A Second Harvest

Men of Lancaster County #1

by Eli Easton

Listening Time: 7 hrs 40 min

David Fisher has lived by the rules all his life. Born to a Mennonite family, he obeyed his father and took over the family farm, married, and had two children. Now with both his kids in college and his wife deceased, he runs his farm alone and without joy, counting off the days of a life half-lived.

Christie Landon, graphic designer, Manhattanite, and fierce gay party boy, needs a change. Now thirty, he figures it's time to grow up and think about his future. When his best friend overdoses, Christie resolves to take a break from the city. He heads to a small house in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to rest, recoup, and reflect.

But life in the country is boring despite glimpses of the hunky silver fox next door. When Christie's creativity latches on to cooking, he decides to approach his widower neighbor with a plan to share meals and grocery expenses. David agrees, and soon the odd couple finds they really enjoy spending time together.

Christie challenges the boundaries of David's closed world and brings out feelings he buried long ago. If he can break free of the past, he might find a second chance at happiness.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, LGBT, Slow Burn, Contemporary Romance

Audiobook

First published July 1, 2016

About the author

Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.

As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.

Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com

COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly start drooling as soon as I hear that Eli Easton has written a new book. You've got me going all pavlovian, Eli!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, why do I bother trying other authors when Eli Easton just nails it every time?! Her books + me = A WET DREAM!

I honestly didn't even read the description for this one when I requested it. All I saw was ELI-FREAKIN-EASTON and that gorgeous cover, and I KNEW I needed it. She simply writes the stuff that I love to read, and I knew I could trust her to deliver.

I was pleasantly surprised when I finally read the synopsis. A closeted Mennonite farmer in his 40s with what I can only assume to be a rocking', hairy body with stocky muscles and... *don't mind me dreaming over here*. Oh yeah, and he meets an out and proud city boy roughing it in the country while searching for inspiration and a change of pace. I was tooooootally down.

What you need to know about this story is that the sexual tension is off the charts. I'm talking sexual tension so thick it is like mist in their faces. Sexual tension so intense that I was practically panting in my seat. Mind you, I read this whole story on one intense road trip. My poor husband had to deal with hungry, horny, crazy-girl looks for the entire car ride while he was trying to focus on the road.

And the sexting scene... *bites fist*. Lord, that scene was AMAZING. Sexy like you wouldn't believe! We don't get a ton of sex scenes in this story, actually, but the ones that are there are breathtaking.

I'm a huge fan of slow-burn stories, and this one really nailed it. I looooved the slow way that David and Christie fell for each other, and their gradual deepening of feelings. It was very romantic, actually, and I fell hard for these characters.

There is a good bit having to do with religion in this story, but more having to do with the traditional lifestyle of the Mennonites. I liked those tidbits, actually, because it made this story feel very real. Both characters handled everything with a lot of grace, and I liked seeing them weather tough times and family problems.

The ending was a little abrupt for my liking, and I'm not sure if I really understand how everything was resolved, but I'll let it slide. I simply loved the majority of the story too much to care that the ending wasn't perfect! For me, this was Eli Easton doing what she does best, which is writing excellent love stories with a romance I can believe in.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

[len ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

David rode through the snow, the dark branches of leafless trees on either side, and the orange and peach of sunset at the horizon, and he felt… incandescently happy. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like this, like joy was a fossil fuel buried deep in his soul, and he had suddenly struck deep and hit a gusher. He felt vibrant and alive, wanting to be in this moment and nowhere else, wishing he could bottle it up and keep it forever.

this, friends, is what i consider a romance.

while i initially thought this was a sexuality discovery story, it’s still an exploration one, and it is so well-written. it’s authentic, raw, and quite visceral. it’s deeply intricate, intimately flawed, and realistically developed.

the relationship between david, the shy 41-year-old farmer who has denied his true feelings, and christie (short for christopher), the lively 30-year-old manhattian looking for a new start in the small town of lancaster, is everything i could ask for in a slow burn romance. there’s a small and unsure friendship building up at first that later turns into unexplored feelings between both parties. there’s caution and respect, and then there’s love and desire. christie and david form an incredible friendship of long talks, good food, and new explorations. christie takes david to new places around the world with his ability to cook international foods; david shows christie small wonders of small town care; christie and david engage in different activities related to platonic care, and as the reader, we get constant glimpses into their growing feelings. it’s a natural reaction between the two with no denial. christie knows who he is and what he wants, and while david struggles at first to understand why he feels the way he does, his feelings are from lack of exploration more than anything else. when the two come together about how they feel, it’s explosive.

i loved christie’s energetic self, wanting to do things for david to show a sense of care at first. and i loved david’s want for something he denied himself for more than twenty years. the two are opposites in nature, in every aspect of their life, but they come together so well. the story follows them in their every day moments. the plot revolves around them, showing them bonding and growing closer and closer, to the point where their desires are no longer hidden. the slow burn relationship takes its time, gloriously encompassing emotion and desire, but it’s still tender and soft, not rough, hard and fast. christie respects this new desire of david, and david accepts he wants more with christie and isn’t willing to give it up. it is all mature and communicated, showing and understanding between both men, where they accept they can no longer stay away. it was easy to be captured in the growing relationship between the two. i love how this author captured every moment between them but didn’t make it linger, not giving the reader any awkward or unnecessary moments. every moment is important for the relationship to grow, showing nothing but love and affection growing and developing. there’s no denial after mutual agreement, and instead yearning and longing. the writing is not stilted, there are no forced moments, and there aren’t misunderstandings between the two that cause drama.

“You’re the end that matters. Because I’m all in.”

i think this is one of the most relatable and descriptive sexuality exploration stories i’ve read—we’re not just told about the new feelings david begins allowing himself to feel, but it is easy to feel them, and i think that shows how powerful the writing here is. eli’s writing in describing parts and feelings that david thinks about and feels is felt. it’s not uncomfortable, it’s a necessary narration of deep exploration, of first time feelings, of what it feels like to open yourself up to what you hid. seeing david give in to his true feelings and desires broke my heart. i don’t think anyone will truly, truly understand what it’s like to live like david unless you live LIKE david or grow up in the same environment. his thoughts were so similar to things i’ve heard about from my religious family. everything related to sin and blasphemy, to being able to be cured and freed, to the hypocritical mindset of the church’s beliefs. although i no longer consider myself to be part of any religion or church, i never found the author to be bashful and disrespectful towards any specific denomination. everything mentioned in this story is, unfortunately, true, especially with the small town mindset and christian belief. too often i hear people talk about “homosexuality” in every wrong way, as something that gay people could still free themselves from if they never engage in such wicked acts; how the desire and thought of being with someone from the same gender is immoral; how praying is the necessity for being cured from this disease you have; how the act of masturbation is a sin in itself; how repenting is the way to freedom and heaven. i am not here to disrespect anything or anyone, but I am here to say that i still hear the shit that was spoken in this book. while it may seem like a lot has changed, we’ve still got a long way to go.

David held Christie as he dozed. He couldn’t stop marveling at him—his eyelashes, his jaw, which was growing rough with end-of-day stubble, the masculine body, the soft cock, still so appealing, lying limp on his thigh. David did not regret this. There was no second-guessing, no guilt. For the first time in his life, he’d taken something he truly wanted for himself.

this story dives deep into the religious aspect, and i understand why and how some people don’t like it. i’m someone who reads to escape all this, and reading about the homophobia that still exists isn’t how i usually like spending my weekdays. at the same time, concepts like this are also why i read, and unfortunately something i find necessary. books can’t and won’t always be unrealistic or angst free, as sometimes they’re going to show realistic and real themes that are happening in the real world. not to mention how even though the touch of religion is a big part of the story, it never brings a fault or shame to god himself, but instead the people and what they believe and teach. i personally appreciate this approach, as i don’t think it’s so much the religion but the people. there’s no favoritism or bias. people may have different thoughts about this, which is fine with me. my experience with religion in the past has never been something i’ve let define how i think. even if there are things in script i agree and disagree, i appreciate how the author never shames it in itself.

one of my only complaints is the abruptness of the final chapter. it felt incomplete, as if we needed either another small chapter or another section to fill in what happened. the epilogue presents us with a wanted hea, but the chapter before left me unsettled. we’re aware of what happens after, but it still felt like it needed more development, more touch. the ending felt too rushed for an incident like that, as if the author felt like it would bore its readers providing attention to the recovery. still, i’m happy with what the book offers.

i’m mad at myself for waiting so long to get to this, but i’m glad i finally did. the characters are flawed but realistic, two different but joyous characters for the story that i found myself wanting to continue reading about them finding their happiness. i am now going to read book two because i read an excerpt provided at the end of this installment, and that chapter already got me bawling my eyes out.

But instead Christie’s words swept David up and washed him the other way. Why did he think for one second it would be a good idea to distance himself from Christie? He suddenly never felt surer about anything than he did at that moment—he could not give Christie up. If he walked out that door and never saw Christie again, he might as well die. Because life wasn’t worth much before Christie appeared, and it would be worse having had this and lost it. The mere thought ripped his guts out. You’re trying to scare me away because Joe hurt you. But I don’t care. I won’t let you.

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

~4.5~

Your life shouldn't end at 40, especially when it hasn't even began.

David has always lived for others: his strict father, his late wife, his two children, his farm, his community, his church. But he's never lived for himself.

A near recluse, David finds little joy in his never-ending farm work. He names his cows, even though he knows he shouldn't. He eats frozen dinners. He reads his collection of National Geographic magazines. And he fends off the advances of a widow who believes it's god's will that they be married.

Nothing much happens in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.



Until Christie moves in next door. Eleven years David's junior, Christie is a reformed party boy, a designer who doesn't do anything halfway. Christie inherits a house in Mennonite country from his aunt and when he finds her Bon Appétit collection, he fills his time cooking delicious food.

Christie is drawn to the shy farmer who refuses to look him in the eye and offers to cook for him. David's never traveled, but Christie's elaborate meals take him to Morocco, India, even Bora Bora.

Christie and David bond over food, bales of hay, and running. They have snowmobile adventures, and Christie witnesses the birth of a calf. David cherishes Christie's smile and the zest Christie has for life.

He is aware of Christie like he's never been aware of anyone, but David has always hidden his secrets in a box, shut up so tightly no one will ever find them.

This is a story of David's sexual discovery as much as it is a story of two men falling in love. Christie is done with clubs and hook-ups; he wants one man: a bearded silver fox with muscles sculpted by hard work.



There are two steamy scenes in this book, and they are beautiful and quite hot. Did I want more? Well, of course, especially considering Christie is David's first everything. I can only imagine the exploration that took place off-page.

This book is not angst-free, but I appreciate that a story dealing heavily with religion was written without piles of guilt and shame.

David struggles with his faith and conservative church that brands homosexuality a sin. His grown son, studying to become a minister, doesn't approve of his father's "friendship" with Christie, and David has to choose between the static, dreary existence he's always known and the love he's found with Christie.



While the epilogue presents a lovely HEA for these men, the final chapter ends abruptly. I actually wondered if my ARC was missing a chapter before the epilogue. Considering the traumatic incident at the end, the story doesn't do enough to show David and Christie overcoming obstacles and building a new life together.

That is the only reason I'm rounding down to 4 stars. A Second Harvest gets so many things right; it's tender, romantic, and well-paced. I adored both MCs and can't wait to see where Ms. Easton goes with this series.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAPPY RELEASE DAY!

4.5 stars



A Second Harvest is the story of David Fisher, a 41 year-old man who has never experienced real joy in his life. He's always done the right thing in accordance with his strict father's wishes. Take over the family farm at 18 when his father dies, marry a nice girl and start a family. Work his fingers to the bone day in and day out to make enough money to keep the farm in the black, going to church on Sundays because that is the Mennonite way. (Mennonite is an organized religion similar to Amish.)

I need to tell you that reading about organized religion makes me incredibly sad and I usually avoid it at all costs. I tried it with one of my favorite authors, Keira Andrew's A Forbidden Rumspringa and it was a disaster. And since Eli Easton is another of my favorites, I wanted to try this one too. The reason A Second Harvest worked for me and A Forbidden Rumspringa did not is because of the age of the heroes and where they were in their lives. The boys in A Forbidden Rumspringa were young men, still living with their parents. The oppression they suffered from their church and families was all-consuming and they had to run away to be together. David and Christie in A Second Harvest are both adults and self-sufficient, making their own money and living alone. David has children, but they are both in college and out of the house.

David's thoughts on his religion, which I found comforting:

There were some church teachings he’d been uncomfortable with for years but silently ignored. He wasn’t sure where his faith stood, but right now it seemed to be buried under a dissatisfied and restless part of himself that grew bigger and heavier each and every day.

So, Christie moves to Lancaster County after his aunt dies and leaves him her house, which is next door to David's farm. The men meet and start a heart-warming friendship. Both are a little lonely and share meals and chores and conversation that will give you that warm 'n fuzzy feeling. Christie is sexually attracted to silver-fox David while David can't quite wrap is head around the way Christie makes him feel. Christie brings contentment and happiness into David's life and he is sad to see that he's never felt that before, even where his children are concerned.

Eventually David realizes he is also sexually attracted to Christie and the two begin a slow and steady courtship. Christie insists on taking things slowly so he doesn't scare David off, which is so admirable considering Christie came from a life of sex and drugs and clubbing. Once the sex starts, it is beautiful and loving and will give you the dreamy-sighs.

This book in not without a bit of angst. David does feel some shame at being attracted to a man, but he quickly overcomes it. As expected, the Mennonite community, including his children, do not accept David in a same-sex relationship, but the beauty of that here is that David doesn't really give a fuck after his initial bout with shame.

I loved this book. It was a perfect love story between two men lacking companionship and acceptance and finding it in each other.

I do have to add that Ms. Easton gives us a very realistic HEA. Yes, it's fun to read about the wealthy heroes sitting on a beach drinking umbrella cocktails as the sun goes down, but the realism of this HEA is wonderful and refreshing and no less satisfying than a walk-off-into-the-sunset ending.

Plus, this is a series, so we'll probably have a chance to catch up with them later. :)

Highly recommended.

This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews



Galley copy of A Second Harvest provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!!



In my opinion, Eli Easton has the perfect formula for a sweet and sexy M/M romance. I love her writing and I enjoyed every single one of her books I’ve read so far. She always delivers heartwarming stories that simply make you smile and characters that make you swoon and fall in love with immediately. 'A Second Harvest" is the first installment in her newest series, 'Men of Lancaster County' and I absolutely enjoyed it!

Christie Landon is a gay 30 years old graphic designer from Manhattan. He loves to party, taking occasionally some drugs or sleeping around with a lot of strangers. He finally wakes-up and decides that it’s time to finally grow-up when his best friend overdoses. He decides to take a break from the city and visit Lancaster, Pennsylvania, since his aunt left him a small house and land.

In Lancaster, Christie meets his 41 years old neighbor, David Fisher. David has lived his whole life in Lancaster and farming is all he knows. A good, responsible man, he always did the right thing in accordance with his strict father's wishes, he always sacrificed himself and his happiness for others happiness. He did what every other good Mennonite man do – he married a good woman, took care of his two children and run his farm. Since his wife died two years ago and his two children left to college, David had lived his life all alone. He doesn’t love his reclusive life and he would love to have a friend, someone to talk to, because deep down he feels sad and lonely.

When Christie offers to cook meals for both of them in exchange for shared grocery expenses, David reluctantly accepts. They start a tentative friendship even if David realizes how uncomfortable Christie makes him, how nervous he is in the other man presence. Christie is sure David is hetero with capital H, but he can’t lie to himself, David is the first man to give him "honest-to-god butterflies in ages". What starts as a lovely friendship, slowly becomes so much more for both Christie and David.

This was such a lovely story. I loved both Christie and David and I loved their portrayal. Christie was the perfect match for David in every way. I loved how patient and considerate, sweet and thoughtful he was at times with the other man. His kindness and generosity were truly heartwarming. The way David struggled with faith and his conservative church felt believable to me. I wanted so badly for him to realize how good Christie is for him, how he has the right to truly be happy and he did...eventually. I loved his seriousness and his gentleness.

The pace of the story was great and Christie and David’s relationship development was fantastically done. I really liked the slow burn romance between them and I loved all their “dates”. Their friendship was lovely, but the romance aspect was simply wonderful. I loved the way they were with each other, how accepting they were and the tenderness between them was really simply wonderful at times.

Overall, a great, heartwarming read!

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 heartbreaking beautiful stars

This was a classic Eli Easton MM romance. Beautifully written. The story flowed so well. The characters lovable.

I ended up enjoying it alot. The religion part not so much, but I survived.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Top 10 Favorite in 2017!

Now this is romance how I really LOVE it!

Christopher 'Christie' Landon is a 30 year old graphic designer by day and a NYC clubbing slut by night.
A nearly-fatal drug incident makes him re-think his life, and the house in Pennsylvania that he inherited from his late aunt seems like a good excuse to take a break from partying in the city to find 'back to the roots'.

Of course, the countryside of Pennsylvania isn't the most exciting turf for an out and proud gay man. But at least Christie quickly befriends his 41 year old neighbor David, a lonely widower who runs a farm by himself.

Christie enjoys David's company. The man is kind, shy and interested in the world beyond his farm that he never got to see due to his duties and his family. However, he also belongs to a deeply conservative community of Mennonites, so Christie keeps his mouth shut about being gay.

Still, since both guys live by themselves and Christie finds he enjoys cooking a lot (and there isn't much else to do at his place anyway) he strikes a deal with David, offering to purchase groceries for both of them, with David paying half, and Christie would cook and bring meals over to the farm. David is reluctant, as he doesn't understand why Christie would do this for him, but he eventually agrees, seeing as he's basically been living on TV dinners since his wife passed.

A win/win situation, right?

And since David shows a yearning for other cultures and places during their conversations, Christie makes sure to prepare exotic dishes that take both of them to places far far away from rural Pennsylvania, enjoying how David opens up and voices his appreciation for David's cooking skills and his 'savoir vivre'.



Sigh, if only David were gay, right?


This story is absolutely perfect! An amazing slow burn romance with a deliciously tragic hero (David) who wormed his way into my heart every time he longingly turned a page in his National Geographic magazines or tried not to look too hard at the young and sophisticated city guy who took such great efforts to keep him company - and well fed.

I guess it's true: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach ;-)

The dinner scenes are so delicious here, I seriously advise you not to read this when hungry ;-)

David was a real novelty in the league of leading men in romance. I absolutely loved his calm shyness, his confusion and inner torment, but also his strength in the face of a hostile religious environment and his own children's confusion.

I liked how he deliberately did not push Christie away - even though everyone around him basically steered him in that direction - when other conservative characters would have done so, only to return to their gay lover after tormenting themselves and going through a dark period of loneliness.

David was bigger than that, and for that, I absolutely adored him!

I seriously think romance can hardly get better than this!

5 stars and a top favorite!

[* A Reader Obsessed * · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I’m going to try and be quick about this review.

I love Easton, and I bought this way back when and have only now just gotten to it. What’s changed for me over the years is that in the closet tropes no longer appeal, so it was with a lot of reluctance and trepidation that I finally finished this book, determined to make a dent in my paid list.

Of course, the writing is great. Easton also does fabulous UST, and she doesn’t skimp here at all. Just know that if you dread waiting for the other shoe to drop, then your anxiety level is probably going to be as high as it was for me. Also, beware some heavy religious repression, bigotry, and hateful violence.

The ultimate win for Christi and David was wonderful, but just take heed that it was a painful angsty journey, and I’m glad it’s over so I can move on to something more fluffy with cute dogs or some spaceships. Cheers.

[Richard Derus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real rating: 4.5* of five

Only two instances of the loathsome w-verb. Both gratuitous and unnecessary, of course.

An enormously resonant story for my elderly self. I knew and tricked with these men most of my life. Had one terrible relationship with one of them, a horrible, painful experience of being the agony and the release from it at the same time. He died of liver cancer after over two decades of alcohol abuse, and a few months later I moved to New York City.

So David's story, his wretchedness, moved me deeply. Christie's part I lived in reverse...after getting to Paradise I was a busy, busy boy for a few years. Over a decade, in fact, and I adored all but the last 18 months. When my life unravels, it does the job with verve and gusto. Anyway, Christie deciding to move to Auntie's place made perfect sense to me...I ran back to Austin...and his ultimate fate there mirrored my own, if mine was less painful.

I left Austin because, after one night of gay-barring, I was followed home by two tradies (google it) who'd been somewhat unsettlingly focused on me. The truck they drove had a gun rack.

It wasn't empty.

Nothing happened.

I don't care. I am never, ever again in all my life going to live in a place where guns are anything other than tightly regulated. I'm also deeply averse to going west of the Hudson or north of the Bronx. When home doesn't want you, it's not home, so here I stay.

This book made all the same feelings as I felt then come roaring back, strong as ever, nauseating as ever. The highest function of storytelling is catharsis, it's why myths are evergreen and stage/screen drama has such a tenacious hold on human psyches. Author Easton has, in each of her stories I've read, given me a safe catharsis, a world built to experience and survive the strong negative emotions parts of her tale evokes. It takes skill to do this well. It requires convincing your readers that this *is* a world, this space is in fact telling truths to your emotional core. That takes talent and courage, which Author Easton has and uses for our benefit.

And here I was looking for a light, fun read. Haw. Instead I got a deep and thorough dose of spiritual salts. And, mirabile dictu, was made to enjoy it.

Congratulations, Eli Easton, and to you readers not squicked out by gay men making love to each other, this is a fine and satisfying read.

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review written July 9, 2016

4.4 Stars - Food, hunger, food, love, food, lust...

Jippie yay, this was once again a M/M romance as ended up as a newly published "must-read" winner from Eli Easton. I so much enjoy to be with her warmhearted and amusing sweet characters every single time. A Second Harvest wasn't an exception.


A gem not to be forgotten or missed
Cute and cozy with a touch of life's sometimes very hard issues to deal with. Quickly done and mostly told in a quite lighthearted way. — A story I'll remember. Not unique maybe and in my opinion also a bit rushed in the end (my only tiny complain — I wanted a bit more explanations and a slower finish) but for sure a great new M/M contemporary to pick up ...immediately and to sincerely love.

**********************************************

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

# David Fisher: a 42 years old farmer raised in a Mennonite church community. He is a widower from a twenty marriage with two nearly grownup children. A sadly lonely man with secret dreams about foreign places.

# Christie Landon: a 30 years old graphic designer. A Manhattanite and wild gay party boy. He needs a change and brings his stuff and moves to an aunts old cottage in the country side for six months. A guy with a new fondness for baking and cooking.

Two opposites with love for food and a international cuisine. Two men which starts as new neighbors, soon are shy acquaintances, becomes dear friends and ends up as lovers (for life?).

“I know a good thing when I have it. And you know how stubborn I can be.”
“Be stubborn,” David urged. Be stubborn for me, Christie. Be stubborn for both of us.
Christie pressed tighter, kissed his neck. David sighed, letting his head fall to the side. ...

Simply ...wonderful, yeah just ...adorable.
Highly sincerely recommended if you like me easily get a (hard and probably lifelong) crush for lonely sad farmers. Men that needs a lot of touch and love urgently. Men that like to eat and make good food to each other. Men questioning old rules... A man who one day dare to take a lifes changing chance when it suddenly appears from nowhere. A man, or two, you can't but adore.

These two main characters David and Christe and their tender (as well as grand) story tugged (and at once glued) strongly to my heart from the very first chapter. There are so much sweet and heartbreaking stuff (but not too much heartbreaking difficult angst thankfully) to be a part of here. So much fresh and "first time youngish feeling" love. Davids life and past is unforgettable touching. — Completely irresistible for a romantic heart like mine.

As always; Ms Easton know the skill of men who loves men in romances.

**********************************************

I LIKE - sexy "in the closet" farmers

[Dia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 rounded to 5 SWEET stars

This book!!! I LOVED it! ❤️

It's my first book by Eli Easton and I fell in love with her writing style. The story and also her characters are so well built. I felt like I had them right in front of me. Amazingly written! BUT if I'd have to complain about something, that would be the beginning - it was too slow paced for my taste. Still I loved how the author built their relationship, slowly but solid! I couldn't wait to read more and see how things will work out between them.

As the presentation already reveals: David Fisher is a 41 farmer, widower, with 2 teens in college. He lived his life by the standards of others: father, wife, church. Now he is lonely and feels his life has no purpose. Until he meets his beautiful new neighbor.

Christie is a 30 out and proud gay man, blond, with deep blue eyes, fashionable and sure of himself. After living a very shallow life, drinking and clubbing, he wanted a change. He almost lost his best friend after he overdosed, and having this big wake-up call, he travels to see the farm he inherited from his aunt.

Neither of them was prepared for the pull between them. Everything about David screamed straight and even if Christie told himself they can be only friends, the looks, the gestures, it all got him wondering if he's daydreaming or it really can be more between them.

I really, really loved the second half of the book. It kept me up last night! I enjoyed David's reactions to Christie - so genuine and so HOT wanting to explore it all with him, even if he had many things to consider.
I didn't expect things to become so complicated at one point, and David's kids to be this bigoted. But I am glad how it all worked out in the end.
Must add that I didn't find the religious aspects to be too disturbing. Of course it made me angry and sad that such beliefs still exist, but overall it was a great story! Loved the couple. They were SO sweet together, they melted my heart!

The only reason I am not rating it with a 5 full stars is because I had to wait too long for them to accept their feelings and act on it. BUT once David gave in, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

I want to thank to my friend Christell for her recommendation. I wanted to read this book for some time, but she was the one who convinced me. And I loved it so much! So a BIG thank you, my dear!

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

LOVED this one!

Kind of an opposites attract story, with city boy Christie and farmer David. But man...together these two were all kinds of right.

A bit religiously, but not too much.

I love a good slow build, I really do. Especially when it comes with the sexual tension exuding between these two. OFF. THE. CHARTS. HOT.

It was sweet and almost simple. No fuss. No drama (well until the end). Just a closeted farmer and an out and proud city boy falling in love.

There could have been drama. More drama. Can't say I loved the plot device used (why I rounded down and not up), but I loved everything else so much I can forgive it. And the ending did feel a bit rushed but, again, loved everything else. So forgiven.

The cooking. The care they took with each other. The sweetness. The touches. The looks. This is romance.

[Meags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Honestly, I held off reading this one for years because the heavy religious themes worried me. But I’m glad I finally put my big girl pants on and gave it a go, because the myriad of emotions this story provoked in me undoubtedly made this a worthwhile reading experience.

Although this story was deeply angst-y and dealt with all sorts of heavy themes that left me feeling anxious and on-edge throughout, it was still impressively well written, featuring characters of vastly different walks of life – to each other, but also to me as a reader – who both came across as complex and wholly understandable/relatable human beings.

Putting aside the angst-y stuff, I absolutely loved the slow-burn progression of David and Christie’s relationship. In truth, their deep and meaningful friendship probably affected me even more than their eventual romantic relationship, mostly because it was a companionship so desperately desired and necessary for the future happiness of both of these lost and lonely men.

I appreciated all the food-talk that occurred here, too. Christie cooking exotic meals for David in an attempt to broaden David’s horizons, allowing him to have even the smallest culturally diverse experiences from those he’d ever know but had forever longed for, was such a moving and ultimately romantic gift shared from one man to the other. No doubt it also made me hungry, and it motivated me to explore some new recipes for myself, which is always fun.

Ultimately, A Second Harvest was an emotional read, but one well worth the heartache and tears.

[Eli Easton]

Today is release day! I posted my traditional desktop post with images that inspired this story.
http://elieaston.com/desktop-a-second...

Hope you enjoy it!

[.Lili. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Second Harvest is Eli Easton at her best. This story was exquisitely written. This book is about David, a Mennonite farmer in his 40’s who secretly yearns for more and the out, and the proud city boy in the country for a change of pace and to settle his aunt’s estate.

Lots to love here, guys! My highlights:

-David. To me, he came across as a selfless, gentle man. I loved seeing the world through his eyes and took joy in his happiness.
-Christie. He is who he is and makes no apologies. There was something very freeing about his character, and his big heart made it impossible not to love him.
-Relationship development. The progression from tentative friendship to lovers was felt natural.
-The sexual tension. I love a well written slow burn and this about as good as you can write it. It was palpable.
-The story is narrated through a dual POV. I have to say I was relieved we didn't get any extra POVs like in her past few books.
-The pace of the story was smooth and flowed effortlessly.
-And the end- floved it! ♥

Any negatives? Nope.

Do I recommend it? Most definitely!

This was 5 Stars all the way! Eli Easton hit it out of the park, and I can't wait for the rest of the stories in this series!



ARC kindly provided by Dreamspinner Press to Gay Book Reviews for an honest review.!

[BookSafety Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Updated review and info after second read.
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

How was it possible David never felt more like a man than he did right now, making love to another man?

Second time reading this book and I really love it still. A beautiful and genuine romance. I listened to the audiobook this time around and I enjoyed it, even tho it was a completely new narrator to me. Books where ‘older’ adult characters get a new chance at being happy in life just brings me joy. Original review below. Bumped to five stars.

________________________________

This was my second Eli Easton book, and I definitely enjoyed it a lot. I went into it knowing it had religious elements, but man, it was uncomfortable to read sometimes. I didn’t grow up religious, so reading some of the language here, and being able to really feel the hatred in the words about homosexuality and sin was powerful. It wasn’t done for shock value. It fit the story and the characters.

David is a widower, and his kids are highly religious, especially his son Joe who’s studying to become a minister, which obviously creates tension. David is also so deeply closeted that he doesn’t realize he actually is closeted for a good while. He has to come to terms with and deal with guilt and his faith, and how it all clashes with his desires and wants from this life. He’s depressed and has some thoughts of suicidal ideation. Most of the angst and conflict in the book is centered around these things.

Christie was the perfect man for David, and he was my favorite character. He had so much patience and understanding for David and his situation. He was even more patient with Joe (more than he deserved), but still wasn’t a pushover.

My favorite part is how there wasn’t an ‘easy fix’, and everyone didn’t suddenly get over their hangups and issues with faith and beliefs. The epilogue is set 1 year later, and they’re all still works in progress. But! there is progress, which was nice to see. Everyone was trying to be better, which was the best HEA they could get, in my opinion.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Deeply closeted MC
Religious trauma
Single dad
Widower
Farmer
Age gap
Starting over
Silver fox
Bonding over food
Sexting
First times

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
On-page Intoxication
On-page alcohol consumption
MC offered drugs (on page)
On-page drug use (smoking marijuana)
On-page drug overdose (SC, unknown drugs)
MC and SC hospitalized
Mentions of CPR

— All of the above happens a few months before the main story —

Death of farm animal (on page, non-traumatic)
Explicit sexual content
Mention of death of wife (past, cancer)
Mention of death of family member (past)
Mentions of homophobic parents
Fatphobic rhetoric (internalized fatphobia)
Homophobic side characters
Internalized homophobia
Use of homophobic slur
Brief mention of past suicidal ideation
Symptoms of depression
Brief mention of past animal stillbirth
Hate crime — MC physically assaulted by group of homophobic men (on page)
MC severely injured

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: The book starts right as Christie’s hookup with a random at a club ends. Not explicit and is important for the plot. Long before the MCs meet.
A woman from David’s church thinks they should date, but David isn’t interested.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Versatile
Main characters’ age: 30 and 41
Kids’ age: 18 and 21
Series: Interconnected standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 206
Happy ending: Yes


If this was wrong, David would go to hell gladly because nothing ever fed his soul like this. He almost sobbed at the thought of how long he’d denied himself this pleasure.

He could fall in love with Christie for his kindness and generosity alone, but the packaging was pretty sweet too.

Some of the heaviest chains that bound him all his life had fallen off, and he wouldn’t put them back on, no matter what the consequences were.



You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Eli Easton's marvelous "A Second Harvest" brings to mind Henry Thoreau's famous quote from Walden.
And David Fischer is living a life of desperation, a life as a good Mennonite father and widower working the dairy farm he inherited from his father. A life in which he has almost memorized articles from his beloved National Geographic magazines about far-off foreign places. A life where he keeps his secret in a box, a goddamn metal box buried in the barn underneath firewood, behind a pulled-up floor board. And he has never uttered a word about his secret, even to himself, because if he doesn't act on it, or say the word out loud ...

Therefore it was just an “idea,” like daydreaming about being a sailor or something. It was still a sin to … to think about another man, to touch himself thinking about it. But he figured God might be sort of tolerant about it as long as he never acted on it with another person.

But when worldly ... liberal ... gay ... reformed Manhattan party boy Christie Landon moves into his aunt's house near David's home place, David finds himself drawn to this beautiful, creative man. And before long, they are sharing dinners, running together, talking daily, and lonely quiet David has never felt so happy. "He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt like this, like joy was a fossil fuel buried deep in his soul, and he had suddenly struck deep and hit a gusher." Then Joe, David's asshat of a son, informs him that Christie is gay ... "I doubt he’s even a Christian” ... and David finally realizes "He and Christie Landon weren’t just friends. They were dating."

To David's credit, once he gets past his initial shock and shame, he can't find it in himself to be sorry about, or have regrets for, this wonderful gift he has been given. I love how Christie is willing to take their relationship slow (along with some oh so very hawt late-night sexting) and how David and Christie give some serious thought about what has to happen for their relationship to grow and continue. Everything leads to a tender passionate love that, Dear Reader, is a thing of beauty.

My only qualms are that David's son Joe is pretty much a Conservative Christian Caricature and the violence against Christie seems out of character with the overall feeling of the book, changing Joe's viewpoint 180 degrees almost instantly , but David and Christie's HEA is well-deserved. I highly recommend this book!

I received an ARC of this book from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
Review also posted at Gay Book Reviews - check it out!

[Christelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread
As good as the first time, maybe even a little more, because I knew Christie and his character is just, just, just....😍
The ending is still a bit dry, though.

Eli Easton knows how to write about endearing characters !!!

---------------------------
A sweet romance taking place in a small town in Pennsylvania.

David is 41, a widower, a father of 2 kids both away at college, and a farmer in a small and quite religious town in Pennsylvania. He got out of school very early to take care of the family farm, married very young, and did everything that was expected from him. However, deep inside, he feels lonely surrounded only by his animals and his 2 suppressed longing for geography and men.
Christie is 30, celibate, a graphic designer, full of energy but tired of his life of partying in gay clubs in New York and longing for settling down. He takes the opportunity of inheriting his aunt’s house in Pennsylvania and temporarily relocating there for preparing the selling of the house to reassess his life.
Both neighbors and lonely, David and Christie develop a friendship, David welcoming Christie’s attention to him as a person and Christie welcoming the down-to-earth life and kindness of David. Slowly but steadily, their friendship turns out into much more.
Both together, realizing the intensity of their relationship and giving in to their attraction, they face David’s children and the community’s reprobation and embrace the necessary changes to build a future together, because “you’re the end that matters”.
It’s a slow-paced, sweet and steamy romance, with no-angst but no dull moments either, just the simple and sheer joy of accepting to fall into a loving relationship. And both characters are so lovable.
My only complaint : the ending is a little abrupt.

A good and comforting read which soothes me in the best way.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some of the things Eli Easton does so well - two interesting guys, a slow building relationship, some heat, and a lot of lovely moments. David is a Mennonite farmer, not very religious himself, but settled into his life, with grown children including a son interested in the ministry. Christie is an urban Manhattenite and a graphic designer, whose life is derailed by a bad experience with drugs, drink, and the fast life. He tries to reevaluate his path by spending time in the house he inherited from his aunt, out in the country away from the shallow temptations of the city. But the thing that makes the biggest difference to Christie turns out to be his solitary, handsome, and lonely neighbor.

As the two men grow closer, the inevitable moment when David's whole life, and his long-suppressed desires and affection for Christie, will collide. I really liked that David is not unaware of his gayness - he may have resisted indulging it, but he's not been fooling himself. This is more a matter of reaching for the sun, after 30 years spent in the dark hoping a candle would satisfy him.

Near the end, there is one of the best coming out moments I've seen in M/M - I loved the real and natural voice of David in that scene. Unfortunately, the consequences - the inevitable collision of family and culture and desires and plans - are all short-circuited by a moment of unforeshadowed melodrama. Then the painful consequences of that moment - which might have been an alternate and interesting picture of family rearranging itself - are dropped completely, in favor of an epilogue a year after that has all happened. So I felt a bit cheated out of the hard parts of this story after a long slow and easy build. Still a good read that I had a hard time putting down.

[Jay Northcote · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a massive, shameless Eli Easton fanperson... and she gave me an ARC. But I would have bought it anyway, so 5 stars it is.
Beautiful story, beautifully written. A lovely tale of second chances and living your truth. I thoroughly enjoyed this one even though it broke my heart in a few places along the way to the obligatory happy ending.
Recommended!

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

Just about the perfect m/m contemporary for me! I loved that David and Christie become close as friends first. It really felt like they had something to build their relationship on and, of course, it resulted in an oh so lovely slow burn. After having a hard time connecting with characters recently, I was so happy with the strong connection I felt with both characters, especially David. I had tears in my eyes several times when he talked or thought about his dreams of seeing the world so it was so nice to see him get his HEA.

Absolutely recommended!

[Elisa Glendenning (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅ Age Gap
✅ Slow Burn
✅ Rural Setting

4 “It’s Never Too Late” Stars

It wasn’t as angsty as I was expecting - there’s a lot more calm than storm but after that intro, I was all in. It’s slow paced with some religious diatribe/homophobia so not sure it would be to everyone’s taste but I actually found it mostly heartwarming.

Both MC’s had strict religious upbringings but whilst Christie had been out and proud in New York for years, David had been living a lie his entire life and was still tied to the church through his children and the wider community. Christie was much more confident and quite perceptive. David on the other hand was reserved and didn’t have a lot of life experience outside of the farm. I liked them both but I did have a soft spot for David. One of my favourite heroes of all time is George Bailey from Its a Wonderful Life and I couldn’t help draw parallels. When they meet, there’s an instant attraction and one of my favourite things was how their tentative friendship grew; the relationship development felt really natural.

My only complaint would be the abrupt ending. After that shocker at the end, I turned the page to read Act IV, only to discover an Epilogue 1 year later 🤨.

Finally, if you’re on a diet like me, GOOD LUCK with this one! They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and Christie most definitely cooks up a storm! I was so hungry 🤤😂.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, this book did things to me 🫠

This was a very well written, angsty, emotionally rich, swoony slow-burn second chance Romance with a capital R between two beautiful men, who just want to be in love.

David was complex in his emotions, decisions, dreams; his story heartbreaking and healing and real. Christie was fierce, brave and patient. And together they were simply beautiful; the tension between them, the longing, the love, so palpable.

I do normally shy away from books heavily featuring (extreme) religious beliefs and while it was very well done here, I was reminded as to why I generally avoid it. Its just… Nothing makes me as angry and miserable as quickly as people being told who they can or can’t love, being shamed and made feel guilty and wrong and undeserving because of the outdated doctrines of a 2000 year old book. Idk about you, this shit just makes me feel rage.

My favourite thing was David’s way of travelling the world through National Geographic magazines, I mean come on, how precious is that?! 😩

The ending was a bit too abrupt and too dramatic for me, but other than that I loved this book and the tender love and kindness oozing out of its pages 🥹

[Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Christie Landon is a city boy, through and through. The past decade has been spent clubbing with his best friend, Kyle, and indulging in anonymous sex and not quite growing up. But, now that Christie is 30, he's been finding that life less and less satisfying. And after Kyle accidentally OD's, one night, Christie finally decides to make a change. He inherited a house from an aunt who recently passed away, so after Kyle's recovery, Christie figures that there is no time like the present to get away and figure out what he really wants out of life.

David Fisher is 41 and pretty much waiting to die. He's been a farmer all his life, inheriting the farm when his father passed away when David was 18. David married young and helped raise a family. Now he widowed and though he was never really happy in his marriage, and he never dared even think of his attraction to men, now he just sees endless years ahead of him doing what everyone else expects of him. David is honorable, honest and faithful, to a fault. He has responsibilities that he takes seriously, even to the expense of his own happiness.

When Christie and David struck up a friendship, everything felt so natural. Christie, although a city boy, wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty and learn new things. He also rediscovered a love for cooking, so it was only natural for him to share that love with his new friend. Both men were lonely and alone, so neither even questioned their time together. Christie and David had been dating for weeks before either of them even realized it.

And it isn't that David was that clueless, it was just that he kept that part of himself locked in a box so tight, it took him a while to find the key. And Christie wouldn't let himself hope that David felt the attraction, too.

There is a very slow burn of a romance here, and I loved it. David and Christie become friends before they get to "more". And once they decide to embark down the path of exploration, they were still so tentative. Their loving was sweet and hot and it meant something. The angst comes from family and community and religion teaching and preaching that gay is sin.

But David has a strength that he probably never realized he had, when faced with losing the one man who gets him and loves him. When faced with having to choose between Christie and his farm, family and community, David chooses love. Christie, as well, is brave and true. He's a fighter when it comes to those he loves.

A Second Harvest is about finding yourself and also finding that one other person that completes you. It's about finding the strength to hold on, even when everyone is against you. It's about love. And I think the world could use more of that.

------------------
ARC of A Second Harvest was generously provided by the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet read.


Read it a while ago so not spending time on a long review.

[Papie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ This was a beautiful heartwarming story. I adored these two men. I was scared there would be too much religion, and I feared there would be self hatred and internalized homophobia. I was wrong.

Christie is a NYC party boy who is ready to change his ways. He is literally a ray of sunshine in David’s grey life. They bond over Christie’s cooking, and their friendship is easy and sweet and beautiful. Until David opens his eyes and realizes it isn’t just friendship.

David. Oh David. He had buried that part of himself so deep he thought it was gone. And then Christie came along. I loved how David was all in. He loved deeply and fiercely and wasn’t going to let his community’s homophobia ruin everything. No matter what happened, he stood by Christie. And that was so refreshing and beautiful.

The epilogue arrived a bit abruptly for my taste, but otherwise it was perfect.

[Johnny · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the elements of an amazing story was already there but I dont know, it just didnt grab me. I didnt feel any strong connection between the MCs. The last 30% of the book was so rushed it felt like it was missing 5 more chapters of something.

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

March 12, 2024

This is still one of my ultimate comfort reads. I love David and Christie's relationship. Its a beautiful story.

4-6-22

One of my all time favorite comfort reads. I still love it as much as I did the first time I read it.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

David Fisher spent his whole life doing what was expected of him as a God-fearing Mennonite farmer. After his wife's death and with both his children at college beginning their own lives, he finds himself alone and despondent on his farm. When he gets a new neighbour, David's forced to confront a part of himself that he had buried long ago - his homosexuality.

Christie Landon needs to get away from his life of partying and drinking, and so decides to move to a rural property he recently inherited. Bored with the monotony of country life, he takes up cooking and eventually invites his handsome older neighbour to join him. As the two become friends, they find it increasingly difficult to deny that attraction building between them.

I'm a sucker for small-town romances. There's just something romantic about the countryside. I've enjoyed reading about Lancaster County in a few of Eli Easton's other books, so I was stoked to hear that this book would be set there. 'A Second Harvest' gave me the country charm that I was looking for.



This is a slow-burn romance. David and Christie fall in love other gradually and slowly. I loved how they fell for each other - through their dinner dates. When Christie realizes that David has rarely left his farm and dreams of the wider world, he decides to cook different cuisines and give David a taste of the world. Their dinners were incredibly sweet and romantic.

While the two move slowly, that doesn't mean the sexual tension isn't there. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for them to give in to the attraction. And when they finally do, it's hawt. Once David decides to finally explore what it's like to be with a man, he doesn't hold back. And Christie's more than willing to play teacher.

There's a fair amount of religion in this book, but it wasn't off-putting. David has to reconcile his own beliefs and his sexuality, and also has to confront his family and community. I thought the author did a good job of balancing the religious aspect with the rest of the story.

However, the pacing in the last quarter threw me off. There was just a lot crammed into the last pages, which was jarring because of the slow pace of the book until that point. It wasn't a major issue, but I would have preferred extra pages/chapters to even things out at the end.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and an excellent start to Easton's new series. If you're looking for a slow-burn romance, I'd recommend 'A Second Harvest'!

[Sun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

This book covered so many different topics that I felt so deeply, it surprised me. Despite the fact that I can pretty much bank on Eli Easton books working for me, I didn’t quite expect this one to have such an impact.

I love a book that is…hopeful. And A Second Harvest is that. David is a Mennonite, a widower, and he’s painfully lonely. What broke my heart was that David pretty much was resigned to this being his life for the rest of his days. Can you imagine…just accepting that life will be empty and alone, with nothing more than going through the motions day to day?

Christie has his own battles. Living in NY, partying every night, hooking up with strangers…it took a near-tragedy to help him realize he might need and want more.

Christie escapes NY and moves into the farmhouse next door to David’s and an unlikely friendship is forged over cooking, eating, and talking. And, of course, this friendship grows into more.

I loved how the author handled David’s past and reconciled it with the feelings he had in the present. David, once realizing and accepting what he wanted, became the hero for me in this story. And though it wasn’t easy for the two of them, the great love they grew to share made it worth it.

What's to Like:
As I mentioned, there’s a feeling of hopefulness in this book that overcame what started off as something quite sad. I love the thought of life never really being over…that there’s opportunity for all of us to find new things out about ourselves even as we get older.

What's to Love:
This book kinda plays on all my favorite tropes: friends to lovers, forbidden love, age difference, opposites attract. So good.

Beware of:
There is a scene in the book that has quite a bit of violence. It surprised me, but was well written and appropriate for the story.

This Book is For:
If you want a quiet love story, one that makes you believe in a relationship that can grow from seemingly impossible beginnings, this is the story for you.