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Farm #3
Amore significa... libertà
Una libro della serie Amore significa…
Rifiutato dal padre e sbattuto fuori di casa, Stone Hillyard ha difficoltà a trovare un riparo dall’inverno del Michigan quando, per un colpo di fortuna, finisce nella fattoria di Geoff Laughton e del suo compagno Eli. I due uomini lo accolgono in casa, lo riscaldano e gli danno un lavoro all’interno del programma di equitazione terapeutica ‘Nessun Limite’.
Un automobilista ubriaco ha reso Preston Harding incapace di camminare e, dopo mesi di duro lavoro, il suo terapista gli raccomanda il programma di Geoff ed Eli. Purtroppo la rabbia e l’arroganza che Preston si porta dentro lo fanno quasi sbattere fuori, ma Stone intercede per lui, nonostante gli insulti ricevuti. È un piccolo gesto di gentilezza che apre gli occhi a Preston.
Stone e Preston si daranno una mano l’un l’altro, affronteranno la disapprovazione delle proprie famiglie e affronteranno vecchi segreti. Impareranno – a volte a proprie spese – come l’amore possa voler dire libertà per entrambi.
Rifiutato dal padre e sbattuto fuori di casa, Stone Hillyard ha difficoltà a trovare un riparo dall’inverno del Michigan quando, per un colpo di fortuna, finisce nella fattoria di Geoff Laughton e del suo compagno Eli. I due uomini lo accolgono in casa, lo riscaldano e gli danno un lavoro all’interno del programma di equitazione terapeutica ‘Nessun Limite’.
Un automobilista ubriaco ha reso Preston Harding incapace di camminare e, dopo mesi di duro lavoro, il suo terapista gli raccomanda il programma di Geoff ed Eli. Purtroppo la rabbia e l’arroganza che Preston si porta dentro lo fanno quasi sbattere fuori, ma Stone intercede per lui, nonostante gli insulti ricevuti. È un piccolo gesto di gentilezza che apre gli occhi a Preston.
Stone e Preston si daranno una mano l’un l’altro, affronteranno la disapprovazione delle proprie famiglie e affronteranno vecchi segreti. Impareranno – a volte a proprie spese – come l’amore possa voler dire libertà per entrambi.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2010
12 people are currently reading
489 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
September 26, 2019
Stone and Preston. Stone has been thrown out by an abusive father for being gay. He ends up being taken in by Geoff and Eli from book two. He soon finds a place helping out with their therapy riding program at their farm where he meets Preston. Preston is a spoiled, rich 'kid' who's been injured in an accident and is holding it against everyone, but taking it out on Stone who he treats as beneath him. Stone is pissed, but sees something in Preston nonetheless. He stands up for the pompous jerk when he's about to get thrown out of the program jarring the man to start looking at his own life, choices, and behavior. Of course, the two of them begin to see each other in a much more intimate light. Once again, their flaws are what make them each the true heroes in the story, and I love Grey for doing such a great job at breathing life into his characters.
July 7, 2010
Andrew did it once again. I love this series it's like catching up with old family and friends. I know I love a book when I wish I could go and visit everyone or even live there. I really enjoyed getting to know Stone, I loved how he appreciated everything they did for him. Also I thought him and Preston worked together they balanced each other. I loved seeing Geoff and Eli again, they're the coolest of people. Of course I cried again and laughed, This series always does that to me. I would definitely read this one, but if you haven't read the other books in the series make sure you do that first.(Love Means...No Shame(Farm Series #1) Love Means...Courage(Farm Series #2) Love Means...No Boundaries (Farm Series #3) That way you can meet all the great people in this series. I just hated that this book had to end. I really do hope Andrew is going to continue this series. Just another great read!!
July 11, 2012
Another sweet, gentle listen from Mr Grey. Same formula as the others but it is easy to listen to nice! Geoff's Horse farm seems to be a bit of a Magnet for lost Gay souls.
Read
July 20, 2010Sometime life just does not give you a break, even when it feels like you have hit rock bottom you still just get kicked further down – that is just how Stone Hillyard feels after being dumped at the side of the road in the dead of winter.
His only thought after picking himself up is finding shelter and warmth from the bracing wind and the cold that is about to turn him into a popsicle. Just when he decided to do a B&E he spots a light in the distance and a flicker of hope surges through him, because where there is light, there is warmth and hopefully people.
Lucky for him there is all of that and more and thank the heavens above there was because Stone doesn’t have anything left in the tank to go another step further. When he comes across he knows where he is and how he got there – but he is genuinely amazed and a little awed if truth be told that people like Geoff, Eli, Robbie and Adelle exist.
Without even telling his story he is accepted on faith and his ability to pull his own weight on the farm. Knowing this is probably the best break he is going to get – Stone pulls his socks up and aims to give his all to his job on the farm, even if it’s just shovelling crap.
The farm is more than meets the eyes and within no time Stone gets a feel of what these men pour alot of their love and energies into – the rehabilitation of kids and adult through horse therapy. When he is asked to help with a prospective client Stone gets his first taste of unpleasantness while on the farm from trust fund baby Preston Harding.
Preston is aiming to prove the doctors who told him he could never walk again wrong, on a recommendation from his current physiotherapist he is on a trial run at Geoff and Eli’s farm to see if the type of therapy they offer can be beneficial to him. Preston Harding has never wanted for anything in his life, in a lot of ways before his accident he has never had to stretch himself for anything and his attitude reflects his lord of the manner upbringing and he treats the help accordingly.
Let’s just say his attitude does not wash with Geoff nor Eli and after being told to adjust his attitude and do some serious grovelling he is allowed back onto the program and this turns out to be the best thing that could have ever happen to him because he meets Stone again – the Stone that he over looked on his first time on the farm, the caring and generous Stone that he disrespected and Preston also meets another side of himself that he never knew existed.
While I would like to say it was moonlight serenade from there – it wasn’t. Stone has baggage and some dark scenes in his past and only with time, love and determination will he be able to resolve them. Preston’s problems are present and they are not afraid to play dirty – and they aim to win.
It takes all the boys and Stones guardian angel Adelle to cut through alot of the misunderstanding and unpleasantness to aide Stone and Preston to find the happiness that they so deserve.
LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM is a book I have eagerly been awaiting and the main protags Stone and Preston are sweethearts. Just watching them find their place and their pace was wonderful to see.
Stone is young and because of or despite his upbringing he genuinely has a good heart, he makes an effort not to be bitter about life challenges, he counts his blessing and works harder and I loved him for this. While I had issues with Stones involvement in the therapy section of the farm and some of the other area’s that Grey exposed him to on the farm – I chalk most of it up to “they do it differently in them there parts’ and went with it.
Preston on the other hand was easier to “see”, he never knew how to do without in his life and even when I initially met him, he had it all – but Grey really toss some issues at him and after some soul searching he became someone that I ended up liking alot and rooted for to get his man in the end.
The two together are sweet, they were not a typical couple but placed in extraordinary circumstances with the odds against them from the start; they had to learned some lesson the hard way. However, with support like they had - I was just along for the ride to see how they would eventually get back together.
I saw old friends in LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM and Robbie in particular took up a pretty decent amount of page time. I was glad for this as I was concerned about how he would manage the challenges that life on the farm would present – he is doing well and I am pleased.
Bottom Line
From the first book in the LOVE MEAN..series of books I have been a delighted fan of Mr. Grey’s work. With every book that he put out in the series he not only gives it his own spin but he give the characters their own set of angst and made an effort to grow what I already knew and love – In this book I didn’t get that.
While it was an enjoyable book to read, it was too easy, there was an effortlessness to the scenes and the angst never really held true for me. The one really dark moment of the book was told in hindsight and none of the characters were ever genuinely at risk or any jeopardy of losing each other despite the build up.
As a reader one of my pet peeve is character professionalism (job attitude) and logistical details, if those work in a book half the battle is done for me - I had major niggles with those two aspects in this book. Attention to detail is one of the more positive points of the series so far but reader will find little glitches here and there that may or may not make a difference to their reading enjoyment of LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM.
On the whole while I still love the series and am really looking forward to Geoff dad’s story - if he ever gets one, LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM is just a cute read for me that didn’t really impact on the series at all.
……For ultimate enjoyment of this book – please read as apart of the LOVE MEANS… series of books.
His only thought after picking himself up is finding shelter and warmth from the bracing wind and the cold that is about to turn him into a popsicle. Just when he decided to do a B&E he spots a light in the distance and a flicker of hope surges through him, because where there is light, there is warmth and hopefully people.
Lucky for him there is all of that and more and thank the heavens above there was because Stone doesn’t have anything left in the tank to go another step further. When he comes across he knows where he is and how he got there – but he is genuinely amazed and a little awed if truth be told that people like Geoff, Eli, Robbie and Adelle exist.
Without even telling his story he is accepted on faith and his ability to pull his own weight on the farm. Knowing this is probably the best break he is going to get – Stone pulls his socks up and aims to give his all to his job on the farm, even if it’s just shovelling crap.
The farm is more than meets the eyes and within no time Stone gets a feel of what these men pour alot of their love and energies into – the rehabilitation of kids and adult through horse therapy. When he is asked to help with a prospective client Stone gets his first taste of unpleasantness while on the farm from trust fund baby Preston Harding.
Preston is aiming to prove the doctors who told him he could never walk again wrong, on a recommendation from his current physiotherapist he is on a trial run at Geoff and Eli’s farm to see if the type of therapy they offer can be beneficial to him. Preston Harding has never wanted for anything in his life, in a lot of ways before his accident he has never had to stretch himself for anything and his attitude reflects his lord of the manner upbringing and he treats the help accordingly.
Let’s just say his attitude does not wash with Geoff nor Eli and after being told to adjust his attitude and do some serious grovelling he is allowed back onto the program and this turns out to be the best thing that could have ever happen to him because he meets Stone again – the Stone that he over looked on his first time on the farm, the caring and generous Stone that he disrespected and Preston also meets another side of himself that he never knew existed.
While I would like to say it was moonlight serenade from there – it wasn’t. Stone has baggage and some dark scenes in his past and only with time, love and determination will he be able to resolve them. Preston’s problems are present and they are not afraid to play dirty – and they aim to win.
It takes all the boys and Stones guardian angel Adelle to cut through alot of the misunderstanding and unpleasantness to aide Stone and Preston to find the happiness that they so deserve.
LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM is a book I have eagerly been awaiting and the main protags Stone and Preston are sweethearts. Just watching them find their place and their pace was wonderful to see.
Stone is young and because of or despite his upbringing he genuinely has a good heart, he makes an effort not to be bitter about life challenges, he counts his blessing and works harder and I loved him for this. While I had issues with Stones involvement in the therapy section of the farm and some of the other area’s that Grey exposed him to on the farm – I chalk most of it up to “they do it differently in them there parts’ and went with it.
Preston on the other hand was easier to “see”, he never knew how to do without in his life and even when I initially met him, he had it all – but Grey really toss some issues at him and after some soul searching he became someone that I ended up liking alot and rooted for to get his man in the end.
The two together are sweet, they were not a typical couple but placed in extraordinary circumstances with the odds against them from the start; they had to learned some lesson the hard way. However, with support like they had - I was just along for the ride to see how they would eventually get back together.
I saw old friends in LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM and Robbie in particular took up a pretty decent amount of page time. I was glad for this as I was concerned about how he would manage the challenges that life on the farm would present – he is doing well and I am pleased.
Bottom Line
From the first book in the LOVE MEAN..series of books I have been a delighted fan of Mr. Grey’s work. With every book that he put out in the series he not only gives it his own spin but he give the characters their own set of angst and made an effort to grow what I already knew and love – In this book I didn’t get that.
While it was an enjoyable book to read, it was too easy, there was an effortlessness to the scenes and the angst never really held true for me. The one really dark moment of the book was told in hindsight and none of the characters were ever genuinely at risk or any jeopardy of losing each other despite the build up.
As a reader one of my pet peeve is character professionalism (job attitude) and logistical details, if those work in a book half the battle is done for me - I had major niggles with those two aspects in this book. Attention to detail is one of the more positive points of the series so far but reader will find little glitches here and there that may or may not make a difference to their reading enjoyment of LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM.
On the whole while I still love the series and am really looking forward to Geoff dad’s story - if he ever gets one, LOVE MEAN…FREEDOM is just a cute read for me that didn’t really impact on the series at all.
……For ultimate enjoyment of this book – please read as apart of the LOVE MEANS… series of books.
February 15, 2014
Audiobook:
So very, very bad.
The writing is atrocious.
The story is ridiculous.
The racism that is the mammy character, Adele, is disgusting...and unsurprising.
So very, very bad.
The writing is atrocious.
The story is ridiculous.
The racism that is the mammy character, Adele, is disgusting...and unsurprising.
August 11, 2010
I love this series, and Love Means...Freedom was no exception. Every time a new volume is released, I look forward to reading the story because the characters are always special in some way.
Stone has been rejected so often, including by his father, that a lesser man would have given up the fight. Not to mention hope. He doesn't expect life to do him any favors, so when he runs into Geoff and Eli, he is stunned to find acceptance. So much so that it takes him a very long time to be able to believe their friendship and support is real.
Preston is in many ways Stones exact opposite. He is older, he's used to everyone doing his bidding, and even though his father doesn't want to accept that he is gay, this doesn't mean he's been kicked out of the house. The fact that he is now in a wheelchair and has to learn to walk all over again doesn't sit well with him and he takes it out on the people around him.
As I was reading this book, I felt for both of them. Wounded and having lost their way, the story of each healing the other and learning what true freedom means along the way was beautiful. I love the message of hope that is present in all of Andrew Grey's books, and this one was no exception.
Stone has been rejected so often, including by his father, that a lesser man would have given up the fight. Not to mention hope. He doesn't expect life to do him any favors, so when he runs into Geoff and Eli, he is stunned to find acceptance. So much so that it takes him a very long time to be able to believe their friendship and support is real.
Preston is in many ways Stones exact opposite. He is older, he's used to everyone doing his bidding, and even though his father doesn't want to accept that he is gay, this doesn't mean he's been kicked out of the house. The fact that he is now in a wheelchair and has to learn to walk all over again doesn't sit well with him and he takes it out on the people around him.
As I was reading this book, I felt for both of them. Wounded and having lost their way, the story of each healing the other and learning what true freedom means along the way was beautiful. I love the message of hope that is present in all of Andrew Grey's books, and this one was no exception.
May 2, 2013
Great romance as the previous books from this series
#0.5 - Love Means... Courage
#1 Love Means... No Shame
#2 Love Means... No Boundaries
and book #2 is still my favorite from the series so far...
Love Means Freedom is good, but... I got annoyed with so much crying!
soooooooo many, countless scenes
-.-"
and it annoyed me because I like main character's emotional scenes, but NOT when it keep going and going and always crying... and more tears... and moistened eyes... and bright eyes moistened with tears... one more tear...
and I was always thinking: "OMG! Take a Prozac or do something else, like scratch a capibara
but for Peter's sake stop crying!
but main characters from books never hear me... and yep... they keep crying
-.-"
Anyway... I liked it :) crying a lot of not, the characters are interesting and I enjoy this book.
#0.5 - Love Means... Courage
#1 Love Means... No Shame
#2 Love Means... No Boundaries
and book #2 is still my favorite from the series so far...
Love Means Freedom is good, but... I got annoyed with so much crying!
soooooooo many, countless scenes
-.-"
and it annoyed me because I like main character's emotional scenes, but NOT when it keep going and going and always crying... and more tears... and moistened eyes... and bright eyes moistened with tears... one more tear...
and I was always thinking: "OMG! Take a Prozac or do something else, like scratch a capibara
but for Peter's sake stop crying!
but main characters from books never hear me... and yep... they keep crying
-.-"
Anyway... I liked it :) crying a lot of not, the characters are interesting and I enjoy this book.
October 19, 2016
3.5
Reseña completa en: http://elmarcapaginasbooks.blogspot.c...
La novela es corta y simple, sin demasiada descripciones ni giros rebuscados, básicamente nos cuenta la vida de dos chicos, Stone y Prestos, dos chicos totalmente opuestos en todo, desde lo físico hasta el mundo en el que viven, la reacción de sus respectivos padres al enterarse de su orientación sexual y las consecuencias que trae esta situación.
Stone perdió a su madre hace años, su padre, un alcohólico golpeador, echa a su hijo al enterarse que es homosexual, y este se ve obligado a empezar su vida desde cero para poder ser feliz, pero encuentra todo lo contrario, y se enfrenta cara a cara con una de las peores cosas que le puede pasar a una persona en su vida, luego de ello quiere seguir adelante y llega a una granja y encuentra un trabajo estable y una ‘’familia’’ nueva.
Preston es un niño rico mimado, siempre tuvo todo lo que quiso, su padre no acepta su homosexualidad y se cree con el derecho de tratarlo mal y digitar su vida o sino debe irse de su casa y renunciar a todo su dinero, su madre es su mejor amiga, y aunque no le hace frente a su esposo y acata sus órdenes el amor que tiene por su hijo se nota a kilómetros, hace unos meses, Preston tuvo un accidente en el cual perdió la movilidad de las piernas y quedo postrado en una silla de ruedas, su terapeuta (y amigo) le recomienda una nueva granja en las afueras de la ciudad, en este establecimiento se utilizan caballos para ayudar a personas con algún tipo de discapacidad, y ahí conoce a su instructor Stone.
La vida no siempre es color de rosas, y más en este tipo de libros en donde se tiende a dramatizar demasiado determinadas situaciones, el amor de Preston y Stone se ve interrumpido a causa de ‘’algo’’ y ahí es donde Stone deberá decidir que es mejor, si seguir con su pareja cueste lo que cueste y no sufrir, o romper su corazón por el bien de Presto
Reseña completa en: http://elmarcapaginasbooks.blogspot.c...
La novela es corta y simple, sin demasiada descripciones ni giros rebuscados, básicamente nos cuenta la vida de dos chicos, Stone y Prestos, dos chicos totalmente opuestos en todo, desde lo físico hasta el mundo en el que viven, la reacción de sus respectivos padres al enterarse de su orientación sexual y las consecuencias que trae esta situación.
Stone perdió a su madre hace años, su padre, un alcohólico golpeador, echa a su hijo al enterarse que es homosexual, y este se ve obligado a empezar su vida desde cero para poder ser feliz, pero encuentra todo lo contrario, y se enfrenta cara a cara con una de las peores cosas que le puede pasar a una persona en su vida, luego de ello quiere seguir adelante y llega a una granja y encuentra un trabajo estable y una ‘’familia’’ nueva.
Preston es un niño rico mimado, siempre tuvo todo lo que quiso, su padre no acepta su homosexualidad y se cree con el derecho de tratarlo mal y digitar su vida o sino debe irse de su casa y renunciar a todo su dinero, su madre es su mejor amiga, y aunque no le hace frente a su esposo y acata sus órdenes el amor que tiene por su hijo se nota a kilómetros, hace unos meses, Preston tuvo un accidente en el cual perdió la movilidad de las piernas y quedo postrado en una silla de ruedas, su terapeuta (y amigo) le recomienda una nueva granja en las afueras de la ciudad, en este establecimiento se utilizan caballos para ayudar a personas con algún tipo de discapacidad, y ahí conoce a su instructor Stone.
La vida no siempre es color de rosas, y más en este tipo de libros en donde se tiende a dramatizar demasiado determinadas situaciones, el amor de Preston y Stone se ve interrumpido a causa de ‘’algo’’ y ahí es donde Stone deberá decidir que es mejor, si seguir con su pareja cueste lo que cueste y no sufrir, o romper su corazón por el bien de Presto
August 18, 2020
Stone has been rejected by his father for being gay. He arrives on Geoff and Eli's farm. They take him in and treat his frostbite, eventually offering a job. Preston is a rich kid who lost the use off his legs in an accident. Bitter and insecure, they don't get along well at first. As time passes, the nuance of their mutual attraction becomes apparent; but they have a lot of loose ends to tie off.
May 24, 2015
Amar significa + Andrew Grey = una buena lectura asegurada.
Creo que todos ya saben que Andrew Grey es uno de mis autores favoritos. Sabe cómo tocar las fibras intimas de una persona con sus palabras de una manera casi mágica. Y esta serie es una que me tiene en vilo con cada libro nuevo que Dreamspinner Press nos pone a disposición en nuestro maravilloso idioma que es el español.
Una historia que une dos polos opuestos: el pobre y el rico. Dos hombres que parecen orbitar en mundos alejados pero que cuando colisionan no pueden dejar de atraerse como la polilla a la luz.
El rico…
Preston es un hombre que pese a su gran belleza no sabe elegir a sus amantes y tras su rebeldía y prepotencia encierra una gran inseguridad. Su padre trata de digitar su vida pero Preston se niega a estar bajo el pulgar de un hombre que no lo respeta. Pero el dinero no lo compra todo… Preston vive duros momentos cuando un borracho lo deja en una silla de ruedas. Pero las ansias de valerse por sí mismo y el amor que crece en su interior por un hombre al que antes ni siquiera le hubiera dado la hora del día, hacen que su vida cobre un nuevo sentido.
El pobre…
Expulsado de la granja de su padre por ser gay, obligado por las circunstancias a sobrevivir como puede, Stone encuentra accidentalmente la granja de Geoff y una vida que creyó sólo poder vivir en sus sueños se abre ante él. Una oportunidad, sin dobles intenciones, hace que Stone comience a pensar que la felicidad podría ser una realidad.
Pero todo lo bueno tiene que durar poco, ¿no? Al menos eso es lo que Preston y Stone piensan cuando tienen que separar sus caminos luego de un difícil comienzo.
¿El amor será suficiente para reunirlos nuevamente o las diferencias y las interferencias de terceros en su relación lograrán separarlos para siempre?
¿Acaso la libertad significa estar separados o podrá ser que es el vivir en pareja y ser ellos mismos?
Creo que todos ya saben que Andrew Grey es uno de mis autores favoritos. Sabe cómo tocar las fibras intimas de una persona con sus palabras de una manera casi mágica. Y esta serie es una que me tiene en vilo con cada libro nuevo que Dreamspinner Press nos pone a disposición en nuestro maravilloso idioma que es el español.
Una historia que une dos polos opuestos: el pobre y el rico. Dos hombres que parecen orbitar en mundos alejados pero que cuando colisionan no pueden dejar de atraerse como la polilla a la luz.
El rico…
Preston es un hombre que pese a su gran belleza no sabe elegir a sus amantes y tras su rebeldía y prepotencia encierra una gran inseguridad. Su padre trata de digitar su vida pero Preston se niega a estar bajo el pulgar de un hombre que no lo respeta. Pero el dinero no lo compra todo… Preston vive duros momentos cuando un borracho lo deja en una silla de ruedas. Pero las ansias de valerse por sí mismo y el amor que crece en su interior por un hombre al que antes ni siquiera le hubiera dado la hora del día, hacen que su vida cobre un nuevo sentido.
El pobre…
Expulsado de la granja de su padre por ser gay, obligado por las circunstancias a sobrevivir como puede, Stone encuentra accidentalmente la granja de Geoff y una vida que creyó sólo poder vivir en sus sueños se abre ante él. Una oportunidad, sin dobles intenciones, hace que Stone comience a pensar que la felicidad podría ser una realidad.
Pero todo lo bueno tiene que durar poco, ¿no? Al menos eso es lo que Preston y Stone piensan cuando tienen que separar sus caminos luego de un difícil comienzo.
¿El amor será suficiente para reunirlos nuevamente o las diferencias y las interferencias de terceros en su relación lograrán separarlos para siempre?
¿Acaso la libertad significa estar separados o podrá ser que es el vivir en pareja y ser ellos mismos?
May 13, 2013
I LOVE YOU ANDREW GREY. Ok, now that I have that out of the way, let the review begin.
I adored this book. I truly did. Preston is awesome. We meet him, and we're immediately confonted with his surly and bitter demeaner. Could there be anyone more "woe is me"? LOL (Just thinking about it makes me chuckle.) Ok. So Preston's having a rough time. He was in a car accident, so he's in a wheelchair-- but it IS temporary-- and his boyfriend DID cheat on him... so yeah.. he's allowed to be all bitchy and such. But he takes it to the extreem.
Enter Stone. First off, how cool is that name? Everytime I think of it, I feel giddy. I really believe that our names shape a large part of our personality, and with a name like Stone, wouldn't you like to believe that a person with that name is strong enough to deal with what life may throw at him? Well, Stone, from the farm, does indeed live up to his name.
Growing up with an angry and bitter father couldn't have been easy. Toss in getting beat on by said father when you come out? And to make matters worse, being brutalized by someone you thought you could trust? How do you move on from your innocence stolen from you?
I loved Stone because he was a true survivor. And he wasn't bitter. How is it that another person-- surviving through the same situations-- would just feel broken down and devestated, but Stone, just tries to make the best of things.
The way Stone and Preston come together is exactly why I believe that a partner should be someone who compliments your person, makes you feel needed, loved, cherished and respected. If you're not getting what you deserve then, you're settling and more than likely missing out on the relationship you 'should' be in.
Preston needs Stone. Stone needs Preston. Together, they fit.
The love-making was great too! It's a fun and entertaining book. Plus, we get to catch up on what's going on at the Farm. :)
Happy Reading!
I adored this book. I truly did. Preston is awesome. We meet him, and we're immediately confonted with his surly and bitter demeaner. Could there be anyone more "woe is me"? LOL (Just thinking about it makes me chuckle.) Ok. So Preston's having a rough time. He was in a car accident, so he's in a wheelchair-- but it IS temporary-- and his boyfriend DID cheat on him... so yeah.. he's allowed to be all bitchy and such. But he takes it to the extreem.
Enter Stone. First off, how cool is that name? Everytime I think of it, I feel giddy. I really believe that our names shape a large part of our personality, and with a name like Stone, wouldn't you like to believe that a person with that name is strong enough to deal with what life may throw at him? Well, Stone, from the farm, does indeed live up to his name.
Growing up with an angry and bitter father couldn't have been easy. Toss in getting beat on by said father when you come out? And to make matters worse, being brutalized by someone you thought you could trust? How do you move on from your innocence stolen from you?
I loved Stone because he was a true survivor. And he wasn't bitter. How is it that another person-- surviving through the same situations-- would just feel broken down and devestated, but Stone, just tries to make the best of things.
The way Stone and Preston come together is exactly why I believe that a partner should be someone who compliments your person, makes you feel needed, loved, cherished and respected. If you're not getting what you deserve then, you're settling and more than likely missing out on the relationship you 'should' be in.
Preston needs Stone. Stone needs Preston. Together, they fit.
The love-making was great too! It's a fun and entertaining book. Plus, we get to catch up on what's going on at the Farm. :)
Happy Reading!
July 7, 2010
I stayed up really late to finish this, because I could not put it down. I really liked both Stone and Preston. It seems that with each book in the series, Andrew Grey adds another dimension to the stories to keep them from becoming too similar. In this case, I loved the age difference between Stone and Preston. It was great that Stone, the younger of the two, took care of Preston because of his disability. Despite everything he had gone through, or maybe because of it, he was very mature. It was also really nice to see the story from both perspectives. That also added a lot.
July 6, 2010
I loved this but then again I just love this series, period. I was thrilled to see all the characters from the other books make an appearance, especially Eli since he's still my fave. This was emotional and romantic and interesting and heart-wrenching just like Andrew's books always are and I completely devoured it in one night. I hope he continues the series and keeps bringing past players back.
July 6, 2010
I love this series. I too really like it when we get to see the characters from previous books in a series. Hopefully we will see these guys again.
I can't wait to read about Eli's brother Jonah and Geoff's friend Raine..
Great job Andrew!!!
I will be waiting patiently for the next in this series!! lol!!
I can't wait to read about Eli's brother Jonah and Geoff's friend Raine..
Great job Andrew!!!
I will be waiting patiently for the next in this series!! lol!!
October 15, 2012
This has become a favorite series of mine. Every story gives you such a warm and cozy feeling. There is just the right amount of angst. It's completely believable. Being able to visit the farm and all of the characters in each story is like going home. It's nice that details don't get lost or changed between books like I've seen happen before (different author, different genre).
February 2, 2016
Overall book rating: 4 sweet stars
Audio book: Narrator - Sean Crisden 4 stars
Book cover: 2 Stars
This was once again just sweet and I loved it.
Audio book: Narrator - Sean Crisden 4 stars
Book cover: 2 Stars
This was once again just sweet and I loved it.
January 7, 2022
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Another stop on the gay cowboy romance reading marathon! This is the sixth book in my reading (don’t look for all the reviews, this is only the second review).
So this is book three in a series called Farm, which not a bad name. Kinda bland. Yet, every single book in the series except one starts with “Love Means…”. Somehow the series is not called that. I know weird rant, but I am warming up.
The book itself is very much like the others in the series so far. Very meandering, very detail oriented about ranch life. There is a lot of discussion of chores and tasks that need to be done. There is not a HUGE focus on the romance. It is one of the reasons that I like this series. This book deviates from the farm a bit and starts going into physical therapy and then Kansas City for a job that involves money and math. So I was not as amused.
The biggest issue I have with this book is the disability rep. One of the main pairing is in a wheelchair and CONSTANTLY whining that he is not normal and he how he will never be loved. He is bitter and awful. So there is the idea that people with disabilities are all angry and awful for the first chunk of the book. Don’t worry, it gets worse. The other love interest was raped (retold in a flashback and it was a bit more graphic than I was expecting for this series). Yet he never feels threatened or has issues outside of the very first time his thigh is touched. So the idea that guys with disabilities are “harmless” and not sexual comes up. If I had to hear one more time that people with disabilities weren’t deserving of love I would have screamed.
The sex was really vanilla and super focused on penetration. Grey has always been amazing abut the use of lube, but he slipped in this book. There wasn’t always lube used. There wasn’t always stretching. There was only condom used during anal sex. There was a high risk in this book. One of the main love interests had been raped without a condom. He had survived in a way that required him to make difficult choices that I doubt had condoms involved. There were no STI tests taken. The closest risk was talked about was talking about skill. So I was really disappointed. I could understand the lack of condoms in the prequel novel set in the 70’s/80’s, but this book happens 25-ish years after that. Though to be fair, there is also terrible condom usage in book one, which happens in the early 2000’s and I couldn’t excuse that either. Just overall, condoms need to be used for oral sex.
Two background characters were so prominent that I had to check to see if they had a book on their romance I had missed. I felt like there was a lot missing. The language choices at times was odd. There was a scene where an arm was wrapped around a tummy in bed. It was just odd. There were a lot of missing words near the 3/4 mark.
It felt like this book was just rushed over all. It was drastically below the standards I have for this series.
Another stop on the gay cowboy romance reading marathon! This is the sixth book in my reading (don’t look for all the reviews, this is only the second review).
So this is book three in a series called Farm, which not a bad name. Kinda bland. Yet, every single book in the series except one starts with “Love Means…”. Somehow the series is not called that. I know weird rant, but I am warming up.
The book itself is very much like the others in the series so far. Very meandering, very detail oriented about ranch life. There is a lot of discussion of chores and tasks that need to be done. There is not a HUGE focus on the romance. It is one of the reasons that I like this series. This book deviates from the farm a bit and starts going into physical therapy and then Kansas City for a job that involves money and math. So I was not as amused.
The biggest issue I have with this book is the disability rep. One of the main pairing is in a wheelchair and CONSTANTLY whining that he is not normal and he how he will never be loved. He is bitter and awful. So there is the idea that people with disabilities are all angry and awful for the first chunk of the book. Don’t worry, it gets worse. The other love interest was raped (retold in a flashback and it was a bit more graphic than I was expecting for this series). Yet he never feels threatened or has issues outside of the very first time his thigh is touched. So the idea that guys with disabilities are “harmless” and not sexual comes up. If I had to hear one more time that people with disabilities weren’t deserving of love I would have screamed.
The sex was really vanilla and super focused on penetration. Grey has always been amazing abut the use of lube, but he slipped in this book. There wasn’t always lube used. There wasn’t always stretching. There was only condom used during anal sex. There was a high risk in this book. One of the main love interests had been raped without a condom. He had survived in a way that required him to make difficult choices that I doubt had condoms involved. There were no STI tests taken. The closest risk was talked about was talking about skill. So I was really disappointed. I could understand the lack of condoms in the prequel novel set in the 70’s/80’s, but this book happens 25-ish years after that. Though to be fair, there is also terrible condom usage in book one, which happens in the early 2000’s and I couldn’t excuse that either. Just overall, condoms need to be used for oral sex.
Two background characters were so prominent that I had to check to see if they had a book on their romance I had missed. I felt like there was a lot missing. The language choices at times was odd. There was a scene where an arm was wrapped around a tummy in bed. It was just odd. There were a lot of missing words near the 3/4 mark.
It felt like this book was just rushed over all. It was drastically below the standards I have for this series.
December 3, 2010
Love Means ... Freedom by Andrew Grey is the fourth book in the Farm series in which the author introduces two new characters - Stone Hillyard and Preston Harding - who become part of the extended family on the Laughton farm. In this recent book, Mr. Grey has written another touching romance with substance.
Stone Hillyard has had a very difficult and tragic upbringing. He is driven from his home by an abusive father and forced to take odd jobs in order to survive and to make enough money to head south to a warmer climate. One stormy winter night Stone finds himself stranded in the middle of nowhere in the freezing cold when he’s forced to escape from a dangerous ride. Stone stumbles upon the Laughton farm and is immediately taken in by Geoff Laughton and his partner Eli who offer him shelter, food and a job working with their No Boundaries Therapy-Riding Program. At first, Stone can’t believe that Geoff, Eli and their family would take in an undeserving stranger and prepares to leave the farm, but he soon realizes that he is truly wanted and that he has a home and can build a life if he is willing to accept Geoff and Eli’s kindness and generosity.
Preston Harding comes from a well-to-do family and doesn’t want for anything, except perhaps understanding, acceptance and emotional support from his father. A car accident at the hands of a drunk driver has left Preston unable to use his legs. While Preston has been told that with intense physical therapy he will eventually regain the use of his legs, he is angry at being wheelchair bound and takes out his frustration and fear on the world. At the urging of his good friend and therapist Jasper, Preston becomes part of the No Boundaries Therapy-Riding Program, however, Preston’s rudeness almost gets him kicked out of the Program on his first day.
At Stone's request, Preston is given one more chance to remain in the Program, and while their relationship gets off to a rocky start, Stone and Preston can’t deny their growing attraction to one another. As they get to know each other their relationship forms into a mutually supportive friendship that eventually grows into love. But as Preston slowly regains his strength and the use of his legs Stone is faced with the difficult decision of loving Preston enough to grant him his freedom to build the life, that according to Preston’s father, he was meant to have. But can Stone also free himself from his own past and trust that he is deserving of Preston's love?
What immediately struck me after reading Love Means ... Freedom is that the quality of the writing has remained consistently good throughout all the books in the series, including with this latest installment. The writing itself is quite fluid and the prose rich in its descriptions allowing the reader to become completely immersed in the story from the first page:"Snow swirled around him as he began walking. Stone had no idea where he was going and only hoped he could find a warm place out of the wind, which began to pick up almost as soon as it began getting dark. He heard the sound of a car approaching behind him and put out his thumb, but the driver continued down the road, his wheels throwing up a wave of ice and slush, making Stone even colder. ‘Fuck.’ He rummaged around in his pack, but couldn’t find his gloves. ‘God damn,’ he half cried to the silent trees, his adrenaline-fueled bravado popping like a soap bubble. He’d left his gloves in the old fuck’s truck. He shoved his hands back in his pockets for warmth. ‘Maybe I should have just sucked him off.’ The thought made him shudder as tears threatened. He might have been desperate, but he wasn’t that desperate, not yet. Wiping his eyes, he looked around at the darkening landscape of trees and white. ‘Maybe I will be soon.’ Huddling to keep his skin out of the wind, he continued walking and found himself approaching a corner.”
The story is written in the third person and from the perspective of both Stone and Preston, who are well-developed characters, giving the reader deeper insight into the emotional struggles of both young men as they each strive to overcome their individual obstacles. Despite the fact that Stone and Preston come from completely different worlds they quickly realize that they have much in common, namely difficult family issues to overcome, and find not only solace in one another but also friendship and love.
As with all the books in the series, the author takes his time in the development of Stone and Preston’s relationship, including sex between these characters, with well-placed relationship conflict and angst throughout the plot that only serves to heighten the reader’s interest and anticipation of what will happen next. Being with Stone and trusting in their relationship has motivated Preston to make some positive changes within himself, but Stone's feelings of inadequacy and his belief that he is undeserving of Preston's love threaten to destroy their relationship.
Fans of the series will be happy to know that characters from previous books in the series are featured in this story as Geoff and Eli, Joey, Robbie and Geoff's father Len lend their support to Stone and Preston helping them to realize that a chosen family can be more loving and accepting than one born into. In this respect, the author revisits the underlying themes of the series of belonging and family.
Love Means ... Freedom has all the makings of a good reading escape. It is a heart-warming and sweet story that has the right balance of romance, sex and angst, while at the same time seamlessly interweaving issues of substance that deal with abuse, homophobia and the struggle for self-love and acceptance in Stone and Preston’s story.
I thoroughly enjoyed Love Means ... Freedom (as I have all the books in the series thus far) and have no doubt that both readers familiar with the series and those new to it will also enjoy Stone and Preston’s story. The introduction of new characters and story lines with each successive book has allowed the series to continue to evolve and coupled with Mr. Grey’s consistently solid writing I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Love Means ... Freedom can be read as a stand-alone book as the author provides enough back-story to situate all the characters and their histories. However, in order to more fully appreciate the wonderful characters and world that Mr. Grey has created in this book and the series as a whole, I encourage those new to the series to read the previous books in sequence before embarking upon this one.
NOTE: This review was originally published online by Rainbow Reviews on August 8, 2010.
February 27, 2025
I loved this. I was slumping on books and picked this up and finished in a day. Another great add to this series. So glad I found them. Trigger warning for rape flash back in chapter 7.
Stone was forced to leave home because his dad forced him to after said he was gay. Man tried beat it out him and then wjen he went to a person he thought of as a 'uncle' he was assaulted by the man in a different way. He fled and after 3 months found him self being dropped near Geoff and Eli's place.
They take him in from the freezing cold and give him food. They also give him a job helping with the horses and the therapy No Boundaries program that works with kids and people with disabilities.
Preston shows up ther needing help after his best friend who's his physical therapist, Jasper, gets him a spot. Preston is a butt at first to Stone calling him Stable Boy instead his name. An out right jerk, but Jasper has it out with him and it's only thanks to Stone that he's allowed back. Jasper tells him to get himself a better attitude. Doesn't matter that he's stuck in the chair at the moment he got no reason treat anyone like that.
Stone gets an apology which he accepts. They become friends and slow more. Preston's dad is a jerk trying to run his life even sends him away before the end to another state to get him away from Stone so he can try keep him from wanting men. Even threatened cut him off, but doesn't work because Preston comes back after something happens. Stone and him were miserable apart.
I loved how they took care of each other. The way Preston went slow with Stone after what happened to him. The fact that Stone doesn't see Preston as broken because at start he's in his chair. Beautiful and perfect.
Stone was forced to leave home because his dad forced him to after said he was gay. Man tried beat it out him and then wjen he went to a person he thought of as a 'uncle' he was assaulted by the man in a different way. He fled and after 3 months found him self being dropped near Geoff and Eli's place.
They take him in from the freezing cold and give him food. They also give him a job helping with the horses and the therapy No Boundaries program that works with kids and people with disabilities.
Preston shows up ther needing help after his best friend who's his physical therapist, Jasper, gets him a spot. Preston is a butt at first to Stone calling him Stable Boy instead his name. An out right jerk, but Jasper has it out with him and it's only thanks to Stone that he's allowed back. Jasper tells him to get himself a better attitude. Doesn't matter that he's stuck in the chair at the moment he got no reason treat anyone like that.
Stone gets an apology which he accepts. They become friends and slow more. Preston's dad is a jerk trying to run his life even sends him away before the end to another state to get him away from Stone so he can try keep him from wanting men. Even threatened cut him off, but doesn't work because Preston comes back after something happens. Stone and him were miserable apart.
I loved how they took care of each other. The way Preston went slow with Stone after what happened to him. The fact that Stone doesn't see Preston as broken because at start he's in his chair. Beautiful and perfect.
December 23, 2018
*Kurzmeinung*
Durch einen Autounfall sitzt Preston im Rollstuhl. Die Situation frustriert ihn total und so ist er sehr übel launig. Sein Kumpel und Physiotherapeut schlägt ihm das Therapeutische Reiten vor und so landet Preston auf der Laughton-Farm. Auf dieser ist auch Stone gelandet, er ist Daheim raus geflogen und hat Zuflucht auf der Farm gefunden.
Auch diesen Band fand ich wieder sehr schön und auch süß. Es gab ein paar tolle und romantische Szenen zwischen den beiden Männern. Und dieses familiäre Gefühl auf der Farm ist einfach toll. Hier darf man es nur mit dem Realismus nicht so genau nehmen^^. Auch wenn in der Vergangenheit von Stone etwas Schlimmes passiert ist, ist es doch ansonsten eine lockere Geschichte zum Abschalten. Wie auch schon in den Vorgängern, kommt das Farmleben und die Aufgaben, die damit verbunden sind, einen Stellenwert in der Handlung, dies hat mir auch gefallen.
Fazit:
Eine romantische Geschichte, die zum Teil etwas oberflächlich bleibt (Prestons Erkrankung).
Ich mag die Männer der Laughton-Farm unheimlich gerne und gerade dieses familiäre gefällt mir, auch wenn die Geschichte durch Stones Vergangenheit etwas Ernstes hat.
Durch einen Autounfall sitzt Preston im Rollstuhl. Die Situation frustriert ihn total und so ist er sehr übel launig. Sein Kumpel und Physiotherapeut schlägt ihm das Therapeutische Reiten vor und so landet Preston auf der Laughton-Farm. Auf dieser ist auch Stone gelandet, er ist Daheim raus geflogen und hat Zuflucht auf der Farm gefunden.
Auch diesen Band fand ich wieder sehr schön und auch süß. Es gab ein paar tolle und romantische Szenen zwischen den beiden Männern. Und dieses familiäre Gefühl auf der Farm ist einfach toll. Hier darf man es nur mit dem Realismus nicht so genau nehmen^^. Auch wenn in der Vergangenheit von Stone etwas Schlimmes passiert ist, ist es doch ansonsten eine lockere Geschichte zum Abschalten. Wie auch schon in den Vorgängern, kommt das Farmleben und die Aufgaben, die damit verbunden sind, einen Stellenwert in der Handlung, dies hat mir auch gefallen.
Fazit:
Eine romantische Geschichte, die zum Teil etwas oberflächlich bleibt (Prestons Erkrankung).
Ich mag die Männer der Laughton-Farm unheimlich gerne und gerade dieses familiäre gefällt mir, auch wenn die Geschichte durch Stones Vergangenheit etwas Ernstes hat.
December 15, 2019
4 stars
Sweet, comfort and predictable story, with some sex
If you are a book lover, after reading the blurb, you might have some ideas about how the story will go. The book will go mostly as you think, but keep in mind that it is a low angst book.
In this series, you can expect that most of the supporting characters are really nice and supporting. There are some angst, conflict, and drama, but most are solved quite neatly.
You will surely feel nice and warm inside from reading this series. It is a nice break from all the melodramas and actions.
Ps. I just didn't expect that Geoff is so strong that he can carry someone upstair. I thought he was more on the twink side. Guess I didn't pay attention when I read Geoff and Eli's book.
Sweet, comfort and predictable story, with some sex
If you are a book lover, after reading the blurb, you might have some ideas about how the story will go. The book will go mostly as you think, but keep in mind that it is a low angst book.
In this series, you can expect that most of the supporting characters are really nice and supporting. There are some angst, conflict, and drama, but most are solved quite neatly.
You will surely feel nice and warm inside from reading this series. It is a nice break from all the melodramas and actions.
Ps. I just didn't expect that Geoff is so strong that he can carry someone upstair. I thought he was more on the twink side. Guess I didn't pay attention when I read Geoff and Eli's book.
September 25, 2017
Once again the farm opens its heart and home to another who is in need of love and a safe place. Stone needs work and a safe place to land. Preston needs therapy but he also needs to rethink how he conducts himself in life. But Stone sticking up for him even when he's been rude opens the door way for Preston's personal grown and a budding relationship. Of course it's never a straight line to happiness but eventually the road leads home.
January 23, 2021
I read this in the fall of 2020 when the audible escape package was wrapping up. I enjoyed the book and narrator(s). I am just catching up on my reviews, but I will say that I did read several of this authors works all in a row. I think for this series alone I listened to about 7 of them!! Some quicker readers than others, some better than others. All of them between 3.5-5 stars, but to ease the reviews for them all I will say an average of 4.5 Thanks!!
January 11, 2019
Everyone has their own demons to fight. But the question for these two MCs is if they can allow the other in enough to fight their battles together.
****TRIGGER - there are a few instances of extreme abuse in this story.****
****TRIGGER - there are a few instances of extreme abuse in this story.****
June 18, 2018
2,5 stars
January 19, 2019
und wieder einmal eine super geschriebene Geschichte
June 25, 2021
Che dolci i due protagonisti, mi aspettavo due persone più dure e invece sono uno più tenero dell’altro
July 7, 2025
I hate the breakup for his own good shit, I just hate it. And I am upset that Preston's father did not pay for what he did.
March 5, 2017
I'm struggling with this series. This one is good because Grey does past drama well. But, I realized that when there is violence, he often meets it wih violence. I always wish he'd be the better person and meet violence with love. Maybe some MLK, Jr. is needed here.
And I figured out what is the issue with the Adelle character. ..she's a stereotype, not a real person.
And I figured out what is the issue with the Adelle character. ..she's a stereotype, not a real person.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews