I absolutely loved this novel.
Such a great story with defined characters and a great plot.
What drew me in the most was how fleshed out the characters were
The writing style was fluid and relateable.
The cover was fascinating as well.
A reviting read overall
Definitely recommend adding this to your TBR!

Ok but I did not expect this to be one of my favourite reads of the year?! beautifully written story of unrequited love and the turbulent attempts at self-acceptance. It captures the essence of an entire generation of gay life in one spellbinding story, bringing to life the horrors of the HIV-AIDS epidemic. Couldn’t recommend this book more if I wanted to. An easy binge read as it’s a book you cannot out town. If you like a book this gives you all the feels and possibly bring out the tears, then this books for you!

This is one of those books that got under my skin. This is the story of a first love that spans three decades and stays with both of the men involved. Please don't go into this book expecting a "romance". It's very much a love story, but it's the kind of love that tears parts of you away slowly over time and leaves permanent scars.

This is a very well-written, emotional and exceptionally paced story. The flashbacks were a wonderful way to tie the entire story together. Definitely putting this author on my fave list.

I really enjoyed “The View From Olympus Mons.” It’s one of those books where you’ll continue thinking about the characters days after you’ve finished.

The story follows the lives of two men, Craig and Nate, who are inseparable as teens, however, an unexpected kiss and a death in the family simultaneously separate the two and change their lives forever. Thirty-years later, Craig gets a letter that Nate is in the hospital after being attacked and rushes to be by his side. Not knowing what happened since the last time they saw each other, Craig is given a stack of unsent letters and a diary that Nate kept detailing the rocky events of his life following their last meetup.

From there, we’re taken on a series of flashbacks where Craig gets married, has a child, and lives a mundane life while Craig moves to San Francisco and becomes an escort, constantly struggling to make ends meet. Even with no contact, the two continuously take up space in each other’s thoughts, even without knowing the fate of the other.

I liked it so much that I finished it in one sitting. Definitely recommend!

What an amazing read.

Your first love will always be with you.

The story spans over 30 years, it full of love, heartbreak and sorrow but the story flows easy.

You have to read this book

This book was tragic and my heart broke for Nate but not once did I like Craig. Honestly, I think focusing on him was the wrong way to go. You knew going into it that Nate would pass but I thought I would like Craig, I thought I would feel for him but I didn't not once. The more I read the less I liked him. At some point, I needed more for Nate and I think even the ending soured me. Nate deserved more.

Also, right in the beginning Craig talks about his secretary, gosh how outdated is that term? It's been assistant for so long now. It made me look to see when this took place.

I started the book thinking about a total different kind of story, but wasn't disappointed. It's a beautiful story, I liked how the flashbacks happened, I cried in a lot of scenes and even if I'm a total goner for epilogues I thought that the ending in this book was perfect. It's sad, makes us think and cry, but it's beautiful at the same time.

I am having a hard time putting into words what this book made me feel. And boy do I have a lot of feelings inside me now.

This is not a romance, but it is a love story.

When they were both 15, Craig and Nate were the best of friends. Craig was the son of a drug user and Nate was the son of rich parents who hated Craig. Neither were raised well, but only Craig was physically able to leave the horribleness of his childhood. This story ends when they are 45.

This was written in the present and past, but the past had 2 different stories as these friends never saw each other after Craig's mother died the same day Nate kissed Craig. Nate always thought that the kiss was the reason everything happened after.

Spoilers ahead, stop reading if you don't want to see them.

Now that we have that out of the way, I have to admit, I hated Craig. Why did he get the family, career, daughter, and all that but Nate didn't? While Craig was emotionally not ok because he wouldn't admit that he was gay to himself, his actual life was. Craig was put into a loving home when he went into foster care and got the love and support he needed to get into college and make a go in his life. He had a marriage (my name finally gets into a story and its in the form of a horrible person), a good career, a wonderful daughter, and the ability to cheat on his wife. He meets Danny, falls in love with him, divorces his wife and starts a relationship with him.

Nate started trading sex to live with he was 16, after being kicked out because he was gay. It eventually leads to him becoming a sex worker and being locked up when he was busted. He eventually moves on and actually does find the love he so desperately deserved, but the partner dies alone due to aids related complications when Paul's (the partner) parents show up and take him away from Nate. He spirals after the death and that leads to him being beat up by a homophobe and ending up in the hospital and starting the beginning of the story.

In all the years apart, Craig never lovingly thought of Nate. But Nate still loved Craig. Nate wrote letters to Craig his entire life and kept them in his backpack. The same bag he carried with him always. In fact, he thought the guy who beat him up was Craig which is how he ended up dying.

I thought it was going to be a great emotional thing when Craig went to get the pack they buried as a time capsule after Nate died, but all he did was take all the letters that Nate had poured his soul into and bury them as well. Nate didn't even get to know that his letters would be with Craig. To Nate, the letters were as important as Craig's child was to him.

The last bit were Craig then decides to become emotional and let Danny know how much he loved him was to me a horrible ending. Nate should have had his HEA and did not get it.

I got an arc from netgalley and i can't believe I'm the 1st review on here? Insane actually.
But holy shit? This was good? Great even.
The format was good, characters felt so real.
it's sad mostly, made me cry and my heart ache so i would definitely recommend this to people (just to see their hearts get broken too)