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Breaking Away
Features another Xena couple, tall, dark and brooding and small, blonde and talkative, but the story is told so well, that it's not as distracting as in some of the books. Lacey is the right hand "man" to a Mafia type boss and meets Rachel, who has a dark past herself. The two books tell how they try to build a life together, solve mysteries and separate themselves from Lacey's criminal background. The second book is actually the better one as far as plot and story development. Unfortunately, I remember reading that the author died from cancer, so this is her only work.
- GenresLesbian
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
1 person is currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Tonya Muir
1 book1 followerTonya Muir graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Computer Science. She spent some time in the Air Force being a programmer analyst and handling worldwide installations. After separating from the military, she took a job as a personnel manager for a telecommunications company in Denver. Tonya Muir lost her battle with cancer on January 25, 2001. Breaking Away was her only published book, but she had a few stories posted on online sites.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 18, 2020
A real change of pace, this one. As uber fiction, the two main characters, Lacey and Rachel, are based on Xena and Gabrielle from the Xena TV series. As alt uber fiction, it is set in a different universe as the TV show, namely 1990s New York City.
When the story opens, Lacey Montgomery—top enforcer for a local mobster—is investigating why some of her boss’ racehorses are not running as well as they should. At the barn, she meets one of the riders—Rachel Wilson—and is immediately captivated by her. Together, the two try to solve the case of the sluggish horses.
It’s not a bad mystery, especially because of the horse angle. I have read a lot of novels featuring horses, so that I know that Muir is not only incredibly detailed in her treatment of them, but accurate as well. She is like a rider, a writer, and a veterinarian all in one. Surprising for a woman who was in her twenties when she wrote this.
Muir, like Penny Mickelbury and Gina L. Dartt—two of my favorites—uses a double point of view. One chapter or section will be from Lacey’s POV, another from Rachel’s. It is very well done; Lacey and Rachel are both strong characters with their own voices and backstories.
In addition, Muir uses a very odd and unique style: Instead of saying something like “Lacey looked into Rachel’s eyes, she will say, “Ice-blue eyes met emerald.” In fact, she often uses parts of the body as the subject of her sentences. As in “dark hands found soft white skin.” Lacey is referred to as “The Dark Woman” more than as “Lacey.” As interesting as it is as a style, it can be overdone, and Muir overdoes it. Over all, this is the main flaw, but it is a big one, as if putting her youth and inexperience under a microscope. And although the setting is supposed to be New York City, it feels more like a smaller town in another state.
I’ve actually read Ulysses a couple of times and both times I had to go back and read The Odyssey afterwards. After beginning Faltering Steps I had to go back and start watching episodes of Xena, Warrior Princess. That's a pretty good recommendation.
If the author had lived to find a good editor—or to become one herself—she could have made this into a 4-star read or even better. As it is, give it a kind 2.7 and a place in our collective hearts.
Her two books, along with a few other fan fiction stories, are available for free here.
Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
When the story opens, Lacey Montgomery—top enforcer for a local mobster—is investigating why some of her boss’ racehorses are not running as well as they should. At the barn, she meets one of the riders—Rachel Wilson—and is immediately captivated by her. Together, the two try to solve the case of the sluggish horses.
It’s not a bad mystery, especially because of the horse angle. I have read a lot of novels featuring horses, so that I know that Muir is not only incredibly detailed in her treatment of them, but accurate as well. She is like a rider, a writer, and a veterinarian all in one. Surprising for a woman who was in her twenties when she wrote this.
Muir, like Penny Mickelbury and Gina L. Dartt—two of my favorites—uses a double point of view. One chapter or section will be from Lacey’s POV, another from Rachel’s. It is very well done; Lacey and Rachel are both strong characters with their own voices and backstories.
In addition, Muir uses a very odd and unique style: Instead of saying something like “Lacey looked into Rachel’s eyes, she will say, “Ice-blue eyes met emerald.” In fact, she often uses parts of the body as the subject of her sentences. As in “dark hands found soft white skin.” Lacey is referred to as “The Dark Woman” more than as “Lacey.” As interesting as it is as a style, it can be overdone, and Muir overdoes it. Over all, this is the main flaw, but it is a big one, as if putting her youth and inexperience under a microscope. And although the setting is supposed to be New York City, it feels more like a smaller town in another state.
I’ve actually read Ulysses a couple of times and both times I had to go back and read The Odyssey afterwards. After beginning Faltering Steps I had to go back and start watching episodes of Xena, Warrior Princess. That's a pretty good recommendation.
If the author had lived to find a good editor—or to become one herself—she could have made this into a 4-star read or even better. As it is, give it a kind 2.7 and a place in our collective hearts.
Her two books, along with a few other fan fiction stories, are available for free here.
Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
January 1, 2025
Been a hot minute since I read an uber fic and this one definitely didn't disappoint. Morally grey lead, vaguely believable mafia drama, and copious use of synecdoche... This one had it all.
It's definitely not my favourite, I doubt anything will ever dethrone the Ice and Angel trilogy, but I still really liked it. And Molly is a total sweetheart.
RIP Tonya Muir - I wish we got to read more of your stories.
It's definitely not my favourite, I doubt anything will ever dethrone the Ice and Angel trilogy, but I still really liked it. And Molly is a total sweetheart.
RIP Tonya Muir - I wish we got to read more of your stories.
December 3, 2013
one of the books i re-read every now and then...
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews