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Sotto la superficie
Quando la compagnia lo manda nel sudovest dell’Ontario per persuadere una cittadina ad accettare la proposta di una cava di ghiaia, Peter Carr accetta con piacere la sfida. Tecnicamente è un avvocato, ma in pratica lui risolve i problemi. Solo che non si sarebbe mai aspettato che il problema fosse Caleb Sinclair, l’appassionato ma introverso ebanista che vive vicino al sito scelto per la cava.
“Conosci il tuo nemico.” È questa la filosofia di Caleb. E cercare di trasformare del terreno fertile in una miniera di ghiaia fa guadagnare a Peter il titolo di “nemico”. Caleb ama la terra e se deve far pace con i vicini omofobi per combattere Peter, così sia. Conoscere il nemico non si rivela però quello che lui si aspetta. Peter non è il mostro delle fiabe: potrebbe essere invece il primo passo verso un lieto fine.
“Conosci il tuo nemico.” È questa la filosofia di Caleb. E cercare di trasformare del terreno fertile in una miniera di ghiaia fa guadagnare a Peter il titolo di “nemico”. Caleb ama la terra e se deve far pace con i vicini omofobi per combattere Peter, così sia. Conoscere il nemico non si rivela però quello che lui si aspetta. Peter non è il mostro delle fiabe: potrebbe essere invece il primo passo verso un lieto fine.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2012
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302 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
August 22, 2012
This story hits me in all the right places. And because of it, this review will be pretty rambling. Sorry in advance...
I love the contrast of the two men. Peter Carr, the company man/the city boy, is all smooth and charming and extrovert. He might not be extravagant, but he really enjoy being with people and talking to them, trying to make the community happy. Meanwhile Caleb Sinclair, the artist/local farmer, is quiet, reserved, shy, and introvert. Since he's the only out gay man in the small town, where people are not agreeing to his lifestyle, he never puts himself in the spotlight. He's more of a 'standing in back of a room full of people' kind of guy. Until of course, this plan for quarry, which will "ruin" the land.
I truly love how the two men work out their attraction. Both are a bit baffled at first with it, more so of Caleb, since they're 'supposed-to-be' enemies. I think Caleb rambling on his name when he introduces himself to the attractive Peter is very adorable.
“I’m Caleb. Sinclair. Caleb Sinclair.” Caleb took a sip from his cup before he started babbling about his middle name, or the names of his dogs, or whatever other nonsense might come out of his addled brain.
I enjoy the slow build up, which is paced just right, as they navigate their decision to act on the attraction, while keeping true to their position on about the quarry. At the same time, each man learns about the other because of this quarry, which brings the better part of themselves. Peter learns more about the 'small things' rather than the big picture and Caleb learns to step out of his comfort zone, rallying support of anti-quarry, while analyzing the reason why he's so dead set to live in the town and not exploring option of going to the city.
I love the sense of the small town -- and I have to admit, the scene where everyone come together, and Caleb looks out at the faces of the people who don't judge him for his sexuality, makes me all teary eyed. Feels like a Hallmark movie there, which is perfect for my sappy heart.
The supporting characters are amazing too. Riva Singh, Peter's colleague who asks Peter the question about "Is this all there is?" and makes Peter think about his life path. Matt Dean and his wife, Sarah, who are Caleb's friends, with angst story of their own. Then of course, the dogs, the GREAT dogs.
I do have a couple of complains though, which stop this book from getting higher star rating.
+ The bad guy -- in this case, Caleb's big brother, Trevor, is portrayed in a bit too black and white manner. When it is too predictable that Trevor is the one doing it.
+ Since the company that Peter represents is not a bad one; they don't have evil schemes to do everything it takes for the quarry to happens, I find the ending a bit rushed. Sure, I want the 'little people' to win, but because both perspectives are explored in an objective way, to find that the solution for the problem is only written in an epilogue in two-three paragraphs, is a let down.
So, there are no throbbing dicks, jerking off in the shower, slamming bodies on the wall, or bending bodies on the table -- even the love declaration is stated in a calm and peaceful manner rather than in the heat of passion. But it is the kind of contemporary romance that works for me ...
I love the contrast of the two men. Peter Carr, the company man/the city boy, is all smooth and charming and extrovert. He might not be extravagant, but he really enjoy being with people and talking to them, trying to make the community happy. Meanwhile Caleb Sinclair, the artist/local farmer, is quiet, reserved, shy, and introvert. Since he's the only out gay man in the small town, where people are not agreeing to his lifestyle, he never puts himself in the spotlight. He's more of a 'standing in back of a room full of people' kind of guy. Until of course, this plan for quarry, which will "ruin" the land.
I truly love how the two men work out their attraction. Both are a bit baffled at first with it, more so of Caleb, since they're 'supposed-to-be' enemies. I think Caleb rambling on his name when he introduces himself to the attractive Peter is very adorable.
“I’m Caleb. Sinclair. Caleb Sinclair.” Caleb took a sip from his cup before he started babbling about his middle name, or the names of his dogs, or whatever other nonsense might come out of his addled brain.
I enjoy the slow build up, which is paced just right, as they navigate their decision to act on the attraction, while keeping true to their position on about the quarry. At the same time, each man learns about the other because of this quarry, which brings the better part of themselves. Peter learns more about the 'small things' rather than the big picture and Caleb learns to step out of his comfort zone, rallying support of anti-quarry, while analyzing the reason why he's so dead set to live in the town and not exploring option of going to the city.
I love the sense of the small town -- and I have to admit, the scene where everyone come together, and Caleb looks out at the faces of the people who don't judge him for his sexuality, makes me all teary eyed. Feels like a Hallmark movie there, which is perfect for my sappy heart.
The supporting characters are amazing too. Riva Singh, Peter's colleague who asks Peter the question about "Is this all there is?" and makes Peter think about his life path. Matt Dean and his wife, Sarah, who are Caleb's friends, with angst story of their own. Then of course, the dogs, the GREAT dogs.
I do have a couple of complains though, which stop this book from getting higher star rating.
+ The bad guy -- in this case, Caleb's big brother, Trevor, is portrayed in a bit too black and white manner. When it is too predictable that Trevor is the one doing it.
+ Since the company that Peter represents is not a bad one; they don't have evil schemes to do everything it takes for the quarry to happens, I find the ending a bit rushed. Sure, I want the 'little people' to win, but because both perspectives are explored in an objective way, to find that the solution for the problem is only written in an epilogue in two-three paragraphs, is a let down.
So, there are no throbbing dicks, jerking off in the shower, slamming bodies on the wall, or bending bodies on the table -- even the love declaration is stated in a calm and peaceful manner rather than in the heat of passion. But it is the kind of contemporary romance that works for me ...
November 13, 2012
This is a nice story, nothing really exciting or different, but two nice guys on the opposite side of an issue, but still being attracted to each other.
Throw in a few cute dogs, some homophobes, good friends, evil family, idealism and a fire.
So, I won't be rereading this one, and I don't think it will stay with me long, but if you are looking for a easy nice story with very little actually going on, besides one twist this could work, but like in a lot of the stories I've read recently I didn't really see why the two MC's fell for each other, is Peter just 'tired of same old same old' and 'is this all there is' and Caleb thinks Peter is the lake in the desert?
Throw in a few cute dogs, some homophobes, good friends, evil family, idealism and a fire.
So, I won't be rereading this one, and I don't think it will stay with me long, but if you are looking for a easy nice story with very little actually going on, besides one twist this could work, but like in a lot of the stories I've read recently I didn't really see why the two MC's fell for each other, is Peter just 'tired of same old same old' and 'is this all there is' and Caleb thinks Peter is the lake in the desert?
August 26, 2012
2.5 stars
While I liked both Caleb and Peter, this story just did not work for me and these two just didn't click as a couple. The pacing was just too slow and I found myself losing interest. The best part were the dogs, they were just adorable.
While I liked both Caleb and Peter, this story just did not work for me and these two just didn't click as a couple. The pacing was just too slow and I found myself losing interest. The best part were the dogs, they were just adorable.
August 21, 2012
3.75 stars
Another well written story by Kate Sherwood. Peter and Caleb are on opposing sides of the planned gravel quarry in a small Canadian town. Peter thrives on the conflicts that go hand-in-hand with his job while Caleb is an introvert who feels compelled to speak out for the town as well as his multi-generational acreage.
Sherwood does an excellent job of expressing the environmental concerns that would come with the possibility of a gravel pit being dug in "your back yard", ie water contamination, increased traffic, reverberation, decreased quality of life, noise, etc. She also presents the other side of the coin - "for the benefit of many vs. the detriment of a few".
The MCs didn't feel fully fleshed out but that may just be me and the ending seemed just a bit rushed. For me at least, something is off just little bit.
Usually at least one of Sherwood's characters has funny, snarky dialogue and she successfully continues that here. /grin/ Some of Peter's conversations with his work colleague are sly and very clever.
Happily recommended.
Another well written story by Kate Sherwood. Peter and Caleb are on opposing sides of the planned gravel quarry in a small Canadian town. Peter thrives on the conflicts that go hand-in-hand with his job while Caleb is an introvert who feels compelled to speak out for the town as well as his multi-generational acreage.
Sherwood does an excellent job of expressing the environmental concerns that would come with the possibility of a gravel pit being dug in "your back yard", ie water contamination, increased traffic, reverberation, decreased quality of life, noise, etc. She also presents the other side of the coin - "for the benefit of many vs. the detriment of a few".
The MCs didn't feel fully fleshed out but that may just be me and the ending seemed just a bit rushed. For me at least, something is off just little bit.
Usually at least one of Sherwood's characters has funny, snarky dialogue and she successfully continues that here. /grin/ Some of Peter's conversations with his work colleague are sly and very clever.
Happily recommended.
February 6, 2014
2.5 stars
The title choice is interesting because this is all about putting up facades. And what ultimately makes this a disappointment for me -- the lack of depth in the romance.
Right off the bat, one of our MC’s, Peter Carr, a handsome charmer, puts on his smooth-talking, big city lawyer act as he tries to placate the people of a bucolic Canadian town. He assures them that everything will be OK when the corporation he works for creates a huge granite quarry in their back yards.
Caleb Sinclair is the farmer who would be the most affected by the mining operation. It will affect the water table, air quality, local wildlife and general peacefulness of his home. Caleb’s family have farmed this land for five generations, their ancestral home made with trees hewn from it, and stone pulled from the its fields, and he means to protect it.
So, two men with different backgrounds and ideologies, facing off, fighting for an opposing outcome.
I can’t get past this feeling of ‘oiliness’ in Peter as he tries to grease the wheels for his corporation employer, thereby screwing Caleb over. Peter seems removed from the ethics of it all, superficial, smiling and charming his way. “It’s his job”. And Caleb, putting on an act with Peter as he tries to figure him out and position himself to win the battle.
They’re both constantly dodging, talking through masks, there’s always some subterfuge even as they sense a growing attraction.
Caleb is used to living behind a wall, in the shadows, as the only out gay man in his small community. He’s learned to lay low and hide with his resentment stewing. And what a community, where people who’ve lived together for generations can turn against each other at the wink of an eye. Throw in Trevor, Caleb’s no-good, cruel, ignorant, homophobic, manipulative brother, and it’s all so cold. When it turns out that the animosity Caleb feels from his community is mostly in his head, he’s no longer a reliable witness. I really want to like him but he’s all surface.
The author uses that easy-flowing writing genius in a good attempt, but everything about these guys is so calculated. When they finally get together it doesn’t feel right, not enough has happened between them to warrant it. It’s like they’re going through the moves.
Really, this isn’t a terrible story, but being able to connect with any of the characters would have helped. I did like Caleb’s dogs, Diesel and Diego. They were sweet and fun.
July 25, 2019
Caleb, der die seit vielen Jahren in Familienbesitz befindliche Farm bewirtschaftet, hat in seinem noch jungen Leben schon viel erleben müssen. Jung geoutet, verprügelt und mehr oder weniger geächtet, lebt er im ländlichen Ontario. Im Laufe der Geschichte erfährt man, wieviel wirklich in Caleb steckt. Ich persönlich habe mich mit ihm und über ihn gefreut.
Peter, der als sehr erfolgreicher Repräsentant im Namen einer großen Firma, die u.a. auch Kiestagebau betreibt, viel unterwegs ist, ist, und das merkt man, schon sehr abgestumpft, was die persönlichen Bedürfnisse der Menschen vor Ort angeht (glaubt aber selbst, dass das nicht so ist, bis …). Was kann eigentlich besseres passieren, als in die Provinz zu fahren und sich zeigen zu lassen, dass das Leben noch so viel mehr zu bieten hat, als Erfolgsstreben und Verhandlungsgeschick.
Die Geschichte um Caleb und Peter ist ruhig und könnte durchaus so aus dem Leben gegriffen sein. Mich hat sie mitgenommen und mir einen angenehmen Lesesonntag mit den beiden Männern beschert, denn trotz Calebs persönlichen Schicksalsschlag, löst sich die Geschichte rund und in einem Happy End auf.
Ich mag die Geschichten von Kate Sherwood. Sie werden ruhig erzählt und könnten tatsächlich so passieren. Eine der ersten Geschichten, die ich im M/M-Bereich gelesen habe, war ihre “Dark-Horse-Serie”, in der es sogar um M/M/M ging. Öhm … ich denke, da könnte mal wieder ein re-reading fällig sein :-)
Peter, der als sehr erfolgreicher Repräsentant im Namen einer großen Firma, die u.a. auch Kiestagebau betreibt, viel unterwegs ist, ist, und das merkt man, schon sehr abgestumpft, was die persönlichen Bedürfnisse der Menschen vor Ort angeht (glaubt aber selbst, dass das nicht so ist, bis …). Was kann eigentlich besseres passieren, als in die Provinz zu fahren und sich zeigen zu lassen, dass das Leben noch so viel mehr zu bieten hat, als Erfolgsstreben und Verhandlungsgeschick.
Die Geschichte um Caleb und Peter ist ruhig und könnte durchaus so aus dem Leben gegriffen sein. Mich hat sie mitgenommen und mir einen angenehmen Lesesonntag mit den beiden Männern beschert, denn trotz Calebs persönlichen Schicksalsschlag, löst sich die Geschichte rund und in einem Happy End auf.
Ich mag die Geschichten von Kate Sherwood. Sie werden ruhig erzählt und könnten tatsächlich so passieren. Eine der ersten Geschichten, die ich im M/M-Bereich gelesen habe, war ihre “Dark-Horse-Serie”, in der es sogar um M/M/M ging. Öhm … ich denke, da könnte mal wieder ein re-reading fällig sein :-)
September 23, 2012
Interesting enough story that is well-written but is sedate/unimpassioned and in need of some more chemistry between the MC's.
April 22, 2014
Why I read this book: Many of you may already know that April 22nd is designated ‘EARTH DAY’ world-wide. In honor of this day, I was given the opportunity to read a book by one of my favorite authors. She writes her stories in a way that shows an appreciation of the outdoors and what the natural world has to offer quite well. She pulls me in with her description, and I can almost smell the earth, hear the birds, and feel the bark of the trees and wood *sigh*. It is a great pleasure to be pulled into a story like this. I came across this little gem a bit late, as its been on my to-be-read pile for a while.
But, first, to give you a little blurb about what exactly Earth Day is and why it is important:
“Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.”
Nature is very important to me in many ways. As an example, I have been working for more than two years to get 15 trees planted at our new workplace to help with shade in the summer, and insulation in the winter. We are out in the middle of a former ‘open field’ and get direct western sun in a bank of windows that causes the heating and cooling to be in a constant battle for anyone who happens to work on that side of the building.
Another reason I have been fighting for this sustainability project is to bring more wildlife in the way of birds, bees, and other flora and fauna to add a pleasant aesthetic to the surrounding area which otherwise looks very industrial, and is not a very pleasant place to take a walk, let alone work. Happy ending, the new building owner sees the possibilities of adding to the value of his facility by accommodating us with these changes, and we as employees are planting the first of the trees tomorrow, on Earth Day.
So what does this have to do with the story ‘Beneath the Surface’?
Well, imagine if you are big corporate lawyer just wanting to do your job without taking into consideration the people that will be left with what you have done to them and their community. You don’t live or work there, so why should you be concerned about the people after you leave? What’s the big deal?
My thoughts: Peter, the smooth-talking big city lawyer, and Caleb, the somewhat introverted and gun-shy wood-working ‘farmer’ could not be more opposite. Their interactions with each other make up most of the story, and we do not really see a relationship develop until the last third of the book. The events which take place bring many questions to mind in the lovely little farming community that is now, due to no one’s fault in particular, going to be the new home to a very large and profitable gravel pit… Now, who would like to live next to one of those in their backyard? Not me, that’s for sure *smile*.
I empathize with the choices these two have to make. The author is very good at fleshing out all the issues that would be a realistic concern to a small tight-knit community: i.e. water contamination, increased traffic, noise-level, trucks hauling loads of gravel all day, every day, decreased quality of life, etc. She also presents the other side of the coin – the gravel for all our roads have to come from somewhere, right? “for the benefit of many vs. the detriment of a few”.
Excerpt:
‘Caleb straightened up.
”…This soil has been feeding people for generations, part of the same cycle that I was talking about with the ashes and the trees for my firewood. Its great soil. Great farmland. And you’re going to scrape it all off and dump it somewhere, because you want to get at the stupid little rocks down beneath it.”
“The stupid little rocks are needed for roads. And buildings. It’d be nice if we could all live in our ancestral manors, but most of us don’t have that luxury. There are millions of people in this province, and they don’t just need homes – they need schools, and hospitals, and a shitload of other things that are all built with concrete. And concrete needs gravel.” Peter shook his head. He didn’t usually get this worked up.’
The author does a very gracious and insightful job of showing all points of view and every side to this politically divisive issue, and I found myself being drawn very much into the story, wondering how, if at all, the MCs could in any way have some kind of resolution and happily-ever-after. Bravo, but she does it, and I finished the story VERY happy with the conclusion.
I loved that Caleb was so in touch with the wood and chunks of trees that are his artistic medium of choice. In the following instance, he is trying to decide what to do with some cherry-wood, and Peter gives his input to what Caleb has been turning over and over in the table after they have both discussed their differences as introvert vice extrovert:
Excerpt:
‘ “ I just meant… we both have good jobs for what we are, right?” There was no way Caleb could have kept himself from returning Peter’s smile. Peter didn’t gloat about the victory… he just took one final step closer so he could touch the chunks of wood on the table.
“They remind me of a chess set, the way you’ve got them lined up. There’s the queen, and the king, and all these little guys could be pawns.” Then he stepped back and honest-to-God blushed. Caleb didn’t think people could fake a blush, could they? “Sorry,” Peter said. “Got a little carried away.” ‘
Another aspect of the story that really ‘humanized’ it for me was the inclusion of Caleb’s two mastiffs, Diesel and Diego. They have so much personality, they almost stole the show! I love how Kate writes her animal characters, like a true animal-lover:
Excerpt:
‘ ”Whoa! That’s… you told him to get a stick, didn’t you?” The dog was dragging a tree trunk across the lawn toward them. It must have been six feet long, probably nearly a foot in diameter, and the only reason the dog could move it at all was that it had a stub of a branch sticking out as a mouth-hold.
“Diesel’s an over-achiever,” Caleb said. “It keeps him busy.” He looked down at the other dog, and released his grip on the collar. “Diego, go help!” He waved his arm in the appropriate direction. “Go on, Diego, get Diesel!”
Diego gave one wistful look in Peter’ direction, as if hoping for the chance to knock him over again, then bounded happily in the direction Caleb had indicated… immediately latched onto the same branch Diesel was gripping and started tugging mightily… in the opposite direction. ‘
Love these dogs!
We do receive our HEA, and the story was satisfying. The only downside for me was it felt as if the chemistry between the MCs was a little lacking, but because of all the events that have to take place to give resolution to the story, the author really had to spend as much time as she did setting everything up. The epilogue did provide some closure, and addressed some of the issues brought up, but didn’t give me closure on a couple items in question. Otherwise, this is a good read to celebrate Earth Day.
But, first, to give you a little blurb about what exactly Earth Day is and why it is important:
“Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.”
Nature is very important to me in many ways. As an example, I have been working for more than two years to get 15 trees planted at our new workplace to help with shade in the summer, and insulation in the winter. We are out in the middle of a former ‘open field’ and get direct western sun in a bank of windows that causes the heating and cooling to be in a constant battle for anyone who happens to work on that side of the building.
Another reason I have been fighting for this sustainability project is to bring more wildlife in the way of birds, bees, and other flora and fauna to add a pleasant aesthetic to the surrounding area which otherwise looks very industrial, and is not a very pleasant place to take a walk, let alone work. Happy ending, the new building owner sees the possibilities of adding to the value of his facility by accommodating us with these changes, and we as employees are planting the first of the trees tomorrow, on Earth Day.
So what does this have to do with the story ‘Beneath the Surface’?
Well, imagine if you are big corporate lawyer just wanting to do your job without taking into consideration the people that will be left with what you have done to them and their community. You don’t live or work there, so why should you be concerned about the people after you leave? What’s the big deal?
My thoughts: Peter, the smooth-talking big city lawyer, and Caleb, the somewhat introverted and gun-shy wood-working ‘farmer’ could not be more opposite. Their interactions with each other make up most of the story, and we do not really see a relationship develop until the last third of the book. The events which take place bring many questions to mind in the lovely little farming community that is now, due to no one’s fault in particular, going to be the new home to a very large and profitable gravel pit… Now, who would like to live next to one of those in their backyard? Not me, that’s for sure *smile*.
I empathize with the choices these two have to make. The author is very good at fleshing out all the issues that would be a realistic concern to a small tight-knit community: i.e. water contamination, increased traffic, noise-level, trucks hauling loads of gravel all day, every day, decreased quality of life, etc. She also presents the other side of the coin – the gravel for all our roads have to come from somewhere, right? “for the benefit of many vs. the detriment of a few”.
Excerpt:
‘Caleb straightened up.
”…This soil has been feeding people for generations, part of the same cycle that I was talking about with the ashes and the trees for my firewood. Its great soil. Great farmland. And you’re going to scrape it all off and dump it somewhere, because you want to get at the stupid little rocks down beneath it.”
“The stupid little rocks are needed for roads. And buildings. It’d be nice if we could all live in our ancestral manors, but most of us don’t have that luxury. There are millions of people in this province, and they don’t just need homes – they need schools, and hospitals, and a shitload of other things that are all built with concrete. And concrete needs gravel.” Peter shook his head. He didn’t usually get this worked up.’
The author does a very gracious and insightful job of showing all points of view and every side to this politically divisive issue, and I found myself being drawn very much into the story, wondering how, if at all, the MCs could in any way have some kind of resolution and happily-ever-after. Bravo, but she does it, and I finished the story VERY happy with the conclusion.
I loved that Caleb was so in touch with the wood and chunks of trees that are his artistic medium of choice. In the following instance, he is trying to decide what to do with some cherry-wood, and Peter gives his input to what Caleb has been turning over and over in the table after they have both discussed their differences as introvert vice extrovert:
Excerpt:
‘ “ I just meant… we both have good jobs for what we are, right?” There was no way Caleb could have kept himself from returning Peter’s smile. Peter didn’t gloat about the victory… he just took one final step closer so he could touch the chunks of wood on the table.
“They remind me of a chess set, the way you’ve got them lined up. There’s the queen, and the king, and all these little guys could be pawns.” Then he stepped back and honest-to-God blushed. Caleb didn’t think people could fake a blush, could they? “Sorry,” Peter said. “Got a little carried away.” ‘
Another aspect of the story that really ‘humanized’ it for me was the inclusion of Caleb’s two mastiffs, Diesel and Diego. They have so much personality, they almost stole the show! I love how Kate writes her animal characters, like a true animal-lover:
Excerpt:
‘ ”Whoa! That’s… you told him to get a stick, didn’t you?” The dog was dragging a tree trunk across the lawn toward them. It must have been six feet long, probably nearly a foot in diameter, and the only reason the dog could move it at all was that it had a stub of a branch sticking out as a mouth-hold.
“Diesel’s an over-achiever,” Caleb said. “It keeps him busy.” He looked down at the other dog, and released his grip on the collar. “Diego, go help!” He waved his arm in the appropriate direction. “Go on, Diego, get Diesel!”
Diego gave one wistful look in Peter’ direction, as if hoping for the chance to knock him over again, then bounded happily in the direction Caleb had indicated… immediately latched onto the same branch Diesel was gripping and started tugging mightily… in the opposite direction. ‘
Love these dogs!
We do receive our HEA, and the story was satisfying. The only downside for me was it felt as if the chemistry between the MCs was a little lacking, but because of all the events that have to take place to give resolution to the story, the author really had to spend as much time as she did setting everything up. The epilogue did provide some closure, and addressed some of the issues brought up, but didn’t give me closure on a couple items in question. Otherwise, this is a good read to celebrate Earth Day.
February 13, 2017
I thought the story was a little slow and definitely could have used a little more steam, but I genuinely liked both of these MCs and so reading about them finding their HEA together was a pleasure.
October 14, 2012
4.25 stars out of 5
Review Summary: Delving beneath the surface results in what appears to be Twu Wuv, if it lasts past the initial excitement.
Review: The title for this book is wonderfully apt. Peter starts out as a rather surface sort of guy, one who enjoys the thrill of The Game and basically sees all of life as part of that game. At the beginning of the story, his business partner and best friend asks, “Is this all there is?” Peter pretends to misunderstand her, not wanting to go below the surface to the extent a real answer would require. But the question haunts him throughout the story, and eventually he discovers the answer.
Since it’s a romance novel, I don’t think I’m spoilering anything to tell you the answer he finds is that no, this isn’t all there is. In fact, there can be a heckuva lot more if you meet the right person and allow yourself to develop a relationship with them. And despite their obvious differences, it’s clear that Caleb is the right person for Peter. I’m a little less certain that Peter is the right person for Caleb, though he’s happy enough while we see him. Caleb has a real depth, which I think contributes to Peter’s desire and ultimate ability to delve beneath the surface.
Caleb is a delightfully complex character and I fell in love with him almost immediately. He’s painfully shy, but honesty and doing the right thing are so fundamentally important to him that he pushes past it when necessary. Even when he’s uncomfortable, because he’s pushing his emotional comfort zone, he has a talent for saying the right thing and making other people feel better. At one point he makes a bit of a speech to his best friend’s wife that brings her to tears. He’s alarmed that he said something so horribly wrong as to have that effect. But I’d gotten rather teary myself, because his words and the emotion behind them were so heart-felt and beautiful.
It took me a bit longer to warm up to Peter, but he won me over as he fell for Caleb and changed as a result of that. I’m not sure how much I’d have liked Peter if I’d spent much time with him pre-Caleb, so I don’t think it was just getting to know him better that made me like him more. And I still never liked him as much as Caleb, though I think he actually became a better man as he got to know and care for Caleb. I could see how Caleb could have that effect on people, so I found that completely believable.
I found their relationship believable, but would have found it more so if it had happened over a bit longer period of time. They start out basically opponents, on opposite sides of the quarry issue. They struggle with developing a relationship under the circumstances. This results in an instant attraction which results in some push-pull for a while, then a decision to take a chance and see where it might go, and ultimately to a HEA.
Overall that’s a great development pattern, it just seemed to happen a little fast for my taste. Especially considering where Peter started out and where he ended up, I’d have liked to see a bit more time elapse so I could better believe the change would last. They seemed to get from what seemed an impossible situation to a settled HEA too quickly for me to be confident it really would last once the initial shine wore off.
I also thought Caleb’s brother was a bit too over-the-top, unredeemed and unredeemable, more caricature than character. And it cast Caleb’s past behavior with him into a bit more of a martyrish light than I’d have liked. But aside from that I thought the characters were well-developed, complex, and mostly likable. The story was engrossing, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
This review was originally posted at Reviews by Jessewave, where I received the book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Review Summary: Delving beneath the surface results in what appears to be Twu Wuv, if it lasts past the initial excitement.
Review: The title for this book is wonderfully apt. Peter starts out as a rather surface sort of guy, one who enjoys the thrill of The Game and basically sees all of life as part of that game. At the beginning of the story, his business partner and best friend asks, “Is this all there is?” Peter pretends to misunderstand her, not wanting to go below the surface to the extent a real answer would require. But the question haunts him throughout the story, and eventually he discovers the answer.
Since it’s a romance novel, I don’t think I’m spoilering anything to tell you the answer he finds is that no, this isn’t all there is. In fact, there can be a heckuva lot more if you meet the right person and allow yourself to develop a relationship with them. And despite their obvious differences, it’s clear that Caleb is the right person for Peter. I’m a little less certain that Peter is the right person for Caleb, though he’s happy enough while we see him. Caleb has a real depth, which I think contributes to Peter’s desire and ultimate ability to delve beneath the surface.
Caleb is a delightfully complex character and I fell in love with him almost immediately. He’s painfully shy, but honesty and doing the right thing are so fundamentally important to him that he pushes past it when necessary. Even when he’s uncomfortable, because he’s pushing his emotional comfort zone, he has a talent for saying the right thing and making other people feel better. At one point he makes a bit of a speech to his best friend’s wife that brings her to tears. He’s alarmed that he said something so horribly wrong as to have that effect. But I’d gotten rather teary myself, because his words and the emotion behind them were so heart-felt and beautiful.
It took me a bit longer to warm up to Peter, but he won me over as he fell for Caleb and changed as a result of that. I’m not sure how much I’d have liked Peter if I’d spent much time with him pre-Caleb, so I don’t think it was just getting to know him better that made me like him more. And I still never liked him as much as Caleb, though I think he actually became a better man as he got to know and care for Caleb. I could see how Caleb could have that effect on people, so I found that completely believable.
I found their relationship believable, but would have found it more so if it had happened over a bit longer period of time. They start out basically opponents, on opposite sides of the quarry issue. They struggle with developing a relationship under the circumstances. This results in an instant attraction which results in some push-pull for a while, then a decision to take a chance and see where it might go, and ultimately to a HEA.
Overall that’s a great development pattern, it just seemed to happen a little fast for my taste. Especially considering where Peter started out and where he ended up, I’d have liked to see a bit more time elapse so I could better believe the change would last. They seemed to get from what seemed an impossible situation to a settled HEA too quickly for me to be confident it really would last once the initial shine wore off.
I also thought Caleb’s brother was a bit too over-the-top, unredeemed and unredeemable, more caricature than character. And it cast Caleb’s past behavior with him into a bit more of a martyrish light than I’d have liked. But aside from that I thought the characters were well-developed, complex, and mostly likable. The story was engrossing, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
This review was originally posted at Reviews by Jessewave, where I received the book for free in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2014
This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site.
When I finished reading The Fall I immediately wanted to read another book by Ms. Sherwood. I just adored her writing and having been in such a big funk right before I read The Fall , I figured taking advantage of reading more by an author I knew I'd like was the smart decision. I've been wanting to reading Beneath the Surface since it came out but I just never did for some stupid reason.
This is the story of Peter, a lawyer, whose job it is to make sure townspeople don't make a huge stink about his company coming in and turning the land into a gravel quarry. Peter loves a good challenge and lucky for him, Caleb, the closest neighbor to the quarry, is vocal enough about his displeasure to cause some townsfolk to rebel the quarry. Enemies from the start, Peter's attraction to Caleb causes him more doubt than he's ever felt towards his job. But what will happen when someone tries to frame Peter for a crime he didn't commit. Will it cause Peter and Caleb to break things off just when they think they can finally trust one another?
I absolutely loved Peter and Caleb together. While they might have started with a little hostility between them, they soon developed a friendship. Actually, they wanted to keep their personal lives separate from the quarry so they went on dates, which I found very sweet. As characters, I loved that Caleb was so down to earth but fierce when it mattered. I also liked that Peter started off confident about his life and views but things slowly changed for him as he saw how his job really affected other people. I loved them together because I felt like they actually had a relationship outside of just sex.
I think my only issue was that the 'villain' in the story was too predictable for me. I knew as soon as the crime happened (no spoilers here, sorry!), who exactly was the one to do it. I don't know if that was intentional or not but I wished there had been at least a little more effort to make the identity of the bad guy more mysterious.
All in all, I still really liked the story. Ms. Sherwood has a way of writing that captures my attention and keeps it. Mixed with the fact she has intriguing characters and nice plots, she's definitely starting to become a favorite of mine. I'm looking forward to reading more books by her. If you're looking for a nice story with an enemies to lovers feel and a little mystery, give this one a try :)
When I finished reading The Fall I immediately wanted to read another book by Ms. Sherwood. I just adored her writing and having been in such a big funk right before I read The Fall , I figured taking advantage of reading more by an author I knew I'd like was the smart decision. I've been wanting to reading Beneath the Surface since it came out but I just never did for some stupid reason.
This is the story of Peter, a lawyer, whose job it is to make sure townspeople don't make a huge stink about his company coming in and turning the land into a gravel quarry. Peter loves a good challenge and lucky for him, Caleb, the closest neighbor to the quarry, is vocal enough about his displeasure to cause some townsfolk to rebel the quarry. Enemies from the start, Peter's attraction to Caleb causes him more doubt than he's ever felt towards his job. But what will happen when someone tries to frame Peter for a crime he didn't commit. Will it cause Peter and Caleb to break things off just when they think they can finally trust one another?
I absolutely loved Peter and Caleb together. While they might have started with a little hostility between them, they soon developed a friendship. Actually, they wanted to keep their personal lives separate from the quarry so they went on dates, which I found very sweet. As characters, I loved that Caleb was so down to earth but fierce when it mattered. I also liked that Peter started off confident about his life and views but things slowly changed for him as he saw how his job really affected other people. I loved them together because I felt like they actually had a relationship outside of just sex.
I think my only issue was that the 'villain' in the story was too predictable for me. I knew as soon as the crime happened (no spoilers here, sorry!), who exactly was the one to do it. I don't know if that was intentional or not but I wished there had been at least a little more effort to make the identity of the bad guy more mysterious.
All in all, I still really liked the story. Ms. Sherwood has a way of writing that captures my attention and keeps it. Mixed with the fact she has intriguing characters and nice plots, she's definitely starting to become a favorite of mine. I'm looking forward to reading more books by her. If you're looking for a nice story with an enemies to lovers feel and a little mystery, give this one a try :)
September 20, 2012
The two men in this story are worlds apart. Not only are they on opposite sides of a land use issue, but they are temperamentally very different. Peter's smooth, blithe, somewhat superficial attitude is hard to like at first. He seems to think that nothing matters enough that it can't be negotiated and compromised and massaged into an agreement. The love of home, and history, and beauty, that makes Caleb oppose the building of the gravel quarry is something Peter at first blithely rides over. Only a physical attraction, and frankly the lack of alternatives for Caleb, bring them together initially.
Through the course of the story, Caleb is the emotional compass, trying to do the right thing. Gradually Peter comes to see his point of view, and in the process becomes more likable, although never with the same depth of character and emotion as Caleb. The plot was well done, the secondary characters were good, and the resolution is sweet although for me it still didn't quite feel like a settled HEA because I didn't get that degree of connection between the MC's. That's just my personal perception though. This story is a well-written interesting version of enemies to lovers. And the dogs were great.
Through the course of the story, Caleb is the emotional compass, trying to do the right thing. Gradually Peter comes to see his point of view, and in the process becomes more likable, although never with the same depth of character and emotion as Caleb. The plot was well done, the secondary characters were good, and the resolution is sweet although for me it still didn't quite feel like a settled HEA because I didn't get that degree of connection between the MC's. That's just my personal perception though. This story is a well-written interesting version of enemies to lovers. And the dogs were great.
January 18, 2020
A very modern and contemporary conflict is at the root of this story, and it makes for some very interesting reading. On the one hand you have the smooth-talking professional corporate man who is charged with making sure a quarry gets started in an otherwise peaceful, quiet village. On the other hand you have a local guy whose family has lived there for generations, and even if he isn’t exactly loved by his neighbors, not after he came out as gay a few years ago, he is rooted there and loves the land. Sit back and watch the sparks fly, right?
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
June 29, 2018
not bad but it didn't convince me completely. at the beginning is a bit too much slow and I was bored, and there's too much attention to the quarry thing - important, ok, but not so involving.
I didn't really felt the connection between the mcs, and they're not much developed. We had the description about their character, but it's not really shown.
The ending it's a bit rushed.
So my rating is a mild- not enthusiastic- 3 stars.
I didn't really felt the connection between the mcs, and they're not much developed. We had the description about their character, but it's not really shown.
The ending it's a bit rushed.
So my rating is a mild- not enthusiastic- 3 stars.
August 22, 2012
This story is solidly written, but I missed this hot charismatic passion between Caleb and Peter. Sure they were sweet for each other in kind of a "I have crush on you" way. And seriously that's all what I felt. Anyway, this couple is to passive for me. But hey, they fell in love and understood that the most important thing is to fight for their love. Kind of sweet!
August 27, 2012
3.5 stars. Good m/m romance about an unassuming craftsman in a small Ontario who finds himself leading the opposition to a proposed gravel quarry next to his land. Too bad the spokesperson for the other side is so handsomely distracting...
dnf
August 22, 2012DNF 50%
*snore*
*snore*
May 27, 2024
Teniendo claro que es un libro para pasar el rato, está muy bien, es cortito y los personajes no son para nada tóxicos.
September 4, 2012
Another really good solid story from Kate Sherwood. This story is not a fast-paced whirlwind, but more of a slow-moving stream that pulls us along in the flow. Caleb owns a farm in small town in Ontario and a large multinational plans to turn the neighboring farm into a rock quarry. Caleb's farm has been in his family for 5 generations and needless to say he is not happy about this. His best friend Matt's parents owned the farm and they were retired and sold it thinking it would be turned into a ginseng farm. Enter Peter Carr, beautiful lawyer/PR man for the quarry company. Caleb of course is attracted to Peter, but he is the only out gay guy in town and he does not need any additional attention.
As it becomes clear that Peter and Caleb will be on opposite sides of this issue, Peter is determined to smooth things over because he is a "fixer" and he wants to do his job. At the same time, he is beginning to have niggling doubts about what he is doing especially since his business partner is having doubts as well about her part and in all of these deals. Caleb tries to remain distant but when Peter show up at his house, he relents and tries to explain to him why it's so important to him that his farm remain the peaceful haven it is.
There are some additional pressures including Matt's wife's pregnancy and Caleb's ne'er do well brother Trevor that contribute to the turmoil. The townspeople begin to fight back against the company and they get some high profile attention just as Peter is trying to get to know Caleb outside of the quarry project. As they are trying to see if they could at least be friends, there is an awful turn of events that throw them together and leave Caleb vulnerable and Peter and his motives under scrutiny.
I really liked the way this story unfolded and remained true to the characters of Caleb and Peter. Caleb is a bit shy and unassuming. He has not had an easy time of it - from his family life to his coming out to his brother's various dependencies. It would have been completely out of character for him to just fall into bed with Peter regardless of how attractive he found him. His grandparent's home was the grounding thing for him and he has his carpentry business there and his animals and his land and he is connected to that. Peter is much more "worldly" and has traveled and worked many places, but somehow he is coming to the realization that putting down roots wouldn't be such a bad thing and maybe what he's really looking for. He is attracted to Caleb but also afraid of what that might mean and he really does not want to hurt him at all. He sees the vulnerability and the strength in Caleb and he very much wants to explore that - whatever that means. The development of their relationship was very believable and felt authentic - one of the things I like best about Kate Sherwood's writing. It doesn't feel forced or rushed. I would have liked to read even more about Peter and Caleb, but sometimes it's good to leave the audience wanting more.
As it becomes clear that Peter and Caleb will be on opposite sides of this issue, Peter is determined to smooth things over because he is a "fixer" and he wants to do his job. At the same time, he is beginning to have niggling doubts about what he is doing especially since his business partner is having doubts as well about her part and in all of these deals. Caleb tries to remain distant but when Peter show up at his house, he relents and tries to explain to him why it's so important to him that his farm remain the peaceful haven it is.
There are some additional pressures including Matt's wife's pregnancy and Caleb's ne'er do well brother Trevor that contribute to the turmoil. The townspeople begin to fight back against the company and they get some high profile attention just as Peter is trying to get to know Caleb outside of the quarry project. As they are trying to see if they could at least be friends, there is an awful turn of events that throw them together and leave Caleb vulnerable and Peter and his motives under scrutiny.
I really liked the way this story unfolded and remained true to the characters of Caleb and Peter. Caleb is a bit shy and unassuming. He has not had an easy time of it - from his family life to his coming out to his brother's various dependencies. It would have been completely out of character for him to just fall into bed with Peter regardless of how attractive he found him. His grandparent's home was the grounding thing for him and he has his carpentry business there and his animals and his land and he is connected to that. Peter is much more "worldly" and has traveled and worked many places, but somehow he is coming to the realization that putting down roots wouldn't be such a bad thing and maybe what he's really looking for. He is attracted to Caleb but also afraid of what that might mean and he really does not want to hurt him at all. He sees the vulnerability and the strength in Caleb and he very much wants to explore that - whatever that means. The development of their relationship was very believable and felt authentic - one of the things I like best about Kate Sherwood's writing. It doesn't feel forced or rushed. I would have liked to read even more about Peter and Caleb, but sometimes it's good to leave the audience wanting more.
January 18, 2020
A very modern and contemporary conflict is at the root of this story, and it makes for some very interesting reading. On the one hand you have the smooth-talking professional corporate man who is charged with making sure a quarry gets started in an otherwise peaceful, quiet village. On the other hand you have a local guy whose family has lived there for generations, and even if he isn’t exactly loved by his neighbors, not after he came out as gay a few years ago, he is rooted there and loves the land. Sit back and watch the sparks fly, right?
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
November 18, 2012
So the gold stars are not so much for the story itself, although it’s perfectly cute and enjoyable on its own, it’s for an aspect of the story. But first we’ll start with a brief outline. Caleb is an introverted gay man in a town that would rather he wasn’t there, but he’s not going to leave his family property and minds his own business. However when a company buys the neighboring land and plans to put a gravel pit on it, (bringing noise and possible pollution to the town), he decides to take on the company with the help of his best friend’s wife. Peter is the company’s rep and is there with his partner, an engineer, to make the town see reason.
This is a pretty typical opposites attract. Peter thrives on the challenge. He loves people and the puzzle of how to turn people’s opinions around. Caleb is the opposite in every way. The physical attraction zings, but they don’t get together until the end, so it’s always simmering there. There are of course some bumps on the way to true love. Caleb’s partner, Riva, is starting to wonder if this is life. Traveling from town-to-town convincing people they are doing something good. She’s engaged and questioning her life. Peter loves it and has no desire for anything else, he’s not really relationship material…. Of course we know how that goes.
Anyway, as I was reading it, Riva and Peter have been working the same schtick in a number of towns for years. They are friends and colleagues, and at one point they were bantering back and forth as he suddenly had a crisis and was deciding what to do about his job, since it conflicted with his feeling for Caleb, and I just though … I love this woman. She was smart and capable, she’s an engineer, she’s East Indian, she’s reasonable, she was snarky with Peter, she cared about him and gently pushed him to look at his own life, but she never said “Don’t do this” or “You have to do that.” She let him find his own way and whatever he chose, she was behind him. Too often the female best friend treats the guy like he’s 8 and without a brain cell.
So then I looked at the other female characters. The best friend’s wife. Nice woman, teacher, friendly, likes our main character, works with him against the bad guys. (They’re not really bad.) The aging celeb who comes on board to back the town – lovely woman, very gracious. Even the big boss lady of the company was decent enough. Wow, not a bitchy vindictive female in the bunch. Hallelujah. I am so sick of women always being irksome and as I said, Riva was a great character who I think kept Peter from flying off the rails, she was like his calming influence.
So if you are tired of annoying female characters, I suggest you pick this one up. Fun story and with female character who won’t make you want to scratch someone’s eyes out, possibly your own. Gold stars all around for the ladies today.
This is a pretty typical opposites attract. Peter thrives on the challenge. He loves people and the puzzle of how to turn people’s opinions around. Caleb is the opposite in every way. The physical attraction zings, but they don’t get together until the end, so it’s always simmering there. There are of course some bumps on the way to true love. Caleb’s partner, Riva, is starting to wonder if this is life. Traveling from town-to-town convincing people they are doing something good. She’s engaged and questioning her life. Peter loves it and has no desire for anything else, he’s not really relationship material…. Of course we know how that goes.
Anyway, as I was reading it, Riva and Peter have been working the same schtick in a number of towns for years. They are friends and colleagues, and at one point they were bantering back and forth as he suddenly had a crisis and was deciding what to do about his job, since it conflicted with his feeling for Caleb, and I just though … I love this woman. She was smart and capable, she’s an engineer, she’s East Indian, she’s reasonable, she was snarky with Peter, she cared about him and gently pushed him to look at his own life, but she never said “Don’t do this” or “You have to do that.” She let him find his own way and whatever he chose, she was behind him. Too often the female best friend treats the guy like he’s 8 and without a brain cell.
So then I looked at the other female characters. The best friend’s wife. Nice woman, teacher, friendly, likes our main character, works with him against the bad guys. (They’re not really bad.) The aging celeb who comes on board to back the town – lovely woman, very gracious. Even the big boss lady of the company was decent enough. Wow, not a bitchy vindictive female in the bunch. Hallelujah. I am so sick of women always being irksome and as I said, Riva was a great character who I think kept Peter from flying off the rails, she was like his calming influence.
So if you are tired of annoying female characters, I suggest you pick this one up. Fun story and with female character who won’t make you want to scratch someone’s eyes out, possibly your own. Gold stars all around for the ladies today.
January 26, 2015
J'avais été séduite par le style de Kate Sherwood en découvrant sa série Californie Équestre, ce singulier mélange contrasté entre l'émotion brute des situations, l'écriture un peu distante de l'auteur, et l'importance donnée à la psychologie des personnages. On le retrouve ici, avec un peu moins d'émotion toutefois. Sous la surface, c'est l'histoire d'un amour improbable entre deux hommes que tout oppose. Non seulement leur combat, celui d'un avocat cherchant à convaincre les habitants d'un coin de campagne canadien des bienfaits de l'implantation d'une carrière de gravier, contre l'ébéniste local qui veut défendre sa terre et mènera la fronde, mais encore leur mode de vie, leurs personnalités même. Peter l'avocat est un nomade sans attache. Sociable, ouvert, il aime se confronter aux autres, convaincre, persuader et charmer. Caleb à l'inverse est un artiste solitaire, mal à l'aise avec les autres, viscéralement attaché à sa terre et ses racines, et c'est en travaillant le bois de ses mains qu'il s'épanouit. L'un reste à la surface des choses et l'autre s'est un peu perdu dans les profondeurs. Sous la surface, c'est là qu'ils vont se rencontrer, se reconnaître,s'attirer et s'aimer.
Peter va découvrir qu'il y a plus sous la surface des choses et des gens que ce qu'il croyait, que l'information qu'il maitrise si bien n'est pas la compréhension, que l'émotion prime parfois la raison, et qu'il y a en lui un cœur qui demande plus qu'une vie de travail. Caleb aussi évoluera au cours de cette aventure, découvrira certaines choses sur lui-même et les autres, et sortira peu à peu de l' isolement où il s'était enfermé.
C'est une jolie romance qui se construit peu à peu entre ces deux hommes, de l'intérêt à l'amitié, du désir à l'amour, une lente découverte de l'autre. N'attendez pas de scène de sexe à tout bout de champ, l'auteur nous la réserve pour la fin, et ma foi ce n'est pas gênant. J'ai un peu regretté par contre que le côté émotionnel ne soit pas davantage marqué. Du coup, le livre m'a moins touchée que les précédents de l'auteur; Mais les interventions de Riva, la collègue de Peter, et des deux chiens, Diégo et Diesel, apportent une touche d'humour sympathique. Un très bon roman.
Peter va découvrir qu'il y a plus sous la surface des choses et des gens que ce qu'il croyait, que l'information qu'il maitrise si bien n'est pas la compréhension, que l'émotion prime parfois la raison, et qu'il y a en lui un cœur qui demande plus qu'une vie de travail. Caleb aussi évoluera au cours de cette aventure, découvrira certaines choses sur lui-même et les autres, et sortira peu à peu de l' isolement où il s'était enfermé.
C'est une jolie romance qui se construit peu à peu entre ces deux hommes, de l'intérêt à l'amitié, du désir à l'amour, une lente découverte de l'autre. N'attendez pas de scène de sexe à tout bout de champ, l'auteur nous la réserve pour la fin, et ma foi ce n'est pas gênant. J'ai un peu regretté par contre que le côté émotionnel ne soit pas davantage marqué. Du coup, le livre m'a moins touchée que les précédents de l'auteur; Mais les interventions de Riva, la collègue de Peter, et des deux chiens, Diégo et Diesel, apportent une touche d'humour sympathique. Un très bon roman.
August 20, 2015
Kate has produced yet another page turner. From the first chapter this one was hard to put down. I finished it at 1:30 this morning.
Caleb is a small town boy has the farm next to proposed gravel pit. He's never felt accepted in his small Southwestern Ontario town since he came out at the end of high school, but during a meeting to try to placate the locals about the new gravel pit he is the first to speak up and voice his objections to the operation. Soon this shy farmer/woodworker finds himself the leader of the opposition. There is only one problem the legal beagle from the gravel company is gorgeous and just a little more than casually interested in Caleb. Peter is out and confident of himself but not quite sure how he can convince Caleb of his desire for more than a 'business' relationship, he is after all the enemy in town.
Caleb is a small town boy has the farm next to proposed gravel pit. He's never felt accepted in his small Southwestern Ontario town since he came out at the end of high school, but during a meeting to try to placate the locals about the new gravel pit he is the first to speak up and voice his objections to the operation. Soon this shy farmer/woodworker finds himself the leader of the opposition. There is only one problem the legal beagle from the gravel company is gorgeous and just a little more than casually interested in Caleb. Peter is out and confident of himself but not quite sure how he can convince Caleb of his desire for more than a 'business' relationship, he is after all the enemy in town.
October 26, 2012
I enjoyed this a lot.
The slow built-up for Caleb and Peter has the right pacing and I really liked reading about them falling for each other. It was believable and sweet.
Another thing that made this such a good book was the supporting cast. Most of them had actual personalities and felt real. Especially the two dogs and I'm normally not a big dog person ^^
The slow built-up for Caleb and Peter has the right pacing and I really liked reading about them falling for each other. It was believable and sweet.
Another thing that made this such a good book was the supporting cast. Most of them had actual personalities and felt real. Especially the two dogs and I'm normally not a big dog person ^^
April 9, 2013
Just no my kind of book - it was neither very thrilling or intense in the storyline nor do the characters give me anything.
Actually - I found it boring.
So I'm torn to try more from this author - I loved her free story "In Over His Head" but this one didn't do it for me.
Actually - I found it boring.
So I'm torn to try more from this author - I loved her free story "In Over His Head" but this one didn't do it for me.
January 23, 2013
Very nice read, kept me entertained from first to last page.
September 8, 2012
Good story, but the end felt a bit rushed and there were some loose ends with the brother, something that big should be adressed more in my opinion
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2018
n roman avec une écriture sarcastique,parfois acerbe, dans lequel on plonge à vitesse grand V, une plume que j'ai eu énormément de plaisir à lire (et même à relire ,certains passages sont vraiment trop bon pour ne pas les relire encore) . Je ne m'en cache pas j'adore les histoires ou ça fight avant de se bécoter et encore plus quand ça ne commence pas avec une tribu de papillons et autres émois intempestifs qui tirent vers les envolées lyriques .
On a donc un Caleb taciturne, sans être insensible loin de là, fraîchement sorti de son coming out dans une petite ville proche de Toronto, ou les gays ne courent pas les rues ( ou ils auraient même tendance à se cacher). Annonce qui lui vaut une certaine réticence de la communauté qu'il côtoie depuis toujours. En face ,nous avons Peter ,avocat citadin sûr de lui et de son charme indéniable, habitué à séduire tout être humain qui croise sa route , un espèce de serial manager tout droit sorti de Madmen , équipé d'un sourire ultrabrite cachant un appétit de requin , gentil mais requin tout de même. La rencontre est comme une explosion souterraine , forte et avec une raisonnance étouffée mais ô combien chargée d'intensité dans une rivalité qui s'annonce passionnante.
Caleb , un être véritablement connecté à son éco-système , est empêtré dans une relation familiale avec son frère aîné assez compliquée ,faite de remords , de mépris et de rancœur.
Peter ,lui, est résolument un joueur, un bluffeur au grand cœur qui vit son métier comme une partie de poker ou celui qui sourit et jouit le plus de cette effervescence est forcement le vainqueur.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié les scènes d'approches d'un Peter tout en maladresse et sincérité , de vraies scènes actuelles, pleines de cet embarras rougissant qui retient encore une attirance qui pourrait le mettre en mauvaise posture vis a vis de son travail. Voir Caleb sortir de sa zone de confort pour se livrer à un bras de fer avec une multinationale sans qu'ils ne deviennent ennemis pour autant est un vrai pari pour le jeune avocat , espérer que le jeune ébéniste nourrisse les mêmes sentiments que lui en est un autre plus dangereux tant cela risque de l'amener à revoir les principes sur lesquels il bâtit jour après jour sa vie et sa réussite. On a un succulent paradoxe quand Peter toujours franc et sincère dans ses actes, essaie de l’être moins de peur de l’être trop aux yeux de Caleb
Leurs interactions sont tellement naturelles, sonnent tellement vraies qu'on réalise à quel point on manque souvent de cette réalité dans nos lectures. Exit les coups d'un soir a répétition du citadin frénétique , exit les sempiternels bars gay qui ne seraient que la seule optique de rencontre pour le pauvre gay isolé en campagne, exit la plupart des cliches bien encrés sur nos pages .
Et quand les événements bousculent les sentiments nouveaux qui peinaient à s’établir , cela renforce au contraire leur volonté de faire abstraction de ce qui n'est plus essentiel, de ne pas tomber dans les codes drama sur-utilises jusqu’à la lie.
Une écriture intelligente des hommes et de leurs actes au service d'une très belle histoire servie également par un autre personnages très réussi, Riva , la binôme ingénieur de Peter.
Leurs échanges professionnels et amicaux sont une vraie participation à la réussite du récit, c'est subtilement écrit avec des dialogues aussi drôles qu'instructifs sur leurs méthodes de communication. Elle est un élément clé du livre, discrète et pince sans rire mais toujours attachée à partager ouvertement son questionnement avec Peter l'ambitieux. On comprends vite qu'elle est son Jiminy Cricket , la petite voix qui s’élève pour énoncer les choses sous un aspect plus humaniste. Si sa rencontre avec Caleb le pousse à prendre une autre direction , un autre choix de vie , la présence de Riva est sans nul doute le déclencheur d'une nouvelle prise de conscience.
Une grosse tendresse pour ce roman tout en douceur , sans sexualité débridée, qui exprime une passion fraîchement éclose dans une ambiance très feuilles d'automne. L'histoire d'un retour à l'essentiel pour chacun de nos héros qui ont su creuser sous la surface pour trouver la bouffée d'air frais qu'ils attendaient depuis des années.
YOP
http://meninbooks.eklablog.com/
On a donc un Caleb taciturne, sans être insensible loin de là, fraîchement sorti de son coming out dans une petite ville proche de Toronto, ou les gays ne courent pas les rues ( ou ils auraient même tendance à se cacher). Annonce qui lui vaut une certaine réticence de la communauté qu'il côtoie depuis toujours. En face ,nous avons Peter ,avocat citadin sûr de lui et de son charme indéniable, habitué à séduire tout être humain qui croise sa route , un espèce de serial manager tout droit sorti de Madmen , équipé d'un sourire ultrabrite cachant un appétit de requin , gentil mais requin tout de même. La rencontre est comme une explosion souterraine , forte et avec une raisonnance étouffée mais ô combien chargée d'intensité dans une rivalité qui s'annonce passionnante.
Caleb , un être véritablement connecté à son éco-système , est empêtré dans une relation familiale avec son frère aîné assez compliquée ,faite de remords , de mépris et de rancœur.
Peter ,lui, est résolument un joueur, un bluffeur au grand cœur qui vit son métier comme une partie de poker ou celui qui sourit et jouit le plus de cette effervescence est forcement le vainqueur.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié les scènes d'approches d'un Peter tout en maladresse et sincérité , de vraies scènes actuelles, pleines de cet embarras rougissant qui retient encore une attirance qui pourrait le mettre en mauvaise posture vis a vis de son travail. Voir Caleb sortir de sa zone de confort pour se livrer à un bras de fer avec une multinationale sans qu'ils ne deviennent ennemis pour autant est un vrai pari pour le jeune avocat , espérer que le jeune ébéniste nourrisse les mêmes sentiments que lui en est un autre plus dangereux tant cela risque de l'amener à revoir les principes sur lesquels il bâtit jour après jour sa vie et sa réussite. On a un succulent paradoxe quand Peter toujours franc et sincère dans ses actes, essaie de l’être moins de peur de l’être trop aux yeux de Caleb
Leurs interactions sont tellement naturelles, sonnent tellement vraies qu'on réalise à quel point on manque souvent de cette réalité dans nos lectures. Exit les coups d'un soir a répétition du citadin frénétique , exit les sempiternels bars gay qui ne seraient que la seule optique de rencontre pour le pauvre gay isolé en campagne, exit la plupart des cliches bien encrés sur nos pages .
Et quand les événements bousculent les sentiments nouveaux qui peinaient à s’établir , cela renforce au contraire leur volonté de faire abstraction de ce qui n'est plus essentiel, de ne pas tomber dans les codes drama sur-utilises jusqu’à la lie.
Une écriture intelligente des hommes et de leurs actes au service d'une très belle histoire servie également par un autre personnages très réussi, Riva , la binôme ingénieur de Peter.
Leurs échanges professionnels et amicaux sont une vraie participation à la réussite du récit, c'est subtilement écrit avec des dialogues aussi drôles qu'instructifs sur leurs méthodes de communication. Elle est un élément clé du livre, discrète et pince sans rire mais toujours attachée à partager ouvertement son questionnement avec Peter l'ambitieux. On comprends vite qu'elle est son Jiminy Cricket , la petite voix qui s’élève pour énoncer les choses sous un aspect plus humaniste. Si sa rencontre avec Caleb le pousse à prendre une autre direction , un autre choix de vie , la présence de Riva est sans nul doute le déclencheur d'une nouvelle prise de conscience.
Une grosse tendresse pour ce roman tout en douceur , sans sexualité débridée, qui exprime une passion fraîchement éclose dans une ambiance très feuilles d'automne. L'histoire d'un retour à l'essentiel pour chacun de nos héros qui ont su creuser sous la surface pour trouver la bouffée d'air frais qu'ils attendaient depuis des années.
YOP
http://meninbooks.eklablog.com/
September 2, 2016
Reviewed by MtSnow:
Why I read this book: Many of you may already know that April 22nd is designated ‘EARTH DAY’ world-wide. In honor of this day, I was given the opportunity to read a book by one of my favorite authors. She writes her stories in a way that shows an appreciation of the outdoors and what the natural world has to offer quite well. She pulls me in with her description, and I can almost smell the earth, hear the birds, and feel the bark of the trees and wood *sigh*. It is a great pleasure to be pulled into a story like this. I came across this little gem a bit late, as its been on my to-be-read pile for a while.
But, first, to give you a little blurb about what exactly Earth Day is and why it is important:
“Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.”
Nature is very important to me in many ways. As an example, I have been working for more than two years to get 15 trees planted at our new workplace to help with shade in the summer, and insulation in the winter. We are out in the middle of a former ‘open field’ and get direct western sun in a bank of windows that causes the heating and cooling to be in a constant battle for anyone who happens to work on that side of the building.
Another reason I have been fighting for this sustainability project is to bring more wildlife in the way of birds, bees, and other flora and fauna to add a pleasant aesthetic to the surrounding area which otherwise looks very industrial, and is not a very pleasant place to take a walk, let alone work. Happy ending, the new building owner sees the possibilities of adding to the value of his facility by accommodating us with these changes, and we as employees are planting the first of the trees tomorrow, on Earth Day.
So what does this have to do with the story ‘Beneath the Surface’?
Well, imagine if you are big corporate lawyer just wanting to do your job without taking into consideration the people that will be left with what you have done to them and their community. You don’t live or work there, so why should you be concerned about the people after you leave? What’s the big deal?
My thoughts: Peter, the smooth-talking big city lawyer, and Caleb, the somewhat introverted and gun-shy wood-working ‘farmer’ could not be more opposite. Their interactions with each other make up most of the story, and we do not really see a relationship develop until the last third of the book. The events which take place bring many questions to mind in the lovely little farming community that is now, due to no one’s fault in particular, going to be the new home to a very large and profitable gravel pit… Now, who would like to live next to one of those in their backyard? Not me, that’s for sure *smile*.
I empathize with the choices these two have to make. The author is very good at fleshing out all the issues that would be a realistic concern to a small tight-knit community: i.e. water contamination, increased traffic, noise-level, trucks hauling loads of gravel all day, every day, decreased quality of life, etc. She also presents the other side of the coin – the gravel for all our roads have to come from somewhere, right? “for the benefit of many vs. the detriment of a few”.
Excerpt:
‘Caleb straightened up.
”…This soil has been feeding people for generations, part of the same cycle that I was talking about with the ashes and the trees for my firewood. Its great soil. Great farmland. And you’re going to scrape it all off and dump it somewhere, because you want to get at the stupid little rocks down beneath it.”
“The stupid little rocks are needed for roads. And buildings. It’d be nice if we could all live in our ancestral manors, but most of us don’t have that luxury. There are millions of people in this province, and they don’t just need homes – they need schools, and hospitals, and a shitload of other things that are all built with concrete. And concrete needs gravel.” Peter shook his head. He didn’t usually get this worked up.’
The author does a very gracious and insightful job of showing all points of view and every side to this politically divisive issue, and I found myself being drawn very much into the story, wondering how, if at all, the MCs could in any way have some kind of resolution and happily-ever-after. Bravo, but she does it, and I finished the story VERY happy with the conclusion.
I loved that Caleb was so in touch with the wood and chunks of trees that are his artistic medium of choice. In the following instance, he is trying to decide what to do with some cherry-wood, and Peter gives his input to what Caleb has been turning over and over in the table after they have both discussed their differences as introvert vice extrovert:
Excerpt:
‘ “ I just meant… we both have good jobs for what we are, right?” There was no way Caleb could have kept himself from returning Peter’s smile. Peter didn’t gloat about the victory… he just took one final step closer so he could touch the chunks of wood on the table.
“They remind me of a chess set, the way you’ve got them lined up. There’s the queen, and the king, and all these little guys could be pawns.” Then he stepped back and honest-to-God blushed. Caleb didn’t think people could fake a blush, could they? “Sorry,” Peter said. “Got a little carried away.” ‘
Another aspect of the story that really ‘humanized’ it for me was the inclusion of Caleb’s two mastiffs, Diesel and Diego. They have so much personality, they almost stole the show! I love how Kate writes her animal characters, like a true animal-lover:
Excerpt:
”Whoa! That’s… you told him to get a stick, didn’t you?” The dog was dragging a tree trunk across the lawn toward them. It must have been six feet long, probably nearly a foot in diameter, and the only reason the dog could move it at all was that it had a stub of a branch sticking out as a mouth-hold.
“Diesel’s an over-achiever,” Caleb said. “It keeps him busy.” He looked down at the other dog, and released his grip on the collar. “Diego, go help!” He waved his arm in the appropriate direction. “Go on, Diego, get Diesel!”
Diego gave one wistful look in Peter’ direction, as if hoping for the chance to knock him over again, then bounded happily in the direction Caleb had indicated… immediately latched onto the same branch Diesel was gripping and started tugging mightily… in the opposite direction. ‘
Love these dogs!
We do receive our HEA, and the story was satisfying. The only downside for me was it felt as if the chemistry between the MCs was a little lacking, but because of all the events that have to take place to give resolution to the story, the author really had to spend as much time as she did setting everything up. The epilogue did provide some closure, and addressed some of the issues brought up, but didn’t give me closure on a couple items in question. Otherwise, this is a good read to celebrate Earth Day.
Why I read this book: Many of you may already know that April 22nd is designated ‘EARTH DAY’ world-wide. In honor of this day, I was given the opportunity to read a book by one of my favorite authors. She writes her stories in a way that shows an appreciation of the outdoors and what the natural world has to offer quite well. She pulls me in with her description, and I can almost smell the earth, hear the birds, and feel the bark of the trees and wood *sigh*. It is a great pleasure to be pulled into a story like this. I came across this little gem a bit late, as its been on my to-be-read pile for a while.
But, first, to give you a little blurb about what exactly Earth Day is and why it is important:
“Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally and celebrated in more than 192 countries each year.”
Nature is very important to me in many ways. As an example, I have been working for more than two years to get 15 trees planted at our new workplace to help with shade in the summer, and insulation in the winter. We are out in the middle of a former ‘open field’ and get direct western sun in a bank of windows that causes the heating and cooling to be in a constant battle for anyone who happens to work on that side of the building.
Another reason I have been fighting for this sustainability project is to bring more wildlife in the way of birds, bees, and other flora and fauna to add a pleasant aesthetic to the surrounding area which otherwise looks very industrial, and is not a very pleasant place to take a walk, let alone work. Happy ending, the new building owner sees the possibilities of adding to the value of his facility by accommodating us with these changes, and we as employees are planting the first of the trees tomorrow, on Earth Day.
So what does this have to do with the story ‘Beneath the Surface’?
Well, imagine if you are big corporate lawyer just wanting to do your job without taking into consideration the people that will be left with what you have done to them and their community. You don’t live or work there, so why should you be concerned about the people after you leave? What’s the big deal?
My thoughts: Peter, the smooth-talking big city lawyer, and Caleb, the somewhat introverted and gun-shy wood-working ‘farmer’ could not be more opposite. Their interactions with each other make up most of the story, and we do not really see a relationship develop until the last third of the book. The events which take place bring many questions to mind in the lovely little farming community that is now, due to no one’s fault in particular, going to be the new home to a very large and profitable gravel pit… Now, who would like to live next to one of those in their backyard? Not me, that’s for sure *smile*.
I empathize with the choices these two have to make. The author is very good at fleshing out all the issues that would be a realistic concern to a small tight-knit community: i.e. water contamination, increased traffic, noise-level, trucks hauling loads of gravel all day, every day, decreased quality of life, etc. She also presents the other side of the coin – the gravel for all our roads have to come from somewhere, right? “for the benefit of many vs. the detriment of a few”.
Excerpt:
‘Caleb straightened up.
”…This soil has been feeding people for generations, part of the same cycle that I was talking about with the ashes and the trees for my firewood. Its great soil. Great farmland. And you’re going to scrape it all off and dump it somewhere, because you want to get at the stupid little rocks down beneath it.”
“The stupid little rocks are needed for roads. And buildings. It’d be nice if we could all live in our ancestral manors, but most of us don’t have that luxury. There are millions of people in this province, and they don’t just need homes – they need schools, and hospitals, and a shitload of other things that are all built with concrete. And concrete needs gravel.” Peter shook his head. He didn’t usually get this worked up.’
The author does a very gracious and insightful job of showing all points of view and every side to this politically divisive issue, and I found myself being drawn very much into the story, wondering how, if at all, the MCs could in any way have some kind of resolution and happily-ever-after. Bravo, but she does it, and I finished the story VERY happy with the conclusion.
I loved that Caleb was so in touch with the wood and chunks of trees that are his artistic medium of choice. In the following instance, he is trying to decide what to do with some cherry-wood, and Peter gives his input to what Caleb has been turning over and over in the table after they have both discussed their differences as introvert vice extrovert:
Excerpt:
‘ “ I just meant… we both have good jobs for what we are, right?” There was no way Caleb could have kept himself from returning Peter’s smile. Peter didn’t gloat about the victory… he just took one final step closer so he could touch the chunks of wood on the table.
“They remind me of a chess set, the way you’ve got them lined up. There’s the queen, and the king, and all these little guys could be pawns.” Then he stepped back and honest-to-God blushed. Caleb didn’t think people could fake a blush, could they? “Sorry,” Peter said. “Got a little carried away.” ‘
Another aspect of the story that really ‘humanized’ it for me was the inclusion of Caleb’s two mastiffs, Diesel and Diego. They have so much personality, they almost stole the show! I love how Kate writes her animal characters, like a true animal-lover:
Excerpt:
”Whoa! That’s… you told him to get a stick, didn’t you?” The dog was dragging a tree trunk across the lawn toward them. It must have been six feet long, probably nearly a foot in diameter, and the only reason the dog could move it at all was that it had a stub of a branch sticking out as a mouth-hold.
“Diesel’s an over-achiever,” Caleb said. “It keeps him busy.” He looked down at the other dog, and released his grip on the collar. “Diego, go help!” He waved his arm in the appropriate direction. “Go on, Diego, get Diesel!”
Diego gave one wistful look in Peter’ direction, as if hoping for the chance to knock him over again, then bounded happily in the direction Caleb had indicated… immediately latched onto the same branch Diesel was gripping and started tugging mightily… in the opposite direction. ‘
Love these dogs!
We do receive our HEA, and the story was satisfying. The only downside for me was it felt as if the chemistry between the MCs was a little lacking, but because of all the events that have to take place to give resolution to the story, the author really had to spend as much time as she did setting everything up. The epilogue did provide some closure, and addressed some of the issues brought up, but didn’t give me closure on a couple items in question. Otherwise, this is a good read to celebrate Earth Day.
November 27, 2018
Su fronti opposti
Quando gli interessi di molti si scontra con gli interessi di pochi è difficile che ci siano vincitori. Peter è un avocato che lavora per una grossa compagnia, la sua vita gli piace ma basta un dubbio per mettere tutto in discussione. Caleb è un artista, un artigiano e ha creato il suo piccolo rifugio dal mondo sulla terra e nella casa che un tempo era dei nonni. I due si incontrano e si scontrato, Peter promuove il progetto della sua società e Caleb si oppone, ma nessuno dei due può negare una certa attrazione.
Sono rimasta colpita da entrambi i protagonisti, Peter è carismatico e sfrontato, Caleb dolce e riservato, entrambi pronti a combattere per lo scopo che si sono prefissati e non saranno soli nella disputa, e la storia mi è piaciuta molto.
Quando gli interessi di molti si scontra con gli interessi di pochi è difficile che ci siano vincitori. Peter è un avocato che lavora per una grossa compagnia, la sua vita gli piace ma basta un dubbio per mettere tutto in discussione. Caleb è un artista, un artigiano e ha creato il suo piccolo rifugio dal mondo sulla terra e nella casa che un tempo era dei nonni. I due si incontrano e si scontrato, Peter promuove il progetto della sua società e Caleb si oppone, ma nessuno dei due può negare una certa attrazione.
Sono rimasta colpita da entrambi i protagonisti, Peter è carismatico e sfrontato, Caleb dolce e riservato, entrambi pronti a combattere per lo scopo che si sono prefissati e non saranno soli nella disputa, e la storia mi è piaciuta molto.
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