Customer Reviews

Natural Disaster

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I really enjoyed Bareback and the other Jake/Tor online stories on Mr. Owen's website. I was looking forward to the follow up novel but was a little nervous about it after reading some of the other reviews here at amazon. I can't understand. I think this novel was even better written then the original. I like the plot more and felt the whole novel flowed more smothly. It was shorter than Bareback and had fewer sex scenes but I felt like I got to know Jake & Tor so much more. I enjoyed seeing them mature and grow as they became better at dealing with each other and the world around them. I have high hopes to see more Jake/Tor novels & stories in the future!!!

R. Parklane's review is on point. This book is not a sequel in terms to continuing the love story of Jake and Tor. In this book you don't recognize Jake and Tor. Responsibility has changed both men. The one good constant in this book is that both mean do lean on each other in times of conflict, something neither man did well in "Bareback". However, I did miss the Tor and Jake I had become vested in. I gave the book 4 stars because it is well written and contains some surprises in ancillary characters.

I agree with the other comments. This book is not a sequel and you hardly even see Tor and Jake as a couple in this book. I was very disappointed in this book, ever since the author had said the sequel was going to be released I was excited as hell. The prequel is a gem of a story and I expected no less from the sequel. Sadly the author didn't deliver, their was no passion between the two main character [Jake and Tor]. The characters that were so beautifully written in 'Bareback' just did not shine.

However, despite this what he did was relatively good. But it just didn't seem the authors heart was in the sequel. I would have rather seen no sequel than this.

I love "Bareback" and was of course looking forward to its sequel. Oh dear! Natural Disaster definitely does not measure up. If there were no Bareback, I probably would have rated Natural Disaster higher.

As a stand alone (and it could be read as a stand alone) gay story, Natural Disaster is very well written. And if you have been following Chris' writings you would have noticed how polished her work has become in her latest effort.

However as a sequel to Bareback or a M/M erotic romance, Natural Disaster totally disappoints. I want emotional entanglements between the couple, misunderstandings, angst and hot make-ups in my M/M romance. This is sadly lacking. Family drama, playing dads is not my idea of M/M romance.

As for my favorite hot cowboys Jake and Tor, I could hardly recognize them. I love the complex and vulnerable Tor and the tough and stubborn Jake in Bareback. In this sequel both Jake and Tor has done a 360 degrees change. Who is this accomodating and nice Tor ? As for Jake, well...he has ceased to be a cowboy, at times coming across pretty pathetic.

Don't get me wrong. I am still a Chris Owen's fan. And if I have not read Bareback, I would have probably liked Natural Disaster.

I found this sequel to Bareback to be a great insight into the relationship shared by Jake and Tor. When tragedy strikes Jake's family Tor is there to help him through it. The beginning of the book starts a little slow, but that is necessary to build up on a strong storyline. However, those of you looking for the hot and heavy Jake and Tor of the first novel will be slightly disappointed. In Natural Disaster, the two of them have been together for almost six years now, and while they are still in love, the author's need to show them at each other every moment is not present in this book. Yet, when they are together, the sparks fly. Even amidst all of the changes going on around these two, they still somehow manage to remain committed to each other. I would totally recommend this book.

I've just finished reading this novel and found it even better and more satisfying than the original (which, by the way, was marred by some typographical errors).
I don't understand why certain people would be disappointed in the characters in Natural Disaster, compared to Bareback, because they can't recognise them from the previous novel. That's the whole point of this second book: it's meant to show how much the characters have matured, grown and how much stronger is their commitment to each other. This natural progression from Bareback was one of the most satisfying aspects of this novel.

*SPOILERS BELOW*
I also found a very interesting parallel in Jake having to deal with a bereavement in his family, whereas Tor had to deal with his own bereavement in Bareback, and how through such a tragic events these two men become even more attached and committed to each other.

Another thing I loved about Natural Disaster is how capably the author showed Jake (and Tor) in a parental role they have no experience for. And the secondary characters are as engaging as they were in Bareback, if not more.

If you are reading these reviews, contemplating about whether or not to buy this book, my advice is to do it! If you have read 'Bareback' and you love Jake and Tor, you will love this book. 'Natural Disaster' a look into the way Jake and Tor's relationship has evolved over the years. It was lovely to read about the love, trust, and respect these two men have for each other. I think it is a fantastic end to a wonderful story.

I read and thoroughly enjoyed Bareback. The characters were here but Jake/Tor had a deeper relationship that I enjoyed (after all, this is six years later) but I didn't get the emotional-upheaval from earlier. They're more mellow now but I'd STILL recommend it. I liked the addition of their nephew and the ensuing "problems" that are created!

In comparison to the previous novel, Bareback, Natural Disaster is way more "comfort zone" read. Bareback was one of the first M/M romance I read, and maybe I was "naïve", maybe I particularly don't like when there is a cheating, but I remember that it was a reading that left me quite upset, not really in a bad way, but more like I was too much involved in the trouble of the main characters and even if in the end boy gets boy, in any case it was a long and troubled journey.

Aside for the simple fact that Natural Disaster is shorter (in length and also in time span) than Bareback, it's also more sweet and romantic; true, it starts with Jake losing his sister Lissa, and suddenly being responsible for his teenager nephew Jacob, but from the relationship point of view, his bond with Tor is strong and above all exclusive. Hands up, one of the thing I didn't like so much of Bareback was the easiness how Jake and Tor fell in bed with other men, true, it was a shared "falling", but I think that in a way it influenced the following trouble they had in the relationship. In Natural Disaster there is not this issue, and the only friction is when Jake almost OCD syndrome surfaces, and Tor has to take him back into the safety of his arms and their relationship.

There is of course a lot of sex, but it's not the lion share of the story: not only Jake and Tor have a lot of "sweet" moments together, like cuddling and kissing, but they have also to face some personal commitment alone from their couple, like when Jake has to take care of Jacob, or when Tor is alone on his business travels.

If you like the "Marlboro man" idea, the country western atmosphere and the small town attitude, in its positive and negative shade, Natural Disaster is for sure a good picking. As often in this case, it felt like homemade pie and it was warm as just out of the oven feeling.

I've just finished reading this novel and found it even better and more satisfying than the original (which, by the way, was marred by some typographical errors).
I don't understand why certain people would be disappointed in the characters in Natural Disaster, compared to Bareback, because they can't recognise them from the previous novel. That's the whole point of this second book: it's meant to show how much the characters have matured, grown and how much stronger is their commitment to each other. This natural progression from Bareback was one of the most satisfying aspects of this novel.


*SPOILERS BELOW*
I also found a very interesting parallel in Jake having to deal with a bereavement in his family, whereas Tor had to deal with his own bereavement in Bareback, and how through such a tragic events these two men become even more attached and committed to each other.

Another thing I loved about Natural Disaster is how capably the author showed Jake (and Tor) in a parental role they have no experience for. And the secondary characters are as engaging as they were in Bareback, if not more.