Luke (Sylvan #2) by Jan Irving

Luke (Sylvan #2) by Jan Irving

Stars: 1.5/5

Length: 100 pages

Blurb

Wandering cowboy Luke Walker is at the end of his rope after his girlfriend abandons their newborn daughter. A terrified new father, he's grateful to meet Dr. Morgan Gallagher. Morgan recognizes that he and Luke could help each other: Luke can rebuild Morgan's property and land so Morgan can have the horses he wants, and Morgan can provide the younger man with a safe place to raise his daughter. In theory, it should work out perfectly, except that Morgan is instantly attracted to Luke-a straight man-and sharing the same cabin and caring for the baby is a more intimate arrangement than he'd imagined.

Overall

A sweet story without much substance or conflict.

Review

I think the biggest weakness in this book is the lack of conflict. While there is some internal struggle and growth, generally everything falls into place neatly. Too neatly. The baby's momma shows up, but doesn't cause any trouble, the exboyfriend-ish has no hard feelings, and there's no negative ramifications for the gay cowboys.

The biggest conflict was the baby's fever and the guys getting over themselves, and even that didn't seem like such a big problem since the supposedly straight dude hopped right over that hurdle.

There was nothing I hated about this book, but there's very little I remember about it either. Parts of it were cute, and it would work as a series of vignettes, but as a novel it didn’t hold up.

I may have enjoyed this story more if I’d read the first of the Sylvan series, but since the characters in that didn’t play too major of a role, I didn’t feel lost.

Long Tall Drink by LC Chase

Long Tall Drink by LC Chase
Stars: 3.5/5

Length: 161 pages
Blurb
Fourth generation rancher, Ray Ford has lived a lie for nearly forty years. Having seen what can happen to an openly gay cowboy in small town America, and not willing to risk his ranch Ford Creek's legendary reputation, he keeps that part of himself tightly locked down. Everything changes one Sunday morning when Ray, out of character, picks up a handsome hitchhiker looking for work. Hiring the enigmatic cowboy stretches the bounds of Ray's control and, suddenly, he finds himself asking just what he'd be willing to risk for a chance at true love.

Travis Morgan learned a hard lesson early in his life -- love is conditional. Even though he's a world-class horse trainer in high demand, he lives the life of a drifter, moving from ranch to ranch like the wind. He'll play when the opportunity arises, but he won't invest himself emotionally. But when he takes on the job training horses at Ford Creek Ranch, the stoic rancher with the sexy five o'clock shadow just might change all that -- if Travis can take the risk and stick around long enough to find out.

Overall
A smoking cowboy story that was a little heavy on the sex and sexual tension for my tastes, but I imagine would be perfect for most readers. Overall, fairly standard, but enjoyable.

Review
The two points that made this story slightly less enjoyable for me, but may make it perfectly enjoyable for other readers, are its high sexual content and it's somewhat standard cowboy themes. I don't judge either poorly (the story makes no bones about what it is), but it did make it more humdrum for me while reading.

The sex is steamy, but most of the pages are filled with longing rather than doing, as the two men oogle one another and get a little grabby hands. The tension makes sense, given their situations, but if you want hard and fast, you’ll have to look elsewhere. The strain works for the story, although I found it understandably frustrating at times!

The underlying drama that Sam causes works well to move the story and create friction, while also exhibiting how tender the men can be to each other and others. Plus it works as precedent to show the reader how the ranch will react to one of their own being gay.

What I found most refreshing about this cowboy tale was the climax. It wasn't what I was expecting it to be, but it turned out to be just what the characters needed. Some may feel that it comes out of left field, but I thought it was fitting. It earned the story extra points in my mind.

Shoulda Been a Cowboy by Terry O'Reilly

Shoulda Been a Cowboy by Terry O'Reilly
Stars: 2/5

Length: 21,354 words
Blurb
Charlie Bradley has always entertained cowboy fantasies. When his boyfriend Jared offers him the choice of where to go on their summer vacation, Charlie chooses Stallions and Studs, a dude ranch catering to a gay clientele.

Upon arrival, Charlie meets the very handsome and studly Wade Connors, a riding instructor. Charlie is immediately enthralled with the man and finds his feelings, fight them as he may, are turning into love.

Wade, however, is a man who chooses a guest as his flavor of the week -- to romance, play with, and then move on. But this week Wade finds Charlie becoming more than he bargained for. What will happen when the week ends and Charlie has to leave for home?

Overall
If you're looking for cowboy smut with a weak, but existent, plot, this may be up your alley. I found it fairly lacking and hard to believe, but I still read the whole thing.

Review
I think my biggest beef with the story is that it's completely unbelievable. While I can imagine a couple with a relationship like Charlie and Jared, the way everything falls into place is just too neat, especially since it's so hard to imagine Charlie staying with Jared anyway. Along those same lines, this story deals with cheating, although not entirely of the main characters, so those who are sensitive to that should probably avoid this all together.

What's not believeable is what happens at the end. And some of the horse stuff. Being a 'natural' is good and all, but being a natural doesn't equal being able to rodeo better than people who work on the farm (unless they're incompetent, but that's never implied). Obviously some things needed to be forced in order to resolve issues within the short space, but the "solutions" felt extremely flimsy to me.

That aside, if you're looking for a range full of hot cowboys who cater to gay clientele (and I DO mean cater!), you may find this a tasty little bite, although I didn't find it satisfying.

Complete Faith by Sue Brown

Complete Faith by Sue Brown
Stars: 3/5

Length: 240 pages
Blurb
Sequel to Morning Report

For Tommy Bradley, a hand working on the Lost Cow Ranch in rural Texas, admitting his sexuality is impossible, even if his bosses, Luke and Simon, are gay—Tommy has spent his entire life hiding the truth from his homophobic parents. Then Tommy meets pastor Noah Taylor in Luke’s father’s hospital room, and his difficult secret becomes that much harder to keep.

Noah is unlike any man of God—or any man—Tommy’s ever met. For one thing, his congregation is made up primarily of GLBT individuals and their families. For another, he isn’t afraid of the attraction he feels toward Tommy, and he makes his intentions very clear. But Noah won’t hide his sexuality or his love from the world, and he won’t start a relationship with Tommy while Tommy hides his, either. Faced with the choice of losing Noah or coming out to his parents, Tommy takes his first steps out of the closet.

But Tommy isn’t the only one facing challenges. Thanks to an outpouring of hatred from Pastor Jackson and a group of ranch owners, Noah must cope with the possible loss of his church and his livelihood.

Overall
A nice cowboy story that fits in all the standards while introducing some new elements. Lovers of cowboy/rancher tales will probably like this, but I think I may be a little exhausted on them, although having the pastor in the story did shake things up. I didn't read the first in the series, but aside from not having any character history, I didn't think that diminished my enjoyment.

Review
Although it's a perfectly enjoyable novel, I found everything to be generally rather forgettable. Gay ranchers in Texas having to deal with the backlash, a young kid coming out to his conservative parents, and the hard work of farm life Of course, this means that all these elements will get your crank if you look for cowboy stories. For me it felt mostly uninspired, although Noah's role (as a gay black pastor), added a nice flair.

There were some parts of the story (one in particular) that added a sense of adventure and excitement, but didn't really seem to further the plot any, except to--maybe--build character relationships. I wouldn't have minded this so much if it didn't feel like one of the major plot points mentioned in the blurb wasn't rushed at the end. I would have liked to have seen the confrontation between Noah and Jackson happen a little earlier so it could be fleshed out more, although if Brown is planning on having another book in the series (which I'm guessing she would), then she may expect the development to happen then.

I liked Noah and Tommy, but I also felt that so many things were happening around them that it detracted from them as the focus of the story. Also, there were a lot of sexual situations that were hinted at but never came to fruition or weren't really given any room to play. Again, these may be elements Brown plans on exploring in later books, but as the reader of this book, I felt shorted. Not that I felt it needed to be central in the story, but it's a pretty big thing and it just sort of gets pushed to the side.

Generally a well-written, enjoyable novel, but it had some weaknesses for me that hurt the enjoyability. Definitely not a bad read and it's worth picking up for all those cowboy lovers out there!

Requested this book for review.

Equilibrium by Meredith Shayne

Equilibrium by Meredith Shayne
Stars: 3/5

Length: 212 pages
Blurb
Welcome to Burreela, New South Wales. Population: more animals than humans. Although most (human) occupants are trying to get out of Burreela, the tiny town is the perfect place for veterinarian Michael Stone to break out of the bad habits that almost cost him the most meaningful part of his life: his profession.

Michael is struggling to regain his balance after hard personal losses and two years of promiscuity and drug abuse. He’s not prepared to meet Ryan Mitchell, a nice guy who won’t take no for an answer, whose patient pursuit leaves Michael less and less inclined to keep refusing. But Michael’s bad habits aren’t that far behind him. Can Michael hold himself together enough to be the man Ryan needs, or will he lose his equilibrium while trying to be man enough to hold on to the one he loves?

Overall
This was one of those stories that I enjoyed but didn't wow me. It was nice, sweet, and had some moving scenes, but in the end it wasn't particularly memorable. While there's very little I can point out as being a failing, there wasn't much that I'd mark as really standing out as a strength either. An enjoyable novel, but it didn't do much for me.

The story is fairly interesting, following Michael's struggles to overcome his past and not become the man he was again. Michael resists Ryan's advances for this reason, but Ryan is persistent. While I'm not saying Michael doesn't have plenty of positive attributes, I never really understood why Ryan was so very interested in Michael when Michael didn't seem (from how he behaved/what he said) to be interested in Ryan (despite actually wanting him very much). It seemed hard to find a reason why Ryan would be so interested outside of the fact that there aren't that many gay men in their small town.

Ryan is kind, understanding, and endlessly patient, but is also playful and teasing. He carries the most strength in the book, keeping the romance moving and making scenes fun while Michael carries all the emotional baggage and drama. It was a good mix.

Despite the romance lacking some credibility, I enjoyed the story, but despite that, this book just didn't grab me. Those looking for a drawn out standard romance may find something more in this work.

Inherit the Sky by Ariel Tachna

Inherit the Sky by Ariel Tachna
Stars: 3/5

Length: 206 pages
Blurb
Caine Neiheisel is stuck in a dead-end job at the end of a dead-end relationship when the chance of a lifetime falls in his lap. His mother inherits her uncle’s sheep station in New South Wales, Australia, and Caine sees it as the opportunity to start over, out on the range where his stutter won’t hold him back and his willingness to work will surely make up for his lack of knowledge.

Unfortunately, Macklin Armstrong, the foreman of Lang Downs who should be Caine’s biggest ally, alternates between being cool and downright dismissive, and the other hands are more amused by Caine’s American accent than they are moved by his plight… until they find out he’s gay and their amusement turns to scorn. It will take all of Caine’s determination—and an act of cruel sabotage by a hostile neighbor—to bring the men of Lang Downs together and give Caine and Macklin a chance at love.

Overall
This is a light romance that starts off almost unbearably slow, but picks up toward the end. It suffers from a bit of a fascination with the details about sheep farm life and several scenes could have been cut because they did nothing to further the story, but overall it was a fine read. I wasn't particularly invested in the characters or the romance, and my favorite characters were side characters, but it wasn't grueling to read either. Probably worth picking up for readers who like Tachna's other works, really enjoy farming stories, or love Andrew Grey's Farm series.

Strengths
There were scenes I really enjoyed, such as the flood, and when Caine puts his man-boots on and stands up for himself. Those moments brought out the essence of the story and occurred more often in the latter half of the book (appropriately).

Several characters (the young boy and the cook) are fun, more friendly, and add a nice layer to the types of characters. They weren't enough to make the story really shine, but were an element I enjoyed.
The sheep farming and information about Australia all felt thoroughly researched and gave me a sense that I could know what to expect if I ever walked onto a sheep farm. I appreciate the hard work that obviously went into it.

Weaknesses
This story has an epilogue that isn't an epilogue but is actually the final chapter. It's not really a point against it, but I know some people get really annoyed with it.

One of the characters went from good to evil and back again way too quickly for my taste. Obviously finding something out about someone (aka, the gay), would cause serious reactions in some people, but for me the changes were too abrupt in every direction.

The writing wasn't bad, but in combination with the pacing of the story, left me un-enthused. It was a story I enjoyed while reading, and I was curious about how things would turn out, but it didn't move or inspire me.

Requested this book for review.

An Unsettled Range (Range #3) by Andrew Grey

An Unsettled Range (Range #3) by Andrew Grey
Stars: 3/5

Length: 200 pages
Blurb
The last thing Liam Southard expects when he flees his abusive father is to be taken in by a couple of gay ranchers. Soon he has a new job and a new perspective on his sexuality, and his life starts to turn around. Then someone pulls a gun on him.

In Troy Gardener’s defense, the gun thing was a mistake. Between his marriage falling apart and living in his uncle's isolated hunting cabin, he's been a little edgy. He wants to make it up to Liam, and once he discovers how much they have in common, he wants even more. But with Liam's father popping in unexpectedly and a mining company threatening the ranch’s water supply, the only guarantee is that life is never going to be boring.

Overall
I'll be honest, I have a love/hate relationship with Andrew Grey novels. I'm pretty much always mediocre about them, but for some reason I can't resist reading them. I was mediocre on the first in this series, and yet when the chance came to pick up this one, I did. I have all of the Farm series. I swear, it's a compulsion or something. I know it's the soft squishy feelings that fill his books, the perfectly happy endings, the absolutely escape from reality.

Even when I'm sighing and rolling my eyes through the pages, I can't help enjoying it just a little. I also realize that a chunk of my eye rolling comes from reading a fair number *cough*8*cough* of his books and knowing pretty much how the story is going to go.

That said, this is my ninth book, with 10 and 11 in the wings. He definitely has a certain rhythm to his books, and An Unsettled Range follows course. Fans of Grey will like this, undoubtedly, naysayers will...well I wonder why they'd pick it up in the first place.

I liked the first in the series better, and I didn't read the second. Without further rambling...

Strengths
The mining company plotline is a nice mellow threat that lurks in the background and keeps all the characters moving and interacting. It felt pretty realistic, and any issues I had could pretty much be resolved with, "Well, it IS the government."

I love Grey's families. The children are there, important and involved without overwhelming the story or being forgotten. Here, Sofia is cute and precocious, an absolute 5 year old who holds grudges but also easily forgives. Jeanie is not-surprisingly likeable and while she's never portrayed as an evil woman, you can't help but feel bad for her and frown disapprovingly in the same breath. At least in the beginning when Troy is hurting. Telling what happens later would be a spoiler. Sort of.

I liked that the sex scenes spiced it up a little. While they were definitely tender and sweet, they had a taste of dominance and aggression. Not much, but the small touch was appreciated.

Weaknesses
For those familiar with the Farm series, you'll fine Liam's story too close to Stone's story. The two series really mirror one another in some ways, although the first story in this series had more original content then I felt this one did. Readers unfamiliar with the Farm series shouldn't have a problem.

The relationship moved very quickly. Not much time passes before they are baring their souls and promising their love and devotion. I had trouble buying it, one because they both came from such tough spots, but also it's hard to believe anyone's relationship evolving so quickly. I know it happens, but this felt too Insta-Love for me.

Grey's writing doesn't make me want to plunge out my eyes with a wine corkscrew, but it does lack a certain originality. The language tends to explain an emotion behind an action that clearly expressed what the emotion was; gives excuses or reasons behind a behavior or reaction when it's either unnecessary or repetitive (or diminishes any mystery a person may have); or draws out a line that could easily be half as many words. While it's not bad, it leaves the story feeling cluttered and somewhat dragging.

A Shared Range (Range #1) by Andrew Grey

A Shared Range (Range #1) by Andrew Grey
Stars: 3/5

Length: 208 pages
Blurb
After a year in medical school, Dakota Holden returned home to take care of the family business full time and help his father cope with multiple sclerosis. Devoted to his family, Dakota allows himself just one week of vacation a year, which he spends in some exotic location having all the fun he can stand. On his last vacation, a cruise, Dakota struck up a friendship with Phillip Reardon, and it fills an important role in Dakota’s life.

So when Phillip decides to take Dakota up on his invitation to visit the ranch, Dakota is happy to see him and meet his veterinarian friend, Wally Schumacher. Despite Wally’s inclination to help the wolves Dakota’s men shoot to protect the cattle, he and Dakota find they have a lot in common, including a fierce attraction. But they’ll have to decide if the Wyoming range is big enough for Dakota’s cattle, Wally’s wolves, and their love.

Overall
A classically Andrew Grey novel, A Shared Range brings a new taste to some standard fare. Fans of Grey will find a work consistent with his other novels, especially the Love Means... series. New comers will get a taste of his writing and style.

I found the story to be good, but not amazing, and while I may potentially read it again, it's not a tale I'll return to repeatedly. It had several positive points, and throughout there were definite moments that had me smiling and chuckling, but it didn't grab me or move me. However, readers who want sweet and soft will find exactly what they're looking for in this cowboy tale.

Strengths
The interaction between Dakota and Wally was interesting and fresh. We have two men who come from very different lives and have very strong opinions on a sensitive matter. While they come to terms with their differences relatively quickly, it is the central theme of the novel that such a conflict doesn't have to mean that two beings cannot live harmoniously. The struggle of the men as individuals and as a couple is the central conflict and ties together the theme of the novel nicely.

Dakota's dad is used well throughout the novel and I applaud Grey's consistency in never forgetting to check on him before the men go out, and do things such as leaving the door cracked so they can hear if he wakes up. (Though I hope his father didn't hear them when they got noisy!) The father, as a tool to dispense wisdom and as a character, was well handled and added a level to the story.

In addition, I liked the balance of characters in the novel, and how the two main characters, while still the focus, were not the sole elements forming the equation. Too much attention solely on the two relatively average men would have become boring, but the introduction and use of the side characters added an additional dynamic to the story and interactions.

Weaknesses
Not necessarily a weakness, the novel suffers from the condition that all Gays Out West stories bear the burden of: Who is accepting? Obviously if the story has too many un-accepting characters then the main characters will be miserable, but it's still a traditional and mainly conservative area, so not everyone can like it. Grey, from my experience reading his other works, tends to make characters accept more often than not, and A Shared Range is the same. However, the acceptance in this story felt mostly organic, and the trouble caused by the others was just enough to draw awareness to the traditional mindset of the area but not enough to make it the center focus. I put this in the 'weakness' section only because it wasn't really a strength of the novel.

Despite the originality of the characters and their conflict, the rhythm of the story as the characters fall into bed, was traditional Grey in style. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and for some the familiar style and pattern will be comforting and the exact element they return to this author for. It makes for an enjoyable story, but for me it's not different enough from some of his Love Means... books to really impress me.

Signed and Sealed by B.A. Stretke

Signed and Sealed by B.A. Stretke
Stars: 2-2.5/5

Blurb
William Drake’s living an ordinary life—he's got a job, a dog, and a house near Lake Superior—when a frantic call for help from his ne'er-do-well sister, Katrina, throws a big rancher-shaped kink in the works. Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, Will’s arrival at the Montana ranch belonging to Katrina's fiancé, Martin, is marked by a flat tire and unexpected help from a tall, dark, and handsome Good Samaritan who turns out to be Elijah Hunter, Martin's brother, and the most unsettling man Will has ever met.

Eli’s fury over Katrina’s misdeeds boils over onto Will, and he demands that Will remain on the ranch until the matter is resolved. While Will can take Katrina's place, Eli doesn’t make it easy, testing Will at every turn, but Will’s uncompromising morals exceed even Eli’s exacting standards. The attraction growing between them is further complicated by Eli’s ultimatum: he's still holding Katrina to the pre-nup she signed... unless Will agrees to marry Eli instead.

Overall
A lot of other reviewers have listed this book as "Harlequin" in nature, which really didn't mean much to me, since I've not read enough Harlequins to judge. However, it is something to keep in mind when reading this review, as some of my points may be applied to this Harlequin status.

To enjoy this book, the reader is going to have to take a ginormous leap of faith from the beginning, as the entire story is reliant on the notion that Will is practically held hostage at Eli's estate. While he's not being forced physically, Eli is holding financial reasons over his head. I found that, and the majority of the plot, to be ridiculous and horribly weak, which made a majority of the story unenjoyable. That, rolled together with the facts that Will can't trust Eli (who seems to change personalities every other scene) and Eli thinks Will is a gold digger like his sister, but they both have the hots for each other, makes for a frustrating story.

However, not all is lost. Once the story begins to dig deeper into Eli actually beginning to court Will and overcoming Will's distrust of him, the story picks up. If this is "your sort of story," I think it could be very interesting, but in general I was not impressed.

Strengths
Admittedly, I have a soft spot for antagonistic romances where hatred (with a touch of lust) blossoms into love. Once this novel got to that point where the initial logistics were put behind and Eli was beginning to court Will, everything was much more enjoyable. I realize that a large portion of the beginning was needed to develop their relationship to create the conflict, but more could have been done to focus on the strength of the story rather than the flimsy building blocks.

Weaknesses
The point of view was third person limited omniscient, jumping from character to character at the author's discretion. While it wasn't done poorly, I feel this novel could have improved if it was kept in a second person perspective, leaving the reader just as confused as Will was about Eli's motives and feelings. As it was, we know what's going through Eli's head, and it makes the majority of the struggles rather inane. While many books flip between the two characters and play off "misunderstanding" trope, this novel relied too heavily on Will's issues and distrust to work the conflict appropriately. While we can see Eli is a bit of a jerk, we never think he's as mean as Will does because we see inside Eli's head, although sometimes even that isn't enough to make sense of what's going on. I give the author credit for being consistently omniscient in writing, but don't feel it was very helpfully to the story telling.

The set up of the story was the most difficult for me, as I mentioned above. It seemed trite and unfeasible. I couldn't buy it and so I had a difficult time settling into where the author wanted me to go. Along those lines, I had a hard time buying that Will could just take off from work for a month, since we know he's not exactly rich. Plus, even though his dog is safe at a "friend's" house, I'd be a little pissed if I was asked to dog-sit for a weekend and it became a month! And he never calls to see how the dog is. Minor points, perhaps, but symptoms of the larger problem.

In addition, Eli seemed a bit unbalanced. To an extent, we are given the reasons behind this, but for the most part he just comes off as a little crazy/vengeful, which makes sense, as this is how Will is supposed to see him. However, some of the events that we see through Will's eyes are not compatible with how Eli behaves when we see events through Eli's eyes. Not until the end did Eli begin to have a consistent personality that seemed to fit with the person everyone describes throughout the story.

Requested this book for review.

Eight Seconds by Jean Ferris

Eight Seconds by Jean Ferris
Stars: 4.5/5

Blurb
Each ride on the bucking bull is a lesson in pain. Each landing on the packed dirt is a jarring reminder of reality. Rodeo camp is a tough way to spend a summer, but John is having the time of his life. No clingy girlfriends, no nagging moms, no annoying sisters. Just him and the guys and the biggest bulls he's ever seen. All he has to do is stay on a bull for eight seconds. It may feel like an eternity to his aching body, but for once John feels in control of his own fate. Then he learns his new rodeo buddy Kit is gay. Shaken by the news, he tries to deal with the other guys' reactions and his own self-doubts.

Suddenly, riding a bull seems easy. . . .

Overall
This is not an easy or light reading, although it's not too heavy either. It's a nice balance of story and teenage sexuality drama. Although the topic is nothing new, I feel like the way the story was handled was fresh, making it a new and interesting story. While I really enjoyed this story, I can see some people taking issue with its not-completely-happy ending. I struggled with it myself, but I felt the decisions the author made were appropriate for the story and the lessons that John learns.

Strengths
The writing is pretty easy going, matching the character, who is pretty laid back most of the time, but has a temper when his buttons are pushed. It was straight forward and well paced and overall made for an enjoyable read.

John is a likeable character, although he is flawed (he has a temper, biases, and acts like the teenager he is). But he's still a young man struggling to deal with things in his life and he acts like many teenagers do, and has to face those consequences. I think what I liked most about him is that he never complained about things being unfair or trying to take things back (even if he wishes he could). Instead he focuses on where he's at and what he needs to do—and what he should do. There are various side characters that are nice and varied, all of whom help make John who he is. I also liked Kit, even though some of the things he did/choose were just as hard to deal with as what John did/choose.

While there are some difficult things that happen in this story, and some difficult decisions that the characters make (many of which I disagree with, personally), I really enjoyed the story with its different resolution and some of the "morals" it teaches (to the main character, but not in a preachy way). I also liked the bull riding/western environment, which fit into the story without being too heavy handed in its role.

Weaknesses
Not really a weakness, but I didn't like the ending. It was handled well, and I knew it was coming because of what I read in someone else's review, but … well, you'll have to see for yourself.

The cover that I had makes it seem like the main cast is young teens when they are actually all 18 or older. While I like the set up and the emotion behind it, I think it would dissuade younger people from reading it, which is a shame.

Love Means ... Courage by Andrew Grey

Love Means ... Courage by Andrew Grey
Stars: 4/5

Overall
The second in the Love Means series, this novel takes place a good 20 years before any of the other events. Having been introduced to Geoff in Love Means No Shame, we are transported back in time to when his father and Len met. I read this last, since obviously order didn't matter too much, but I think it'd be interesting to see how everything played out if read first (instead of second as intended). As a romance novel, we can be pretty certain that we'll get a happy ending, but when we know how things will be 20 years later, it takes out all the potential for a twist.

Strengths
Even knowing how the story would have to eventually end, I was never bored while reading. What we're reading the Farm series for is the journey, not the destination. Watching the progression of the farm and their relationship is enjoyable, as are the characters. Ruby, Cliff's wife and Len's best friend from high school, plays a great role, little though it is. Normally women are either helpers or haters (both of which show up elsewhere in the story), but Ruby is just Ruby. Yes, she supports Len, but I found her role to be rather unique as the woman married to one half of what will end up a gay couple.

The writing felt stronger in this one than in did in some of the later of the series and the set up for the pairing felt well constructed and reasonable.

Weaknesses
The sex descriptions. They didn't completely throw me out of the story, but they didn't submerge me in the scene either. It's possible that this is personal preference, because I'm not sure any of Grey's scenes have ever called to me. Part of this may be Grey's attempt to stay more "realistic" and keep the scenes sweet and sexy rather than hot and passionate. They work well within the story, but aren't a draw if you're going in for some PWP (though if you were going for PWP, you wouldn't be picking this up anyway!).

Love Means ... No Boundaries by Andrew Grey

Love Means ... No Boundaries by Andrew Grey
Stars: 3/5

Overall
I have some difficulty rating these books, because on the one hand the stories do exactly what they accomplish, but they do nothing to WOW me. I don't think "wowing" is really what they are set out to do though, so I'm not sure I can hold it against them too much. Instead, this story is a warm blanket wrapped around you while you're sitting on the back porch on an Autumn day. It cuts off the chill, but it won't make you hot, hot, hot.

This, like the others in the series, is a sweet tale of understanding and love, of overcoming obstacles and finding where you belong.

Strengths
Robbie and Joey as characters are great--considerate, kind, and sweet, plus they care for each other. They work well as individuals and as a pair. Joey has some self-esteem issues because of an accident and Robbie is blind, which leaves him dependent on everyone around him.

Moral of the Story. While some books can't get away with having a moral or theme, I think this series (and this one in particular) can get away with it, after all, it's practically in the title! It's well handled and doesn't come off too strong and just adds to the novel's sweetness.

Weaknesses
Predictability. This isn't so much a mark of this book in particular, but of the series. I've figured it out. Boy meets boy. They fall in love. They are forced to split (or feel forced to split). They come back together and live happily ever after. This doesn't make the books unenjoyable, you just know what's coming. (Except, maybe Love Means ... Courage.)

Love Means ... No Shame by Andrew Grey

Love Means ... No Shame by Andrew Grey
Stars: 4/5

Overall
I think this is my favorite of the series, and conveniently the first (although I read it second). Order isn't vital to the stories, unless you want to be surprised by happy endings. So Geoff comes home after the death of his father and decides to stay and take over the family farm. Shortly after his arrival, Eli appears, 100% Amish and straight from the community. He's taking a year break to "diminish his rebel spirit."

Geoff and Eli have a very nice dynamic and are both sweet as sugar. They struggle, they talk, they deal, they love. I think my favorite thing about this story is that it's not fed on misunderstandings but on obligations. Eli and Geoff do what's right, even when it breaks their hearts.

Strengths
Is what it is. This novel tells you what it is and delivers. No secrets, no sudden twists, just a basic love story on a farm. It does it well. The pacing fits well with the story and the environment; it keeps moving but doesn't seem rushed (keeps a "country" pace, so to speak).

Ending. I think the rising action/climax/falling action were all well handled. I connected to the characters and their suffering, as well as their triumph. Everything felt pretty well handled, and for never appearing on screen, I loved Eli's mother.

Weaknesses
Mellow. Not really a weakness, but if you're looking for an extremely emotional story, or action packed, this isn't it. The plot is basic and straight forward with more loving than angst.

Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby

Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby
Stars: 2.5/5

Overall:
I probably would have ranked this book as a 2, but the author did an excellent job with the horse elements, so it earns an extra half star. Otherwise I found the novel mediocre overall, mostly due to Cleo's involvement. If the story had focused solely on Alex and been from his perspective, it would have been better.

What I liked
Alex. Perhaps the sweetest boy you've ever met. Okay, he's embarrassed by his family, but who wouldn't be? He's hardworking, quiet, tries not to complain and struggles with his place in the world. He doesn't fit in in so many ways, but he does his best to get by.

Equestrian. Most people get their horse stuff wrong in books, but this author, with her obvious horse experience, gets stuff right. It was wonderfully refreshing for a fellow equestrian. I'm not sure I buy the musical kur, which seems a bit advanced for two teens, but I suppose they are advanced riders.

Dressage Coaches. I enjoyed the two male dressage coaches. Their mixed personalities were funny and tender at all the right moments.

What didn't work
Cleo. She was annoying, self-centered, complaining all the time and lazy. If she was there to be a comparison to Alex, it didn't work. Even if she "brought Alex out of his shell" a little, I could not see them being friends. She annoyed me to the extremes. I tended to skim her chapters. Since she was half the book, it did serious damage to the quality.

Love Means ... Freedom by Andrew Grey

Love Means ... Freedom by Andrew Grey
Stars: 3.5/5

Overall:
This is an enjoyable story, following two young men, one who needs to learn to stand up for himself and another who needs to learn to see what people are like inside. This is a tale of healing, some physical and some emotional, as Preston and Stone struggle for love, understanding, and freedom from their past.

What I liked
Pace. Once Stone and Preston start dating, they move at a reasonable pace. They confront Stone's issues without it being a huge deal (since said issues effect everyone differently). And take time before really confronting the issues, which felt realistic. They also both slowly grow feelings for one another, rather than instantly, but still don't talk about it immediately.

Length. There is no "big" climax, but rather several smaller ones (pun recognized, if not intended). This works in order to fit in their entire story and express the theme of the book (Love means freedom, in case you missed that). Each time I hit a mini-climax, I'd see how much I had left, shrug, and continue. The story never dragged, no matter how long it was, but just steadily went along. All those stories I've read where "I wish there was more" was satisfied with this one, where we kept going until we're cozy.

What didn't work
Telling, not Showing. Sometimes the author tells us, or spells out what was already implied. This was a small stone tripping me in my travels, but for the most part wasn't too distracting. I would come across a line, wince, then move on. It didn't terribly detract from the story.

Pace. It felt like the transition from "you annoying jerk" to "I want to kiss you" went quickly, but again this didn't detract from the story, since their initial getting together isn't really the focus. Also, Preston does apologize and offer to make amends, but I think having Stone realize that he just uses his cockiness as a defense in the beginning (rather than making an awkward reference about it later) would have smoothed the problems on Stone's end.

Equine therapy. Being a horseback rider and familiar with equine therapy, I felt some of these things facts were a bit off. It could be the type of therapy center they are running, and some of the facts were spot on, but other parts had me questioning the realism (certification, experience, training, lack of sidewalkers...) This probably won't bother most people.