Where You Are

Written by J.H. Trumble

Narrated by Noah Michael Levine and Brad King

Robert Westfall's life is falling apart-everywhere but in math class. That's the one place where problems always have a solution. But in the world beyond high school, his father is terminally ill, his mother is squabbling with his interfering aunts, his boyfriend is unsupportive, and the career path that's been planned for him feels less appealing by the day. Robert's math teacher, Andrew McNelin, watches his best student floundering, concerned but wary of crossing the line between professional and personal. Gradually, Andrew becomes Robert's friend, then his confidante. As the year progresses, their relationship-in school and out of it-deepens and changes. And as hard as he tries to resist, Andrew knows that he and Robert are edging into territory that holds incalculable risks for both of them.

J. H. Trumble, author of the acclaimed Don't Let Me Go, explores a controversial subject with extraordinary sensitivity and grace, creating a deeply human and honest story of love, longing, and unexpected connection.

Contains mature themes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Oct 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9781541431287

Reviews for Where You Are

[kassilem · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book deals with a pretty controversial issue. But I think Trumble handled it well. I’m not sure where I stand exactly on the issue but nonetheless I was drawn into this book. I remember loving Trumble’s first book Don’t Let Me Go. I like Trumble’s writing style and her sensitivity. This book wasn’t all about sex, the relationship started with feelings for each other first. Whether that is realistic for a twenty five year old high school teacher and a seventeen year old boy is up for question. I like to think so. You can’t always control who you’re attracted to. And well, people make mistakes. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the world either. Things can work out. Sometimes they don’t. Here they did. I finished the book feeling mostly content. I still don’t know where I stand on the issue, but the book was enjoyable.

[carol420 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had so many mixed feelings about this story. Andrew as a teacher should have known that what he and Robert had started was going to blow up and take them, at least him, down with it...but love is truly blind, deaf and dumb. Robert lied to Andrew about his age and that wasn't found out until after things were spinning out of control. Andrew thought that Robert was 18 which would have made him an adult, then finds out he wouldn't be 18 for two more months. Andrew is only 6 years older. I felt drawn to their dilemma and found myself rooting for them when I realized that the ups and downs in the relationship was all created entirely by others. It deals with such a controversial subject but is done in such a way that the sexual aspect of the forbidden teacher/student relationship is secondary. The story is strong and realistic and oddly provocative without being vulgar. It's compelling, romantic and if like me you are a sucker for a happy ending you'll love Andrew and Robert. These two deserved happy ever after in spades.

[nannyogg13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had to stop for a bit when the whole phone fiasco started and scream in my pillow.
And then again when that little selfish prick took the flowers Andrew left and pretended they were his.

I could really relate to Robert, since I was in a similar situation a few years back (minus the overbearing aunts)
What bothered me is how the whole "hating your dying father" issue was dealt with. It all came down to "he was a bad father, and a selfish bastard, so it okay to hate him".
Robert's whole family on his father's side is painted very negative, as if to give the reader the permission to sympathise with him. When the fact of the matter is, when you have someone close to you dying, and doing it for a very long time, no matter how much you love them, and no matter how ashamed you might feel, and no matter how much you know how irrational it is, you will still hate them sometimes. But you're human and that's okay.
In my opinion this whole point was shot down when his father was made "the bad guy" with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Other than this issue, I liked the book. It was engaging and I liked the characters very much (Robert more than Andrew). I would like to see the story after they got together publicly and how they dealt with it.

[dysmonia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Initially, I thought some of the peripheral characters in this book were main players in Trumble's first book, Don't Let Me Go, and vice versa. I never did quite figure out who was whom, though (caveat of the library: I couldn't look back through the first novel and refresh myself). Apparently I was wrong, and wasted quite a bit of time being confused.

I still enjoyed the story as is. It's always an achievement when an author is able to explore an extremely controversial subject from a different perspective simply because she has managed to make the people engaging in the questionable behavior so likable.