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Easy Ryder
It’s July 3, 1976, the beginning of America’s bicentennial weekend, and everyone seems to be celebrating their freedoms except eighteen-year-old runaway Michael Ryder. Fresh from rural Pennsylvania, Michael is doing whatever and whoever it takes to get to San Francisco, where he hopes to find a new life with the freedom to love without fear.
While hitchhiking, a mysterious, tattooed biker named Snake offers him a ride west—on the back of his customized Harley chopper. During their journey across Route 66, Snake introduces Michael to new and steamy pleasures, leaving Michael aching for more than just a physical relationship. But a violent encounter with a cruel biker gang and a harrowing secret from Snake’s military past might destroy their unlikely relationship long before they reach the end of the road.
While hitchhiking, a mysterious, tattooed biker named Snake offers him a ride west—on the back of his customized Harley chopper. During their journey across Route 66, Snake introduces Michael to new and steamy pleasures, leaving Michael aching for more than just a physical relationship. But a violent encounter with a cruel biker gang and a harrowing secret from Snake’s military past might destroy their unlikely relationship long before they reach the end of the road.
228 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2013
18 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Deanna Wadsworth
49 books206 followersBestselling erotica author Deanna Wadsworth leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her hubby of 15 years and three demanding little dogs. She has a fascination with the exotic and taboo but her love of love in all its stages and incarnations motivate her to write Romance with Spice and Love without Boundaries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 25, 2018
2.5 stars
The writing was good. The MCs were likeable, and my heart went out to them because they both came from an abusive past. Somewhere in this book there was a raw and gritty story, but it got lost in the respective internal musings of the one MC’s pov that was given. The lack of epilogue and the rushed, hfn ending is the reason I decided to round down to 2 stars.
The writing was good. The MCs were likeable, and my heart went out to them because they both came from an abusive past. Somewhere in this book there was a raw and gritty story, but it got lost in the respective internal musings of the one MC’s pov that was given. The lack of epilogue and the rushed, hfn ending is the reason I decided to round down to 2 stars.
July 16, 2015
I know it's unhealthy as hell but damn, it's so sexy on the right man!
This is definitely a case of "Don't buy drugs, become a rockstar and get them for free"!
Okay, okay. I'll stop now and get to the point. This story is so simple in that endearing way old movies had. And as time is relative, by old I mean before I was born, which is yesterday for some. No, I'm not talking about the Marx Brothers or Charles Chaplin, but about films from the 80s, which is for some the best period of time ever. Right then movies went straight to the point, and the plot was nothing that hard to follow. In this reality where almost every movie has lots of actors (good or bad), confusing you with an embroiled and artificial plot with an ending that suddenly comes out of the blue House-like and with expensive and impressive special effects to distract you from the fact that all of it is full of holes... (hello, The Hobbit trilogy!) In moments of those I miss Blade Runner! Mad Max! Terminator! Ok, apart from the sci-fi I also miss Roger Moore's movies, they are so ridiculous and humorous that always manage to make me smile. In short, I miss that special magic old things have, but old school is not synonymous of rusted. Coca-cola was invented in the XIX century and we still have not get tired of it, have we? Apart from erasing coke from the recipe, of course.
Now you think I'm raving. No, my point here is that although I love complex books and complex characters and complex plots, sometimes I need something simple, charming (not sappy) and straight to the point. This book provides that and I was happy with it.
The book is set in the 70s. When I hear about that decade I think about Vietnam war, VIH-free time and awful movies (sorry, I don't like movies form the 60-70s as well as I love those from the 80s). This is also a road movie thing. Ryder is a youth who comes out of the closet and finds the door to his house shut in his face. He had had a glimpse in TV of Milk's doing in San Francisco, California. That's why he relates happiness and openminded society with that city, so he decides to head there to fulfill his dreams. But the road is long and since he has no money, he hitch hackers throughout USA with his body as a currency and a bag on his back. After bidding farewell to his last truck driver, he meets Snake, a hardened Harley owner who accepts to carry him on the available seat.
Snake claims to reach the coast to work as a mechanic but there is more than it seems and Ryder is not called to pry. Till shit hits the fan. And what begins as a journey ends up as a run for their lives.
It's a short novel and the time covers only a few days, so things go fast but effectively. I could believe Ryder's wonder at Snake's behavior, his magnetic and mysterious façade draws you to him and you want to know more of him, but as hermetic as he is you don't achieve it, but you can't help yourself from trying. But his surprisingly kind gestures contradicts his weather-beating appearance. And that only makes him more tempting. I think I fell for Snake. Hard.
The sex scenes were amazingly sensual and tactile and I was dazed reading them. You would believe this casual relationship is only for fun but they are so well described and so full of meaning you understand they drive them together instead of the opposite. It was like a drug reading them touching each other. There was a weird electricity when they did and I can only feel awed at the ability of the author to manage that in so few pages. It feels like the story is longer and then you are surprised when you finish it so soon. Too soon.
The book has an special atmosphere. I think it shows the two extremes of the reality that existed then. On the one hand we have Ryder. Life has not treated him well but he's a romantic at heart and he thinks things can only improve when he reaches his destiny, and his destiny is a concrete place, San Francisco. On the other hand, we have Snake, a disillusioned and practical veteran who hides himself behind a cynical attitude. He is soft inside but he has learnt to cover that and pushes every person who could love him apart. And Ryder is one of those. Ryder has hopes but Snake's ones disappeared a long time ago. The clashing was agonizing but I loved seeing how every wall Snake had built is demolished. And Ryder discovers that he doesn't need a city to find what he craves.
The ending is a little weak but above all I loved this one.
This is definitely a case of "Don't buy drugs, become a rockstar and get them for free"!
Okay, okay. I'll stop now and get to the point. This story is so simple in that endearing way old movies had. And as time is relative, by old I mean before I was born, which is yesterday for some. No, I'm not talking about the Marx Brothers or Charles Chaplin, but about films from the 80s, which is for some the best period of time ever. Right then movies went straight to the point, and the plot was nothing that hard to follow. In this reality where almost every movie has lots of actors (good or bad), confusing you with an embroiled and artificial plot with an ending that suddenly comes out of the blue House-like and with expensive and impressive special effects to distract you from the fact that all of it is full of holes... (hello, The Hobbit trilogy!) In moments of those I miss Blade Runner! Mad Max! Terminator! Ok, apart from the sci-fi I also miss Roger Moore's movies, they are so ridiculous and humorous that always manage to make me smile. In short, I miss that special magic old things have, but old school is not synonymous of rusted. Coca-cola was invented in the XIX century and we still have not get tired of it, have we? Apart from erasing coke from the recipe, of course.
Now you think I'm raving. No, my point here is that although I love complex books and complex characters and complex plots, sometimes I need something simple, charming (not sappy) and straight to the point. This book provides that and I was happy with it.
The book is set in the 70s. When I hear about that decade I think about Vietnam war, VIH-free time and awful movies (sorry, I don't like movies form the 60-70s as well as I love those from the 80s). This is also a road movie thing. Ryder is a youth who comes out of the closet and finds the door to his house shut in his face. He had had a glimpse in TV of Milk's doing in San Francisco, California. That's why he relates happiness and openminded society with that city, so he decides to head there to fulfill his dreams. But the road is long and since he has no money, he hitch hackers throughout USA with his body as a currency and a bag on his back. After bidding farewell to his last truck driver, he meets Snake, a hardened Harley owner who accepts to carry him on the available seat.
Snake claims to reach the coast to work as a mechanic but there is more than it seems and Ryder is not called to pry. Till shit hits the fan. And what begins as a journey ends up as a run for their lives.
It's a short novel and the time covers only a few days, so things go fast but effectively. I could believe Ryder's wonder at Snake's behavior, his magnetic and mysterious façade draws you to him and you want to know more of him, but as hermetic as he is you don't achieve it, but you can't help yourself from trying. But his surprisingly kind gestures contradicts his weather-beating appearance. And that only makes him more tempting. I think I fell for Snake. Hard.
The sex scenes were amazingly sensual and tactile and I was dazed reading them. You would believe this casual relationship is only for fun but they are so well described and so full of meaning you understand they drive them together instead of the opposite. It was like a drug reading them touching each other. There was a weird electricity when they did and I can only feel awed at the ability of the author to manage that in so few pages. It feels like the story is longer and then you are surprised when you finish it so soon. Too soon.
The book has an special atmosphere. I think it shows the two extremes of the reality that existed then. On the one hand we have Ryder. Life has not treated him well but he's a romantic at heart and he thinks things can only improve when he reaches his destiny, and his destiny is a concrete place, San Francisco. On the other hand, we have Snake, a disillusioned and practical veteran who hides himself behind a cynical attitude. He is soft inside but he has learnt to cover that and pushes every person who could love him apart. And Ryder is one of those. Ryder has hopes but Snake's ones disappeared a long time ago. The clashing was agonizing but I loved seeing how every wall Snake had built is demolished. And Ryder discovers that he doesn't need a city to find what he craves.
The ending is a little weak but above all I loved this one.
October 22, 2013
This book was a breath of fresh air, and I'm so happy I discovered it (yay, Sunny!).
Believing his life will be better in San Francisco, a troubled gay teen, Ryder, leaves his home on the east coast, catching rides with strangers in exchange for sex. Along the way, he runs into a tatted up, Vietnam vet biker, Snake, who himself is trying to escape from something...or someone.
Ryder is a deep, thoughtful, vulnerable MC. It's impossible not to feel for him, and it's impossible not to imagine how much harder life would have been to be gay in the 1970s. That said, it's great to watch a character "grow up" before your eyes as you read a book, to see them learn things about themselves and their indelible strength (and weaknesses, too). Sometimes it hurts when you know they're not making the best choices, but that's what's so great about reading a story like this.
For his part, Snake is just as complicated and stubborn, though he wears his anger and sadness on the outside, via a tough-guy exterior. He harbors his demons, but we get to experience his protective and caring nature by way of his budding relationship with Ryder.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed the premise of this book. I liked the nostalgic setting of America in 1976. I relished the suspense and the bad guys and most of all, the chemistry between the MCs.
There were a few things that bugged me, though. Ryder, who's supposed to have just graduated high school, was extraordinarily mature for 18. I don't know many kids that age who'd refer to sex as love-making. (Hell, I don't do that and I'm a 40-year-old woman.) For 24, Snake seemed awfully world-warn, too, though he'd had five (or was it eight?) tours in Vietnam, so I'll give him world-warn, I suppose. Point being, their actions and vocabulary might have been a little easier to swallow had they been written a bit younger. (Or older, for that matter, but I really like the idea of 18 and 24, so scratch that suggestion.)
Hmm. I'm rambling here. Outside of the age thing, there was a LOT of internal dialogue with Ryder, and I thought that bogged the story down just slightly.
But let me get to one of the greatest and also most tiring things about this book. The sex. Yep, you read that right: tiring. These boys were like a couple of bunnies in heat. I'm not really complaining. No one loves man sex more than this gal. But GAH. Good show, boys. Good. Show.
Overall, I give Easy Ryder 3.75 stars rounded up.
(*tips hat to the hot man sex*)
Believing his life will be better in San Francisco, a troubled gay teen, Ryder, leaves his home on the east coast, catching rides with strangers in exchange for sex. Along the way, he runs into a tatted up, Vietnam vet biker, Snake, who himself is trying to escape from something...or someone.
Ryder is a deep, thoughtful, vulnerable MC. It's impossible not to feel for him, and it's impossible not to imagine how much harder life would have been to be gay in the 1970s. That said, it's great to watch a character "grow up" before your eyes as you read a book, to see them learn things about themselves and their indelible strength (and weaknesses, too). Sometimes it hurts when you know they're not making the best choices, but that's what's so great about reading a story like this.
For his part, Snake is just as complicated and stubborn, though he wears his anger and sadness on the outside, via a tough-guy exterior. He harbors his demons, but we get to experience his protective and caring nature by way of his budding relationship with Ryder.
Overall, I really, really enjoyed the premise of this book. I liked the nostalgic setting of America in 1976. I relished the suspense and the bad guys and most of all, the chemistry between the MCs.
There were a few things that bugged me, though. Ryder, who's supposed to have just graduated high school, was extraordinarily mature for 18. I don't know many kids that age who'd refer to sex as love-making. (Hell, I don't do that and I'm a 40-year-old woman.) For 24, Snake seemed awfully world-warn, too, though he'd had five (or was it eight?) tours in Vietnam, so I'll give him world-warn, I suppose. Point being, their actions and vocabulary might have been a little easier to swallow had they been written a bit younger. (Or older, for that matter, but I really like the idea of 18 and 24, so scratch that suggestion.)
Hmm. I'm rambling here. Outside of the age thing, there was a LOT of internal dialogue with Ryder, and I thought that bogged the story down just slightly.
But let me get to one of the greatest and also most tiring things about this book. The sex. Yep, you read that right: tiring. These boys were like a couple of bunnies in heat. I'm not really complaining. No one loves man sex more than this gal. But GAH. Good show, boys. Good. Show.
Overall, I give Easy Ryder 3.75 stars rounded up.
(*tips hat to the hot man sex*)
October 21, 2013
ETA: 4.5 rounded up
I usually avoid books set in the past where the MCs are even more likely to face hate and prejudice, but friends' reviews persuaded me to try this. I was also feeling a bit nostalgic and curious how the setting would compare to my childish memories of the 1970's. There were several details that made me smile; I remember saving bicentennial quarters, and hearing my dad complain when gas got to 75¢ a gallon.
Beyond the historic touches, I fell in love with the story of Ryder and Snake. They were both well drawn characters. Ryder, a sweet, romantic dreamer who likes it down and dirty. Snake, more masculine, a quiet, pragmatic man with a hidden romantic side.
I hated what Ryder went through with his family. His grief was so painful to witness. When he reflected on his desire for a loving relationship and how unlikely it was that he'd have a normal life, I wanted to hug him and tell him it was possible. The reality was, though, it wouldn't be accepted by many people for too many years. :(
I loved seeing Snake's reactions to Ryder, almost like wonder, as if he couldn't believe Ryder was in his life. Having something that special during a time that could be so dangerous for gay men must have seemed unreal.
Unfortunately, Snake wasn't willing to live openly like Ryder wanted to. He even tried to deny who he was for awhile. I liked how Ryder stood up to Snake and called him on his bull even as his own determination to live an open life battled with his fear that it wouldn't be possible.
All because the world was not a kind place for men like us.
A raw, gritty, but very sweet story of two men looking for love and acceptance.
Favorite quotes:
I held on to Snake, feeling I'd earned the right to cup his balls as we rode. They'd been in my mouth after all.
Would I always feel on the outside, looking in while everyone else had what I never would?
I want to be accepted," I whispered, sounding pathetic. "It's so lonely being hated for something I can't help."
...sometimes, no matter how much you loved someone, they just weren't ready to be loved.
Niggle:
Blow job after coating of baby oil?
Side note:
Natalie mentioned in her comments that Snake and Ryder would be 55 and 61 today. I would love a follow up showing them today, maybe getting married and reflecting on the past 35 years.
I usually avoid books set in the past where the MCs are even more likely to face hate and prejudice, but friends' reviews persuaded me to try this. I was also feeling a bit nostalgic and curious how the setting would compare to my childish memories of the 1970's. There were several details that made me smile; I remember saving bicentennial quarters, and hearing my dad complain when gas got to 75¢ a gallon.
Beyond the historic touches, I fell in love with the story of Ryder and Snake. They were both well drawn characters. Ryder, a sweet, romantic dreamer who likes it down and dirty. Snake, more masculine, a quiet, pragmatic man with a hidden romantic side.
I hated what Ryder went through with his family. His grief was so painful to witness. When he reflected on his desire for a loving relationship and how unlikely it was that he'd have a normal life, I wanted to hug him and tell him it was possible. The reality was, though, it wouldn't be accepted by many people for too many years. :(
I loved seeing Snake's reactions to Ryder, almost like wonder, as if he couldn't believe Ryder was in his life. Having something that special during a time that could be so dangerous for gay men must have seemed unreal.
Unfortunately, Snake wasn't willing to live openly like Ryder wanted to. He even tried to deny who he was for awhile. I liked how Ryder stood up to Snake and called him on his bull even as his own determination to live an open life battled with his fear that it wouldn't be possible.
All because the world was not a kind place for men like us.
A raw, gritty, but very sweet story of two men looking for love and acceptance.
Favorite quotes:
I held on to Snake, feeling I'd earned the right to cup his balls as we rode. They'd been in my mouth after all.
Would I always feel on the outside, looking in while everyone else had what I never would?
I want to be accepted," I whispered, sounding pathetic. "It's so lonely being hated for something I can't help."
...sometimes, no matter how much you loved someone, they just weren't ready to be loved.
Niggle:
Blow job after coating of baby oil?
Side note:
Natalie mentioned in her comments that Snake and Ryder would be 55 and 61 today. I would love a follow up showing them today, maybe getting married and reflecting on the past 35 years.
November 25, 2013
3.5 Stars.
Easy Ryder is the story of brave MC Michael Ryder who is just 18 years old. In this book he shares his constant introspection on life as a young gay man living in America in 1976. Through this, we watch as he learns about himself, others and the world around him. Watching him learn lessons about life and discover where his own inner compass was leading him was an absolute joy. That journey is something I miss; the ability to spend time just focused on oneself; our past and where it leads us; the analysis of who we are as opposed to who we've been "told" we are; who we want to be and what we want for our lives. That was all part of Michael's journey. He knew that there was a better life for him elsewhere and that a community of acceptance was waiting for him in Castro, San Francisco. Blessed Castro, San Francisco.
While on his travels to reach the “promised land” Ryder collides with Snake (MC) and that’s when their lives change. It’s hot and crazy, heartbreaking and thrilling and lots of fun.
What’s really interesting to me is that I’m usually drawn to tough characters like Snake that have attitude; are strong, dangerous men who don’t tend to easily express a lot of emotion. I've never been drawn to sensitive or cute characters - until now. That being said, I don’t think those words really describe Ryder well but he’s certainly the more “flowery” of the duo and yet I found myself absolutely adoring him - kudos to Wadsworth for that.
The story is set over just one weekend which made the professions of love hard to swallow and the turning point in their relationship seemed to happen a little too easily too. I would have loved just a little more time on both those areas. Despite those niggles, I still really enjoyed the roller coaster ride very much. Remarkably there was a lot of ground covered in the short time frame; a lot of backstory, a lot of self discovery, LOTS and LOTS of hot sex, lots of trouble and some purely despicable side characters.
I think what I liked most about this book is that it was both "light and dark". It's easy to read but it covers some heavy topics.
Easy Ryder is the story of brave MC Michael Ryder who is just 18 years old. In this book he shares his constant introspection on life as a young gay man living in America in 1976. Through this, we watch as he learns about himself, others and the world around him. Watching him learn lessons about life and discover where his own inner compass was leading him was an absolute joy. That journey is something I miss; the ability to spend time just focused on oneself; our past and where it leads us; the analysis of who we are as opposed to who we've been "told" we are; who we want to be and what we want for our lives. That was all part of Michael's journey. He knew that there was a better life for him elsewhere and that a community of acceptance was waiting for him in Castro, San Francisco. Blessed Castro, San Francisco.
While on his travels to reach the “promised land” Ryder collides with Snake (MC) and that’s when their lives change. It’s hot and crazy, heartbreaking and thrilling and lots of fun.
What’s really interesting to me is that I’m usually drawn to tough characters like Snake that have attitude; are strong, dangerous men who don’t tend to easily express a lot of emotion. I've never been drawn to sensitive or cute characters - until now. That being said, I don’t think those words really describe Ryder well but he’s certainly the more “flowery” of the duo and yet I found myself absolutely adoring him - kudos to Wadsworth for that.
The story is set over just one weekend which made the professions of love hard to swallow and the turning point in their relationship seemed to happen a little too easily too. I would have loved just a little more time on both those areas. Despite those niggles, I still really enjoyed the roller coaster ride very much. Remarkably there was a lot of ground covered in the short time frame; a lot of backstory, a lot of self discovery, LOTS and LOTS of hot sex, lots of trouble and some purely despicable side characters.
I think what I liked most about this book is that it was both "light and dark". It's easy to read but it covers some heavy topics.
August 26, 2013
When the customised Harley slowed and parked ten feet in front of me, my jaw dropped. I stared in shock at the beautiful back and those tattooed arms, the long denim legs wrapped around all that steel and chrome.
He was offering me a ride?
I trembled with both excitement and fear, yet I continued to stoke him despite the dangers. We were on the back of a bike for crying out loud, traveling at high speeds, and I was playing with his dick!
Terrific coming-of-age story set in 1976 about eighteen you old runaway Michael Ryder and his new ride to the west on the back of a Harley. Michael is in search of freedom, Harvey Milk, and the people of San Francisco who will allow him to be who he is. Where he can live as a gay man without his small-town guilt and abuse. It is also about the enigmatic Harley rider, Snake. A man with little trust, who looks sexy but scary, and who has his own history.
Plenty of action, plenty of hot sex, and two characters I fell in love with.
Full review at http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
July 10, 2016
Sometimes it's that ONE little thing in a story that either make it or break it for specific reader. A little thing that others don't see as an issue but for you it becomes so big a deal; a deal breaker.
For me, that one little thing in this story is the early (and continuously boring) sexual thoughts and sex scenes. It's just that the whole sex feels corny and cheap, like coming out of the porn stories at Nifty. It just killed my mood right off the bat. Once the mood was gone, I found it difficult to care for the rest. I just skimmed everything, racing to the end, so I could start another book.
Let me list out the things that made this story a crappy experience for me:
** Right from chapter 1, I have to deal with Ryder's sexual thoughts about others, including Snake. He would go on, and on, and on, about it. Look, I know that he was 18, he was horny, it was sexual deliberation, but for me as a reader, it was plain BORING.
** Then when it came to the sex scenes itself, seriously, the explanation and the dialogs: "The delight of cum exploding within, all warm and wonderful.", "Eat it" (referring to the cum), "boy pussy", the snowballing, the part where Snake serviced a police officer to escape jail (where Ryder just watched, that sense of voyeurism) -- REALLY, it felt like PORN. If I want porn, I will READ porn. Porn is not romance in my book. Totally different thing.
** Then we have the usual drama of teenagers being beaten and tossed out by his family for being queer, the gay bashing ... okay, okay, I admit, this thing still exists even now, in the 3rd millennium. It's a serious thing, an issue that we have in our society. I'm not downplaying that. However, I have also reached the stage in my MM romance READING, where I get tired with such theme. Where I want different social issues or daily life problems to be presented. Yes, it's an important issue but not one I am excited about for the time being.
** Oh, and don't forget baby as endearment, okay? Nail in THAT coffin.
So yeah, maybe I miss the bigger point, maybe I miss the journey of Michael Ryder, an 18-year-old gay teenager, in 1976 America, who was going to the West, to San Fransisco, with the hopeful dream to be himself: a queer man. I'm sure it's my crappy mood that play the significant role in my rating this.
Usually, for MEH and forgettable book, I could still give it 3-stars, but since all I could remember about this story was my being bored, and moaning, and bitching ... well, I could only gave it my 2-stars.
For me, that one little thing in this story is the early (and continuously boring) sexual thoughts and sex scenes. It's just that the whole sex feels corny and cheap, like coming out of the porn stories at Nifty. It just killed my mood right off the bat. Once the mood was gone, I found it difficult to care for the rest. I just skimmed everything, racing to the end, so I could start another book.
Let me list out the things that made this story a crappy experience for me:
** Right from chapter 1, I have to deal with Ryder's sexual thoughts about others, including Snake. He would go on, and on, and on, about it. Look, I know that he was 18, he was horny, it was sexual deliberation, but for me as a reader, it was plain BORING.
** Then when it came to the sex scenes itself, seriously, the explanation and the dialogs: "The delight of cum exploding within, all warm and wonderful.", "Eat it" (referring to the cum), "boy pussy", the snowballing, the part where Snake serviced a police officer to escape jail (where Ryder just watched, that sense of voyeurism) -- REALLY, it felt like PORN. If I want porn, I will READ porn. Porn is not romance in my book. Totally different thing.
** Then we have the usual drama of teenagers being beaten and tossed out by his family for being queer, the gay bashing ... okay, okay, I admit, this thing still exists even now, in the 3rd millennium. It's a serious thing, an issue that we have in our society. I'm not downplaying that. However, I have also reached the stage in my MM romance READING, where I get tired with such theme. Where I want different social issues or daily life problems to be presented. Yes, it's an important issue but not one I am excited about for the time being.
** Oh, and don't forget baby as endearment, okay? Nail in THAT coffin.
So yeah, maybe I miss the bigger point, maybe I miss the journey of Michael Ryder, an 18-year-old gay teenager, in 1976 America, who was going to the West, to San Fransisco, with the hopeful dream to be himself: a queer man. I'm sure it's my crappy mood that play the significant role in my rating this.
Usually, for MEH and forgettable book, I could still give it 3-stars, but since all I could remember about this story was my being bored, and moaning, and bitching ... well, I could only gave it my 2-stars.
August 25, 2013
I really, really, enjoyed reading this book. It was just the thing I had wanted to read and I was so excited. The story is based in the seventies and told from Ryder's POV. I loved his voice. It was innocent to a degree, but he wasn't dumb. His dreams were not stupid or silly, just a bit unrealistic for the times they were living in. He wanted what a lot of people wanted (and still do want). And after an incident with his family, he decided to leave, to try and find the happiness he wanted.
His and Snake's relationship was great. I loved them in the beginning. Snake seemed like a really sweet, caring, loving guy, and someone who wanted what was best for Ryder. The two of them shared some really hot moments. But they also had their sweet moments. It was nice to see the two, it showed that not everything had to be one or the other. They had the balance just right in the beginning.
The authors writing style worked really well in the first person. I think she captured Ryder's thoughts and feelings perfectly. Her portrayal of Snake's PTSD was excellent also. It all kept me interested and reading. The difference between the two men was something that drew me into the book. With Ryder being out and Snake denying who he was, I thought the fact they were so open in the beginning was great.
I did have a problem, though. And I debated for a long time about my rating. But I did really love the book. It had a lot of great, interesting scenes, but there was one scene in particular... The best way I can describe it is, without the scene, this book would have been completely perfect for me. I'm still not 100% sure how much it bothered me. It did. But I have conflicting thoughts on the scene.
I think this will be a great read for most people. The book has a lot of positive points, and I mean a lot of them.
The one negative part.
His and Snake's relationship was great. I loved them in the beginning. Snake seemed like a really sweet, caring, loving guy, and someone who wanted what was best for Ryder. The two of them shared some really hot moments. But they also had their sweet moments. It was nice to see the two, it showed that not everything had to be one or the other. They had the balance just right in the beginning.
The authors writing style worked really well in the first person. I think she captured Ryder's thoughts and feelings perfectly. Her portrayal of Snake's PTSD was excellent also. It all kept me interested and reading. The difference between the two men was something that drew me into the book. With Ryder being out and Snake denying who he was, I thought the fact they were so open in the beginning was great.
I did have a problem, though. And I debated for a long time about my rating. But I did really love the book. It had a lot of great, interesting scenes, but there was one scene in particular... The best way I can describe it is, without the scene, this book would have been completely perfect for me. I'm still not 100% sure how much it bothered me. It did. But I have conflicting thoughts on the scene.
I think this will be a great read for most people. The book has a lot of positive points, and I mean a lot of them.
The one negative part.
December 4, 2013
Easy Ryder is a book that could have been great if it hadn't been for two big, glaring defects. It is the perfect example of the fact that just because an author has a good story to tell, that doesn't mean they know how to tell it well. I loved the setting of this story in 1976, post sexual revolution, but pre-AIDS. When bell bottoms and muttonchops were high fashion. Where the celebration of the Bicentennial is juxtaposed by the poor reintegration of Vietnam veterans into society. Where an inadvertently outed gay boy of 18 is forced to leave home in rural Pennsylvania and hitchhikes across the country, headed to San Francisco because maybe someone like Harvey Milk has made a difference there. Boy hitches a ride from a Vet on a motorcycle somewhere in the Midwest... See? This could have been, should have been solid story gold.
And the story is there. An excellent novella buried under endless repetition that bloats it into a novel. If the author had stuck with just the events+sex, this would have been only half as long and half of that would have been sex. Of course, I understand we need to see Ryder's personal growth, but I hate it when an author doesn't trust me, the reader, to remember what I have been told before and then repeats things over and over, just to make sure that I get it. Not only do we get 4 or 5 repetitions of the events that caused Ryder to pack his bags and leave for California, we then get to hear him tell the story to Snake in great detail yet again. Meaning we could have cut at least 4 renditions of that story out of the book and not missed a single thing.
And not only do we visit the same events over and over, Ryder just has to reflect on every single interaction he has with any human being. Snake, of course, but also random gas station attendants and diner waitresses. Over and over he thinks the same things: How there has to be a place where gays can live openly, how he wants someone to love and not just to fuck, how Snake makes him feel safe, how Snake makes him feel good about himself, how he can't expect Snake not to be fucked up, how mom would think he deserved all this because of his sinful ways, how much it is going to hurt to say good-bye to Snake tomorrow, etc. etc.... It really drove me nuts. Every paragraph of action was followed by at least two paragraphs of repetitive introspection that explained exactly how we were supposed to have interpreted the previous events. Which boiled down to: pretty much the same way we were supposed to interpret the sequence of events that came before that.
The end of the book is more of the same reflective stream of consciousness. It feels deceptively like an HEA, but it is really nothing more than an HFN. What we get at the tail end is a few pages of Ryder daydreaming about everything that 'would happen' in their future. Snake 'would heal' from the horrors that tormented him and 'would forget' the betrayals etc. Together they 'would enter' the next chapter of their journey, they 'would work through things' as a team, and so forth. Personally, I can see plenty going wrong in this relationship. They've only known each other for two days and have spent more time fucking than talking. Half the time they do talk they argue. Snake has already proven he can be a real asshole when he's cornered. Ryder is going to demand monogamy and I am not sure Snake is even familiar with that concept. I can easily see Snake totally hating the Castro, and then there's the PTSD and I can think of a dozen more things that spell future disaster.
As annoying as all the reminiscing is, things were made worse by the cheesiness of the language used. Yes, the 70s were a supremely cheesy era, I remember the latter half of it fairly well. From my dad's muttonchops and fringy carpet-style vests, from half the girls in my class wearing purple jumpsuits and Charlie's Angels on the black and white tv. But did the author really have to write this in what I think of as 70s Harlequin style?
“There, we could revel in our need for the passions society scorned us for.”
“...and claimed my mouth in a passionate kiss.”
“A tangle of limbs, grappling, and rolling in the grass like puppy lovers, we frolicked without a care in the world, the violence and hate we'd left behind non-existent in this sleepy little garden spot.”
“Snake's face and his body were an arousing vision to my eyes, his scent a delicacy for my nose, and his skin an absolute delight against mine.”
“Never in all my days had I experienced such a divine ecstasy.”
“How could it, when I got to reap the benefits of such a large endowment?”
“...holding on as euphoria took over, all my concerns and questions about the future with Snake fleeing with each kiss he bestowed upon my flesh.”
Easy Ryder? Cheesy Ryder, more like.
And the story is there. An excellent novella buried under endless repetition that bloats it into a novel. If the author had stuck with just the events+sex, this would have been only half as long and half of that would have been sex. Of course, I understand we need to see Ryder's personal growth, but I hate it when an author doesn't trust me, the reader, to remember what I have been told before and then repeats things over and over, just to make sure that I get it. Not only do we get 4 or 5 repetitions of the events that caused Ryder to pack his bags and leave for California, we then get to hear him tell the story to Snake in great detail yet again. Meaning we could have cut at least 4 renditions of that story out of the book and not missed a single thing.
And not only do we visit the same events over and over, Ryder just has to reflect on every single interaction he has with any human being. Snake, of course, but also random gas station attendants and diner waitresses. Over and over he thinks the same things: How there has to be a place where gays can live openly, how he wants someone to love and not just to fuck, how Snake makes him feel safe, how Snake makes him feel good about himself, how he can't expect Snake not to be fucked up, how mom would think he deserved all this because of his sinful ways, how much it is going to hurt to say good-bye to Snake tomorrow, etc. etc.... It really drove me nuts. Every paragraph of action was followed by at least two paragraphs of repetitive introspection that explained exactly how we were supposed to have interpreted the previous events. Which boiled down to: pretty much the same way we were supposed to interpret the sequence of events that came before that.
The end of the book is more of the same reflective stream of consciousness. It feels deceptively like an HEA, but it is really nothing more than an HFN. What we get at the tail end is a few pages of Ryder daydreaming about everything that 'would happen' in their future. Snake 'would heal' from the horrors that tormented him and 'would forget' the betrayals etc. Together they 'would enter' the next chapter of their journey, they 'would work through things' as a team, and so forth. Personally, I can see plenty going wrong in this relationship. They've only known each other for two days and have spent more time fucking than talking. Half the time they do talk they argue. Snake has already proven he can be a real asshole when he's cornered. Ryder is going to demand monogamy and I am not sure Snake is even familiar with that concept. I can easily see Snake totally hating the Castro, and then there's the PTSD and I can think of a dozen more things that spell future disaster.
As annoying as all the reminiscing is, things were made worse by the cheesiness of the language used. Yes, the 70s were a supremely cheesy era, I remember the latter half of it fairly well. From my dad's muttonchops and fringy carpet-style vests, from half the girls in my class wearing purple jumpsuits and Charlie's Angels on the black and white tv. But did the author really have to write this in what I think of as 70s Harlequin style?
“There, we could revel in our need for the passions society scorned us for.”
“...and claimed my mouth in a passionate kiss.”
“A tangle of limbs, grappling, and rolling in the grass like puppy lovers, we frolicked without a care in the world, the violence and hate we'd left behind non-existent in this sleepy little garden spot.”
“Snake's face and his body were an arousing vision to my eyes, his scent a delicacy for my nose, and his skin an absolute delight against mine.”
“Never in all my days had I experienced such a divine ecstasy.”
“How could it, when I got to reap the benefits of such a large endowment?”
“...holding on as euphoria took over, all my concerns and questions about the future with Snake fleeing with each kiss he bestowed upon my flesh.”
Easy Ryder? Cheesy Ryder, more like.
October 11, 2020
3.5 Stars
Okay, first off, I was 7 in 1976 and shelving this as historical was painful. Of course, that's my reaction every time it happens. (Looking at you Pinx series.)
Anywho, I liked this coming of age story, especially as it was a hitchhiking protagonist trying to get West to begin a different life. (Did the same, boo...only I missed out on the sexual adventure as all my rides were like dads who only let me leave with another trucker after first checking him, his cab and his log book out. Weird, right?) But there was something about the writing that didn't connect with me. I didn't mind the almost pornworthy sex - it felt apropos of the journey and time period - just how it was written I guess? This isn't first time I've had a writing-disconnect with the author, so maybe she's just not my jam? It happens. 3rd strike though so I'm prolly not going to try again.
Okay, first off, I was 7 in 1976 and shelving this as historical was painful. Of course, that's my reaction every time it happens. (Looking at you Pinx series.)
Anywho, I liked this coming of age story, especially as it was a hitchhiking protagonist trying to get West to begin a different life. (Did the same, boo...only I missed out on the sexual adventure as all my rides were like dads who only let me leave with another trucker after first checking him, his cab and his log book out. Weird, right?) But there was something about the writing that didn't connect with me. I didn't mind the almost pornworthy sex - it felt apropos of the journey and time period - just how it was written I guess? This isn't first time I've had a writing-disconnect with the author, so maybe she's just not my jam? It happens. 3rd strike though so I'm prolly not going to try again.
September 16, 2013
This goes straight to my favorites shelf. So much to love here: a road trip, some really excellent erotica, great atmosphere (America in the 70s), and an unlikely couple that ends up being perfect for each other. There are enough loose ends that I hope Deanna Wadsworth continues the story. (Please?)
Want to read
December 1, 2013Saw this rec'd in the MM Best Reads this Week thread. HOWEVER you know it is bad when you are shelving a book and you mark it historical and realize that you were 10 YEARS OLD when the book took place.
When the HELL did I get to be "historical"????? LOL
When the HELL did I get to be "historical"????? LOL
August 28, 2013
5 Hearts
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Fantastic and brilliant, I absolutely adored every single line in this book. It was a positive thrill reading this book.
“I had experienced a milestone…
A lifetime in one week. I had fallen in love, mapped out a plan for my future, been betrayed, saved someone’s life, and bonded myself to another man through a terrible experience.
What tomorrow held for me, I did not know.”
I think the blurb and the above quote say more than enough about the book. What it doesn’t say is how enthralling the book really is. The characters are both very appealing, both their personalities are overwhelmingly gorgeous. You won’t help loving Snake, even if he seems (and probably is) a shady guy, and you won’t help but adore Ryder, even if you dislike his initial slutty side.
And that’s the beauty if this book. It’s real and it doesn’t shy from flaws and reality. There are no polished perfect characters here, there is no dreamy bubble of a perfect world where everything ends in a happily ever after. This is a book that has all the ugliness there is out there, a big range of feelings and emotions, and if the characters want a HEA in their life, they have work hard and risk everything for a chance at it.
What with all the above and the fact this book is set at the 70’s, I was sold immediately. The penmanship this author has is delightful. I was really surprised though by the fact that the whole story happens in just two days. I would have never thought that I’d love a book that has its characters falling in love so soon and has them going through a lifetimes events in merely two days. Yet this is the real beauty, the brilliance of this author’s writing skill. I couldn’t believe it really, even as I was reading, how effortlessly she made it happen, how very logical a conclusion it was, how beautiful the blend of the characters’ cravings, the growth they make, and ultimately how easy their intimacy seemed. The scenes between the two were absolutely hot, from the hook up to their lovemaking it was scorching hot and sexy and with an intensity that burned you along with them.
I could go on and on talking about this book, but bottom end you simply need to read it to appreciate. This is certainly a book not to be missed and I truly believe that no matter the genre you favorite, you won’t help but love this one. It certainly my most favorite list.
Thommie
Review written for MM Good Book Reviews
http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/
Fantastic and brilliant, I absolutely adored every single line in this book. It was a positive thrill reading this book.
“I had experienced a milestone…
A lifetime in one week. I had fallen in love, mapped out a plan for my future, been betrayed, saved someone’s life, and bonded myself to another man through a terrible experience.
What tomorrow held for me, I did not know.”
I think the blurb and the above quote say more than enough about the book. What it doesn’t say is how enthralling the book really is. The characters are both very appealing, both their personalities are overwhelmingly gorgeous. You won’t help loving Snake, even if he seems (and probably is) a shady guy, and you won’t help but adore Ryder, even if you dislike his initial slutty side.
And that’s the beauty if this book. It’s real and it doesn’t shy from flaws and reality. There are no polished perfect characters here, there is no dreamy bubble of a perfect world where everything ends in a happily ever after. This is a book that has all the ugliness there is out there, a big range of feelings and emotions, and if the characters want a HEA in their life, they have work hard and risk everything for a chance at it.
What with all the above and the fact this book is set at the 70’s, I was sold immediately. The penmanship this author has is delightful. I was really surprised though by the fact that the whole story happens in just two days. I would have never thought that I’d love a book that has its characters falling in love so soon and has them going through a lifetimes events in merely two days. Yet this is the real beauty, the brilliance of this author’s writing skill. I couldn’t believe it really, even as I was reading, how effortlessly she made it happen, how very logical a conclusion it was, how beautiful the blend of the characters’ cravings, the growth they make, and ultimately how easy their intimacy seemed. The scenes between the two were absolutely hot, from the hook up to their lovemaking it was scorching hot and sexy and with an intensity that burned you along with them.
I could go on and on talking about this book, but bottom end you simply need to read it to appreciate. This is certainly a book not to be missed and I truly believe that no matter the genre you favorite, you won’t help but love this one. It certainly my most favorite list.
Thommie
December 9, 2015
Wow, did this one ever take me by surprise. I've got to be honest and say I wasn't expecting to be swept up in the story the way I was. And I definitely did not anticipate the word-crafting and storytelling skills this author demonstrated.
My favorite dynamic within mm romance is a pairing of a strong/dominant partner with a softer, more vulnerable love interest. I swoon at the chivalry of the larger-than-life, protective hero. And in the end, of course, the fem boy always seems to emerge as the true hero. That's when my heart swells--that moment when the big he-man realizes his heart has been taken, he needs the love and support of his partner just as much as his "damsel in distress" needs him.
All these elements, and so many more, make this one of the best stories I've read in a long, long time. Set in the Bicentennial year, 1976, this is a historical slice of life that transported me back in time. All the tiny details, so masterfully woven into the narrative, painted a nostalgic portrait of such a critical, transitional period of American history.
We so easily forget those early days in the gay rights movement, back when the majority of people considered gay people to be either mentally ill or morally bankrupt. For so many young gay men, California (San Francisco, specifically) became a Mecca, perceived as a utopia where it was not only okay to be gay, but accepted and even protected. Knowing more than one person from my small home town who made the pilgrimage (including my own openly gay cousin) to this city where they embarked upon a new life that promised hope for a better future, this story became particularly poignant to me.
Make no mistake, Easy Rider isn't a political piece. It isn't preachy or even necessarily message-driven. It's a frickin joyride. Hilarious. Exciting. Fast-paced with lots of drama and hot sex. This book is, in my opinion, a must read for both mm romance and gay fiction fans alike.
Five-plus stars!
My favorite dynamic within mm romance is a pairing of a strong/dominant partner with a softer, more vulnerable love interest. I swoon at the chivalry of the larger-than-life, protective hero. And in the end, of course, the fem boy always seems to emerge as the true hero. That's when my heart swells--that moment when the big he-man realizes his heart has been taken, he needs the love and support of his partner just as much as his "damsel in distress" needs him.
All these elements, and so many more, make this one of the best stories I've read in a long, long time. Set in the Bicentennial year, 1976, this is a historical slice of life that transported me back in time. All the tiny details, so masterfully woven into the narrative, painted a nostalgic portrait of such a critical, transitional period of American history.
We so easily forget those early days in the gay rights movement, back when the majority of people considered gay people to be either mentally ill or morally bankrupt. For so many young gay men, California (San Francisco, specifically) became a Mecca, perceived as a utopia where it was not only okay to be gay, but accepted and even protected. Knowing more than one person from my small home town who made the pilgrimage (including my own openly gay cousin) to this city where they embarked upon a new life that promised hope for a better future, this story became particularly poignant to me.
Make no mistake, Easy Rider isn't a political piece. It isn't preachy or even necessarily message-driven. It's a frickin joyride. Hilarious. Exciting. Fast-paced with lots of drama and hot sex. This book is, in my opinion, a must read for both mm romance and gay fiction fans alike.
Five-plus stars!
November 1, 2013
Review posted on World of Diversity Fiction Reviews
This story isn’t a historical, not to me at least I lived this era but for some it might be. It takes place in the 70’s when being gay was unacceptable to a lot of people but it’s also the time when gay community’s started standing up for the right to live openly without fear of repercussions. I remember the city of San Francisco being the forerunner. It’s also when the Vietnam conflict was just ending and damaged young men came home to a less than enthusiastic welcome. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for young gay vets returning and having two huge strikes against them. All around the 70’s wasn’t one of our shining moments but this story is a jewel.
Easy Ryder is about two young men, heading west, meeting and deciding to take their journey together. I thought the MC’s, Snake and Ryder were the most unlikely pairing but somewhere in the story I realized how perfect they were for each other. I expected Snake, being the Vietnam Vet and physically stronger of the two to always be the dominate one but Ryder surprised me. Even though physically he couldn’t stand up to the hate and prejudice against himself he is the stronger of the two emotionally when it’s needed and Snake is in need of someone like Ryder. They are two total opposites but each having what the other needs to make their world bearable. There are a lot of dark and horrible things that happen to these two on their journey west. Their love story isn’t sweet, easy or romantic but a strong bond forms after all they endure on their trip.
This was a hard story to read but so worth every emotion it put me through. It is one of those stories I couldn’t stop reading once I started. Sex plays a major role, there is a lot of it and while I usually want more plot than sex all the sex in Easy Ryder works, in a strange way it’s what made me see why Snake and Ryder worked and I don’t mean because the sex between them was good for both it was the emotion behind the sex. There was only one negative for me and that was the time these two spent together. Their story takes place in just a few days, I would have liked to have seen it be a longer time frame, with everything that happens it all seemed too much but I loved the story so much I just ignored that part.
This is this author’s first full length novel and she hit it out of the park. She truly blew me away and I’m looking forward to what else she has coming.
I highly recommend Easy Ryder. If you only read sweet and easy with little or no angst and limited sex this story probably isn’t for you but I do hope some of you will give it a try it’s truly an amazing story.
January 29, 2024
Oh my god OH MY GOD, I loved this. I have such a book hangover from this it was THAT good. This crazy story is going to forever stick with me as one of my favorites, I just KNOW IT!! Also, Snake is my new book boyfriend.
I already knew I was going to love this from the premise alone, and I'm so glad that did not disappoint. A MM romance set in the 1970s? Going on a long cross-country road trip with a sexy biker guy? Secrets and vulnerability, lots of heart and love, arguments and angst, not to mention also filled with smut?? It was perfect.
Okay, not every book is perfect. There were a few parts of Michael's inner monologues that made me cringe, and then there was the one scene with, um... *ahem* a police officer that I didn't like. But the story as a whole, the characters themselves, the angst and the stakes were SO GOOD. I did not let those minor things get me down because I love Michael and Snake too much. The setting itself was god tier. This book was catered to me, aaahhhhh 😭😭💕💖💕💖💕
I already knew I was going to love this from the premise alone, and I'm so glad that did not disappoint. A MM romance set in the 1970s? Going on a long cross-country road trip with a sexy biker guy? Secrets and vulnerability, lots of heart and love, arguments and angst, not to mention also filled with smut?? It was perfect.
Okay, not every book is perfect. There were a few parts of Michael's inner monologues that made me cringe, and then there was the one scene with, um... *ahem* a police officer that I didn't like. But the story as a whole, the characters themselves, the angst and the stakes were SO GOOD. I did not let those minor things get me down because I love Michael and Snake too much. The setting itself was god tier. This book was catered to me, aaahhhhh 😭😭💕💖💕💖💕
August 22, 2013
4.5 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Michael Ryder is eighteen and running away from his abusive and homophobic father. He’s inspired by a movement happening in San Francisco where “guys like him” can be who they want to be in the open. Freedom and love is what he’s searching for and he’ll do whatever it takes to get there. Catching rides with whomever will take him a little further and sometimes sex is the required fare. Michael isn’t proud but he’s so focused on getting to his destination he accepts it as part of his reality. He’s dropped off at a truck stop one night. Michael’s choices for heading west are slim. He’s about to head to the highway to hitchhike when the sexy biker guy he’d been drooling over offers him a ride as far as Albuquerque. Much further than his former rides, and the guy is hot. Michael is a little scared but the idea of climbing on the bike with Snake and hitting the road is also exhilarating. The man is straight out of one of his fantasies but Michael has no idea if he’s gay. Pressed up against Snake on that bike, smelling him, touching him, makes Michael so turned he forgets for a minute that Snake could kick his ass and leave him the woods for being “swishy”. But Snake is into it and seems to want Michael just as bad. The sex is so much more amazing with Snake than it’s ever been before. Snake actually makes sure Michael gets off!
At another gas station they stop at Michael is busted looking at Snake’s ass by four burly biker types. Michael is outnumbered and alone. The men try throwing him in their truck to take him somewhere to teach him a lesson. Snake saves him. Now they’re on the run but it’s not just the bikers they’re running from. Snake’s past just won’t let him go. Michael’s running from his family. Somewhere along the way they form a connection but they’re going different directions when they hit Albuquerque.
This book had so many layers I’m just going to mention a few. First the sex. Holy hell it was hot! Michael and Snake has some amazing chemistry. Their scenes were spontaneous and intense. It was Michael’s true sexual awakening. For Snake it was more of an emotional re-awakening with mind-blowing sex. There was one sex scene involving a cop and the MCs that made me squirm but at the same time it was hot. All the sex scenes in this book were spectacular IMO. Some were raw and dirty (in the good way). Tender and packed full of emotion.
I thought the author did a great job of transporting me to the time in history this all would have taken place. All the hiding, shame, fear that went along with being gay in the 70s without it overwhelming the story. Even Michael referred to himself as “queer” or “swishy” because that’s how he’d been raised. Snake being ex-military had hidden his nature for so long it he lost himself in it. He was blackmailed and made to do things he never would have done. Thinking he could never love and be loved as a gay man with his past. Really sad but not in an angsty way. Just how it was for “guys like them”. Michael was so brave. He wanted that freedom to love and be who he is so badly he was willing to do whatever it took to get it. He found it with Snake but that was never an option for Snake, which created more conflict.
I loved Snake and Michael. They were just so good together. I loved every minute of their journey from their first kiss to their HEA. This was a great coming of age story. It was about finding happiness when the world wants to oppress a part of you that screams for its freedom. I highly recommend this book.
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Michael Ryder is eighteen and running away from his abusive and homophobic father. He’s inspired by a movement happening in San Francisco where “guys like him” can be who they want to be in the open. Freedom and love is what he’s searching for and he’ll do whatever it takes to get there. Catching rides with whomever will take him a little further and sometimes sex is the required fare. Michael isn’t proud but he’s so focused on getting to his destination he accepts it as part of his reality. He’s dropped off at a truck stop one night. Michael’s choices for heading west are slim. He’s about to head to the highway to hitchhike when the sexy biker guy he’d been drooling over offers him a ride as far as Albuquerque. Much further than his former rides, and the guy is hot. Michael is a little scared but the idea of climbing on the bike with Snake and hitting the road is also exhilarating. The man is straight out of one of his fantasies but Michael has no idea if he’s gay. Pressed up against Snake on that bike, smelling him, touching him, makes Michael so turned he forgets for a minute that Snake could kick his ass and leave him the woods for being “swishy”. But Snake is into it and seems to want Michael just as bad. The sex is so much more amazing with Snake than it’s ever been before. Snake actually makes sure Michael gets off!
At another gas station they stop at Michael is busted looking at Snake’s ass by four burly biker types. Michael is outnumbered and alone. The men try throwing him in their truck to take him somewhere to teach him a lesson. Snake saves him. Now they’re on the run but it’s not just the bikers they’re running from. Snake’s past just won’t let him go. Michael’s running from his family. Somewhere along the way they form a connection but they’re going different directions when they hit Albuquerque.
This book had so many layers I’m just going to mention a few. First the sex. Holy hell it was hot! Michael and Snake has some amazing chemistry. Their scenes were spontaneous and intense. It was Michael’s true sexual awakening. For Snake it was more of an emotional re-awakening with mind-blowing sex. There was one sex scene involving a cop and the MCs that made me squirm but at the same time it was hot. All the sex scenes in this book were spectacular IMO. Some were raw and dirty (in the good way). Tender and packed full of emotion.
I thought the author did a great job of transporting me to the time in history this all would have taken place. All the hiding, shame, fear that went along with being gay in the 70s without it overwhelming the story. Even Michael referred to himself as “queer” or “swishy” because that’s how he’d been raised. Snake being ex-military had hidden his nature for so long it he lost himself in it. He was blackmailed and made to do things he never would have done. Thinking he could never love and be loved as a gay man with his past. Really sad but not in an angsty way. Just how it was for “guys like them”. Michael was so brave. He wanted that freedom to love and be who he is so badly he was willing to do whatever it took to get it. He found it with Snake but that was never an option for Snake, which created more conflict.
I loved Snake and Michael. They were just so good together. I loved every minute of their journey from their first kiss to their HEA. This was a great coming of age story. It was about finding happiness when the world wants to oppress a part of you that screams for its freedom. I highly recommend this book.
September 10, 2014
There were several things that I enjoyed about this book. I loved that it was a coming of age story. I liked that I didn't know how the book would end or where the characters would end up. I liked Ryder's insight and perspective. I liked that as a reader I was able to see growth in Ryder and know exactly how that growth materialized. I enjoyed seeing Snake's transformation. The sex was hot and the characters likable and realistic. My real issue was that there was quite a bit of internal dialogue as Ryder dissected his life, Snake's life, the world around them etc. and sometimes it became too much. The book became bogged down with Ryder's awareness and understanding of life, his surroundings and expectations for his future and so on and so on. It prevented me from continuing to engage in the book. I thought in some ways Ryder acted his age (naive, idealistic, horny) but in other ways he spoke and articulated himself as someone much older and much more mature. Good read. An epilogue would have been nice.
September 10, 2014
I really enjoyed the insightfulness of the character Michael Ryder. I liked that this was set in the mid 70s. If only gas prices were seventy six cents a gallon today. This story takes place over a relatively short period of time, two or three days I believe. There was a lot of sex and that dragged the plot a bit. The pacing could have been better. I did get bored at times and did start skimming. I really understood Michael and Snake; they felt real to me. It would have been nice if we'd gotten a present day epilogue with them still being together, but oh well. It was realistic what we got in the end.
December 7, 2015
Loved this--set in the era I grew up in. Great cultural references and lovable characters. A story about coming of age and self-acceptance. The MCs take an emotional journey together as they travel cross-country. Ryder and Snake deal with both letting go of the past, and overcoming their fear of what the future may bring.
April 26, 2014
3.5 stars , it was sweet and hot however the journey took three days and they manage to fall in love fuck like 50 times kill a guy and ride across the country , kinda not too realistic in my humble opinion .
Did I mention that it was hottttttt (especially the body liquids games ;)
Did I mention that it was hottttttt (especially the body liquids games ;)
July 14, 2014
This book's setting, as well as the interesting combination of characters, drew my attention. The setting, because I remember the seventies, and the characters because - well, a vet on a bike and a gay eighteen-year-old runaway looking for a better life? Sounded pretty fascinating to me. All of that in an era when gay men just started to come out into the open, with all the issues connected to that, and AIDS didn't really exist yet? Sign me up, please.
Michael, the narrator of the story, unfortunately drove me nuts. Way too introspective for my taste, his internal musings surprised me. On the one hand, he was ready to do whatever was necessary to get him across the country from Pennsylvania to San Fransisco, which tells me he is pretty goal-oriented and has (almost) no scruples. On the other hand he then thinks and rethinks everything so many times, I got the impression he was pretty insecure. Which is probably exactly where a young man who has left everything he knew behind might end up. So, kudos to the author for getting that across!
Snake is much more difficult to get a handle on. He is older, clearly psychologically scarred, and with being a vet and probably suffering from PTSD (although that is not explicit, as it would not have been recognized in the seventies), he is not an easy guy to get to know. For Michael to put his trust in him, despite only knowing him for two days and despite all the issues, is risky at best. Then again, that is what some men his age do, and with his background of having lost his family, I guess it is easy for him to "latch on to" the first man he thinks he can trust.
If you like reading about young men who have no idea how to get what they want but go after it anyway, if you don't mind characters who take a lot of risks, and if you're looking for a read set in recent history that does a great job at making those days come alive, then you will probably like this novel.
Michael, the narrator of the story, unfortunately drove me nuts. Way too introspective for my taste, his internal musings surprised me. On the one hand, he was ready to do whatever was necessary to get him across the country from Pennsylvania to San Fransisco, which tells me he is pretty goal-oriented and has (almost) no scruples. On the other hand he then thinks and rethinks everything so many times, I got the impression he was pretty insecure. Which is probably exactly where a young man who has left everything he knew behind might end up. So, kudos to the author for getting that across!
Snake is much more difficult to get a handle on. He is older, clearly psychologically scarred, and with being a vet and probably suffering from PTSD (although that is not explicit, as it would not have been recognized in the seventies), he is not an easy guy to get to know. For Michael to put his trust in him, despite only knowing him for two days and despite all the issues, is risky at best. Then again, that is what some men his age do, and with his background of having lost his family, I guess it is easy for him to "latch on to" the first man he thinks he can trust.
If you like reading about young men who have no idea how to get what they want but go after it anyway, if you don't mind characters who take a lot of risks, and if you're looking for a read set in recent history that does a great job at making those days come alive, then you will probably like this novel.
October 18, 2013
I held by breath during most of this book. I have been reading romance for years and gay romance for about 2 and have never read one based in the 1970’s post Vietnam era. Ms. Wadsworth shook everything I know and made it new, taking me back in time.
This book is not for the faint of heart.
Ryder is incredibly beautiful. He comes across as an innocent idealist on the journey of his life. As the story progresses we see him as more. He has more guts, more insight, more strength than meets the eye. He pushes his way into Snake’s life and shows him there is no shame in being gay.
Snake thought he was giving a sexy stray a ride in exchange for a hook up. But Ryder sneaks in and when he looks past the surface of Snake he isn’t repulsed. Snake has no idea how to trust or love and this boy, in just a matter of days, makes him face his biggest fears and pushes him past his comfort zone.
There are some incredibly hard topics in this story. The reality of being gay in the early 70’s and in the military service is brilliantly done. The life of someone on the run, trying to survive was brutal and Ms. Wadsworth brought the pain and struggle into vivid focus. There was so much hurt in these men.
Oh, and the sex in the book...hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen. It will blow you away. It isn’t easy, or pretty and rarely tender, rather it is sharp, dirty, and breathtaking.
I don’t usually do warnings in my reviews, but this book, if you are tenderhearted or have consent sensitivity, could push your boundaries.
Easy Ryder is an incredible book. A must read full of passion. This book will show you a world you have never seen before and pull you into the story from the first scene to the last.
Reviewed by Beans
This book is not for the faint of heart.
Ryder is incredibly beautiful. He comes across as an innocent idealist on the journey of his life. As the story progresses we see him as more. He has more guts, more insight, more strength than meets the eye. He pushes his way into Snake’s life and shows him there is no shame in being gay.
Snake thought he was giving a sexy stray a ride in exchange for a hook up. But Ryder sneaks in and when he looks past the surface of Snake he isn’t repulsed. Snake has no idea how to trust or love and this boy, in just a matter of days, makes him face his biggest fears and pushes him past his comfort zone.
There are some incredibly hard topics in this story. The reality of being gay in the early 70’s and in the military service is brilliantly done. The life of someone on the run, trying to survive was brutal and Ms. Wadsworth brought the pain and struggle into vivid focus. There was so much hurt in these men.
Oh, and the sex in the book...hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen. It will blow you away. It isn’t easy, or pretty and rarely tender, rather it is sharp, dirty, and breathtaking.
I don’t usually do warnings in my reviews, but this book, if you are tenderhearted or have consent sensitivity, could push your boundaries.
Easy Ryder is an incredible book. A must read full of passion. This book will show you a world you have never seen before and pull you into the story from the first scene to the last.
Reviewed by Beans
November 19, 2013
3 "meh" stars
For some reason, I had a hard time caring about this couple. I just could not connect with Snake. We get to know Ryder, and he ended up being an endearing character, but Snake was too much of a mystery for most of the book for me to ever feel connected with him. He just kinda picked up a "kid" at a truck stop and decides to protect him...and do other naughty things. That's basically it. Sure, the plot develops after that, but I didn't care enough about them to really care. I was just skimming he pages after the half way mark. Don't me wrong, the writing was good, I just didn't connect with the characters to really care about them.
For some reason, I had a hard time caring about this couple. I just could not connect with Snake. We get to know Ryder, and he ended up being an endearing character, but Snake was too much of a mystery for most of the book for me to ever feel connected with him. He just kinda picked up a "kid" at a truck stop and decides to protect him...and do other naughty things. That's basically it. Sure, the plot develops after that, but I didn't care enough about them to really care. I was just skimming he pages after the half way mark. Don't me wrong, the writing was good, I just didn't connect with the characters to really care about them.
August 8, 2015
I liked this book. It was a fast and hot read. The guys were great together! I think I would've liked it more if it was longer. I wouldn't mind reading how they start over in San Francisco. Could work really well as a sequel, maybe even how they deal with the AIDS epidemic. I'd totally kill such a followup story.
February 25, 2014
This was an interesting read. Just getting a glimpse of what gay culture might have been like before HIV was thought provoking. The hanky code. :) I liked the characters, and really enjoyed this book.
December 6, 2015
Wow! I really loved this book! I'm always up for a great 70's romance, and this is a great one. There were interesting characters, who were easy to like, lots of suspense, and scorching hotness! This is a new favorite of mine, one that I will surely read again.
October 20, 2013
3.5 – 3.75 stars.
A nice story – liked a lot of it! But there were also some eye-rolling moments.
And I really liked Snake. Sexy and dirty Snake. ;)
A nice story – liked a lot of it! But there were also some eye-rolling moments.
And I really liked Snake. Sexy and dirty Snake. ;)
October 9, 2013
Just fabulous.
July 5, 2017
This one had a promising start, a decent middle, and a terrible ending. It devolves quickly into mushiness, sappiness, and let's-say-it-out-loud revelations about sexual politics of the 1970s. I'm not sure why we have to be told this through teen drifter Ryder's or tough vet Snake's thoughts or words--they know this already, and so do we! Nobody reading this book is looking to be convinced that gay is okay--.
I liked the Americana feeling of being on the road with a runaway and a disillusioned biker--they make a good duo and we're swept through hot, steamy summery scenery on long stretches of highway. The last M/M book I read that took place during a similar time, All You Need Is Love (albeit about 10 or so years earlier), had no distinct feeling of taking place in a different decade, but this book definitely did, which was nice.
The first few sex scenes were scorching. Very masculine, very quick and rough, very new. It felt closer to porn or erotica produced on the time period than stuff made today--a little dirtier around the edges. But it gets quickly old and repetitive. I'd put this book firmly in the erotica category--heavy on the smut, lighter on the plot. And what plot we had was pretty silly--.
It was easy to get tired of both these characters. Ryder is too pushy and too needy. Snake seems to go from laid-back, confident, secretive, and tough to wishy-washy, insecure, and unkind over a matter of a few pages. I understood the conflict between the characters, but Snake just got downright nasty, and Ryder was weak and stupid to put up with him. They both had generally weak characterizations that were masked with scorching sex appeal for the first half of the book.
Not my favorite summer read, but it's gritty and hot if you're looking for something to enjoy in the sun with a cool drink.
I liked the Americana feeling of being on the road with a runaway and a disillusioned biker--they make a good duo and we're swept through hot, steamy summery scenery on long stretches of highway. The last M/M book I read that took place during a similar time, All You Need Is Love (albeit about 10 or so years earlier), had no distinct feeling of taking place in a different decade, but this book definitely did, which was nice.
The first few sex scenes were scorching. Very masculine, very quick and rough, very new. It felt closer to porn or erotica produced on the time period than stuff made today--a little dirtier around the edges. But it gets quickly old and repetitive. I'd put this book firmly in the erotica category--heavy on the smut, lighter on the plot. And what plot we had was pretty silly--.
It was easy to get tired of both these characters. Ryder is too pushy and too needy. Snake seems to go from laid-back, confident, secretive, and tough to wishy-washy, insecure, and unkind over a matter of a few pages. I understood the conflict between the characters, but Snake just got downright nasty, and Ryder was weak and stupid to put up with him. They both had generally weak characterizations that were masked with scorching sex appeal for the first half of the book.
Not my favorite summer read, but it's gritty and hot if you're looking for something to enjoy in the sun with a cool drink.
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