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Saving Skylar Hand
Lifelong love of two boys growing up on the west-central Texas scrub, their lives entangled by the dynamic of families so starkly different.
Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt share their lives upon the west-central Texas scrub. Both born to a cattle rancher's life, their view of the world and their place in it, takes one down a path toward heady dreams of a future away from the land. The other sees worth only in trudging his days, as his daddy has, upon the land; his dreams confined to what he has known his entire life. Their love is sorely tested by the choices they make.
Good thing it's the season for miracles.
Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt share their lives upon the west-central Texas scrub. Both born to a cattle rancher's life, their view of the world and their place in it, takes one down a path toward heady dreams of a future away from the land. The other sees worth only in trudging his days, as his daddy has, upon the land; his dreams confined to what he has known his entire life. Their love is sorely tested by the choices they make.
Good thing it's the season for miracles.
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First published December 13, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 23, 2012
I readily admit that George Seaton is a favoured author in gay fiction and it is always a pleasure to read one of his stories. In his recently released novella, Saving Skylar Hand, Mr. Seaton gifts the reader with a beautifully written and tender holiday tale of lifelong friendship between two boys that are separated by the life choices they make as young adults, only to realize that their love for one another is immutable and that they cannot spend their lives apart.
Cody Pinnt and Skylar Hand have shared their lives upon the west-central Texas scrub since they were boys. Both were born to a cattle rancher’s life, however, their differing family circumstances dictate their respective world views, which take them down different paths. Cody’s mother nurtures his heady dreams of a future away from the land. These dreams lead him to leave their small town of Big Spring to attend Texas A & M with aspirations for the law. Skylar’s life has been marked by his father’s alcoholism and a life of poverty. His dreams are confined to what he has known his entire life. He sees worth only in trudging his days as his daddy has upon the land. Skylar chooses to stay in Big Spring and work their ranch the Iron Hand. Cody and Skylar’s love is sorely tested by their separation and life choices. However, under the watchful eye and guiding hand of Pete Semple, a defunct bull rider who works at the Iron Hand, both realize that they belong together.
The complete review of Saving Skylar Hand by George Seaton is available at Indie Reviews.
April 21, 2013
I totally fell in love with this wonderfully paced, coming of age tale of two Texas boys struggling to find themselves and their place in the world. While it did take me about three pages to lose myself in its rambling narrative voice, once I did, I found the story extremely captivating, holding a wealth of charm that was both poignant and magical. This is an engaging story and George Seaton’s skill at the slow reveal is masterful. I daresay this will be one of my favorite reads of 2013.
Born on adjacent ranches, on the broad landscape of the Texas scrublands, it is only natural that Cody Pinnt and Skylar Hand, the two leads, become fast friends. Their friendship, revealed through entertaining passages of their yearly Christmas experience, show that Cody’s family and his “son of a cattle rancher” lifestyle are much more stable than that of Skylar.
Skylar’s father appears to do only the minimum amount of work required to enable his ranch, The Iron Hand, to still be called a working ranch. His word is law within the family and he has made it clear that Skylar is destined to follow in his footsteps. Not the brightest star at the local school that both boys attend, and finding little alternative there or in the nearby small town, Skylar goes along with his father’s plans. He even furthers them, envisioning expanding upon the ranch and building it into something that can truly be called a cattle ranch. As every young man must have a dream of their future, he grabs hold of his birthright, embraces it tightly and decides to quit high school.
Cody on the other hand, has the support of his parents who have come to an agreement: their son’s future does not demand he remain on the ranch. His mother has stowed funds for the furthering of his education since he was born; when the time comes, Cody is going to college. Despite his limited small town upbringing Cody realizes and comes to terms with his desire for Skylar and his subsequent “queerness” early in life. He also readily embraces the knowledge that there are better things than being a ranch hand. His only sorrow when viewing his future is his innate love and responsibility towards Skylar.
What will happen when he leaves for college and Skylar, who views their trysts as something he is only partaking in because of Cody, is left behind to the drudgery of working on a failing ranch? The journey to this answer is beautifully told through the eyes of the leads and the single ranch hand on The Iron Hand ranch, Pete, a crippled bull rider whose glory days are behind him.
George Seaton delivers the story in lovely snatches of active narrative that allow you to fully envision the personalities and appearances of all of the characters without resorting to linear “tell” passages. The countrified voice is stylish and quaint without going overboard (I don’t believe I read a single “Yes, ma’am”) and adds to the story immensely. While it does bring to your mind the charm of small time life and the leisurely pace of the sprawling countryside, this is a fast read that paints exquisite vignettes of the ranching lifestyle without excessive detail.
I loved Cody and Skylar, the chemistry between them is initially subtle, yet electric and rises to full-blown scorching as the story and the characters' mindsets become illuminated. The supporting cast is wonderful, with late to the story characters Zane and Christine serving as examples of the larger world beautifully. I found myself hoping that the author plans a sequel about Zane.
Thank you, George Seaton, for this exceptional, honest, and stimulating portrait of young males growing up in the Texas scrubs, I love it.
Born on adjacent ranches, on the broad landscape of the Texas scrublands, it is only natural that Cody Pinnt and Skylar Hand, the two leads, become fast friends. Their friendship, revealed through entertaining passages of their yearly Christmas experience, show that Cody’s family and his “son of a cattle rancher” lifestyle are much more stable than that of Skylar.
Skylar’s father appears to do only the minimum amount of work required to enable his ranch, The Iron Hand, to still be called a working ranch. His word is law within the family and he has made it clear that Skylar is destined to follow in his footsteps. Not the brightest star at the local school that both boys attend, and finding little alternative there or in the nearby small town, Skylar goes along with his father’s plans. He even furthers them, envisioning expanding upon the ranch and building it into something that can truly be called a cattle ranch. As every young man must have a dream of their future, he grabs hold of his birthright, embraces it tightly and decides to quit high school.
Cody on the other hand, has the support of his parents who have come to an agreement: their son’s future does not demand he remain on the ranch. His mother has stowed funds for the furthering of his education since he was born; when the time comes, Cody is going to college. Despite his limited small town upbringing Cody realizes and comes to terms with his desire for Skylar and his subsequent “queerness” early in life. He also readily embraces the knowledge that there are better things than being a ranch hand. His only sorrow when viewing his future is his innate love and responsibility towards Skylar.
What will happen when he leaves for college and Skylar, who views their trysts as something he is only partaking in because of Cody, is left behind to the drudgery of working on a failing ranch? The journey to this answer is beautifully told through the eyes of the leads and the single ranch hand on The Iron Hand ranch, Pete, a crippled bull rider whose glory days are behind him.
George Seaton delivers the story in lovely snatches of active narrative that allow you to fully envision the personalities and appearances of all of the characters without resorting to linear “tell” passages. The countrified voice is stylish and quaint without going overboard (I don’t believe I read a single “Yes, ma’am”) and adds to the story immensely. While it does bring to your mind the charm of small time life and the leisurely pace of the sprawling countryside, this is a fast read that paints exquisite vignettes of the ranching lifestyle without excessive detail.
I loved Cody and Skylar, the chemistry between them is initially subtle, yet electric and rises to full-blown scorching as the story and the characters' mindsets become illuminated. The supporting cast is wonderful, with late to the story characters Zane and Christine serving as examples of the larger world beautifully. I found myself hoping that the author plans a sequel about Zane.
Thank you, George Seaton, for this exceptional, honest, and stimulating portrait of young males growing up in the Texas scrubs, I love it.
December 29, 2012
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When it comes to reading romances it’s no secret I love the friends-to-lovers theme. I’ve read many of these types of books this year, and in my opinion, Saving Skylar Hand is one of the best I’ve read in a while.
Cody and Skylar have been friends for as long as they can remember. Living on neighboring ranches they’ve grown up together, despite the fact that both boys live very different lifestyles and come from different families. Cody has been brought up in a warm, loving family life. His parent’s ranch is thriving and they are supportive of Cody and all of his needs. On the other hand, Skylar isn’t that lucky. His father is an alcoholic and his mother, even though she loves Skylar, is wrapped up in her own misery and lost dreams. Skylar’s family is poor and Skylar’s father expects him to take over the floundering homestead once he gets older. This limits Skylar’s own view of what he can and can’t do, whereas Cody knows the sky is the limit when it comes to his own dreams.
Every year the boys continue to get closer. They start a relationship and fall in love. They share many wonderful moments between them and have their own special tree where they steal kisses and hide away some significant things that mean something to both of them. When Cody graduates from high school, he is sent to college leaving Skylar behind. Skylar has dropped out of school, and knows his place isn’t with Cody at the moment. But as time wears on, both men realize that they are in danger of losing the one thing they treasure most of all…their love for each other. Will Cody be able to save Skylar from a dull and unhappy life and keep their relationship alive between them?
I loved this book! Both Cody and Skylar are well-written, thought provoking heroes that really resonated with me as a reader. I enjoyed watching the two boys grow up into men. Both heroes are clearly made for each other and seeing them really fight to keep their love alive between them made this a truly heartwarming and sometimes bittersweet story.
Although this book is told in 3rd person, we are allowed to see many viewpoints from key characters throughout the story. I enjoyed this and really appreciate knowing what the other characters were thinking as the story progressed.
Lovely, heartwarming and beautiful, Saving Skylar is a book that lived with me long after I finished reading it. This is the first book I’ve read by Mr. Seaton and it definitely won’t be my last. He seems to have a real knack at writing humanly flawed, but highly likeable heroes that live and breathe off of the written page. Highly Recommended!
When it comes to reading romances it’s no secret I love the friends-to-lovers theme. I’ve read many of these types of books this year, and in my opinion, Saving Skylar Hand is one of the best I’ve read in a while.
Cody and Skylar have been friends for as long as they can remember. Living on neighboring ranches they’ve grown up together, despite the fact that both boys live very different lifestyles and come from different families. Cody has been brought up in a warm, loving family life. His parent’s ranch is thriving and they are supportive of Cody and all of his needs. On the other hand, Skylar isn’t that lucky. His father is an alcoholic and his mother, even though she loves Skylar, is wrapped up in her own misery and lost dreams. Skylar’s family is poor and Skylar’s father expects him to take over the floundering homestead once he gets older. This limits Skylar’s own view of what he can and can’t do, whereas Cody knows the sky is the limit when it comes to his own dreams.
Every year the boys continue to get closer. They start a relationship and fall in love. They share many wonderful moments between them and have their own special tree where they steal kisses and hide away some significant things that mean something to both of them. When Cody graduates from high school, he is sent to college leaving Skylar behind. Skylar has dropped out of school, and knows his place isn’t with Cody at the moment. But as time wears on, both men realize that they are in danger of losing the one thing they treasure most of all…their love for each other. Will Cody be able to save Skylar from a dull and unhappy life and keep their relationship alive between them?
I loved this book! Both Cody and Skylar are well-written, thought provoking heroes that really resonated with me as a reader. I enjoyed watching the two boys grow up into men. Both heroes are clearly made for each other and seeing them really fight to keep their love alive between them made this a truly heartwarming and sometimes bittersweet story.
Although this book is told in 3rd person, we are allowed to see many viewpoints from key characters throughout the story. I enjoyed this and really appreciate knowing what the other characters were thinking as the story progressed.
Lovely, heartwarming and beautiful, Saving Skylar is a book that lived with me long after I finished reading it. This is the first book I’ve read by Mr. Seaton and it definitely won’t be my last. He seems to have a real knack at writing humanly flawed, but highly likeable heroes that live and breathe off of the written page. Highly Recommended!
January 2, 2018
Wow, an interestingly different take on the story of two young boys, growing up on isolated raches, learning about themselves and growing up and out of their roots.
The book is mostly written in a narrative style and whilst this will not be everyones cup of tea, I enjoyed it. I actually connected most to Honest-to-Pete, older ranch rand and the see-er of all and catalyst for change. The story spans over 20 yrs all in so chapters do jump a lot but the headings keep you informed. The early descriptions had me visualising quite strongly about dilapidated ranches, parched earth and thinking more 50's but it is a contemporary tale. The characters felt very real to me and wanted to hug or knock sense into them lotsof times.
I really enjoyed it, liked that the epilogue jumped 8 yrs to give us a good look at the future (though I'd have liked to know more about those years, Zane in particular, us readers, never happy!). I'd call this a tale of love rather than a love story as its more than just a love story.
Reread 27.9.14 - still a great strong emotional read
The book is mostly written in a narrative style and whilst this will not be everyones cup of tea, I enjoyed it. I actually connected most to Honest-to-Pete, older ranch rand and the see-er of all and catalyst for change. The story spans over 20 yrs all in so chapters do jump a lot but the headings keep you informed. The early descriptions had me visualising quite strongly about dilapidated ranches, parched earth and thinking more 50's but it is a contemporary tale. The characters felt very real to me and wanted to hug or knock sense into them lotsof times.
I really enjoyed it, liked that the epilogue jumped 8 yrs to give us a good look at the future (though I'd have liked to know more about those years, Zane in particular, us readers, never happy!). I'd call this a tale of love rather than a love story as its more than just a love story.
Reread 27.9.14 - still a great strong emotional read
January 1, 2013
A really beautiful holiday gay romance read that can be read anytime of the year! Gorgeous characters, touching story, and beautiful writing. Recommended.
September 21, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. A fairly simple story of two boys that grew up together on adjoining ranches in Texas. . One of the boys was from a financially successful family who worried about their son's future and lovingly pushed him into going to college after high school to better his life. The other boy lived on a dirt poor farm, quit high school to try and help his family run turn around their failing ranch, and had a father who drank more than he worked. These two boys also loved each other, first like brothers and then as soulmates.
We follow the one boy to college and see his world opening up. We follow the other boy as he slowly is overwhelmed by the failing ranch and his abusive father. A twist of fate leads to the farmboy ending up in the college town with the college boy and finding his world also expanding not by books but just by meeting new people, both caring and loving friends and conniving not so honest friends. And, finally, by just being able to be open and share a life with his soulmate.
As I said there's not much more to this story than that, but it's presented beautifully and includes a lot of life lessons (with a little poetry thrown in).
We follow the one boy to college and see his world opening up. We follow the other boy as he slowly is overwhelmed by the failing ranch and his abusive father. A twist of fate leads to the farmboy ending up in the college town with the college boy and finding his world also expanding not by books but just by meeting new people, both caring and loving friends and conniving not so honest friends. And, finally, by just being able to be open and share a life with his soulmate.
As I said there's not much more to this story than that, but it's presented beautifully and includes a lot of life lessons (with a little poetry thrown in).
November 19, 2020
A sweet little tale involving two neighboring farm boys and the people who come alongside to encourage and abet their growing feelings for each other.
January 7, 2013
4.5 stars
Originally reviewed for Joyfully Jay
Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt were both born and raised in Big Spring, Texas. Cody was raised by a loving, nurturing family, and given every opportunity to succeed, given free rein to achieve his dreams and goals in life. Skylar was raised by a neglectful father who is drunk most of the time and never has a nice or an encouraging word to say to anyone, and a mother who has done her best to survive day to day in a life she never would dreamed for herself. Skylar has no dreams, no goals in life beyond working full time on his father’s ranch that neither a hope nor a prayer could save. But no matter what lot they’ve been dealt in life, Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt have always had each other.
The best of friends almost since birth, Skylar and Cody have always been close. As they grow older, their feelings for one another grow as well, become a romantic relationship. And although Skylar denies what he feels every chance he gets, certain that his is not gay, his love for Cody never changes.
When Cody leaves Big Springs and Skylar Hand behind to follow his dreams and attend college, Skylar is left feeling empty and confused. It takes months and a talk with Pete, the old ranch hand, for Skylar to realize that not only is he in love with Cody, but he has no idea how to admit it. Stuck on a dead-end ranch with no hopes of moving on, Skylar struggles most with what he feels for Cody.
When Cody feels a need to visit Skylar a week before Christmas, Pete and Cody’s roommate devise a plan to drive him to Big Spring – to save Skylar Hand and give him hope for a future. But at what cost as obstacles and mistakes threaten to destroy everything that Skylar and Cody have before they can even admit how they feel about each other.
Saving Skylar Hand is not your typical romance. It’s more than that. It’s a journey of self-discovery and of self-worth for Skylar Hand, a story of love and hope. This author takes readers on the journey right alongside each character.
It’s a beautifully constructed story complete with teenage angst and confusion, giving readers the point of view of several different characters, not only Skylar and Cody. It’s an easy read with short chapters and realistic events and dialogue, which I appreciated very much.
Skylar Hand is such a wonderful character. Regardless of what he truly wants out of life, he knows his path has been marked for him. He doesn’t complain about it, he accepts it and tries to move on. But the one thing he can’t move on from is Cody. Skylar denies that he’s gay every chance he gets, but even denying it, he can’t help but love Cody.
Cody has always known that Skylar would always be part of his life. He’s loved and accepted Skylar more than any other person in his life. He’s supported Skylar no matter what, even if he disagreed with him. He is the perfect balance to Skylar’s unstable life.
And the bond these two share is strong and, dare I say, unbreakable. Yes, they make their fair share of mistakes. They make wrong decisions. But together, Skylar and Cody prove that their love is strong enough to stand against any storm.
The cast of secondary characters holds a large part of this book. From Skylar’s negligent father to his struggling mother. From Cody’s smitten father to his head strong mother. From Cody’s self-important roommate, Zane, to Skylar’s friend of happenstance, Christie. From a former bull rider turned crippled ranch hand, Pete, to the memory of a former conflicted bull rider, L’Amour. Have you ever heard “There are no small roles, only small actors (characters, in this case)”? Well, in this book there are definitely no small roles. Each secondary character holds a role in the creation of the big picture of this story.
If I had a complaint, it is a small one and more of a personal peeve. The constant switch of the many character’s POV within a chapter was a little confusing, especially at first. I eventually got used to it, and thankfully it didn’t detract from the wonderful story that was presented.
I was captivated by this story from the very beginning. The beautiful characters, that fabulous storyline, the hope for love and a future, even the short, easy to read chapters all served to bring this story to life. I highly recommend Saving Skylar Hand by George Seaton.
Originally reviewed for Joyfully Jay
Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt were both born and raised in Big Spring, Texas. Cody was raised by a loving, nurturing family, and given every opportunity to succeed, given free rein to achieve his dreams and goals in life. Skylar was raised by a neglectful father who is drunk most of the time and never has a nice or an encouraging word to say to anyone, and a mother who has done her best to survive day to day in a life she never would dreamed for herself. Skylar has no dreams, no goals in life beyond working full time on his father’s ranch that neither a hope nor a prayer could save. But no matter what lot they’ve been dealt in life, Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt have always had each other.
The best of friends almost since birth, Skylar and Cody have always been close. As they grow older, their feelings for one another grow as well, become a romantic relationship. And although Skylar denies what he feels every chance he gets, certain that his is not gay, his love for Cody never changes.
When Cody leaves Big Springs and Skylar Hand behind to follow his dreams and attend college, Skylar is left feeling empty and confused. It takes months and a talk with Pete, the old ranch hand, for Skylar to realize that not only is he in love with Cody, but he has no idea how to admit it. Stuck on a dead-end ranch with no hopes of moving on, Skylar struggles most with what he feels for Cody.
When Cody feels a need to visit Skylar a week before Christmas, Pete and Cody’s roommate devise a plan to drive him to Big Spring – to save Skylar Hand and give him hope for a future. But at what cost as obstacles and mistakes threaten to destroy everything that Skylar and Cody have before they can even admit how they feel about each other.
Saving Skylar Hand is not your typical romance. It’s more than that. It’s a journey of self-discovery and of self-worth for Skylar Hand, a story of love and hope. This author takes readers on the journey right alongside each character.
It’s a beautifully constructed story complete with teenage angst and confusion, giving readers the point of view of several different characters, not only Skylar and Cody. It’s an easy read with short chapters and realistic events and dialogue, which I appreciated very much.
Skylar Hand is such a wonderful character. Regardless of what he truly wants out of life, he knows his path has been marked for him. He doesn’t complain about it, he accepts it and tries to move on. But the one thing he can’t move on from is Cody. Skylar denies that he’s gay every chance he gets, but even denying it, he can’t help but love Cody.
Cody has always known that Skylar would always be part of his life. He’s loved and accepted Skylar more than any other person in his life. He’s supported Skylar no matter what, even if he disagreed with him. He is the perfect balance to Skylar’s unstable life.
And the bond these two share is strong and, dare I say, unbreakable. Yes, they make their fair share of mistakes. They make wrong decisions. But together, Skylar and Cody prove that their love is strong enough to stand against any storm.
The cast of secondary characters holds a large part of this book. From Skylar’s negligent father to his struggling mother. From Cody’s smitten father to his head strong mother. From Cody’s self-important roommate, Zane, to Skylar’s friend of happenstance, Christie. From a former bull rider turned crippled ranch hand, Pete, to the memory of a former conflicted bull rider, L’Amour. Have you ever heard “There are no small roles, only small actors (characters, in this case)”? Well, in this book there are definitely no small roles. Each secondary character holds a role in the creation of the big picture of this story.
If I had a complaint, it is a small one and more of a personal peeve. The constant switch of the many character’s POV within a chapter was a little confusing, especially at first. I eventually got used to it, and thankfully it didn’t detract from the wonderful story that was presented.
I was captivated by this story from the very beginning. The beautiful characters, that fabulous storyline, the hope for love and a future, even the short, easy to read chapters all served to bring this story to life. I highly recommend Saving Skylar Hand by George Seaton.
February 21, 2024
See full review at The Armchair Reader
First, I should confess that I am a fan of this author which is I why I told Cole I wanted to review this story. His short stories have really moved me and I just really like the way he tells stories so I was interested in reading this longer work. Then I read a couple of fairly depressing and difficult books where the MCs suffered quite a bit before they got to anything even close to a HFN. I started reading this book and I was very worried about the direction it was headed so I took a break to gear myself up for what I feared would be something just awful. Happily I can say that I should not have been worried and that the author takes care of his characters without resorting to outlandish and improbable “coincidences” or tricks to torture them or to resolve their issues. Thank you George!
This story takes place over a number of years in the life of Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt. Each chapter covers of an important event/milestone in the lives of the characters of this book – from the main characters Skylar and Cody, their parents, Pete Semple (the hired hand at the Iron Hand ranch) and even Zane Black, Cody’s college roommate. While the timeline is not linear, each chapter is vital to our understanding of the lives and character of each player in this novel and provides background and context to the lives of Cody and Skylar.
Skylar and Cody have been friends since they were small children. Cody’s family is fairly well off and his parents love each other and him and only want what’s best for him. Skylar is not so lucky. His parents are not well-suited and “had to get married” because Skylar was on the way. His father is a lazy drunken mess and Pete Semple, the partially disabled retired bull rider and hired hand is most likely the only reason they haven’t already lost the Iron Hand ranch. Cody is the one bright spot in Sklyar’s world along with his dog. Surprisingly, his mother does not resent him even though she has been thoroughly disillusioned by her husband and her marriage.
As Skylar and Cody grown up, their relationship because more than just friendship. Cody knows that he is gay, but Skylar cannot admit this to himself. His life at the ranch continues to deteriorate and he is most unhappy after Cody leaves for college. Luckily for Skylar, Pete Semple and his mother want to save him from what they know will be an unhappy life. They surprised the heck out of me. When Cody and Skylar reunited, they have some work to do on their communication but they are honest with each other and themselves.
I really liked this story very much. Skylar and Cody are characters that change realistically over the course of the novel but never lose sight of the most important thing – their relationship. They truly start as the best of friends and while there are difficulties to overcome in the change to sexual and romantic feelings, they are able to persevere. The strong secondary characters, particularly Pete and Skylar’s mother add a lot to the story as well. The voices in this story felt very authentic and believable. I am now an even bigger fan of this author. Highly recommended.
First, I should confess that I am a fan of this author which is I why I told Cole I wanted to review this story. His short stories have really moved me and I just really like the way he tells stories so I was interested in reading this longer work. Then I read a couple of fairly depressing and difficult books where the MCs suffered quite a bit before they got to anything even close to a HFN. I started reading this book and I was very worried about the direction it was headed so I took a break to gear myself up for what I feared would be something just awful. Happily I can say that I should not have been worried and that the author takes care of his characters without resorting to outlandish and improbable “coincidences” or tricks to torture them or to resolve their issues. Thank you George!
This story takes place over a number of years in the life of Skylar Hand and Cody Pinnt. Each chapter covers of an important event/milestone in the lives of the characters of this book – from the main characters Skylar and Cody, their parents, Pete Semple (the hired hand at the Iron Hand ranch) and even Zane Black, Cody’s college roommate. While the timeline is not linear, each chapter is vital to our understanding of the lives and character of each player in this novel and provides background and context to the lives of Cody and Skylar.
Skylar and Cody have been friends since they were small children. Cody’s family is fairly well off and his parents love each other and him and only want what’s best for him. Skylar is not so lucky. His parents are not well-suited and “had to get married” because Skylar was on the way. His father is a lazy drunken mess and Pete Semple, the partially disabled retired bull rider and hired hand is most likely the only reason they haven’t already lost the Iron Hand ranch. Cody is the one bright spot in Sklyar’s world along with his dog. Surprisingly, his mother does not resent him even though she has been thoroughly disillusioned by her husband and her marriage.
As Skylar and Cody grown up, their relationship because more than just friendship. Cody knows that he is gay, but Skylar cannot admit this to himself. His life at the ranch continues to deteriorate and he is most unhappy after Cody leaves for college. Luckily for Skylar, Pete Semple and his mother want to save him from what they know will be an unhappy life. They surprised the heck out of me. When Cody and Skylar reunited, they have some work to do on their communication but they are honest with each other and themselves.
I really liked this story very much. Skylar and Cody are characters that change realistically over the course of the novel but never lose sight of the most important thing – their relationship. They truly start as the best of friends and while there are difficulties to overcome in the change to sexual and romantic feelings, they are able to persevere. The strong secondary characters, particularly Pete and Skylar’s mother add a lot to the story as well. The voices in this story felt very authentic and believable. I am now an even bigger fan of this author. Highly recommended.
August 11, 2016
I love finding a new (to me) author whose writing is so beautiful and evocative and poignant and heartfelt that when I pause in my reading, it's to find my cheeks wet with tears. Only my most favourite authors manage to do this. And George Seaton has joined that select group.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
August 4, 2016
I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but I think it exceeded my expectations. It was unpolished and clichéd in spots, but the central relationship was special. It felt very authentic to the experience of growing up gay and poor in rural Texas.
January 15, 2013
That is somehow a sad story plot, even if we have happy ending.
November 1, 2015
2013 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews