Customer Reviews

The Tin Star

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This was an excellent M/M erotic romance. Cowboys aren't usually my favorite, as they are so overdone. However, Langley manages to make this story fresh. Jamie and Ethan are a good couple, and the problems they face in their relationship, with family, society, and work, are realistic and often sad. The sex is frequent and steamy (explicit) without being repetitive.

There are a couple of things in the story that stood out as being particularly well done. First, there is Jamie's older brother's relationship with Ethan. John is straight, and has known Ethan was gay for years--and they are still friends. Holy Moly, Batman! It's nice to see a straight male character that isn't bigoted, or has secret homosexual leanings. John is a well-developed secondary character who takes part in the story. Second, I like the fact that Jamie and Ethan have known each other for years. Since Jamie is 11 years younger, their relationship was necessarily different in the past. This makes their new found emotions more poignant. It's not the typical love at first sight--more like seeing possibiltiies that have been right before your eyes the entire time.

Hot sex, touching romance, a plot with some depth--I will definitely read more from this author. Thankfully, The Broken H, the next in this Ranch series, is finally available. And, I love the cover art!

The previous reviewer comments the romance is based on physical attraction but this is M/M erotica romance. Of course sex is the driving force! I do not expect or accept anything less. However Tin Star is not just sex. There is a solid plot and engaging characters and the lovers' relationship does evolve though more at the physical level which is where the fun is. And what is hotter than 2 cowboys/ranchmen in love! I read this first as a e-book from Loose ID and have no qualms about purchasing it in good old fashion paperback. In the past few months more M/M eroticas are available in print and I hope Torquere Press and Loose ID will continue to keep the printing machines busy. Now if only Changeling Press/Amber Quill Press/Samhain/Ellora's Cave will join in!

Handsome, wealthy Ethan is 35 years old; he is beloved by community and lives alone in his Texas ranch. He keeps on dragging his dull and boring life while women stare to him with dreamy eyes but no one seems to attract his interest. But one day suddenly John, his best friend and son of the neighbouring ranch's owner, arrives half drunk to his house and discloses that Jamie, his 21 years old little brother has told their father that he's gay, and the only answer he got was being thrown out of his home, with no money, cloths or horse (and for a Texan cowboy this is the real problem). Jamie, the child who followed them in adoration during their young hood rides; blue-eyed, happy-go-lucky Jamie whom Ethan always has seen as his younger brother ... Jamie... that now appears to Ethan under a new light, because Ethan hides a secret: homosexuality.

But differently from the boy, he has never confided to anybody, besides John and Julia (older sister of John and Jamie) his sexual preferences, and he has experienced them freely only during the University years, very far away from home. When facing the harsh countryside life where gays are not accepted, he has chosen chastity as his way of life.. But when Ethan decides to give hospitality to Jamie and shelter him, Jamie start stirring him up sexually and emotionally surprisingly Ethan finds out that people close to him were already aware of his homosexuality, but trouble arrives by other people within the community. But with Jamie's help, Ethan will face all difficulties and finally succeed in living his life in full.

Ethan is strong, generous, kind, handsome: the perfect man every woman is wishing for, but he feels no desire for women... Afraid of the reaction of his community he has decided to give up sex., because he feels that as long as withdrawing into himself remains his own problem, he sees no reason to put so many people's lives into a turmoil. But when Jamie too starts to be involved, as well he doesn't think twice upon it and exposes himself: to his qualities also selflessness -a real perfect man. But in spite of all his perfection, it's impossible to dislike him, he is like a great teddy bear, soft outside and rock strong inside.

Jamie is young, impulsive and outgoing - youthness itself. Full of energy, he wants to change the world like all young people dream of. He always thinks to be on the right side, and is too frank and honest to hide himself. He is a sunny boy who brings laughter light - and love - back into Ethan's life. He reminds me of an impetuous puppy that turns Ethan's life upside down, but I cannot but smile with him and of him. He is like an electric shock able to awaken Ethan out of his torpor.

Sex scenes are sweet and funny; and written in a smooth and light hearted way: in spite of the "hot" subject, this novel is never, never, awkward.

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- Very likeable characters: Ethan and Jamie are both sexy, caring, and selfless. They're comfortable with each other and share a nice, easy banter back and forth. And I liked the supporting characters also, especially Jamie's brother and Ethan's aunt; they're loving, supportive, and funny.
- One character who's a virgin but who (realistically, I think) is curious enough about sex to have bought and used toys by himself.
- Pets with cute, funny personalities (as opposed to the puppy in Langley's Without Reservations): a horse that steals things in order to make people chase him, a dog that is protective and playful but not in an annoying way.
- Perfect happily ever after ending. One of the happiest I've read.

CONS:
- The physical relationship moves a little too quickly. Jamie's in awe of Ethan, his idol, at the beginning of the story (not to mention Jamie's a virgin), and Ethan's pretty deep in the closet, so the ease with which they act on their attraction seems odd.
- A bit melodramatic. I couldn't help relating the various close calls in this book (verbal/physical threats, vandalism, gunshots) to the various close calls in Without Reservations. Langley is a fan of drama.
- Some quirky words here and there that I'm sure Langley used in order to avoid repeating certain terms too often, but which served instead to pull me out of the story with a raised eyebrow. "Peepers" instead of "eyes"? (At least 5 times, according to my count.) Hmm.

Overall comments: A good read: sweet romance, hot sex scenes, decent plot (if a bit artificial, at times), humor. This was one of the first 5 m/m romances I read (I've read it twice now; the first time was about 6 months ago), and I still like it even after having read many more since then.

If you are looking for descriptions of hot guys having sex, you've certainly got that in this book. The regular spacing of this activity suggests that this book is meant to be read in short bursts, each punctuated with steamy action (bedtime reading?). Beyond this, the characters are cute cardboard cutouts, with the stereotype of an older guy/younger guy, and short hair/long hair. Don't expect a plot. Any potential threat to the idyllic relationship is quickly disposed of: jealousy is written off in a paragraph, a hot guy is noticed but is gone, no issue arises between the couple where one is liberal and out, and the other is conservative and closeted. The biggest threat is the homophobic violence, but the perpetrator is no mystery, and the events that ensue are almost a footnote.

Still, for hot steamy cowboy sex, it is a fun read.

J.L. Langley has created a romance that surprised me with its depiction of tenderness and humor between two loving men. The characters are sensible, realistic and likable. The sex sizzles but never loses its emotional depth, a great accomplishment for any romance writer but particularly with regard to homosexual stories, which often lean toward anatomical descriptions and language. Conflict and its resolution are well executed, but the author's greatest achievement is the portrayal of acceptance with undaunted affection. The characters' friends and family members care about them with an edge of gentle humor, an admirable goal for our society.

The plot was actually quite promising. But I quickly got disappointed. The two kind of very "masculine" characters end up being two big queens almost humping each other constantly and in front of everyone. The sex scenes were also too graphical I thought. Overall ok-ish but certainly not great litterature. What I really liked though was the fight for acceptance cause this was quite realistic, especially if put back in the context of rural towns. This is what I would define a good "beach book".

YeeHa! This is a lively tale about cowboys coming out in a small Texas town. Aren't gays hung in Texas? The main characters work on a ranch. There are a lot of steamy sex scenes in this book, so many in fact it left me wondering when do the cows get milked. No one moans and groans like they do, for example: he moaned as he walked in the front door; he groaned as the sweet potato pie slid across his lips). Egad, I groan, look in a Thesaurus, will ya.

This story is a cute, funny romance between two men. The format is very similar to the short Harlequin romance stories available in grocery stores and drugstores- fairly light on plot and heavy in romance and sex. The characters were all quite likeable and reading this was an enjoyable way to waste an afternoon. The resolution of conflict in the story was rather abrupt, though- an extra chapter or so of resolution would have helped with 'flow' of the story.

I got this book about a week ago and during my free time i could not put it down. Well written and had some awesome characters with some very opinionated views. The books shows the ugly side of the world we live in with people and "opinions" on whats right and whats wrong. Story can be very much believable, if this story has ever happened to someone, or something similar to it i applaud them. Gives a guy with a jaded heart a little hope of what could happy. I very much enjoyed this book. (P.S. great sex in this thing)