What do you think?
Rate this book
Small Wonders
"I am Trip Morgan, the would-be miracle who's got something the matter with his eyes, and I am meant for greater things."
A pickpocket who finds value in things others do not want, Trip Morgan keeps among his collection of treasured, stolen trinkets a photograph of a child who looks eerily like Nate Mackey, a down-and-out former Wall Street analyst Trip recently met and became involved with.
The photograph is part of a collection of stolen trinkets he’s amassed since he arrived in New York. He keeps it all close and works out a life he could have if he could ever let someone keep him long enough for him to build up a treasure trove of small wonders all his own.
Small Wonders is Courtney Lux’s debut novel of a Southern boy escaping his roots and unexpectedly finding hope in his future.
A pickpocket who finds value in things others do not want, Trip Morgan keeps among his collection of treasured, stolen trinkets a photograph of a child who looks eerily like Nate Mackey, a down-and-out former Wall Street analyst Trip recently met and became involved with.
The photograph is part of a collection of stolen trinkets he’s amassed since he arrived in New York. He keeps it all close and works out a life he could have if he could ever let someone keep him long enough for him to build up a treasure trove of small wonders all his own.
Small Wonders is Courtney Lux’s debut novel of a Southern boy escaping his roots and unexpectedly finding hope in his future.
282 pages, Paperback
First published September 22, 2015
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
September 11, 2023
✰ 4 stars ✰
“...but Trevor James Morgan is a boy I don’t know, and I’m not sure anyone else does either, so, as far as I’m concerned, that name has never been mine.
I am Trip Morgan, the would-be miracle who’s got something the matter with his eyes, and I am meant for greater things.”
It's a shame that Small Wonders is Courtney Lux's only book. I would have liked to have read more of her writing, because from what I did read, there were hints of something potentially worth reading from her in the future, too. This book is the one that kinda creeps up on you - a quiet and soft read, but in a nice way; one that you don't expect to leave a mark, but it's feelings wash over you without any grandeur break-ups or wild behavior, but just this hopeful depiction of love that is found in the most gentlest and unexpected of ways. ✨✨
'Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed', has always been Trip's motto - his mantra and way of life. Pick-pocketing his way through New York, nit-picking his way through the valuables of others, 'to build up a treasure trove of small wonders all his own', he's never felt that his life could ever be something to make of his own. The final product of a family of five older brothers, life has not been kind to him, his past deserves to stay in the past, and making ends meet on a daily basis with his roommates in their semi-decent flat is all that matters - it's the now that stands true.
Until Nate - Nate, who offers him comfort, and kindness, and care, and the chance to have a better life - a life that he can call his own - a chance to make something of himself. And the fear of uncertainty is not whether or not he can do it - it's whether or not he wants to do it. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“We—me and Nathaniel—we had a deal.” Trip stares at the too-barren corner of his room. “I was entertainment, he was a meal ticket. It was good, but that’s all it was ever supposed to be.”
“You picked him, Trip. Eight million people in this city, and you picked him off of the sidewalk.
Scarlett prods Trip’s neck with the edge of the key.
“And he picked you back.”
You would think that Nate was too good to be true, but he wasn't. Harboring his own pain and guilt, it was his tender affections for Trip - his steady resolve for just being there for him - that constant reassurance that you are capable of good things - great things - if you just allow yourself for that change - is also what allowed him to be something else for the better. Trip's love for teasing him, that flirtatious coy charm he pulls on him, eventually stirs into something more meaningful that he's unwilling to acknowledge.
'He likes taking care of people—of me. I’m better than okay,' is a realization for the 'smitten kitten' that made their relationship develop in such a sweet way - he is 'steady and consistent and solid. Nate is good'. But, they were never meant to be something more - and when that shoe drops, it's so painful to see how hard and fast Trip rejects the notion of feelings that could amount to more. 🥺
“I think that’s why you take all those things from people’s pockets and make up those stories for them. It’s safe and it’s consistent, and I don’t think much of your life has offered you that.”
“You don’t know anything about my life.” He wants to sound angrier than he does. Instead, his voice shakes.
“So let me.” Nate reaches up, tucks Trip’s hair behind his ear. His hand lingers against Trip’s cheek. “Let me in, Trip.”
Trip's voice was so authentic and sometimes, absolutely wild, but it fit his demeanor so well! 🥰Tenderness is so hard for him to accept, that he crushes any prospect of romantic notions - that his carefree arrangement with Nate is only on the surface - it can never be something more. But, Nate burrows his way in - unwittingly and determinedly and so very tenderly. That scene in the shower where and how he kissed him - ah, be still my heart! That Superman savior scene at their darkened apartment - classic hero moment! And that final gentle gesture when Trip felt all hope was lost - that he stopped measuring his life by material objects - it all just fell into place so very softly but firmly and assuredly. 🥹
“I want you, Trip—I want to actually know you, if you’ll let me.”
“Jesus Christ, Nate, this was a deal.” Trip grits his teeth. “I’m not your boyfriend.”
“This stopped being a game between us a long time ago, and you know it.” He steps in a closer. “And you call me Nathaniel.”
There were two instances that really stood out for me. While this is told in a third person POV - there are a few chapters with a single POV. I understood it was Trip's, but I didn't quite know in what context till the final reveal of it - and I went, 'ahh'. I love that feeling when it happens - how it all clicks together. It was that steady progression towards a time frame of Trip's life that the events blended together to a most pivotal break-through for his heart. 🧡🧡 And the second was my heart and soul - the fist pump I mentally did in the air for the reveal at how Trip was drawn to Nate - I was so happy that it didn't go down that path!! Otherwise, it would have been another case of a trope that I'm not too particularly fond of, nowadays; but, just to see Nate's reaction to it - how he calmly coaxed Trip to the gentle side of understanding the reality of their happiness and meeting - melted my heart even more so. 🫠 🫠
“Why’s it all coming apart now? Why does everything always have to come apart right when it’s getting to be okay?”
“These moments—when everything falls apart, they can be an opportunity.”
The found family aspect was 🤌🏼🤌🏼 All of Trip's roommates had their own personal stories, but the beautiful way in which they weaved together - were a solid support unit of each other - through the rough times and the family bonding - the kindred spirits of lost souls at the cusp of a pathway to a better life. I loved how much of a family they were - dividing baby-sitting duties, the troubles of their landlord - the jovial teasing and the upsetting challenges that tested their limits and spirits.
It was such an honest and delicate depiction of wayward souls with the fear of being homeless and helpless, that when the sliver of sunlight shined through - I couldn't help but want them to find their happiness. Because, that is also essentially what this story was portraying - that no matter how bad your beginning is - it doesn't guarantee a sad ending. That some unfortunate moments can be blessings in disguise that lead to a hopeful promise to the future. 🤍🤍
And, I must mention the cover - the watercolor tones of it - the boy on the outside looking in at the lives of happiness he wants - beautifully captures Trip's emotions of being lost his whole life and the small wonder that it could be found - where he least expected it to. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
“...but Trevor James Morgan is a boy I don’t know, and I’m not sure anyone else does either, so, as far as I’m concerned, that name has never been mine.
I am Trip Morgan, the would-be miracle who’s got something the matter with his eyes, and I am meant for greater things.”
It's a shame that Small Wonders is Courtney Lux's only book. I would have liked to have read more of her writing, because from what I did read, there were hints of something potentially worth reading from her in the future, too. This book is the one that kinda creeps up on you - a quiet and soft read, but in a nice way; one that you don't expect to leave a mark, but it's feelings wash over you without any grandeur break-ups or wild behavior, but just this hopeful depiction of love that is found in the most gentlest and unexpected of ways. ✨✨
'Expect nothing and you will never be disappointed', has always been Trip's motto - his mantra and way of life. Pick-pocketing his way through New York, nit-picking his way through the valuables of others, 'to build up a treasure trove of small wonders all his own', he's never felt that his life could ever be something to make of his own. The final product of a family of five older brothers, life has not been kind to him, his past deserves to stay in the past, and making ends meet on a daily basis with his roommates in their semi-decent flat is all that matters - it's the now that stands true.
Until Nate - Nate, who offers him comfort, and kindness, and care, and the chance to have a better life - a life that he can call his own - a chance to make something of himself. And the fear of uncertainty is not whether or not he can do it - it's whether or not he wants to do it. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“We—me and Nathaniel—we had a deal.” Trip stares at the too-barren corner of his room. “I was entertainment, he was a meal ticket. It was good, but that’s all it was ever supposed to be.”
“You picked him, Trip. Eight million people in this city, and you picked him off of the sidewalk.
Scarlett prods Trip’s neck with the edge of the key.
“And he picked you back.”
You would think that Nate was too good to be true, but he wasn't. Harboring his own pain and guilt, it was his tender affections for Trip - his steady resolve for just being there for him - that constant reassurance that you are capable of good things - great things - if you just allow yourself for that change - is also what allowed him to be something else for the better. Trip's love for teasing him, that flirtatious coy charm he pulls on him, eventually stirs into something more meaningful that he's unwilling to acknowledge.
'He likes taking care of people—of me. I’m better than okay,' is a realization for the 'smitten kitten' that made their relationship develop in such a sweet way - he is 'steady and consistent and solid. Nate is good'. But, they were never meant to be something more - and when that shoe drops, it's so painful to see how hard and fast Trip rejects the notion of feelings that could amount to more. 🥺
“I think that’s why you take all those things from people’s pockets and make up those stories for them. It’s safe and it’s consistent, and I don’t think much of your life has offered you that.”
“You don’t know anything about my life.” He wants to sound angrier than he does. Instead, his voice shakes.
“So let me.” Nate reaches up, tucks Trip’s hair behind his ear. His hand lingers against Trip’s cheek. “Let me in, Trip.”
Trip's voice was so authentic and sometimes, absolutely wild, but it fit his demeanor so well! 🥰Tenderness is so hard for him to accept, that he crushes any prospect of romantic notions - that his carefree arrangement with Nate is only on the surface - it can never be something more. But, Nate burrows his way in - unwittingly and determinedly and so very tenderly. That scene in the shower where and how he kissed him - ah, be still my heart! That Superman savior scene at their darkened apartment - classic hero moment! And that final gentle gesture when Trip felt all hope was lost - that he stopped measuring his life by material objects - it all just fell into place so very softly but firmly and assuredly. 🥹
“I want you, Trip—I want to actually know you, if you’ll let me.”
“Jesus Christ, Nate, this was a deal.” Trip grits his teeth. “I’m not your boyfriend.”
“This stopped being a game between us a long time ago, and you know it.” He steps in a closer. “And you call me Nathaniel.”
There were two instances that really stood out for me. While this is told in a third person POV - there are a few chapters with a single POV. I understood it was Trip's, but I didn't quite know in what context till the final reveal of it - and I went, 'ahh'. I love that feeling when it happens - how it all clicks together. It was that steady progression towards a time frame of Trip's life that the events blended together to a most pivotal break-through for his heart. 🧡🧡 And the second was my heart and soul - the fist pump I mentally did in the air for the reveal at how Trip was drawn to Nate - I was so happy that it didn't go down that path!! Otherwise, it would have been another case of a trope that I'm not too particularly fond of, nowadays; but, just to see Nate's reaction to it - how he calmly coaxed Trip to the gentle side of understanding the reality of their happiness and meeting - melted my heart even more so. 🫠 🫠
“Why’s it all coming apart now? Why does everything always have to come apart right when it’s getting to be okay?”
“These moments—when everything falls apart, they can be an opportunity.”
The found family aspect was 🤌🏼🤌🏼 All of Trip's roommates had their own personal stories, but the beautiful way in which they weaved together - were a solid support unit of each other - through the rough times and the family bonding - the kindred spirits of lost souls at the cusp of a pathway to a better life. I loved how much of a family they were - dividing baby-sitting duties, the troubles of their landlord - the jovial teasing and the upsetting challenges that tested their limits and spirits.
It was such an honest and delicate depiction of wayward souls with the fear of being homeless and helpless, that when the sliver of sunlight shined through - I couldn't help but want them to find their happiness. Because, that is also essentially what this story was portraying - that no matter how bad your beginning is - it doesn't guarantee a sad ending. That some unfortunate moments can be blessings in disguise that lead to a hopeful promise to the future. 🤍🤍
And, I must mention the cover - the watercolor tones of it - the boy on the outside looking in at the lives of happiness he wants - beautifully captures Trip's emotions of being lost his whole life and the small wonder that it could be found - where he least expected it to. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
September 22, 2015
Sometimes you find those books that transport you into a story so completely that you forget you’re reading, and when it comes time to turn the page it’s a jolt and you release the breath you’ve been holding without realizing it.
This is one of those books. Small Wonders immersed me in a story and a character so vivid that at times I found myself purposefully reading slower because I never wanted Trip Morgan’s story to end. Courtney has brought a character to life with such skill and talent and vibrancy that you can’t convince me Trip isn’t actually a real person. He’s crass but has a soul so deep and complex that I relished every sarcastic comment and vulnerable moment. And also wanted to feed him cookies.
It’s not often you find an author with such a natural voice as Courtney, and her debut novel excellently showcases it. While Trip and Nathan’s love story isn’t always an easy one, Courtney writes the difficult topics and situations with great care and skill, and I laughed and cried and cheered my way to the end.
This novel is something to be treasured, and one I can see myself rereading multiple times. I look forward to eagerly reading anything and everything that Courtney writes, and I truly hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Trip Morgan.
This is one of those books. Small Wonders immersed me in a story and a character so vivid that at times I found myself purposefully reading slower because I never wanted Trip Morgan’s story to end. Courtney has brought a character to life with such skill and talent and vibrancy that you can’t convince me Trip isn’t actually a real person. He’s crass but has a soul so deep and complex that I relished every sarcastic comment and vulnerable moment. And also wanted to feed him cookies.
It’s not often you find an author with such a natural voice as Courtney, and her debut novel excellently showcases it. While Trip and Nathan’s love story isn’t always an easy one, Courtney writes the difficult topics and situations with great care and skill, and I laughed and cried and cheered my way to the end.
This novel is something to be treasured, and one I can see myself rereading multiple times. I look forward to eagerly reading anything and everything that Courtney writes, and I truly hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Trip Morgan.
Read
February 9, 2017Trip Morgan is at first glance an angry, frustrating person to be around. But then, that's just how he likes it. It's easier to keep from getting hurt when you don't let people in. It was a delight to read Trip's slow evolution into warming up and feeling true passion for Nate, someone he first meets as a passionless automaton from Wall Street. I especially liked reading about his relationship with his roommate and her daughter--that's your first indication that Trip's persona is just that: manufactured for a reason.
This book is raw, pulls no punches, and doesn't pretty up life, but for Trip, life has only been pretty in his imaginings, the story he weaves about the "small wonders" he finds here and there in New York City. This is a book for especially for that person who feels angry and hopeless, desperate to know if love can work for them, if LIFE can work for them. It ain't easy, but if we're to believe the pure cussedness of Trip's attitude towards it, it's definitely possible.
This book is raw, pulls no punches, and doesn't pretty up life, but for Trip, life has only been pretty in his imaginings, the story he weaves about the "small wonders" he finds here and there in New York City. This is a book for especially for that person who feels angry and hopeless, desperate to know if love can work for them, if LIFE can work for them. It ain't easy, but if we're to believe the pure cussedness of Trip's attitude towards it, it's definitely possible.
October 18, 2015
From the moment I read the excerpt of this novel, I knew this was a special book. There are so many things to praise, I'm not even sure how to organize my thoughts. The prose is beautiful; it just lit up the poet inside me. I love when I read a author whose voice is so clear and strong it stays with me for days.
The story pacing is excellent. The characters are each completely fleshed out and unique and integral to the story. It is hard to create a cast of multiple characters where each compels you in some way.
Trip Morgan himself is the most compelling part of this book. You fall hard for him even when he's unlikable. Your heart breaks even when he's being unlovable. Lux handles the trauma of his childhood skillfully and with great care. It's not over dramatized, it's not heavy handed or melodramatic; again, I think it takes a skilled writer to pull that off.
The structure, with alternating point of view chapters, worked so well -- this is a hard sell for many people, but I think it was vital to this story. Trip is so closed off to the world that having his point of view so offered in the interim chapters gave us glimpses into his childhood and world we wouldn't have gotten otherwise. His voice is so clear, and his story is heartbreaking, and as the story unfolds, we learn just how beautiful and sweet and lovely he is despite everything he's been through.
Watching him and Nate slowly unfold and fall for each other felt like an intimate privilege. In particular, the scene where they go out with Scarlett served to show us their growth very well. All through the story, we witness who these two men are when they are alone together. Putting them in the world with others as witness -- particularly ones who know them so well -- gave us such a sweet, kicky feet, romantic scene that felt completely right.
All in all, this book is a stunning debut from an author I cannot wait to read more from.
The story pacing is excellent. The characters are each completely fleshed out and unique and integral to the story. It is hard to create a cast of multiple characters where each compels you in some way.
Trip Morgan himself is the most compelling part of this book. You fall hard for him even when he's unlikable. Your heart breaks even when he's being unlovable. Lux handles the trauma of his childhood skillfully and with great care. It's not over dramatized, it's not heavy handed or melodramatic; again, I think it takes a skilled writer to pull that off.
The structure, with alternating point of view chapters, worked so well -- this is a hard sell for many people, but I think it was vital to this story. Trip is so closed off to the world that having his point of view so offered in the interim chapters gave us glimpses into his childhood and world we wouldn't have gotten otherwise. His voice is so clear, and his story is heartbreaking, and as the story unfolds, we learn just how beautiful and sweet and lovely he is despite everything he's been through.
Watching him and Nate slowly unfold and fall for each other felt like an intimate privilege. In particular, the scene where they go out with Scarlett served to show us their growth very well. All through the story, we witness who these two men are when they are alone together. Putting them in the world with others as witness -- particularly ones who know them so well -- gave us such a sweet, kicky feet, romantic scene that felt completely right.
All in all, this book is a stunning debut from an author I cannot wait to read more from.
September 17, 2015
I knew I was in for a treat before I even started reading the book – I’m very, very familiar with Courtney Lux’s writing style and there was no way I would walk out of this experience feeling disappointed. But I don’t think I was ready for the overwhelming love I now have for this book, this story, these characters. I knew I was going to give it a 5-star review only two lines in. Yes, two lines in, and I already had the certainty that I was reading something very special.
Trip Morgan is like dark chocolate – he’s bitter, but hides a hint of sweetness that keeps you coming back for one more bite. He’s the kind of character who makes you love him no matter how many bad things he does. He’s flawed, he’s not perfect, but that’s what makes him so loveable. Aren’t we all flawed and struggling and just trying to make it the best way we can?
There are several characters in this story – it’s not exclusively a romance book where all the action centers around the two lovebirds or maybe around a love triangle. This story is special, and it shows you the lives of the secondary characters in a way that it doesn’t make you feel like you’re just killing time before the center plot can continue developing; it shows them to you in a way that you can get to know them, that you can care about them almost as much as you care about Trip. The characters are so well-written, so real, that you can’t help feel like you’re reading about someone you could actually meet in your day-to-day life.
Another thing that I was completely in love with while reading Small Wonders is New York City. It doesn’t really take much to make you love a city like that, but there’s something about this book that makes you feel like Trip and Nate are taking you for a walk hand in hand, and showing you New York the way they know it. For someone who hasn’t been lucky enough to visit NY (yet, hopefully), it felt very special. Books are an opportunity to make you travel into other worlds, even the ones that are just a flight away, and Small Wonders doesn’t fail in delivering that experience.
Small Wonders is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I’m already telling all my friends about it. Don’t hesitate to get your copy on September 22nd and to be on the lookout for upcoming novels from this author. I know I will be.
Trip Morgan is like dark chocolate – he’s bitter, but hides a hint of sweetness that keeps you coming back for one more bite. He’s the kind of character who makes you love him no matter how many bad things he does. He’s flawed, he’s not perfect, but that’s what makes him so loveable. Aren’t we all flawed and struggling and just trying to make it the best way we can?
There are several characters in this story – it’s not exclusively a romance book where all the action centers around the two lovebirds or maybe around a love triangle. This story is special, and it shows you the lives of the secondary characters in a way that it doesn’t make you feel like you’re just killing time before the center plot can continue developing; it shows them to you in a way that you can get to know them, that you can care about them almost as much as you care about Trip. The characters are so well-written, so real, that you can’t help feel like you’re reading about someone you could actually meet in your day-to-day life.
Another thing that I was completely in love with while reading Small Wonders is New York City. It doesn’t really take much to make you love a city like that, but there’s something about this book that makes you feel like Trip and Nate are taking you for a walk hand in hand, and showing you New York the way they know it. For someone who hasn’t been lucky enough to visit NY (yet, hopefully), it felt very special. Books are an opportunity to make you travel into other worlds, even the ones that are just a flight away, and Small Wonders doesn’t fail in delivering that experience.
Small Wonders is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I’m already telling all my friends about it. Don’t hesitate to get your copy on September 22nd and to be on the lookout for upcoming novels from this author. I know I will be.
September 25, 2015
Whimsical, and brutal, bitter and kind, jaded and earnest – Trip Morgan is a incredibly nuanced, multi-faceted character that claims your heart even as you want to shout at him in frustration. He doesn’t pull any punches. From the first moment he tells of his unconventional birth, you realize he’s got more going on inside his head than he lets on. He keeps a tight rein on his emotions, in the nonchalant cool and distant way of someone so determined to feel nothing, because if they feel anything at all, they will feel everything.
He carries his bag of small wonders, little items he’s gleaned from the streets, nothing of any value to anyone but himself. They represent almost the sum total of everything he has in the world, the few things that cannot and will not be taken from him, a sense of security in a plastic bag.
The scenes from Trip’s point of view are written in a lyrical poetic rhythm. The rest of book maintains a tone of the quiet desperation that can be just trying to survive in the city, unscored by the deep love, devotion and dedication of a group of friends who discover “family” doesn’t have to be the one into which one is born. Their stories, as they unfold, are both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The love story is quiet and tentative and entirely believable.
This is a book that will make you ache, but not leave you a pile of mush. You might feel a lump in your throat, you might get goosebumps, you might laugh out loud, but no inconsolable weeping. Courtney Lux’s mastery of capturing the emotional heart of the scene is present on every page. She leaves you in a most realistic happy ending I’ve read in a long time - happy endings aren’t always riding off in to the sunset.
My only complaint is that this book ended. I want more of my boy Trip. Granted, I love to re-read books, but I have re-read this one at least four times since it landed in my lap. I find myself simply missing Trip and I go re-visit him again and again.
I give this book my highest review notation – I’m in an incredible book cheapskate, but I would buy this book, in hardcover, at full price, and feel like I got an incredibly good deal. This is an ideal book for anyone looking for beautifully told, realistic love story that doesn’t shy away from either the lows or highs of life.
He carries his bag of small wonders, little items he’s gleaned from the streets, nothing of any value to anyone but himself. They represent almost the sum total of everything he has in the world, the few things that cannot and will not be taken from him, a sense of security in a plastic bag.
The scenes from Trip’s point of view are written in a lyrical poetic rhythm. The rest of book maintains a tone of the quiet desperation that can be just trying to survive in the city, unscored by the deep love, devotion and dedication of a group of friends who discover “family” doesn’t have to be the one into which one is born. Their stories, as they unfold, are both heartbreaking and heartwarming. The love story is quiet and tentative and entirely believable.
This is a book that will make you ache, but not leave you a pile of mush. You might feel a lump in your throat, you might get goosebumps, you might laugh out loud, but no inconsolable weeping. Courtney Lux’s mastery of capturing the emotional heart of the scene is present on every page. She leaves you in a most realistic happy ending I’ve read in a long time - happy endings aren’t always riding off in to the sunset.
My only complaint is that this book ended. I want more of my boy Trip. Granted, I love to re-read books, but I have re-read this one at least four times since it landed in my lap. I find myself simply missing Trip and I go re-visit him again and again.
I give this book my highest review notation – I’m in an incredible book cheapskate, but I would buy this book, in hardcover, at full price, and feel like I got an incredibly good deal. This is an ideal book for anyone looking for beautifully told, realistic love story that doesn’t shy away from either the lows or highs of life.
July 13, 2016
I received a free copy via Inked Rainbow in exchange for an honest review.
What a phenomenally well-written piece of literature. This is less a traditional romance and more a carefully constructed contemporary slice of life story.
I'm undecided how I feel about the story. On the one hand, it's skillfully written and thought-provoking. On the other hand, it's a tough read, very gritty. I liked it in the way one might like the assigned reading in a literature course—I appreciate it more as fine art than as something I felt emotionally connected to. That's not a bad thing. This book can and should be read communally by people interested in examining the themes.
At a more personal level, it didn't stir a lot of feelings in me. I had trouble relating to Trip and Nate, and I didn't perceive their relationship as healthy. I'm not entirely sure what the lesson is we should learn from them. They were both incredibly frustrating people, and they fell squarely into the trope of men who can't process or talk about their real feelings. By the end they'd grown, but I still couldn't figure out what the foundation for their relationship was.
At the same time, I loved the secondary characters. Each one could have had a novel of their own. Scarlett was my favorite; I wanted to know so much more about her. Despite his problems, I actually liked Devon. He was a surprisingly sympathetic character. Because this was told in Trip's perspective, we saw his view of them, and one significant thing I noted was his open-mindedness regarding his roommates.
On a side note, I skipped the discussion questions at the end. I prefer not to be guided as to how I should think about or process a book, and I found that mildly irritating.
This book made me work hard to read it, and I enjoyed the challenge. It will take me time to process my thoughts, which is a very good thing. I certainly hope to see more of Ms. Lux's work in the future, as she is a highly gifted writer.
What a phenomenally well-written piece of literature. This is less a traditional romance and more a carefully constructed contemporary slice of life story.
I'm undecided how I feel about the story. On the one hand, it's skillfully written and thought-provoking. On the other hand, it's a tough read, very gritty. I liked it in the way one might like the assigned reading in a literature course—I appreciate it more as fine art than as something I felt emotionally connected to. That's not a bad thing. This book can and should be read communally by people interested in examining the themes.
At a more personal level, it didn't stir a lot of feelings in me. I had trouble relating to Trip and Nate, and I didn't perceive their relationship as healthy. I'm not entirely sure what the lesson is we should learn from them. They were both incredibly frustrating people, and they fell squarely into the trope of men who can't process or talk about their real feelings. By the end they'd grown, but I still couldn't figure out what the foundation for their relationship was.
At the same time, I loved the secondary characters. Each one could have had a novel of their own. Scarlett was my favorite; I wanted to know so much more about her. Despite his problems, I actually liked Devon. He was a surprisingly sympathetic character. Because this was told in Trip's perspective, we saw his view of them, and one significant thing I noted was his open-mindedness regarding his roommates.
On a side note, I skipped the discussion questions at the end. I prefer not to be guided as to how I should think about or process a book, and I found that mildly irritating.
This book made me work hard to read it, and I enjoyed the challenge. It will take me time to process my thoughts, which is a very good thing. I certainly hope to see more of Ms. Lux's work in the future, as she is a highly gifted writer.
October 7, 2015
Absolutely one of the best books I’ve read this year. The main character, Trip, manages to be both hilarious and heartbreaking, and has a defiant fierceness in him that makes you proud. I have to admit though, that my favourite character was Trip’s love interest, Nate, who we get to discover through Trip’s eyes. Where Trip is loud and bright and sharp on every edge, Nate is a quiet contrast - and it’s not that he doesn’t feel as much as Trip, but that he chooses to express it in different ways. Watching Nate let Trip in to his home and his heart was slow and steady and thrilling, and though it might have taken Trip a bit longer to admit, I was in love with Nate from the second date.
Small Wonders is an excellent contemporary queer romance, and I can’t wait to see what Courtney Lux will write next.
Small Wonders is an excellent contemporary queer romance, and I can’t wait to see what Courtney Lux will write next.
December 27, 2021
I don't get a chance to write many reviews, but I wouldn't let this one go without a few words.
Small Wonders had me all in from the last line of that tiny prologue: "I am Trip Morgan, the would-be miracle who's got something the matter with his eyes, and I am meant for greater things." I got sucked into Trip's world almost instantaneously. In Trip Morgan, Courtney Lux has developed a character who is gritty, believable, infuriating, lovable, gritty and delicate, all at once. His voice is clear and distinct. His circumstances, real. And when he finally lets himself fall for Nate Mackey—his apparent antithesis, certainly not an obvious match—I held on tight in hopes that this fragile, important thing could survive. Congratulations, Courtney, on a helluva debut novel.
Small Wonders had me all in from the last line of that tiny prologue: "I am Trip Morgan, the would-be miracle who's got something the matter with his eyes, and I am meant for greater things." I got sucked into Trip's world almost instantaneously. In Trip Morgan, Courtney Lux has developed a character who is gritty, believable, infuriating, lovable, gritty and delicate, all at once. His voice is clear and distinct. His circumstances, real. And when he finally lets himself fall for Nate Mackey—his apparent antithesis, certainly not an obvious match—I held on tight in hopes that this fragile, important thing could survive. Congratulations, Courtney, on a helluva debut novel.
June 24, 2020
This is a little gem.
Great writing, with a lot of love for NYC.
Great writing, with a lot of love for NYC.
January 28, 2016
I like a book that feels familiar and strange at once. Small Wonders by Courtney Lux is this kind of book. It takes place in my home city of New York, but it occupies sides of New York I’ve only ever seen from the outside (one character is a wealthy finance guy, and the other character lives with several friends and a baby in a run-down apartment barely held together with duct tape and makes his living as a street musician and occasional pickpocket; I’m somewhere in between those two poles, to be sure).
The story follows the incidental meeting (and subsequent second incidental meeting and sub-subsequent falling-in-love) of these two fellows. Nate Mackey is the wealthy finance guy who chances to meet Trip Morgan, who comes from a kid-scattered, betrailered early life and has run away to NYC with his guitar to live like a squatter while still scrambling every month for rent.
The story is charming, but not cloyingly romantic.
Trip finds a photograph of kids on a porch that seems to feature a very young Nate, and it looks like fate that they find one another. Reality is a little tougher: they fall into and out of each others’ lives, and seem, on the surface, to have very little in common. One hopes, as they fall in love, for the wealthy and settled Nate to rescue the near-destitute Trip, for him to pay Trip’s bills and get his electricity turned back on, or to give him a place to live and take him away from his struggle. But that’s not what happens, and that makes me exceedingly happy in a perverse sort of way. Happiness doesn’t come that easily for either character. Nothing wraps up neatly as one expects (no, as one seems to demand). There is no deus ex machina, nor will there be a rich guy ex machina. Money actually won’t solve this one, and even if it could, it shouldn’t. Neither Nate nor Trip nor the story is that easy, and hooray for that.
Told in part by a third-person narrator and in part through Trip’s own writing, the novel walks a risky line. It could be too charming, or rely too unbelievably on coincidence, or attempt to be too gritty, or too plucky, or too romantic. But it does none of this. It walks that risky line with beautiful balance: believable and charming, romantic and realistic, hard truths and high hopes in delicate harmony. This is incredibly rare. Hooray for this book!
The story follows the incidental meeting (and subsequent second incidental meeting and sub-subsequent falling-in-love) of these two fellows. Nate Mackey is the wealthy finance guy who chances to meet Trip Morgan, who comes from a kid-scattered, betrailered early life and has run away to NYC with his guitar to live like a squatter while still scrambling every month for rent.
The story is charming, but not cloyingly romantic.
Trip finds a photograph of kids on a porch that seems to feature a very young Nate, and it looks like fate that they find one another. Reality is a little tougher: they fall into and out of each others’ lives, and seem, on the surface, to have very little in common. One hopes, as they fall in love, for the wealthy and settled Nate to rescue the near-destitute Trip, for him to pay Trip’s bills and get his electricity turned back on, or to give him a place to live and take him away from his struggle. But that’s not what happens, and that makes me exceedingly happy in a perverse sort of way. Happiness doesn’t come that easily for either character. Nothing wraps up neatly as one expects (no, as one seems to demand). There is no deus ex machina, nor will there be a rich guy ex machina. Money actually won’t solve this one, and even if it could, it shouldn’t. Neither Nate nor Trip nor the story is that easy, and hooray for that.
Told in part by a third-person narrator and in part through Trip’s own writing, the novel walks a risky line. It could be too charming, or rely too unbelievably on coincidence, or attempt to be too gritty, or too plucky, or too romantic. But it does none of this. It walks that risky line with beautiful balance: believable and charming, romantic and realistic, hard truths and high hopes in delicate harmony. This is incredibly rare. Hooray for this book!
December 20, 2015
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
Oh my gosh the pain Trip deals with from his past and his current situation! You just hurt with him. Trip makes the best of the life he’s handed, as long as he has his guitar. The story of the guitar makes you want to weep as well, but it’s a part of Trip. Eventually Nate becomes an important part of Trip’s life, but don’t tell Trip that. The journey for Trip to get where he can admit his love and that he’s got wants for a future is amazing to read. You don’t realize both Trip and Nate are both growing and changing in beautiful ways until they’re almost there and all you can say is “wow”, and are in awe of how perfect they are for each other. The book ends with a solid happy for now, where you’re sure these two are probably going to make it, and Trip’s roommates will as well. But I so want more story! I want to see how Trip handles the GED test, and a trip to Nate’s family, and how Scarlett handles living with Kellan and if Liam makes it with his art. I want that last bit to round out their ending so I can know they’re going to last long term. Sequel? Please?
Four and a half stars!
Oh my gosh the pain Trip deals with from his past and his current situation! You just hurt with him. Trip makes the best of the life he’s handed, as long as he has his guitar. The story of the guitar makes you want to weep as well, but it’s a part of Trip. Eventually Nate becomes an important part of Trip’s life, but don’t tell Trip that. The journey for Trip to get where he can admit his love and that he’s got wants for a future is amazing to read. You don’t realize both Trip and Nate are both growing and changing in beautiful ways until they’re almost there and all you can say is “wow”, and are in awe of how perfect they are for each other. The book ends with a solid happy for now, where you’re sure these two are probably going to make it, and Trip’s roommates will as well. But I so want more story! I want to see how Trip handles the GED test, and a trip to Nate’s family, and how Scarlett handles living with Kellan and if Liam makes it with his art. I want that last bit to round out their ending so I can know they’re going to last long term. Sequel? Please?
January 1, 2016
There is nothing about this book which is not interesting—from sharp protagonist Trip to his dynamic roommates and the reserve Nate, not to mention the narrative structure and flow of the story. I could hardly put it down, wrapped up in the lives of these characters in a harsh but honest kind of reality that is sometimes lacking in fiction.
September 26, 2015
Trip is a runaway living in New York with three others. An Artist, a stripper, a baby, a druggie and a pickpocket…he is the pickpocket, though, he doesn’t do it for stealing but to collect his small wonders. When he isn’t playing his guitar or reading minds to make his share of the rent he likes to sit and make up stories about his collection. His favorite piece is a photo he found the day he ran away. One day he runs into a man (literally) that he believes to be the boy from his picture.
Fate seems to have a way to keep pulling these unlikely men together…but which one needs the other more?
Stars of the Show--oops-- I mean book: I think Trip is one of my favorite most unusual characters. He is cocky, stubborn, charming, and he won my heart immediately. Nate is charming yet sad. He is very neat, obsessive and the polar opposite of Trip. Indeed, a match made in story heaven.
Characters that stole my heart: I also loved all of Trip’s roommates. I would love to see Devon, Jude or Liam’s story. Hint, Hint.
Memorable event: One of my favorite scenes was right after Trip and Nate began seeing each other( if you could even call it that). Instead of a goodbye kiss Trip leans over and licks Nate’s cheek. I nearly died laughing. It caught me off guard as much as it did Nate I think
The one thing that I didn't like so much: The story is told in both first and third person. That took me a few chapters to get used to, but I liked that as well since it made it easier to tell what was actually happening and what is back story. I will definitely be looking for more from Courtney Lux.
Small Wonders is such a beautiful story. I was hooked from the very beginning.
The story is complex with lots of twists, some angst, but enough humor mixed in to lighten it up. There were parts my heart ached for both man and parts I laughed so hard my belly hurt.
If you like sweet romance with a touch of angst, a healthy dose of humor, strippers, musicians, babies, wealthy men, and pickpockets I highly recommend. This one.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Fate seems to have a way to keep pulling these unlikely men together…but which one needs the other more?
Stars of the Show--oops-- I mean book: I think Trip is one of my favorite most unusual characters. He is cocky, stubborn, charming, and he won my heart immediately. Nate is charming yet sad. He is very neat, obsessive and the polar opposite of Trip. Indeed, a match made in story heaven.
Characters that stole my heart: I also loved all of Trip’s roommates. I would love to see Devon, Jude or Liam’s story. Hint, Hint.
Memorable event: One of my favorite scenes was right after Trip and Nate began seeing each other( if you could even call it that). Instead of a goodbye kiss Trip leans over and licks Nate’s cheek. I nearly died laughing. It caught me off guard as much as it did Nate I think
The one thing that I didn't like so much: The story is told in both first and third person. That took me a few chapters to get used to, but I liked that as well since it made it easier to tell what was actually happening and what is back story. I will definitely be looking for more from Courtney Lux.
Small Wonders is such a beautiful story. I was hooked from the very beginning.
The story is complex with lots of twists, some angst, but enough humor mixed in to lighten it up. There were parts my heart ached for both man and parts I laughed so hard my belly hurt.
If you like sweet romance with a touch of angst, a healthy dose of humor, strippers, musicians, babies, wealthy men, and pickpockets I highly recommend. This one.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
September 27, 2015
Lux’s writing is incredible. This gorgeous, intricate book is a MASTERCLASS in show don’t tell narrative. The detail is exquisite, from the very first meeting of Trip Morgan, an unforgettable protagonist who will steal your heart on the very first page when you aren’t looking. Trip is so well realised, with all his foibles, secrets, endearing quirks and unavoidable darkness. It’s near impossible not to fall for his charms. He is a grifter with the heart of a musician. A survivor who got the hell out of dodge but hasn’t yet found his way. A romantic cynic with a current of anger and a whole well of hope he doesn’t want to acknowledge. His connection to his friends and found family and the discovery of newfound hopes and dreams are a real treat to witness.
Throw into this equation the steadfast but stuck character of Nate Mackey and you have a romance that is slow, unfurling like the changes in seasons and the drifting audiences of the busker. Nate is bemused and enchanted, confused and delighted by Trip, as are we. Trip falls hard for this calm, sweet man with his own fair share of inner resentments and outer weariness. These two crossing paths at different times of life but when they both need a little anchoring and a little adventure may not be fate, or serendipity, but it sure is a joy to behold.
The concept of small wonders, the little every day treasures we carry with us but don’t pay much attention to, was gorgeous. It encourages the reader to not overlook the little things, to see the beauty and delight in the every day.
Lux doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of life, from self destructive anger and pain, to hard family life and mixed messages. But the overall sense of uplifting hope and relish in the little things will make this story stick with you as a light in the darkness.
Pick up a copy of Small Wonders, find a busker, take in the moment, and don’t forget to tip.
5*
Throw into this equation the steadfast but stuck character of Nate Mackey and you have a romance that is slow, unfurling like the changes in seasons and the drifting audiences of the busker. Nate is bemused and enchanted, confused and delighted by Trip, as are we. Trip falls hard for this calm, sweet man with his own fair share of inner resentments and outer weariness. These two crossing paths at different times of life but when they both need a little anchoring and a little adventure may not be fate, or serendipity, but it sure is a joy to behold.
The concept of small wonders, the little every day treasures we carry with us but don’t pay much attention to, was gorgeous. It encourages the reader to not overlook the little things, to see the beauty and delight in the every day.
Lux doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of life, from self destructive anger and pain, to hard family life and mixed messages. But the overall sense of uplifting hope and relish in the little things will make this story stick with you as a light in the darkness.
Pick up a copy of Small Wonders, find a busker, take in the moment, and don’t forget to tip.
5*
November 16, 2015
An absolute delight and a marvelous journey. I fell in love with Trip Morgan on the first page; his story is filled with charm and hopes and dreams, a story that isn't without its edges and sharp places. Having left his small town and never looked back since, Trip is trying hard to make it in New York with his friends and roommates; all of which survive doing odd jobs and Trip himself as a street musician and also pickpocket. Trip's habit of pocketing trinkets that tell stories of moments in strangers lives, and when he spots a man who he knows for certain from a childhood photograph, he begins a relationship with Nate Mackey, a former Wall Street drone who lacks inspiration in his life.
Trip's complexity as both hopeful "would-be miracle" and bitter, jaded from his harsh dealings in life makes for an incredible page-turner. Lux masterfully crafts a rich narrative filled with wonderful people to cheer and root for and cry over. Small Wonders is heartfelt and endearing.
Trip's complexity as both hopeful "would-be miracle" and bitter, jaded from his harsh dealings in life makes for an incredible page-turner. Lux masterfully crafts a rich narrative filled with wonderful people to cheer and root for and cry over. Small Wonders is heartfelt and endearing.
February 6, 2016
I received this book for a First-Reads giveaway, but I honestly put it off so long because I wasn't sure if I really wanted to read a romance between two male characters since I've previously read one other similar novel and didn't enjoy it at all due to the writing. So, I was disregarding the difference between authors and attributing it to the genre. Irrational view, but I now see the error in my ways. Lux is a great writer, and I was completely won over by the romance in this book. The characters were pretty believable, although the plot was nearly always completely predictable. I wasn't a huge fan of the point of view changes, and it made the third-person sections almost seem violating since they were written in such a similar voicing to the first-person, but after a good couple chapters, it was easy enough to adjust to. I read this book in two days, which is considerable given my status as a busy graduate student. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good romance, regardless of orientation.
March 23, 2016
At first, people called me a miracle. Well, some people did anyway.
I really like this. There's something charming in the way Lux wrote the story. At first I think Trip is a bit unbearable and Nathaniel is a bit of a doormat, but I guess that's the point. As they go along, they actually influence each other's character development. The roommate drama also didn't stray away from the main plot. Sure sometimes things tend to be too good to be true, but like I said, there's something charming in the writing that sweeps through my cold cold heart. Also, Nathaniel is such a sweetheart.
Nate’s cheeks are flushed from the heat of the kitchen and his sudden embarrasment; his hair is slightly unkempt, no doubt from running his fingers through it while he fretted over trying to make his soup. He looks more Nate right now than he ever does with his freshly-shaven face and crisp suits—silly, flustered, earnest Nathaniel.
October 7, 2015
I went back and forth on whether to give this book four stars or five stars. Ultimately I went with four because I wish the focus of the book had been different than what it was. The central love story plot between Trip and Nate is sweet and lovely. But what I _really_ want to read is Trip's backstory. Those scattered chapters of Trip's first-person POV broke my heart, and if the whole book had been written that way and about that time in his life, it would have been incredible. I also would love to read a whole book about Scarlett and her life. I wanted to know a lot more about Nate, too.
So basically I'm saying that this was a really good book and I'd love to read more in this universe!
So basically I'm saying that this was a really good book and I'd love to read more in this universe!
January 6, 2016
This is a book I will definitely be rereading. Probably very soon. I don't know where to start listing all the things I loved about it - the language, the characters (most of all Trip, but also everyone else, Nate, of course, and all of Trip's roommates), the ending that was so deserved and so perfect in its imperfection. I am in love. To a large extent because (slight spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't read the book yet) at the end of the story, not everything is resolved - things aren't perfect. They are 'real'. Nate doesn't find a job he's passionate about, and Trip's life doesn't get magically fixed either. But there is so much hope. I love this book. I need to read it again.
July 22, 2016
Courtney Lux’s storytelling is engaging, pulling you in whether you like it or not--much like her main character, Trip Morgan.
I found myself drawn to Nathaniel Mackey, to the walls carefully built around himself, to the way he lets them down in the face of Trip and everything he is.
To the way he’s overwhelmed by this bigger-than-life character packed up in such an innocuous package.
I feel like I fell in love with Trip, and with the story, the same way Nate did : without even realizing it, but deeper than I thought possible.
This book’s title belies what it truly is : a tour de force of writing, one that showcases human emotions in a gritty yet beautiful way.
I found myself drawn to Nathaniel Mackey, to the walls carefully built around himself, to the way he lets them down in the face of Trip and everything he is.
To the way he’s overwhelmed by this bigger-than-life character packed up in such an innocuous package.
I feel like I fell in love with Trip, and with the story, the same way Nate did : without even realizing it, but deeper than I thought possible.
This book’s title belies what it truly is : a tour de force of writing, one that showcases human emotions in a gritty yet beautiful way.
January 26, 2016
Wonderfully written - such a compelling character. Subtle development that feels perfect and realistic in the end. A wonderful supporting cast as well. I hope that Ms. Lux will write many more books.
June 23, 2016
Very enjoyable writing style, characters I couldn't help falling in love with, and an intriguing story with a happy ending. A book that leaves me with a big smile on my face the way this one did, deserves being called a small wonder.
October 2, 2015
No words. This is an exquisite, -realistic- romance story from start to finish. The characters feel real. Their motivations too. I am left breathless.
January 12, 2016
I really liked this story, about love and finding your place in the world. Trip, Nate, Liam and Scarlett were all very interesting characters that you don't see much in stories.
January 4, 2016
Small wonders......this is the perfect title to this amazing story . Wish we can read more about Trip and Nate ...it can't be the end...it's just the beginning of their life together.
February 13, 2016
I loved this book. Will definitely reread it some day.
March 13, 2016
I loved this book. The story, the characters, the overall environment. Once you get into it it is very hard to put this book down. You just want to be in this world with these people, they feel like friends of yours. I loved the dynamic of Trip Morgan and his roommates and how they are all broken and wounded and have walls as high as the Empire State Building but you can tell they still love each other despite everything. I also fell deeply in love with poor sweet passionless Nathaniel Mackey. And I adored his and Trip's flirty banter. I was smiling like a loon through most of their interactions. My only complaint was that it was a little anticlimactic? I kept waiting for something to happen and it never really did. But that was also a nice change. Not every relationship has to go through and misunderstanding culminating in a breakup only for the characters to realize the error of their ways and reconcile. Sometimes people are just always there, thick and thin.
January 10, 2017
Well, this was certainly a wild trip (pun intended)!
I loved reading about Trip's background, and I love his imaginings, his dogged determination and the way he finds beauty and meaning in things most of us wouldn't even spare a glance.
I love Nate, too. He's so careful and stilted and secretly so unsatisfied with his drab life. And then he meets Trip and gets to prove that he's more than a bore in a suit. I love how Nate looks at Trip, not with disdain or distrust as most people would, but like he's absolutely mesmerising - which he is! You can see Nate wondering and worrying and being torn between wanting to take care of Trip and trying very hard not to scare him away.
Wonderful story!
I loved reading about Trip's background, and I love his imaginings, his dogged determination and the way he finds beauty and meaning in things most of us wouldn't even spare a glance.
I love Nate, too. He's so careful and stilted and secretly so unsatisfied with his drab life. And then he meets Trip and gets to prove that he's more than a bore in a suit. I love how Nate looks at Trip, not with disdain or distrust as most people would, but like he's absolutely mesmerising - which he is! You can see Nate wondering and worrying and being torn between wanting to take care of Trip and trying very hard not to scare him away.
Wonderful story!
March 11, 2017
This book was captivating. From the moment I started reading, I had a hard time putting it down. It is well written. The characters are well developed, real and likeable. I often find romance novels too fast paced or too drawn out...this fell somewhere in the realm of perfect. I loved this book from beginning to end. All I can say is that I hope to see more from Courtney Lux in the future and will be picking up anything she is laying down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews