The Tin Star
by J. L. Langley
|
List Price: Our Price: $8.99 You Save: $2.00 (18%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.75 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Tin Star
Book Review: The Tin Star
Summary: 4 Stars
Ethan Whitehall is a Texas rancher who is closeted to everyone but his best friend, John, and John's sister Julia. These two plus their baby brother Jamie Killian is Ethan's unofficial family. When John comes to Ethan stunned by the fact that Jamie has announced he's gay and that their father kicked him off the ranch, Ethan steps in and offers the 21year old a job on his spread. Jamie has always had feelings for Ethan and when he finds out he's also gay he sets out to get his man. Suprisingly to Jamie, Ethan doesn't need to be convinced, he thinks Jamie might be the best thing to ever happen to him. But Jamie's father plus some of the locals get extreme if their disaproval and the vandalism and violence put their relationship and lives at risk.
This book had all the good makings of a classic romance novel. The humor was my favorite aspect and the tenderness between Ethan and Jamie was to die for. I also enjoyed the extended family playing such a large part in the story. Will recommed this to anyone looking for a sweet story without to deep of a plot and some steamy sex. The sequal 'Broken H' was enjoyable to but this one was the best.
Book Review: Gay "Harlequin"
Summary: 4 Stars
If you start reading this book expecting to find Shakespeare in it, you'll disappointed. But if you take the book as it is, a simple gay "Harlequin" that just wants to entertain and let you meet likable characters, then you will be more than content. I definitely was.
I liked not just Jamie and Ethan, the main heroes, but the secondary characters too. Even Fred the dog and Spot the horse with "character" were lovable!
Though there were a couple of things that annoyed me a bit and some things that I missed. Jamie calling Ethan "my cowboy" all the time. I know that "cowboy" was a substitute for "lover" but sometimes, less is better, really. The fact that gay characters kept popping up was great for possible sequels - and yay for sequels, really - but it was a bit too rose-colored. And I would have liked to see more of a confrontation between Jamie and his father. Jacob's contempt was more described than really felt.
But as I said, this is a gay romance with a happy ending, as it should be, and I'm quite happy with that :)
Book Review: What a great book!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the 2nd book I've read by J.L. Langley, the first one I tried I didn't care for at all. I was hesitant to try this one because I'm also not a big cowboy romance fan. I'm so glad I read it, I loved this book. I really enjoyed the characters as well as the plot. (and it was HOT!)
Ethan and Jamie were both great. I really liked them together. I loved that there really wasn't any inner turmoil with these two. All of the turmoil came from outside sources. I felt so bad for poor Jamie, and if anyone should have wrestle with a lot of angst it should have been him. But these guys never dwelt on things; no whining; no crying; no false assumption of what the other guy wants or feels; no running from everything. It was virtually devoid of all that sappy annoying romance novel junk, very refreshing. The supporting characters were all just as well written. I can't wait to read their stories.
This is one of the best reads I've had in a while. I would probably even read this one again. I definitely look forward to reading more.
Book Review: Brokeback Mountain with Dialogue
Summary: 4 Stars
OK, so it's not anywhere near Brokeback Mountain, but the country / ranch theme kinda made me think that this is what Brokeback Mountain would have been had either of the characters from that story been courageous enough to give running their own ranch a try.
That said, I thought the book was 'cute' - and I don't mean that in a condascending way. Jamie and Ethan are the two main characters, and their developing relationship throughout the course of the book is endearing. I am admittedly not a big fan of cheeseball/schmaltzy writing and had it gone too far in that direction I would have been turned off.
While some of the plot is a bit far-fetched and has a couple of straying mini-plots that go nowhere, what's left is a sweet story of two people who fall in love and rely on each other to get through life's ups and downs, which, ultimately, is at the foundation of any successful relationship. If only all of us had a gay-friendly brother with a hot gay friend that we could settle down with on a ranch!
Book Review: Skip it
Summary: 1 Stars
I know that The Tin Star is a work of fiction, but nothing rang true about the characters or the plot. The only reason I finished this book was because I paid money for it...and I regret doing so. I had no interest in any of the characters, and much of the dialogue was painful to read through. The character development is really amateur; a lot of the characterizations are on the surface. The author attempts to flesh out the two main characters but doesn't really succeed. I had little interest in what happened to Jamie or Ethan. Development of supporting characters is just horrid. I am always critical of the literature I read, and I'm usually able to find a few positive things even in my least favorite novels; I honestly couldn't find anything I liked in The Tin Star. The story is dull and the characters are weak. The sex scenes are bland, unimaginative, and repetitive. Definitely skip it. And apparently the characters' southern accents come and go.