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Eight Seconds
Dustin Marston, wannabe professional bull rider, cannot stay on a bull for the required eight seconds. Suffering from sinister flashes of suppressed memories from his childhood, Dusty has a panic attack during a hazardous sexual encounter that lands him in serious legal trouble.
When he proves to be uncooperative, his health counselor, Diana, turns to a colleague for assistance—only for the to learn that Joe was once the boy Dusty loved when they were kids, and who was lost to him twenty years ago. Then Joe proposes a highly unorthodox treatment to save Dusty, a treatment that wakes old nightmares and threatens any chance they have of a future.
Warning: this story contains disturbing themes that may trigger traumatic memories for sufferers.
When he proves to be uncooperative, his health counselor, Diana, turns to a colleague for assistance—only for the to learn that Joe was once the boy Dusty loved when they were kids, and who was lost to him twenty years ago. Then Joe proposes a highly unorthodox treatment to save Dusty, a treatment that wakes old nightmares and threatens any chance they have of a future.
Warning: this story contains disturbing themes that may trigger traumatic memories for sufferers.
- GenresM M RomanceContemporary
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2016
1 person is currently reading
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 11, 2016
Whew ... while I appreciated the basic plot of Eight Seconds, I could have done without the kitchen sink that came along with it. At the core of the story are two young boys - Joe and Dustin - who fall in love and are separated for over 20 years. Dusty is in court-mandated therapy after . Joe is an associate of Dusty's therapist, Diane, and is brought in to help with the case, not knowing his boyhood love is the man he is supposed to help.
Dusty does not remember much of his childhood and throughout the book Joe and Diane slowly peel away those repressed memories to get to a truly horrible answer. But in the meantime, there is a horde of secondary characters and events and downright bizarre events that clutter the pages. This book is full of triggers, such as PLUS ... and the rodeo. There are perhaps 3-4 sex scenes in the book; however two of them are dream / fantasy sequences.
I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Dusty does not remember much of his childhood and throughout the book Joe and Diane slowly peel away those repressed memories to get to a truly horrible answer. But in the meantime, there is a horde of secondary characters and events and downright bizarre events that clutter the pages. This book is full of triggers, such as PLUS ... and the rodeo. There are perhaps 3-4 sex scenes in the book; however two of them are dream / fantasy sequences.
I received an ARC of this book from Less Than Three Press, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2016
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
Ok, first let me just throw this out there. Eight Seconds is absolutely FULL of triggers. I’m not going to try to hide them from you. It’s a difficult book to read with some disturbing subject matter. In fact, there is so much going on, I’m not sure if I am getting them all, but here is a basic list: alcoholism, child abuse/molestation, child murder, spousal abuse, infidelity, alcohol-induced blackout violence, and repressed memories. This book is not a fluffy, moonlight and roses romance. But…
…if you can get past all of that, you will discover a brilliantly written novel about two men who are so inherently broken it seems impossible they’ll be able to live any sort of normal life. Dustin and Joe will break your heart. I mean this. I cried so much while reading Eight Seconds I didn’t think my eyes would be dry again. I felt this book in such a visceral manner, and I believe it’s actually changed me.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
Ok, first let me just throw this out there. Eight Seconds is absolutely FULL of triggers. I’m not going to try to hide them from you. It’s a difficult book to read with some disturbing subject matter. In fact, there is so much going on, I’m not sure if I am getting them all, but here is a basic list: alcoholism, child abuse/molestation, child murder, spousal abuse, infidelity, alcohol-induced blackout violence, and repressed memories. This book is not a fluffy, moonlight and roses romance. But…
…if you can get past all of that, you will discover a brilliantly written novel about two men who are so inherently broken it seems impossible they’ll be able to live any sort of normal life. Dustin and Joe will break your heart. I mean this. I cried so much while reading Eight Seconds I didn’t think my eyes would be dry again. I felt this book in such a visceral manner, and I believe it’s actually changed me.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
August 11, 2016
A complex, compelling, heart-rending story that is a must read! This grabbed me right from the start, and will stay long after the last word. With it's unique storyline, great characters you can't help but love, a funny and loyal dog, drama, hilarious banter and crazy antics, intense situations, heartbreak, tragedy, violence, and intriguing twists, it's a page turner that you won't be able to put down. An emotionally captivating story that is truly exceptional.
Dustin, aka Dusty, has lived through an unimaginable traumatic life. He has horrific nightmares, panic attacks, has certain things that trigger an uncontrollable violence, but the biggest problem is that he has no idea what has caused any of this. His subconscious has blocked all of the tragedies that he has lived through, and he has no idea how to control himself without knowing what the cause is. After an altercation, he is required to see a counselor by the courts, where he meets Diana. After a few sessions, she knows that she will not be able to help him, and requests her colleague to meet with with him. Little do they know, their lives are all going to change from this meeting.
There are many profound messages within this story that it's hard to explain them without giving away spoilers, which I refuse to do. There are things in this book that can be triggers for some people, so be aware of this before reading this. Although there are many sub-plots, in addition to the main one, it is very well written and in no way is it chaotic. It's a heartbreaking but wonderful story that I believe many will enjoy. I strongly recommend this book and author.
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGaley in exchange for a honest review.
Dustin, aka Dusty, has lived through an unimaginable traumatic life. He has horrific nightmares, panic attacks, has certain things that trigger an uncontrollable violence, but the biggest problem is that he has no idea what has caused any of this. His subconscious has blocked all of the tragedies that he has lived through, and he has no idea how to control himself without knowing what the cause is. After an altercation, he is required to see a counselor by the courts, where he meets Diana. After a few sessions, she knows that she will not be able to help him, and requests her colleague to meet with with him. Little do they know, their lives are all going to change from this meeting.
There are many profound messages within this story that it's hard to explain them without giving away spoilers, which I refuse to do. There are things in this book that can be triggers for some people, so be aware of this before reading this. Although there are many sub-plots, in addition to the main one, it is very well written and in no way is it chaotic. It's a heartbreaking but wonderful story that I believe many will enjoy. I strongly recommend this book and author.
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGaley in exchange for a honest review.
March 5, 2017
2.5
I'm not a fan of coincidences (Dusty is sent to be treated to Joe, his first love who disappeared 20 years before), even less of therapists ignoring their professional code of ethics. Add several kinds of , and a bad case of «tell, don't show»...
I'm not a fan of coincidences (Dusty is sent to be treated to Joe, his first love who disappeared 20 years before), even less of therapists ignoring their professional code of ethics. Add several kinds of , and a bad case of «tell, don't show»...
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September 1, 2016
Unrated
My View: Eight Seconds is a very complex novel with a series of dark and challenging topics. Even so, the author did an excellent job balancing the flow of the story. It never got too angst or difficult to read. There are small scenes inserted allowing the reader to see that hope was within reach. All these said, the story has perhaps too much happening; too many twists and turns for each subplot.
The characters are the salvation of this story. They're easy to fall in love with and hope for the best. Wanting to learn more about their future kept the reader engaged and allowed them to see beyond all the darkness. Every single one of them had a reason to be there and added to the overall plot.
My main issue with this book and the reason I'm not rating it has to do with Joe's therapy approach. I don't see how he can be a renowned doctor and act the way he did. His methods are more than questionable; especially due to their relationship. Also, Dustin's secret seemed unprovable and how easily Joe found about it felt unrealistic. Just like Joe's background and connections.
This novel isn't a romance, but a gay fiction story with romantic elements. We get a reunion after twenty years but is more about their friendship and their support for each other.
What I liked the most: Dustin's and Joe's relationship.
I wanted more: In this case, I wanted less of everything.
Who should read it: Fans of gay fiction.
Originally reviewed for Someone Else's Stories.
ARC provided by Less Than Three Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
My View: Eight Seconds is a very complex novel with a series of dark and challenging topics. Even so, the author did an excellent job balancing the flow of the story. It never got too angst or difficult to read. There are small scenes inserted allowing the reader to see that hope was within reach. All these said, the story has perhaps too much happening; too many twists and turns for each subplot.
The characters are the salvation of this story. They're easy to fall in love with and hope for the best. Wanting to learn more about their future kept the reader engaged and allowed them to see beyond all the darkness. Every single one of them had a reason to be there and added to the overall plot.
My main issue with this book and the reason I'm not rating it has to do with Joe's therapy approach. I don't see how he can be a renowned doctor and act the way he did. His methods are more than questionable; especially due to their relationship. Also, Dustin's secret seemed unprovable and how easily Joe found about it felt unrealistic. Just like Joe's background and connections.
This novel isn't a romance, but a gay fiction story with romantic elements. We get a reunion after twenty years but is more about their friendship and their support for each other.
What I liked the most: Dustin's and Joe's relationship.
I wanted more: In this case, I wanted less of everything.
Who should read it: Fans of gay fiction.
Originally reviewed for Someone Else's Stories.
ARC provided by Less Than Three Press, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2016
Dusty has spend all of his career in the rodeo in the dust. One day his past comes knocking and he winds up in trouble. To save his career and himself, Dusty is sent to therapy. However his past has issues with his current therapist, Diana. In order to help him succeed, she brings in a colleague, Joe, who also has a history of his own.
So the two MCs are childhood sweethearts. Joe disappeared after Dusty told his mother a secret between the two boys. I was surprised at how quickly we were introduced to the two. I figured it would take a little bit longer. The author makes up for it by making it really slow and difficult for the two to get their romance sparking.
Dusty has so much drama and past issues that he's constantly fighting and making the romance difficult. He's always drunk and fighting and in a downward spiral. His personality is interesting however, he's a cowboy which stereo-typically have the brains of an ox. Dusty is far from that he's highly intelligent. It's quirks like these that Joe sees in him. Joe reminds me of a snob in some bits. He's not snobby by any means, just the history of his family and the strings he pulls reminds me of that.
We get some secondary characters Diana the therapist, Katelyn - Dust's baby momma and EJ his son. For as important as they are as complementary characters they don't fit into the story very well. Particularly his son. He's supposed to be very important to Dusty, but he and his mother are more mentioned than a physical presence in the story. And then who she ends up with in the end? Really? That's kinda unrealistic.
This story is slow and has some really awful and trigger-jumping sections. When we find out what the cause of Dusty's behavioral issues, it's really sad and depressing and beyond horrible. After that, it wasn't as much of a Western romance that I though. It's slow and dark with some really sweet romance spots. This one might be too dark for some people, but it was a good read.
So the two MCs are childhood sweethearts. Joe disappeared after Dusty told his mother a secret between the two boys. I was surprised at how quickly we were introduced to the two. I figured it would take a little bit longer. The author makes up for it by making it really slow and difficult for the two to get their romance sparking.
Dusty has so much drama and past issues that he's constantly fighting and making the romance difficult. He's always drunk and fighting and in a downward spiral. His personality is interesting however, he's a cowboy which stereo-typically have the brains of an ox. Dusty is far from that he's highly intelligent. It's quirks like these that Joe sees in him. Joe reminds me of a snob in some bits. He's not snobby by any means, just the history of his family and the strings he pulls reminds me of that.
We get some secondary characters Diana the therapist, Katelyn - Dust's baby momma and EJ his son. For as important as they are as complementary characters they don't fit into the story very well. Particularly his son. He's supposed to be very important to Dusty, but he and his mother are more mentioned than a physical presence in the story. And then who she ends up with in the end? Really? That's kinda unrealistic.
This story is slow and has some really awful and trigger-jumping sections. When we find out what the cause of Dusty's behavioral issues, it's really sad and depressing and beyond horrible. After that, it wasn't as much of a Western romance that I though. It's slow and dark with some really sweet romance spots. This one might be too dark for some people, but it was a good read.
August 24, 2016
*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.*
Dustin is a bull rider whom can't stay on the bull over his eighth seconds. After nearly killing a man he's forced to see a health counsellor. She seeks help from a colleague when she discovers she's a trigger for Dustin. The colleague unexpectedly is a man who's had a crush on Dustin many years ago.
The story is heartbreaking, sweet, exiting and has a hold on me all the way. It has many turns and surprises through out the book.
It's also giving a look at ethics in working with mental health issues; should one only see things in black and white upon working with people and emotions when ethics concerns. The actions the two colleagues is taking to help Dustin is questionable sometimes. But my feeling is that they do what they do to help even if it's not ethical right all the time.
This book for me was very rooted in reality in so many ways but still has a little fairytale story. It gave me a surprise moment when I discovered the link to the title of the book reading Dustin's story and it made so much sense.
The story is also about abuse and how people react and survives depending on what kind of support they have at the time.
I found the story interesting to read and I would definitely read another book from this author. The writing style is easy to read despite the heavy topic of this book. I disappear in this book so it's well worth 5 stars.
The book describes abuse so if you can't stomach reading about it you shouldn't read this book, but for me it's a reminder of that the world is so much more than my little safe place. We could all need a reminder now and then.
Dustin is a bull rider whom can't stay on the bull over his eighth seconds. After nearly killing a man he's forced to see a health counsellor. She seeks help from a colleague when she discovers she's a trigger for Dustin. The colleague unexpectedly is a man who's had a crush on Dustin many years ago.
The story is heartbreaking, sweet, exiting and has a hold on me all the way. It has many turns and surprises through out the book.
It's also giving a look at ethics in working with mental health issues; should one only see things in black and white upon working with people and emotions when ethics concerns. The actions the two colleagues is taking to help Dustin is questionable sometimes. But my feeling is that they do what they do to help even if it's not ethical right all the time.
This book for me was very rooted in reality in so many ways but still has a little fairytale story. It gave me a surprise moment when I discovered the link to the title of the book reading Dustin's story and it made so much sense.
The story is also about abuse and how people react and survives depending on what kind of support they have at the time.
I found the story interesting to read and I would definitely read another book from this author. The writing style is easy to read despite the heavy topic of this book. I disappear in this book so it's well worth 5 stars.
The book describes abuse so if you can't stomach reading about it you shouldn't read this book, but for me it's a reminder of that the world is so much more than my little safe place. We could all need a reminder now and then.
June 30, 2016
This is a very gritty look at the repercussions and aftermath of child abuse. A fan of cowboy romances, I was (perhaps naively) expecting a little bit more rodeo and a little less graphic child abuse.
I’m not sure it is possible to enjoy this story. At times it is incredibly moving and at other times it is extremely disturbing but this is never a comfortable book. There were times I found myself falling for both Joe and Dusty, but just when I started to invest in one of them, I would find myself conflicted.
Joe is supposed to be a respected doctor or psychiatrist or therapist…(what exactly are his qualifications?) but he ignores the huge conflict of interest that comes with treating Dusty and operates far outside any possible professional code of conduct. I found it increasingly difficult to respect his maverick approach to therapy and as a result, I found it increasingly difficult to believe in the character as the book progressed.
At least Dusty is supposed to be a hot mess. But like Joe, his actions hurt people and it is difficult to ever fully love his character. Dusty’s progress from hot mess to stable partner is impossibly quick.
I was managing the Dusty/Joe/Diana/Katelyn storyline until near the end. But if the extreme revelations about Dusty’s past didn’t push plausibility completely out the window, the plot twist Joe pulls out of a hat to solve all of Dusty’s problems certainly did. Unfortunately, this descended into a soapy drama by the end.
Ultimately, there were moving parts to this book but unlikeable leading men and an implausible plot made this story difficult for me to get through.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
I’m not sure it is possible to enjoy this story. At times it is incredibly moving and at other times it is extremely disturbing but this is never a comfortable book. There were times I found myself falling for both Joe and Dusty, but just when I started to invest in one of them, I would find myself conflicted.
Joe is supposed to be a respected doctor or psychiatrist or therapist…(what exactly are his qualifications?) but he ignores the huge conflict of interest that comes with treating Dusty and operates far outside any possible professional code of conduct. I found it increasingly difficult to respect his maverick approach to therapy and as a result, I found it increasingly difficult to believe in the character as the book progressed.
At least Dusty is supposed to be a hot mess. But like Joe, his actions hurt people and it is difficult to ever fully love his character. Dusty’s progress from hot mess to stable partner is impossibly quick.
I was managing the Dusty/Joe/Diana/Katelyn storyline until near the end. But if the extreme revelations about Dusty’s past didn’t push plausibility completely out the window, the plot twist Joe pulls out of a hat to solve all of Dusty’s problems certainly did. Unfortunately, this descended into a soapy drama by the end.
Ultimately, there were moving parts to this book but unlikeable leading men and an implausible plot made this story difficult for me to get through.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
June 27, 2016
WARNING: Do not read if you have triggers to child abuse, rape, violence, and murder. I am no trying to turn anyone away from this book with those warnings because that is not the whole of the book but all of those are talked about and mentioned in this book.
This book is a book I would describe as true strength, and not letting the horrible child hood traumas to ruin the future. It is about excepting the past and looking forward to a better future. This book is a true survivors story.
I felt so many emotions reading this book. Dusty had the most horrible childhood at the hands of someone who was supposed to love and protect him and instead because of that person his adulthood was left in shambles and he could not remeber what the cause behind it was because he blocked out as much bad as he could. It took Joe coming back into his life for him to finally find the strength within himself to face the demons of his past to be able to become the man he has always wanted to be.
This book in my opinion should be considered a true inspirational story about survival and about seeking the help that ones needs in these situations to be able to accept what happened and to be able to move on to better things in life despite it all. William Davrick did an amazing job on this book and should be very proud of it. I hope that many more people will take opportunity to read it because it is a very touching story that will stay with you.
Was given this book for free from inked rainbow reads for an honest review
This book is a book I would describe as true strength, and not letting the horrible child hood traumas to ruin the future. It is about excepting the past and looking forward to a better future. This book is a true survivors story.
I felt so many emotions reading this book. Dusty had the most horrible childhood at the hands of someone who was supposed to love and protect him and instead because of that person his adulthood was left in shambles and he could not remeber what the cause behind it was because he blocked out as much bad as he could. It took Joe coming back into his life for him to finally find the strength within himself to face the demons of his past to be able to become the man he has always wanted to be.
This book in my opinion should be considered a true inspirational story about survival and about seeking the help that ones needs in these situations to be able to accept what happened and to be able to move on to better things in life despite it all. William Davrick did an amazing job on this book and should be very proud of it. I hope that many more people will take opportunity to read it because it is a very touching story that will stay with you.
Was given this book for free from inked rainbow reads for an honest review
June 11, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from Inked Rainbow reviews in exchange for an honest review.
This story touches on topics that should be mentioned in the synopsis: Uncontrolled violent behavior, rape, child abuse, murder, spousal abuse, adultery, cancer, alcoholism, interracial marriage. Some of these topics can be severe trigger points for the readers.
I’m not sure why does Diana have such a big role in the book. We hear more from Diana throughout the entire book than we do Dustin. There are whole chapters that consist of just Diana and Joe speaking. And then let’s add in Birdie who takes Dustin in to live with her. And Katelyn, the mother of EJ. EJ is Dustin’s son through artificial insemination. Katelyn falls in love with Diana. And the Korean boy. And the Italian. And Dustin’s Father.
I’m getting whiplash bouncing back and forth between all the characters in this story. It was hard to tell who was speaking when. I was very confused. Pick one character’s POV at a time and run with it, then give us a break in the chapter and switch characters. We even hear a POV from the dog Cartwright. Now I’m just as much of an animal lover as the next person, but seriously? The dog?
This story has good bones; it just needs a lot of tweaking to make it great.
This story touches on topics that should be mentioned in the synopsis: Uncontrolled violent behavior, rape, child abuse, murder, spousal abuse, adultery, cancer, alcoholism, interracial marriage. Some of these topics can be severe trigger points for the readers.
I’m not sure why does Diana have such a big role in the book. We hear more from Diana throughout the entire book than we do Dustin. There are whole chapters that consist of just Diana and Joe speaking. And then let’s add in Birdie who takes Dustin in to live with her. And Katelyn, the mother of EJ. EJ is Dustin’s son through artificial insemination. Katelyn falls in love with Diana. And the Korean boy. And the Italian. And Dustin’s Father.
I’m getting whiplash bouncing back and forth between all the characters in this story. It was hard to tell who was speaking when. I was very confused. Pick one character’s POV at a time and run with it, then give us a break in the chapter and switch characters. We even hear a POV from the dog Cartwright. Now I’m just as much of an animal lover as the next person, but seriously? The dog?
This story has good bones; it just needs a lot of tweaking to make it great.
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April 20, 2017This book had so much going on, it was hard to stay focused on the actual main story. Some things seemed to be pertinent to the story, but much just seemed unnecessary. It was hard to figure out. Eventually, I discovered I really didn’t care any more because I found Dusty to be mostly unlikable. I ended up skimming through the last half of the book.
And the triggers … I think the DSM-5 has entire sections devoted to what happens to people when some of these triggers are, well, triggered. So if you are sensitive to pretty much any type of abuse, tread carefully.
I'm not leaving a star rating because while I didn't technically DNF this book, I did mostly skim the last half.
Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
And the triggers … I think the DSM-5 has entire sections devoted to what happens to people when some of these triggers are, well, triggered. So if you are sensitive to pretty much any type of abuse, tread carefully.
I'm not leaving a star rating because while I didn't technically DNF this book, I did mostly skim the last half.
Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2016
This is the first book that I have read by William Davrick. I was expecting to enjoy this book more than I did. The idea or plot was decent but I found it a little slow. I think I may be a little biased about western romances because I have read so many. I loved the story as far as the M/M romance. Dusty has had an extremely hard life. He uses alcohol and drugs to cope with a mental illness that is basically undiagnosed. Joe is a friend from his early teen years, and the first man Dusty ever loved. Joe also turns out to be one of the therapists that Dusty is assigned to by the court after an altercation. I would be willing to give it another try and read another book by this author.
November 24, 2016
2016 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Eight Seconds by William Davrick
This book was very heavy and full of deep trauma. It hurt to read. The writing was solid, the execution was well done. I found myself scoffing at some of the proposed treatments for Dustin and some of the trouble he landed himself in--I don't see such alternatives to the trouble he landed in being actually viable in real life. That nudged me out of the story often, and I had to push on. Maybe I'm far too critical. I can say that the emotions were on high, the pain and past trauma were terrifying, and the second-chance old friends to lovers theme helped balance out the darkness.
This book was very heavy and full of deep trauma. It hurt to read. The writing was solid, the execution was well done. I found myself scoffing at some of the proposed treatments for Dustin and some of the trouble he landed himself in--I don't see such alternatives to the trouble he landed in being actually viable in real life. That nudged me out of the story often, and I had to push on. Maybe I'm far too critical. I can say that the emotions were on high, the pain and past trauma were terrifying, and the second-chance old friends to lovers theme helped balance out the darkness.
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August 5, 2016Read this one for review
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