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Stablemates
Yates Whitaker is an ambitious accountant who avoids close relationships, choosing career instead. His brother, Colin, is serving in Afghanistan, and he’s caring for Colin’s horse, Rouge.
When Rouge is injured Yates rushes to the stable, where Gavin Blalock’s horses are also boarded. Gavin seems familiar, and Yates soon recalls him from school, where Gavin – even then gay and out -- defended him from bullies. Rouge had already been treated when Yates arrived, and. while he recovers, the men ride, have lunch … and admit their powerful mutual attraction, but Yates is stubbornly focused on work. Once again he seems about to let romance fade away -- until the phone rings.
Rouge is reacting badly to the antibiotic, and he could easily die. Gavinn and Yates stand a painful vigil which compels Yates to face the realities of loss, death – and a man’s need for love.
When Rouge is injured Yates rushes to the stable, where Gavin Blalock’s horses are also boarded. Gavin seems familiar, and Yates soon recalls him from school, where Gavin – even then gay and out -- defended him from bullies. Rouge had already been treated when Yates arrived, and. while he recovers, the men ride, have lunch … and admit their powerful mutual attraction, but Yates is stubbornly focused on work. Once again he seems about to let romance fade away -- until the phone rings.
Rouge is reacting badly to the antibiotic, and he could easily die. Gavinn and Yates stand a painful vigil which compels Yates to face the realities of loss, death – and a man’s need for love.
- GenresM M Romance
Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2011
7 people want to read
About the author
Linda Hines
9 books1 followerLinda writes m/m Westerns, American Historicals and Contemporary Horse Stories.
My books are available at DreamCraft Multimedia, GLBT Bookshelf, Amazon, All Romance Ebooks and most other ebook outlets.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 1, 2011
This review can be found at Brief Encounters Reviews.
While I had some major problems with this book, the plot itself was not one of them. Yates is a workaholic who uses his quest to get ahead in part, as a way to avoid relationships after one gone bad a year ago. When he’s called out to the horse farm where his brother boards his horse, he connects with Gavin who is a bit older than him. They end up spending time together which leads Yates to reassess his life.
For those who like horses, there is a lot of information about the horses, they go riding together and the descriptions of the farm and the care of the horses is quite extensive, perhaps a bit much for some who don’t really care that much. However where this story fell down for me was in the dialog and even the narrative style. It felt clunky at times and unrealistic.
A few times I felt that I was reading a historical based on the phrasing they used and a few words that are not commonly used threw me out of the story. An example is slickened which I wasn’t even sure was a word until I looked it up on dictionary.com. I’ve never read that before ever, but yes, it’s a word. As well there was a lot of the use of must, wish and shall, that while grammatically correct seemed awkward when used amongst two mid-20′s men who both had worked in construction jobs in the past where crude language is more the norm.
Phrases such as “laugh at me if you must” “I only wish the chance to know you” and after their first time having sex Gavin is afraid he hurt Yates and his reply is “I’ve enjoyed your company and felt pleasure in your touch.” It came across as awkward and not very realistic to me. There were also several places where I felt a contraction would have been more appropriate, “we shall play” vs “we’ll play”.
These issues I found with the story may not bother others and as I said, the plot itself was fine, I particularly liked Gavin who had taken steps to change his life and discover what was important to him and how that pushed Yates to do likewise, but I just found it hard to focus on the story when I found myself wanting to make edits to the phrasing and dialog as I went along.
While I had some major problems with this book, the plot itself was not one of them. Yates is a workaholic who uses his quest to get ahead in part, as a way to avoid relationships after one gone bad a year ago. When he’s called out to the horse farm where his brother boards his horse, he connects with Gavin who is a bit older than him. They end up spending time together which leads Yates to reassess his life.
For those who like horses, there is a lot of information about the horses, they go riding together and the descriptions of the farm and the care of the horses is quite extensive, perhaps a bit much for some who don’t really care that much. However where this story fell down for me was in the dialog and even the narrative style. It felt clunky at times and unrealistic.
A few times I felt that I was reading a historical based on the phrasing they used and a few words that are not commonly used threw me out of the story. An example is slickened which I wasn’t even sure was a word until I looked it up on dictionary.com. I’ve never read that before ever, but yes, it’s a word. As well there was a lot of the use of must, wish and shall, that while grammatically correct seemed awkward when used amongst two mid-20′s men who both had worked in construction jobs in the past where crude language is more the norm.
Phrases such as “laugh at me if you must” “I only wish the chance to know you” and after their first time having sex Gavin is afraid he hurt Yates and his reply is “I’ve enjoyed your company and felt pleasure in your touch.” It came across as awkward and not very realistic to me. There were also several places where I felt a contraction would have been more appropriate, “we shall play” vs “we’ll play”.
These issues I found with the story may not bother others and as I said, the plot itself was fine, I particularly liked Gavin who had taken steps to change his life and discover what was important to him and how that pushed Yates to do likewise, but I just found it hard to focus on the story when I found myself wanting to make edits to the phrasing and dialog as I went along.
September 13, 2011
Yates and Gavin. One is an accountant, the other is a neurosurgeon. Both are devoted to their work to the point of being workalholic to deal with their respective personal demon. Their love for horses introduces them to each other. It turns out they also share other loves: remodeling old house, poetry, classic car, and so on. Would old wounds prevent them to share the love for each other?
I like this book. It's a short one, and the connection is happening quite fast. The author makes the characters to be very much alike to each other that we're not surprised that it happens.
I like this book. It's a short one, and the connection is happening quite fast. The author makes the characters to be very much alike to each other that we're not surprised that it happens.
September 10, 2011
This is a cute love story between two different men who come together over their interest in horses. I felt the story would have benefitted from more "back story" about the two men and their reasons for avoiding relationships, rather than the quick way it was handled by the author. I think this could have made a great novel-length book rather than the short story that was provided.
In any case, I really enjoyed the story. It was a fun quick read with a lovely "feel-good" finish.
In any case, I really enjoyed the story. It was a fun quick read with a lovely "feel-good" finish.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews