Ethan

by Ryan Loveless

Carter Stevenson is looking forward to a fresh start in a new high school on the other side of the country. It’ll give him a chance to escape his reputation for twitching and stuttering. He’ll have the summer to himself in his new home in California, and in the fall, he won’t get involved in any activity that puts his Tourette’s center stage. He won’t stand out as different.

But his new neighbor, Ethan, isn’t just going to change his plans. He’s going to change Carter’s life.

Ethan Hart is recovering from a traumatic brain injury, but it doesn’t dampen his enthusiasm or love for life. As soon as he sees Carter, who moves like the music Ethan sees between the clouds and the grass, he’s determined to become his friend, and then his boyfriend. And even if his parents say their romance can’t get physical, Ethan won’t let it stand in the way of falling in love.

Stepping into the spotlight was the last thing Carter ever wanted, but Ethan, along with a group of friends who like him just the way he is—tics and all—starts to change his mind.

Adapted as a YA edition of the award-winning novel Ethan, Who Loved Carter by Ryan Loveless.

Genres: M M Romance, Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2016

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5 stars*

I don't know how to rate this book. Do I rate it as a comparison to Ethan, Who Loved Carter, which is the book that Ethan is based off of, or do I rate it as if I hadn't ever read Ethan, Who Loved Carter? I decided to split my rating and rate it 2.5 stars, but I'm still not sure if that exactly fits.

Bottom line for readers is that if you own Ethan, Who Loved Carter, skip this book.

I read Ethan fairly quickly, and I enjoyed it a good deal, but I immediately after decided to re-read Ethan, Who Loved Carter. I was floored by how similar the two books are. I'm not talking overall plot, I'm talking 90% or so of the text is identical. The scenes are sometimes word for word the same, with very minor changes.

Here is a question that I'll pose to you: Why do a YA adaptation of a story?

I thought that the author did a YA adaption to make the book more appropriate for young readers. That is simply what I assumed. I thought that the author would remove all the sex content, or allude to it in more vague terms, and give the characters a younger vibe. This was not strictly the case. While there is much less sex than the original story, there are still many, many references to masturbation, erections, and penises, as well as a non-penetrative sex scene. To be honest, I'm not sure if this book is appropriate for young readers at all, unless they are ready to be reading a lot a mature content.

My main issues with the story have a lot to do with the fact that many the of the plotlines didn't translate well when you lowered the age of Carter and Ethan. For example, when Ethan and Elliot's parents went out of town, they had Carter stay over and watch them. In the original book, it made sense because Carter was in his late 20s and Elliot was 15. Here, Carter is the same age as Elliot, so it made no sense as to why they would have Carter babysit. It just didn't work, and I was scratching my head. Same with Elliot's outburst about Carter and Ethan having sex. The outburst was still there in the YA version, but because Carter and Ethan didn't have sex, the outburst made no sense this time. It needed to be modified more.

I also didn't think that Carter's parents added much to the story. Too much of the focus was on Carter and the relationship with his family, and I think it detracted from the romance.

The problem boils down to the fact that the book is like a less successful version of the original, and I just didn't see the purpose of it. I liked the book because I liked the original, and I think that if you haven't read Ethan, Who Loved Carter, you'll like it too. If I hadn't read the original, I would recommend this one, but I can't go back and erase the original from my memory, and I can't help but to compare them.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

[☆ Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't even begin to tell you how much I adored the original book, " Ethan, Who Loved Carter ," so when I heard about this YA retelling of the original story, I was all over it.

As with the original story, Ethan was in an 'accident,' which left him with brain damage and a limp. Ethan's personality is exuberant, to say the least, and his positivity is completely infectious. In this reworking of the story, he's 18, with the accident happening at 15.

Carter is 15, turning 16, and has just moved next door to Ethan's family, where he's hoping to make a fresh start across the country from where his former classmates constantly made fun of his stuttering and tics, caused by Tourette’s.

Upon first meeting Carter, Ethan is immediately sold. His life is one Carter short of being perfect and he's dead set on rectifying the situation post haste. And it's utterly adorable to watch.

Both boys bring something to one another's lives that helps them to grow, be more happy. More complete. It's a true thing of beauty to watch.

One of the funniest aspects of the book for me was, well, let's be blunt. Ethan's penis. It was a constant source of amusement for me, when Ethan would blurt something about it. It was dying.

“Carter.” [Ethan] sounded put-upon. “When you look at me like that, my penis gets hard.”

...

“My penis is always hard in the morning,” Ethan said, like an announcement. I didn’t need to look up to know that Ethan was looking at me looking at him. “It goes down after I pee.”

“That’s good.” I’d been busy staring at my bare knees, aiming for plausible deniability. Ethan’s boner didn’t make me want to jump him or anything, but… it was kind of hard to look away.

“Then I masturbate,” Ethan said, and the coils that had started to loosen from my gut clamped around me again.

“Oh,” I squeaked.

...

“So, it took you guys long enough,” Frankie said.

I grinned at him. “I think so too.”

“Yeah.” Carter scooted closer to me. Carter was still nervous around my friends. He’d have to get over that, but for now I liked the idea that I was protecting him.

“Of course I haven’t seen his penis yet, but I hope to soon,” I said. “I have to talk to Mom about the rule first, of course.”

Which brings us to Ethan's parents' rule that he was not to have any type of sex with other people.

A lot of Carter's conflict about dating Ethan surrounded them possibly becoming sexually active. Firstly, Carter was not ready for that, at all. Also, he worried that, if it did happen, would he be taking advantage of Ethan?

Ethan's lack of impulse control did make me ask that question myself; however, I decided early on that, yes, Ethan is not a child and had the ability to love someone. And also have sex with them. Fortunately, Ethan's very supportive family came to a reasonable conclusion regarding his cognitive abilities as well.



The book is extremely slow burn and, to always be talking about penises, has very little steam, with only one scene, when Carter is finally ready to further explore his relationship with Ethan.

This story was a complete treasure and the boys get what I feel is an HEA, which may be premature, but that's how it read to me, in spite of their younger ages. Sometimes when it's right, that's just it.

As with the original story, this was a 5-star read for me and I highly recommend it to all readers, period.

I would note that, as this story is essentially a reworking of the previous plot, only with younger MC's, I am glad that it had been a few years since I'd read the original.

I believe that if I'd read them back to back, the impact of the new YA version of the story would not have been quite the same.

So if you've recently read "Ethan, Who Loves Carter," you might want to give it a bit of time to settle before giving "Ethan" a shot. 

Otherwise, READ. IT. NOW!   : )

------------------------------------------------

My ARC copy of this story was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

[BWT · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to love this. You have no idea how much. Because Ethan, Who Loved Carter is one of my favorite books, not just M/M, but all genres, of all time.

I reread Ethan, Who Loved Carter frequently. I listen to the audio a few times a year. I love it.

So when I heard Ryan Loveless was releasing a YA version of the book I was thrilled. I lined up eager to get my hands on it and I can say, unequivocally, that's it's really, really well done.

Carter is fifteen, about to be sixteen, and Ethan is eighteen. Ethan's TBI and Carter's Tourette's are really well explained and rendered perfectly to give the reader understanding, compassion and empathy with the characters.

Both boys are drawn together from the start and perfect for each other. The relationship is a slow, careful growth, and everyone around them being very careful of each boy's limitations and needs.

But, for me, I cannot help but compare Ethan to Ethan, Who Loved Carter. I kind of felt like a little bit of soul was missing from this. I almost hate to say it, but Carter being so young, his parents being involved in his decision making, and finally the passion that they share being missing from this story, all really impacted how I felt about it.

It's such an awesome retelling, but after reading it I have to wonder why it was done at all. The only reason I can really see is because of the biggest complaint I remember reading from other reviews: that people felt because of Ethan's TBI he had limited ability to consent to sexual activity.

Which I always thought was bull. I honestly believe Ethan, Who Loved Carter is one of the most perfectly done novels I've ever read. It works on pretty much every level. It hits all the right notes.

Ethan, while lovely, and all the chords are there, just played a different song for me.

It makes me wish I had read Ethan before I read Ethan, Who Loved Carter, because this really is excellently done and deserves to stand on its own merits.

All of which is a personal opinion only.

I would still absolutely recommend the story for younger audiences, while encouraging older audiences to absolutely try Ethan, Who Loved Carter.

Advanced Review Galley copy of Ethan provided by Harmony Ink Press in exchange of an honest review.

This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.

[Kudrat Kaur · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had trouble rating this book. It’s a rewritten version of Ethan who Loved Carter – and as a reader who’d come across ELC before I was curious what the author had done differently this time.
The answer is very little.
At the time I read and finished Ethan, I noticed I hadn’t actually ever gotten around to finishing ELC. My tendency to hold off finishing books popping up again. Regardless, as I was reading Ethan I was constantly wondering “Ok. So. What’s exactly the difference?”

Don’t get me wrong. This is a great book, it’s a great story.
You can see the care that the author has put into creating both Ethan and Carter… except he already did that for ELC so what’s different now?

Maybe I’m missing the point here regarding what “rewriting a story” means, but I’d imagine it would either have something more, or something different. This book had neither, and in that respect – as I was reading it, I just kept remembering what I’d read in ELC and then I’d know how it was going to go down. It was basically as though I was rereading that book. And that would be absolutely fine, if I hadn’t started the book expecting to be floored again. Except for the protagonists’ ages being altered, it was basically the same book. The author could have done more, added the trials and tribulations that come with being a teenager, but they’re barely (if at all) there.

But, maybe that’s just me. It’s also very likely that other readers haven’t read ELC and so they won’t be experiencing this same sense of “I’ve read this before”.

Now, leaving all of that behind I’ll focus on the story itself.
Because it’s beautiful regardless.
It deserves to be acknowledged – and since I failed to do that with ELC, I’ll do it with Ethan.

Before the story even begins the “Author’s notes” section has piqued my curiosity. In it, the author decided to give a quick intro to the research he did when writing his story, and to me it really helped put the characters into perspective. It gave me this sense of realness, and that the author did the best he could when trying to give the proper care and respect that goes along with creating characters with “disabilities” or conditions like the ones Ethan and Carter have.
Yes, they’re flawed, but so is everyone else. They are much more than their conditions, even though these conditions are a big part of how others see them and they sometimes see themselves.

Writing characters with conditions as these two do, is a very difficult task, and I think the author did a very good job in that regard. Just look at me, and how I’m writing “conditions” instead of illness, disease – because of the negative connotations they carry I find it troubling to use any other word to be honest. So, I’ll stick with condition. Though, it’s also a bit much to keep saying that over and over again.

We aren’t given a superficial look at how their conditions operate, and how it doesn’t actually stand in the way of them being able to function like others around them. Sometimes authors might have a tendency to think of their characters in a “they can be normal if they just try hard enough, and these conditions are just something extra, a label they can move beyond”. Except, it not that – at all, or maybe the last last part it is.
Not only did he give the characters – I’m hesitant to say suffering, though I have trouble finding another word – their proper due respect, he’s real in the sense that he pointed out the highs, and the lows that one’s condition can bring them, and he also considers those around them that have to deal with it. These moments in the story where you see their families and friends… Proud, angry, heartbroken, protective – so very protective – sad, joyous, and so much more. I’m just so glad for both Ethan and Carter that they have the love and support that they so very much need around them, and that they find with one another.

When Ethan sees Carter – he doesn’t see a person who stutters, or twitches. And how normal people don’t do that. No.
It’s music. And Carter’s music comes out from him in so many more ways than other people’s do.
And it’s beautiful.

“No one can see my music. It’s in my brain, and sometimes it’s in the clouds. But yours is in your whole body.”– Ethan

When Carter sees Ethan – he sees someone strong… and fierce… and simple… and amazing.

Ethan seemed to revel in my most hated tics. He’d heck, he’d set them to music. The light bounce of notes, starts and stops, of Ethan’s song, it was the music of my Tourette’s, and Ethan had made it beautiful. He’d made me beautiful for having them.

Ethan sees the world around him in black and white, instead of the many shades of gray that it truly is. I have trouble seeing how that’s a bad thing, though I know that it has to be very difficult to navigate like that.
It’s like knowing how to speak a language but missing the nuances every native would know, feeling as though you’re missing the joke.
Except it’s also so much more.

Carter tapped the steering wheel as he drove, so I tapped my knee, as if I could take away some of Carter’s twitches, even though I loved them as part of Carter. But, if they caused Carter pain, I would wish them away.

Ethan thinks like a child. It’s either this, or it’s that. Except, he’s not a child. The way he thinks might be simplistic but it’s also something no one else can pull off successfully – or even imagine properly. When someone says something, we automatically think of its implications, the tone that was used, the context it’s said in, the facial expression going along with the statement, the body language, and the various previous encounters in which something similar was said. This cost-benefit analysis can be automatic, instinctive even. We can’t help ourselves. We don’t think twice about it. These various cues from the person saying the statement, we absorb subconsciously.

The fact of the matter is that Ethan suffered a traumatic brain injury and that will have a huge impact on him as a person, how he lives his life, and how others perceive and treat him. There’s little that can be done about it. It’s not something he can magically become better from. The steps he’s taken as well as the determination to not give up shows how strong Ethan is, and how much progress he’s made between Before and Carter.

Love? I hadn’t had any idea what it was, but now, I looked at Ethan and found a thousand definitions for it.

I would recommend reading this book to readers because although the subject matter is delicate, the author still gives us a story about two people meeting and falling for one another. It’s a story about acceptance of individuals as they truly are in a very pure sense, and that’s very hard to find in today’s world – you’re very luck if you have. However, I’m not entirely sold on this “rewritten young adult” version, because for one some of the scenes weren’t very “young-adult-y” and second it might just be better to read the original because except for the main characters’ ages, there’s little different here.

Review of copy of Ethan provided by Harmony Ink Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review has been cross-posted on ABC

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ethan is a YA take on Ryan Loveless' novel Ethan, Who Loved Carter. It is pretty much the same with the exception of the MC's ages, and I admit I thoroughly enjoyed both versions of this novel, possibly enjoying this version a tad more than the original.

I enjoy characters who are not mainstream carbon copies of every other character out there. Carter has Tourette's syndrome and is conscious of his tics. Ethan on the other hand is confident despite his brain injury. I loved him. I loved that he was accepted and had a wide group of loyal friends. It made a change form the concept of jock or nerd or boy-next-door. He was happy in his own skin, even though he does wonder sometimes what he would have been like had he not been injured and carried on the way he used to be.

I found both families in this book utterly likeable. Accepting and understanding for the most part, especially the parents. Ethan's brother loved Ethan but we were allowed to see him when he struggled with Ethan's limitations and his less than conventional approach to life. This is real. We can love someone but find the impact they have on our lives difficult at times. Accepting and understanding and learning to deal with this is a valuable lesson.

This story is thoughtful and well written and I am so glad I have had the pleasure of reading it. There was only one part that I didn't feel crossed from the first novel to this so well, and that is when circumstances meant Carter was left 'looking after' Ethan when his parents had to go away. It didn't work for me. It put their relationship in an uneven position, at this point (and only at this point) did it feel like Carter was in a position of trusted responsibility towards Ethan, which then made the relationship feel a little uncomfortable. I'm not sure I've worded that all correctly, but i hope my meaning is understood.

All in all I highly recommend both these reads, and for those people who have reads Ethan, who loved Carter, I would say read this too, it is a great way to re-look at their relationship.

[Adam Webling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Loveless sent me her book Ethan in exchange for an honest review, and I’m so glad she brought my attention to it. This unique and innocent romance had me immediately invested with it’s raw emotion and the absolute cuteness of the main characters. The book also made me audible gasp at one point, and you know a story’s good when that happens.

This contemporary romance centers around sixteen-year-old Cater, who has tourettes that leaves him twitching and stuttering, and eighteen-year-old Ethan, who is recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The boys are immediately drawn to each other from the moment they meet and bond over what makes them stand out from everyone else. Ethan’s TBI makes him act younger in certain ways than eighteen and he has absolutely no filter, which creates some funny awkward situations (although often embarrassing for Carter), and some really cute romantic scenes. And I mean cute! Carter’s tics have left him largely socially awkward, so it was great to see Ethan draw confidence out of him as the grow closer.

The characters are easy to relate to because even if you don’t have the same conditions as them, like I don’t, you can relate to feeling different, which everyone has felt at some point throughout their lives. Carter and Ethan also have great parents around them, which are often written out of YA. It’s these family dynamics, especially with Ethan’s younger brother, that give the story it’s heart-felt core.

The thing I loved most about the story was the diversity. It’s a gay romance, but the characters also having tourettes and TBI make it different to anything I’ve read and I really loved that. I even learnt things about these conditions I didn’t know before. This book shows people that just because you have a disability, it doesn’t mean you can’t live a ‘normal’ life or experience love. This book goes against all those negative stereotypes with a real, emotion-filled relationship between two boys that learn they make each other’s world better.

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ~ Let me start out by saying that I LOVE Ethan and Carter. I loved them in the original book, Ethan, Who Loved Carter, from which this YA version, simply titled Ethan, is adapted, and I still loved them in this book. And, I do love that this story is out there now for a younger audience to enjoy; I was so excited when I saw that Ryan Loveless was reworking the original story. BUT, after reading Ethan, I sadly have to say that the adaptation didn’t work quite as well as I’d hoped it would.

In Ethan, Carter is fifteen, almost sixteen, and has moved to Santa Josephina, a small town in California, with his parents. He moves in next door to the Harts, and soon meets Ethan, now eighteen. Three years ago, Ethan suffered a traumatic brain injury and is now mentally much slower than his actual age. He’s a wonderful, exuberant, gentle soul, with a whole host of friends and a family who loves him. One of the greatest things about Ethan, though, is that he sees Carter. He sees right past Carter’s Tourette’s—which has always made Carter feel ostracized to the point that he’d rather not be around most people at all—and simply sees Carter’s ‘music,’ as he calls it, the symphony created by Carter’s many vocal and body tics.

The friendship and love story between Ethan and Carter is awe-inspiring and beautiful. They are so lovely together, and the slow-burn worked here, for the most part. However, I feel like more revisions needed to be made to the original manuscript in order to make it more plausible as a YA book. Aside from making them younger, and removing almost all of the actual sex scenes, very little was done by way of modifying the story. The vast majority of the text is word for word the same as the original book. For some portions this works just fine—and I certainly don’t fault the author for not doing a total rewrite; that’s not what I’m suggesting. For some scenes, for example, when Carter goes to stay with Ethan and his younger brother, Elliot, to help out when the parents have to go out of town, a fifteen-year-old Carter simply doesn’t make sense. Or when Ethan suffers a huge setback, emotionally, and goes to Carter’s house for refuge and comfort, a sixteen-year-old Carter as the main caretaker for a special needs eighteen-year-old is just not a believable situation.

Also, there is still a LOT of mature content for the ages of the boys—particularly for Carter, obviously. The word ‘penis’ is in the book thirty-two times, and ‘dick’ another fourteen. Look, I know even young teenage boys talk about their penises…but, we’re talking about so much discussion about hard penises, and masturbating, and talk of seeing and touching penises…I realize that Ethan is different, and I realize that it was there sometimes for comedic affect, and it was funny. To a point. I understand keeping some of it in this version, but the mentions seemed excessive to me for a YA book.

Mixed feelings on this one for sure, guys. There’s no question I still love the story, but if you’re an adult, and you haven’t yet read the original, I would start there. For me, Carter especially reads better at his original age, and a couple of the major plotlines just don’t translate well. I wish more had been put into reworking it for the new audience.

Reviewed by Jules for The Novel Approach Reviews

[Daniel Mitton · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Originally reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews.)

I’m going to be brutally honest with this review. I’ve been sitting here looking at my keyboard and wondering what I was going to say. Honesty is always the best practice, so here goes.

Ethan is being billed as a YA edition of the author’s very successful book, Ethan, Who Loved Carter. I would not recommend you read both books. I would also have to tell you that there is still a lot of sex related discussion in the new book, which I personally think is more New Adult, rather than Young Adult. I’m no expert on where those lines meet though, so I could be incorrect in my thinking.

I have no idea why the author and the publisher decided to do a YA version of a book that was as great as Ethan, Who Loved Carter. I also have absolutely no idea why you would take that book, and try to adapt the story by making a few tweaks to the characters’ ages and think it would be as good as the original. Taking Carter and Ethan and removing about 10 years from their ages, but leaving the majority of the book as it was just didn’t work for me, like at all. I made the mistake of reading this book just one week after reading and reviewing Ethan, Who Love Carter, which I gave a 5 “Love Bytes” rating to last week. I adored that book and its story. The author got Ethan’s character spot on. I attend a brain tumor support group and many of my friends have greater brain damage done by their surgeries than I do. I could feel Ethan because of the same symptoms my friends experience in everyday life. That first book was very well done.

As much as I tried to be objective and keep the two books apart in my head, I couldn’t. My memory isn’t what it used to be, but I’d have to say that the majority of this new book is copied word for word from the original, with minor tweaks made to it to try to be character age appropriate. And some of those tweaks just plain didn’t work…at all. Like a scene at the beach, where Carter isn’t drinking because Ethan can’t. Well, duh, in this book Carter is sixteen years old. He wouldn’t be drinking, now would he? And the part of the book where Ethan’s parents went away to see the critically ill aunt. Carter was still left in charge to babysit. That worked when he was twenty-five, but in this book he is roughly the same age as Elliot, Ethan’s younger brother. That didn’t work in my opinion.

I also thought by introducing parents for Carter that it threw off the dynamic between the two characters. It reduced them in my eyes.

I’m sorry to say that I am not recommending this book. It might be a fit for the New Adult market, but I feel it has issues. I appreciate the writer’s talent, and of course will read future works, but this one didn’t do it for me. To summarize my feelings on the book. I think this book is good, but it is a flawed copy of the original. Kind of like a copy of the Mona Lisa, that left off the enigmatic smile.

[Jules Lovestoread · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I still LOOOOVE Ethan and Carter. <3 <3 <3 But, the adaptation felt clunky at times. Full review coming to www.thenovelapproachreviews.com

[Erica Chilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

4 Lovely Stars.

Young Adult age-range: 14+ but with parental discretion, as the novel does involve minimal sexual content/suggestions, and topics include past violence leading to disabilities, and bullying.

Ryan Loveless is a new-to-me author, and found her writing style to be endearing, drawing out the important emotions in her character development, and life-centric, without any bells and whistles and unnecessary shock-value.

I had requested this book a few weeks ago- truthfully, I read it next as my reviewing schedule dictated, going in blind, not even knowing what genre Ethan belonged to, totally forgetting the blurb and whatnot. So it was a surprise from the start for me. Until two minutes ago, I didn't even realize this was a reinterpretation of sorts to 'Ethan, Who loved Carter'. So I'll have to check that book out in the future.

Ethan is narrated by Carter & Ethan. Carter is suffering with Tourette's Syndrome, and is bullied and mocked at school. He doesn't have many friends, all of them older, and mainly keeps to himself. Carter and his family move from the Midwest to California to start a new life, or maybe it's more like Carter decides to start living life and finally accepts who he truly is.

Ethan is Carter's neighbor, suffering from brain damage. There is a sense of grief surrounding Ethan's family over what they lost, as Ethan was destined to be a bright star. But Ethan isn't the same guy as Before- together, Ethan and Carter prove they're who they are now, and that's just as good, if not better.

Truth be told, seeing life through the lens of two boys suffering with their brains not functioning properly was a new perspective, one the author handled with compassion and plenty of research for accuracy.

The story itself revolves around both boys coming to terms with who they are, while Ethan deals with past demons. I don't want to give the plot away, but it's 100% focused on our narrators, heavy on the character development. The entire cast of characters are in a supportive role, realistically written, patient and understanding, and lend a feel-good vibe to the book.

I do need to point out something that may make some uncomfortable. While Ethan is 18, and Carter is a newly 16, some may find the sexual content difficult to swallow. At 15, Ethan had an accident that left him brain-damaged, no longer with a filter. He has needs, and he speaks freely about such needs. I have no doubt this is a common issue with this type of injury, but some readers may not be comfortable when they perceive Ethan to be a grown man with a child's mind (he doesn't truly have a child's mind- he just thinks differently than the societal norm). Some readers may see this as Ethan being taken advantage of, but I need to stress that Ethan is 18, and these are his decisions, and he is the initiator. Even I, who could wrap my mind around it, had a difficult time with this portion of the storyline- I understood it, tried to empathize with it, but still had a tough time. So just be warned.

Recommended to MM romance fans, particularly those who enjoy a story featuring characters outside of what society considers 'their' normal, with a hurt-comfort vibe. This is a young adult, coming-of-age storyline, with a supportive unit of family and friends, focusing more on overcoming/accepting mental disabilities rather than LGBTQ issues.

[Tracy~Bayou Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

**copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Harmony Ink in exchange for an honest review**

This book is a YA adaptation of "Ethan, Who Loved Carter". I haven't read the original work, so I can't compare the two. What I know is that this was a heartfelt book about two damaged young men, Ethan, 18 with damage from a traumatic brain injury, and Carter, about to turn 16 who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome. Two young men who feel like outcasts in different yet very similar ways, find a friend and confidant in one another. They eventually fall in love. The love between Carter and Ethan felt true, innocent, pure and untouched. They had an amazing chemistry and I really connected with them.

I really enjoyed reading about Carter and Ethan. They were both such lovable characters and some of their moments together were so sweet, I thought I might melt into a pile of goo. The story is well-written, and though it moved a little slowish at times, it kelp me interested and entertained. It's an emotional read, and you just can't help but love Ethan and Carter and root for them to get their happy ending. I look forward to reading the adult version in the future. Highly recommended!!

[Mike Oaks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return visit

I read “Ethan, Who Loved Carter” two years ago and loved the story. This version of the story portrays Ethan and Carter as teenagers. Most of the story translates to the younger version. I didn’t find it all believable though. The LA event seemed too much responsibility for Carter. Overall, the revised story still had all the feels in the right place, and for that: I present 4.0 stars for socks-free fun.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What different means to me...

I first met Ethan and Carter back in 2012 because that's when I read their original story 'Ethan Who Loved Carter' and while I wasn't writing reviews back then I gave it 5 stars so you can definitely take it for granted that I loved that book and I loved these two boys and now here we are 4 years later and I'm reading the YA version of their story and I still love it...all of it. The story, the characters...everything for me has withstood the test of time.

I'm not really sure that I can talk about one of these books without mentioning the other so I guess this is going to be more of a merged review.

Ethan and Carter are two amazing young men both of them unique and special in their own way but both of them also strong and brave. The type of person that would make me so proud if they were my child. Carter has Tourette's Syndrome and dealing with it's manifestations is a daily part of his life that often draws unwanted attention to him, so his goal is just to keep his head down, stay under the radar and avoid notice...that is until Ethan.

Ethan deals with an acquired brain injury (ABI) and just like people ABIs are unique to each individual. Before the event that caused Ethan's ABI he was a bright and talented young man with the promise and potential to light up the world and while his ABI may have altered how it happened, for me, Ethan was still that same young man. Ethan looks at things like the night sky and sees the music that lies between the stars and when he looks at Carter, he doesn't see ticks and uncontrolled movements he hears all the beautiful music that Carter brings to his world.

'Ethan Who Loved Carter' and the YA book 'Ethan' are the story of how these two young men find each other, fall in love and their struggle to show the world that being different means just that it doesn't mean better or worse, more or less. It just means not the same and hopefully we're all different because it's in the differences that we enrich the lives of those we love and offer something special to the world.

More than anything what makes a story good for me is when I can find a message in it, some kind of meaning, something that makes me stop and remember what's truly important to me. The message that both of these books left with me was a reminder of how important and wonderful it is to live in a place where being different is something to be celebrated and treasured. Whether that difference is something as simple as the color of someone's eyes, hair or skin, how or who they love or something more shouldn't matter because in some ways we're all fundamentally the same we want to belong, to be accepted and loved for who we are and no matter what our differences are we all deserve this.

'Ethan Who Loved Carter' and 'Ethan' aren't stories about a boy with Tourette's meeting and falling in love with a boy who has an ABI. They're stories about two boys finding that place where they are loved and accepted with the person who loves them not in spite of who they were but because of it.

Please don't assume this is a sunshine and rainbow story filled with happiness and fluff because it's not. These two young men face challenges and obstacles and they do it with the love and support of their families and each other. I laughed and cried while reading both stories and gave my heart and soul to Ethan and Carter from start to finish.

I would highly recommend either book to anyone wanting to read a well told, heartwarming story about beating the obstacles, finding love and embracing what makes each of us different. 'Ethan' is a wonderful YA appropriate version of 'Ethan Who Loved Carter' which is equally suited to the more mature reader. Both books offer essentially the same story but from a slightly different perspective...remember different...not better, not worse, not more, not less...just not the same.

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An ARC of 'Ethan' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Angela Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

About six months ago, I listened to the audiobook edition of Ethan, Who Loved Carter, the adult M/M contemporary romance upon which Ethan is based. Having worked with persons with stutters and tics similar to those of Tourette’s Syndrome and individuals who have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), I recall thinking were it not for the sexual interactions, that Ethan, Who Loved Carter would have been a wonderful book for teens to read because it was not only a sweet romance, it was also a much needed lesson in diversity that’s often overlooked. While it’s a fictional tale of two men who find love because of their differences and not despite them, Loveless does a wonderful job of portraying Ethan’s Tourette’s and Carter’s TBI in a realistic fashion, thus providing the reader invaluable information in an entertaining way, making it more likely they’ll retain it. I applaud Loveless in reworking the story to make it appropriate for young adult readers and Harmony Ink for making such a beautiful tale available to them.

Ethan opens with one of Carter’s most embarrassing moments – his tic-riddled performance in a school-wide talent show. Carter considered the incident humiliating because singing and playing his guitar was one of the few times his tics were somewhat controlled, yet having the entire student body as the audience put more stress on him than he expected and resulted in an increased level of tics that interfered with his performance. Needless to say, he’s not all that upset when he learns that he and his parents will be moving in two weeks, as soon as he finishes out the school year. While getting to know new people is difficult for Carter, especially when his tics cause him to stutter, he sees a light at the end of the tunnel when he learns that his next door neighbor isn’t “normal” either – and he’s cute. Despite getting off on the wrong foot by inadvertently offending his neighbor, Carter befriends Ethan and soon finds himself caught up in Ethan and his family’s life. And what was intended to be a summer spent adjusting to a new place becomes so much more as Carter is quickly absorbed into Ethan’s life, introduced to Ethan’s music, introduced to Ethan’s friends and forming bonds with them, and learns that what he thought was love before, wasn’t even a pale imitation of what he feels for Ethan.

I absolutely loved Ethan. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Loveless has done an outstanding job in reworking Ethan and Carter’s story into a young adult romance. The issues of sexuality are still addressed, but done so in way that is appropriate for 16-year-old Carter – the dreaded sex talk with his father (hysterically awkward, by the way). Even better is that conversations about sex between Ethan and Carter are very open because that’s how Ethan is, straightforward and honest about what he wants, yet willing to listen to and respect Carter’s feelings about it, despite his lack of impulse control. One of the things that really struck me about Ethan is how the maturity level between Carter and Elliot (Ethan’s younger brother) were so different even though they were only a few months apart in age. Although Elliot has his moments of understanding beyond his years because of adjustments he had to make after Ethan’s TBI, he still has more of a teen mindset than Carter, whose Tourette’s has likely forced him to grow up quicker and develop a thicker skin so that most of the taunts and insults can be ignored. Even though I’d already experienced parts of their journey before, I loved being able to take this journey again with a young Carter and young Ethan as theirs is a beautiful story, no matter the intended audience.

Young adult age recommendation: 12 and up. As someone who has worked with people with TBI and tics and stutters similar to Tourette’s, I’d love to see teens read this book sooner rather than later. There are a couple of instances of bigotry, but the most severe occurs off the page and is relayed as a memory several years after the fact. As for sexual content, it’s limited to kissing, one scene of mutual masturbation, and some rather frank talk about bodily functions because of Ethan’s inability to recognize social mores.

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a YA version of Ethan, Who Loved Carter. The text is much the same, but both protagonists are teenagers, certain aspects are more toned down for a teenaged audience, and Carter's parents are in the picture. I didn't notice much changing from book to book in Ethan's self-pleasuring habits and his openness in talking about them. I think older teenaged readers could deal with that, though. The physical part of the relationship goes much more slowly with the teenaged versions of the characters. I thought what did happen was age-appropriate for older teenage readers to read. Carter's father gives him The Talk. I wavered between finding that funny and feeling all the secondhand embarrassment. I'm glad there's a version of the book now that's appropriate for older teens to read.

[Pates · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Ethan just makes my heart smile. Like smile so big. At least it did for the majority of the book. The one thing that seemed to be a bit much was... Ethan being obsessed with a certain part of his anatomy. That seemed a bit too much after awhile.
Carter's personality is just precious and so genuine. You could see how he cared about Ethan.

I really adored Ethan's parents and eventually his brother Elliot, though it took some time to get there. All of Ethan's friends are treasures for both Ethan and Carter.
I was a bit thrown at times with some of the story and how it was supposed to work. It felt forced or pushed together to make something work that maybe needed a bit more finesse or more care.

But overall, I loved how their relationship blossomed and grew throughout this book. You could see their music together. As a matter of fact I saw this quote on tumblr and it made me think of them.

"Find the one who hears your music the same way you do." By Topher Kearby

[Rissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the original Ethan, Who Loved Carter back in 2013. I have had this YA retelling version for a while but I figured I would read it on a rainy day.

Well, I happened to need a book that started with the letter "E" for a challenge so now I ask myself, WHY DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK?

It definitely worked for me, this YA version. Sometimes I get so discouraged with the world in general because people are mean and evil but books with stories like this makes me happy.

[meep · Rating 5 out of 5]

a tiny bit explicit for YA but it was a really good book! my sister has tourettes so i am used to dealing with it and she has had it since she was pretty young. people are cruel. thanks for portraying it this way

[Dena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ☆


I loved this story ♡