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Then the Stars Fall
The death of his wife four years earlier left Travis Bennett a shell of the man he used to be. With his dog by his side, Travis raises his three children, manages his business, and works as a ranch hand. But every day, every minute, is an aching emptiness.
Wesley Ryan has fond memories of the small Ozark town of El Dorado Springs. Seeing it as a safe place to put his failed relationships behind him, Wesley moves into his grandparents’ old home and takes over the local veterinary clinic. An early morning visit from Travis and his dog stirs feelings that Wesley seeks to push away—the last thing he needs is to fall for a man with baggage and three kids as part of the package.
Life, it seems, has other plans.
Wesley Ryan has fond memories of the small Ozark town of El Dorado Springs. Seeing it as a safe place to put his failed relationships behind him, Wesley moves into his grandparents’ old home and takes over the local veterinary clinic. An early morning visit from Travis and his dog stirs feelings that Wesley seeks to push away—the last thing he needs is to fall for a man with baggage and three kids as part of the package.
Life, it seems, has other plans.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2014
159 people are currently reading
1305 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Witt
34 books442 followersBrandon Witt's outlook on life is greatly impacted by his first eighteen years of growing up gay in a small town in the Ozarks, as well as fifteen years as a counselor and special education teacher for students with severe emotional disabilities. Add to that his obsession with corgis and mermaids, then factor in an unhealthy love affair with cheeseburgers, and you realize that with all those issues, he's got plenty to write about....
Visit Brandon's webpage: http://www.brandonwitt.com/
Visit him on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.witt...
Enjoy episodes of The Witty Hour: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO5c...
Visit Brandon's webpage: http://www.brandonwitt.com/
Visit him on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.witt...
Enjoy episodes of The Witty Hour: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO5c...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 401 reviews
December 22, 2014
*4.5 stars*
A slow burn, lovely romance about a bisexual widower and a new-in-town, gay veterinarian.
This was very nearly a solid 5 stars from me. It was so close! The book gives us lots of glorious sexual tension and some excellent buildup to the first kiss... then cuts away to a few days later after they've already done the nasty! I really missed that first time heat, even if the sex was off page. Just an undressing scene or something, that's all I ask!!
Aside from my peevishness about the off-page sex and the time jump, I loved this book. It was so beautifully written. I didn't even hate the multiple POVs (though I usually much prefer only 2 POVs, max). You can tell that this author really though about this story and treated this book like his craft. It was really emotional, really tenderly written stuff.
I connected very well to Travis, the widower MC. I loved his affection with his children, and I thought that the author really nailed the age group of the kids (I would know, having kids around the same age). Travis's devastation after his wife's death, his fears about other loved ones getting sick... it all felt like real reactions from a real person. I also loved Travis's chemistry with Wesley. It felt sweet and true; a real-life opposites attract kind of story. I enjoyed everything from the awkward first few interactions to the transition to best friend and lover.
I think this author excels at writing side characters. From the nosy neighbors, to the pervy jerk, to Travis's sister and family and best friend... they all had distinct and well-formed personalities, for good or for bad. I loved reading and discovering each of them.
This book is one to savor. It isn't in your face, and it is quite sad at times, with Travis still mourning his wife throughout the whole book. However, it was a very well done story, and it put Brandon Witt high up on my radar.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
A slow burn, lovely romance about a bisexual widower and a new-in-town, gay veterinarian.
This was very nearly a solid 5 stars from me. It was so close! The book gives us lots of glorious sexual tension and some excellent buildup to the first kiss... then cuts away to a few days later after they've already done the nasty! I really missed that first time heat, even if the sex was off page. Just an undressing scene or something, that's all I ask!!
Aside from my peevishness about the off-page sex and the time jump, I loved this book. It was so beautifully written. I didn't even hate the multiple POVs (though I usually much prefer only 2 POVs, max). You can tell that this author really though about this story and treated this book like his craft. It was really emotional, really tenderly written stuff.
I connected very well to Travis, the widower MC. I loved his affection with his children, and I thought that the author really nailed the age group of the kids (I would know, having kids around the same age). Travis's devastation after his wife's death, his fears about other loved ones getting sick... it all felt like real reactions from a real person. I also loved Travis's chemistry with Wesley. It felt sweet and true; a real-life opposites attract kind of story. I enjoyed everything from the awkward first few interactions to the transition to best friend and lover.
I think this author excels at writing side characters. From the nosy neighbors, to the pervy jerk, to Travis's sister and family and best friend... they all had distinct and well-formed personalities, for good or for bad. I loved reading and discovering each of them.
This book is one to savor. It isn't in your face, and it is quite sad at times, with Travis still mourning his wife throughout the whole book. However, it was a very well done story, and it put Brandon Witt high up on my radar.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
November 8, 2015
The writing style, the quality of it, hit me first thing. Descriptions of surroundings and sense, and how the characters were a part of it all, reacting to it. It made it very easy for me to sink into this story from the get-go.
The pace of this story is… comforting? I’m still trying to grab the right word. I was given time to get to know these characters, to build my love, dislike and curiosity about them. Nothing is rushed. I was mesmerized, calmed by the beauty and reality. That’s kind of amazing, that a writer can make it comfortable for me to read a story that contains not exactly comfortable and easy subjects.
This author knows family and writes family, 100%. Travis and his children, his sister, and Wesley and his family, Travis’ parents, it’s all very real.
Avery, I can hear her stomping her feet and sticking out that bottom lip, pouting or demanding whatever it is a little girl feels she needs to stomp and pout about.
And her twin, Mason. So quiet but very aware of everything around him. I wanted to hold him in my lap while I read this entire book.
Caleb. You never know who’s going to be the one to “unlock” a barely-teen boy’s excitement and ambition. It seems that may be Wesley.
Wendy is Travis’ sister and it feels like she’s still working on finding her way after life tossed some emotional grenades her way. She doesn’t waste time: if she sees something that will make someone happy or open things up to laughter, she does it.
Which brings us to Wesley and Travis. Here we go…
Loss and grief, they’re strange things. Well, the loss isn’t strange but the effects of it, the grief and what it can do, it’s all so strange. Just as odd are those first few occasions when you feel a little lighter, a little more like yourself, a little… happy. Strange. Rolling emotion, from deep sadness to sudden clarity, from giddy hopefulness to nearly paralyzing fear, to taking it all as the promise that it is. You have to not only keep living but figure out a way to enjoy it, to feel that joy. It’s what they would want, it IS what they want of us and for us.
The dialogue. The dialogue! It’s natural, it’s real, it slices right through anything attempting to separate me from the emotion, laying it out like the smorgasbord it is. Imperfect people reaching for what may feel like perfection, even when it’s not. You know? When you accept someone, perfections and faults? That’s… yeah.
Yummy butterflies. The kind that flutter in your belly and you can’t keep that fact from showing on your face. That. Talk about something that is difficult to, not just convey but, elicit from the reader. Believe me, Witt done elicited from this reader.
The writing. Witt has figured out how to draw a heart on the page using letters, with all of the bursting, thumping, fearful and needful parts of it. The heart is on every page.
No tears fell as Travis listened; he speckled Caleb’s descriptions with questions, just to keep hearing his son’s voice.
It’s one thing to call someone “girly” or something similar and portray it as derogatory, something less, something undesirable. It’s another when you have a character describing himself being as emotional as a fourteen year old girl. I should know, I was one, and we’re freakazoidally emotional. So, to sum up: using “girly” as an insult = NOT ok, while using emotional fourteen year old as an honest comparison, tis ok. The emotional honesty in this book is top notch and I see no way to escape it. I know I didn’t. Emotions are pretty and ugly and naked and veiled, and all very necessary.
What I’ve loved the most about reading this was getting to witness the inner workings of Travis and Wesley figuring this all out. Someone has to be very connected and have the ability to understand emotion, motivation, fear, grief, love and so much more in order to write like this, to make me feel like this. We get to be inside their heads as each of them unravels the puzzle of life.
Listen, the kids, seriously, so well done. I don’t read a lot of stories with kids. They’re not easy to write believably but Witt has figured out how to do this, too. They add to the story, they’re vital. Caleb reflects the hope and future Travis and Wesley want. Avery refuses anything less than, well, what she wants and when she wants it. Mason. Mason! Sweet, strong, and it felt like he had x-ray vision that allowed him to see right inside everyone’s hearts. I never thought I’d say this about kids in books, but I want more of Mason. I want more of Caleb with Travis & Wesley, and with little amazing, sweet Mason. I love the exploration of the relationship between brothers. I would say I want more of Avery but she would just take over the whole production. ;) You go, Avery! *hi5*
Ultimately, undoubtedly, joyfully, this is romantic as hell. Travis is a romantic through and through, and Wesley loves to be treated romantically. Sweetness, thoughtfulness, romance.
And family. Boy, is this about family. The family you choose and the family you don’t. For most of us, our family ends up being a mix, some we lose, some we gain, all of them people we cherish. A special shout out to Wendy. She’s fantastic, intelligent, supportive, and takes no bullshit.
Witt realistically and convincingly gave me all of these characters, of all ages and types and sizes. That’s a rare ability. It speaks to his heart and how well he can speak through, and for, the hearts of many.
I didn’t want this book to end. As it drew near, each time I came to the final sentence of a chapter, I took a moment to cross my mental fingers and hope it wasn’t the last. This is a complete story but still, I didn’t want it to end.
One of my top reads this year. One of my favorite books I’ve ever read and experienced. Ever.
The pace of this story is… comforting? I’m still trying to grab the right word. I was given time to get to know these characters, to build my love, dislike and curiosity about them. Nothing is rushed. I was mesmerized, calmed by the beauty and reality. That’s kind of amazing, that a writer can make it comfortable for me to read a story that contains not exactly comfortable and easy subjects.
This author knows family and writes family, 100%. Travis and his children, his sister, and Wesley and his family, Travis’ parents, it’s all very real.
Avery, I can hear her stomping her feet and sticking out that bottom lip, pouting or demanding whatever it is a little girl feels she needs to stomp and pout about.
And her twin, Mason. So quiet but very aware of everything around him. I wanted to hold him in my lap while I read this entire book.
Caleb. You never know who’s going to be the one to “unlock” a barely-teen boy’s excitement and ambition. It seems that may be Wesley.
Wendy is Travis’ sister and it feels like she’s still working on finding her way after life tossed some emotional grenades her way. She doesn’t waste time: if she sees something that will make someone happy or open things up to laughter, she does it.
Which brings us to Wesley and Travis. Here we go…
Loss and grief, they’re strange things. Well, the loss isn’t strange but the effects of it, the grief and what it can do, it’s all so strange. Just as odd are those first few occasions when you feel a little lighter, a little more like yourself, a little… happy. Strange. Rolling emotion, from deep sadness to sudden clarity, from giddy hopefulness to nearly paralyzing fear, to taking it all as the promise that it is. You have to not only keep living but figure out a way to enjoy it, to feel that joy. It’s what they would want, it IS what they want of us and for us.
The dialogue. The dialogue! It’s natural, it’s real, it slices right through anything attempting to separate me from the emotion, laying it out like the smorgasbord it is. Imperfect people reaching for what may feel like perfection, even when it’s not. You know? When you accept someone, perfections and faults? That’s… yeah.
Yummy butterflies. The kind that flutter in your belly and you can’t keep that fact from showing on your face. That. Talk about something that is difficult to, not just convey but, elicit from the reader. Believe me, Witt done elicited from this reader.
The writing. Witt has figured out how to draw a heart on the page using letters, with all of the bursting, thumping, fearful and needful parts of it. The heart is on every page.
No tears fell as Travis listened; he speckled Caleb’s descriptions with questions, just to keep hearing his son’s voice.
It’s one thing to call someone “girly” or something similar and portray it as derogatory, something less, something undesirable. It’s another when you have a character describing himself being as emotional as a fourteen year old girl. I should know, I was one, and we’re freakazoidally emotional. So, to sum up: using “girly” as an insult = NOT ok, while using emotional fourteen year old as an honest comparison, tis ok. The emotional honesty in this book is top notch and I see no way to escape it. I know I didn’t. Emotions are pretty and ugly and naked and veiled, and all very necessary.
What I’ve loved the most about reading this was getting to witness the inner workings of Travis and Wesley figuring this all out. Someone has to be very connected and have the ability to understand emotion, motivation, fear, grief, love and so much more in order to write like this, to make me feel like this. We get to be inside their heads as each of them unravels the puzzle of life.
Listen, the kids, seriously, so well done. I don’t read a lot of stories with kids. They’re not easy to write believably but Witt has figured out how to do this, too. They add to the story, they’re vital. Caleb reflects the hope and future Travis and Wesley want. Avery refuses anything less than, well, what she wants and when she wants it. Mason. Mason! Sweet, strong, and it felt like he had x-ray vision that allowed him to see right inside everyone’s hearts. I never thought I’d say this about kids in books, but I want more of Mason. I want more of Caleb with Travis & Wesley, and with little amazing, sweet Mason. I love the exploration of the relationship between brothers. I would say I want more of Avery but she would just take over the whole production. ;) You go, Avery! *hi5*
Ultimately, undoubtedly, joyfully, this is romantic as hell. Travis is a romantic through and through, and Wesley loves to be treated romantically. Sweetness, thoughtfulness, romance.
And family. Boy, is this about family. The family you choose and the family you don’t. For most of us, our family ends up being a mix, some we lose, some we gain, all of them people we cherish. A special shout out to Wendy. She’s fantastic, intelligent, supportive, and takes no bullshit.
Witt realistically and convincingly gave me all of these characters, of all ages and types and sizes. That’s a rare ability. It speaks to his heart and how well he can speak through, and for, the hearts of many.
I didn’t want this book to end. As it drew near, each time I came to the final sentence of a chapter, I took a moment to cross my mental fingers and hope it wasn’t the last. This is a complete story but still, I didn’t want it to end.
One of my top reads this year. One of my favorite books I’ve ever read and experienced. Ever.
May 14, 2020
Travis is a big strong guy, except when he's not. He lost Shannon, the love of his life, and mother of his kids, 4 years ago. It hit him hard - hard enough that for a while he was drinking too much and not being there for his kids. He's a very flawed hero who has to redeem himself from letting his own grief and fears hurt others. And it's a mistake he's destined to repeat more than once (including with his beloved dog) but when his back is to the wall he tries to make the right choices. Which makes him feel real.
His sister moved in with him, to help with his family. Wendy is a great character, and she and his kids are the focus of his life. He's just beginning to come out of that shadow of grief as the story opens. The person who catches his eye isn't a new woman but a man, the new veterinarian in town. And maybe, just maybe, Travis will find the courage to follow his heart.
Wesley left his big-city failed relationship and his rebound meaningless life to start over as a country vet in his grandparents' small town. He's out and proud, and not sure how that will work out. It turns out, it will have a wide range of repercussions, from bigotry to amusement to hate to love.
This is a slow-moving fade-to-black story about two men figuring out how to make a life together. Parts of it really appealed to me very much. There were moments of realism that seemed very authentic. I always enjoy a veterinarian MC, and this got almost everything right in the veterinary parts of the story. The animals, especially the corgis, were great.
I enjoy family secondary characters in stories, and this book had some good ones, including the kids, Travis's best friend, and Travis's sister. I liked that one of the kids was a bit of a brat, and that neither of the MCs was close to perfect.
I did wish we got to see more of one middle section - there's a jump from first date to two weeks later, and that first part of the relationship was a payoff I was waiting to see. It might have helped to balance the intensity of emotion in Travis thinking about his lost wife, with a bit more intensity of starting a new relationship with Wesley. (I was also sorry to lose the sexual tension which totally was dropped - not by being off page, but by going from "I want...wish..." to "we've had great sex for 2 weeks now" in an instant.)
But despite that, I really enjoyed this book. I even enjoyed all the secondary character POV snippets, and usually I'm not fond of those. The charm of this book comes to no small degree in the total atmosphere of all the characters as they interact on the stage of this story. There is a realistic tone to the book that made me feel as if these guys were people I might know, and that's a big bonus for me.
**available as a freebie on 05/13/20**
His sister moved in with him, to help with his family. Wendy is a great character, and she and his kids are the focus of his life. He's just beginning to come out of that shadow of grief as the story opens. The person who catches his eye isn't a new woman but a man, the new veterinarian in town. And maybe, just maybe, Travis will find the courage to follow his heart.
Wesley left his big-city failed relationship and his rebound meaningless life to start over as a country vet in his grandparents' small town. He's out and proud, and not sure how that will work out. It turns out, it will have a wide range of repercussions, from bigotry to amusement to hate to love.
This is a slow-moving fade-to-black story about two men figuring out how to make a life together. Parts of it really appealed to me very much. There were moments of realism that seemed very authentic. I always enjoy a veterinarian MC, and this got almost everything right in the veterinary parts of the story. The animals, especially the corgis, were great.
I enjoy family secondary characters in stories, and this book had some good ones, including the kids, Travis's best friend, and Travis's sister. I liked that one of the kids was a bit of a brat, and that neither of the MCs was close to perfect.
I did wish we got to see more of one middle section - there's a jump from first date to two weeks later, and that first part of the relationship was a payoff I was waiting to see. It might have helped to balance the intensity of emotion in Travis thinking about his lost wife, with a bit more intensity of starting a new relationship with Wesley. (I was also sorry to lose the sexual tension which totally was dropped - not by being off page, but by going from "I want...wish..." to "we've had great sex for 2 weeks now" in an instant.)
But despite that, I really enjoyed this book. I even enjoyed all the secondary character POV snippets, and usually I'm not fond of those. The charm of this book comes to no small degree in the total atmosphere of all the characters as they interact on the stage of this story. There is a realistic tone to the book that made me feel as if these guys were people I might know, and that's a big bonus for me.
**available as a freebie on 05/13/20**
dnf-not-4-me
October 26, 2015Ok, the Corgis in this book were so, so fun for me! I have had 5 Corgis in my lifetime and currently have 3. They has such a delightful, intelligent, comical breed and I enjoyed every minute reading about Dunkyn and Dalon!
My Corgis Myrtle, Edward and Mabel
But the Corgis couldn't save this book for me. I stopped at 60% when I realized the book had taken a direction I didn't want to go.
At the 50% mark, the main characters decide to give dating a try. At the start of the next chapter after the dating decision, they had already been together 2 weeks and were having sex as often as they could. Huh? Wait, I want to see that! Or, at least, hear how it went! But we got nothing.
Then the story starting switching POVs to include Travis' young children. We saw his 6 year old son's shadowy nightmares and his teenaged son's mooning over his first girlfriend. And that's just not for me.
While the writing was excellent and the story compelling, I just didn't like where the story was heading and knew it would be a wash for me. Instead of finishing, I decided to shelf is "DNF" and not rate.
This one goes on my Everyone Liked it But Me shelf because the vast majority of my friends gave this one at LEAST 4 stars.
My Corgis Myrtle, Edward and Mabel
But the Corgis couldn't save this book for me. I stopped at 60% when I realized the book had taken a direction I didn't want to go.
At the 50% mark, the main characters decide to give dating a try. At the start of the next chapter after the dating decision, they had already been together 2 weeks and were having sex as often as they could. Huh? Wait, I want to see that! Or, at least, hear how it went! But we got nothing.
Then the story starting switching POVs to include Travis' young children. We saw his 6 year old son's shadowy nightmares and his teenaged son's mooning over his first girlfriend. And that's just not for me.
While the writing was excellent and the story compelling, I just didn't like where the story was heading and knew it would be a wash for me. Instead of finishing, I decided to shelf is "DNF" and not rate.
This one goes on my Everyone Liked it But Me shelf because the vast majority of my friends gave this one at LEAST 4 stars.
March 13, 2019
Per fortuna che mentre leggo M/M lunghi leggo anche altri M/M più corti e bellissimi. Altrimenti non ce la farei a sopportare due libri non eccelenti di questo tipo di seguito. Probabilmente quelli lunghi non fanno per me ma siccome li scelgo casualmente, eccetto i miei favo autori, me ne capiteranno sicuramente degli altri e spero smentiscano la cosa.
Travis per me è stato praticamente insopportabile e Wesley ha avuto i suoi alti e bassi. Troppe volte viene usata la parola "frocio" per i miei gusti. E poi ci sono troppi capitoli dispersivi. Attualmente non credo di dare più di 3☆. Se penso che lo comprai, in inglese all'inizio, perchè mi ispirava il titolo. Then the Stars Fall. Era un bellissimo titolo. Ma poi mi sono ritrovata a leggerlo in italiano per velocizzare la cosa.
I prossimi andrò sui miei autori preferiti con The Tin Box di Kim Fielding, uno di Mary Calmes che ho nella wishy del Kobo e il secondo libro di Coconut Cove in inglese, che non capisco perchè esca come primo in ita, perchè adoro quella serie.
Travis per me è stato praticamente insopportabile e Wesley ha avuto i suoi alti e bassi. Troppe volte viene usata la parola "frocio" per i miei gusti. E poi ci sono troppi capitoli dispersivi. Attualmente non credo di dare più di 3☆. Se penso che lo comprai, in inglese all'inizio, perchè mi ispirava il titolo. Then the Stars Fall. Era un bellissimo titolo. Ma poi mi sono ritrovata a leggerlo in italiano per velocizzare la cosa.
I prossimi andrò sui miei autori preferiti con The Tin Box di Kim Fielding, uno di Mary Calmes che ho nella wishy del Kobo e il secondo libro di Coconut Cove in inglese, che non capisco perchè esca come primo in ita, perchè adoro quella serie.
December 2, 2014
3.5 stars
Well, hello Mr. Brandon Witt! So happy to have read my first book by you!
I could tell within the first few pages that I was going to be a fan of this author's writing. It's lyrical without being too purpley. It's descriptive without digging itself into a hole with too many details. I felt like I was sitting at the author's feet listening captively as he told the story. I'm excited to read more from him.
Then the Stars Fall is a book about a small town...being a local, being a newbie, being a good ol' boy, being different, being a church-goer, being an individual...being family. Travis is a widower with 3 amazing children, a sassy sister, and a boisterous best friend. He loved his wife dearly and his loss and his mourning and his grief were apparent on every page.
Wesley comes to town having inherited his grandparents house...a house he visited summers growing up. Memories that he hopes will help him heal from a hard breakup and figure out who he is. He dresses "city" and wears flashy colors and the small town doesn't quite now what to do with him - love him or hate him.
This book is emotional, but in a quiet way. It has a permeating sadness due to death, small-mindedness, and bigotry. I love small town books...but I also find them hard to read. I often think I want to live in a small town where everyone knows one another and knows each other's business. But the small-mindnessnes, the hate, the intolerance of differences...they break my heart. It broke my heart in this book.
The town itself feels like it's own character. And each town person played a role in the story. They were the strength, both the good and the bad, of this book. Unfortunately, because of this, I feel like the romance between Travis and Wesley took a back seat. The story was about two men, but it was more about them as individuals and how they deal with the town's reaction to their coupling, than it was about the relationship between the two.
Also...as much as I enjoyed the writing, the book lost some momentum for me about halfway through. By the end, though I was still engaged for the most part with the story, it felt long. There are long books and there are long books that feel long. There were times I was getting impatient by how slowing my reading progress was going.
Despite that, I felt glad at the end for having read it. I'm excited to read more from this author. And if you're looking for a lovely book with strong story, and memorable characters...more than a driving romance...this might be a good option.
November 1, 2014
Loved it. Then The Stars Fall was beautiful, heartfelt, romantic, painful, harsh... I could continue like this on and on and on.
It has everything I love in a good written M/M romance. I’m always bored to death when the storyline is too sweet and everything is too easygoing and buttery perfect. Life just doesn’t work that way. In this story every aspect just felt so heartbreakingly real, things aren’t perfect and the characters aren’t flawless.
Brandon’s writing style is gripping, thought-provoking and sometimes even lyrical. Loved that!
Overall, the story kept me captured from page one and I can’t wait to read more books written by Brandon Witt. Highly recommended!
December 20, 2014
Now I know how Moses felt! Walking through the desert for 40 years, arriving to the promised land, never to enter it!
Review to come.
Review to come.
December 15, 2015
Would you believe if I said that this book is the A Game of Thrones of m/m romance?
I could also say it’s a Picasso among the long line of beautiful novels that the genre brought to this world. It just is that good.
Then The Stars Fall was recommended to me on the m/m romance group message board when I asked about romance novels involving a divorced or widowed father finding a new path in life when he meets a man and falls in love.
And boy, this book is the ultimate pick in this category! There hasn’t been a romance before that enchanted me like this one. And surprisingly, given the set up, there’s not much angst involved at all!
There is one huge secret woven into this story, which should not be revealed without a spoiler tag, but which is essential to understand what’s going on with Travis. So don’t read this unless you feel you absolutely need to know. This will only be revealed slowly in the course of the story:
This book is the ultimate love story. While you might think Travis and Wesley finding together would revolve around both guys rejecting each other over the fact that a gay love in a small town cannot work in rural America, the story takes a completely different path. Travis is determined to make things work, to come out to his family, his friends, the people of El Dorado, to stand by Wesley despite all hardships. I loved him for that. Sure, they had their moments of doubts and stupid mistakes. Especially Wesley was insecure, because he wasn’t ready for a new relationship after the disaster with Todd. And while Wesley would not have minded to scratch an itch with Travis, the older man did not ask him to hook up, he *dated* him – old school and all.
But Wesley soon realizes that dating Travis Bennett means dating the whole family clan. And with a few sinister characters in town who want nothing more than see the faggot vet suffer, things are not exactly easy for both guys and their family.
This book is pretty different from most romance novels. It *is* a romance novel about Travis Bennett and Wesley Ryan, but it is not told exclusively from their POVs. On the contrary, almost ALL characters that appear in the story get at least one scene to show their thoughts and feelings, from the nosy neighbor, the children to the best friend, etc.
While it made the book undoubtedly a long one, I have never felt as immersed in a story as in this one. I also loved how this was a story about love and making a life together. There was never a moment when Wesley wanted to return to his old life of meaningless sex with strangers. He loved Travis and was ready to adapt his life plan to Travis’ and his family’s which is what every romance should ultimately be about.
Wesley and Travis (especially Travis) were the most lifelike and multi-layered characters you could imagine. They made mistakes that you would expect them to make based on their life experience. They were breathing persons, not just *book characters*. I think it truly takes a master writer to pull a story like this off. Even the narrating parts were beautiful and painted wonderful pictures in my mind. I will never forget the scene in the hayloft where Travis and Wesley watch the meteor shower. The moment when The Stars Fall.
God, I should stop now. I cannot praise this book enough. I think I have to create a new GR shelf with my top 10 romances of all time, because my ‘favorites’ shelf contains so many books by now that I don’t want this one to be just ‘another favorite’ when I truly think this is a master piece that put m/m romance on a whole new level.
The only small downside I experienced reading it, were the sex scenes. They’re sadly all off page. Not that I need sex scenes all the time, but at least the first time would have been so nice. I guess I’m just used to romance novels being rather… explicit, LOL.
If I could, I would probably give this book a thousand stars to honor it as the master piece it is!
Oh and they sing Frozen’s “Let it Go” in this book. My favorite song (despite the billion cover versions on youtube, LOL), so yeah, I love Avery and this novel!
I could also say it’s a Picasso among the long line of beautiful novels that the genre brought to this world. It just is that good.
Then The Stars Fall was recommended to me on the m/m romance group message board when I asked about romance novels involving a divorced or widowed father finding a new path in life when he meets a man and falls in love.
And boy, this book is the ultimate pick in this category! There hasn’t been a romance before that enchanted me like this one. And surprisingly, given the set up, there’s not much angst involved at all!
There is one huge secret woven into this story, which should not be revealed without a spoiler tag, but which is essential to understand what’s going on with Travis. So don’t read this unless you feel you absolutely need to know. This will only be revealed slowly in the course of the story:
This book is the ultimate love story. While you might think Travis and Wesley finding together would revolve around both guys rejecting each other over the fact that a gay love in a small town cannot work in rural America, the story takes a completely different path. Travis is determined to make things work, to come out to his family, his friends, the people of El Dorado, to stand by Wesley despite all hardships. I loved him for that. Sure, they had their moments of doubts and stupid mistakes. Especially Wesley was insecure, because he wasn’t ready for a new relationship after the disaster with Todd. And while Wesley would not have minded to scratch an itch with Travis, the older man did not ask him to hook up, he *dated* him – old school and all.
But Wesley soon realizes that dating Travis Bennett means dating the whole family clan. And with a few sinister characters in town who want nothing more than see the faggot vet suffer, things are not exactly easy for both guys and their family.
This book is pretty different from most romance novels. It *is* a romance novel about Travis Bennett and Wesley Ryan, but it is not told exclusively from their POVs. On the contrary, almost ALL characters that appear in the story get at least one scene to show their thoughts and feelings, from the nosy neighbor, the children to the best friend, etc.
While it made the book undoubtedly a long one, I have never felt as immersed in a story as in this one. I also loved how this was a story about love and making a life together. There was never a moment when Wesley wanted to return to his old life of meaningless sex with strangers. He loved Travis and was ready to adapt his life plan to Travis’ and his family’s which is what every romance should ultimately be about.
Wesley and Travis (especially Travis) were the most lifelike and multi-layered characters you could imagine. They made mistakes that you would expect them to make based on their life experience. They were breathing persons, not just *book characters*. I think it truly takes a master writer to pull a story like this off. Even the narrating parts were beautiful and painted wonderful pictures in my mind. I will never forget the scene in the hayloft where Travis and Wesley watch the meteor shower. The moment when The Stars Fall.
God, I should stop now. I cannot praise this book enough. I think I have to create a new GR shelf with my top 10 romances of all time, because my ‘favorites’ shelf contains so many books by now that I don’t want this one to be just ‘another favorite’ when I truly think this is a master piece that put m/m romance on a whole new level.
The only small downside I experienced reading it, were the sex scenes. They’re sadly all off page. Not that I need sex scenes all the time, but at least the first time would have been so nice. I guess I’m just used to romance novels being rather… explicit, LOL.
If I could, I would probably give this book a thousand stars to honor it as the master piece it is!
Oh and they sing Frozen’s “Let it Go” in this book. My favorite song (despite the billion cover versions on youtube, LOL), so yeah, I love Avery and this novel!
December 19, 2014
It's chapter 15.
Nope, it's it's chapter 23.
Nope, it's the authors love of animals.
Nope, it's the beautiful writing.
Eh fuck- I loved it all.
*whisper*
it's the long haired silhouette in chapter 15.
I gasped.
The book literally took my breath away.
Nope, it's it's chapter 23.
Nope, it's the authors love of animals.
Nope, it's the beautiful writing.
Eh fuck- I loved it all.
*whisper*
it's the long haired silhouette in chapter 15.
I gasped.
The book literally took my breath away.
April 22, 2020
This book started well, but it soon became clear that a lot of things about the story didn't work for me.
I believed the blurb, so I expected the story of Travis and Wesley, but I didn't feel their relationship. Too much revolved around the dead wife. I understand that she was a huge part of Travis' life, they had 20 years and three children together, so I didn't mind at the beginning.
I didn't mind because I thought that, as the story progressed, Travis would process his loss and move on with Wesley. Maybe he did, but I spent too much time reading about his feelings for Shannon and watching him drew more strength from his relationship with her than the one with Wesley, so for most of the time I didn't feel the connection between the MCs.
The rare times the author let the reader see the MCs really interact with each other, I liked it. But then there was the annoying habit of finishing a chapter during a "relationship defining" moment or conversation and the next chapter started days or weeks later and the reader was told what happened in between, rather than shown.
At times the MCs were childish as well, they didn't come across as thirty-or-forty-something-year-olds. Too bad, because I liked them at the beginning, especially Wesley.
Anyway, I'm disappointed because I had high expectations about this one and it didn't deliver.
Since everyone else seems to love it, maybe it's just me.
One star is for the dogs, they helped me push through the boring parts :)
I believed the blurb, so I expected the story of Travis and Wesley, but I didn't feel their relationship. Too much revolved around the dead wife. I understand that she was a huge part of Travis' life, they had 20 years and three children together, so I didn't mind at the beginning.
I didn't mind because I thought that, as the story progressed, Travis would process his loss and move on with Wesley. Maybe he did, but I spent too much time reading about his feelings for Shannon and watching him drew more strength from his relationship with her than the one with Wesley, so for most of the time I didn't feel the connection between the MCs.
The rare times the author let the reader see the MCs really interact with each other, I liked it. But then there was the annoying habit of finishing a chapter during a "relationship defining" moment or conversation and the next chapter started days or weeks later and the reader was told what happened in between, rather than shown.
At times the MCs were childish as well, they didn't come across as thirty-or-forty-something-year-olds. Too bad, because I liked them at the beginning, especially Wesley.
Anyway, I'm disappointed because I had high expectations about this one and it didn't deliver.
Since everyone else seems to love it, maybe it's just me.
One star is for the dogs, they helped me push through the boring parts :)
August 16, 2020
This story featured a bisexual widower and a veterinarian who had no problem declaring his sexuality.
I won’t give a synopsis because many reviews have done a great job with that already. I just want to say that I liked Travis Bennett as he was trying his best to raise three kids after the death of his wife. He really struggled with her loss and accepting his sexuality but I loved that he worked his way to Wesley Ryan. Travis didn’t take attraction to Ryan lightly. Travis agonized about it until he made up his mind to submit to it. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook as Travis gave his best effort in romancing Ryan. It was endearing and cute. I found the secondary characters, Mason, Wendy, the in-laws etc to be entertaining.
All the characters were flawed, but that’s what made this book so good to me. It was complicated but real, especially given the fact that they lived in a small town. I also liked that we finally saw that the deceased wife knew about Travis and didn’t reject him for being attracted to me as well.
I think the author did a great job of not overloading the book with sex but gave a lot of varied emotions throughout the book. I will definitely read this author again.
*Special thanks to Dreamspinner for the audiobook for review.
I won’t give a synopsis because many reviews have done a great job with that already. I just want to say that I liked Travis Bennett as he was trying his best to raise three kids after the death of his wife. He really struggled with her loss and accepting his sexuality but I loved that he worked his way to Wesley Ryan. Travis didn’t take attraction to Ryan lightly. Travis agonized about it until he made up his mind to submit to it. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook as Travis gave his best effort in romancing Ryan. It was endearing and cute. I found the secondary characters, Mason, Wendy, the in-laws etc to be entertaining.
All the characters were flawed, but that’s what made this book so good to me. It was complicated but real, especially given the fact that they lived in a small town. I also liked that we finally saw that the deceased wife knew about Travis and didn’t reject him for being attracted to me as well.
I think the author did a great job of not overloading the book with sex but gave a lot of varied emotions throughout the book. I will definitely read this author again.
*Special thanks to Dreamspinner for the audiobook for review.
January 28, 2016
What a beautiful story. I thoroughly enjoyed every word and am only left wondering why it has taken me so long to read anything by Brandon Witt. I need to make sure I catch up with this author's writing because it is so darn good. Fantastic characters - and some of the best written female characters I've ever read.
Also, nowt to do with the story, but I LOVE the cover. Adore it; it sells this book so well.
Thank you not-so-secret-Santa, Jenni Lea. <3
Also, nowt to do with the story, but I LOVE the cover. Adore it; it sells this book so well.
Thank you not-so-secret-Santa, Jenni Lea. <3
October 27, 2014
Disclaimer: I read this entire book while under the influence of prescription painkillers, so take this as you will.
I was in the mood for a maturely written book with good humor and a slow burn romance; I did not want annoying banter, porn, or OTT characters/behavior. This book pretty much delivered in those respects, but I can't say I was blown away by the story. It progressed at a sedate pace, and in my opinion could have benefited from some trimming of the content. There seemed to be a fair amount of repetition of thoughts/ideas. The one that stood out most to me was Wesley's inner conflict over starting something with Travis, regardless of where he fell on the Kinsey scale:
[...] wasn't what let Wesley to think the father of three was gay or at least something besides a zero on the Kinsey scale.
Gay or not. A Kinsey one or six, or not.
[...] it would be nothing but drama to think otherwise, no matter what Kinsey number Travis Bennett fell on.
That probably wouldn't bother most people, and maybe it wouldn't have jumped out to me under other circumstances, but by the third time it was mentioned, I thought Okay!! I got it the first time! Like I said, that's just the one that I most easily remember and was searchable on my kindle, but there seemed to be several instances of this, as if the reader needed reminding of how the character felt or what type of person they were.
Another issue for me was the lack of on page sex. I knew going in not to expect any, and I truly thought I'd be fine with that given the mood I was in, but when it comes down to it, I don't like everything building up only to leave me hanging with a case of metaphorical blue balls. It's not like I need sex in all my books. For instance, I just finished reading Vanished by Carter Quinn, and it didn't need sex to make it amazing (5 stars, highly recommend). The difference is the plot. When the plot focuses on the development of a relationship, sex is an important part of that, because it allows the reader to see the passion and intimacy that grows between the couple. When it's left out, it feels like something's missing.
My other annoyance involved the flashback to college with Travis and his future wife. I felt that this part of the story perpetuated the idea that bisexuals are somehow less capable of committing to one person simply because they are attracted to both genders. Even though Travis , the whole scenario gave the impression that he was overcoming a hurdle intrinsic to bisexuals rather than just being a normal person who decides to be monogamous.
There was one other little thing that rubbed me the wrong way, but I feel like all I'm doing is complaining and giving the impression that I didn't like the book as a whole, so I'll only mention it in the comments if anyone is curious enough to ask. I really did enjoy reading the book, and all the glowing reviews explain its positive qualities, so I don't see a need to repeat them here. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
I was in the mood for a maturely written book with good humor and a slow burn romance; I did not want annoying banter, porn, or OTT characters/behavior. This book pretty much delivered in those respects, but I can't say I was blown away by the story. It progressed at a sedate pace, and in my opinion could have benefited from some trimming of the content. There seemed to be a fair amount of repetition of thoughts/ideas. The one that stood out most to me was Wesley's inner conflict over starting something with Travis, regardless of where he fell on the Kinsey scale:
[...] wasn't what let Wesley to think the father of three was gay or at least something besides a zero on the Kinsey scale.
Gay or not. A Kinsey one or six, or not.
[...] it would be nothing but drama to think otherwise, no matter what Kinsey number Travis Bennett fell on.
That probably wouldn't bother most people, and maybe it wouldn't have jumped out to me under other circumstances, but by the third time it was mentioned, I thought Okay!! I got it the first time! Like I said, that's just the one that I most easily remember and was searchable on my kindle, but there seemed to be several instances of this, as if the reader needed reminding of how the character felt or what type of person they were.
Another issue for me was the lack of on page sex. I knew going in not to expect any, and I truly thought I'd be fine with that given the mood I was in, but when it comes down to it, I don't like everything building up only to leave me hanging with a case of metaphorical blue balls. It's not like I need sex in all my books. For instance, I just finished reading Vanished by Carter Quinn, and it didn't need sex to make it amazing (5 stars, highly recommend). The difference is the plot. When the plot focuses on the development of a relationship, sex is an important part of that, because it allows the reader to see the passion and intimacy that grows between the couple. When it's left out, it feels like something's missing.
My other annoyance involved the flashback to college with Travis and his future wife. I felt that this part of the story perpetuated the idea that bisexuals are somehow less capable of committing to one person simply because they are attracted to both genders. Even though Travis , the whole scenario gave the impression that he was overcoming a hurdle intrinsic to bisexuals rather than just being a normal person who decides to be monogamous.
There was one other little thing that rubbed me the wrong way, but I feel like all I'm doing is complaining and giving the impression that I didn't like the book as a whole, so I'll only mention it in the comments if anyone is curious enough to ask. I really did enjoy reading the book, and all the glowing reviews explain its positive qualities, so I don't see a need to repeat them here. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.
June 7, 2015
This is a hard book to condense into a small review. I have a long one on the blog already (and now it is the right one, sheesh) - http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/...
There is a lot going on and different reviewers will take different things out of the book - whether it is the wonderful redheaded Bennett family. Travis' love of his deceased wife, Shannon. His love and protection of his children. Travis talking to Jarrod the bull as he remembers his wife and the times they spent together in the paddock as a couple when she was pregnant. His fear of his dog having cancer, and other people, after his wife was one of the unlucky 5% (approximately) who die from choriocarcinoma. Wendy Bennett, Travis' feisty and all-encompassing sister. Or Wesley, a wonderful, empathetic man who is noticeably gay in a small Ozark town, who has come back to some roots to be the local vet. Take you pick really on what people will find to focus on.
Wesley is recovering from the break-up of his nine year relationship with Todd and some ...excessive behaviour after the break-up. He is an out and proud gay man but that isn't always easy in El Dorado, Missouri. Maybe he should check it a little?
He was embarrassed to be so damn queer that he'd gone jogging looking like a one-man gay pride parade.
Embarrassed to be gay?
Oh. Hell, no.
I'm glad Wesley thought "Oh. Hell, no." He was fantastic just the way he was.
What I loved so much was the beautiful love story. The love a man has for his deceased wife. A man who has been with men before. But he found a best friend, a childhood sweetheart, the love of his life in Shannon. The way it was handled was well done. Four years on, Travis is still grieving when Dr Wesley Ryan enters his life and he is neither nice nor friendly towards the new vet with the rainbow dog decal on his yellow Miata. But the man doth protest too much, and emotions are released that Travis would prefer stay buried. The relationship that develops over the fours seasons of the book was not easy, nor would it be in real life.
Brandon Witt writes emotional well. He writes family and small town living well. He is also gives females a strong voice, and you know in this genre that does not always happen. But he never loses sight of the fact that it is first and foremost gay romance/fiction.
Loved it. Beautiful. Real. Evocative.
June 10, 2017
3.5 Stars
I found this to be a very touching, realistic story about a man moving on from a huge loss, in a way that all of his friends and most of his family would never expect him to do so.
Travis had long ago buried his attraction to the same sex, having met and fallen in love with his wife. They had a beautiful, happy life together but tragedy struck, leaving Travis a widower. It doesn't really cross his mind to take the next step into dating, until the new vet Wesley catches his eye, and long buried desires start to resurface.
Admittedly, I had my doubts about this story. It didn't start off with a bang, and Travis was not immediately likable. However this slowly grew on me as each new character was introduced, and it showed how Travis and Wesley's burgeoning relationship affected everyone around them.
As a disclaimer, this really had no smex and is quite understated in the UST. Rather it chooses to focus on the evolution of what happens as the truth about these two men is slowly made known. There's no sugarcoating here. Confusion, anger, disbelief, hate, are all present. Not everyone easily accepts this new relationship, but I appreciated the honesty of how such a revelation causes the various problems expected.
Overall, this was a thoughtful look at all players involved when a father is ready to live again, and how his choices affect those closest to him. Despite outside reactions and personal conflicts, for the most part, Travis and Wesley handle their love with grace and dignity. Again a very nice story about finding love when you least expect it, and though no matter how difficult it may be to hang on to, is absolutely worth every single fight and struggle.
I found this to be a very touching, realistic story about a man moving on from a huge loss, in a way that all of his friends and most of his family would never expect him to do so.
Travis had long ago buried his attraction to the same sex, having met and fallen in love with his wife. They had a beautiful, happy life together but tragedy struck, leaving Travis a widower. It doesn't really cross his mind to take the next step into dating, until the new vet Wesley catches his eye, and long buried desires start to resurface.
Admittedly, I had my doubts about this story. It didn't start off with a bang, and Travis was not immediately likable. However this slowly grew on me as each new character was introduced, and it showed how Travis and Wesley's burgeoning relationship affected everyone around them.
As a disclaimer, this really had no smex and is quite understated in the UST. Rather it chooses to focus on the evolution of what happens as the truth about these two men is slowly made known. There's no sugarcoating here. Confusion, anger, disbelief, hate, are all present. Not everyone easily accepts this new relationship, but I appreciated the honesty of how such a revelation causes the various problems expected.
Overall, this was a thoughtful look at all players involved when a father is ready to live again, and how his choices affect those closest to him. Despite outside reactions and personal conflicts, for the most part, Travis and Wesley handle their love with grace and dignity. Again a very nice story about finding love when you least expect it, and though no matter how difficult it may be to hang on to, is absolutely worth every single fight and struggle.
October 13, 2014
3.75
This read was, at times, uncomfortable for me to the point where I had to set it down and think about if I wanted to continue reading. It’s wonderfully written, very real and down to earth but there were characters, main ones included, that I didn’t like. I didn’t like how they acted and I didn’t like what they thought. They made me angry and they pissed me off, then they’d turn around and do something so incredibly kind or loving that I forgave them and continued on. You see what I mean? Far too real.
It deals with heavy issues and sometimes things don’t turn out well. In some things people are so rigid in their ideals that nothing you can say will sway them from their course. There’s ugliness here but there’s also beauty. There’s love and loyalty and family you’re born with and that you surround yourselves with. The book has me torn but it made me think about things that I didn’t want to so I can appreciate that. There’s also a prequel of sorts, The Shattered Door, that focuses on different characters in the same small town. I’m curious enough and drawn into the author’s work enough to read it some time down the line.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
This read was, at times, uncomfortable for me to the point where I had to set it down and think about if I wanted to continue reading. It’s wonderfully written, very real and down to earth but there were characters, main ones included, that I didn’t like. I didn’t like how they acted and I didn’t like what they thought. They made me angry and they pissed me off, then they’d turn around and do something so incredibly kind or loving that I forgave them and continued on. You see what I mean? Far too real.
It deals with heavy issues and sometimes things don’t turn out well. In some things people are so rigid in their ideals that nothing you can say will sway them from their course. There’s ugliness here but there’s also beauty. There’s love and loyalty and family you’re born with and that you surround yourselves with. The book has me torn but it made me think about things that I didn’t want to so I can appreciate that. There’s also a prequel of sorts, The Shattered Door, that focuses on different characters in the same small town. I’m curious enough and drawn into the author’s work enough to read it some time down the line.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
June 21, 2015
Oh, boy. Where do I start on this review? Brandon Witt's THEN THE STARS FALL rang so many memory bells in my head it was like I was back on the farm I grew up on reliving my childhood all over again. It started with Mr. Witt's mention of FFA, which I was a member of all through high school. His description of the townsfolk in the tiny farming town where the story takes place was just like the town and people I grew up with in Indiana. He talked of buffalo being raised there, and a farmer not many miles from my dad's farm bred buffalo with Charolais cattle to produce what we called beefalo. I even spent hours with my dad at the town feed store, which was just like Travis's store in the story. But the clencher was the beautiful cover of this book, artwork by Anne Cain. That almost floored me because the barn on the cover looks almost exactly like my dad's rundown barn that sat on our sixty acre farm. I can't begin to guess how many hours I spent playing and working in that old barn while I was growing up -- in the hayloft, in the animal pens below, in the corn crib. So many memories of my childhood are centered there it really was kind of eerie to see that old barn on the cover of this book.
But enough about my memories. Aside from all that, this is such a sweet tale of love and small-town life. The writing is beautiful. The characters, each and every one of them, are memorable and honest. Without being overplayed, even the bad parts of small-town life ring true in this story. The rampant homophobia, the gossiping, the narrow-mindedness. But Mr. Witt shows us the good side too. The work ethic, the love of the land and animals and family, the generosity of the good people. All of it.
I also loved Travis and Wesley. Their love story is so beautiful. Travis is such a gentle giant of a man and prissy little Wesley loves him so much. Read this book, if you haven't already. You'll be glad you did.
But enough about my memories. Aside from all that, this is such a sweet tale of love and small-town life. The writing is beautiful. The characters, each and every one of them, are memorable and honest. Without being overplayed, even the bad parts of small-town life ring true in this story. The rampant homophobia, the gossiping, the narrow-mindedness. But Mr. Witt shows us the good side too. The work ethic, the love of the land and animals and family, the generosity of the good people. All of it.
I also loved Travis and Wesley. Their love story is so beautiful. Travis is such a gentle giant of a man and prissy little Wesley loves him so much. Read this book, if you haven't already. You'll be glad you did.
October 3, 2014
Flawless. Honestly, this is the best book I've ever read in the M/M genre. It's passionate, heartfelt, lyrical, and devastatingly beautiful at times. There are passages that are pure poetry. I mean, seriously:
"They kissed.
Animals slept.
They kissed.
The barn continued to stand.
They kissed.
Maybe a few stars fell."
My jaw almost hit the floor with that passage. This is not how M/M romances are written... and I love it. There's so much heart here, it almost makes me ache. This is what it looks like to bare your soul on the page.
"They kissed.
Animals slept.
They kissed.
The barn continued to stand.
They kissed.
Maybe a few stars fell."
My jaw almost hit the floor with that passage. This is not how M/M romances are written... and I love it. There's so much heart here, it almost makes me ache. This is what it looks like to bare your soul on the page.
November 8, 2014
WOW!!!! I knew after reading the first few pages that this book was going to be EXCELLENT!!!! WOW!!! So I purposely read it SLOWLY, not wanting it to ever end!!!! This is my first by Brandon Witt and I have to say.... he's a gifted Author. His writing is very descriptive ~ it really made me feel not only that I was observing the unfolding story but that I could "feel" it and "smell" it. It really moved me. This book is a MUST READ!!!!!
August 15, 2017
Darum geht’s:
Auch vier Jahre nach dem Tod seiner Frau ist Travis noch nicht darüber hinweg. Mit Hilfe seiner Schwester zieht er seine drei Kinder alleine groß und redet täglich an Shannons Grab mit ihr. Wesley, der neue Tierarzt, flitzt im gelben Sportwagen mit Regenbogenaufkleber durch die Kleinstadt und macht keinen Hehl aus seiner Homosexualität. Nachdem sein letzter fester Freund ihn betrogen hat, hofft er eigentlich, in der konservativen Provinz vor schwulen Männern und der Versuchung sicher zu sein.
So fand ich’s:
Eigentlich sind weder Travis noch Wesley auf der Suche nach einer Beziehung und im Grunde sind auch beide gar nicht offen dafür.
Travis trauert immer noch um seine Frau und der Schock, dass sie trotz guter Prognose sehr jung an Krebs gestorben ist, sitzt bei ihm immer noch tief. Sobald auch nur der vage Verdacht im Raum steht, dass es einem seiner drei Kinder, seiner Schwester oder seinem geliebten Hund Dunkyn nicht gut geht, kommt die Panik in Travis hoch.
Wesely hat sich von Langzeitfreund Todd getrennt, nachdem dieser ihn gegen einen jungen Twink eingetauscht hat. Die zwei Jahre Dauerparty und sexuelle Ausschweifungen danach haben Wesley nicht gutgetan und er möchte im Häuschen seiner verstorbenen Großeltern in der Provinz zur Ruhe kommen und zu sich selbst finden.
Da beide ihren Ballast mitbringen, dauert es eine ganze Weile, bis sie sich ihre gegenseitige Anziehung eingestehen und auch dann wird es nicht fröhlich und leicht, wie man es von Frischverliebten erwarten könnte. Travis hat eine Familie und muss auch bedenken, wie sich sein Verhalten und ein Outing als schwul bzw. bisexuell auf sie auswirkt. Und die konservative ländliche Umgebung verleitet Wesely sowieso schon dazu, sich dezenter zu verhalten, als es eigentlich seine Natur ist. Ihre Annäherung ist unbeholfen und voller irritierender und auch unangenehm peinlicher Situationen, wirkt dadurch aber absolut realistisch und lässt beide Männer sehr menschlich und liebenswert erscheinen.
Der Grundton der Geschichte ist nachdenklich und ernst, aber auch voller großer Gefühle. Travis große Liebe für seine Kinder und auch die Tierliebe, die beide Männer gemeinsam haben, kommt immer wieder durch. Allerdings läuft es nirgends wirklich reibungslos für Travis und Wesley. Auch als sie sich selbst darüber klargeworden sind, was sie wollen und dann schließlich dem anderen gegenüber Farbe bekannt haben, werden ihnen immer weiter Stolpersteine von außen zwischen die Beine geworfen.
Explizite Sexszenen gibt es hier nicht, was ich aber als absolut zur Geschichte passend empfand. Schließlich wurde an intensiven Gefühlen nicht gespart.
Manchmal habe ich die Leichtigkeit vermisst, aber das gehört eben nicht zur Lovestory von Travis und Wesley. Sie sind ernste Menschen, die viel Tiefe haben und große Emotionen erleben, die einen mitreißen und überzeugen, aber nicht amüsieren. Berührt hat mich das Buch auf jeden Fall.
Auch vier Jahre nach dem Tod seiner Frau ist Travis noch nicht darüber hinweg. Mit Hilfe seiner Schwester zieht er seine drei Kinder alleine groß und redet täglich an Shannons Grab mit ihr. Wesley, der neue Tierarzt, flitzt im gelben Sportwagen mit Regenbogenaufkleber durch die Kleinstadt und macht keinen Hehl aus seiner Homosexualität. Nachdem sein letzter fester Freund ihn betrogen hat, hofft er eigentlich, in der konservativen Provinz vor schwulen Männern und der Versuchung sicher zu sein.
So fand ich’s:
Eigentlich sind weder Travis noch Wesley auf der Suche nach einer Beziehung und im Grunde sind auch beide gar nicht offen dafür.
Travis trauert immer noch um seine Frau und der Schock, dass sie trotz guter Prognose sehr jung an Krebs gestorben ist, sitzt bei ihm immer noch tief. Sobald auch nur der vage Verdacht im Raum steht, dass es einem seiner drei Kinder, seiner Schwester oder seinem geliebten Hund Dunkyn nicht gut geht, kommt die Panik in Travis hoch.
Wesely hat sich von Langzeitfreund Todd getrennt, nachdem dieser ihn gegen einen jungen Twink eingetauscht hat. Die zwei Jahre Dauerparty und sexuelle Ausschweifungen danach haben Wesley nicht gutgetan und er möchte im Häuschen seiner verstorbenen Großeltern in der Provinz zur Ruhe kommen und zu sich selbst finden.
Da beide ihren Ballast mitbringen, dauert es eine ganze Weile, bis sie sich ihre gegenseitige Anziehung eingestehen und auch dann wird es nicht fröhlich und leicht, wie man es von Frischverliebten erwarten könnte. Travis hat eine Familie und muss auch bedenken, wie sich sein Verhalten und ein Outing als schwul bzw. bisexuell auf sie auswirkt. Und die konservative ländliche Umgebung verleitet Wesely sowieso schon dazu, sich dezenter zu verhalten, als es eigentlich seine Natur ist. Ihre Annäherung ist unbeholfen und voller irritierender und auch unangenehm peinlicher Situationen, wirkt dadurch aber absolut realistisch und lässt beide Männer sehr menschlich und liebenswert erscheinen.
Der Grundton der Geschichte ist nachdenklich und ernst, aber auch voller großer Gefühle. Travis große Liebe für seine Kinder und auch die Tierliebe, die beide Männer gemeinsam haben, kommt immer wieder durch. Allerdings läuft es nirgends wirklich reibungslos für Travis und Wesley. Auch als sie sich selbst darüber klargeworden sind, was sie wollen und dann schließlich dem anderen gegenüber Farbe bekannt haben, werden ihnen immer weiter Stolpersteine von außen zwischen die Beine geworfen.
Explizite Sexszenen gibt es hier nicht, was ich aber als absolut zur Geschichte passend empfand. Schließlich wurde an intensiven Gefühlen nicht gespart.
Manchmal habe ich die Leichtigkeit vermisst, aber das gehört eben nicht zur Lovestory von Travis und Wesley. Sie sind ernste Menschen, die viel Tiefe haben und große Emotionen erleben, die einen mitreißen und überzeugen, aber nicht amüsieren. Berührt hat mich das Buch auf jeden Fall.
March 27, 2015
Absolutely amazing writing. Raw emotions, realistic situations, real characters who make you want to hug them and yell at them at the same time. There was also a surreal, almost stream of conscious aspect to the writing since the reader is sometimes thrown into the head of a secondary character without warning just to get a glimpse of their POV, and while you'd think it wouldn't help the story along at all, it really did. It brought a cohesiveness to the tale that proves Witt is more than just a romance writer. And this book is more than a romance.
August 1, 2016
Just blew me away. I'll write a review as soon as possible. Since there's a 25% discount on the store, I'm going to buy all books by this author. Thank you very much.
Disclaimer: I work for DSP Translation Department, but as you can see I rarely give a rating anymore, but sometimes I have.
Full review
I’m an emotional reader and this book was exactly what I needed.
The story is quite simple: bisexual widower with three kids meets gay new vet in small town. You already know what this story entails: grief, guilt, the small town mentality, good people vs bad people, prejudice, solidarity, love in all its forms (for kids, siblings, pets, people) and its declination (pure, sensual, earthy and sacred). What you are not quite prepared for it’s the absolute beauty of the writing.
It’s as if all the feelings of the protagonists found the perfect representation, the writing makes them real and tangible. It reaches a lyrical quality that makes your spirit soar with them.
Wesley, the veterinarian, moves to the small town of El Do in order to find himself. He loved the place as a kid and he goes to live in the house he inherited from his grandparents. Wesley is out and proud, he drives a car that is like a beacon for his orientation, he dresses fancy and runs in pink-laced running-shoes. We live his relationship with the whole town, the well-meaning words, the silent reprimands. He doesn’t hide how scared he is, but he’s also determined and he respects himself. Like the unexpected surge of anger that allows him to stand up to a bully, every steps he takes in his relationship with Travis (the widower) shows his courage despite his doubts. It’s like there is a Superman hidden under ordinary clothes.
Travis is still grieving his wife and raising his three kids. He is bisexual and when he meets Wesley, he is attracted to him and he decides to surrender to the feelings he has always had towards men. It’s not only lust, though, it’s empathy, it’s the need of a companion. Travis is a bear of a man that needs to love and feel loved by a kindred soul. Wesley is the guy he sets his eyes on, and he never shies away from his feelings when he’s made up his mind about the relationship he wants with the younger man. He’s blunt and honest, and he shows himself for what he is. And that’s how he has raised his kids. We know he’s stumbled and picked himself up, and we love him more for the cracks in his armor.
And then there are the secondary characters, Travis’ close family, his best friend Jason and the people in El Do. I am not a fan of multiple point of views. I like one or two POVs, the rest is overkill in my opinion (or they show a lack of skills of the author sometimes). In this book we have short chapters with the POVs of every person whose life is impacted by Travis and Wesley’s love. They are like precious stones on an already fine cloth. What can I say? Mason’s chapter made me sob, I didn’t have a tissue ready, so I had to scramble out of bed to get one, making fun of myself because I had been caught again in a story. Gosh, I love when it happens. Every character became alive and dear to me, I care for this people, how can I explain? It was magic.
The setting was plausible, this small town where everyone knows about everyone else. It was like being there and the description of the places was sketched vividly, without being overly detailed. It was like standing next to Travis while he thought about life by that beautiful field where the buffaloes run with Dunkyn, kneeling with him by his wife’s grave, sitting by the pond on a cold night on a bench.
There’s a lot of romance, but there isn’t graphic sex. There is lust, you can feel it, you can peek into some intimate moments, but it’s like you’re hearing through a wall, not actually seeing what’s happening. Which is fine by me. I wouldn’t recommend reading it in one sitting (I didn’t) because it deserved to be sipped slowly, to let the story accompany you during your day, to make you want to meet the characters when you’re relaxing in your free time. It was difficult to put it down when I was reading it, but I am happy I didn’t gorge on it.
I am a bit afraid of recommending it because I don’t want to hear if you don’t like it. It’s so precious to me, it was a privilege to read it, it’s “such stuff as readers’ dreams are made of” (stealing from Bill S.).
Disclaimer: I work for DSP Translation Department, but as you can see I rarely give a rating anymore, but sometimes I have.
Full review
I’m an emotional reader and this book was exactly what I needed.
The story is quite simple: bisexual widower with three kids meets gay new vet in small town. You already know what this story entails: grief, guilt, the small town mentality, good people vs bad people, prejudice, solidarity, love in all its forms (for kids, siblings, pets, people) and its declination (pure, sensual, earthy and sacred). What you are not quite prepared for it’s the absolute beauty of the writing.
It’s as if all the feelings of the protagonists found the perfect representation, the writing makes them real and tangible. It reaches a lyrical quality that makes your spirit soar with them.
Wesley, the veterinarian, moves to the small town of El Do in order to find himself. He loved the place as a kid and he goes to live in the house he inherited from his grandparents. Wesley is out and proud, he drives a car that is like a beacon for his orientation, he dresses fancy and runs in pink-laced running-shoes. We live his relationship with the whole town, the well-meaning words, the silent reprimands. He doesn’t hide how scared he is, but he’s also determined and he respects himself. Like the unexpected surge of anger that allows him to stand up to a bully, every steps he takes in his relationship with Travis (the widower) shows his courage despite his doubts. It’s like there is a Superman hidden under ordinary clothes.
Travis is still grieving his wife and raising his three kids. He is bisexual and when he meets Wesley, he is attracted to him and he decides to surrender to the feelings he has always had towards men. It’s not only lust, though, it’s empathy, it’s the need of a companion. Travis is a bear of a man that needs to love and feel loved by a kindred soul. Wesley is the guy he sets his eyes on, and he never shies away from his feelings when he’s made up his mind about the relationship he wants with the younger man. He’s blunt and honest, and he shows himself for what he is. And that’s how he has raised his kids. We know he’s stumbled and picked himself up, and we love him more for the cracks in his armor.
And then there are the secondary characters, Travis’ close family, his best friend Jason and the people in El Do. I am not a fan of multiple point of views. I like one or two POVs, the rest is overkill in my opinion (or they show a lack of skills of the author sometimes). In this book we have short chapters with the POVs of every person whose life is impacted by Travis and Wesley’s love. They are like precious stones on an already fine cloth. What can I say? Mason’s chapter made me sob, I didn’t have a tissue ready, so I had to scramble out of bed to get one, making fun of myself because I had been caught again in a story. Gosh, I love when it happens. Every character became alive and dear to me, I care for this people, how can I explain? It was magic.
The setting was plausible, this small town where everyone knows about everyone else. It was like being there and the description of the places was sketched vividly, without being overly detailed. It was like standing next to Travis while he thought about life by that beautiful field where the buffaloes run with Dunkyn, kneeling with him by his wife’s grave, sitting by the pond on a cold night on a bench.
There’s a lot of romance, but there isn’t graphic sex. There is lust, you can feel it, you can peek into some intimate moments, but it’s like you’re hearing through a wall, not actually seeing what’s happening. Which is fine by me. I wouldn’t recommend reading it in one sitting (I didn’t) because it deserved to be sipped slowly, to let the story accompany you during your day, to make you want to meet the characters when you’re relaxing in your free time. It was difficult to put it down when I was reading it, but I am happy I didn’t gorge on it.
I am a bit afraid of recommending it because I don’t want to hear if you don’t like it. It’s so precious to me, it was a privilege to read it, it’s “such stuff as readers’ dreams are made of” (stealing from Bill S.).
November 8, 2017
4.5
Oh My Heart!
This is first and foremost a story of family, family is a main character and such a driving force for this story.
Pain, loss, tenderness, anger, joy, happiness ...hit all the emotional buttons.
I loved these characters, my heart became attached and I was so invested in everyone one of these family (and extended family) members.
My favorite chapter was the one told from Mason's POV, that little boy captured the essence of the book in that chapter.
Possibly my favorite book of the year so far (rock being the other book my heart keeps going back to ).
Highly recommend if you like family stories.
Oh My Heart!
This is first and foremost a story of family, family is a main character and such a driving force for this story.
Pain, loss, tenderness, anger, joy, happiness ...hit all the emotional buttons.
I loved these characters, my heart became attached and I was so invested in everyone one of these family (and extended family) members.
My favorite chapter was the one told from Mason's POV, that little boy captured the essence of the book in that chapter.
Possibly my favorite book of the year so far (rock being the other book my heart keeps going back to ).
Highly recommend if you like family stories.
November 28, 2014
Wonderful book all around! Love Travis and Wesley and the kids :) I wouldn't mind visiting them again, a few years down the line. Looking into their life, how the kids are doing, yes, I really would like that.
July 21, 2020
I purchased this book after GRL 2014, with a fabulous coupon from the publisher, and then left it lingering on my Nook. Until 12/29, when I opened the file and started reading.
And then found I couldn't stop reading, not until I had read every word on every page, because I had to know how it would all work out. I even tweeted the author - he owes me for lack of sleep.
Kidding aside, if you haven't read this book, get to it. Do it. Do it now.
The characters Brandon Witt created in this novel are some of the most realistic, most pulled-from-real-life I've ever had the pleasure to read. Travis Bennett, widowed four years ago, raising his three kids with help from his sister Wendy, lives in a small Ozark town called El Dorado Springs. He's still grieving the loss of his wife and convinced he'll never love anyone again. The melancholy, the sadness Travis feels was evident from the start.
Wesley Ryan is the new vet in town. He's openly gay (or "swishy", as Travis calls it), drives a bright-yellow Miata and is the fodder for much gossip around town. He recently moved into his grandparents' old house, having inherited it upon their death, and is still somewhat reeling from a break-up with this long-time boyfriend who left him. He's come to El Do, as the locals call it, to find himself again.
Homophobia is rampant throughout the book. Wait, hear me out. There were moments when I wanted to shake Travis for calling Wesley a faggot, especially early on, and there were moments when I wanted to reach into the book and punch Jason (Travis' life-long buddy/friend/bro) for being a homophobic asshole, and there were moments when I had to remind myself that this wasn't actually a biography, that these were only words on a page. It was all so real.
This is the kind of story that could happen in real life. Brandon Witt's characters are real. They could be your neighbors, the people you see at your local grocery store, and he accurately describes what it's like to live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows your business.
The book also showcases the apathy of most people, specifically when it comes to good old boys and their special club. It shows that despite everyone knowing what a rotten person John Wallace is, nobody does a damn thing about it, always careful to maintain the status quo while whispering the truth to each other.
But there's also change within. Change that comes over time, change that comes at a moment's notice, for example when Jason is forced to decide whether he values his friendship with Travis more than his homophobia. Change that is nearly invisible, quiet, but then becomes a force of its own once Travis opens his eyes and really sees.
I cried a few times. There were some tears. Okay, fine, a lot of tears. Okay, fine, a river of tears, with rapids throughout. Brandon Witt made me cry. So there's that.
But he also made me smile and sigh with happiness.
Travis and Wesley's first kiss - I may have swooned a little. Or a lot. That was one of the best first kisses I've ever read about in a book. The emotional connection between the two men just dripped off the pages.
Brandon showed me with his words that love will conquer all, no matter how long it takes Travis to get his head out of his ass, no matter how Wesley tries to guard himself from falling in love, no matter how many people's bigoted opinions try to deny these two men what they have found in each other.
This book is written in the third person with an omniscient narrator. Quick trigger warning - there's a scene early on that contains While I'm not usually one who likes being in different people's heads, it really worked here for me, because not only do we get glimpses into the reasons behind actions, but we also get some insight into Travis' past. Yes, there's a villain, and while this guy might be slightly one-dimensional, I actually have known people like that. He's real. He exists.
Dialogue was organic, believable. Travis and Wesley's relationship, from its tentative beginnings to the lows and highs, to their happy ending, it was all so very believable. Like it really happened.
What I especially enjoyed, after getting to know this author at GRL and via FB, was the inclusion of the author's two Corgis, Dunkyn and Dolan. Brandon, if you're reading this, I'm so sorry about Dunkyn. I know you miss him terribly. I know what it's like to lose a beloved pet. He's waiting for you at the rainbow bridge.
While there are many themes in this book (homophobia, shame, grief, gossip, hate-crimes, loss, family, bigotry, to name just a few), the overriding theme is love. Love between families, love between spouses, loving someone for who they are, loving someone despite them having hurt you, loving someone beyond their death. Loving yourself. That's the most important lesson within. Love yourself the way you are. All else will follow.
This is an exceptional author, and I cannot believe it took me this long to read one of his books. What was I thinking?
One of the best books I've read this year, hands down.
And then found I couldn't stop reading, not until I had read every word on every page, because I had to know how it would all work out. I even tweeted the author - he owes me for lack of sleep.
Kidding aside, if you haven't read this book, get to it. Do it. Do it now.
The characters Brandon Witt created in this novel are some of the most realistic, most pulled-from-real-life I've ever had the pleasure to read. Travis Bennett, widowed four years ago, raising his three kids with help from his sister Wendy, lives in a small Ozark town called El Dorado Springs. He's still grieving the loss of his wife and convinced he'll never love anyone again. The melancholy, the sadness Travis feels was evident from the start.
Wesley Ryan is the new vet in town. He's openly gay (or "swishy", as Travis calls it), drives a bright-yellow Miata and is the fodder for much gossip around town. He recently moved into his grandparents' old house, having inherited it upon their death, and is still somewhat reeling from a break-up with this long-time boyfriend who left him. He's come to El Do, as the locals call it, to find himself again.
Homophobia is rampant throughout the book. Wait, hear me out. There were moments when I wanted to shake Travis for calling Wesley a faggot, especially early on, and there were moments when I wanted to reach into the book and punch Jason (Travis' life-long buddy/friend/bro) for being a homophobic asshole, and there were moments when I had to remind myself that this wasn't actually a biography, that these were only words on a page. It was all so real.
This is the kind of story that could happen in real life. Brandon Witt's characters are real. They could be your neighbors, the people you see at your local grocery store, and he accurately describes what it's like to live in a small town, where everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows your business.
The book also showcases the apathy of most people, specifically when it comes to good old boys and their special club. It shows that despite everyone knowing what a rotten person John Wallace is, nobody does a damn thing about it, always careful to maintain the status quo while whispering the truth to each other.
But there's also change within. Change that comes over time, change that comes at a moment's notice, for example when Jason is forced to decide whether he values his friendship with Travis more than his homophobia. Change that is nearly invisible, quiet, but then becomes a force of its own once Travis opens his eyes and really sees.
I cried a few times. There were some tears. Okay, fine, a lot of tears. Okay, fine, a river of tears, with rapids throughout. Brandon Witt made me cry. So there's that.
But he also made me smile and sigh with happiness.
Travis and Wesley's first kiss - I may have swooned a little. Or a lot. That was one of the best first kisses I've ever read about in a book. The emotional connection between the two men just dripped off the pages.
Brandon showed me with his words that love will conquer all, no matter how long it takes Travis to get his head out of his ass, no matter how Wesley tries to guard himself from falling in love, no matter how many people's bigoted opinions try to deny these two men what they have found in each other.
This book is written in the third person with an omniscient narrator. Quick trigger warning - there's a scene early on that contains While I'm not usually one who likes being in different people's heads, it really worked here for me, because not only do we get glimpses into the reasons behind actions, but we also get some insight into Travis' past. Yes, there's a villain, and while this guy might be slightly one-dimensional, I actually have known people like that. He's real. He exists.
Dialogue was organic, believable. Travis and Wesley's relationship, from its tentative beginnings to the lows and highs, to their happy ending, it was all so very believable. Like it really happened.
What I especially enjoyed, after getting to know this author at GRL and via FB, was the inclusion of the author's two Corgis, Dunkyn and Dolan. Brandon, if you're reading this, I'm so sorry about Dunkyn. I know you miss him terribly. I know what it's like to lose a beloved pet. He's waiting for you at the rainbow bridge.
While there are many themes in this book (homophobia, shame, grief, gossip, hate-crimes, loss, family, bigotry, to name just a few), the overriding theme is love. Love between families, love between spouses, loving someone for who they are, loving someone despite them having hurt you, loving someone beyond their death. Loving yourself. That's the most important lesson within. Love yourself the way you are. All else will follow.
This is an exceptional author, and I cannot believe it took me this long to read one of his books. What was I thinking?
One of the best books I've read this year, hands down.
Read
October 26, 2015DNF at 36%
It's sad to say, NOTHING did work for me in this book.
But it could work for you.
No rating, I didn't come too far.
March 27, 2016
I struggled with this book - it's a hard one to review because the writing is excellent and I can tell from the dedication that some of this story, the town at least, comes from the author's life experience. And how do you critique that, say that you don't like someone's experience? I don't mean to be dismissive or judgy. And yet I really hated that effing town, those people, even Travis most of the time. Jason. Certainly Travis' parents and John Wallace. The bowling dude. There was just so much ugliness, vitriol and hate, it seemed to overpower the good and I don't think the story even offered up the existence of great for Wesley in this town.
Travis was not a likable character for me. His self absorption just poisoned the well - he did so many casual shitty things that could really hurt others without remorse, said horrible things and put his grief above everyone else. He took and took from his sister. I don't know why Wesley would have wanted to be with him unless he had some insane self loathing.
Wesley deserved so much more in my mind. As did Wendy. The casual misogyny fit right in with the overt bigotry but it wasn't pleasant reading about how all the women were fat, doormats or victims.
As I started with, the writing is excellent, it's just that the people and story were ugly. But maybe that's life. Life is ugly, I guess.
Travis was not a likable character for me. His self absorption just poisoned the well - he did so many casual shitty things that could really hurt others without remorse, said horrible things and put his grief above everyone else. He took and took from his sister. I don't know why Wesley would have wanted to be with him unless he had some insane self loathing.
Wesley deserved so much more in my mind. As did Wendy. The casual misogyny fit right in with the overt bigotry but it wasn't pleasant reading about how all the women were fat, doormats or victims.
As I started with, the writing is excellent, it's just that the people and story were ugly. But maybe that's life. Life is ugly, I guess.
July 3, 2021
I bought this book 7 years ago and promptly forgot about it. What a pleasant surprise. Then the Stars Fell was a good solid romantic tale that was a the kind of story that’s become harder and harder to find. The MCs were likeable, the kids were not annoying in fact they were what the story needed and the town’s folks had to grow up. Enjoyable form start to finish.
August 15, 2017
Was für ein wunderschönes Buch. Dabei passiert im Grunde gar nicht viel, jedenfalls kein Drama, sieht man mal von ein paar homophoben Spinnern und einem Mistkerl ab, der am Ende seine gerechte Strafe bekommt. Ansonsten ist dieser Roman eine herrlich ruhige Geschichte über das Finden einer neuen Liebe, und dabei lässt sich der Autor sehr viel Zeit.
Die Story läuft über etwa ein Jahr und anfangs ist es teils traurig und teils amüsant mitzuerleben, wie Travis sehr, sehr langsam aus seinem Schneckenhaus herauskommt, nachdem er seine Frau verloren hat und sich jetzt allein um seine drei Kinder kümmern muss. Er hat zwar seine Schwester Wendy und seinen besten Freund Jason, aber über seine Trauer um Shannon können sie ihm nicht hinweghelfen und seine aufkeimenden Gefühle für Wesley machen die Sache für Travis nicht einfacher. Er ist bi und hatte bereits Beziehungen zu Männern, aber das war vor seiner Ehe und je mehr er sich für Wesley interessiert, umso größer werden seines Schuldgefühle. Es dauert lange, bis er bereit ist, sich darauf einzulassen und er bekommt auch ein paar Schubser von außen, die ihn in die richtige Richtung stoßen.
Wesley hingegen will überhaupt keine Beziehung. Er hat genug davon, betrogen und verletzt zu werden, darum ist er auch in dieses ländliche Kaff gezogen. Hier gibt es bestimmt keine anderen Schwulen und er kann sich in Ruhe um seine Arbeit in der Praxis als neuer Tierarzt kümmern.
Soweit zumindest die Theorie, denn zuerst wird er beinahe überfallen und zum Sex gezwungen, worüber er Stillschweigen bewahrt, und als Travis dann zu »mehr« bereit ist, kommt er wie ein Sturm über Wesley, der ihm nicht widerstehen kann, auch wenn er weiß, wie schwierig es werden wird, denn Shannon schwebt immer über ihnen und Wesley hat Angst, gegen Travis' tote Frau niemals anzukommen. Niemals genug für Travis und seine Kinder zu sein. Und das ständige Gerede, die abschätzenden Blicke, als beide anfangen »Dates« zu haben, und die Probleme, die Caleb (Travis' Ältester) in der Schule bekommt, weil sein Vater plötzlich einen Mann liebt, führen bei beiden Männern immer wieder zu Zweifeln und der Überlegung, ob es nicht besser wäre, das Ganze sein zu lassen. Aber sie wollen nicht. Unabhängig voneinander wollen sie, was sie da gefunden haben, und so kämpfen sie darum. Jeder auf seine Weise und später dann gemeinsam.
Und dabei stellt sich Travis besonders am Anfang nicht sehr geschickt an. Er hat überhaupt keine Erfahrung damit, jemanden zu umwerben und er macht Fehler, aber er kämpft um Wesley und das ist einfach umwerfend zu lesen. Ich hatte so einige Szenen, wo ich die Augen verdrehte und ihn schütteln wollte, während ich bei anderen selig seufzend dasaß. Das nächtliche Beobachten von Sternen in der Scheune z.B. - und davon gibt es mehrere Dinge. Travis ist im Grunde ein echter Romantiker und das zeigt er auch mehr und mehr, womit er Wesleys Herz schneller und tiefer erreicht, als ihm anfangs bewusst ist.
Sehr schön und passend fand ich auch die Kapitel aus Sicht von Travis' Kindern und z.B. von Iris, einem Nebencharakter im Buch. So bekommt man beim Lesen auch mal andere Eindrücke, denn die Nebencharaktere sind, in all ihrer Schrulligkeit, sehr liebevoll gestaltet und ausgearbeitet, und das hat der Geschichte noch das i-Tüpfelchen aufgesetzt.
Ich würde 10* geben, wenn das möglich wäre. So bekommt diese Geschichte die volle Punktzahl von mir, eine dicke Leseempfehlung obendrauf und ich bedanke mich recht herzlich beim Dreamspinner Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar.
Die Story läuft über etwa ein Jahr und anfangs ist es teils traurig und teils amüsant mitzuerleben, wie Travis sehr, sehr langsam aus seinem Schneckenhaus herauskommt, nachdem er seine Frau verloren hat und sich jetzt allein um seine drei Kinder kümmern muss. Er hat zwar seine Schwester Wendy und seinen besten Freund Jason, aber über seine Trauer um Shannon können sie ihm nicht hinweghelfen und seine aufkeimenden Gefühle für Wesley machen die Sache für Travis nicht einfacher. Er ist bi und hatte bereits Beziehungen zu Männern, aber das war vor seiner Ehe und je mehr er sich für Wesley interessiert, umso größer werden seines Schuldgefühle. Es dauert lange, bis er bereit ist, sich darauf einzulassen und er bekommt auch ein paar Schubser von außen, die ihn in die richtige Richtung stoßen.
Wesley hingegen will überhaupt keine Beziehung. Er hat genug davon, betrogen und verletzt zu werden, darum ist er auch in dieses ländliche Kaff gezogen. Hier gibt es bestimmt keine anderen Schwulen und er kann sich in Ruhe um seine Arbeit in der Praxis als neuer Tierarzt kümmern.
Soweit zumindest die Theorie, denn zuerst wird er beinahe überfallen und zum Sex gezwungen, worüber er Stillschweigen bewahrt, und als Travis dann zu »mehr« bereit ist, kommt er wie ein Sturm über Wesley, der ihm nicht widerstehen kann, auch wenn er weiß, wie schwierig es werden wird, denn Shannon schwebt immer über ihnen und Wesley hat Angst, gegen Travis' tote Frau niemals anzukommen. Niemals genug für Travis und seine Kinder zu sein. Und das ständige Gerede, die abschätzenden Blicke, als beide anfangen »Dates« zu haben, und die Probleme, die Caleb (Travis' Ältester) in der Schule bekommt, weil sein Vater plötzlich einen Mann liebt, führen bei beiden Männern immer wieder zu Zweifeln und der Überlegung, ob es nicht besser wäre, das Ganze sein zu lassen. Aber sie wollen nicht. Unabhängig voneinander wollen sie, was sie da gefunden haben, und so kämpfen sie darum. Jeder auf seine Weise und später dann gemeinsam.
Und dabei stellt sich Travis besonders am Anfang nicht sehr geschickt an. Er hat überhaupt keine Erfahrung damit, jemanden zu umwerben und er macht Fehler, aber er kämpft um Wesley und das ist einfach umwerfend zu lesen. Ich hatte so einige Szenen, wo ich die Augen verdrehte und ihn schütteln wollte, während ich bei anderen selig seufzend dasaß. Das nächtliche Beobachten von Sternen in der Scheune z.B. - und davon gibt es mehrere Dinge. Travis ist im Grunde ein echter Romantiker und das zeigt er auch mehr und mehr, womit er Wesleys Herz schneller und tiefer erreicht, als ihm anfangs bewusst ist.
Sehr schön und passend fand ich auch die Kapitel aus Sicht von Travis' Kindern und z.B. von Iris, einem Nebencharakter im Buch. So bekommt man beim Lesen auch mal andere Eindrücke, denn die Nebencharaktere sind, in all ihrer Schrulligkeit, sehr liebevoll gestaltet und ausgearbeitet, und das hat der Geschichte noch das i-Tüpfelchen aufgesetzt.
Ich würde 10* geben, wenn das möglich wäre. So bekommt diese Geschichte die volle Punktzahl von mir, eine dicke Leseempfehlung obendrauf und ich bedanke mich recht herzlich beim Dreamspinner Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar.
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