3 I want my own Tyler stars
I am thinking about how to review this way too long, my reviewing muscles still atrofied.
Western is usually my choice when I need a break, even from my own line of reading, time to sort my thoughts out for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it works like a charm. In the best occasions it moves me deeply. There is just something about the vastness of the lands and the extreme life conditions of both Indians and colonists that pulls something in me behind the visual imaginary I grew up with. A taste of heaven doesn't fall in the best category, it is not particularly well written or gripping, though it tries hard to be. But something is lingering and I fell for the nature it depicts all over.
There are a lot of tropes in the book, a lot: rough but goodhearted cowboys, judgemental and hypocritical rich city families, leads with painful pasts and broken hearts, bashful but strong heroine, a moody, cold hero hiding a tender, self-doubting man, marriage of convenience and virginity, range wars, teenager kiddo trying to be a man, chatty emporium store owner...you name it, it probably has it. A lot of it worked but it would have worked even better without all the editing errors and a quicker, straight-lined pace. The author chose to disclose the leads' thoughts and past traumas bit by bit, with hints here and there, short remembered images and facts, never complete flashbacks and all of it, combined with the fact that the timeframe of the whole story was not linear either and the relationship between the MCs went back and forth all the time, made for a tiring pacing, sometimes downright dragging. Both Tyler and Libby were skittish characters, for different reasons, they also kept changing idea over what they wanted and what they felt.
This is meant to be a tale of redemption and healing, fortitude and faith, a man with a massive guilt complex and a lonely girl with a lot of loss and abuse in her past saving each others, unfortunately I seldom felt the depth of emotions the author so hard tried to convey. The balance between what irked me and what drew me kept tipping this way then that. I felt more than once that both characters were stuck in their psychological development. Libby endured a lot and her perseverance and hard-working attitude were really admirable. She was built to inspire protection instincts and I am a bit allergic to endearments as 'angel'. I got tired of her blushing but I was happy that, once they finally got to it, she fully embraced her own desire and Tyler's without holding back and accepting/asking for her pleasure. The constant reference to her being timid or inexperienced tired me and it took her a bit too long to let go of her 'superior' city views. I also believe the eavesdropping expedient, with the inevitable misunderstandings and drama, was used too often.
Tyler was my weakness, his body type (broad shoulders, narrow hips, long lean and strong limbs), his physicality and aura are really my thing, so I had some kind of drooling pavlovian reaction whenever his POV was on, even though he's unnecessarily brusque and unapproachable for most of the book, with just the right amount of glimpses of his warmth here and there. He also had a few stalkerish-peeping moments, that should have bothered me more than they actually did. He is so much more than a cowboy, he's so very caring and responsible. He's also a very generous and attentive lover for Libby, even though I had my doubts on his defloration tecnique. His internal doubts and self-deprecation should have been solved much quicker, after a while the way he kept pushing and pulling Libby was truly aggravating. Again I don't understand why communication has to be such a sore point in romances. At least in this case they do apologise and move on, every time. Some of the drama was really uncalled for. Despite not having problems with couples fighting and lashing out, these two needed less of it. And even though the final incident that ties all the loose ends and allows the final reconciliation of Tyler with himself is well set, I was surprised by the way the author made it sound like emotional manipulation by Libby.
There were things that puzzled me. Like Libby sleeping a few doors from her employer in the main house. She was so concerned with propriety, was that even possible at the time without raising raging gossip? I was really surprised by Callie, the saloon Madam. Brothel life holds a lot of interest for me and I haven't met a lot of Madams or even convincing prostitutes so far. She's not a hateful character, but we're subtly pushed to dislike her anyway, for her insincere, manipulative ways. She's had Tyler for herself every Saturday for a good three years before Libby shows up. The perfect arrangement for a man unable/unwilling to love anymore but with no qualms about his needs, including the need to take his mind off everything with meaningless sex. I don't believe it was only empty sex for her, even if she made him pay every time. While I really liked the fact that this aspect of male lives (visiting prostitutes) was clearly presented and aknowledged as normal for the times, and I have nothing with the profession either, I could still taste a floating judgement, especially when Tyler ends up feeling bad and low for it and keeps comparing tender, shy Libby to powdered, shameless Callie. Callie was never a romantic competition for Libby as Tyler really went there for the sex solace alone, but it was an obstacle, a cause of jealousy and heartache. And on this theme, another surprising thing was the mention of impotence: Tyler might be slow in admitting his own feelings, but his body suddenly doesn't get aroused by Callie anymore. Clever trick or not to illustrate his heart being taken, I'm glad to read about a man who has normal erectile problems when he's really not into it anymore. It didn't deter from his hotness.
I loved the land and all ranching descriptions, the cooking of Libby (even though she refused to make rattlesnake stew), the cattle trail trip, Charlie, Rory and John, the UST and the sex scenes towards the end, despite some purple prose that had me grinding my teeth, HARD, the sense of appreciation, belonging and contentment the ranch life and people provide to the couple. The HEA is really on every possible aspect, so I'm sure A taste of heaven will work for a lot of people. I lusted after Tyler, but I didn't really connect.