Ben Walsh is well on his way to becoming one of Manhattan's top litigators, with a gorgeous boyfriend and friends on the A-list. His life is perfect until he gets a phone call that brings it all crashing down: a car accident takes his parents, and now he must return to Austin to raise three teenage brothers he barely knows.
During the funeral, Ben meets Travis Atwood, the redneck neighbor with a huge heart. Their relationship initially runs hot and cold, from contentious to flirtatious, but when the weight of responsibility starts wearing on Ben, he turns to Travis, and the pressure shapes their friendship into something that feels a lot like love. Ben thinks he's found a way to have his old life, his new life, and Travis too, but love isn't always easy. Will he learn to recognize that sometimes the worst thing imaginable can lead him to the place he was meant to be?
Review
"Brad Boney's debut novel, The Nothingness of Ben , is absolutely amazing. It is a beautiful story of love and hope that will completely captivate you as the Walsh siblings and Travis Atwood become a family following a terrible loss. I never felt like I was reading a book. Instead, I felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing their emotions and reactions to events as they occurred. The Nothingness of Ben is a quiet but incredibly compelling novel. A+ and a Recommended Read." -Book Reviews & More by Kathy
"What I enjoyed the most is the slow development of Travis and Ben's relationship. Their friendship is a thing of beauty, and they have the most fun dialogue ever." -Pants Off Reviews
"Brad Boney's debut novel The Nothingness of Ben is well written, filled with characters of surprising humanity and originality; a romantic comedy where engaging, decent, funny people try to do the best they can to help one another through a difficult time." -Jessewave
"The brothers are a joy, each with his own personality, hopes, and dreams. None are cookie-cutter characters, but each shines as he must deal with the much older Ben. And Travis is the frosting on the cake, holding the entire piece snugly together. This is a book that will live in the hearts of readers for a very long time. As for myself, I can't wait to read Boney's next book. A Desert Isle Keeper Review." -All About Romance
A Lambda Literary Awards finalist.