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shandra's review against another edition
4.0
Poignant and Sweet
Everyone can use a sweet story once in a while; Rowan McAllister creates a poignant love story between broken lost boy Tanner Wallis and reluctant family hero Mason Seidel which has a sweetness only the best contemporary writer can manage. The premise had me worried I'd have to suspend disbelief in order to manage to fall into the story, but the characters are so well realized it required little from me in order to fall in love with them both.
All, really.
McAllister created a beautiful world on the Seidel ranch where everyone introduced had a purpose alongside a fully developed characterization. The bigoted old Mr. Robert Seidel cuts a pathetic figure who alternately inspires fear and pity. Ed and Lucy are the domestic parental figures who inspire natural warmth in the reader and provide a nurturing element for everyone involved in the story. Diana showcases the loved sister while also showing some prejudices can be learned regardless of one's own wishes to be different from their parents. All the ranch hands are indicative of traditional cowboy archetypes which help with the atmosphere of the ranch while also propelling the storyline forward at a reasonable pace.
Tanner is designed to inspire pity and affection in the reader; he's a sweet fellow who I enjoyed seeing develop back into a confident, capable man. His panic attacks were realistic when considered against the trauma he'd experienced. His interest in Mason starts out as a crush and I loved seeing his crush become reciprocated as well as evolve into a devoted love. There's a bit of a loose end left hanging in regards to his original assault, but we do get a full story from Tanner whose life goes full circle over the course of the book.
Mason breaks my heart a lot because I know what it feels like to believe one is a disappointment to their father. No one wants their parents to be disappointed with them. There's an innate desire in people to want to make their parents proud. It hurt my heart to see his father's bigoted ideals shown all the way through the piece and then echoed by his sister Diana. I loved seeing Mason find peace with himself regardless of his father's disapproval.
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a bit of hurt-comfort, sweet love story, and a Happy Ever After which is believable and fantastic at once. It's a four star read for me; I would definitely read another Rowan McAllister book in the future.
Everyone can use a sweet story once in a while; Rowan McAllister creates a poignant love story between broken lost boy Tanner Wallis and reluctant family hero Mason Seidel which has a sweetness only the best contemporary writer can manage. The premise had me worried I'd have to suspend disbelief in order to manage to fall into the story, but the characters are so well realized it required little from me in order to fall in love with them both.
All, really.
McAllister created a beautiful world on the Seidel ranch where everyone introduced had a purpose alongside a fully developed characterization. The bigoted old Mr. Robert Seidel cuts a pathetic figure who alternately inspires fear and pity. Ed and Lucy are the domestic parental figures who inspire natural warmth in the reader and provide a nurturing element for everyone involved in the story. Diana showcases the loved sister while also showing some prejudices can be learned regardless of one's own wishes to be different from their parents. All the ranch hands are indicative of traditional cowboy archetypes which help with the atmosphere of the ranch while also propelling the storyline forward at a reasonable pace.
Tanner is designed to inspire pity and affection in the reader; he's a sweet fellow who I enjoyed seeing develop back into a confident, capable man. His panic attacks were realistic when considered against the trauma he'd experienced. His interest in Mason starts out as a crush and I loved seeing his crush become reciprocated as well as evolve into a devoted love. There's a bit of a loose end left hanging in regards to his original assault, but we do get a full story from Tanner whose life goes full circle over the course of the book.
Mason breaks my heart a lot because I know what it feels like to believe one is a disappointment to their father. No one wants their parents to be disappointed with them. There's an innate desire in people to want to make their parents proud. It hurt my heart to see his father's bigoted ideals shown all the way through the piece and then echoed by his sister Diana. I loved seeing Mason find peace with himself regardless of his father's disapproval.
I would recommend this story to anyone looking for a bit of hurt-comfort, sweet love story, and a Happy Ever After which is believable and fantastic at once. It's a four star read for me; I would definitely read another Rowan McAllister book in the future.
teresab78's review against another edition
4.0
Mostly sweet, though there is a little angst. Definitely character centred. It’s good then, that I liked the characters. Mason and Tanner worked so well together. I liked Ed and Lucy as well as the hands. Masons family needed some work though.
liza5326's review against another edition
3.0
Parts of this story were wonderful and also heartbreaking. But then there were the parts that just seemed to drag and made the story seem a lot longer than it actually was. Part of me wanted to skip some and felt I wouldn't miss much, but overall, I enjoyed the growing relationship between Tanner and Mason. The setting was beautiful and there was just enough angst and sweetness to create a good balance and make me NOT skim through. But it's not going to be something I remember next week.
csduong's review against another edition
3.0
I was a good book. I love a good cowboy. I felt that it dragged a little in the middle. Mason relationship with his dad was getting old after a bit. Love the ending.
nicola949's review against another edition
4.0
I woke up this morning and searched my shelves for something to read and decided on this one because the cover really caught my eye - it has a sort of dreamy quality with two gorgeous men. It was hard to look past the sexy cowboy profile but it was the pensive expression on the other man that really drew me in.
I was looking for a story that would bring together two troubled men and give them their happy ending and liked the idea of the cowboy setting.
The story had the right elements. Troubled Tanner, homeless and running from a violent beating is found by Mason and given shelter. Mason has his own issues, returning to his father's ranch ten years after being kicked out for being gay. His father's illness means he has little choice but to accept Mason's help in keeping the place going.
Mason and Tanner are drawn to each other and finally give in to the attraction they feel to one another but their relationship needs to be kept hidden. The story deals with Tanner's emotional healing and Mason's struggle to deal with his angry father and keep the ranch running. The secondary characters - the other ranch hands, neighbours, Mason's sister - provide some additional interest and there is some drama as someone is killing stock all over the county.
I really liked the writing style and the development of the characters. I particularly liked the story Mason related about why he wears his cowboy hat. It is so easy to imagine how different his life may have been if his mother had still been around. Instead he had to deal with a homophobic father and a life away from the ranch that he loved. Although Tanner has more obviously been hurt, Mason still bears emotional scars.
It was gorgeous to see Tanner's response to Mason "Sexy, gruff, cowboy -wet-dream Mason. Tall and lean, with dark eyes and hair under a fancy black felt cowboy hat. Every little gay farm boy's fantasy.." but also Mason acknowledging Tanner's beauty despite his scars.
So I liked the characters, I liked the story and the sex was pretty intense, but something was slightly missing. I think it was most likely the sense that I had read similar before.The story is not particularly unique which is why I am rating is slightly lower, but is still a very enjoyable book.
3.5 stars
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
I was looking for a story that would bring together two troubled men and give them their happy ending and liked the idea of the cowboy setting.
The story had the right elements. Troubled Tanner, homeless and running from a violent beating is found by Mason and given shelter. Mason has his own issues, returning to his father's ranch ten years after being kicked out for being gay. His father's illness means he has little choice but to accept Mason's help in keeping the place going.
Mason and Tanner are drawn to each other and finally give in to the attraction they feel to one another but their relationship needs to be kept hidden. The story deals with Tanner's emotional healing and Mason's struggle to deal with his angry father and keep the ranch running. The secondary characters - the other ranch hands, neighbours, Mason's sister - provide some additional interest and there is some drama as someone is killing stock all over the county.
I really liked the writing style and the development of the characters. I particularly liked the story Mason related about why he wears his cowboy hat. It is so easy to imagine how different his life may have been if his mother had still been around. Instead he had to deal with a homophobic father and a life away from the ranch that he loved. Although Tanner has more obviously been hurt, Mason still bears emotional scars.
It was gorgeous to see Tanner's response to Mason "Sexy, gruff, cowboy -wet-dream Mason. Tall and lean, with dark eyes and hair under a fancy black felt cowboy hat. Every little gay farm boy's fantasy.." but also Mason acknowledging Tanner's beauty despite his scars.
So I liked the characters, I liked the story and the sex was pretty intense, but something was slightly missing. I think it was most likely the sense that I had read similar before.The story is not particularly unique which is why I am rating is slightly lower, but is still a very enjoyable book.
3.5 stars
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
crtsjffrsn's review
4.0
Tanner Wallis is in dire straits. Having run away from the hospital after he and his boyfriend were attacked on the street, he has nowhere to turn. After being robbed and dumped by his latest ride, things only get worse when he stumbles onto a brutal attack on a cow and then is discovered at the scene of the crime by the owner of the ranch. But Tanner does his best to convince him--Mason Seidel--that he was only a witness. Seeing Tanner's condition, Mason offers to let him stay on the ranch for a few days until he's well enough to continue on his way.
The last thing Mason needs is trouble on the ranch. He's recently returned to help run things after his father--who kicked him out of the house a decade earlier for being gay--suffered a debilitating stroke. Things are still strained between Mason and his father, but he does his best considering everything that's happened. And considering his father's beliefs, Mason knows he should let Tanner heal up and be on his way. But something about the younger man attracts him and that something proves extremely difficult to deny...
With this being such complicated and challenging story, Rowan McAllister's choice of title--My Only Sunshine--seems incredibly appropriate to me. In so many ways, both Tanner and Mason are living lives that are shadowed by clouds and storms, neither every really knowing when things will let up. But when they find each other, it seems like there might be a ray of light breaking through. The question of whether it will be enough to make the clouds go away is one that lingers there for them both for some time, neither really knowing if they could or should be the redemption and comfort that they both so desperately need. And it's certainly a well-written story, as well.
[Content warnings: descriptions of violence/hate crime, character with PTSD, violence against animals]
The last thing Mason needs is trouble on the ranch. He's recently returned to help run things after his father--who kicked him out of the house a decade earlier for being gay--suffered a debilitating stroke. Things are still strained between Mason and his father, but he does his best considering everything that's happened. And considering his father's beliefs, Mason knows he should let Tanner heal up and be on his way. But something about the younger man attracts him and that something proves extremely difficult to deny...
With this being such complicated and challenging story, Rowan McAllister's choice of title--My Only Sunshine--seems incredibly appropriate to me. In so many ways, both Tanner and Mason are living lives that are shadowed by clouds and storms, neither every really knowing when things will let up. But when they find each other, it seems like there might be a ray of light breaking through. The question of whether it will be enough to make the clouds go away is one that lingers there for them both for some time, neither really knowing if they could or should be the redemption and comfort that they both so desperately need. And it's certainly a well-written story, as well.
[Content warnings: descriptions of violence/hate crime, character with PTSD, violence against animals]
karlijnmerle's review
3.0
It was okay. But it doesn't feel finished for me. Not all my questions were answered and in a certain way I'm, not satisfied and that's a pity.
But I do love the connection between Mason and Tanner.
But I do love the connection between Mason and Tanner.
suze_1624's review against another edition
3.0
Despite some potentially deep, angsty themes the book is actually quite 'quiet' in the development of the story between Tanner and Mason.
I'm kind of torn between wanting it to have been full on angst - more intimate knowledge of Tanner's attack, Mason's dealings with his father 10 yrs ago - and actually quite liking the calmer pace.
An easy read, no really deep angst, fast pace.
I'm kind of torn between wanting it to have been full on angst - more intimate knowledge of Tanner's attack, Mason's dealings with his father 10 yrs ago - and actually quite liking the calmer pace.
An easy read, no really deep angst, fast pace.
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
4.0
There will be a lot of things to overcome for these two men. Will their love for one another be enough to carry them through, or will they fail to make it work? This book was difficult to read at some parts because of the hate that Mason had to live with daily from his father. He felt duty bound to stay and help out, but how long can he handle all the hate? I was very impressed he didn’t suffocate the man with a pillow; I don’t think I could have resisted the temptation. It was a testament to the love he had for Tanner that he was able to hold on so long.
Read Jackie's full review at The Novel Approach
Read Jackie's full review at The Novel Approach
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