End of the Line
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- Create Date：2021-08-10 00:16:03
- Update Date：2025-09-24
- Status：finish
- Author：Nicky James
- ISBN：B09826KKQ5
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Summary
When a boy who has everything meets a boy who has nothing， life will never be the same again。
Leopold Van Eschen is in big trouble。 All the money in the world won’t save him from what he’s done。 On the run， desperate to get away， Leo finds himself seeking help from a wrangled bunch of vagabonds he meets in the rail yard。
Leo has no idea his whole world is about to change。
Killian has been homeless and living on the fly for nine years。 The closest thing he has to family is a group of fellow freight-hoppers。 With the wind at his back and the whole world stretched out before him， he’s happy。 It’s not an easy life， but you can’t put a price on freedom。
A chance run-in with a wealthy stranger turns Killian’s world upside down。 Leo’s cute and desperate to get away。 Without knowing a thing about him， Killian and his friends help Leo escape the city。
It doesn’t take long before Killian realizes the boy he’s slowly falling for has dark secrets。
Who is Leo running from？
What happened to make Leo want to give up a life of wealth to live the life of a vagabond instead？
**End of the Line is the first book in a queer romance series。 It’s a story of two men from vastly different worlds who fall in love while on a journey of self-discovery。 It’s a story of friendship and found families。 No cliffhangers。 100% HEA**
Leopold Van Eschen is in big trouble。 All the money in the world won’t save him from what he’s done。 On the run， desperate to get away， Leo finds himself seeking help from a wrangled bunch of vagabonds he meets in the rail yard。
Leo has no idea his whole world is about to change。
Killian has been homeless and living on the fly for nine years。 The closest thing he has to family is a group of fellow freight-hoppers。 With the wind at his back and the whole world stretched out before him， he’s happy。 It’s not an easy life， but you can’t put a price on freedom。
A chance run-in with a wealthy stranger turns Killian’s world upside down。 Leo’s cute and desperate to get away。 Without knowing a thing about him， Killian and his friends help Leo escape the city。
It doesn’t take long before Killian realizes the boy he’s slowly falling for has dark secrets。
Who is Leo running from？
What happened to make Leo want to give up a life of wealth to live the life of a vagabond instead？
**End of the Line is the first book in a queer romance series。 It’s a story of two men from vastly different worlds who fall in love while on a journey of self-discovery。 It’s a story of friendship and found families。 No cliffhangers。 100% HEA**
Reviews
Christine
，
Oh God I hate to do this but this is one Nicky James book I could not connect with！ As much as I tried I found this a bit long and dare I say boring。 I have no idea why these kids would choose this life， like I said I just couldn't connect。 Some sweet moments but they were few for me。 And the ending all wrapped up quickly and very underwhelming。 I just put it in the category of ill probably never read it again， and maybe not follow throughwith this series。 I'm still living off the high of the ex Oh God I hate to do this but this is one Nicky James book I could not connect with！ As much as I tried I found this a bit long and dare I say boring。 I have no idea why these kids would choose this life， like I said I just couldn't connect。 Some sweet moments but they were few for me。 And the ending all wrapped up quickly and very underwhelming。 I just put it in the category of ill probably never read it again， and maybe not follow throughwith this series。 I'm still living off the high of the exceptional One That Got Away and Radio Static！！ 。。。more
Lola
，
I have been avoiding this book since it was released just to build up my anticipation。 That's how much I like Nicky's books。 As always， this one's concept is unique and the first I have read on the topic: rail riders。 They are a group of freight-hoppers with a very refreshing lifestyle。 They don't settle for long， moving from one place to another and relying on odd jobs to keep them afloat。 In Nicky's own words:I lived wherever I landed。 Wherever my feet took me。 Home to me meant freedom。 Home w I have been avoiding this book since it was released just to build up my anticipation。 That's how much I like Nicky's books。 As always， this one's concept is unique and the first I have read on the topic: rail riders。 They are a group of freight-hoppers with a very refreshing lifestyle。 They don't settle for long， moving from one place to another and relying on odd jobs to keep them afloat。 In Nicky's own words:I lived wherever I landed。 Wherever my feet took me。 Home to me meant freedom。 Home was the wind at my back and the unknown stretched out before me。 It was the ability to go anywhere or do anything I wanted。It is basically a dream lifestyle， minus money。 They earn just enough to keep them going and nothing more。 Killan "Killer" is a rail rider。 He meets Leopold "Green"， son of a billionaire who is on the run， while freight hopping。 Nicky really knows how to write good characters。 They are not necessarily dripping rich or drop-dead gorgeous， they are just normal people who feel like the other person is their world。 They both have their own problems and insecurities due to a bitter past but they overcome it together， pushing each other along the way。 The best thing between them is their respect for each other's boundary。 They both don't feel entitled or demand for information including their real names and past。 They respect each other's privacy。 Plus they are cute together 🐰。 Side characters are also complex and I absolutely know there is more to come about them。 Overall the whole book is about healing， self discovery and living in the moment。 I did have some problems though。 Namely， how fast paced the plot became at the last 50 or so pages。 Still， a pretty good read。 Honestly Nicky could write absolute crap and I would still give it 3 stars 🤩。 This series is going to be FUN ！ 。。。more
Susan
，
The fact that I didn’t connect with this story had nothing to do with the writing or the characters。I used to be convinced I had to be like any other person and be all social and outgoing and that I had to constantly go out or visit friends， or go to restaurants and bars。Well， I’m almost 40 now， and while I can look back at my younger years and think yes， I did have a lot of fun， I am now at a point in my life that I can admit that all those activities are way out of my comfort zone。 I’m happies The fact that I didn’t connect with this story had nothing to do with the writing or the characters。I used to be convinced I had to be like any other person and be all social and outgoing and that I had to constantly go out or visit friends， or go to restaurants and bars。Well， I’m almost 40 now， and while I can look back at my younger years and think yes， I did have a lot of fun， I am now at a point in my life that I can admit that all those activities are way out of my comfort zone。 I’m happiest when I’m at home and don’t socialize too much。So the idea of not having a home to be all reclusive in scares the crap out of me。 And to be a rail rider and to go with the flow？ Anxiety inducing。So while I could enjoy this story and while I really did like Killian and Leo， I had a hard time being comfortable with the whole rail rider's world。It deserves 3 stars， because I kind of enjoyed it。 I’m just never going to read it again。 。。。more
Krinessa
，
Worth the read and the rideI absolutely loved this story。 I had no idea how Nicky was going to weave this tale but no surprise that she did it beautifully。 Leo and Killian couldn’t be more different on the surface but it’s always when you’re willing to look beyond what the world sees that we’re very often rewarded greatly。 I don’t want to give anything away because this story is definitely one you’re going to want to read。 I learned so much about about an entire culture I took for granted that e Worth the read and the rideI absolutely loved this story。 I had no idea how Nicky was going to weave this tale but no surprise that she did it beautifully。 Leo and Killian couldn’t be more different on the surface but it’s always when you’re willing to look beyond what the world sees that we’re very often rewarded greatly。 I don’t want to give anything away because this story is definitely one you’re going to want to read。 I learned so much about about an entire culture I took for granted that existed and now have mad respect for those who live it。 Kudos Nicky for shaping this story in the most relatable way and having it burrow deep in my heart for the riders。 I can’t wait for the next adventure on the rails。 。。。more
Llakshmi
，
“Whatever you choose， we’ve got your back。”I have nothing to say except I loved this book。 So much。 Absolutely completely 100% utterly fucking loved it。 I went into this with 0 expectations， I didn’t even read the synopsis。 So I recommend going into this completely blind。Starting off， we see Leo killing someone and being forced to run away from his home。 His Multi-million dollar home。 He almost got himself killed， hopping onto a train without knowing what he was doing， but was saved by Killian a “Whatever you choose， we’ve got your back。”I have nothing to say except I loved this book。 So much。 Absolutely completely 100% utterly fucking loved it。 I went into this with 0 expectations， I didn’t even read the synopsis。 So I recommend going into this completely blind。Starting off， we see Leo killing someone and being forced to run away from his home。 His Multi-million dollar home。 He almost got himself killed， hopping onto a train without knowing what he was doing， but was saved by Killian and his gang。 We follow the gang as they hop in and out of trains and basically survive under the radar to get where they want。 A group of people who know nothing about each other。 No background。 No past。 No future。 Just support and loyalty as they run together。 Dodger : as the name says， never gets caught。 Johnny Depp wannabe 🥴。 Toughest nut in the group。 Protective as fuck 😻Tyler : My soft boi。 Heartbroken。 Searching for his long lost love。 😩Willow : only girl。 🤷♀️This story had the most interesting plot line。 Because there was none。 We watch how these people protect one another and slowly bring Leo aka Green （nickname） into their fold， it has a found family element that was so beautifully incorporated into the story。 Over the course of the book， we watch them begin to trust with their secrets and tell bits and pieces of their life。 The romance was not exactly slow burn since there was flirting and commentary between Killian and Leo。 But honestly the romance wasn’t even the highlight of this book。 Both the MC’s had an amazing bond since page one， filled with respect and loyalty。 There was actually no push and pull in my opinion， they kissed when they confessed their feelings and kept kissing ever since。 ~~~~~~~spoilers~~~~~~~~Both Killian and Leo ran away with reasons regarding their sexuality。 Their families didn’t take their coming out all too well， but it was our MC’s that let their fear get the better of them and run off。 Leo ran killed his security guard for almost assaulting him and ran off with the fear that his father wouldn’t understand him。 Killian ran off because both his parents remained almost indifferent towards him after his coming out。 But later we see such heartwarming scenes where both the MC’s finally accept that they were wrong。 That they didn’t give their parents the years they had to figure out and understand their sexuality。 The pain and ache and longing we feel when they reunite with their parents was one I wasn’t expecting。 I cried a little too much as I read the interactions between Leo and his dad。 As well as Kill and his parents。 Overall this book was fantastic。 I love Nicky James but this is one I’ll probably compare her upcoming books with。 。。。more
JustJen "Miss Conduct"
，
Nicky James does it again。 Another heartwarming， thought-provoking， uniquely interesting page turner。 This time around， we learn about a special group of people known as rail riders。 They live on the move traveling across the country （Canada in this instance） by hopping freight trains relying on a network of friends and acquaintances for work and places to stay。This story begins with Leo on the run after a very bad experience。 He is frantically trying to evade people when he ends up in the t Nicky James does it again。 Another heartwarming， thought-provoking， uniquely interesting page turner。 This time around， we learn about a special group of people known as rail riders。 They live on the move traveling across the country （Canada in this instance） by hopping freight trains relying on a network of friends and acquaintances for work and places to stay。This story begins with Leo on the run after a very bad experience。 He is frantically trying to evade people when he ends up in the train yard。 Luckily， he is found just in time by what becomes his new family who saves him and takes him under their wings。This group of vagabonds is so charming and interesting you wish you could meet up with them on one of their journeys。 Killian， aka Killer， is the one that truly hits it off with Leo， dubbed Green for being a greenhorn。 The eclectic group is rounded out by Troy， aka Dodger， Tyler and Willow。 They each have their own unique backstory that is told as their trust in Leo grows。What ensues is a sort of magical evolution of a close-knit family of friends who help each other however it is needed。 Leo and Killian's relationship grows quickly， but given the circumstances and what these guys face， is completely believable。There are a lot of aspects to this story， aside from the instant characters。 Both Leo and Killian have things to face with their parents and their pasts， and misunderstandings abound but are eventually faced to satisfaction。I wanted to savor every word， even as I wanted to flip pages as fast as I could to see how things would turn out。 This is exactly the story I expected and looked forward to from Ms。 James。 She has consistently created stories that have that 5 star feel from the very first page and this was no exception。 I'm excited this is shaping up as a series， as I already can't wait to continue the story。Review written for Love Bytes Reviews。 。。。more
drew
，
a solid 4-star read。i did enjoy this， but for practically the whole book i was just thinking in the back of my mind， “who would willingly choose homelessness over being a billionaire？？？” that stretched my suspension of disbelief just a bit too far， i think lmao。 it was good， tho。
Leslie Cox
，
4。5⭐️
Sophie Smeenk
，
What a find！！I read this book in one sitting。 Haven't enjoyed a book this much in some time！ Why didn't I find Nicky James earlier？！It's fun， exciting as heck， shows you a whole new subculture and so widens your horizons。 The HEA is great！ I really can't WAIT for the sequel。 Please let there be a sequel soon。 What a find！！I read this book in one sitting。 Haven't enjoyed a book this much in some time！ Why didn't I find Nicky James earlier？！It's fun， exciting as heck， shows you a whole new subculture and so widens your horizons。 The HEA is great！ I really can't WAIT for the sequel。 Please let there be a sequel soon。 。。。more
alyssa
，
[4。25] woah this seriously started off with a （literally） bloody bang！！ i had a blast learning the ropes of train-hopping vicariously through our privileged boy-on-the-run’s pov， and the writing had me picturing every scene in vibrant detail， as if i were there with the rail riders squad myself （my brain trying to turn everything i read into a movie/tv series haha）i won’t lie， at the very beginning everyone read younger to me than their 20s for some reason， but then it went from your average she [4。25] woah this seriously started off with a （literally） bloody bang！！ i had a blast learning the ropes of train-hopping vicariously through our privileged boy-on-the-run’s pov， and the writing had me picturing every scene in vibrant detail， as if i were there with the rail riders squad myself （my brain trying to turn everything i read into a movie/tv series haha）i won’t lie， at the very beginning everyone read younger to me than their 20s for some reason， but then it went from your average sheltered disney princess out of his ivory tower and exploring the outside world for the first time with the help of prince charming （aka the crazy world of rail riding） to that but with a darker twist and smexy times so okay pretty obvious we’re not in ya territory anymore 😏 possible triggers: （view spoiler）[vague descriptions of off-page rape and a specific rape attempt， abusive/toxic relationships （hide spoiler）]。the aforementioned disney princess is Leo， who has a childlike obsession with mcdonald’s cheeseburgers and happy meal transformers toys， candy， etc。 because poor boy was deprived of some basic （& admittedly unhealthy lol） joys in life 🥺 his Prince Charming is considerate， free-spirited， and spontaneous Killian， also running but from his own past （although i do wish we had gotten more insight into his past overall）。 their relationship can come off instalovey but not unbearably so， and they were very sweet together！！！the found family aspect absolutely shone through with our lovely group of vagabonds。 the way they had each other’s backs， sticking together through the worst， TRUE BONDS RIGHT THERE Y’ALL 😩💖💖 i loved each and every one of them （esp Willow 🥺）， quirks and all， and i can’t wait to read more！！in a time of exhaustion & little hope for our group of characters， i was also pleasantly surprised by how Nicky James gave us Paul and his wife to restore some hope in humanity。 （side rant: now this is entirely on me， but isn’t it sad that when a new character with benevolence written all over their face is introduced， i still can’t help but feel anxious that it’s going to bite them in the butt later？？ same thought process with Washington in Goodbye Paradise， like the stranger danger alarm doesn't discriminate even if there are genuinely good people out there *le sigh* 🙈 i get so nervous！！！）the ending wraps up the mcs’ troubles in an arguably too perfect bow in true disney hea fashion and serves as a great jumping off point for future installments ✨now for my personal niggles with the story: （view spoiler）[- you’re on the run and yet don’t think to disguise your strikingly handsome face out in public？？ not even a fake mustache？？ 🤔 bad move son！！ i would’ve sent over some masks i have lying around at home via express mail lol 😷 - the whole phone call inquiry felt super contrived to me。 obviously it served the purpose of getting them caught， but i was shaking Killian to hang up ‘cause they were clearly stalling to trace the call， not to mention he was wording everything that came out of his mouth in the absolute worst way possible （good job making them think you took Leo hostage and plan to murder him soon after 😬😂）。 i laughed when he stomped his phone to smithereens after too， it’s too lateeeee 🎤🎶🎵- shoddy work on the part of the security officers。 they had their suspicions about Barrett this whole time and still allowed him to guard Leo alone because maybe it was consensual， no real proof yet， yada yada， and oh yeah we were gonna ask you but then that ended up happening。。。。。BIG WHOOPS。 wow， is this really the best of the best your billionaire father can hire， Leo？ 😂 i was under the impression the other two were also pretty stringent with following orders so their choice not to report even their suspicions of a big unprofessional no-no was hmm。 the reasoning behind their delay in taking any action just felt flimsy to me。 （hide spoiler）]we’re left on a few cliffhangers （Elian？？）， but i’m also curious how Leo and his father plan to work out everything in the future。anyhoo， keeping my eyes peeled for the next Rail Rider adventure currently planned for october！ 👀 。。。more
Shirley
，
Loved it！！Loved Killian and his merry band of riders！ Leo stole my heart。 Let's you know what you can do when you put your heart into it！ Loved this book！ Can't wait to read about their next adventure😍 Loved it！！Loved Killian and his merry band of riders！ Leo stole my heart。 Let's you know what you can do when you put your heart into it！ Loved this book！ Can't wait to read about their next adventure😍 。。。more
⭐️AMST⭐️
，
⭐️ 4。5 ⭐️
Tammy
，
This was a great entry to the Rail Riders series。 I was hooked from the very first line to the end of the book; and I thoroughly enjoyed it。First， the main characters。。。I loved getting to know both characters。 Leo is rich， shielded and running away from something; Killian （A。K。A Killer） is a free spirit and goes wherever the wind takes him。 Next， the relationship。。。I loved their relationship。 There was an initial attraction but it took the right amount of time for them to act on it。 I loved that This was a great entry to the Rail Riders series。 I was hooked from the very first line to the end of the book; and I thoroughly enjoyed it。First， the main characters。。。I loved getting to know both characters。 Leo is rich， shielded and running away from something; Killian （A。K。A Killer） is a free spirit and goes wherever the wind takes him。 Next， the relationship。。。I loved their relationship。 There was an initial attraction but it took the right amount of time for them to act on it。 I loved that Killian's friends accepted Leo， and supported their relationship。 I also loved that it was mostly drama free on the relationship front。Finally， the mystery。。。The mystery was pretty much trying to figure out what Leo was running from。 I was right there with Killer every time he tried to get the answer out of Leo。 When I eventually found out what it was， I was a little underwhelmed tbh。 That being said， the mystery wasn't what kept me interested。 It was the amazing characters （both main and supporting）， and learning about the Rail Riders' way of life （minus the long days without showers）。 I can't wait to read more from these series， especially if it is going to be about the other rail riders。Giving this a 4 "living vicariously through these rail riders" stars。 。。。more
Mami Bear
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 I need to start by saying I'm a massive Nicky James fan。 But radio static was a dnf for me and the last book I really enjoyed was the one that got away， so I was a bit anxious going in。I did enjoy this - not only Leo and Killian but the extended rail community。 It was well written， something new/different to read about and all of the characters had distinct personalities。I think my biggest issue is that as weird as this seems， I'd have preferred both dads to be actual arseholes。 To find out that I need to start by saying I'm a massive Nicky James fan。 But radio static was a dnf for me and the last book I really enjoyed was the one that got away， so I was a bit anxious going in。I did enjoy this - not only Leo and Killian but the extended rail community。 It was well written， something new/different to read about and all of the characters had distinct personalities。I think my biggest issue is that as weird as this seems， I'd have preferred both dads to be actual arseholes。 To find out that both Leo and Killian misinterpreted their parents feelings about their sexuality was kinda depressing to me。 Just imagining not being in contact with any of my kids for nearly 10 years purely down to misunderstanding something just guts me。So for me this is a good book just not great。 Solid 3/5 。。。more
QuietlyKat
，
I REALLY enjoyed this one。 Loved the characters， the plot， the adventure， basically the total package。 But… *cringe* I hate that I have to write a but in there… but as much as I enjoyed the rail riding/train hopping in the story， I have a bit of a problem with it in real life so I don’t feel comfortable wholeheartedly endorsing End of the Line。 It was really interesting reading about the rail riding lifestyle but I don’t think I’ll continue the series just based on my discomfort with how dangero I REALLY enjoyed this one。 Loved the characters， the plot， the adventure， basically the total package。 But… *cringe* I hate that I have to write a but in there… but as much as I enjoyed the rail riding/train hopping in the story， I have a bit of a problem with it in real life so I don’t feel comfortable wholeheartedly endorsing End of the Line。 It was really interesting reading about the rail riding lifestyle but I don’t think I’ll continue the series just based on my discomfort with how dangerous and reckless it is。 Rail riding/train hopping as a necessity， I’m ok with， as a lifestyle for someone of means and privilege， not so much。 It’s a fun story though there are some really hard， painful elements and despite my personal misgivings， I do recommend it。 。。。more
Megan
，
I liked it a lot， but it didn’t pack the same punch as some of my favorites from Nicky James。 I’m not exactly sure， except maybe some plot lines were resolved in a way that felt a little too easy。 Killian， Leo， and their group of rail riders were well written and I’m looking forward to future books。
MarianR
，
4。5⭐Guys， this one is really good！ I loved how Nicky started with a BOOM。 From the beginning， I was immediately hooked on the story。 It was great and sweet。 Leo is running from his past。 What happened and what he did haunts him。 But they are looking for him。 They want to find him。 He may not escape and he knows it。 But then he meets a group of rail riders。 And soon he finds himself discovering what it is to have friends， to enjoy the landscapes and the pleasures that were taken from him， like ea 4。5⭐Guys， this one is really good！ I loved how Nicky started with a BOOM。 From the beginning， I was immediately hooked on the story。 It was great and sweet。 Leo is running from his past。 What happened and what he did haunts him。 But they are looking for him。 They want to find him。 He may not escape and he knows it。 But then he meets a group of rail riders。 And soon he finds himself discovering what it is to have friends， to enjoy the landscapes and the pleasures that were taken from him， like eating at a McDonald's and collecting toys。 And he also finds himself looking at Killian， a risky， patient rail raider and with whom he finds more than friendship。。。"I lived wherever I landed。 Wherever my feet took me。 Home to me meant freedom。 Home was the wind at my back and the unknown stretched out before me。 It was the ability to go anywhere or do anything I wanted。"The ride they make， has a rhythm between hurried， slow， frustrated， nostalgic， hopeful and with many thoughts and actions to learn and give opportunities。 The friendship between the group is amazing。 You get to know them， and yeah they are secondary characters， but they are part of the story and it is what makes the ride more dynamic， familiar and enjoyable。 I can't wait to read their stories。 Tyler's story is next， and I'm excited！！！！ ❤️❤️"I like this freedom。” He waved a hand at the horizon。 “I like not knowing where we’ll end up。” “It has its pitfalls。” “Everything in life does。”The writing style is great！ I loved it。 The romance is cute and even though it only happens in a few weeks， it was lovely。 These guys support each other。 Once again， Nicky does a GREAT job with character development。When we came apart， he rested his forehead against mine。 “The end of the line。”“The end of the line，” I whispered。I found myself smiling in moments of friendship and love。 In the end I was between smiling and crying。 😭❤️Niggles: well， it is just me， but I couldn't help but think that none of them at first thought of hiding Leo's identity when they went to places with a lot of people？ I mean， the news showed his face。 Some solutions felt a bit rushed， but I guess Nicky didn't want to drag the story down。I highly recommend it！！ 。。。more
Elena
，
“I promised I would be with you until the end of the line。 I won’t abandon you， Leo。 I’m with you。” A story of two boys who find love in the most unexpected ways。Leopold Van Eschen is running away。 All we know is that he is being followed， there is blood on his hands， and he needs to get away as far as he can。 Unfortunately， the money he saves for himself won’t save him， and it’s only a matter of time until he is caught。 While running away， he comes across a group of vagabonds who are “I promised I would be with you until the end of the line。 I won’t abandon you， Leo。 I’m with you。” A story of two boys who find love in the most unexpected ways。Leopold Van Eschen is running away。 All we know is that he is being followed， there is blood on his hands， and he needs to get away as far as he can。 Unfortunately， the money he saves for himself won’t save him， and it’s only a matter of time until he is caught。 While running away， he comes across a group of vagabonds who are rail riders。 While they don’t know him or his story， they decide to help him escape。 In a matter of weeks， Leo finds himself discovering the beauty of having freedom for his life。 While being given everything one can imagine growing up with， Leo’s new friendships with the group make him appreciate life more， especially Killian， who has been homeless for nine years。 Coming from a family who lived in poverty， he escaped as a teen and has been living on the fly since then。 With his group of friends and the help they give each other， Killian comes to discover that the rich but desperate boy changed his life， and possibly for the best。 The only problem standing before everyone is the past Leo is running away from。I have to give it to Nicky James for starting this book the way she did。 By stating， Between the blood roaring in my ears and the steady slap of my oxfords hitting the pavement， I couldn’t tell if they were still following me。， she knows how to grip the reader’s attention。 With my attention captured since the beginning， I knew I would be getting myself into a story of different emotions: hope， angst， despair， laughter， and love。 From the beginning， we’re thrown into Leo Eschen， who is running away， although we don’t know why。 You want to know what is happening， why， and what will happen。 Considering Leo has everything， we， as the readers， wonder why his “lungs burned” and why “every muscle in his body ached。” Throughout the first chapters， we follow Leo as he tries jumping on the trains， which leads to Killian and his group of friends seeing him， getting to him， and letting him go with them。 Leo finds himself experiencing many different emotions and feelings throughout their journey， those being a mix of fear， sadness， happiness， joy， hope， and， most importantly， love。 Because that is what Leo had been missing his whole life。 People like us knew better than to poke into someone’s personal life。 We all had our reasons for skipping town and hopping freights， and the general rule of thumb in our community was to ask but never push。 If someone was willing to share， great。 If they weren’t， we knew enough to let it go。 Coming from a wealthy family and having his life dictated from the moment he was born， Leo ends up finding a sense of comfort in the group of strangers he came to meet。 We have Kilian， who ran away from home as well and has been living as a rail rider for nine years; Willow， who has a talent for music and is one of Killian’s most trusted friends; Dodger， who is the oldest member of the pack and hiding his own demons; and Tyler， who has his own story to share soon。 While all different yet similar， these rail riders take Leo in as their own and treat him with kindness， although it’s difficult to trust him throughout the process。 Nonetheless， Leo finds himself feeling comfortable around them as time passes。 While they are secondary characters， they are important to the story itself and carry it with them。 They make a big impact on the lives of Leo and Killian。Not only that， but Leo is afraid his father will disown him for being gay。 While he’s out and has tried approaching his father about the topic， he worries and fears what he will think。 His father thinks his sexuality is only a phase， and Leo has had to hide it from him to convince him he was right。 His fear of this is one reason why he hasn’t been honest， and Nicky James shows his emotions， from his fear of still being in the closet to running away， in many different ways。 As the reader， you feel every emotion he depicts， and it’s easy to love him while feeling anger for his father and the people who make him feel inferior。 I don’t think I’ve said this enough， but the found family trope is so fundamentally beautiful。 Maybe it’s the sheer joy you find in strangers that took you in as a brother。 Or the underlying love they give you without judgment for your past and present。 Or unconditional love they present to you to make you feel welcomed， loved， and appreciated。 Maybe it’s all， and more。 It’s all present in this， which is one of the most prominent themes of the book。 Leo’s lack of family love makes him discover a lot about himself and life as a whole。 He starts appreciating the smallest things， wonders thoughts his father would disapprove of， and finds love in a boy utterly different than him。 He finds his love for McDonald’s cheeseburgers， collects Transformers toys， has a sweet tooth and addiction to jolly ranchers， experiences being high for the first time， jumps off running trains， panics over a cow stampede， and appreciates things of life such as nature， the sky， and clothes。 He has to change his background completely and get used to the life of someone living on the edge， but he does so with the help of his new friends。 While I first thought Leo’s self-discovery， as mentioned in the blurb， would be his sexual awakening， it ended up being a discovery of his worth。 Leo quickly adapts to the lifestyle of his new friends。 He knows he has money that can be used to start a new life， one way or another， and he knows he has a privilege they don’t have， but he doesn’t use it against them。 Instead， he uses it to help them， using the money for food and other necessities， clothes， and hotels。 He learns not to take things for advantage but instead to appreciate the smallest things he has。 He also doesn’t complain about anything， even if it was something challenging to adapt to， such as the thrift clothes he bought， the fast-food he ate， and the constant running away he had to do。 I found his character growth to be developed nicely。 It showed his optimism and determination to be trusted by the group。 “You’re one of us now。 The past is the past。 Don’t look back。 Keep looking forward。 I’ll teach you everything I know。 We’ll ride together until the end of the line， okay？” His relationship with Killian was tender， soft， and beautiful。 It was not slow， but it wasn’t quick either。 While it developed in a matter of weeks， it’s lovely and trustworthy。 We're aware of how much time they spend together， and what starts off as a crush blooms into a relationship of trust and love。 With an abusive past that he hides， Leo’s relationship with Killian develops fantastically。 James forces no emotion or action within the two， and instead， she provides development by taking it slow in its way。 While Killian has never had a life similar to Leo’s， he’s supportive in every way and always listens to him。 James gives a very in-depth backstory about Leo， giving us an overview of what he has gone through， how it has happened， and why every present event has happened。 When Killian asks Leo for information about him， he’s cautious， does not push， makes sure not to cross any boundaries， asks for consent about everything， and makes sure Leo is aware he can trust him。 Not only that， but even when they shared their first kiss， Killian slowly brushed his lips with Leo， stepping back and looking at Leo for any reaction。 This was one of their most tender moments because it showed how Killian knew he didn’t want to scare him， especially after knowing what happened to Leo。 From strangers to friends to lovers， both Leo and Killian started opening up to each other， and we see how much admiration they have of one another。 It's all wholesome and lovely。 Hell， even the first time they had sex was tender。 I mean， sex on the rooftop under the stars？ Nothing beats that。 I have to add that I loved how Killian and Leo communicated with each other no matter what happened。 When there were conflicts slowly developing， such as arguments between the two or moments where Leo and Killian would argue （or come close to arguing）， they handled their emotions like adults。 They didn’t let them get in the way of their relationship。 It is simply refreshing。 It showed how communication is critical for everything， and it allowed the two to grow with each other and learn more about one another as they began to unfold events to the other。 I also found their pacing to work well with the story。 The rest of the members were supportive and adorable with their relationship， teasing them and making them feel loved。 “I don’t want to go back。 I want to stay here with you。 I want to ride the rails with the wind at my back。 I want more of this。 You。” This reminded me a little about N。R。 Walker's Galaxies and Oceans。 While very different， both books depict dark themes but still present a positive message all around。 End of the Line is angsty， and while there is sadness and anger in between， there is positivity all around， encircling the story。 Nicky James writes about abuse and parental neglect， and she does it so well。 It’s emotional and never dull。 It carries vibrancy as well as disparity。 It shows the reality of assuming vs。 knowing and why it’s important always to listen。 She shows misunderstanding， especially with Leo and Killian’s parents and their sexuality， and how common it is for parents to either judge or not realize how striking their words are to their children。 It shows how common it is for parents to mess up and know they messed up。 But， it also shows the beauty of support in people you just met。 While both Killian and Leo misunderstood their parents and their reactions to their sexualities， there are also people like Paul。Paul， a believer of God who decided to help the gang by taking them to his house with his wife。 Paul， who showed no judgment anywhere but instead embracement。 Paul， who told the riders that “The good Lord must have wanted our paths to cross。 I’d say he wants me to help you folks out。” Paul， who smiled at the young love Killian and Leo showed。 Paul and his wife， Matilda， who took them in for a day， fed them， and sheltered them。 Paul， who gives hope to young queer people like Killian and Leo。 I mentioned to my friend how beautiful this was and how happy it made me。 I may not have the relationship I wish I had with God， but seeing this positive and overall beautiful representation of a believer in God taking in these runaways and vagabonds without a second thought was heartwarming。 Parents weren’t perfect。 I think in our misguided way as children， we expect them to be。 But they were only human。 They made mistakes。 They shouldn’t be punished for them indefinitely。 End of the Line is a new favorite， and my hope in Nicky James keeps growing and growing。 Unfortunately， though， all good things come to an end。 The only fault I found in this is the lack of backstory I found in Killian。 Killian was a helpful guide for Leo。 His curiosity about Leo got the best of him， and we slowly see how he comes to care for Leo in a way more than friends。 Killian is blunt， determined， and even care-free。 He's been living his current lifestyle for so many years now and doesn't allow himself to be stopped。 He gives Leo a chance at leaving with him and his friends， and from the beginning， we're introduced to this happy but caring character。 He reminds Leo he can trust them and how he's not being left behind。 As he opens up to Leo， we learn enough to understand him， but it still felt like there was more to tell and show us。 We’re told so much about Leo （which I appreciated）， and it made it easier to understand where he was coming from， but sadly that didn’t happen with Killian。 While we know why he ran away， and other moments in between， I wish we learned more about how he had lived the past nine years as a rail rider。 We know so much about train jumping and migrating this way from Killian， mainly as he describes it all to Leo， but I still wished we could have seen more about his story as he made his way through。 Considering he ran away at the age of 16 and is 25 when we meet him， I feel like there was a lot more that we could have been told about him as he survived all those years。 Adding on to that， I wish we also got to learn about how he came across meeting the rest of the group。 Considering they each will get their own story， I’m glad we didn’t get too many details about them but just enough because it makes the wait for their stories more exciting。With that being said， End of the Line made me slightly tear up。 It makes you think about how grateful one should be for the life we have and how easy it is to imagine what we have right now be taken away in an instant。 But， it is a reflection of life， both easy and complex， and it shows the reality of what it’s like to choose your freedom。 “End of the line？” ““End of the line… and beyond。” Special thank you to Charee for buddy reading this with me。 I'm glad our second buddy read was a success， and I can't wait to read more mm romance with you。 。。。more
moonlight ☾
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4。5 stars ☆❝ You're one of us now。 The past is the past。 Don't look back。 Keep looking forward。 I'll teach you everything I know。 We'll ride together until the end of the line， okay？ ❞i've read two Nicky James books prior to this and loved both sm so i was excited when i heard she was coming out with a new series and this didn't disappoint。 freight hopping was such an interesting concept to read about。 although it's not something i'll ever see myself doing （even if it was legal， the idea in gene 4。5 stars ☆❝ You're one of us now。 The past is the past。 Don't look back。 Keep looking forward。 I'll teach you everything I know。 We'll ride together until the end of the line， okay？ ❞i've read two Nicky James books prior to this and loved both sm so i was excited when i heard she was coming out with a new series and this didn't disappoint。 freight hopping was such an interesting concept to read about。 although it's not something i'll ever see myself doing （even if it was legal， the idea in general just scares me lol）， i loved how we had so much information about it bc i was surprisingly fascinated with the rules Killian informed Leo on what to do and what not to do。 with that aside， both the romance and found family aspects of this book was why the story worked so well for me。 they were written so beautifully and i honestly teared up on a couple scenes throughout the book。 ♡‼️ SPOILERS AHEAD ‼️❝ I want to see what else is out there。 I want to go at the end of the line。 I don't want to go home to the life you chose for me。 I know that probably disappoints you， but I have to be my own person。 I have to live my own life。 And I want to discover it all on my own。 ❞ Leopold Van Eschen （H）:↠ i adored Leo so， so much。 he's been through a lot with having dealt with a neglectful mother， his father dictating his entire life the moment he was born and thinking Leo coming out as gay was just a 'phase' and being in an abusive relationship with one of his bodyguards， Barrett。 he's that character you just wanna protect from the world bc， if anyone deserves happiness， it's him。 i was so happy we were able to have closure between Leo and his father towards the second half and it made me cry when Leo revealed to him what Barrett had caused while also finally standing up to him， saying the words he feared to say out loud all these years。❝ It doesn't matter。 When you're a rail rider， you live in the moment。 It's about here and now。 The past is the past。 We all have one， and for most of us， they suck。 It's why we ride。 It's why we keep the wind at our backs。 The future is wide open。 I like you， Leo。 Whatever happened to bring you here doesn't matter to me。 I wish you could believe that。 ❞ Killian "Killer" （H）:↠ although i loved most of the characters in this book， i think Killian is my favorite。 i loved his humor， the way he's blunt and tells things how it is but never in a rude way， the way he's so patient and loving towards Leo （before and after they became official）， the way he never leaves anyone behind and the way he believes so much in his friends。 we learn some things about Killian's backstory （such as he ran away at the age of sixteen bc he assumed his parents didn't support him being gay when their attitude changed towards him once he came out but， in reality， they were just concerned about his happiness）， but the reason i didn't give this five stars was bc i wish we had more of it。 the story mainly focused on Leo's story and that's fine， but i was hoping to have a bit more build up with Killian and his family bc， yes， we were able to get closure with them as well towards the end， but it wasn't until the very last chapter。 :/"I'm not abandoning you， Leo。" I whispered by his ear。 "Do you hear me？ Unless you kick me to the curb， we stick together。 I told you that， and I meant it。" the romance:↠ i loved the romance so much！！ it was wholesome， sweet， hopeful。 i loved the development of their relationship bc the pacing of how they went from strangers to friends to lovers was chefs kiss。 the way they opened up to each other and we were able to witness sweet moments between them caused the romance to feel more realistic rather than rushed bc i personally love emotional connection and it was done well here， imo。 i also loved how they had no miscommunication whatsoever bc they were able to talk things through for any disagreements they had。 🥺 side characters: （*note* although Leo and Killian are the 'main characters'， the other three friends honestly don't feel like side characters bc they were such a huge part of the story and i think that's a found family trope done well if you're able to do that with characters who aren't the 'main'）↠ Tyler。 lemme tell y'all。 i was swooning hard learning about Tyler and Elian's past bc i thought it was so fucking cute the way they would leave each other letters。 🥺 yes， it's sad that Elian is currently missing but， just like Tyler， i have hope he isn't dead。 i really want him to be Tyler's love interest bc 1） we know a little bit about the history between the two so we're aware they have an established friendship/relationship （whatever it was they had going on） and 2） omg imagine Elian was kidnapped （thx， Elena， for this theory bc now i can't stop thinking about it lmao） and Tyler finds out and he burns the world down just to find him。 i'm a sucker for characters who are the 'jokester' in the friend group but can fuck you up if you hurt any of his friends/family or the love of his life。 😩↠ Willow。 ahh， i loved her sm （ok i love everyone in the group， sue me 😭）！ i wanna know her story bc it seems like she's been through something similar to Leo and it's possibly why she's able to see both perspectives of a situation rather than assuming before learning the truth。 after all， the fact that she gave Leo this advice， "Don't assume to know how he'll respond。 If you assume， you might spend your whole life running from a family who would have decided to embrace you in the end because they love you。 Sometimes it takes our parents an extra minute to accept who we are。 Believe me， I know。" makes me wonder what she's had to deal with in the past。 also， i remember Killian mentioning someone named Billie to Willow， who i'm guessing will appear more in Willow's book？ 👀↠ Dodger。 as the oldest in the group， Dodger was the most cautious about Leo in the beginning and the only info we know about him are his parents live in Moose Jaw and they don't approve of his freight hopping lifestyle， but that's it。 i'm curious of a couple things， such as why doesn't he like his real name， Troy？ is there more to the story on why he goes by Dodger instead？ does he prefer freight hopping bc he's searching for something in his life that will make him want to settle down？ although i loved the friendship between Leo and Killian， Willow and Tyler and how each one developed， there was something about seeing Dodger eventually giving in and becoming close to Leo that warmed my heart。 🥰 sidenote: br with Elena。 i appreciate you for dealing with my rants and spams LOL。 i'm glad our second br was a success， unlike the first one。 🤪 。。。more
Smut Librarian
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Such vivid and brilliant writing！ These characters came alive in my head to a point where I spent any time I wasn't reading wondering what would happen next！ So engrossing and gripping - Nicky managed to wring big emotions out of this usually stoic reader。 Cannot reccomend this enough - will appeal to so many readers， it's just a fantastic book。 Such vivid and brilliant writing！ These characters came alive in my head to a point where I spent any time I wasn't reading wondering what would happen next！ So engrossing and gripping - Nicky managed to wring big emotions out of this usually stoic reader。 Cannot reccomend this enough - will appeal to so many readers， it's just a fantastic book。 。。。more
♡Ishita♡
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So Good！ ✨
~✡~Dαni（ela） ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~
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~4。5~It's no secret that I love Nicky James。 For months now， I've been （im）patiently waiting for her to write something other than romantic suspense， a genre that holds little appeal for me。 And finally she did！ End of the Line is the first book in the new Rail Riders series， and， if this story is any indication， we're in for quite a ride。 I'd never heard the term "rail riders。" It's more common in the States to use the term "train hoppers。" But regardless of what you call it， rail riding is not ~4。5~It's no secret that I love Nicky James。 For months now， I've been （im）patiently waiting for her to write something other than romantic suspense， a genre that holds little appeal for me。 And finally she did！ End of the Line is the first book in the new Rail Riders series， and， if this story is any indication， we're in for quite a ride。 I'd never heard the term "rail riders。" It's more common in the States to use the term "train hoppers。" But regardless of what you call it， rail riding is not for the faint of heart。 It takes athleticism， skill， quick thinking， and fearlessness。The entire story rests on the shoulders of five characters: Killian （Killer）， Leo， Willow， Tyler， and Dodger。 Leo and Killian are the MCs， but I hesitate to call the others secondary characters because they are very present in the story and as complex as the MCs。Leo is running away from something。 He has bruises all over his body and like Lady MacBeth can't get the damned spots of blood off his hands。 Nightmares plague him。 What Leo is running from is initially a mystery to the other characters and to readers too。Killian is also running and has been for many years。 He never sees his family and doesn't want to talk about them。 Killian has rough edges， but he has a tender heart， especially when it comes to Leo， the rookie who would have face planted in front of a moving train if Killian hadn't saved him。 Leo and Killian are from opposite sides of the tracks。 Leo grew up posh and cultured; he has two university degrees。 Killian grew up lower-middle class and never graduated from high school。 But they are inexplicably drawn together， and their relationship is a breath of fresh air。 They spend every minute of every day together， sleeping in freight cars， eating McDonald's （hey， it's cheap and filling）， playing euchre， and talking， always talking。 It's not the flick of a light switch， but a slow fire burning。 There are moments of languor and moments of tension。 Nothing happens and then everything does （the scenes of jumping on and off trains had me on the edge of my seat）。 The pacing is spot on， and I was never bored， not for a second。 The story shifts around the 80 percent mark。 The resolution feels inevitable， but I like the way it played out。 The MCs get a solid HEA （it's not everybody's HEA， but it's theirs）。 Dare I hope that Tyler's story is next？ 。。。more
S
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Lovely writing， a good story。 Family is what you make it is proved by this plot line of four twenty-something rail riders who travel through Canada。 Along the way they encounter a young man， Leo， fleeing from a desperate situation。 The first chapters are pretty dramatic and intense。 The story levels off to a travel adventure and new love for Leo and Killer， one of the rail riders group。 These were very well written characters。 Each of the young people had their own back stories that were touched Lovely writing， a good story。 Family is what you make it is proved by this plot line of four twenty-something rail riders who travel through Canada。 Along the way they encounter a young man， Leo， fleeing from a desperate situation。 The first chapters are pretty dramatic and intense。 The story levels off to a travel adventure and new love for Leo and Killer， one of the rail riders group。 These were very well written characters。 Each of the young people had their own back stories that were touched upon， and their own reasons for hopping freight cars for much of the year。 An interesting book with some good feels， especially with the resolution of Leo’s story and some touching moments with this loyal family group of travelers。 。。。more
SaBine
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5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟5 ❤❤❤❤❤4 🔥🔥🔥🔥Nicky James doesn’t dissapoint。 This has everything I need in a book: a new to me storyline， adventure， some angst， lots of romance， the right amount of heat。 I'm sure I will read this story again！ Or perhaps listen to it once it's on audio？ 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟5 ❤❤❤❤❤4 🔥🔥🔥🔥Nicky James doesn’t dissapoint。 This has everything I need in a book: a new to me storyline， adventure， some angst， lots of romance， the right amount of heat。 I'm sure I will read this story again！ Or perhaps listen to it once it's on audio？ 。。。more
✧ ࿐ calie ⊹ ₊
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I hope no one ever criticize this book in front of me because I'll be mad。 I mean， I will be REALLY mad。 Killian and Leo now live in my heart and I love them and all I want is protect them as if they were real。 Nicky James， > PLEASE < I need the other books of the Rail Riders group， it's URGENT。 I hope no one ever criticize this book in front of me because I'll be mad。 I mean， I will be REALLY mad。 Killian and Leo now live in my heart and I love them and all I want is protect them as if they were real。 Nicky James， > PLEASE < I need the other books of the Rail Riders group， it's URGENT。 。。。more
Kath
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4。5
Mirky King
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Love on the RailsFrom the get go， this story caught me up and I was gone！ Absolutely loved Leo and Killer。 Their romance was as off the rails sweet（yes， a cheesy pun）。 The unique setting of riding the rails was so interesting， as were all the group of Rail Riders。 Looking forward to reading all of their adventures！
Tony Williamson，jr。
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Another MasterpieceNicky James is one of my top 5 authors。 Everything she writes is perfection。 I am already anxious for the next book in this series。
Joyfully Jay
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A Joyfully Jay review。 4。5 starsThis book is intense from the start and continues all the way through and author Nicky James creates something special in the story of Leo and Killian。 The book opens in the middle of the action as Leo is running and hiding and desperately trying to clean the blood from his hands。 There is an immediate sense that Leo is not a bad guy， but in an impossible situation， and it’s also not difficult to be able to piece an idea of happened to him from the start。Leo has l A Joyfully Jay review。 4。5 starsThis book is intense from the start and continues all the way through and author Nicky James creates something special in the story of Leo and Killian。 The book opens in the middle of the action as Leo is running and hiding and desperately trying to clean the blood from his hands。 There is an immediate sense that Leo is not a bad guy， but in an impossible situation， and it’s also not difficult to be able to piece an idea of happened to him from the start。Leo has lived a wealthy and privileged life and he is unprepared in every single way to be in the situation in which he finds himself。 There is a physical component， as he is visibly injured， and a psychological component of having been traumatized。 It takes only a moment for Killian to jump into action to save Leo and then continue to help him。Read Michelle's review in its entirety here。 。。。more
Bronwyn
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Nicky James knocked it out of the park with this book！ The whole storyline was original， fun， intriguing…it was everything！ I was happy to read the part of Killian and Leo’s journey when they encountered a religious man。 It was refreshing to see his character portrayed in a positive way。 There are some amazing people out there from all walks of life and I loved how everything came together in this wonderful story。 We can’t paint everyone with a broad stroke and Ms。 James wrote it all so well thr Nicky James knocked it out of the park with this book！ The whole storyline was original， fun， intriguing…it was everything！ I was happy to read the part of Killian and Leo’s journey when they encountered a religious man。 It was refreshing to see his character portrayed in a positive way。 There are some amazing people out there from all walks of life and I loved how everything came together in this wonderful story。 We can’t paint everyone with a broad stroke and Ms。 James wrote it all so well throughout this book。 I am eager to read what is next for the Rail Riders， and I hope to see more of Killian and Leo！ 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=End of the Line
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=End of the Line&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,End of the Line&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0