shows the heroism and sacrifices of men who signed up (or were conscripted) to serve their country, fighting for freedom. It has examples of good leadership to balance out the bad and, at the heart of the tale, a tender love story.

It's a gripping read, hard to put down as the book marches onwards toward the Somme, looking at pain and war and death next to life and love. You know that there is going to be a cost, that some of the cast will die - and it hurts each time even though it's quite a short book so you haven't had much time with some of them, which was impressive.

But at the same time, you keep reading in hope that something good will come out the end of it, that the boys will find each other and live. It's a compulsive combination (particularly as someone who enjoys both a well written tragedy and a well written bittersweet ending, so either option was equally appealing!) I liked the ultimate ending, which recognised the many challenges facing the boys.

I don't read a huge amount of YA , but I make the exception for some authors, and Hussey is one of them.
So glad I did.
This book had me feeling all the emotions.
Happy, sad, excited, despair.... you name it, we went through it.
It captures the horror of war, without being gory.
It really brought home the absurdity of how young those boys were, and what they were expected to do.
The narration was excellent.
I'll think of Stephen and Danny often.