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Kansas #2
Fire & Rain
Eric Walker has learned hard lessons from his past. He’s no longer the alcoholic husband hiding in the closet. He’s no longer the guy who tried to steal his brother’s boyfriend. He has two items on his agenda: fix his relationship with his brother, Jason, and find his own soul mate. But when it comes to relationships, Eric's track record looks more like a train wreck. He craves intimacy almost as much as he fears reverting to his old ways.
Johnny Osborne has watched Eric mature over the last year and a half and has fallen in love with him in the process. He's tried being patient, but it’s gotten him nowhere. No matter how many disastrous blind dates Johnny sets Eric up on, Eric seems determined to consider everyone but the man who’s been right in front of him all along.
Eric and Johnny aren't the only ones struggling with their emotions. After his apartment burns down, their coworker, Travis, can't choose between the guy he’s been crushing on for months and the guy he’s afraid to love. He seems determined to re-enact every blunder of Eric’s past. Will Travis learn from Eric's mistakes before the man who loves him walks away for good? Will Eric ever see that best friends make the best lovers?
Johnny Osborne has watched Eric mature over the last year and a half and has fallen in love with him in the process. He's tried being patient, but it’s gotten him nowhere. No matter how many disastrous blind dates Johnny sets Eric up on, Eric seems determined to consider everyone but the man who’s been right in front of him all along.
Eric and Johnny aren't the only ones struggling with their emotions. After his apartment burns down, their coworker, Travis, can't choose between the guy he’s been crushing on for months and the guy he’s afraid to love. He seems determined to re-enact every blunder of Eric’s past. Will Travis learn from Eric's mistakes before the man who loves him walks away for good? Will Eric ever see that best friends make the best lovers?
291 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2015
5 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Carter Quinn
12 books191 followersCarter Quinn was born and raised in a very small Western Kansas town where cattle vastly outnumber humans. In the 90s he read enough depressing gay fiction to give up on it. He discovered M/M in 2010 and started writing again. Now he's told Corporate America to kiss his books. Carter recently left the Denver area, meaning he is entirely too far from his beloved Colorado Avalanche.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 1, 2015
Fire & Rain is the sequel to The Way Back. We first meet Eric in that book and he isn't all that likable. He'd spent the last several years on a path of self destruction, starting with an affair he had with Riley in college when he knew his brother Jason was in love with Riley. Eric was an asshole to Riley and when Eric broke things off, he hurt Riley badly.
Fast forward a few years and we see that Eric continued down a self destructive path. He's divorced and an alcoholic in recovery. When he gets back to their home town and sees that Jason and Riley have started seeing one another, he tries to take Riley away from Jason. See -- an asshole. All of that gets dealt with in The Way Back, and by the end of that book we see a very remorseful Eric, and that is the Eric that is we see in Fire & Rain.
Eric has spent the last couple years trying to get his life together and be a better person. He is a bar manager at MO's and the people that work for and with him there are like family. They stick together and help each other when needed and are mostly a good bunch of people. Johnny is Eric's best friend and he works at the club, too, managing the entertainment.
Johnny has had "more than just friends" feelings Eric for ages, but he has some insecurities of his own, stemming from the last serious relationship he had. Johnny is a very guarded man and does not trust easily at all. So, instead of asking Eric out himself, he sets Eric up on a string of very bad blind dates. Eric really is a glutton for punishment. Johnny's goal, though, is for Eric to see what is right in front of him. Something that Eric is oblivious to until he and Johnny dance one night at a club.
I loved watching Eric finally realize what he could have with Johnny. It was like watching a sunrise. Eric needed to learn to trust himself, in spite of his past, and Johnny needed to learn to trust that not everyone was like his abusive asshole of an ex. Carter Quinn has the talent and skill to make emotions come alive on the page and I loved watching it all unfold and I was definitely left smiling.
Fast forward a few years and we see that Eric continued down a self destructive path. He's divorced and an alcoholic in recovery. When he gets back to their home town and sees that Jason and Riley have started seeing one another, he tries to take Riley away from Jason. See -- an asshole. All of that gets dealt with in The Way Back, and by the end of that book we see a very remorseful Eric, and that is the Eric that is we see in Fire & Rain.
Eric has spent the last couple years trying to get his life together and be a better person. He is a bar manager at MO's and the people that work for and with him there are like family. They stick together and help each other when needed and are mostly a good bunch of people. Johnny is Eric's best friend and he works at the club, too, managing the entertainment.
Johnny has had "more than just friends" feelings Eric for ages, but he has some insecurities of his own, stemming from the last serious relationship he had. Johnny is a very guarded man and does not trust easily at all. So, instead of asking Eric out himself, he sets Eric up on a string of very bad blind dates. Eric really is a glutton for punishment. Johnny's goal, though, is for Eric to see what is right in front of him. Something that Eric is oblivious to until he and Johnny dance one night at a club.
I loved watching Eric finally realize what he could have with Johnny. It was like watching a sunrise. Eric needed to learn to trust himself, in spite of his past, and Johnny needed to learn to trust that not everyone was like his abusive asshole of an ex. Carter Quinn has the talent and skill to make emotions come alive on the page and I loved watching it all unfold and I was definitely left smiling.
February 20, 2015
Carter Quinn is a relatively new author for me since i 've only read just another book of his. After reading this one i can say for sure that i love his writing and the way he gives life to the characters.
I loved this book, first of all because
DRAG QUEENS PEOPLE! I freaking love drag queens and crossdressers!
Eric is the "bad" guy from book one.Fast forward a year and a half, he is finally getting his shit together and he is the bar manager in a place with drag shows.Johnny is the entertainment manager and Eric's best friend.He is in love with Eric but is hesitant to tell him because of his own abusive past . I really missed his POV, which would have explained why he was so closed off.
As the story progresses Eric 's feelings evolve from friendship to love as well. There is slow burn and when they finally get together it is pretty explosive!
We get to meet other characters like Travis and Jeremaiah who work in the bar as well and have their own story ( which i hope we will see in book 3).
I also loved, LOVED the reconnection of Eric and Jason, his brother. Such an emotional and real scene.
I liked the writing a lot, it was witty, sarcastic, evocative and there were some pretty hilarious quotes
"I am perfectly capable of seperating an actor from his role. I know Stephen Amell isn’t really the Arrow, but I wouldn’t kick him out of bed because he didn’t bring his bow."
"...you disappeared with the first swinging dick that crooks his little finger?"
Please Carter Quinn, gimme Jeremaiah's book next.He is a ginger and we all know how i feel about them ;)
I loved this book, first of all because
DRAG QUEENS PEOPLE! I freaking love drag queens and crossdressers!
Eric is the "bad" guy from book one.Fast forward a year and a half, he is finally getting his shit together and he is the bar manager in a place with drag shows.Johnny is the entertainment manager and Eric's best friend.He is in love with Eric but is hesitant to tell him because of his own abusive past . I really missed his POV, which would have explained why he was so closed off.
As the story progresses Eric 's feelings evolve from friendship to love as well. There is slow burn and when they finally get together it is pretty explosive!
We get to meet other characters like Travis and Jeremaiah who work in the bar as well and have their own story ( which i hope we will see in book 3).
I also loved, LOVED the reconnection of Eric and Jason, his brother. Such an emotional and real scene.
I liked the writing a lot, it was witty, sarcastic, evocative and there were some pretty hilarious quotes
"I am perfectly capable of seperating an actor from his role. I know Stephen Amell isn’t really the Arrow, but I wouldn’t kick him out of bed because he didn’t bring his bow."
"...you disappeared with the first swinging dick that crooks his little finger?"
Please Carter Quinn, gimme Jeremaiah's book next.He is a ginger and we all know how i feel about them ;)
March 9, 2015
This is Eric's story and starts after he left under a cloud in the last book (The Way Back) and picks up before the epilogue in the previous book. We learn the events that led him to come back and desperately smooth everything out between him and his brother Jason. I found this to be a great segue between the two books and rounds off the previous book perfectly. We get Eric's side of the story and just like in real life where every story has two sides here we are presented with a completely different Eric. We get to understand him more and the background of what his intentions were from the first book. In the first book we see him as primarily Riley's but also Jason's relationship nemesis but here we learn how he is really trying to make amends for all his mistakes in the past and why he is now a much better person for it. He is not the old Eric anymore that Riley and Jason once knew.
He is now working at a Night Club called MO's as the bar manager and loves his job. I thought this was a little funny as Eric being a recovering alcoholic working as a bar manager must have really been putting temptation in the way. But I guess if nothing else it will only steel your wool to make sure you don't get back on the wagon. His best friend, Johnny, is an ex drag queen and the entertainments manager who is constantly fixing Eric up on blind dates that always go disastrously wrong. I loved Johnny as a character, great sense of sassy humour, upbeat and always positive, but underneath a very caring and understanding person. Loved him! The disastrous dating antics of Eric also become a huge source of fun among the staff he manages, but all meant in good humour.
I must admit if I had Eric as a boss I would be delighted. He really cares and takes care of his staff and their needs. Although he came across for me at times as a bit of a father figure for the younger members but Eric is only very early thirties and his staff early twenties so from where I'm sitting early thirties is also young, believe me. Eric has had enough with shagging around and one-night-stands and is determined to find someone for a long lasting and meaningful relationship but this is proving to be a little more difficult than he thought. However, this time he is determined to wait until he finds The One. I could so understand this longing, one-night-stands are probably easy enough to come by but not satisfying in the long run. I feel everyone is looking for that one person to share their lives with and not just leave after breakfast the following morning. However, I got the feeling with Eric when you’re trying too hard then it’s never the way either. These things just happen and trying to hard meant that the attentions of another certain someone wasn't being picked up on. I just wanted to tell him to relax and stop trying to be so desperate in trying to find someone.
He is out one night and while he is partying with his colleagues disaster strikes where it is feared that one of his staff may have lost his life. This is what tips him over the edge with grief and makes him revalue his relationship with his brother Jason. Hence he visits Jason and Riley (prologue from the first book) as I said a brilliant joining of both books. I just loved the fact that he has now mended his bridges with Jason and Riley which in some way lets him now move on and look forward to the future.
He is still looking for The One though however the answer is really staring him in the face all the time. In any relationship you have to be friends and lovers so if you already have a good friend then in this case the writing is on the wall really. However, the question is do you cross that line or not? Do you risk losing that friendship by it turning into more? I could so feel for all Eric and all the second guessing that goes on, but if there is second guessing going on on his behalf then it must be happening for Johnny too. I also found Eric's doubts about himself being able to be in a long last relationship due to his horrendous track record of relationships in the past. He needs someone like Johnny to except that he is a different person now than to what he was and sees him for who is today. I was willing him on all the way just to get over this, put the past behind him and look forward to the future. Well, with Johnny who couldn't feel secure. The man is just adorable!
This book was quite a cathartic read for me after the first one. It purged me of all my prejudices I had for Riley in the first book and made me like him and appreciate him. Books where you see characters, grow, mature, moving on from horrible pasts even if of their own making get me wanting to support and encourage them too. By the end of the book I was so delighted to see Eric get the HEA that he has been looking for for so long. It was wonderful. A thoroughly entertaining read and one which for me is most definitely a character driven story. I really got invested into wanting Eric to achieve his ultimate goal of finding happiness.
3.5 Stars
He is now working at a Night Club called MO's as the bar manager and loves his job. I thought this was a little funny as Eric being a recovering alcoholic working as a bar manager must have really been putting temptation in the way. But I guess if nothing else it will only steel your wool to make sure you don't get back on the wagon. His best friend, Johnny, is an ex drag queen and the entertainments manager who is constantly fixing Eric up on blind dates that always go disastrously wrong. I loved Johnny as a character, great sense of sassy humour, upbeat and always positive, but underneath a very caring and understanding person. Loved him! The disastrous dating antics of Eric also become a huge source of fun among the staff he manages, but all meant in good humour.
I must admit if I had Eric as a boss I would be delighted. He really cares and takes care of his staff and their needs. Although he came across for me at times as a bit of a father figure for the younger members but Eric is only very early thirties and his staff early twenties so from where I'm sitting early thirties is also young, believe me. Eric has had enough with shagging around and one-night-stands and is determined to find someone for a long lasting and meaningful relationship but this is proving to be a little more difficult than he thought. However, this time he is determined to wait until he finds The One. I could so understand this longing, one-night-stands are probably easy enough to come by but not satisfying in the long run. I feel everyone is looking for that one person to share their lives with and not just leave after breakfast the following morning. However, I got the feeling with Eric when you’re trying too hard then it’s never the way either. These things just happen and trying to hard meant that the attentions of another certain someone wasn't being picked up on. I just wanted to tell him to relax and stop trying to be so desperate in trying to find someone.
He is out one night and while he is partying with his colleagues disaster strikes where it is feared that one of his staff may have lost his life. This is what tips him over the edge with grief and makes him revalue his relationship with his brother Jason. Hence he visits Jason and Riley (prologue from the first book) as I said a brilliant joining of both books. I just loved the fact that he has now mended his bridges with Jason and Riley which in some way lets him now move on and look forward to the future.
He is still looking for The One though however the answer is really staring him in the face all the time. In any relationship you have to be friends and lovers so if you already have a good friend then in this case the writing is on the wall really. However, the question is do you cross that line or not? Do you risk losing that friendship by it turning into more? I could so feel for all Eric and all the second guessing that goes on, but if there is second guessing going on on his behalf then it must be happening for Johnny too. I also found Eric's doubts about himself being able to be in a long last relationship due to his horrendous track record of relationships in the past. He needs someone like Johnny to except that he is a different person now than to what he was and sees him for who is today. I was willing him on all the way just to get over this, put the past behind him and look forward to the future. Well, with Johnny who couldn't feel secure. The man is just adorable!
This book was quite a cathartic read for me after the first one. It purged me of all my prejudices I had for Riley in the first book and made me like him and appreciate him. Books where you see characters, grow, mature, moving on from horrible pasts even if of their own making get me wanting to support and encourage them too. By the end of the book I was so delighted to see Eric get the HEA that he has been looking for for so long. It was wonderful. A thoroughly entertaining read and one which for me is most definitely a character driven story. I really got invested into wanting Eric to achieve his ultimate goal of finding happiness.
3.5 Stars
February 14, 2015
Review can be read at It's About The Book
In the first book in this series, The Way Back, I loved Jason from the very beginning. I learned to love Riley, but it took a while. One of my least favorite characters in…well, forever…was Jason’s brother, Eric. He was the a$$hole from hell! He lied, he cheated and was just an a$$hole! He married Carly knowing he preferred men, then cheated on her. He seduced Riley, knowing that Jason was in love with him! There was no way that Eric and I were going to have a friendly relationship. No way!
But Eric was harder on himself than I was. He suffered for his bad behavior and was a good guy to his new friends at Mo’s, the gay bar he was managing. He was a mentor and friend to all the bar employees, especially the younger boys. Knowing how much he had hurt the people in his life, he thought he could never trust himself again to be in any kind of meaningful relationship, but one night stands certainly didn’t appeal to him. He wanted more. He wanted the kind of loving and committed relationship that Jason and Riley had. But he doesn’t have much hope, especially after all the dates his friend, Johnny, set him up with.
Johnny is a happy gay man. Mostly. He supervises “the girls” in the bar’s drag show. He performed for years as Zara, but stopped a few years earlier. He’s very classy…always dressed beautifully. I adored him! He is the nicest guy! It was obvious from very early in the story that Johnny is crazy about Eric…obvious to everyone but Eric. And Johnny is a little reluctant to reveal too much of his feeling to Eric. He’s been hurt in the past, both emotionally and physically.
This is a truly wonderful book, full of emotion and forgiveness. Eric must learn to forgive himself for his past mistakes while teaching Johnny to trust again. The secondary characters are richly drawn, making the story resonate with life, love and passion. And there is passion…and sex. But the most important part of the story occurred with…just…one…kiss. Exquisitely simple. And very powerful.
In the first book in this series, The Way Back, I loved Jason from the very beginning. I learned to love Riley, but it took a while. One of my least favorite characters in…well, forever…was Jason’s brother, Eric. He was the a$$hole from hell! He lied, he cheated and was just an a$$hole! He married Carly knowing he preferred men, then cheated on her. He seduced Riley, knowing that Jason was in love with him! There was no way that Eric and I were going to have a friendly relationship. No way!
But Eric was harder on himself than I was. He suffered for his bad behavior and was a good guy to his new friends at Mo’s, the gay bar he was managing. He was a mentor and friend to all the bar employees, especially the younger boys. Knowing how much he had hurt the people in his life, he thought he could never trust himself again to be in any kind of meaningful relationship, but one night stands certainly didn’t appeal to him. He wanted more. He wanted the kind of loving and committed relationship that Jason and Riley had. But he doesn’t have much hope, especially after all the dates his friend, Johnny, set him up with.
Johnny is a happy gay man. Mostly. He supervises “the girls” in the bar’s drag show. He performed for years as Zara, but stopped a few years earlier. He’s very classy…always dressed beautifully. I adored him! He is the nicest guy! It was obvious from very early in the story that Johnny is crazy about Eric…obvious to everyone but Eric. And Johnny is a little reluctant to reveal too much of his feeling to Eric. He’s been hurt in the past, both emotionally and physically.
This is a truly wonderful book, full of emotion and forgiveness. Eric must learn to forgive himself for his past mistakes while teaching Johnny to trust again. The secondary characters are richly drawn, making the story resonate with life, love and passion. And there is passion…and sex. But the most important part of the story occurred with…just…one…kiss. Exquisitely simple. And very powerful.
January 27, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
So I totally loved Quinn’s The Way Back and have been eagerly anticipating Eric’s story. Eric is not really a bad guy in the first book, but he definitely makes bad choices and is just at a really confusing place in his life. Here we see that he has finally gotten his life together and is happy and settled. He just really still longs for a romantic connection with somebody to make it all complete. So I really enjoyed seeing him find his way to Johnny and finally pull it all together.
I really enjoy a good friends-to-lovers story and Quinn does a nice job here of finding the balance between building the intensity as Eric realizes his feelings for Johnny, without dragging things out too long. We can see how suddenly one kiss just awakens Eric to seeing Johnny in a romantic way. At the same time, I could totally understand how the nature of their relationship as coworkers and Johnny being a former client of Eric’s could have prevented Eric from ever thinking of him romantically before that.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
So I totally loved Quinn’s The Way Back and have been eagerly anticipating Eric’s story. Eric is not really a bad guy in the first book, but he definitely makes bad choices and is just at a really confusing place in his life. Here we see that he has finally gotten his life together and is happy and settled. He just really still longs for a romantic connection with somebody to make it all complete. So I really enjoyed seeing him find his way to Johnny and finally pull it all together.
I really enjoy a good friends-to-lovers story and Quinn does a nice job here of finding the balance between building the intensity as Eric realizes his feelings for Johnny, without dragging things out too long. We can see how suddenly one kiss just awakens Eric to seeing Johnny in a romantic way. At the same time, I could totally understand how the nature of their relationship as coworkers and Johnny being a former client of Eric’s could have prevented Eric from ever thinking of him romantically before that.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
January 29, 2015
3.5 stars
March 9, 2020
A Great Series
I loved the characters in this book so much. I was glad to see Eric finally get his HEA and closure from some of the rifts in his past. But the depth that this author is able to bring to all the characters is really what sets this book apart. The pain and the happiness and everything in between that they all go through is something we can all relate to. I also cannot recommend his books Out Of The Darkness and Vanished enough. All his books are amazing. Please let this author know how much you enjoy his books. The world is a better place when he is writing!
I loved the characters in this book so much. I was glad to see Eric finally get his HEA and closure from some of the rifts in his past. But the depth that this author is able to bring to all the characters is really what sets this book apart. The pain and the happiness and everything in between that they all go through is something we can all relate to. I also cannot recommend his books Out Of The Darkness and Vanished enough. All his books are amazing. Please let this author know how much you enjoy his books. The world is a better place when he is writing!
March 7, 2017
3.2 stars. It was nice to read Eric's story. The plot started out very well, but I think that featuring two couples was a bit too ambitious. Eric certainly had a taste of his own medicine, yet I felt that neither the more mature nor the younger couple had a solid development of their relationship from friends to lovers.
January 24, 2015
Eric Walker didn’t make the greatest impression on readers in the first book in this series, The Way Back, as the man that would steal his brother’s boyfriend all in an effort to “find himself”. I didn’t start this book having the highest expectations for the character, and straight away you learn that his love interest at the end of that story, Mitch, has left him. I was like, well score one for Karma! But then Eric had to go and make himself relatable, loveable and attainable, he had to go and redeem himself.
Eric is now managing the gay bar Mo’s and has become a father figure of sorts to some of the younger employees there. Friend, co-worker and star of the show, Queen Johnny, keeps setting Eric up on the most hysterically disasterous blind dates. And Eric is clueless, he just keeps putting up a minimal fight, then caving and going on the dates. Until the night he shows up and it’s Johnny on the other side of the booth. Suddenly Eric sees Johnny in a new light, he realizes that it’s been Johnny all along.
But if it’s Johnny then Eric has finally found happiness and the minute Eric lets himself be happy, lets his guard down and assumes his emotions, his heart is safe, he gets hurt. So he damn near breaks the foundation of the relationship before it’s even solidified in an effort to get ahead of being hurt. If Eric admits how he feels about Johnny, then he has to admit to the failures of his past, and that might be more than our new found hero is capable of.
Eric is like a flame, he burns hot and fast and his emotions are explosive. Johnny is like Rain, a steady flowing current that grounds Eric and shows him he deserves to be loved. The two sort of balance each other out. I am always amazed when an author can take a character that is hated or loathed entirely and make them do a complete 180, make them someone you are now rooting for. That is exactly what Quinn has done with Eric. One of my favorite parts of this story was the conversation Eric had with his brother Jason when he finally swallowed his pride and approached Jason, asking for that forgiveness.
Oh but the firey passion that Eric and Johnny share was a strong element to this story as well. Eric has to let go of this notion he has of a the perfect soul mate, he has to get over Riley and Mitch and his ex-wife and the feeling that he has been wronged in some way before he can finally see Johnny through the eyes Johnny deserves to be loved through. And Johnny’s ever present strength, even in the face of Eric’s denial and while always impeccable dressed and sporting 5 inch heels, well it was impressive.
Detailed, descriptive and precise with three dimensional, flawed characters and strong secondary characters to add depth to the story. Fire and Rain is a must read if you are a fan of hard fought happy ever afters. And if you, like me, absolutely loathed Eric after reading The Way Back, then you have to at least give him a chance at redemption by reading this follow up novel.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
Eric is now managing the gay bar Mo’s and has become a father figure of sorts to some of the younger employees there. Friend, co-worker and star of the show, Queen Johnny, keeps setting Eric up on the most hysterically disasterous blind dates. And Eric is clueless, he just keeps putting up a minimal fight, then caving and going on the dates. Until the night he shows up and it’s Johnny on the other side of the booth. Suddenly Eric sees Johnny in a new light, he realizes that it’s been Johnny all along.
But if it’s Johnny then Eric has finally found happiness and the minute Eric lets himself be happy, lets his guard down and assumes his emotions, his heart is safe, he gets hurt. So he damn near breaks the foundation of the relationship before it’s even solidified in an effort to get ahead of being hurt. If Eric admits how he feels about Johnny, then he has to admit to the failures of his past, and that might be more than our new found hero is capable of.
Eric is like a flame, he burns hot and fast and his emotions are explosive. Johnny is like Rain, a steady flowing current that grounds Eric and shows him he deserves to be loved. The two sort of balance each other out. I am always amazed when an author can take a character that is hated or loathed entirely and make them do a complete 180, make them someone you are now rooting for. That is exactly what Quinn has done with Eric. One of my favorite parts of this story was the conversation Eric had with his brother Jason when he finally swallowed his pride and approached Jason, asking for that forgiveness.
Oh but the firey passion that Eric and Johnny share was a strong element to this story as well. Eric has to let go of this notion he has of a the perfect soul mate, he has to get over Riley and Mitch and his ex-wife and the feeling that he has been wronged in some way before he can finally see Johnny through the eyes Johnny deserves to be loved through. And Johnny’s ever present strength, even in the face of Eric’s denial and while always impeccable dressed and sporting 5 inch heels, well it was impressive.
Detailed, descriptive and precise with three dimensional, flawed characters and strong secondary characters to add depth to the story. Fire and Rain is a must read if you are a fan of hard fought happy ever afters. And if you, like me, absolutely loathed Eric after reading The Way Back, then you have to at least give him a chance at redemption by reading this follow up novel.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *
January 28, 2015
4.5 Stars
Carter Quinn took this reader on a fantastic journey of the heart in this excellent sequel to the unforgettable, The Way Back. I was looking forward to experiencing the redemption of Eric Walker - yes, it happens! - and was very impressed with how it all played out. Humanizing, and gaining a cheering section for a character that has behaved badly is no easy feat, but it's deftly handled on these pages.
I love how Eric's frame of mind was presented. I knew exactly how he was processing his past behaviors, how he realized how spectacularly he had failed himself and those he was closest to. I felt in my gut how sincerely he had changed his ways, and was striving always to be a better person, for himself and for his new "family" at MO's nightlclub. All of this also made the blinders Eric had on regarding Johnny's role in his life easy to believe. Johnny was an amazing, multi faceted character. So calm and steady, yet also a kindred spirit in the guarding my heart club.
The slow building friends to lovers was beautifully written. While the romance between Eric and Johnny is central to the story, it was constructed in a gradual, steady manner, interwoven with other key plots in the book. Secondary characters such as Travis and Jeremiah had a huge role in the story...and in Eric's life. They had Eric running the gamut of emotions, some good, some not so good. I particularly liked that - the depth of this story. Eric dealing with his past, building a present, hoping for a future - all while still burdened by his estrangement with his brothers. As if that isn't enough, fairly early in the story, Eric and the crew at Mo's find themselves reeling from the aftermath of a tragic event. The author kept me guessing about many things while I read, this event first and foremost. I was white knuckling my Kindle and thinking to myself..."no, no.... he is NOT going to do that. No way, NO way." You'll have to trust the author, and me... and read the book to find out what I mean! This event proved a catalyst for Eric, a very plausible kick in the butt for him to go the extra mile in making the first move toward restoring a relationship with his brother Jason and his fiance, Riley. When Eric and Johnny finally get together, there is no denying it is right...but they have to work for it. Again, the gradual building romance arc here was awesome. The guys were adult and forthright about their feelings - a great way to illustrate how far Eric had matured, how much he had learned about relationships. OK, I'll mention... the heat factor between them..? Wow!!
Carter Quinn has a suberb, unique writing style. Witty and humerous, yet poignant, direct and gripping. There was never a doubt in my mind about the "voices" of any of his characters - they all shine bright and clear. And Mo's as a setting? Spectacularly vivid! I really want to go there!!
Carter Quinn took this reader on a fantastic journey of the heart in this excellent sequel to the unforgettable, The Way Back. I was looking forward to experiencing the redemption of Eric Walker - yes, it happens! - and was very impressed with how it all played out. Humanizing, and gaining a cheering section for a character that has behaved badly is no easy feat, but it's deftly handled on these pages.
I love how Eric's frame of mind was presented. I knew exactly how he was processing his past behaviors, how he realized how spectacularly he had failed himself and those he was closest to. I felt in my gut how sincerely he had changed his ways, and was striving always to be a better person, for himself and for his new "family" at MO's nightlclub. All of this also made the blinders Eric had on regarding Johnny's role in his life easy to believe. Johnny was an amazing, multi faceted character. So calm and steady, yet also a kindred spirit in the guarding my heart club.
The slow building friends to lovers was beautifully written. While the romance between Eric and Johnny is central to the story, it was constructed in a gradual, steady manner, interwoven with other key plots in the book. Secondary characters such as Travis and Jeremiah had a huge role in the story...and in Eric's life. They had Eric running the gamut of emotions, some good, some not so good. I particularly liked that - the depth of this story. Eric dealing with his past, building a present, hoping for a future - all while still burdened by his estrangement with his brothers. As if that isn't enough, fairly early in the story, Eric and the crew at Mo's find themselves reeling from the aftermath of a tragic event. The author kept me guessing about many things while I read, this event first and foremost. I was white knuckling my Kindle and thinking to myself..."no, no.... he is NOT going to do that. No way, NO way." You'll have to trust the author, and me... and read the book to find out what I mean! This event proved a catalyst for Eric, a very plausible kick in the butt for him to go the extra mile in making the first move toward restoring a relationship with his brother Jason and his fiance, Riley. When Eric and Johnny finally get together, there is no denying it is right...but they have to work for it. Again, the gradual building romance arc here was awesome. The guys were adult and forthright about their feelings - a great way to illustrate how far Eric had matured, how much he had learned about relationships. OK, I'll mention... the heat factor between them..? Wow!!
Carter Quinn has a suberb, unique writing style. Witty and humerous, yet poignant, direct and gripping. There was never a doubt in my mind about the "voices" of any of his characters - they all shine bright and clear. And Mo's as a setting? Spectacularly vivid! I really want to go there!!
August 28, 2016
5 ***** Stars
Book: Fire and Rain
Series: Kansas Volume #2
Author: Carter Quinn
Publisher: Carter Quinn
Genre: Romance
Rated: Mature M/M
The summer is nearing its end and so was my-to-be read pile. This is the time of the year while waiting for holiday releases, I search out authors I have read recently and would like to checkout their other books. Carter Quinn was a new to me author this year and his Vanished Trilogy Series was so excellent I researched what others I would like to read. Just finished Kansas #1 and was so happy the next was available as well
I was pleasantly surprised that this book would be about Eric. We actually heard and saw most of the worst of him in the first story in The Way Back and I really needed to ‘see’ what this boy to man was about.
Being the ‘straight’ brother in college, to actually find you might not be the straight brother must have been a shocker, to be attracted to Riley and take him away from your brother was cold in the readers eyes, but colder yet was to hurt Riley and leave him for a woman, we hated you. Now we need to hear your side of the story. Thank you Carter for giving us this book.
Eric has come a long way, he is divorced, sober, and gay out and proud. He has worked hard at trying to make himself a better man, he wants to make peace with the ties he broke and we read how he internalizes his past and his present. He has worked hard at a Club called Mo’s and has made friends with the crew that he manages. Also he is a loner, trying to find a connection, with someone to complete him.
His friend and co- worker and friend Johnny Osborne has been ‘trying to help’ Eric by hooking him up with blind dates that are going no- where…..and we begin to see why.
Everyone in the club see the attraction Johnny has for Eric, but Eric. We actually understand why. Johnny is in the FRIEND category and Eric doesn’t want to cross that line like he had done in the past with Riley. Losing a friend again is a nono. So Johnny works slowly to ley Eric see you have to be friends before you become lovers is a good thing. Will it work out when you are just as serious about not getting your heart hurt?
This story couldn’t have been any better. The author gives us a beautiful package of a young man redeeming himself in his own eyes knowing he can have it all. The scenes with he and his brother Jason are heartwarming, the acknowledgement that Johnny ‘sees’ him and loves him made me melt. The fact that Riley and Jason are now there for him says it all. Eric got the gold ring. Great story!
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance G
Book: Fire and Rain
Series: Kansas Volume #2
Author: Carter Quinn
Publisher: Carter Quinn
Genre: Romance
Rated: Mature M/M
The summer is nearing its end and so was my-to-be read pile. This is the time of the year while waiting for holiday releases, I search out authors I have read recently and would like to checkout their other books. Carter Quinn was a new to me author this year and his Vanished Trilogy Series was so excellent I researched what others I would like to read. Just finished Kansas #1 and was so happy the next was available as well
I was pleasantly surprised that this book would be about Eric. We actually heard and saw most of the worst of him in the first story in The Way Back and I really needed to ‘see’ what this boy to man was about.
Being the ‘straight’ brother in college, to actually find you might not be the straight brother must have been a shocker, to be attracted to Riley and take him away from your brother was cold in the readers eyes, but colder yet was to hurt Riley and leave him for a woman, we hated you. Now we need to hear your side of the story. Thank you Carter for giving us this book.
Eric has come a long way, he is divorced, sober, and gay out and proud. He has worked hard at trying to make himself a better man, he wants to make peace with the ties he broke and we read how he internalizes his past and his present. He has worked hard at a Club called Mo’s and has made friends with the crew that he manages. Also he is a loner, trying to find a connection, with someone to complete him.
His friend and co- worker and friend Johnny Osborne has been ‘trying to help’ Eric by hooking him up with blind dates that are going no- where…..and we begin to see why.
Everyone in the club see the attraction Johnny has for Eric, but Eric. We actually understand why. Johnny is in the FRIEND category and Eric doesn’t want to cross that line like he had done in the past with Riley. Losing a friend again is a nono. So Johnny works slowly to ley Eric see you have to be friends before you become lovers is a good thing. Will it work out when you are just as serious about not getting your heart hurt?
This story couldn’t have been any better. The author gives us a beautiful package of a young man redeeming himself in his own eyes knowing he can have it all. The scenes with he and his brother Jason are heartwarming, the acknowledgement that Johnny ‘sees’ him and loves him made me melt. The fact that Riley and Jason are now there for him says it all. Eric got the gold ring. Great story!
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance G
November 19, 2016
I love it when a self-proclaimed asshole redeems himself... and Eric did it in a BIG way! He was the guy to HATE in The Way Back and, boy, did we all hate him! Bad Life Choices was his middle name and there was NO hope in sight! Now, speed a few years ahead and BAM we have an enlightened Eric! He is sober... he has friends who love him for the man he is now, not the man he used to be! He loves his job managing MOs and the tight crew that works there is more like family than employees! Mr. Quinn does a wonderful job of letting us peek into their little world! Each character was developed in such a way that we would've know them if they had walked into our home! There was tragedy... there was humor... there were a few throwback moments from my past that tickled my funny bone... and let's not forget the hot man-on-man sex! *fans face* Speaking of hot men... that leads us to Johnny... I could go on and on about Johnny, but let's keep it simple and say that he is a man with a story of his own and it is a story that he must tell if he and Eric are going to get this whole relationship thing figured out!
This was such an enjoyable read, I look forward to more stories by this author... and I was so sad to see that there wasn't a third book in the series... but such is life! *sigh* :(
This was such an enjoyable read, I look forward to more stories by this author... and I was so sad to see that there wasn't a third book in the series... but such is life! *sigh* :(
February 4, 2015
Eric Walker is back working as a manager in a club. He has gotten Riley out of his system, not looking for love, and enjoying the friendship of those he works with.
Riley and Eric's brother Jason are getting married, but Eric's past behavior has damaged his relationship with both men. Eric wants to repair that.
Johnny Osborne works with Eric at the same club. He's watched Eric change and mature over the past year, so happily he keeps setting Eric up with blind dates. The dates are so bad, Eric swears off dating. But there is a method to Johnny's madness, he's in love with Eric. Maybe just maybe, Eric will recognize the way he feels and ask him out.
What draws me to this author's writing is the realism in his stories and characters. I recognize people I've known, and situations that I've been through. The reader gets to live the mistakes, the worries, and the love that make up living. It doesn't hurt that there is a lot of hot sex, too.
Riley and Eric's brother Jason are getting married, but Eric's past behavior has damaged his relationship with both men. Eric wants to repair that.
Johnny Osborne works with Eric at the same club. He's watched Eric change and mature over the past year, so happily he keeps setting Eric up with blind dates. The dates are so bad, Eric swears off dating. But there is a method to Johnny's madness, he's in love with Eric. Maybe just maybe, Eric will recognize the way he feels and ask him out.
What draws me to this author's writing is the realism in his stories and characters. I recognize people I've known, and situations that I've been through. The reader gets to live the mistakes, the worries, and the love that make up living. It doesn't hurt that there is a lot of hot sex, too.
January 4, 2017
In short, this was a wonderful follow-up to the first book. I would highly recommend that you read The Way Back first, because although Fire & Rain can stand on its own, it will give you a much better understanding of Eric and his past. Recommended!
January 10, 2016
Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance
While I didn't love Fire and Rain (Kansas #2) by Carter Quinn quite as much as I loved The Way Back, it is certainly a worthy sequel to one of my favorite M/M stories.
For complete review see http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos... 24546
January 29, 2015
I really liked this book, how we start to understand Eric and how his poor decisions effected the rest of his
life.
I would have loved for Miah and Trav to have their own story because I found it very interesting play there in
the background and I am sure it would have been an excellent addition to the series.
life.
I would have loved for Miah and Trav to have their own story because I found it very interesting play there in
the background and I am sure it would have been an excellent addition to the series.
July 20, 2015
I was very lucky the day I discovered Carter Quinn's work. The stories move at a good pace. I get invested in the characters and their lives. There's conflict or obstacles for each pair of heroes but it's palatable and definitely not cringe-worthy. I especially like Johnny and his patience with Eric. I was also happy to be back in Kansas.
September 10, 2016
I did not like this sequel near as much as I liked the first one. Not even close. I actually only liked the parts with Riley and Jason. I did not feel it all with Johnny and Eric for some reason. I think there was just too much going on with all the other characters from the bar, too much drama and that is what turned me off. Oh well. Maybe I'll like the third one....
January 28, 2015
4.5 stars
February 8, 2015
Wow...I really liked this...tears and laughter..great group of characters.....very well written from the beginning to the end!!
June 21, 2015
3.5 stars
I enjoyed reading this story.
I enjoyed reading this story.
February 16, 2015
2.75 stars
February 24, 2015
I love this author's writing and the characters and story of this book are fantastic. Sex as needed to advance the plot but doesn't overwhelm the story and I like that.
April 29, 2017
This is a beautiful story. That surprised me more than once. The sex is hot. It's a story about growing up and owning your mistakes,but to truly understand the first book really should be read before reading this one. It enriches the context. It was nice to see how ready and easily "butch" handled the drag. I loved the family feel of the club. The family you choose can be every bit as important, if not more so, as the one you are born into. The sex scenes were smoking without being the central focus.
Want to read
July 12, 2017Major spoiler ahead: I was prepared to give this book a one star review, if Jeremiah had turned up dead. Luckily I skipped a few pages to check if he would be coming back or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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