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Leather and Grit #1
Drawing the Devil
"A heart can live a lifetime in eight seconds."
Ever since his father caught him with another boy and threw him out at the tender age of sixteen, Dustin Lewis has been fighting his way up the national bull-riding rankings. He s on the brink of qualifying for the National Finals when he draws Diablo, a notoriously rank bull and the ride goes bad.
When bullfighter Shane Rees frees Dustin from the rigging of the same bull that nearly destroyed his face, he comes dangerously close to dropping his guard. Shane knows the potential consequences of being gay in a sport loaded with testosterone-overdosed cowboys, and the resulting scars of mind and body have left him with little self-worth.
Their near-death-by-bull first meeting sparks an attraction that awakens every last one of their personal demons. Yet as the National Finals draws closer, so do they. But they ll have to overcome emotional highs, near-tragic lows, and bone-crushing danger before love can bust out of the chute.
Contains man-on-man boot knocking, rawhide and raw emotions, badass cowboys and even badder-ass bulls. This ain t your old man s rodeo."
Ever since his father caught him with another boy and threw him out at the tender age of sixteen, Dustin Lewis has been fighting his way up the national bull-riding rankings. He s on the brink of qualifying for the National Finals when he draws Diablo, a notoriously rank bull and the ride goes bad.
When bullfighter Shane Rees frees Dustin from the rigging of the same bull that nearly destroyed his face, he comes dangerously close to dropping his guard. Shane knows the potential consequences of being gay in a sport loaded with testosterone-overdosed cowboys, and the resulting scars of mind and body have left him with little self-worth.
Their near-death-by-bull first meeting sparks an attraction that awakens every last one of their personal demons. Yet as the National Finals draws closer, so do they. But they ll have to overcome emotional highs, near-tragic lows, and bone-crushing danger before love can bust out of the chute.
Contains man-on-man boot knocking, rawhide and raw emotions, badass cowboys and even badder-ass bulls. This ain t your old man s rodeo."
162 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2015
2 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 8, 2015
I didn’t like this book much the first time I read it. My opinion of it has softened after a second go around though. Kind of a rough and tumble read with a crude edge kinda like the cowboys it’s about.
Shane’s attitude was hard to take for a long period of time. He has poor self esteem because of his scars and no matter the evidence to the contrary he couldn’t really accept when Dustin told him how attractive he was and that weared after a while, same for Dustin has his attitude about his ADD. There’s only so much woe is me I can handle before it gets old. Moving beyond that I enjoyed the men together and the rodeo backdrop.
Dustin was spazzy and cute and I liked his master plan but some of his opinions on bottoming were odd. I’m glad that didn’t play out longer than it did. Shane was kind and honorable and I enjoyed his interactions with his family.
I liked that we got alternating POV’s here. It really helped balanced things out for me and I needed to see where the guys were in their thoughts about each other. I don’t think I would have liked it as much if it had been one sided.
I’m kind of curious about a secondary couple that showed up part way through the read, Darrin and Mitch, I investigated and saw that they have their own book, Wrangler Butts. I’ll be reading that one because their story interested me.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Shane’s attitude was hard to take for a long period of time. He has poor self esteem because of his scars and no matter the evidence to the contrary he couldn’t really accept when Dustin told him how attractive he was and that weared after a while, same for Dustin has his attitude about his ADD. There’s only so much woe is me I can handle before it gets old. Moving beyond that I enjoyed the men together and the rodeo backdrop.
Dustin was spazzy and cute and I liked his master plan but some of his opinions on bottoming were odd. I’m glad that didn’t play out longer than it did. Shane was kind and honorable and I enjoyed his interactions with his family.
I liked that we got alternating POV’s here. It really helped balanced things out for me and I needed to see where the guys were in their thoughts about each other. I don’t think I would have liked it as much if it had been one sided.
I’m kind of curious about a secondary couple that showed up part way through the read, Darrin and Mitch, I investigated and saw that they have their own book, Wrangler Butts. I’ll be reading that one because their story interested me.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
January 16, 2015
Drawing the Devil is about two cowboys, one a bull-rider (Dustin) and one a bullfighter (Shane) who take a risk to tell each other about their sexuality, and stumble towards love.
Some of it is cute, sexy and quite funny. I like some of their bedroom banter, although towards the end, it got a bit much and a bit repetitive.
I liked the side-stories, involving Shane's brother Sam, and Dustin's best friend Trent, but I am not sure they were given enough sensitivity. I guess this is my biggest issue with the books, it's a bit all 'howdy cowboy, we're just a bunch of cussin' boys riding dangerous bulls'...
As to the rodeo circuit, again, sometimes we were given glimpses into this dangerous world, but often there was too much time spend on the trivial details - the driving to each show, the hotels and the junior show. And not enough for me to get a sense of how good a rider Dustin really was.
I liked the two boys. I could feel their personalities, but right at the end, there was a out-of-character fight and it just came out of the blue, and then was solved pretty instantly.
I think it's the pacing that threw me - quick build up to the sexy scenes, which then were long and detailed, then quickly to the next plot point, then back to the bedroom (or the trailer), (or the hotel), and so on.
So, I have reservations. But I read it to the end. And the epilogue was cute.
Copy provided by published via Netgalley with thanks. Out on February 3rd.
Some of it is cute, sexy and quite funny. I like some of their bedroom banter, although towards the end, it got a bit much and a bit repetitive.
I liked the side-stories, involving Shane's brother Sam, and Dustin's best friend Trent, but I am not sure they were given enough sensitivity. I guess this is my biggest issue with the books, it's a bit all 'howdy cowboy, we're just a bunch of cussin' boys riding dangerous bulls'...
As to the rodeo circuit, again, sometimes we were given glimpses into this dangerous world, but often there was too much time spend on the trivial details - the driving to each show, the hotels and the junior show. And not enough for me to get a sense of how good a rider Dustin really was.
I liked the two boys. I could feel their personalities, but right at the end, there was a out-of-character fight and it just came out of the blue, and then was solved pretty instantly.
I think it's the pacing that threw me - quick build up to the sexy scenes, which then were long and detailed, then quickly to the next plot point, then back to the bedroom (or the trailer), (or the hotel), and so on.
So, I have reservations. But I read it to the end. And the epilogue was cute.
Copy provided by published via Netgalley with thanks. Out on February 3rd.
January 23, 2016
A rodeo clown, Shane, and a bull rider, Dustin have a lot in common, they just don't know it. Shane already knows he is gay, but it is something not advertised on the rodeo circuit. Rodeo hasn't fully come around to gay cowboys on the circuit. Neither man wants to be outed, but they can't resist the attraction that they have for each other.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. They were fully fleshed out, and charming. The story was a little cliched, and I could see where it was going, but I still recommend it. The rodeo background was spot on. If rodeo interests you, then you will learn a lot from this story.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. They were fully fleshed out, and charming. The story was a little cliched, and I could see where it was going, but I still recommend it. The rodeo background was spot on. If rodeo interests you, then you will learn a lot from this story.
February 4, 2015
Leigh's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
3.25 Stars
With a bull fighter, a bull rider and a lot of hot and sweaty cowboy action, I had my hopes set so high for this book. With all that testosterone, what’s not to look forward to? Sadly, Drawing the Devil just didn’t deliver for me.
Both Shane and Dustin are extremely likeable characters. But they each had so many issues with self confidence and communication with one another that it felt as if two teenage boys were trying to have a relationship, rather than two grown men. Their interactions, both socially and sexually, lacked a certain amount of maturity that I was expecting, and I could not understand the depth of their relationship, other than I was told that they were in love with one another.
Other than the characters themselves, the story just seemed to work itself out too easily. Fights got resolved with a quick apology. Injuries healed in the blink of an eye. Life does not move as seamlessly as it did in this book.
The entire way through, there was something about the writing and the interactions between all of the characters that I couldn’t put my finger on. However, it felt different than most of the other M/M books I have read. Once I was finished, I realized that the author was a man. I have no idea if this has anything to do with my feelings when reading the book, but I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a more realistic depiction of the way two men would act together, and if the M/M romance that I have read in the past (which has all been written by women) gave a more romanticized view of what women want it to be. Never having been privy to a M/M encounter (what a pity!) I can’t say which is closer to the real thing. But I did find it interesting that it had a distinctly different feel than most M/M romances.
While it held my attention and had a lot of human emotions running rampant in this quick book, I would have liked to see a little more depth to these characters and more sophistication in the story. However, there was a TON of smoking cowboy sex, chaps included, so I absolutely need to give praise for that. That alone made it worth reading!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
3.25 Stars
With a bull fighter, a bull rider and a lot of hot and sweaty cowboy action, I had my hopes set so high for this book. With all that testosterone, what’s not to look forward to? Sadly, Drawing the Devil just didn’t deliver for me.
Both Shane and Dustin are extremely likeable characters. But they each had so many issues with self confidence and communication with one another that it felt as if two teenage boys were trying to have a relationship, rather than two grown men. Their interactions, both socially and sexually, lacked a certain amount of maturity that I was expecting, and I could not understand the depth of their relationship, other than I was told that they were in love with one another.
Other than the characters themselves, the story just seemed to work itself out too easily. Fights got resolved with a quick apology. Injuries healed in the blink of an eye. Life does not move as seamlessly as it did in this book.
The entire way through, there was something about the writing and the interactions between all of the characters that I couldn’t put my finger on. However, it felt different than most of the other M/M books I have read. Once I was finished, I realized that the author was a man. I have no idea if this has anything to do with my feelings when reading the book, but I couldn’t help but wonder if this was a more realistic depiction of the way two men would act together, and if the M/M romance that I have read in the past (which has all been written by women) gave a more romanticized view of what women want it to be. Never having been privy to a M/M encounter (what a pity!) I can’t say which is closer to the real thing. But I did find it interesting that it had a distinctly different feel than most M/M romances.
While it held my attention and had a lot of human emotions running rampant in this quick book, I would have liked to see a little more depth to these characters and more sophistication in the story. However, there was a TON of smoking cowboy sex, chaps included, so I absolutely need to give praise for that. That alone made it worth reading!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
December 20, 2014
Dustin Lewis is a bull rider moving up the ranks. One day he draws an especially aggressive bull and ends up needing the assistance of bullfighter Shane Rees . The two men are immediately attracted to each other but neither are openly out in this macho, testerone driven sport. They end up traveling together and starting a friendship and sexual relationship.
This was my first time reading this author and sometimes when reading m/m romance you can really tell the difference between a male author and a female author. Are male author's more realistic about men's relationships? Probably. But in some cases, this being one, this does not work for me. These two main characters were very crude in their talking and behaviors. Are bullriders crude and teenage boy acting in real life? Maybe. But again, not working for me in a romance book. They said things like....MC #1 "I'm hungry". MC #2 "I have a sausage for you". **giant eye roll**
I had a hard time feeling the connection between these two and didn't really understand why they loved each other. Again it goes to perspective and I just could not get into this book. The writing was fine and the plot flowed well. I don't have any particular complaints about the technical aspects of the book. It all boils down to prefences I think and I just don't like reading about men who act like cavemen. It's not the type of romance I was looking for.
This was my first time reading this author and sometimes when reading m/m romance you can really tell the difference between a male author and a female author. Are male author's more realistic about men's relationships? Probably. But in some cases, this being one, this does not work for me. These two main characters were very crude in their talking and behaviors. Are bullriders crude and teenage boy acting in real life? Maybe. But again, not working for me in a romance book. They said things like....MC #1 "I'm hungry". MC #2 "I have a sausage for you". **giant eye roll**
I had a hard time feeling the connection between these two and didn't really understand why they loved each other. Again it goes to perspective and I just could not get into this book. The writing was fine and the plot flowed well. I don't have any particular complaints about the technical aspects of the book. It all boils down to prefences I think and I just don't like reading about men who act like cavemen. It's not the type of romance I was looking for.
October 27, 2015
This book was a good book about two cowboys with a plot that wasn’t too strife with anxiety or stress, and that was a relief. The characters were believable and reacted as a real person would, and the romance (especially in the beginning) was not full-to-bursting with perfect “love at first sight” as some other books, which was also refreshing. It also addressed the homophobia that is still embarrassingly prevalent in more southern/country/traditionally masculine occupations. It was a pleasant mix of peacefully developing relationship and real-life trouble.
My main problem with this book is a problem that very likely is specific to me as a person. Both of the men in this book came off with a certain level of . . . immaturity. Neither of them are people that I would be dying to hang out with in real life, and I found it quite annoying. This is, however, probably very intentional in creating a believable down-home southern cowboy, and should probably be seen as a mark of a good writer, especially in the character Dustin, who struggles with ADHD. If you like completely realistic cowboys, this is the book for you. I, however, am going to have a kitten if I ever have to read words such as “jizz” a single time more.
(Received from publisher for an honest review.)
My main problem with this book is a problem that very likely is specific to me as a person. Both of the men in this book came off with a certain level of . . . immaturity. Neither of them are people that I would be dying to hang out with in real life, and I found it quite annoying. This is, however, probably very intentional in creating a believable down-home southern cowboy, and should probably be seen as a mark of a good writer, especially in the character Dustin, who struggles with ADHD. If you like completely realistic cowboys, this is the book for you. I, however, am going to have a kitten if I ever have to read words such as “jizz” a single time more.
(Received from publisher for an honest review.)
November 22, 2014
Review to come on Talkbookstome.blog but I would point out some interesting facts.
-books written by men have a totally different vibe/read for me
-sex scenes described by men are very different...not better, not worse...just like I am hearing the other side.
-gay bashing has no place in this world...there is so little love, why quash any of it???
-Cowboys, straight or gay, big or short..large hawt!
Happy Friday!
-books written by men have a totally different vibe/read for me
-sex scenes described by men are very different...not better, not worse...just like I am hearing the other side.
-gay bashing has no place in this world...there is so little love, why quash any of it???
-Cowboys, straight or gay, big or short..large hawt!
Happy Friday!
dnf-not-4-me
February 4, 2015The reviews are pretty lackluster and there are SO MANY well reviewed cowboy books on my TBR shelf that I am going to skip this one unless a GR friend talks me into it.
February 9, 2015
3.5 stars. The ending was so cute!!
February 5, 2015
DRAWING THE DEVIL
by Jon Keys
February 3, 2015
162 pages, approximately
Romance: Gay, Erotica, Sport
*** Provided by NetGalley in Exchange for an Honest Review. ***
-- Synopsis --
A heart can live a lifetime in eight seconds.
Ever since his father caught him with another boy and threw him out at the tender age of sixteen, Dustin Lewis has been fighting his way up the national bull-riding rankings. He’s on the brink of qualifying for the National Finals when he draws Diablo, a notoriously rank bull—and the ride goes bad.
When bullfighter Shane Rees frees Dustin from the rigging of the same bull that nearly destroyed his face, he comes dangerously close to dropping his guard. Shane knows the potential consequences of being gay in a sport loaded with testosterone-overdosed cowboys, and the resulting scars of mind and body have left him with little self-worth.
Their near-death-by-bull first meeting sparks an attraction that awakens every last one of their personal demons. Yet as the National Finals draws closer, so do they. But they’ll have to overcome emotional highs, near-tragic lows, and bone-crushing danger before love can bust out of the chute.
Warning: Contains man-on-man boot knocking, rawhide and raw emotions, badass cowboys and even badder-ass bulls. This ain’t your old man’s rodeo.
The story starts off a little roughly written with short, choppy and stiff narration. Although the plot describes an exciting moment, the elementary style of writing detracted from the enjoyment. Thankfully, it starts to smooth out a little after only 10-15 %. Shane seems like a pretty solid character, if a bit insecure. Dustin is written in a way that more often than not, he comes off as a kid in his mid-teens as opposed to a young man starting his twenties. Maybe it's his supposed ADHD, but I don't buy that, being the parent of an ADHD pre-teen. Worse, I had to continually remind myself that Dustin is over twenty years old because, too often, the dynamics between him and Shane felt more like older man and early high school kid. The few secondary characters add good dimension. Dialogue and interaction are passable most of the time. The plot's synopsis caught my attention immediately as I am a huge fan of bull riding and it sounded intriguing. I have to state that reading that Bushwhacker was some aggressive beast kind of threw me for a loop because the reality of it is quite the opposite, whereas Modified Clyde or David's Dream would have been a more likely candidate. The plot, in writing, was pretty good and it flows a little better than average. There were numerous conflicts throughout the book, most of which were resolved well. It does, sadly, bring light to the fact that gay men face hate crimes still to this day. Predictability was not too much of an issue. The ending was concluded in a way where all the loose ends were tied and tucked away, but there was enough vagueness in it that there could later be a follow-up book or one featuring Todd and his barrel-racer crush.
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Score: 3.7
Stars: 4
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Tina J @ Unbound Passion
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February 5, 2015
Something about gay cowboys just really does it for me and Drawing the Devil definitely delivered with two hot and sexy cowboys. I absolutely loved Shane and Dustin. While they both deal with the normal homophobic issues that are often featured in m/m romances that take place on the rodeo circuit, each man comes with his own additional baggage that just adds to the realism of their characters and keeps the storyline flowing.
Shane is a bullfighter who puts himself in harm’s way every time he steps into the arena because it’s his job to distract the bull long enough for the recently bucked rider to get out of the ring before the bull has a chance to attack him. Because he was scarred by the very bull that is responsible for him meeting Dustin, he has a major hang-up with how he looks as the scar runs across his face. So Shane finds it hard to believe Dustin’s claims that he is hot and doesn’t believe Dustin wants more than a one-night stand. Dustin. Sweet, sweet Dustin. I absolutely adored him. In addition to having to deal with being disowned by his family for being gay, he also has to deal with having ADD. His behaviors indicate that there’s definitely some hyperactivity in the mix too, and because of it, his history with guys hasn’t been that great. His nonstop chatter, sudden subject changes during conversations, and need to constantly be doing something has always been too much for his love interests to deal with for very long. While both men let their insecurities arise multiple times within the book, it was always appropriate to the scenes and never felt as though it was introduced simply to drive up the angst of the book. Rather, they added to the storyline and the believability of both Dustin and Shane. The resulting chemistry between the two men was palpable and the reader is treated to a myriad of sex scenes that range from playful, to tender, to balls-to-wall hot!
Almost as loveable as Shane and Dustin are their respective families. The easy acceptance of each man by the other’s family was heartwarming, especially after learning how Shane’s mother responded to him coming out. I should note, that Dustin’s family is the family that unofficially adopted him after his blood disowned him. His “mom’s” reaction to his coming out was priceless and had me laughing out loud. Despite the often heavy themes, I was actually laughing quite a bit during Drawing the Devil as Dustin’s character seemed driven to provide comic relief – intentionally and unintentionally – throughout the book. This was a great novel and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Keys’ work.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
Shane is a bullfighter who puts himself in harm’s way every time he steps into the arena because it’s his job to distract the bull long enough for the recently bucked rider to get out of the ring before the bull has a chance to attack him. Because he was scarred by the very bull that is responsible for him meeting Dustin, he has a major hang-up with how he looks as the scar runs across his face. So Shane finds it hard to believe Dustin’s claims that he is hot and doesn’t believe Dustin wants more than a one-night stand. Dustin. Sweet, sweet Dustin. I absolutely adored him. In addition to having to deal with being disowned by his family for being gay, he also has to deal with having ADD. His behaviors indicate that there’s definitely some hyperactivity in the mix too, and because of it, his history with guys hasn’t been that great. His nonstop chatter, sudden subject changes during conversations, and need to constantly be doing something has always been too much for his love interests to deal with for very long. While both men let their insecurities arise multiple times within the book, it was always appropriate to the scenes and never felt as though it was introduced simply to drive up the angst of the book. Rather, they added to the storyline and the believability of both Dustin and Shane. The resulting chemistry between the two men was palpable and the reader is treated to a myriad of sex scenes that range from playful, to tender, to balls-to-wall hot!
Almost as loveable as Shane and Dustin are their respective families. The easy acceptance of each man by the other’s family was heartwarming, especially after learning how Shane’s mother responded to him coming out. I should note, that Dustin’s family is the family that unofficially adopted him after his blood disowned him. His “mom’s” reaction to his coming out was priceless and had me laughing out loud. Despite the often heavy themes, I was actually laughing quite a bit during Drawing the Devil as Dustin’s character seemed driven to provide comic relief – intentionally and unintentionally – throughout the book. This was a great novel and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Keys’ work.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
April 27, 2016
Ein besonders aggressiver und gefährlicher Bulle bringt den Bullenreiter Dustin Lewis und den Bullenkämpfer Shane Rees zusammen. Als der Bullen Dustin abwirft und verletzt, ist es Shane der den jüngeren Mann rettet. Auch Shane hat schon Erfahrung mit dem Tier und verdankt ihm die Narben an Körper und Gesicht. Rodeo ist eine gefährliche Angelegenheit, doch Shane fühlt sich in diesem Zirkus wohl. Auch wenn er vorsichtig sein muss und seine Sexualität für sich behält. Genauso Dustin, der als Teenager wegen seiner Homosexualität aus dem Elternhaus geworfen wurde.
Der Unfall bringt Shane und Dustin zusammen und Shane bietet dem Jüngeren eine Mitreisegelegenheit an - unter den Akteuren des Rodeo-Zirkus keine Seltenheit. Dustin sieht mehr als nur die Narben und fühlt sich zu Shane hingezogen. Doch Shane ist durch seine Narben sehr dünnhäutig und auch distanziert geworden. Dustins Worten schenkt er nur wenig Glauben. Wie kann ihn der attraktive Reiter nur anziehend und gutaussiehend finden? Da muss ein Haken an der Sache sein und Shane glaubt nicht, dass Dustin sich sehr lange mit ihm abgeben wird. Doch Dustin bleibt an Shanes Seite und durch die Enge des Trailers, kommen sie sich natürlich weiter nahe.
Der Rodeo-Zirkus und die Besucher der Veranstaltungen sind jedoch nicht gerade gay-freundlich und Shane hat auch mit der eigenen Familie Probleme, auch wenn diese nicht so drastisch wie Dustins reagiert.
Der Geschichte ist wirklich gut erzählt und deutet die Homophobie in gewissen Teilen der Gesellschaft nicht nur an. Shane und Dustin erfahren es am eigenen Leib und wird sie und auch als Paar verändern. Phasenweise ist der Schreibstil gewöhnungsbedürftig, da es ziemlich rasche Wechsel gibt. Ausserdem bleibt der Autor auch ein wenig vage, was die Vergangenheit der Protagonisten betrifft. Von Dustin erfährt man deutlich mehr, während Shane in der Hinsicht etwas blass bleibt. Doch die Protas sind gut beschrieben und so wird bei Dustin ein gewisses Aufmerksamskeitsproblem thematisiert, das sich für als ADS herauskristallisiert hat.
Zwischen Shane und Dustin knistert es gewaltig und doch ist es keine reine Bettgeschichte. Es gibt auch einen Plot - man mag es kaum glauben. Manchmal ist das Verhalten und die Schreibweise etwas spröde, doch aufgrund des Settings fand ich das sogar ganz passend. Man will ja von echten Kerlen lesen und nicht von weichgespülten Cowboys. Bis auf den schnellen Szenenwechsel hat mir das Buch gut gefallen. Einen kleine Kritik an Shanes Familie möchte ich auch noch anmerken. Es wird von Brüdern gesprochen, doch wirklich ins Spiel kommt nur Sam, der sich gegen Ende des Buchs sogar als Shanes Zwilling herausstellt. Auch das ist dann nicht unwichtig für die Geschichte.
Der Unfall bringt Shane und Dustin zusammen und Shane bietet dem Jüngeren eine Mitreisegelegenheit an - unter den Akteuren des Rodeo-Zirkus keine Seltenheit. Dustin sieht mehr als nur die Narben und fühlt sich zu Shane hingezogen. Doch Shane ist durch seine Narben sehr dünnhäutig und auch distanziert geworden. Dustins Worten schenkt er nur wenig Glauben. Wie kann ihn der attraktive Reiter nur anziehend und gutaussiehend finden? Da muss ein Haken an der Sache sein und Shane glaubt nicht, dass Dustin sich sehr lange mit ihm abgeben wird. Doch Dustin bleibt an Shanes Seite und durch die Enge des Trailers, kommen sie sich natürlich weiter nahe.
Der Rodeo-Zirkus und die Besucher der Veranstaltungen sind jedoch nicht gerade gay-freundlich und Shane hat auch mit der eigenen Familie Probleme, auch wenn diese nicht so drastisch wie Dustins reagiert.
Der Geschichte ist wirklich gut erzählt und deutet die Homophobie in gewissen Teilen der Gesellschaft nicht nur an. Shane und Dustin erfahren es am eigenen Leib und wird sie und auch als Paar verändern. Phasenweise ist der Schreibstil gewöhnungsbedürftig, da es ziemlich rasche Wechsel gibt. Ausserdem bleibt der Autor auch ein wenig vage, was die Vergangenheit der Protagonisten betrifft. Von Dustin erfährt man deutlich mehr, während Shane in der Hinsicht etwas blass bleibt. Doch die Protas sind gut beschrieben und so wird bei Dustin ein gewisses Aufmerksamskeitsproblem thematisiert, das sich für als ADS herauskristallisiert hat.
Zwischen Shane und Dustin knistert es gewaltig und doch ist es keine reine Bettgeschichte. Es gibt auch einen Plot - man mag es kaum glauben. Manchmal ist das Verhalten und die Schreibweise etwas spröde, doch aufgrund des Settings fand ich das sogar ganz passend. Man will ja von echten Kerlen lesen und nicht von weichgespülten Cowboys. Bis auf den schnellen Szenenwechsel hat mir das Buch gut gefallen. Einen kleine Kritik an Shanes Familie möchte ich auch noch anmerken. Es wird von Brüdern gesprochen, doch wirklich ins Spiel kommt nur Sam, der sich gegen Ende des Buchs sogar als Shanes Zwilling herausstellt. Auch das ist dann nicht unwichtig für die Geschichte.
February 5, 2015
4 star review by Dan
I’ve had this book in my “to be reviewed” pile for a while now, but have kept putting it off because the publishing date wasn’t until February. Today I decided to pick it up to help work past a book hangover from a really dark book I had just finished. It was the perfect idea! It was a great fast moving read, with believable characters and story line. I’d be happy to hang out with the MCs. They seem like a couple of really nice guys because the author did a good job of making them three dimensional.
Dustin Lewis is an up and coming bull rider on the national circuit. As far as he knows, no one except his father and grandfather know he is gay. They both threw him out when they caught him giving a neighbor boy a blowjob when he was 16.
Shane Rees is a bullfighter who was severely wounded by a bull named Diablo a year or so prior to this story. Shane has a large scar on his face, and some on his torso. He is also gay, but suffers from an inferiority complex brought on by the scarring. He figures no man will ever want him for anything but a quickie in a dark room and then they will run from his ugliness. He dreams of a man who will love him for him.
This book is the story of the two men and their journey to the National Finals. Along the way both men deal with their growing feelings for each other, in between both being repeatedly injured by both animals and humans. Will they make it through to the other side, or will their uncertainty and their family backgrounds keep them apart? With their nicknames for themselves being Dumb and Ugly (brought on by their individual insecurities) will any sort of romance even be possible? Or instead, will one of the bulls get one of them before anything can happen? What will happen when Dustin draws Diablo for his ride? You’ll just have to pick up the book to find out!
I really liked this book. It was a great evening read. It was well written and well edited. The sex was pretty hot, but there was also a story. Good Job!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
I’ve had this book in my “to be reviewed” pile for a while now, but have kept putting it off because the publishing date wasn’t until February. Today I decided to pick it up to help work past a book hangover from a really dark book I had just finished. It was the perfect idea! It was a great fast moving read, with believable characters and story line. I’d be happy to hang out with the MCs. They seem like a couple of really nice guys because the author did a good job of making them three dimensional.
Dustin Lewis is an up and coming bull rider on the national circuit. As far as he knows, no one except his father and grandfather know he is gay. They both threw him out when they caught him giving a neighbor boy a blowjob when he was 16.
Shane Rees is a bullfighter who was severely wounded by a bull named Diablo a year or so prior to this story. Shane has a large scar on his face, and some on his torso. He is also gay, but suffers from an inferiority complex brought on by the scarring. He figures no man will ever want him for anything but a quickie in a dark room and then they will run from his ugliness. He dreams of a man who will love him for him.
This book is the story of the two men and their journey to the National Finals. Along the way both men deal with their growing feelings for each other, in between both being repeatedly injured by both animals and humans. Will they make it through to the other side, or will their uncertainty and their family backgrounds keep them apart? With their nicknames for themselves being Dumb and Ugly (brought on by their individual insecurities) will any sort of romance even be possible? Or instead, will one of the bulls get one of them before anything can happen? What will happen when Dustin draws Diablo for his ride? You’ll just have to pick up the book to find out!
I really liked this book. It was a great evening read. It was well written and well edited. The sex was pretty hot, but there was also a story. Good Job!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
December 23, 2014
2/5 ADHD Stars!!!
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy from Samhain Publishing via NetGalley
Hmmmm, I thought having two cowboys together couldn't go wrong but yep sadly I didn't fall in love with this story.
Here we have Shane Rees the bullfighter who lost too many fights with the bull which left him a bit disfigured and Dustin Lewis the young bull rider with ADHD. Normally I love the MM genre because they're always written as two strong characters but this is one of the first times where one of the main characters became across quite a bit weaker with all his insecurities.
As I was reading it I felt like I had ADHD with it the story bouncing all over the place. But in the end even though it wasn't my favorite read, it was still sweet where Dustin the young one teaches Shane a few things so they can be together. Especially with the heartache both boys have to face with Dustin's family and the preducjice of others but they cowboys will fight so they can be together.
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December 16, 2014
Hardheaded cowboys make for a fun read. Both Shane and Dustin are firmly in the closet. Dustin has experienced hate over his sexuality from the people that should have loved him the most in his life. Shane hasn’t experienced what Dustin has but he still remains there because he has seen the hate that can come from the men he has to work with at the various rodeos that he bullfights at. When a ride gone wrong puts these two men together they can’t seem to stop themselves from exploring the attraction that seems to be more than just a one time thing.
Traveling the rodeo circuit together keeps Dustin and Shane in tight quarters for extended periods of time. It doesn’t take long for both men to realise that they each have some insecurities that may bother them personally but the other just doesn’t get it. Shane’s self-esteem has been at an all time low ever since his face was left scarred by a bull. Dustin has a whole other set of problems that he tries to keep in check so he doesn’t annoy those around him. Some days are better than others and he knows that Shane is the reason the good days are growing in number.
Drawing the Devil had a slight different feel to it than most gay romances that I read. I do believe that it is because of the author being a man. Men doing what men do in all parts of life written by a man was noticeably different from many of the other gay romances I’ve read recently. I liked this. Shane and Dustin and their interactions always appeared to be the natural thing for these cowboys. I enjoyed this book and I will definitely add Jon Keys to my lengthy list of authors to check out at another time.
Traveling the rodeo circuit together keeps Dustin and Shane in tight quarters for extended periods of time. It doesn’t take long for both men to realise that they each have some insecurities that may bother them personally but the other just doesn’t get it. Shane’s self-esteem has been at an all time low ever since his face was left scarred by a bull. Dustin has a whole other set of problems that he tries to keep in check so he doesn’t annoy those around him. Some days are better than others and he knows that Shane is the reason the good days are growing in number.
Drawing the Devil had a slight different feel to it than most gay romances that I read. I do believe that it is because of the author being a man. Men doing what men do in all parts of life written by a man was noticeably different from many of the other gay romances I’ve read recently. I liked this. Shane and Dustin and their interactions always appeared to be the natural thing for these cowboys. I enjoyed this book and I will definitely add Jon Keys to my lengthy list of authors to check out at another time.
September 16, 2014
Dustin was kicked out of his home when he was very young after being caught with another boy. Both his family and the boy would have nothing to do with him. He lived with his best friend Todd and became a bull rider with Todd. Dustin has ADD and is very hyper.
Shane is a bullfighter. He has a lot of scars from his job. Some are very visible, like one across his face. He is gay and not closeted, though he doesn’t advertise it either. His job is saving cowboys from the bull. After saving Dustin, he finds himself very attracted to the young bull rider. They become good friends. Could a hot young man like Dustin want anything other than a one-off from a scarred up man like Shane?
This story had a lot going for it. I have to say I never really connected with either character.I do however like that they are unique.. One is visibly scarred one is dealing with ADD. I did like the storyline and plot. There is a lot of hot, down and dirty, raunchy sex in this story. For me it was a bit of a turnoff, but I am not saying it was bad; it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I will say about halfway through the story really picked up and I am glad I kept reading. Overall, it is a good story.
If you like bull riders, bullfighters, drama, down and dirty sex talk, hot man-sex and a really good friends to lovers romance this is for you.
* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from MMgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*
Shane is a bullfighter. He has a lot of scars from his job. Some are very visible, like one across his face. He is gay and not closeted, though he doesn’t advertise it either. His job is saving cowboys from the bull. After saving Dustin, he finds himself very attracted to the young bull rider. They become good friends. Could a hot young man like Dustin want anything other than a one-off from a scarred up man like Shane?
This story had a lot going for it. I have to say I never really connected with either character.I do however like that they are unique.. One is visibly scarred one is dealing with ADD. I did like the storyline and plot. There is a lot of hot, down and dirty, raunchy sex in this story. For me it was a bit of a turnoff, but I am not saying it was bad; it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I will say about halfway through the story really picked up and I am glad I kept reading. Overall, it is a good story.
If you like bull riders, bullfighters, drama, down and dirty sex talk, hot man-sex and a really good friends to lovers romance this is for you.
* I received a copy of this book free-of-charge from MMgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own*
February 6, 2015
This is a story about Shane, a bullfighter and Dustin a rider. Shane has been working the Rodeo for a few years now and a couple of years ago was injured by a bull, now has a scare down the middle of his face. Because of this he feels he is unworthily of respect and certainly love. So he just lets the other riders and fighters just use him for sex, feeling this is all he deserves. Dustin was kicked out of his house at sixteen when he told his father he was gay. And if it wasn’t for his best friend and that family he’s not sure what would have happened to him. But because of this experience he has decided he will not tell anyone else. Then one night Dustin and Shane decide to share a ride to the next Rodeo and they both discover they have more in common then bulls.
I truly loved this story, the dynamic not only between the two main MC but Dustin and Todd and Shane and his family. I like how at first Shane just resigns himself to his fate, but with love and attention from Dustin start to believe. And Dustin also believes that maybe he’s not this hyper screw up after all? I enjoyed learning about the Rodeo, not knowing anything about it. My big issue was editing. For some reason the names of the characters kept getting swapped around, a lot. To the point that I started second guessing myself and had to re-read sentences. If it wasn’t for that, a solid 4 and I will look this author up again.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by Crystals Many reviews
I truly loved this story, the dynamic not only between the two main MC but Dustin and Todd and Shane and his family. I like how at first Shane just resigns himself to his fate, but with love and attention from Dustin start to believe. And Dustin also believes that maybe he’s not this hyper screw up after all? I enjoyed learning about the Rodeo, not knowing anything about it. My big issue was editing. For some reason the names of the characters kept getting swapped around, a lot. To the point that I started second guessing myself and had to re-read sentences. If it wasn’t for that, a solid 4 and I will look this author up again.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review by Crystals Many reviews
February 3, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
I have to admit that Drawing the Devil felt a little “pie in the sky,” and at first both Justin and Shane struck me as shallow, two-dimensional characters. Regardless of their words, their behavior felt like a hookup at first. Fortunately, the character development really ramped up by about the halfway point of the story and I started to feel a bit more for them both. We are privy to Dustin’s harsh past and are provided with a good understanding of his ADD and relationship with his best friend Todd and Todd’s family. We are also provided with a bit of insight into Shane’s family, and his coming out, but not enough as far as I am concerned.
Let’s go back to Todd for a moment. Todd was pretty much the only secondary character of note, and he was a well developed and integral part of the story. Shane’s family was also important at times, but not to the same extent as Todd and they did not exhibit sufficient depth, each of them filling a role for the sake of the role.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
I have to admit that Drawing the Devil felt a little “pie in the sky,” and at first both Justin and Shane struck me as shallow, two-dimensional characters. Regardless of their words, their behavior felt like a hookup at first. Fortunately, the character development really ramped up by about the halfway point of the story and I started to feel a bit more for them both. We are privy to Dustin’s harsh past and are provided with a good understanding of his ADD and relationship with his best friend Todd and Todd’s family. We are also provided with a bit of insight into Shane’s family, and his coming out, but not enough as far as I am concerned.
Let’s go back to Todd for a moment. Todd was pretty much the only secondary character of note, and he was a well developed and integral part of the story. Shane’s family was also important at times, but not to the same extent as Todd and they did not exhibit sufficient depth, each of them filling a role for the sake of the role.
Read Jason’s review in its entirety here.
February 13, 2015
2.5 stars
Since I have a love of any stories that involve cowboys, I jumped at this one when it came out. I was not instantly taken by these two. I can't really put my finger on the reason why, they just didn't click with me at first. As the story progressed it got better, but they still didn't completely feel like they belonged together. There were some things that I could have done without and really didn't add anything to the story, mainly the banter between Dustin and Todd. Way too much childish behavior with name calling and such that by the end of the book really got on my nerves. It added nothing and made it seem like these two were twelve year olds. Was there a lot of hot cowboy action? Yes, that was there but unfortunately by the end of the book it just felt to me like that was all there was to their relationship and it sort of took over everything. For the most part, as much as I love cowboy stories and I finished it, was just an okay read for me.
Since I have a love of any stories that involve cowboys, I jumped at this one when it came out. I was not instantly taken by these two. I can't really put my finger on the reason why, they just didn't click with me at first. As the story progressed it got better, but they still didn't completely feel like they belonged together. There were some things that I could have done without and really didn't add anything to the story, mainly the banter between Dustin and Todd. Way too much childish behavior with name calling and such that by the end of the book really got on my nerves. It added nothing and made it seem like these two were twelve year olds. Was there a lot of hot cowboy action? Yes, that was there but unfortunately by the end of the book it just felt to me like that was all there was to their relationship and it sort of took over everything. For the most part, as much as I love cowboy stories and I finished it, was just an okay read for me.
December 8, 2014
especially. Dustin was thrown out of his home by his father when he was found with another boy, Dustin worked hard getting to be top of his profession of bull riding until he gets Diablo and thanks to Shane doesn't get off much worse then he could have. Shane is a scared from being thrown too many times to count riding bulls, he's there for Dustin and as they get closer the Sparks fly but when your around Bullriders who are straight it's hard to let your feelings show. I liked Dustin and Shane's characters, I felt for them both and love how they got closer. Emotional in parts, high energy and action in others, this book was well written with great characters. I don't want to ruin anything by saying to much but it's a great read if you love Rodeos, Cowboys and sweaty men...lol 4 stars review by Nanee at upallnightreadallday.blogspot.com
January 26, 2015
I recieved this book from thevpublishervfir a fair and honest review.
Due to thevlength please click on link to read in its entirety :
http://kristysbrainfood.com/2014/12/3...
Overall Impression:
3.75 * – I liked it a lot – This is the first book I have had the privilege of reading by John Keys and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The way he used his character descriptions was absolutely astounding. You could actually see in your mind exactly how both Dustin and Shane were. I found myself smiling at the way he used Dustin’s youth against Shane’s and their differences in life’s hand but he somehow managed to write the perfect mix and have it end up as an amazing love story that isn’t a fairy tale but real life nitty-gritty but still with a HEA. I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Due to thevlength please click on link to read in its entirety :
http://kristysbrainfood.com/2014/12/3...
Overall Impression:
3.75 * – I liked it a lot – This is the first book I have had the privilege of reading by John Keys and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The way he used his character descriptions was absolutely astounding. You could actually see in your mind exactly how both Dustin and Shane were. I found myself smiling at the way he used Dustin’s youth against Shane’s and their differences in life’s hand but he somehow managed to write the perfect mix and have it end up as an amazing love story that isn’t a fairy tale but real life nitty-gritty but still with a HEA. I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Read
December 14, 2014 This is one that I'll have to ponder for a while.... the rating falls somewhere between a 3.5-4.
I received Drawing the Devil in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I liked this one, but there was just something…. well, hard to connect with. I think it might have been because there just wasn’t enough time for everything that happened. Shane doesn’t have enough trust and Dustin has zero patience and …. yeah a lot happens.
Even though I don’t think that the story was long enough, I still liked what was there. There was tension, more than a little bit of a spark and danger that involved more than a badass bull. I loved Shane’s family and when Shane and Dustin shut out the rest of the world, I loved them too.
I received Drawing the Devil in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I liked this one, but there was just something…. well, hard to connect with. I think it might have been because there just wasn’t enough time for everything that happened. Shane doesn’t have enough trust and Dustin has zero patience and …. yeah a lot happens.
Even though I don’t think that the story was long enough, I still liked what was there. There was tension, more than a little bit of a spark and danger that involved more than a badass bull. I loved Shane’s family and when Shane and Dustin shut out the rest of the world, I loved them too.
June 10, 2015
I really liked the MC's Dustin and Shane - I thought the story had a lot of potential. Rodeo and Bullriders are always a hot read. The main problem I had with this book is that it was choppy and did not have good transitions. It went back and forth between characters and I had to go back in places to figure out who was talking. The characters had charm though and I wish I could get to know them better.
March 14, 2015
Reviewed by Brandilyn for Prism Book Alliance. From the first words, Jon Keys paints an adrenaline-fueled picture of the life of a bull rider. Unfortunately, I found the opening action scene to be the only compelling part of this story.
October 28, 2016
There was something raw, intense and powerful in this story of these two cowboys. Coming to terms with their own brushes with mortality as well as living their lives for their own happiness. Plus it was full of heat, heart and intense passion. Loved this story!
September 27, 2014
Really liked this one.
December 3, 2014
Review to come!
July 12, 2018
Shane and Dustin are the main characters of this book. Was well written and enjoyable to read. story flowed easily and at a steady pace.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
May 20, 2018
Ride 'em Cowboy!
Give me a hot, gay, Bible Belt cowboy. Any. Day. I don't know what it is about these rodeo guys that do it for me but shewwweee. Maybe the lack of book smarts appeals to my robotic gray matter, I'm clueless here, but something about that whole schtick just does it for me. Might be my latent inner Texan, too. You can take the girl out of Texas, but ...
Did Texas even make an appearance in this story? I think so, but honestly, it's irrelevant to the matter at hand. What is that, you say? Well ... Hot. Rodeo. Bull. Riders. Of course! I've got Garth Brooks songs running through my head right now. That's way more important.
I've always been a tomboy grubby-muffin. Dirt, mud, blood. Yep. Right up my alley with the dirty boys I guess. This book might have been a little too predictable in some respects when I consider that particular angle. You've got a bullfighter who was mauled by a bull named Diablo and an up-and-coming bull rider who 'draws the devil'. Mean-ass Diablo. That bull was a real fucker, but still, it's a little predictable. Only ... who cares?
Add in the gay with the homophobes on the rodeo circuit, two somewhat relationship-clueless guys trying to make something out of not much in the midst of all that, and it turns into a helluva good story clichés or no clichés.
Shane and Dustin had chemistry. They were hot together. They had hangups, so there's hurt/comfort. There was bad family and good family. Good friends and horrible strangers. The relationship took time to develop and deepen. There were speed bumps along the way. There was action, there were lulls, there was the everyday and the extraordinary. You name it, if you can imagine it in this setting, it's probably in there somewhere.
I loved it. You might, too.
4 Hearts
Review cross-posted at:
More reviews by NeRdyWYRM can be found on Goodreads here.
Images (when present) may be subject to copyright.
An ARC copy of this title was provided for an honest review.
Give me a hot, gay, Bible Belt cowboy. Any. Day. I don't know what it is about these rodeo guys that do it for me but shewwweee. Maybe the lack of book smarts appeals to my robotic gray matter, I'm clueless here, but something about that whole schtick just does it for me. Might be my latent inner Texan, too. You can take the girl out of Texas, but ...
Did Texas even make an appearance in this story? I think so, but honestly, it's irrelevant to the matter at hand. What is that, you say? Well ... Hot. Rodeo. Bull. Riders. Of course! I've got Garth Brooks songs running through my head right now. That's way more important.
It's bulls and blood, it's dust and mud,
it's the roar of a Sunday crowd.
It's the white in his knuckles, the gold in the buckle
he'll win the next go 'round.
It's boots and chaps and cowboy hats,
it's spurs and latigo.
It's the ropes and the reins,
and the joy and the pain, and they call the thing a rodeo.
I've always been a tomboy grubby-muffin. Dirt, mud, blood. Yep. Right up my alley with the dirty boys I guess. This book might have been a little too predictable in some respects when I consider that particular angle. You've got a bullfighter who was mauled by a bull named Diablo and an up-and-coming bull rider who 'draws the devil'. Mean-ass Diablo. That bull was a real fucker, but still, it's a little predictable. Only ... who cares?
Add in the gay with the homophobes on the rodeo circuit, two somewhat relationship-clueless guys trying to make something out of not much in the midst of all that, and it turns into a helluva good story clichés or no clichés.
Shane and Dustin had chemistry. They were hot together. They had hangups, so there's hurt/comfort. There was bad family and good family. Good friends and horrible strangers. The relationship took time to develop and deepen. There were speed bumps along the way. There was action, there were lulls, there was the everyday and the extraordinary. You name it, if you can imagine it in this setting, it's probably in there somewhere.
I loved it. You might, too.
4 Hearts
Review cross-posted at:
More reviews by NeRdyWYRM can be found on Goodreads here.
Images (when present) may be subject to copyright.
An ARC copy of this title was provided for an honest review.
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