Something Like... series

The Something Like… series is a collection of books by Jay Bell, each written from a different character’s perspective. The plots intertwine at key points while also venturing off in new directions.^[1] The series has won a number of awards,^[2] and the first book is headed to the big screen.^[3]

Books

Something Like Summer

From the book's back cover:

Love, like everything in the universe, cannot be destroyed. But over time it can change.

The hot Texas nights were lonely for Ben before his heart began beating to the rhythm of two words; Tim Wyman. By all appearances, Tim had the perfect body and ideal life, but when a not-so-accidental collision brings them together, Ben discovers that the truth is rarely so simple. If winning Tim’s heart was an impossible quest, keeping it safe would prove even harder as family, society, and emotion threaten to tear them apart.

Something Like Summer is a love story spanning a decade and beyond as two boys discover what it means to be friends, lovers, and sometimes even enemies.^[4]

Something Like Winter

From the book's back cover:

There are two sides to every story. When you're Tim Wyman, sometimes there are three.

Tim hoped moving to Texas would mean a new beginning, a chance to spread his wings, but he soon finds himself falling into the same tired patterns. Until he meets recklessly brave Benjamin Bentley. Suddenly a whole new world opens up to Tim--love, sex, warmth... home. Certain that society won't understand what he and Ben have together, Tim struggles to protect their relationship, even if it means twisting the truth. As his lies slowly push Ben away, Tim learns that the greatest enemy can come from within. Buried beneath a decade of deceptions, Tim must claw his way to the surface in the hopes of learning to fly.

Something Like Winter, the companion novel to Something Like Summer, tells the story from Tim Wyman's perspective, revealing new private moments and personal journeys.^[5]

Something Like Autumn

From the book's back cover:

Love can appear unexpectedly: a chance meeting at a friend's wedding, the arrival of a handsome new co-worker... or while being robbed at a convenience store.

For some, love seems an impossible dream. Growing up gay in small-town Missouri, Jace Holden thought his chance would never come. When he meets Victor--a wild soul and fellow outsider--his chances of finding love go from bleak to a very uncertain maybe. Bracing his heart, Jace chases after his desire, hoping for a warm hand to hold his tight.

Something Like Autumn tells the story of Jace's life before the events of Something Like Summer, while also revisiting his time with Benjamin Bentley.^[6]

Something Like Spring

From the book's back cover:

Nothing in this world is permanent. Friends, lovers, even family, can all disappear in the blink of an eye. Without these anchors, it's all too easy to find oneself drifting.

Jason Grant doesn't have much, aside from a beat-up old guitar and knack for getting kicked out of foster homes. His latest placement is set to be just another in a long line of failures. Then he meets Caesar Hubbard, a handsome guy who lives down the hall. For the first time in his life, Jason wants to stay, which means learning to be part of a family, and not letting his feelings--or his actions--ruin his first real chance of falling in love.

Something Like Spring introduces a new character to the Seasons story, one with a troubled past and an equally turbulent future. Jason must traverse a winding road fraught with emotional conflicts and tough decisions... a road that might just lead to a certain couple in Austin.^[7]

Something Like Lightning

From the book's back cover:

Never stop running. No matter how often life trips you up, or how many times your enemies knock you down, just get up and keep on moving until you find where you belong.

Kelly Phillips has been out and proud since he was a young teenager, and thanks to the gay youth group he frequents, he's never been short on friends or lovers. But when you have almost everything, it's hard not to focus on what's just out of reach: A best friend, who would be Mr. Right if he wasn't already Mr. Straight. Or that handsome athlete at school, who would be easier to wrangle if not for his angel wings. And then there's the guy who might be a perfect fit, maybe even a soulmate... if only he wasn't convinced he didn't need anyone. Kelly has always been good at running. Now he must learn to chase, which will not only test his endurance, but the durability of his heart as well.

Something Like Lightning is a new beginning in the Something Like... saga, shifting the focus to a different set of characters while also revisiting a familiar face or two.^[8]

Something Like Thunder

From the book's back cover:

This isn't a coming out story. Nor is it the tale of a lonely heart seeking companionship. This is about how I learned to fight.

My name is Nathaniel Courtney and I m a survivor. I didn t let the cruelty of others wear me down, and I've weathered the more subtle hardships of the heart. Love is a Trojan horse, slipping past your guard and leaving you ransacked and vulnerable. I emerged from that war not unscathed but as a new man. The only mistake I ever made was letting the right guy get away. Now I ve got one more chance. This is the final battle, because if I fail now... I won't. You ll see. Just listen to my story, Kelly Phillips, and when I m done, please don't walk away. Take this weary soldier into your arms so we can find peace together.

Something Like Thunder is the sixth book in the ongoing Something Like... series, shedding light on past events while leading the reader toward an exciting new future.^[9]

Something Like Rain

From the book's back cover:

Nice guys finish last, but that doesn't mean they give up the fight. Sometimes it's necessary to keep trudging through the rain in hopes of finding a break in the clouds.

William Townson is a good person. He's kind, considerate, and the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt anyone. Accidents happen though, and when they do, all that you can be done is to pick up the pieces. For William, this means trying to hole together a stagnant relationship while resisting the temptation of Jason Grant, a young man with eyes just as intense as his love. Only the future can promise redemption for mistakes of the past, forcing William to choose between the Cost Guard and the needs of this heart. Can he find his way through the downpour to somewhere warm and dry?

Something like Rain is the latest installment of the Something Like... series, bringing shape to another character's life while checking in with those from previous books.

Characters

Principal characters

Character	Book
	Summer	Winter	Autumn	Spring	Fall	Lightning	Thunder
Benjamin "Ben" Bentley	Main	TBD			Main	TBD
Tim Wyman	TBD	Main	TBD
Jason "Jace" Holden	TBD		Main	TBD
Jason Grant	TBD			Main	TBD
Kelly Phillips	TBD					Main	TBD
Nathaniel Courtney	TBD						Main

Main characters and their relationships are represented - bold lines are romantic, bold dotted lines are family, light dotted lines are platonic. Obviously not every relationship is represented or Marcello would look like he was in a spider's web.

References

1. "The Something Like… series". Jay Bell Books. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
2. "Amazon.com: Best Books of 2011--Gay & Lesbian". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
3. "Feature Film: Something Like Summer". Something Like Summer. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
4. Bell, Jay (2010). Something like summer. United States: Jay Bell Books. ISBN 978-1453875049.
5. Bell, Jay (2012). Something like winter. Lexington, KY: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1479261727.
6. Bell, Jay (2013). Something like autumn. ISBN 978-1484814772.
7. Bell, Jay (2014). Something like spring. ISBN 978-1494430917.
8. Bell, Jay. Something like lightning. ISBN 1500831956.
9. Bell, Jay. Something like thunder. ISBN 978-1511774932.