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Shy
Dating is hard enough. Throw in an incontinent Chihuahua, an unrequited love affair, a severe case of social anxiety disorder, a dying father, and a man-eating hog and it becomes darned near impossible. Still, it takes two to tango—and when Tom Morgan, a mild-mannered assistant bank manager with a debilitating case of shyness, meets Frank Wells, who is straight off the farm and even shyer than he is, sparks start flying.
Just when Tom and Frank’s burgeoning love affair is rolling along nicely, Frank must return to Indiana to oversee the farm while his father battles cancer. Tom tags along to help Frank out and finds himself slopping hogs and milking cows and wondering what the hell happened to his orderly citified existence. And what’s with all the chickens? Tom hates chickens!
With Frank’s help, Tom grits his teeth and muddles through. Funny what a couple of guys can accomplish when they’re crazy about each other. Not even nine hundred chickens can stand in the way of true love.
Just when Tom and Frank’s burgeoning love affair is rolling along nicely, Frank must return to Indiana to oversee the farm while his father battles cancer. Tom tags along to help Frank out and finds himself slopping hogs and milking cows and wondering what the hell happened to his orderly citified existence. And what’s with all the chickens? Tom hates chickens!
With Frank’s help, Tom grits his teeth and muddles through. Funny what a couple of guys can accomplish when they’re crazy about each other. Not even nine hundred chickens can stand in the way of true love.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2012
19 people are currently reading
916 people want to read
About the author
John Inman
42 books441 followersA Lambda Literary Award finalist and the author of over forty novels, John has been writing fiction for as long as he can remember. Born on a small farm in Indiana, he now resides in San Diego, California where he spends his time gardening, pampering his pets, hiking and biking the trails and canyons of San Diego, and of course, writing. He and his partner share a passion for theater, books, film, and the continuing fight for marriage equality. If you would like to know more about John, check out his website at----
http://www.johninmanauthor.com/John_I... or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/john.inman.79
http://www.johninmanauthor.com/John_I... or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/john.inman.79
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
October 12, 2015
Sometimes I rate books 3 stars because I like the whole book a little bit, but I don't have very strong feelings about it. Sometimes I rate books 3 stars because I really liked parts of the book but had problems with other parts. Shy falls in the last camp.
Shy was my first book from John Inman, and I have to say, I was really impressed. He has a great writing style that grabbed me from the start, and really funny, self-deprecating characters. I liked his sense of humor (though fewer poop jokes might have been nice), and I liked the banter between the characters.
I also am a HUGE sucker for characters with disabilities, and SAD (social anxiety disorder) was an interesting one to read about. I like an underdog character, and seeing Tom and Frank deal with their anxiety in a humorous way was really enjoyable to read.
"Heather," you say, "it seems like you LOVED this book! What's the problem?"
Well, I'll enlighten you.
First of all, I feel like this book could be split into two sections; the first half which dealt mostly with SAD and the meeting of Tom and Frank, and the second half, which I'll dub, "Poop and Drama."
The first half of the book was fun, with the exception of one of my BIGGEST pet peeves... INSTALOVE! GAH, John Inman, why you gotta play me like that? Instalove is so bad, IMO, that I've taken to automatically docking a star when I see it. This book was sooooo instalove and it killed me.
I also didn't get the relationship with Jerry, but that was throughout the first and second half of the book. He had a VERY strange co-dependent, toxic relationship with Tom, and I was completely baffled about their dynamic.
The second half of the book had another positive: Frank's dad. Frank's dad was a lovely, well rounded, extremely touching character. He was a great blend of funny, emotional, and interesting, and I think the book got great depth from him.
However... ugh, the second half of the book was exhausting for me. Lots of farm jokes, lots of slapstick comedy, and LOTS of drama. Stanley was one of my least favorite characters because he was like a movie-villain. He was completely, 100% evil, and it got to be comical in a terrible way. I thought that the character of Stanley really cheapened the story.
I also thought it was strange how the SAD issue was rarely discussed in the second half of the book. I mean, these guys could barely leave the house before and now they interacted with other people (albeit in the limited setting) with no issues.
Finally, I have to mention the blow-job/hand-job only sex. Sure, some people aren't into penetration, but I found it to be a bit... odd, especially because there was so much talk about Tom's endowment.
Phew! Loong review, mixed review, but I feel like John Inman can really work for me in the future, as long as a few things are tweaked.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Read as part of John Inman's Greatest Hits.
Shy was my first book from John Inman, and I have to say, I was really impressed. He has a great writing style that grabbed me from the start, and really funny, self-deprecating characters. I liked his sense of humor (though fewer poop jokes might have been nice), and I liked the banter between the characters.
I also am a HUGE sucker for characters with disabilities, and SAD (social anxiety disorder) was an interesting one to read about. I like an underdog character, and seeing Tom and Frank deal with their anxiety in a humorous way was really enjoyable to read.
"Heather," you say, "it seems like you LOVED this book! What's the problem?"
Well, I'll enlighten you.
First of all, I feel like this book could be split into two sections; the first half which dealt mostly with SAD and the meeting of Tom and Frank, and the second half, which I'll dub, "Poop and Drama."
The first half of the book was fun, with the exception of one of my BIGGEST pet peeves... INSTALOVE! GAH, John Inman, why you gotta play me like that? Instalove is so bad, IMO, that I've taken to automatically docking a star when I see it. This book was sooooo instalove and it killed me.
I also didn't get the relationship with Jerry, but that was throughout the first and second half of the book. He had a VERY strange co-dependent, toxic relationship with Tom, and I was completely baffled about their dynamic.
The second half of the book had another positive: Frank's dad. Frank's dad was a lovely, well rounded, extremely touching character. He was a great blend of funny, emotional, and interesting, and I think the book got great depth from him.
However... ugh, the second half of the book was exhausting for me. Lots of farm jokes, lots of slapstick comedy, and LOTS of drama. Stanley was one of my least favorite characters because he was like a movie-villain. He was completely, 100% evil, and it got to be comical in a terrible way. I thought that the character of Stanley really cheapened the story.
I also thought it was strange how the SAD issue was rarely discussed in the second half of the book. I mean, these guys could barely leave the house before and now they interacted with other people (albeit in the limited setting) with no issues.
Finally, I have to mention the blow-job/hand-job only sex. Sure, some people aren't into penetration, but I found it to be a bit... odd, especially because there was so much talk about Tom's endowment.
Phew! Loong review, mixed review, but I feel like John Inman can really work for me in the future, as long as a few things are tweaked.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Read as part of John Inman's Greatest Hits.
November 24, 2014
♥♥♥ 4 "S.A.D" STARS ♥♥♥
(Don't worry, it's not really sad.)
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
'We might not be much at socializing, but by God, stick a dick in our faces and we could rumble with the best of them.'
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
After my last book left me a bit emotionally drained, I was looking for something to pick me up, make me laugh out loud, and feel good. This book was just exactly what I was looking for. It was hilarious and fun. I really enjoyed it.
Tom suffers from S.A.D., a.k.a. Social Anxiety Disorder. Because of this, Tom has trouble in group settings. He becomes a shy nervous wreck just thinking about having to talk to strangers. This is why he is alone. Well, he does have his dog Pedro that keeps him company. Now, his ex-cheating-boyfriend Jerry has invited him to a party he and his new partner Stanley are hosting. Tom of course refuses but Jerry convinces him by setting him up to become friends with Stanley's straight out of the farm brother who also suffers from S.A.D. It was an awkward first meeting but pretty soon they hit it off, and end up falling for each other.
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
“I'm beginning to understand what maybe falling love is like. And I don't want to stop understanding it. And I don't want to fall in love with anybody else, either. I want to fall in love with you. All the way.”
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
This was such a funny story. I enjoyed Tom's snarky narration. He was so awesome, I could not get enough of his quirky inner ramblings. And Pedro, the Chihuahua, freaking stole the spotlight many times. I loved that annoying yet endearing dog. Frank, oh my, he was hot and such a sweetheart. I loved him too! They did fall in love a bit too fast but I didn't care, they were so freaking perfect for each other. I also very much enjoyed it when they went to the farm to visit Frank's father, who is dying from cancer. Frank's father was really great. I didn't know how Tom would react or how fast he would acclimate to his new surrounding so that was fun to read. There were a series of mishaps that had me laughing out loud. The chickens, the cows, the pigs, and the scary boar Samson...freaking funny!
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
“I'm glad you've got each other. You look happy. I hope you can stay that way. I have no issue whatsoever with you being the way you are. Just be good to each other. That's all I ask. And be happy.”
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
I can't tell you how sad I was that Frank's father Joe was slowly dying. But he was such a great man. It's unfortunate he made a horrible son, thankfully that was not Frank. I really hated Stanley, Frank's brother, because he was such a prick. Seriously, he was a big giant douche. There were a few steamy scenes, but, I was expecting a bit more. That doesn't mean that the scenes we did get weren't hot, because they were. I really enjoyed this humourous story. I loved the antics of many of the characters. I loved how Tom and Frank let their extreme shyness fade away when they were together. It was so heart warming. The ending was a bit over the top, unbelievable, and definitely not what I was expecting at all, but it was also so great. I loved the sweet conclusion Tom and Frank got. It left me totally content and with a happy smile. If you enjoy sarcastic humour with some quirky side characters (most of which were animals), then you will love this entertaining and hilarious story.
December 1, 2012
Not my book. I admit I skimmed from 50%.
I enjoy the Green Acres trope in general, but the style of writing just wasn't to my taste. I liked the first third, when the MCs were in the city, more than once they moved to the country, where the bitchy, urbane narrative voice just grated.
Here's our fish-out-of-water MC helping with farrowing:
“Now, just go to it,” Frank said. “Stick your hand in there. Think of it as fist-fucking. Make sure you go in the right hole.”
“Huh?” Then I saw what he meant. “Oh yeah.”
So I did that too. Or tried to. I picked my hole very, very carefully, don’t think I didn’t, but still the “fist-fucking” analogy wasn’t working for me, so I imagined myself sticking my arm through a big fat white gooshy coat sleeve. It worked. I was up to my wrist in no time. In the proper hole too, thank God. I didn’t much care for it, but Grace didn’t seem to mind. Go figure.
Even in the bit I did like, I had some instalove issues, and there's a belief-stretching event in order to get the guys living in the country.
However the sex was great. The descriptions of oral, and ejaculations, and men's bodies were so lovely. A+++ on the sex.
I would rate 2 stars, but I don't want to skew the ratings when there are so few, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the book, it's just not to my taste.
I enjoy the Green Acres trope in general, but the style of writing just wasn't to my taste. I liked the first third, when the MCs were in the city, more than once they moved to the country, where the bitchy, urbane narrative voice just grated.
Here's our fish-out-of-water MC helping with farrowing:
“Now, just go to it,” Frank said. “Stick your hand in there. Think of it as fist-fucking. Make sure you go in the right hole.”
“Huh?” Then I saw what he meant. “Oh yeah.”
So I did that too. Or tried to. I picked my hole very, very carefully, don’t think I didn’t, but still the “fist-fucking” analogy wasn’t working for me, so I imagined myself sticking my arm through a big fat white gooshy coat sleeve. It worked. I was up to my wrist in no time. In the proper hole too, thank God. I didn’t much care for it, but Grace didn’t seem to mind. Go figure.
Even in the bit I did like, I had some instalove issues, and there's a belief-stretching event in order to get the guys living in the country.
However the sex was great. The descriptions of oral, and ejaculations, and men's bodies were so lovely. A+++ on the sex.
I would rate 2 stars, but I don't want to skew the ratings when there are so few, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the book, it's just not to my taste.
November 30, 2014
3.5--Down On The Farm--Stars!!
Well that was....cute! And having finished the book, I can forgive the cover....as it makes a lot more sense now!
But hello insta-love!
Pretty sure Tom and Frank fell in love in two days. But honestly, I kind of forgot about it.
I wish they hadn't spent quite as much time on the farm..
But it did bring about quite a few laughs...between Samson, Pedro, Joe, Moody and the gang there were some interesting times.
And some sad ones....
Stanley......
You deserved that run in with Samson!
Did Tom and Frank do anything besides give each other blow-jobs?
Where was the rest of the man-lovin'?
So yeah, in the end....I liked it but didn't love it.
Well that was....cute! And having finished the book, I can forgive the cover....as it makes a lot more sense now!
But hello insta-love!
Pretty sure Tom and Frank fell in love in two days. But honestly, I kind of forgot about it.
I wish they hadn't spent quite as much time on the farm..
But it did bring about quite a few laughs...between Samson, Pedro, Joe, Moody and the gang there were some interesting times.
And some sad ones....
Stanley......
You deserved that run in with Samson!
Did Tom and Frank do anything besides give each other blow-jobs?
Where was the rest of the man-lovin'?
So yeah, in the end....I liked it but didn't love it.
December 4, 2012
3.75 stars
More thoughts later, but Pedro and Samson bumped this up to 4 stars heh! I finished Shy without too much trouble, what can I say I had a ball, chuckling inappropriately as I followed Frank and Tom on their misadventures. The humour 95% of the time usually wouldn't do it for me especially this type of snark, amazingly it was a funny experience. The pooping dog thing only lasted for a bit and wasn't the ordeal I was expecting, I had too many laugh out loud moments at Pedro's antics to worry about the poop. The farm trip and all the bad luck Tom experiences at the hands of the farm animals is hilarious and brought back fond memories. Samson the Boar...is a killer eh hem, be very afraid. I loved it, oh and the sex is extremely good, really it is.
More thoughts later, but Pedro and Samson bumped this up to 4 stars heh! I finished Shy without too much trouble, what can I say I had a ball, chuckling inappropriately as I followed Frank and Tom on their misadventures. The humour 95% of the time usually wouldn't do it for me especially this type of snark, amazingly it was a funny experience. The pooping dog thing only lasted for a bit and wasn't the ordeal I was expecting, I had too many laugh out loud moments at Pedro's antics to worry about the poop. The farm trip and all the bad luck Tom experiences at the hands of the farm animals is hilarious and brought back fond memories. Samson the Boar...is a killer eh hem, be very afraid. I loved it, oh and the sex is extremely good, really it is.
November 25, 2014
3.75 STARS
Tom suffers from SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder). He loves the city working as a Senior Relationship Banker. Every day is an experiment from Tom. He doesn’t have friends, he doesn’t have fun, and he doesn’t have love. His only friend is Pedro, his Chihuahua.
Everything is about to change for Tom when he meets Frank. Frank is Stanley’s brother. So who is Stanley? Stanley is the new partner of Tom’s cheating ex, Jerry.
Frank is a country boy. He grew all his live in Indiana, but he moved in the city to live a little. He doesn’t get along very well with his brother, so he can’t stay with him and Jerry. Frank also suffers from SAD. Tom and Frank click immediately and they become very fast lovers, Frank moving in Tom’s apartment right away. Time passes, their relationship grows, but Frank has to go back in Indiana, because his father has cancer. So Tom goes with him, (even if he’s so scared of chickens, LOL) where he tries very hard to become the perfect farmer.
This was a very enjoyable read! It was funny, but also it was sad at times. The story is narrated from Tom’s POV and I had a blast being in his head. I LOL at times, especially in the beginning reading Tom’s monologues. I loved Tom and Frank’s adventures, especially in Indiana at Frank’s farm. Both MC are very likeable. Tom is funny and snarky and Frank was very sweet. I even loved Pedro, the Chihuahua. However I hated Stanley, the dick ( Tom’s words, not mine ) and Jerry, the douche. Frank’s dad was great. I liked his relationship with both Frank and Tom and I liked the fact his not a judgmental prick. In some way the ending was a little too much, but I liked it.
What it didn't work for me of course, was the insta-love between Tom and Frank.
Overall, a cute, funny and adorable story!
"We might not be much at socializing, but by God, stick a dick in our faces and we could rumble with the best of them."
Tom suffers from SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder). He loves the city working as a Senior Relationship Banker. Every day is an experiment from Tom. He doesn’t have friends, he doesn’t have fun, and he doesn’t have love. His only friend is Pedro, his Chihuahua.
Everything is about to change for Tom when he meets Frank. Frank is Stanley’s brother. So who is Stanley? Stanley is the new partner of Tom’s cheating ex, Jerry.
Frank is a country boy. He grew all his live in Indiana, but he moved in the city to live a little. He doesn’t get along very well with his brother, so he can’t stay with him and Jerry. Frank also suffers from SAD. Tom and Frank click immediately and they become very fast lovers, Frank moving in Tom’s apartment right away. Time passes, their relationship grows, but Frank has to go back in Indiana, because his father has cancer. So Tom goes with him, (even if he’s so scared of chickens, LOL) where he tries very hard to become the perfect farmer.
This was a very enjoyable read! It was funny, but also it was sad at times. The story is narrated from Tom’s POV and I had a blast being in his head. I LOL at times, especially in the beginning reading Tom’s monologues. I loved Tom and Frank’s adventures, especially in Indiana at Frank’s farm. Both MC are very likeable. Tom is funny and snarky and Frank was very sweet. I even loved Pedro, the Chihuahua. However I hated Stanley, the dick ( Tom’s words, not mine ) and Jerry, the douche. Frank’s dad was great. I liked his relationship with both Frank and Tom and I liked the fact his not a judgmental prick. In some way the ending was a little too much, but I liked it.
What it didn't work for me of course, was the insta-love between Tom and Frank.
Overall, a cute, funny and adorable story!
August 9, 2013
I think once before I said I wished I could review in Sound-O-Vision because This book would go something like this:
BEFORE THE FARM..... ( very condensed version and I laughed a lot)
< giggle >
LOL!
Chortle
Aww ( in sympathy for Toms Social Anxiety Disorder )
Boo hiss ( directed at Stanley and Jerry )
PEDRO!!! ( peeing, pooping, humping chihuahua with attitude! )
Hahahaha!
*snort*
Awww ( awkward first meeting between Frank and Tom )
( getting ready for the party )
PEDRO!!!
Oh oh! ( The dreaded party )
STANLEY... YOU DICK!!!
YAAAAAY! Serves you right you piece of c**p!
Lmao.
Awww ( Tom you are such a sweetheart! )
Woohoo! (First hot sex scene )
PEDRO!!!
Hahahaha.
Wooohooo! ( more hot sex )
LOL!
Awwwww ( falling in love now )
PEDRO!!!
Wooooohooooo and Awwwwww combination ( hot sex but also very romantic )
Chortle < giggle> Hahaha!
Awwwww ( phone all from Joe, Franks lovely dad )
YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE JERRY... SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR CHEATING ON HIM!
Woohoo ! (Sizzling... fans face )
PEDRO!!
Hahaha!
Awww (Tom you're a star )
LOL.
JERRY!!!
MR MOONY!!!
Hah! Good for you Tom.
PEDRO!!!
AT THE FARM ....( Even more condensed version, I laughed and cried in this part )
* sniff* ( eyes watered when see Joe for first time )
Hmmmm! ( meeting Jeff Mooney)
Chuckle
Awwww
PEDRO!!!
OMG!!! ( Samson the boar )
TOM'S FIRST WORKING DAY AT THE FARM... ( deserves its own heading.. So funny )
Eeeeek!
OUCH!
LOL!
Awww! ..... hahaha!
Oh no! Hee hee.
OMG! NOOOOOO! Lmao!
Yeeouch!
WOW!
Awww!
Woohooooooo!
LATER...
* sad sigh* ( for Joe )
Giggle ( Tom attempting to milk the cows )
BOOOOOO! ( Stanley the Dick arrives)
ROFL ( Tom and the chickens )
Boo Hiss ( Stanley being an even bigger dick... again )
Oooh Yuck! ( Samson and chicken moment )
Woohoo, Awww and a *sigh * ( lovely hot romantic Tom and Frank love scene... )
PEDRO!!!
JERRY!!!
Phew! Heart was beating ten to the dozen ( ' misunderstanding ' alert!! )
* sniffle and a weep *
STANLEY YOU COLD HEARTED B******D!
Awwwwww ( very poignant Joe, Frank and Tom moment ... Eyes are starting to tear up )
* crying like a baby *................
AND THEN....
OMG!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew! WOAH NELLIE!! Nervous giggle with a gulp! Beejaysus! WTF!!! OMG! ....
LAST OF ALL ...
Awwwwwww, woohoooo ! Big satisfied * sigh *...
Well all I can say to round this off is I loved every minute of Tom and Franks adventures. I laughed, I cried ( this is seriously tender and poignant at times ) and I awwwed my way all the way through because this is not just romance, this is a story about finding true love. Another John Inman masterpiece.... Just be prepared for the eeeew moments too. Sublime!
BEFORE THE FARM..... ( very condensed version and I laughed a lot)
< giggle >
LOL!
Chortle
Aww ( in sympathy for Toms Social Anxiety Disorder )
Boo hiss ( directed at Stanley and Jerry )
PEDRO!!! ( peeing, pooping, humping chihuahua with attitude! )
Hahahaha!
*snort*
Awww ( awkward first meeting between Frank and Tom )
( getting ready for the party )
PEDRO!!!
Oh oh! ( The dreaded party )
STANLEY... YOU DICK!!!
YAAAAAY! Serves you right you piece of c**p!
Lmao.
Awww ( Tom you are such a sweetheart! )
Woohoo! (First hot sex scene )
PEDRO!!!
Hahahaha.
Wooohooo! ( more hot sex )
LOL!
Awwwww ( falling in love now )
PEDRO!!!
Wooooohooooo and Awwwwww combination ( hot sex but also very romantic )
Chortle < giggle> Hahaha!
Awwwww ( phone all from Joe, Franks lovely dad )
YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE JERRY... SERVES YOU RIGHT FOR CHEATING ON HIM!
Woohoo ! (Sizzling... fans face )
PEDRO!!
Hahaha!
Awww (Tom you're a star )
LOL.
JERRY!!!
MR MOONY!!!
Hah! Good for you Tom.
PEDRO!!!
AT THE FARM ....( Even more condensed version, I laughed and cried in this part )
* sniff* ( eyes watered when see Joe for first time )
Hmmmm! ( meeting Jeff Mooney)
Chuckle
Awwww
PEDRO!!!
OMG!!! ( Samson the boar )
TOM'S FIRST WORKING DAY AT THE FARM... ( deserves its own heading.. So funny )
Eeeeek!
OUCH!
LOL!
Awww! ..... hahaha!
Oh no! Hee hee.
OMG! NOOOOOO! Lmao!
Yeeouch!
WOW!
Awww!
Woohooooooo!
LATER...
* sad sigh* ( for Joe )
Giggle ( Tom attempting to milk the cows )
BOOOOOO! ( Stanley the Dick arrives)
ROFL ( Tom and the chickens )
Boo Hiss ( Stanley being an even bigger dick... again )
Oooh Yuck! ( Samson and chicken moment )
Woohoo, Awww and a *sigh * ( lovely hot romantic Tom and Frank love scene... )
PEDRO!!!
JERRY!!!
Phew! Heart was beating ten to the dozen ( ' misunderstanding ' alert!! )
* sniffle and a weep *
STANLEY YOU COLD HEARTED B******D!
Awwwwww ( very poignant Joe, Frank and Tom moment ... Eyes are starting to tear up )
* crying like a baby *................
AND THEN....
OMG!!!!! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew! WOAH NELLIE!! Nervous giggle with a gulp! Beejaysus! WTF!!! OMG! ....
LAST OF ALL ...
Awwwwwww, woohoooo ! Big satisfied * sigh *...
Well all I can say to round this off is I loved every minute of Tom and Franks adventures. I laughed, I cried ( this is seriously tender and poignant at times ) and I awwwed my way all the way through because this is not just romance, this is a story about finding true love. Another John Inman masterpiece.... Just be prepared for the eeeew moments too. Sublime!
dnf
December 1, 2012DNF 25%
I agree with Emma`s review
The bitchy narrative voice grated - even in the first 25% - and doggy pee-poo as running joke - so not my thing.
Admittedly humor rarely works for me (I caved on Shattered Glass!) so be assured this isn`t a bad book, it`s just not my book...
I agree with Emma`s review
The bitchy narrative voice grated - even in the first 25% - and doggy pee-poo as running joke - so not my thing.
Admittedly humor rarely works for me (I caved on Shattered Glass!) so be assured this isn`t a bad book, it`s just not my book...
February 4, 2013
I cannot even believe what happened at the end of this story. I have...I have no words right now.
I loved this book. Will review later.
**
It has to be said that this is not a book for everyone. We're in the head of Tom Morgan and his voice is at times incredibly ridiculous but oh so amusing to me and this made me laugh and laugh at the sometimes graphic humour and over the top situations.
This story is hardcore instalove between Tom and Frank but we get an extended workable relationship that moves through that initial lust-haze with charm and sweetness firmly into a believable HEA. I can see Tom, Frank and little Pedro together many years down the road and that makes me happy.
Cast of characters:
Tom, a banker with social anxiety disorder (SAD)
Jerry, his ex-boyfriend
Stanley, Jerry's new boyfriend
Frank, Stanley's brother who also suffers from SAD
Pedro, Tom's Chihuahua
Joe, Frank and Stanley's father
Sampson, literally a boar
In what may have been a joke Tom is set-up by Jerry and Stanley to meet Frank and the two shy men hit it off beginning a rather blazing sexual and emotional affair. There is some incredible chemistry between them and I found the sex scenes hot but also quite sweet as their emotional connection deepens.
Due to Joe's illness, Tom and Frank leave the city and head to the family farm in Indiana to help keep things running. While Tom's heart is in the right place he's a city boy so the transition to rural life is difficult one.
I could quote this book from dusk to dawn, so much of it just struck me as hilarious but there were also quite a few poignant moments between Tom and Frank as well as Joe. Pedro is adorable and a scene stealer for most of the story.
This book is irreverent in many ways and I also found it to be a lovely romance but wow, the ending for the villain was shall we say...unexpected. I won't give too much away but it is a very
This book is loaded with humour and character with a fun story line that also manages to be very emotional. It's not for everyone but if you like your MM with a very strong opinionated and camp narrator this might be one to try.
I loved this book. Will review later.
**
It has to be said that this is not a book for everyone. We're in the head of Tom Morgan and his voice is at times incredibly ridiculous but oh so amusing to me and this made me laugh and laugh at the sometimes graphic humour and over the top situations.
This story is hardcore instalove between Tom and Frank but we get an extended workable relationship that moves through that initial lust-haze with charm and sweetness firmly into a believable HEA. I can see Tom, Frank and little Pedro together many years down the road and that makes me happy.
Cast of characters:
Tom, a banker with social anxiety disorder (SAD)
Jerry, his ex-boyfriend
Stanley, Jerry's new boyfriend
Frank, Stanley's brother who also suffers from SAD
Pedro, Tom's Chihuahua
Joe, Frank and Stanley's father
Sampson, literally a boar
In what may have been a joke Tom is set-up by Jerry and Stanley to meet Frank and the two shy men hit it off beginning a rather blazing sexual and emotional affair. There is some incredible chemistry between them and I found the sex scenes hot but also quite sweet as their emotional connection deepens.
Due to Joe's illness, Tom and Frank leave the city and head to the family farm in Indiana to help keep things running. While Tom's heart is in the right place he's a city boy so the transition to rural life is difficult one.
I could quote this book from dusk to dawn, so much of it just struck me as hilarious but there were also quite a few poignant moments between Tom and Frank as well as Joe. Pedro is adorable and a scene stealer for most of the story.
This book is irreverent in many ways and I also found it to be a lovely romance but wow, the ending for the villain was shall we say...unexpected. I won't give too much away but it is a very
This book is loaded with humour and character with a fun story line that also manages to be very emotional. It's not for everyone but if you like your MM with a very strong opinionated and camp narrator this might be one to try.
February 4, 2013
Reminder to self: download 30 November!
Ok, I think this is the kind of story you will either love/like or dislike a lot!
Lucky for me, I liked it.
I spent a lot of time in Tom's head, that's an interesting place to be.
Tom suffers from SAD ( social anxiety disorder) and a little OCD thrown in. He also has a funny and in no way shape or form housebroken chihuahua Pedro and he has a good job at a bank.
Now, here we get into asshat territory. Tom also has an ex named Jerry who cheated and left him for the biggest jerk wad ever named Stanley.
I wish Jerry hadn't played so much of a roll in the book, he really annoyed me..and I have to say Tom is a very nice person, I wouldn't have been quite as understanding and patient with him!
But because of Jerry and Stanley, Tom meets Stanley's brother Frank. Frank is practically made for Tom, they both have SAD and are both good guys, and who else would put up with Pedro peeing and pooping everywhere?
They fall in love quickly, but it worked for me, the work on the farm was really funny and again I admired Tom for sticking with it.
I had an idea what was going to happen with Stanley, and I was right, that might not be for everyone, it was definitely a unique way of solving the problem. I could have done without that, but I guess it did solve it.
Ok, I think this is the kind of story you will either love/like or dislike a lot!
Lucky for me, I liked it.
I spent a lot of time in Tom's head, that's an interesting place to be.
Tom suffers from SAD ( social anxiety disorder) and a little OCD thrown in. He also has a funny and in no way shape or form housebroken chihuahua Pedro and he has a good job at a bank.
Now, here we get into asshat territory. Tom also has an ex named Jerry who cheated and left him for the biggest jerk wad ever named Stanley.
I wish Jerry hadn't played so much of a roll in the book, he really annoyed me..and I have to say Tom is a very nice person, I wouldn't have been quite as understanding and patient with him!
But because of Jerry and Stanley, Tom meets Stanley's brother Frank. Frank is practically made for Tom, they both have SAD and are both good guys, and who else would put up with Pedro peeing and pooping everywhere?
They fall in love quickly, but it worked for me, the work on the farm was really funny and again I admired Tom for sticking with it.
I had an idea what was going to happen with Stanley, and I was right, that might not be for everyone, it was definitely a unique way of solving the problem. I could have done without that, but I guess it did solve it.
November 24, 2012
Full review at www.madisonparklove.com.
Shy is a love story about two men who suffer from social anxiety disorder. Tom is a city dweller. He’s still trying to let go of his ex-boyfriend who cheated on him and kicked him to the curb nearly two years ago. His social anxiety disorder makes it difficult for him to meet men, so he’s been alone for a long time now.
Frank is a country boy. He grew up on his family’s farm in Indiana, and has just recently come to San Diego to visit his brother and spread his wings. Frank’s brother (who is dating Tom’s ex), however, doesn’t want to be bothered. Knowing Tom and Frank both suffer from social anxiety disorder, the brother pawns Frank off on Tom and asks him to keep him company.
Their meeting is adorably awkward, made even funnier by Tom’s highly misbehaved Chihuahua, but Tom and Frank eventually hit it off, much to the dismay of both Tom’s ex and Frank’s brother. When Frank’s father falls ill, Tom takes a leave of absence and returns home with Frank to help tend the farm. Even more hilarity ensues…
“One lone butterfly flapped his wings somewhere in the vicinity of my spleen. He was probably a scout. No doubt six million other butterflies were hot on his heels, if butterflies even have heels.”
This is the funniest book I’ve read to date. Tom is plagued by a series of bad luck, bad timing, and unpredictable animal mayhem. He is a funny guy to begin with, but then he keeps finding himself in these hilarious situations. At times I laughed so hard, it could only be described as cackling.
But this story offers so much more than a good laugh. Frank’s love for his dad and the farm he grew up on, Tom’s love for Frank and his willingness to give up the life he’s always known to support the one he loves, and watching two people who seemed doomed to loneliness connect and fall deeply in love, is all so sweetly satisfying.
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a laugh-out-loud funny and sweet romance.
August 13, 2013
This is the first book I have read by this author. I think Macky's review says it all for me. I laughed and chortled all the way through and got to the end and nearly fainted!! Of course after fainting I read and laughed some more.
It is a great book, humorous, engaging and if you like a snarky narrator this is it. I will definitely be reading more from this author. Any excuse to load up the kindle!!
It is a great book, humorous, engaging and if you like a snarky narrator this is it. I will definitely be reading more from this author. Any excuse to load up the kindle!!
February 20, 2013
The ending was cute, amusing and satisfying. The story throughout was good and was an interesting one. The characters were funny and engaging.
BUT
Overlaying these elements was a serious obsession with feces, so much so I had to make a point of having food no where near me while reading this book. Turned my stomach on occasions when I forgot to do so. There were also points where the narrative voice is too exaggerated in that OTT fabulous way that brings to mind the stereotype of the simpering, urbane gay male with the limp wrist and clever quips. It became exhausting to hear this voice in my mind at times and caused some distance from the material. In RL such people's sincerity and maturity tend to be doubted. In the book it didn't render the narrator so much unreliable as annoying.
This voice and Stanley's utter evilness that rivaled wicked stepmothers and step sisters in fairy tales the world over pushed the book into caricature territory. People are rarely all bad. One other characteristic would have made Stanley more human and less one dimensional. But the author was at pains to tell the reader that Stanley is a cold-hearted dick. The mantra was only repeated on every other page...seriously. If this book was a yoga tape, "Stanley is a cold-hearted dick" would have been its "ohm".
I wish someone had told this writer less is more. The story is there. Had he had faith in his reader to get it he might have relaxed and calmed the book's tone and been less preoccupied with sending up flares around his essential communiques: Tom is chic, snarky, city gay; Frank is humble, big-hearted, simple, sweet country gay; Stanley is cold-hearted, evil dick gay; and Daddy Joe is Santa Claus.
This was also the first m/m I've read where the sex is on the page but it only amounts to hand jobs and blow jobs. Personally, more would have been more compelling. But we each savour our own flavour so...
Conclusively, the book was hard-going to keep reading at points but under all the sh*t there was a pleasing story.
BUT
Overlaying these elements was a serious obsession with feces, so much so I had to make a point of having food no where near me while reading this book. Turned my stomach on occasions when I forgot to do so. There were also points where the narrative voice is too exaggerated in that OTT fabulous way that brings to mind the stereotype of the simpering, urbane gay male with the limp wrist and clever quips. It became exhausting to hear this voice in my mind at times and caused some distance from the material. In RL such people's sincerity and maturity tend to be doubted. In the book it didn't render the narrator so much unreliable as annoying.
This voice and Stanley's utter evilness that rivaled wicked stepmothers and step sisters in fairy tales the world over pushed the book into caricature territory. People are rarely all bad. One other characteristic would have made Stanley more human and less one dimensional. But the author was at pains to tell the reader that Stanley is a cold-hearted dick. The mantra was only repeated on every other page...seriously. If this book was a yoga tape, "Stanley is a cold-hearted dick" would have been its "ohm".
I wish someone had told this writer less is more. The story is there. Had he had faith in his reader to get it he might have relaxed and calmed the book's tone and been less preoccupied with sending up flares around his essential communiques: Tom is chic, snarky, city gay; Frank is humble, big-hearted, simple, sweet country gay; Stanley is cold-hearted, evil dick gay; and Daddy Joe is Santa Claus.
This was also the first m/m I've read where the sex is on the page but it only amounts to hand jobs and blow jobs. Personally, more would have been more compelling. But we each savour our own flavour so...
Conclusively, the book was hard-going to keep reading at points but under all the sh*t there was a pleasing story.
January 11, 2015
The plot wasn't overly complex and so humor came through nicely for me. Thomas' character was such a joy to read. Adding the cuteness of Pedro and his abundant poop and I was all set for an enjoyable read.
The last quarter of the story leaned on the melancholic side as Thomas and his lover Frank dealt with the pain of loss. And although there wasn't any heavy angst to overshadow the laughter, the serious side of the story managed to get a few tears from me.
The author's writing style is quirky and engaging so I'm definitely looking out for my next John Inman book.
December 7, 2012
Tom suffered from SAD. So did Frank. No, that's not from being sad --although that's too, of course, since they suffered from Social Anxiety Disorder so they couldn't do many things without, well, being anxious. Beside the disease, they also suffered from:
(1) Jerry, Tom's ex who became an ex because he cheated with Stanley.
(2) Stanley, Jerry's douche, rude current boyfriend. Who happened to be Frank's brother.
(3) Pedro, a Chihuahua who couldn't be trained, no matter what (they tried, but he was expelled from the obedience school even before the class started).
(4) Simon, a big boar that Frank's father had. He eats everything that's alive.
I really liked reading this book. It lost one star because of the ending.
(1) Jerry, Tom's ex who became an ex because he cheated with Stanley.
(2) Stanley, Jerry's douche, rude current boyfriend. Who happened to be Frank's brother.
(3) Pedro, a Chihuahua who couldn't be trained, no matter what (they tried, but he was expelled from the obedience school even before the class started).
(4) Simon, a big boar that Frank's father had. He eats everything that's alive.
I really liked reading this book. It lost one star because of the ending.
May 19, 2014
adorable fun romp on an Indiana farm, with a monster boar, piglets and chickens, an amazingly well suited couple and a sweet love story between two men who are almost too shy for words. With humorous banter and poignantly sad moments, John Inman crafted a beautiful story that's going straight to my re-read list.
August 21, 2017
5+ stars
SAD also stands for seasonal effective disorder. It's funny because even though I've been diagnosed with social anxiety, I've never heard that acronym before. My social anxiety disorder isn't nearly as bad and I mask it really well but it's really hard to get myself to go anywhere that I might meet people I might see again.
So funny:
These guys are burgeoning alcoholics. If I drank that much in a 24 hour period...we'll I couldn't because I'd be unconscious for most of it. And they drank in a few hours.
Why is this guy really hairy from the waist down with hairy arms but no chest hair?
No no no. Pleats on a mans pants--well on any pants--is not a good look. Penny loafers with actual pennies? Maybe people really are judging him... ;)
That's really interesting about cows grazing the same way. I looked up pictures on the web and while they don't always face the same direction, they mostly do and I didn't find any standing in opposite directions. The greatest dichotomy I found was being perpendicular. But generally those were at maybe a 45 degree angle from the majority of the herd on each side. Only one or two pics had cows actually at 90 degrees from the rest of the herd. Weird.
It only takes an hour to harvest eggs from 900 chickens? I'm impressed. I'd probably break half of them.
He is kind of obsessed with poop.
I was about to look up whether a hog would actually be dangerous to a person on purpose and then I remembered the time in Africa when a wild boar jumped out of some rushes at me and my guide and we both nearly had heart attacks convinced it was going to eat us. Fortunately it was as terrified as we were. (Now the elephant we had to get past later in the day was not in the least bit scared of us nor happy we were nearby. That was about the 8th time that trip I seriously thought I was going to die and four of them happened in that one overnight personal guided tour. But that's another story for a other time.)
That was lovely. Laugh out loud hilarious and occasionally snuffly sad, with at least one rather disturbing moment but delightful.
SAD also stands for seasonal effective disorder. It's funny because even though I've been diagnosed with social anxiety, I've never heard that acronym before. My social anxiety disorder isn't nearly as bad and I mask it really well but it's really hard to get myself to go anywhere that I might meet people I might see again.
So funny:
"I was...surreptitiously picking my nose (not really mining for gold, more of a gentle reconnaissance)..."I think I would maim anyone who invited someone over to my house out of the blue without even checking if I was okay with it first let alone was even available.
"So I understand you're twenty-four. How's that working out for you? I'm twenty-seven, you know. Well almost twenty-seven and a half, or I will be in six months."Oh my god this is totally me with insane verbal diarrhea in social situations (as well as the paranoia that everyone is judging you and negatively).
God, I'm a slut. Of course, I'm a non-practicing slut, too shy to be anything else, unlike Jerry and Stanley who practice being a slur every chance they get, apparently, since they had practiced me right out of a relationship."He has chihuahuas down pat. I've had chihuahuas. I know they can be different if socialized from birth but wow. They are some angry and cat-like dogs sometimes. :) My nastiest one didn't realize how small he was either and just took over. The big dogs had no idea what to do with him. I have a picture of him chasing a Great Dane and another of him barking in its face and it just looking really confused.
These guys are burgeoning alcoholics. If I drank that much in a 24 hour period...we'll I couldn't because I'd be unconscious for most of it. And they drank in a few hours.
Why is this guy really hairy from the waist down with hairy arms but no chest hair?
No no no. Pleats on a mans pants--well on any pants--is not a good look. Penny loafers with actual pennies? Maybe people really are judging him... ;)
That's really interesting about cows grazing the same way. I looked up pictures on the web and while they don't always face the same direction, they mostly do and I didn't find any standing in opposite directions. The greatest dichotomy I found was being perpendicular. But generally those were at maybe a 45 degree angle from the majority of the herd on each side. Only one or two pics had cows actually at 90 degrees from the rest of the herd. Weird.
It only takes an hour to harvest eggs from 900 chickens? I'm impressed. I'd probably break half of them.
He is kind of obsessed with poop.
I was about to look up whether a hog would actually be dangerous to a person on purpose and then I remembered the time in Africa when a wild boar jumped out of some rushes at me and my guide and we both nearly had heart attacks convinced it was going to eat us. Fortunately it was as terrified as we were. (Now the elephant we had to get past later in the day was not in the least bit scared of us nor happy we were nearby. That was about the 8th time that trip I seriously thought I was going to die and four of them happened in that one overnight personal guided tour. But that's another story for a other time.)
That was lovely. Laugh out loud hilarious and occasionally snuffly sad, with at least one rather disturbing moment but delightful.
June 18, 2017
Ho letto parecchi libri negli ultimi mesi, ma nessuno è riuscito a farmi ridere così tanto, e così di cuore, come la comicità che è riuscito a produrre John Inman, autore che non conoscevo prima d’ora.
La storia narra le disavventure del povero Tom, bancario gay con un grave problema di ansia sociale, talmente grave da minare la sua vita e le sue relazioni, che si trova inaspettatamente a tenere sotto il suo tetto il fratello dell’uomo che gli ha rubato il fidanzato. Frank, questo è il suo nome, soffre anch’egli del medesimo disturbo e fra loro scatta sin da subito un’innata empatia e una forte attrazione, che non tarderanno a consumare briosamente.
A completare il quadro c’è Pedro, la star in incognito, il chihuahua incontinente e un tantino bastardo, ma col cuore d’oro quando serve.
Tom e Frank devono abbandonare la città per assistere il padre malato di quest’ultimo e l’enorme fattoria di famiglia.
Anche se il libro è piacevole fin da subito, è qui che scoppia l’apoteosi delle figuracce sapientemente costruite, perché Tom – uomo di città fatto e finito – si scontra con un mondo che è diametralmente opposto a tutto quello che conosce e la sua inettitudine, condita da tanta buona volontà, è spassosissima, perché molto realistica.
Curare orti e animali non è semplice, per Tom, e l’infido Stanley (il fratello cattivo) farà di tutto per complicare la vita ai nostri eroi.
C’è da chiedersi come una persona così cattiva sia nata in una famiglia così bella, perché Frank e il padre Joseph sono persone splendide, ma probabilmente in ogni famiglia spunta una mela marcia.
Il finale ha un colpo di scena interessante, una sorta di ‘giustizia divina’ che punisce Stan per le sue cattiverie: sarà egli stesso, con la propria ingordigia e l’avidità, a procurarsi il suo male.
C’è da chiarire che la storia non è solo comicità, vengono trattati temi molto delicati e sentiti, come i problemi invalidanti di chi soffre di timidezza cronica, di ansia sociale, di malattie fisiche e degenze, di morti. Il tutto è però trattato con delicatezza e rispetto.
Lo stile è piacevole, le scene di sesso sono numerose ed esplicite, ma non si tratta solo di sesso, perché fin da subito è chiaro che ciò che lega Tom e Frank è amore.
Assolutamente consigliato a chi cerca un buon m/m e una risata garantita.
La storia narra le disavventure del povero Tom, bancario gay con un grave problema di ansia sociale, talmente grave da minare la sua vita e le sue relazioni, che si trova inaspettatamente a tenere sotto il suo tetto il fratello dell’uomo che gli ha rubato il fidanzato. Frank, questo è il suo nome, soffre anch’egli del medesimo disturbo e fra loro scatta sin da subito un’innata empatia e una forte attrazione, che non tarderanno a consumare briosamente.
A completare il quadro c’è Pedro, la star in incognito, il chihuahua incontinente e un tantino bastardo, ma col cuore d’oro quando serve.
Tom e Frank devono abbandonare la città per assistere il padre malato di quest’ultimo e l’enorme fattoria di famiglia.
Anche se il libro è piacevole fin da subito, è qui che scoppia l’apoteosi delle figuracce sapientemente costruite, perché Tom – uomo di città fatto e finito – si scontra con un mondo che è diametralmente opposto a tutto quello che conosce e la sua inettitudine, condita da tanta buona volontà, è spassosissima, perché molto realistica.
Curare orti e animali non è semplice, per Tom, e l’infido Stanley (il fratello cattivo) farà di tutto per complicare la vita ai nostri eroi.
C’è da chiedersi come una persona così cattiva sia nata in una famiglia così bella, perché Frank e il padre Joseph sono persone splendide, ma probabilmente in ogni famiglia spunta una mela marcia.
Il finale ha un colpo di scena interessante, una sorta di ‘giustizia divina’ che punisce Stan per le sue cattiverie: sarà egli stesso, con la propria ingordigia e l’avidità, a procurarsi il suo male.
C’è da chiarire che la storia non è solo comicità, vengono trattati temi molto delicati e sentiti, come i problemi invalidanti di chi soffre di timidezza cronica, di ansia sociale, di malattie fisiche e degenze, di morti. Il tutto è però trattato con delicatezza e rispetto.
Lo stile è piacevole, le scene di sesso sono numerose ed esplicite, ma non si tratta solo di sesso, perché fin da subito è chiaro che ciò che lega Tom e Frank è amore.
Assolutamente consigliato a chi cerca un buon m/m e una risata garantita.
January 5, 2013
Tom and Frank suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder. They were fixed up because Tom's ex thought they might get along since they had the same disorder. In my opinion, the best part of this story is Pedro. Who is Pedro, you ask? Well, he's Tom's spoiled chihuahua. There is quite a bit of comedy in this story which is what made it an entertaining read.
August 24, 2016
After Paulie and now this I figure, John Inman's humor and mine are just not the most compatible.
I get why a lot of people like his humours books. But they just don't do it as much for me as for them.
I get why a lot of people like his humours books. But they just don't do it as much for me as for them.
January 2, 2016
This certainly has some laugh out loud moments, but didn't resonate with me otherwise.
September 2, 2017
This book is over the top and a great deal of fun. The humor wanders into gross out and that gets in the way of the sexy sometimes but it is all witty and tender.
The main characters are great and except for Frank's dad the rest of the characters are pretty cartoonish. But that is okay.
This is a romp with with a slice of sweetness that will take you smile and enjoy the goofy.
The main characters are great and except for Frank's dad the rest of the characters are pretty cartoonish. But that is okay.
This is a romp with with a slice of sweetness that will take you smile and enjoy the goofy.
October 8, 2015
2.5 stars This wasn't bad, I just did not care. Hence, rounding down to 2 stars instead of up to 3 stars. Bear with me, I'm gonna go stream-of-consciousness here and just list stuff as I think of it.
1) I love stories about men with disabilities, especially psychological or social issues such as anxiety. Which is a large reason of why I gave this book a chance. And I did like the parts that dealt with anxiety, namely, the first couple chapters. After that it pretty much disappears. Granted, Tom does acknowledge that and says it's part of why they like being on the farm. Away from people, etc. But most of the story was not about their anxiety issues, so that was a downside for me.
2) A lot of things happen due to Tom's unexplainable friendship with his ex, Gerry. I couldn't suspend belief for this friendship. Gerry is a tool, but, I figured Tom's anxiety limits his from finding many friends so I understood why he put up with him. But we soon find that Tom doesn't seem to like Gerry much, he's a tool, and his boyfriend is an asshole. I don't mean a little asshole. I mean a gaping void of turd douchebag. Why would anyone put up with these people? yet Tom continues to talk to Gerry despite some ridiculously inappropriate and/or mean behavior. Some of the shenanigans could have been completely avoided just by speaking up, or at least being less of an effen doormat!
3) Kinda more doormat stuff, but Stanley... The way that was handled was effen bonkers! Seriously?!?! There is NO WAY! And that is so unfair to Frank, besides stupid I get the ending was supposed to resolve this in a somewhat humorous manner but it just seemed like a cop out to me.
4) It was supposed to be funny, but I don't recall ever laughing.
So overall, I just didn't feel much of a spark between these two guys, and the story itself didn't hold my interest very well. I wasn't interested in all the stuff with Frank's father and the will. I just wanted more of the romance. So a resounding meh from me.
Now I listened to the audio version, I don't feel that this made me like the book more or less. It was okay. The narrators voice wasn't annoying, but he didn't really change inflection between people. Like the rest of the story, it was meh and not really memorable.
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
1) I love stories about men with disabilities, especially psychological or social issues such as anxiety. Which is a large reason of why I gave this book a chance. And I did like the parts that dealt with anxiety, namely, the first couple chapters. After that it pretty much disappears. Granted, Tom does acknowledge that and says it's part of why they like being on the farm. Away from people, etc. But most of the story was not about their anxiety issues, so that was a downside for me.
2) A lot of things happen due to Tom's unexplainable friendship with his ex, Gerry. I couldn't suspend belief for this friendship. Gerry is a tool, but, I figured Tom's anxiety limits his from finding many friends so I understood why he put up with him. But we soon find that Tom doesn't seem to like Gerry much, he's a tool, and his boyfriend is an asshole. I don't mean a little asshole. I mean a gaping void of turd douchebag. Why would anyone put up with these people? yet Tom continues to talk to Gerry despite some ridiculously inappropriate and/or mean behavior. Some of the shenanigans could have been completely avoided just by speaking up, or at least being less of an effen doormat!
3) Kinda more doormat stuff, but Stanley... The way that was handled was effen bonkers! Seriously?!?! There is NO WAY! And that is so unfair to Frank, besides stupid I get the ending was supposed to resolve this in a somewhat humorous manner but it just seemed like a cop out to me.
4) It was supposed to be funny, but I don't recall ever laughing.
So overall, I just didn't feel much of a spark between these two guys, and the story itself didn't hold my interest very well. I wasn't interested in all the stuff with Frank's father and the will. I just wanted more of the romance. So a resounding meh from me.
Now I listened to the audio version, I don't feel that this made me like the book more or less. It was okay. The narrators voice wasn't annoying, but he didn't really change inflection between people. Like the rest of the story, it was meh and not really memorable.
Received audio version from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
December 13, 2012
This book delivers what the cover promises: a hilarious telling of a city boy's adventure on a farm in the countryside. It actually delivers a whole lot more as well, but the crux of it is that Tom has no real interest in farming, yet he doesn’t want to let the love of his life go off and deal with the inherited mess on his own. So he follows. With hilarious consequences – even though Tom would probably call them disastrous. And, to a point, they are. Luckily, humans are flexible and can adapt, and Tom's position a few months later is a prime example of that.
Tom is a bank manager. Shy doesn’t begin to describe him, and he lets his customers and his boss walk all over him. He just doesn’t have it in him to stand up to the man's sometimes truly unreasonable demands. His social life is in worse shape, since he hates going out and meeting new people, never mind men, is not his forte.
Frank moves to the city and may be even shier than Tom. He is also straight off his father's farm, but things with Tom seem to be going well. When his dying father causes him to have to go back, he is amazed but happy that Tom comes with him. He knows how to handle himself on a farm, and tries to teach Tom, but this is not an easy process. Tom's issues (and the way he describes the situations he gets himself into) made me laugh out loud, and I suspect Frank did the same. He hides it well from Tom though, which I think is as it should be. Tom was trying very hard!
Not even Frank's nasty, interfering brother can stop these two from slowly building a life on the farm. A few mysterious hints about the will later, all hell breaks lose, and both Tom and Frank have their hands full. If you like a lot of humor with your romance, if you enjoy reading about two shy guys slowly learning to trust and love each other, and if you think the setting on a farm, including a man-eating hog and nine hundred chickens sound like fun, you will probably enjoy this books as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Tom is a bank manager. Shy doesn’t begin to describe him, and he lets his customers and his boss walk all over him. He just doesn’t have it in him to stand up to the man's sometimes truly unreasonable demands. His social life is in worse shape, since he hates going out and meeting new people, never mind men, is not his forte.
Frank moves to the city and may be even shier than Tom. He is also straight off his father's farm, but things with Tom seem to be going well. When his dying father causes him to have to go back, he is amazed but happy that Tom comes with him. He knows how to handle himself on a farm, and tries to teach Tom, but this is not an easy process. Tom's issues (and the way he describes the situations he gets himself into) made me laugh out loud, and I suspect Frank did the same. He hides it well from Tom though, which I think is as it should be. Tom was trying very hard!
Not even Frank's nasty, interfering brother can stop these two from slowly building a life on the farm. A few mysterious hints about the will later, all hell breaks lose, and both Tom and Frank have their hands full. If you like a lot of humor with your romance, if you enjoy reading about two shy guys slowly learning to trust and love each other, and if you think the setting on a farm, including a man-eating hog and nine hundred chickens sound like fun, you will probably enjoy this books as much as I did.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 12, 2021
Omg.....I just could not stop smiling while reading this....Tom and Frank were so adorable.....totally shy and a really rough start to their relationship while they both overcame their social anxiety disorder....But I loved how they got together...and no I don't care that they got together so quick......However there were a couple of not so nice people....Stanley....the d**k.....Franks brother....he was a total waste of space and I really did hate him...and Jerry...Tom's ex...why the hell would he leave Tom for Stanley and he really needed to get himself a life......Joe though...Franks dad....I loved Joe...He really had no problem with Frank being gay....he also thought Stanley was a d**k...and he liked Tom.....There's some sad parts in this book that will bring a tear....but there are also some really funny parts too...oh and let's not forget Pedro...the pooping chihuahua x
August 16, 2013
4.5 Stars
Two men with social anxiety disorder (SAD), a cheating ex, a jerk brother and an incontinent Chihuahua will have you laughing your head off at the worst possible times. There's humor, sadness and a prank that doesn't exactly go as planned.
Excellent book. It was funny. It was sad. An all around entertaining read.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.
Two men with social anxiety disorder (SAD), a cheating ex, a jerk brother and an incontinent Chihuahua will have you laughing your head off at the worst possible times. There's humor, sadness and a prank that doesn't exactly go as planned.
Excellent book. It was funny. It was sad. An all around entertaining read.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.
December 2, 2013
Holy crap, funny!!!! Made me crack up in lots of places with the giant pig, the pooping dog, the SAD disorder and the chickens. Oh Lord, the chickens. Throw in an evil brother and an annoying ex and you've got yourself a completely entertaining book.
January 7, 2015
Listening to the audio was just as fun as reading it the first time.
Read
June 19, 2016I'm not even sure WHAT is going on here...
September 29, 2013
4.5 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
I remember this book when it was published; I remember thinking “what a nice bum” in reference to the cover - which by the way is a very nice cover – and I remember having too many books to review to pick this one up too.
So months pass and Shy makes its way onto my hands and I start reading it. From the first line till the end too many feelings and emotions pass through me. Only now that I’m a bit more calm, I am thinking that when a book winks its eye to me I should pick it up ASAP no matter how long my tbr is. At this point though there are so many reviews out there for this book that one more won’t make the difference, so instead of a classic review I’m going to go and dissect this book, while I’ll try and hold off the spoilers.
So I’m going to start with the characters of this book;
Tom, our main character and the person whose point of view this story is narrated from, is of course my favorite. He suffers from SAD (social anxiety disorder) and he has a very wandering mind. Why is that important? Well because all those wandering thoughts make it to narration, and while at one moment we’re reading about this very serious event happening, those wayward thoughts make an appearance and ridicule all seriousness. The effect; laughter till you feel the need to change your panties… literally. So back to Tom, who is obsessed with his cheating ex, Jerry, while hates the guts of his ex’s current boyfriend Stanley (the home wrecker/dick), while knowing all the time that he doesn’t stand a chance getting Jerry back, what with his extreme bouts of debilitating shyness. The fact that his “pecker” is huge makes no difference.
Frank; now Frank is Stanley’s brother (can you see the irony and hilarious possibilities?) and he suffers from a more severe SAD situation than Tom. Frank is also gorgeous and really, really nice guy. In short he and his brother have NOTHING in common.
Jerry; the cheating ex who as the story goes on turns out to be quite stupid as well – that is completely my opinion, others might find him a jerk and so on.
Stanley; the dick! Not my words, I’m simply quoting Tom here for he repeats that quite a lot. Stanley is also known as asshole, but his most outraging characteristic is “mean”.
Now there are other characters in this story, but the one’s that make a strong impact are mostly non-humans.
Pedro, the Chihuahua, whom I would not mind to see strung up from a tree or stomped down by some cow hoofs. I totally hated that Rat-Hellhound so much so that while I don’t want a sequel on this book I wouldn’t mind a short story when Pedro finds a gritty death and not out of old age. The little bugger! Now you might think I’m a bit overacting or mean, you might find redeeming treat for Pedro once you read the story – and grudgingly I admit there are – you might think I don’t love dog (you’d be dead wrong), I don’t really care. This one character came straight from Hell as far as I’m concerned.
Moving on, there was Samson, the hog. I will not comment this character except to say that damn that HOG! He gave me the shock of my life. Or the author did masterfully using Samson for his deviant plans. It worked!
There were also blood-drinking chickens, nasty bumblebees, Grace, the momma-pig and her little piggies (a case that had me thinking “hmmm bestiality? Nahhhh! He wouldn’t…”) and many, many more.
Next stop chemistry and relationship mechanics.
Both main characters here had SAD, so the immediate question that arises is: how realistic is this?
For me this story was so NOT about being realistic that I didn't even go there. It was pure comedy and sarcasm and escapism. So if there were exaggerate elements involved (there were) it suited me just fine. It’s what comedy is made of and they made me piss my pants laughing on more occasions than I care to remember.
And that leads to the other issue I usually feel so uncomfortable with; instant love. Tom has this epiphany the very first time he lays eyes on Frank. All his previous obsession with Jerry instantly gone, his panic attacks, while still happening, have become less important because Frank is worse than Tom, and he feels the need to take care of him, ground him/each other facing their common enemy. So while it was quite ludicrous the fact that they saw each other and everything moved in lighting speed, I honestly didn’t notice it. The plot was so full with things happening right and left, the hilarity dripping from every single word I read was so overwhelming, I suppose the tears made it quite hard for me to “see” and get annoyed with the instant little thingy.
At that point in the book, the plot takes so many turns it would have had my head spinning if it wasn’t so wonderfully written. The ex turns jealous, the brother turns devil incarnate, the setting turns rural from urban, and a whole new range of characters are introduced. The story makes high and lows in the blink of an eye. One moment you’re crying and your face feels like it’s going to have the Joker’s smile for the rest of your life, and the next you get emotional and even a bit sad, because life is just like that, only to get elated once again with the most ludicrous twists you could ever think of.
Now I’m not forgetting the romantic part here. No sir, not at all; it is here where that half heart/star was kind of lost. As I mention at the very start, Tom is quite gorgeous, so is Frank. And while Frank is by no means lacking in the “pecker” department, Tom is constantly pointed out as very, very well endowed. Now, pay attention. The chemistry between these two is brilliant, I loved it. For me it was beyond perfect. But why? Why dear author would you have such a well-endowed character and have him limited to fellatio and hand-jobs? What was with that? The only sex scene that involved penetration in this book was the one between Stanley the dick and Jeff (Frank’s once upon a time hook up). Really? Really? Didn’t that slut have enough he had to get the fun as well? And while we’re reading and reading and patiently waiting for the BIG-BANG between Frank and Tom, and personally speaking, I was dying to see them in (anal) action, you go ahead and give us Stanley? What was up with THAT? Ok so, it obviously annoyed me, but rant over.
And all this brings us to the end of this lovely, hilarious story.
Oh My God! No freaking way! That gritty end! I just can't believe I read that. Oh God! I freaking LOVED it!
Thommie
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
I remember this book when it was published; I remember thinking “what a nice bum” in reference to the cover - which by the way is a very nice cover – and I remember having too many books to review to pick this one up too.
So months pass and Shy makes its way onto my hands and I start reading it. From the first line till the end too many feelings and emotions pass through me. Only now that I’m a bit more calm, I am thinking that when a book winks its eye to me I should pick it up ASAP no matter how long my tbr is. At this point though there are so many reviews out there for this book that one more won’t make the difference, so instead of a classic review I’m going to go and dissect this book, while I’ll try and hold off the spoilers.
So I’m going to start with the characters of this book;
Tom, our main character and the person whose point of view this story is narrated from, is of course my favorite. He suffers from SAD (social anxiety disorder) and he has a very wandering mind. Why is that important? Well because all those wandering thoughts make it to narration, and while at one moment we’re reading about this very serious event happening, those wayward thoughts make an appearance and ridicule all seriousness. The effect; laughter till you feel the need to change your panties… literally. So back to Tom, who is obsessed with his cheating ex, Jerry, while hates the guts of his ex’s current boyfriend Stanley (the home wrecker/dick), while knowing all the time that he doesn’t stand a chance getting Jerry back, what with his extreme bouts of debilitating shyness. The fact that his “pecker” is huge makes no difference.
Frank; now Frank is Stanley’s brother (can you see the irony and hilarious possibilities?) and he suffers from a more severe SAD situation than Tom. Frank is also gorgeous and really, really nice guy. In short he and his brother have NOTHING in common.
Jerry; the cheating ex who as the story goes on turns out to be quite stupid as well – that is completely my opinion, others might find him a jerk and so on.
Stanley; the dick! Not my words, I’m simply quoting Tom here for he repeats that quite a lot. Stanley is also known as asshole, but his most outraging characteristic is “mean”.
Now there are other characters in this story, but the one’s that make a strong impact are mostly non-humans.
Pedro, the Chihuahua, whom I would not mind to see strung up from a tree or stomped down by some cow hoofs. I totally hated that Rat-Hellhound so much so that while I don’t want a sequel on this book I wouldn’t mind a short story when Pedro finds a gritty death and not out of old age. The little bugger! Now you might think I’m a bit overacting or mean, you might find redeeming treat for Pedro once you read the story – and grudgingly I admit there are – you might think I don’t love dog (you’d be dead wrong), I don’t really care. This one character came straight from Hell as far as I’m concerned.
Moving on, there was Samson, the hog. I will not comment this character except to say that damn that HOG! He gave me the shock of my life. Or the author did masterfully using Samson for his deviant plans. It worked!
There were also blood-drinking chickens, nasty bumblebees, Grace, the momma-pig and her little piggies (a case that had me thinking “hmmm bestiality? Nahhhh! He wouldn’t…”) and many, many more.
Next stop chemistry and relationship mechanics.
Both main characters here had SAD, so the immediate question that arises is: how realistic is this?
For me this story was so NOT about being realistic that I didn't even go there. It was pure comedy and sarcasm and escapism. So if there were exaggerate elements involved (there were) it suited me just fine. It’s what comedy is made of and they made me piss my pants laughing on more occasions than I care to remember.
And that leads to the other issue I usually feel so uncomfortable with; instant love. Tom has this epiphany the very first time he lays eyes on Frank. All his previous obsession with Jerry instantly gone, his panic attacks, while still happening, have become less important because Frank is worse than Tom, and he feels the need to take care of him, ground him/each other facing their common enemy. So while it was quite ludicrous the fact that they saw each other and everything moved in lighting speed, I honestly didn’t notice it. The plot was so full with things happening right and left, the hilarity dripping from every single word I read was so overwhelming, I suppose the tears made it quite hard for me to “see” and get annoyed with the instant little thingy.
At that point in the book, the plot takes so many turns it would have had my head spinning if it wasn’t so wonderfully written. The ex turns jealous, the brother turns devil incarnate, the setting turns rural from urban, and a whole new range of characters are introduced. The story makes high and lows in the blink of an eye. One moment you’re crying and your face feels like it’s going to have the Joker’s smile for the rest of your life, and the next you get emotional and even a bit sad, because life is just like that, only to get elated once again with the most ludicrous twists you could ever think of.
Now I’m not forgetting the romantic part here. No sir, not at all; it is here where that half heart/star was kind of lost. As I mention at the very start, Tom is quite gorgeous, so is Frank. And while Frank is by no means lacking in the “pecker” department, Tom is constantly pointed out as very, very well endowed. Now, pay attention. The chemistry between these two is brilliant, I loved it. For me it was beyond perfect. But why? Why dear author would you have such a well-endowed character and have him limited to fellatio and hand-jobs? What was with that? The only sex scene that involved penetration in this book was the one between Stanley the dick and Jeff (Frank’s once upon a time hook up). Really? Really? Didn’t that slut have enough he had to get the fun as well? And while we’re reading and reading and patiently waiting for the BIG-BANG between Frank and Tom, and personally speaking, I was dying to see them in (anal) action, you go ahead and give us Stanley? What was up with THAT? Ok so, it obviously annoyed me, but rant over.
And all this brings us to the end of this lovely, hilarious story.
Oh My God! No freaking way! That gritty end! I just can't believe I read that. Oh God! I freaking LOVED it!
Thommie
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