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High Lonesome
Joe doesn’t live on top of a mountain because he loves people. A late summer snowstorm is the perfect chance to send his customers down to lower altitude and enjoy a few days of solo strolls and fireside naps.
Tanner’s not staying at a high-altitude hut to admire the scenery. He’s got a date to keep with the sort of person you don’t want to disappoint, a date that’ll result in him earning some much-needed cash in exchange for what’s left of his self-respect. But that’s OK. He gave up on self-respect when he picked up the needle anyway.
Pyotr didn’t drop into a blizzard to rescue Tanner or to drag Joe back down to the real world. His mission is a lot colder than that. People are only pawns, and spies are only heroes to those who don’t know them.
Hermit, addict, spy. Three men, one snowstorm, zero reason to trust. And someone’s coming …
Content warning: this book contains on-page heroin use and detox. A brief argument follows the reveal of a character’s HIV status.
Tanner’s not staying at a high-altitude hut to admire the scenery. He’s got a date to keep with the sort of person you don’t want to disappoint, a date that’ll result in him earning some much-needed cash in exchange for what’s left of his self-respect. But that’s OK. He gave up on self-respect when he picked up the needle anyway.
Pyotr didn’t drop into a blizzard to rescue Tanner or to drag Joe back down to the real world. His mission is a lot colder than that. People are only pawns, and spies are only heroes to those who don’t know them.
Hermit, addict, spy. Three men, one snowstorm, zero reason to trust. And someone’s coming …
Content warning: this book contains on-page heroin use and detox. A brief argument follows the reveal of a character’s HIV status.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 3, 2018
29 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Chris
60 books295 followersTanya writes in a variety of romantic and erotic genres, being an avid follower of many of these genres herself. Some of her favorites are M/M romance, MFM threesomes, and BDSM with male submissives.
Tanya lives in New England with her boyfriend and her cat and has participated in many of the activities about which she writes, but not all of them. It's left to the reader to decide which are which.
Tanya lives in New England with her boyfriend and her cat and has participated in many of the activities about which she writes, but not all of them. It's left to the reader to decide which are which.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 5, 2018
Loved this one ! This is a read that will hold your attention. It's surprising, exciting and entertaining..
The blurb tells the storyline so no need to tell here.
The dynamic between the three men was really well done it was sexy and sweet...
All the feelings felt real, sometimes hurtful real... not at all romanticized...
A suspenseful event. The environments just wonderful. The plot was well put together
The writing style was excellent. The personalities lovable.
The problematic subject realistic... with other words.... recommended
Kindly received an arc from the author.
The blurb tells the storyline so no need to tell here.
The dynamic between the three men was really well done it was sexy and sweet...
All the feelings felt real, sometimes hurtful real... not at all romanticized...
A suspenseful event. The environments just wonderful. The plot was well put together
The writing style was excellent. The personalities lovable.
The problematic subject realistic... with other words.... recommended
Kindly received an arc from the author.
October 8, 2018
4.1 Stars
Well, color me surprised once again. Other than the implausibility of choosing such a remote location for a bit of treason (which was relatively well-reasoned after all) I really liked this story. It's hard to build a romance between two people, and the author did a good job with three. The characters were distinct and had problems of their own to wrestle before they commit to each other.
(I did have GreenTea pegged the minute they were mentioned, though. Despite being a spy, I kinda loved how they snarked about how the others felt it was an unexpected twist.)
Well, color me surprised once again. Other than the implausibility of choosing such a remote location for a bit of treason (which was relatively well-reasoned after all) I really liked this story. It's hard to build a romance between two people, and the author did a good job with three. The characters were distinct and had problems of their own to wrestle before they commit to each other.
(I did have GreenTea pegged the minute they were mentioned, though. Despite being a spy, I kinda loved how they snarked about how the others felt it was an unexpected twist.)
April 21, 2018
I really enjoyed this one - the dynamic between 3 key characters, their issues and challenges. While the focus was around treason and drug addiction, there were enough moments between them that certainly added spice. I would have loved a little more D/s with Peter and Joe - that held SO much promise ! Of course Tanner being released by the CIA was just a little too easy, but I guess that’s fiction 😊
April 4, 2018
Totally exciting tale of addiction, spies, and possible treason.
Joe, Pyotr, and Tanner are thrown together during a freak August snowstorm. Joe is the caretaker at the cabin the other two are stranded at. The men are attracted to each other, and secrets are revealed. The men have to work together to protect each other (particularly Tanner) from a Russian operative.
After the ordeal is over, do the three stay together and continue to explore their connection, or does Joe stay while the others move on?
I really enjoyed this, I was sucked in from the beginning and didn’t want to put it down. I will say, I figured out who the Russian spy was before the CIA agent did.
*ARC provided by author
Joe, Pyotr, and Tanner are thrown together during a freak August snowstorm. Joe is the caretaker at the cabin the other two are stranded at. The men are attracted to each other, and secrets are revealed. The men have to work together to protect each other (particularly Tanner) from a Russian operative.
After the ordeal is over, do the three stay together and continue to explore their connection, or does Joe stay while the others move on?
I really enjoyed this, I was sucked in from the beginning and didn’t want to put it down. I will say, I figured out who the Russian spy was before the CIA agent did.
*ARC provided by author
April 3, 2018
I was apprehensive going into this one. An ex addict an addict and a Russian spy. This screamed drama but I’m a sucker for m/m/m. I’m so glad I gave it a go. It had me hooked from start to finish. There is no unnecessary drama even thought it was insta love/lust it worked well.
Joe is a recovering addict who happens to be HIV positive. This is handled so well it’s not sugar coated he still has his struggles even years later. He is afraid of letting his guard down but if he does it will be worth it.
Tanner is after getting mixed up in some serious bad stuff involving drug dealers and the Russians. When he meets joe and then Pyotr he realizes he has something to live for it won’t be easy but he is determined to kick his addiction to heroin.
Pyotr is the glue that holds it all together. He needs to help Tanner to stop him from getting mixed up with the Russians and going to jail. Also he is the strong dominant type exactly what joe needs even though he doesn’t know it yet.
Tanner needs taken care of and between Pyotr and Joe all 3 make a wonderful mix of hotness. It’s hot from start to finish with a really good story that had me hooked.
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review .
Joe is a recovering addict who happens to be HIV positive. This is handled so well it’s not sugar coated he still has his struggles even years later. He is afraid of letting his guard down but if he does it will be worth it.
Tanner is after getting mixed up in some serious bad stuff involving drug dealers and the Russians. When he meets joe and then Pyotr he realizes he has something to live for it won’t be easy but he is determined to kick his addiction to heroin.
Pyotr is the glue that holds it all together. He needs to help Tanner to stop him from getting mixed up with the Russians and going to jail. Also he is the strong dominant type exactly what joe needs even though he doesn’t know it yet.
Tanner needs taken care of and between Pyotr and Joe all 3 make a wonderful mix of hotness. It’s hot from start to finish with a really good story that had me hooked.
I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review .
April 3, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
As soon as I saw the blurb for High Lonesome, I was eager to check it out. I love snowbound stories, and add in the idea of these three very different men all trying to learn to trust and figure one another out, and I was totally sold. Tanya Chris does an amazing job with this one and I was captivated from the very start.
We learn early on the basics of who these men are — Joe, the former addict who has retreated to the wilderness to avoid the temptations of life; Tanner, the current addict who has resorted to treason in desperation to keep his high; and Pyotr, the spy who was sent to catch him. What makes this work so well is that while we as readers know about these men, they don’t know the truth about each other. So we get to watch them meet and slowly begin to figure each other out as their secrets are unveiled. It is really captivating writing and I was drawn in immediately. The alternating POV chapters really help, again giving us an understanding of each character’s motivations, while keeping the others figuring things out.
Chris creates three really fascinating characters in Joe, Tanner, and Pyotr. They are so layered and well developed, each so much more than they seem at the start. Again, even as we know the basics of these men, more is uncovered as the story goes on. Chris makes their connection as a threesome believable to me, showing how each man offers something to the others and how they work together as a triad. For a story that has a lot going on plot wise, I appreciated that Chris still takes the time to develop the characters.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
As soon as I saw the blurb for High Lonesome, I was eager to check it out. I love snowbound stories, and add in the idea of these three very different men all trying to learn to trust and figure one another out, and I was totally sold. Tanya Chris does an amazing job with this one and I was captivated from the very start.
We learn early on the basics of who these men are — Joe, the former addict who has retreated to the wilderness to avoid the temptations of life; Tanner, the current addict who has resorted to treason in desperation to keep his high; and Pyotr, the spy who was sent to catch him. What makes this work so well is that while we as readers know about these men, they don’t know the truth about each other. So we get to watch them meet and slowly begin to figure each other out as their secrets are unveiled. It is really captivating writing and I was drawn in immediately. The alternating POV chapters really help, again giving us an understanding of each character’s motivations, while keeping the others figuring things out.
Chris creates three really fascinating characters in Joe, Tanner, and Pyotr. They are so layered and well developed, each so much more than they seem at the start. Again, even as we know the basics of these men, more is uncovered as the story goes on. Chris makes their connection as a threesome believable to me, showing how each man offers something to the others and how they work together as a triad. For a story that has a lot going on plot wise, I appreciated that Chris still takes the time to develop the characters.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
Want to read
September 25, 2018Freebie at amazon.com right now: https://smile.amazon.com/High-Lonesom...
April 12, 2018
Last week I was complaining that none of the books I've read contained any on-page suffering, and disturbing acts. Now I got my wish.
Tanner is a heroin addict, and we saw how he struggled to "get over it". Joe fascinated me, ha was such a contradiction. What Tanner was going through, Joe already lived it. He didn't wanted to do anything with Tanner, but couldn't help worrying about him, he knew what Tanner needed, and wanted to take care of him. And then came Pyotr, who's a commanding man, and Joe wanted to yield to him.
I loved how the story unfolded, we didn't have every information from the beginning, about who Pyotr and Tanner are. I wouldn't have thought that Tanner I actually liked the little added mystery and the action at the end.
Nicely done!
Tanner is a heroin addict, and we saw how he struggled to "get over it". Joe fascinated me, ha was such a contradiction. What Tanner was going through, Joe already lived it. He didn't wanted to do anything with Tanner, but couldn't help worrying about him, he knew what Tanner needed, and wanted to take care of him. And then came Pyotr, who's a commanding man, and Joe wanted to yield to him.
I loved how the story unfolded, we didn't have every information from the beginning, about who Pyotr and Tanner are. I wouldn't have thought that Tanner I actually liked the little added mystery and the action at the end.
Nicely done!
October 6, 2018
A spy that spills the beans ASAP and a relationship that gets going while in the mist of heroin addiction detox.
April 9, 2018
4.5 Stars!
Let me start by saying, please read the warnings, they're there for a reason and this book doesn't shy away from the heavy issues, like addiction, detox and the HIV status of one of the MCs. So, if those aren't your cup of tea, just don't read, although you'll be missing out.
Joe has been living at the High Lonesome hut as a caretaker for 6 years, even if he has to interact with people, it's the perfect place for him, providing him with the serenity and peace that his prior life lacked.
Tanner is a heroin addict, about to lose what little of his self-respect he still has. He's at the hut to contact a Russian spy and sell some blueprints in exchange for the money he owes to his dealers.
Pyotr is a CIA agent, who's there to stop the exchange from happening, no matter what.
However, when the three of them are forced to remain alone together in the hut when a late summer snowstorm leaves them stranded inside, they're forced to acknowledge there might be more brewing up between them than just a blizzard, but they will need to work together on their issues and build some trust before it's too late.
I've said it before, I'm not all that much into menage. Sometimes it's difficult to connect with two main characters, let alone three. Nevermind that finding balance in a three-way relationship is not an easy feat. I think Tanya Chris did a great job with this in High Lonesome, though.
Tanner was the catalyst, the man that drew both Joe and Pyotr's attention from the start. Even if their first interactions with Tanner, skirted the dub-con line, since he was high out of his head, Joe and Pyotr seemed equally determined to treat Tanner right and give him what he needed.
The relationship between Pyotr and Joe was different, Pyotr was the more dominant of the two and knew just what Joe needed, be it pain or penance. Perhaps Pyotr's reaction to finding out about Joe's status was a bit over the top, but he rectified that fast enough not to make it into a big thing.
Tanner, Pyotr, and Joe had great chemistry, and while they might have seemed like an improbable match at first, I think they each brought something different into their relationship, something that made it click. And while yes, it developed fast, the situation they were in, with both Tanner's detox and the whole not knowing how or when the spy that would collect the blueprints would get there, made it believable.
I really liked that Ms. Chris didn't gloss over Tanner's (and even Joe's) addiction or Joe's status. It wasn't pretty, but it was realistic, which I appreciated.
I also enjoyed the spy arc, while it was pretty obvious who it might be from the first moment they were mentioned, it was well done and I was on the edge of my seat as I watched it unfold.
Overall, I think Tanya Chris did a fantastic job with this book! I thought it was a fast-paced, well-written suspense romance and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Very recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Let me start by saying, please read the warnings, they're there for a reason and this book doesn't shy away from the heavy issues, like addiction, detox and the HIV status of one of the MCs. So, if those aren't your cup of tea, just don't read, although you'll be missing out.
Joe has been living at the High Lonesome hut as a caretaker for 6 years, even if he has to interact with people, it's the perfect place for him, providing him with the serenity and peace that his prior life lacked.
Tanner is a heroin addict, about to lose what little of his self-respect he still has. He's at the hut to contact a Russian spy and sell some blueprints in exchange for the money he owes to his dealers.
Pyotr is a CIA agent, who's there to stop the exchange from happening, no matter what.
However, when the three of them are forced to remain alone together in the hut when a late summer snowstorm leaves them stranded inside, they're forced to acknowledge there might be more brewing up between them than just a blizzard, but they will need to work together on their issues and build some trust before it's too late.
I've said it before, I'm not all that much into menage. Sometimes it's difficult to connect with two main characters, let alone three. Nevermind that finding balance in a three-way relationship is not an easy feat. I think Tanya Chris did a great job with this in High Lonesome, though.
Tanner was the catalyst, the man that drew both Joe and Pyotr's attention from the start. Even if their first interactions with Tanner, skirted the dub-con line, since he was high out of his head, Joe and Pyotr seemed equally determined to treat Tanner right and give him what he needed.
The relationship between Pyotr and Joe was different, Pyotr was the more dominant of the two and knew just what Joe needed, be it pain or penance. Perhaps Pyotr's reaction to finding out about Joe's status was a bit over the top, but he rectified that fast enough not to make it into a big thing.
Tanner, Pyotr, and Joe had great chemistry, and while they might have seemed like an improbable match at first, I think they each brought something different into their relationship, something that made it click. And while yes, it developed fast, the situation they were in, with both Tanner's detox and the whole not knowing how or when the spy that would collect the blueprints would get there, made it believable.
I really liked that Ms. Chris didn't gloss over Tanner's (and even Joe's) addiction or Joe's status. It wasn't pretty, but it was realistic, which I appreciated.
I also enjoyed the spy arc, while it was pretty obvious who it might be from the first moment they were mentioned, it was well done and I was on the edge of my seat as I watched it unfold.
Overall, I think Tanya Chris did a fantastic job with this book! I thought it was a fast-paced, well-written suspense romance and I enjoyed it thoroughly! Very recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
May 31, 2018
Everyone deals with life differently. High Lonesome by Tanya Chris explores how three lonely men choose to deal with their life events. Thrown together because of their choices and unforeseen events that occur, forever changes them, and a new not-so-lonely path is forged.
Joe is a former addict who has chosen to avoid temptation of his former addiction by isolating himself in the wilderness. Hookup’s fulfill his needs when situations present themselves, and the wilderness, plus hard labor, take care of the rest.
Tanner has resorted to selling government secrets to support his addition. He is an extremely intelligent engineer who has unfortunately gone astray. He thinks he has found the solution to his problems, though he has not thought out the implications of selling out his country. He is motivated by desperation and his naivete.
Pyotr is the double agent who has been sent to capture Tanner, and ensure the country’s secrets remain safe. He has immigrated to escape persecution and potential death due to his sexuality. Instead, he ultimately becomes the proverbial glue that holds everything together. He is a complex individual who exhibits moments of dominance, along with tenderness, depending on the needs of his partner.
During a freak August snow storm these three men are isolated together. With alternating points of view, we watch them discover the truths about one another. Their secrets are revealed as they await the arrival of “the one” who wants the country’s secrets. Let me just say – I love the twist thrown in with this revelation; it challenges our own beliefs and perceptions.
The dynamics and interaction between Joe, Tanner, and Pyotr are expertly and beautifully portrayed. While each man battles his own internal demons, he most definitely has something to offer the other two. Addiction and HIV status are dealt with honestly and realistically. While instant connections occur, each man is realistic and determined to deal with his own demons in order to achieve happiness and move forward.
This is a captivating adventure, full of isolation, espionage, love, healing, suspense, fear, mystery, and let’s not forget the use of an outhouse. High Lonesome makes a romance work, between not only two, but three sexy men. There is no sugar-coating between these covers. The subject matter is addressed with care, education, and sensitivity.
A copy of High Lonesome was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Tanya Chris, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
https://bit.ly/2J51iFu
https://www.facebook.com/KimmersEroti...
Joe is a former addict who has chosen to avoid temptation of his former addiction by isolating himself in the wilderness. Hookup’s fulfill his needs when situations present themselves, and the wilderness, plus hard labor, take care of the rest.
Tanner has resorted to selling government secrets to support his addition. He is an extremely intelligent engineer who has unfortunately gone astray. He thinks he has found the solution to his problems, though he has not thought out the implications of selling out his country. He is motivated by desperation and his naivete.
Pyotr is the double agent who has been sent to capture Tanner, and ensure the country’s secrets remain safe. He has immigrated to escape persecution and potential death due to his sexuality. Instead, he ultimately becomes the proverbial glue that holds everything together. He is a complex individual who exhibits moments of dominance, along with tenderness, depending on the needs of his partner.
During a freak August snow storm these three men are isolated together. With alternating points of view, we watch them discover the truths about one another. Their secrets are revealed as they await the arrival of “the one” who wants the country’s secrets. Let me just say – I love the twist thrown in with this revelation; it challenges our own beliefs and perceptions.
The dynamics and interaction between Joe, Tanner, and Pyotr are expertly and beautifully portrayed. While each man battles his own internal demons, he most definitely has something to offer the other two. Addiction and HIV status are dealt with honestly and realistically. While instant connections occur, each man is realistic and determined to deal with his own demons in order to achieve happiness and move forward.
This is a captivating adventure, full of isolation, espionage, love, healing, suspense, fear, mystery, and let’s not forget the use of an outhouse. High Lonesome makes a romance work, between not only two, but three sexy men. There is no sugar-coating between these covers. The subject matter is addressed with care, education, and sensitivity.
A copy of High Lonesome was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Tanya Chris, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
https://bit.ly/2J51iFu
https://www.facebook.com/KimmersEroti...
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April 5, 2018
I liked this story a lot! It has an engaging suspense plot involving a trio of men who would never chose to hang out with each other, but here brought together by circumstances beyond their control. More layers of the characters personalities are cleverly revealed as the plot unfolds. Their inner voices were distinctly different from each of the other's, which is always great to find in a book with POV from three different people. It took me a while to warm up the trio, and at first I enjoyed the plot more than the relationships taking shape. By the time the end of the story unfolded, I had fallen for all three men and really wanted for them to find their HEA.
The writer does a really good job with several serious topics in this story, and I enjoyed how well those elements were handled. My only slight niggle with the plot was how it didn't feel right that the professional agent was acting all kinds of unprofessional .
The writer does a really good job with several serious topics in this story, and I enjoyed how well those elements were handled. My only slight niggle with the plot was how it didn't feel right that the professional agent was acting all kinds of unprofessional .
April 24, 2018
Not Chris’ best book but there were still some of the elements of her writing that I liked. The descriptions of addict think seemed based on actual knowledge rather than choosing to make a character an addict as a plot point and not bothering to research it. Generally she is good at the sexy bits but in this story I didn’t feel much of a connection between the characters. Very much insta lust for no apparent reason other than proximity and a snow storm.
June 14, 2019
Good, just not quite for me
This was the good writing I’ve come to expect from this author, I simply couldn’t connect with the romance storyline well. The connection they made with each other happened so quickly. The suspense part was pretty good, most of the sex scenes were hot and paced well but lacked much emotional resonance for me, unfortunately. I liked some other parts and your perspective may differ from mine on the rest.
This was the good writing I’ve come to expect from this author, I simply couldn’t connect with the romance storyline well. The connection they made with each other happened so quickly. The suspense part was pretty good, most of the sex scenes were hot and paced well but lacked much emotional resonance for me, unfortunately. I liked some other parts and your perspective may differ from mine on the rest.
April 3, 2018
Wow, what a book.
I think the tagline summarizes it perfectly: Three men. One snowstorm. Zero trust.
There are certainly elements of a thriller – espionage, isolated location, questionable loyalties, treason, etc. But this book is so much more than that.
This book is about relationships. Familial, authoritative, obligatory, and romantic.
Joe is the mountain man, isolating himself from the certain disaster of civilization. Outhouses, power outages, and lots of physical activity have kept him sane and safe for the past four years. Basically, “if sex was Joe’s addiction, intimacy was its antidote”. He does dabble occasionally, and had even seen Tanner as a potential hook-up, but a real relationship? Never.
Tanner is in trouble. He’s younger than Joe, naïve, almost. He’s a drug addict who thinks he’s found a solution to his problem, but like most addicts gripped in craving, he hasn’t thought the solution through. As he waits to seal the deal, another opportunity presents itself. And who is going to turn down sex with a hot mountain man? Because, “he could still get it up, even come on a good day, but why bother? Well, today he’d bother.”
Pytor is the wildcard. He’s a spy. A Russian spy. Who are all the rage these days, but most of the ones in the news don’t look like Pytor. His arrival on the scene complicates things, but in a good way. “Funny, because Joe’s easy obedience had given him the idea he liked being pushed around a little and he couldn’t imagine Tanner pushing anyone around. He looked fragile, like he’d need to be treasured. And Pytor knew how to do that too.”
Three disparate men, brought together by happenstance, bound by the need to survive in isolation, completely dependent on each other, and all gay (or bi). I have to say, this set-up was believable. I also love that we have a Dominant, a switch, and a submissive, and yet they all defy those labels at different moments.
Ms. Chris has provided a trigger warning and there are often debates around these, but I think she chose the right path. The drug use in the book is pivotal to the plot and not exploitative. It is raw and honest. From the insertion of the needle to the awful effects of detox, there is a grittiness that the reader can’t escape. And appropriately so. With today’s opioid crisis, more people need to be aware of why addicts can’t just ‘quit’. If you’ve had the misfortune to either go through withdrawal or have had to witness a loved one during it, you know how hard it is. The scene where Tanner finally gets a shower spoke to me.
“It felt fantastic, like salvation raining over him. Joe rubbed him down with a soapy washcloth leaving behind clean skin that didn’t ooze sick sweat or feel like the sticky side of Scotch tape.”
As with the on-page drug use, the scene with the HIV-status revelation was powerful. Visceral. Those of us who remember the 1980’s – especially those of us who came of age during them – remember that AIDS was a death sentence. Authorities didn’t know what it was, what caused it, or even how it was transmitted (a la Masters and Johnson saying they didn’t know if toilet seats were safe). Misinformation and mistrust were rife. The vilification of gays was palpable and real.
I still vividly remember attending the viewing of my sister’s brother. A brother I never knew existed. A GAY brother. Who had died of AIDS.
A real eye-opener.
I had been away at university for four months and I felt like the whole world had changed. I needed to change with it.
Educating myself was part of that. An uncle of a good friend of mine was diagnosed in the mid-1980s and he’s still alive. Rare and very lucky. But he’s been on the meds, changing them as new ones came out, doing what it has taken to survive. So I have continued to educate myself – viral load, undetectable, PrEP, and more. HIV is no longer a death sentence, but, as with most chronic conditions, staying healthy is important. Medications and lifestyle choices are important.
So when the character reveals his HIV status, the reactions are predictably generational. Because even if I understand that someone with an undetectable viral load is not contagious and cannot transmit the virus, it would still freak me out just a bit. Safe sex is great, but after watching AIDS ravage the world, there is still that internal terror.
This is a moment when what could tear apart the weird relationship the three men have developed…doesn’t. It has the opposite effect. It opens a dialogue. A painful and necessary conversation.
I read all kind of books, but freely admit romances are my favourite. And I’ve read every heat level from sweet kisses to down’n’dirty taboo erotic. Rarely, though, does the heat level affect how I feel about a book. This book, for the record, is very hot. When the three men are in bed together, well, fun times abound.
That’s what I loved about this book. I loved the rawness. The immediacy. The intimacy. The pain.
The redemption.
All three men have things in their pasts that they regret and it is only through the triad relationship they are able to come to terms and accept those past transgressions. To obtain the absolution they so desperately need.
The book has uneven pacing and that is perfect. When one is isolated, without the pressures of the modern world, time takes on new meaning. The men know their time together will soon end, but how is never clear. Action doesn’t drive this book – emotions and relationships do. That’s why it works and why I want to read it again.
And the epilogue? It left me with a sense of quiet serenity. A belief that love may not vanquish all demons, but those demons can be held at bay. Tucked away in a prison. Locked away by the power of love.
I think the tagline summarizes it perfectly: Three men. One snowstorm. Zero trust.
There are certainly elements of a thriller – espionage, isolated location, questionable loyalties, treason, etc. But this book is so much more than that.
This book is about relationships. Familial, authoritative, obligatory, and romantic.
Joe is the mountain man, isolating himself from the certain disaster of civilization. Outhouses, power outages, and lots of physical activity have kept him sane and safe for the past four years. Basically, “if sex was Joe’s addiction, intimacy was its antidote”. He does dabble occasionally, and had even seen Tanner as a potential hook-up, but a real relationship? Never.
Tanner is in trouble. He’s younger than Joe, naïve, almost. He’s a drug addict who thinks he’s found a solution to his problem, but like most addicts gripped in craving, he hasn’t thought the solution through. As he waits to seal the deal, another opportunity presents itself. And who is going to turn down sex with a hot mountain man? Because, “he could still get it up, even come on a good day, but why bother? Well, today he’d bother.”
Pytor is the wildcard. He’s a spy. A Russian spy. Who are all the rage these days, but most of the ones in the news don’t look like Pytor. His arrival on the scene complicates things, but in a good way. “Funny, because Joe’s easy obedience had given him the idea he liked being pushed around a little and he couldn’t imagine Tanner pushing anyone around. He looked fragile, like he’d need to be treasured. And Pytor knew how to do that too.”
Three disparate men, brought together by happenstance, bound by the need to survive in isolation, completely dependent on each other, and all gay (or bi). I have to say, this set-up was believable. I also love that we have a Dominant, a switch, and a submissive, and yet they all defy those labels at different moments.
Ms. Chris has provided a trigger warning and there are often debates around these, but I think she chose the right path. The drug use in the book is pivotal to the plot and not exploitative. It is raw and honest. From the insertion of the needle to the awful effects of detox, there is a grittiness that the reader can’t escape. And appropriately so. With today’s opioid crisis, more people need to be aware of why addicts can’t just ‘quit’. If you’ve had the misfortune to either go through withdrawal or have had to witness a loved one during it, you know how hard it is. The scene where Tanner finally gets a shower spoke to me.
“It felt fantastic, like salvation raining over him. Joe rubbed him down with a soapy washcloth leaving behind clean skin that didn’t ooze sick sweat or feel like the sticky side of Scotch tape.”
As with the on-page drug use, the scene with the HIV-status revelation was powerful. Visceral. Those of us who remember the 1980’s – especially those of us who came of age during them – remember that AIDS was a death sentence. Authorities didn’t know what it was, what caused it, or even how it was transmitted (a la Masters and Johnson saying they didn’t know if toilet seats were safe). Misinformation and mistrust were rife. The vilification of gays was palpable and real.
I still vividly remember attending the viewing of my sister’s brother. A brother I never knew existed. A GAY brother. Who had died of AIDS.
A real eye-opener.
I had been away at university for four months and I felt like the whole world had changed. I needed to change with it.
Educating myself was part of that. An uncle of a good friend of mine was diagnosed in the mid-1980s and he’s still alive. Rare and very lucky. But he’s been on the meds, changing them as new ones came out, doing what it has taken to survive. So I have continued to educate myself – viral load, undetectable, PrEP, and more. HIV is no longer a death sentence, but, as with most chronic conditions, staying healthy is important. Medications and lifestyle choices are important.
So when the character reveals his HIV status, the reactions are predictably generational. Because even if I understand that someone with an undetectable viral load is not contagious and cannot transmit the virus, it would still freak me out just a bit. Safe sex is great, but after watching AIDS ravage the world, there is still that internal terror.
This is a moment when what could tear apart the weird relationship the three men have developed…doesn’t. It has the opposite effect. It opens a dialogue. A painful and necessary conversation.
I read all kind of books, but freely admit romances are my favourite. And I’ve read every heat level from sweet kisses to down’n’dirty taboo erotic. Rarely, though, does the heat level affect how I feel about a book. This book, for the record, is very hot. When the three men are in bed together, well, fun times abound.
That’s what I loved about this book. I loved the rawness. The immediacy. The intimacy. The pain.
The redemption.
All three men have things in their pasts that they regret and it is only through the triad relationship they are able to come to terms and accept those past transgressions. To obtain the absolution they so desperately need.
The book has uneven pacing and that is perfect. When one is isolated, without the pressures of the modern world, time takes on new meaning. The men know their time together will soon end, but how is never clear. Action doesn’t drive this book – emotions and relationships do. That’s why it works and why I want to read it again.
And the epilogue? It left me with a sense of quiet serenity. A belief that love may not vanquish all demons, but those demons can be held at bay. Tucked away in a prison. Locked away by the power of love.
dnf
April 7, 2018Got to 20% and quit.
Story falling flat, heavy on the addiction plot though being high not a hindrance to a quick tumble.
Story falling flat, heavy on the addiction plot though being high not a hindrance to a quick tumble.
March 31, 2018
Blurb summarizes the plot fairly well: Working at the hut High Lonesome, Joe is escaping a past he’d rather not think about, preferring the anonymity of nameless hook-ups where the person leaves the next morning. With a storm blowing in, Joe discovers Tanner’s group has left him behind, then realizes Tanner was never part of the mountain climbing club. The emaciated, pale boy/man has all the signs of what Joe left behind. Tanner is on the mountain in a desperate attempt to secure cash for his drug habit and senses a kindred soul in Joe. As the August storm bears down, Peter appears seemingly out of nowhere, a man on a mission that involves Tanner and some missing documents.
I enjoyed this with some caveats -
Why Tanner, sickly and an addict, would bring out Joe's and Peter's protective natures. Joe is intimately familiar with the battle Tanner is facing, he says as much to Peter at one point, so I never quite understood what initiated this protectiveness when everything pointed to Joe's need for solitude and independence.
The 'mystery' made for a good plot device, but then went in the direction of a mystery "cozy" when Joe went barrelling out the door after the antagonist. Gah! ((banging head on table)) Dumb dumb dumb! I don't have the patience for that in my standard mysteries and it detracted here.
Peter getting so emotionally involved with Joe and Tanner in TWO days that he felt a need to spill the beans about his identity. Following this, Peter discovered that his attraction to Joe and Tanner to be a distraction from his mission. I didn't find that plausible for a "professional" of his caliber (as was depicted). But, if that hadn't happened there wouldn't have been a book...
There is a trigger alert with the scene that describes Tanner shooting up. Oddly, while I did not find that alarming, I was more put off with the sex that came after - it felt almost as if Joe was taking advantage of the situation to satisfy his needs knowing full well what the drug was doing to Tanner in that moment.
Again, those are my quirks. As I noted above, I did enjoyed the book. I appreciated that Joe didn't sugar coat Tanner's condition to Peter which added realism to the plot, I liked how Peter was willing to step back from his job to keep the three of them together, and I liked the resolution at the end.
Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I enjoyed this with some caveats -
Why Tanner, sickly and an addict, would bring out Joe's and Peter's protective natures. Joe is intimately familiar with the battle Tanner is facing, he says as much to Peter at one point, so I never quite understood what initiated this protectiveness when everything pointed to Joe's need for solitude and independence.
The 'mystery' made for a good plot device, but then went in the direction of a mystery "cozy" when Joe went barrelling out the door after the antagonist. Gah! ((banging head on table)) Dumb dumb dumb! I don't have the patience for that in my standard mysteries and it detracted here.
Peter getting so emotionally involved with Joe and Tanner in TWO days that he felt a need to spill the beans about his identity. Following this, Peter discovered that his attraction to Joe and Tanner to be a distraction from his mission. I didn't find that plausible for a "professional" of his caliber (as was depicted). But, if that hadn't happened there wouldn't have been a book...
There is a trigger alert with the scene that describes Tanner shooting up. Oddly, while I did not find that alarming, I was more put off with the sex that came after - it felt almost as if Joe was taking advantage of the situation to satisfy his needs knowing full well what the drug was doing to Tanner in that moment.
Again, those are my quirks. As I noted above, I did enjoyed the book. I appreciated that Joe didn't sugar coat Tanner's condition to Peter which added realism to the plot, I liked how Peter was willing to step back from his job to keep the three of them together, and I liked the resolution at the end.
Review is cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews
A copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
April 3, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is captivating and thrilling. A well-written, fast-paced and tension-filled story that had me hooked from the beginning till the end.
I loved the premise of three men snowed in in a mountain cabin and nothing but time on their hands. Well, and hands on their body. A cabin caretaker, an engineer, and a mysterious Russian make for an unlikely combination, but stranger things happen. They all have secrets, and to survive this ordeal, they have to be honest and trust each other, and themselves. A good M/M/M story stands or falls with the dynamics between three men. Leave it to this author to pull it off. The three men have their own dual relationships as they all need something different from either men, but Joe, Tanner, and Pyotr all need to be together to make them complete. The connection between Joe and Tanner is on a different level from Joe and Pyotr’s or Pyotr and Tanner’s, and it is Pyotr who really is the glue that keeps them together, who knows what the other men need.
This author doesn’t shy away from addressing heavier issues, which makes it, at times, a dark and gritty read. But in between those and the suspenseful elements of espionage and possible treason, there is also room for lighter dialogues and a lot of sexy scenes. It is not only the exciting tension that is filling the air, but also the sensual feelings crackling between the men. While they are waiting for the snow to let up, they make good use of their time and their beds. Sometimes needed to fill a void, sometimes needed to be loved, and always with fireworks.
This book ends on a strong HFN. They still have a long journey ahead of them, but all the signs are there to carry them through.
I loved the premise of three men snowed in in a mountain cabin and nothing but time on their hands. Well, and hands on their body. A cabin caretaker, an engineer, and a mysterious Russian make for an unlikely combination, but stranger things happen. They all have secrets, and to survive this ordeal, they have to be honest and trust each other, and themselves. A good M/M/M story stands or falls with the dynamics between three men. Leave it to this author to pull it off. The three men have their own dual relationships as they all need something different from either men, but Joe, Tanner, and Pyotr all need to be together to make them complete. The connection between Joe and Tanner is on a different level from Joe and Pyotr’s or Pyotr and Tanner’s, and it is Pyotr who really is the glue that keeps them together, who knows what the other men need.
This author doesn’t shy away from addressing heavier issues, which makes it, at times, a dark and gritty read. But in between those and the suspenseful elements of espionage and possible treason, there is also room for lighter dialogues and a lot of sexy scenes. It is not only the exciting tension that is filling the air, but also the sensual feelings crackling between the men. While they are waiting for the snow to let up, they make good use of their time and their beds. Sometimes needed to fill a void, sometimes needed to be loved, and always with fireworks.
This book ends on a strong HFN. They still have a long journey ahead of them, but all the signs are there to carry them through.
March 30, 2018
I'm a HUGE fan of Tanya Chris's books, so I was excited to read this one. It is very different than any of her other books, but it's the kind of work you won't easily forget.
I don't generally seek out m/m/m books, so something that stuck out to me was the easy, natural way the characters fell into a physical relationship. I had no difficulty believing in the relationship between the three men.
Chris takes a highly creative story line involving spies and secret documents and weaves it into a story that feels very real and very beautiful.
And who doesn't love"stuck in a snowstorm together" books?
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I don't generally seek out m/m/m books, so something that stuck out to me was the easy, natural way the characters fell into a physical relationship. I had no difficulty believing in the relationship between the three men.
Chris takes a highly creative story line involving spies and secret documents and weaves it into a story that feels very real and very beautiful.
And who doesn't love"stuck in a snowstorm together" books?
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Read
August 14, 2018DNF 30%
March 29, 2018
The premise of this book is interesting. Joe runs the shelter up in the mountains. Tanner arranges to meet a Russian spy there to sell secrets to. Pyotr is pretending to be the Russian spy for the CIA. Snowstorm traps everyone in together. Tanner is also addicted to heroin, which is why he's selling secrets in the first place, which is really important to the story, but never overwhelms the story.
The characters are all strong, but at some points the story is just a bit thin.
Mostly, I enjoyed the book and I'm happy with the outcome.
The characters are all strong, but at some points the story is just a bit thin.
Mostly, I enjoyed the book and I'm happy with the outcome.
January 3, 2024
2.5⭐️
This is a decent read that has an interesting plotline in theory, but was a bit lax in its execution. Tanner is an engineer who decides to sell government information to fund his heroin addiction and chooses the hut dubbed High Lonesome as the rendezvous point. Joe, the caretaker of the guest hut, is six years sober and recognizes a fellow addict in Tanner. Unbeknownst to Tanner, his communications were intercepted by the CIA and Pytor is the agent tasked to retrieve the information. Tanya Chris does an excellent job portraying how harrowing addiction can be as well as the pain and hardship that can come from trying to stop and living as a sober addict. However, for me the addiction element becomes a shortcut that functions as a plot device as well as a way to establish character “depth” without much focus on character development. The motivation for the plot lies with Tanner’s addiction. Almost the entirety of who Tanner and Joe are as characters revolves around the stages of addiction and recovery with neither MC having much more depth than that. All the MCs’ initial attraction to one another is quickly alchemized into a bond through the addiction, etc.
Tanner, who is in the grips of addiction for all of the story besides the epilogue, is portrayed as frail and vulnerable and inspires protective instincts in both men, after they use his body first of course, but beyond that, the reader doesn’t know who Tanner is. Joe being six years from his recovery has a few more character traits—he’s a loner who likes nature and enjoys reading, but again how he lives his life is a result of his addiction. Then you get the stabilizing element in Pytor’s dominate nature, who is also given a sympathetic back story to make the reader empathize with him and seem to give him a bit of depth, but again Pytor still doesn’t get much in the way of character development besides being “toppy”. His function in the relationship seems to be to give the addicts a guiding hand.
Beyond the fact that the character’s personalities are mostly defined by the addiction element of the story, making them seem a bit flat, the intrigue portion as well as Pytor’s behavior/choices are a bit contrived and flat as well. There are only so many times that a character can point out that their behavior doesn’t make any sense or has no reasoning behind it before this narrative fourth wall breaking just stops working. If the characters continually have to make excuses for nonsensical behavior, than maybe a few modifications of the story are in order, especially given the extreme time crunch in which this insta-love happens. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, let’s just say that when the inevitable spy plot intrigue finally catches up to the MCs, the impetus for the action sequence the author wants to have could have been avoided by one common sense action, especially since it relates to Pytor’s whole motive for being on the mountain and what he spends most of the book at that point trying to do. No amount of “these guys are distracting me” character monologue can overcome the ridiculousness of the situation given that Pytor is able to think pretty logically about his mission in other moments and has no reason to be more distracted in that one.
All in all, it’s a quick read and the writing style and tone are well done; I can see people really enjoying it. For me however, while a story that humanizes people struggling with something so huge and life-altering as heroin addiction is great, it is extremely important for the author to make sure that the characters have fully developed personality traits beyond their addiction to actually humanize them. I could have really enjoyed this story had I not felt that all the character development was shortchanged.
The Novel Approach Reviews
This is a decent read that has an interesting plotline in theory, but was a bit lax in its execution. Tanner is an engineer who decides to sell government information to fund his heroin addiction and chooses the hut dubbed High Lonesome as the rendezvous point. Joe, the caretaker of the guest hut, is six years sober and recognizes a fellow addict in Tanner. Unbeknownst to Tanner, his communications were intercepted by the CIA and Pytor is the agent tasked to retrieve the information. Tanya Chris does an excellent job portraying how harrowing addiction can be as well as the pain and hardship that can come from trying to stop and living as a sober addict. However, for me the addiction element becomes a shortcut that functions as a plot device as well as a way to establish character “depth” without much focus on character development. The motivation for the plot lies with Tanner’s addiction. Almost the entirety of who Tanner and Joe are as characters revolves around the stages of addiction and recovery with neither MC having much more depth than that. All the MCs’ initial attraction to one another is quickly alchemized into a bond through the addiction, etc.
Tanner, who is in the grips of addiction for all of the story besides the epilogue, is portrayed as frail and vulnerable and inspires protective instincts in both men, after they use his body first of course, but beyond that, the reader doesn’t know who Tanner is. Joe being six years from his recovery has a few more character traits—he’s a loner who likes nature and enjoys reading, but again how he lives his life is a result of his addiction. Then you get the stabilizing element in Pytor’s dominate nature, who is also given a sympathetic back story to make the reader empathize with him and seem to give him a bit of depth, but again Pytor still doesn’t get much in the way of character development besides being “toppy”. His function in the relationship seems to be to give the addicts a guiding hand.
Beyond the fact that the character’s personalities are mostly defined by the addiction element of the story, making them seem a bit flat, the intrigue portion as well as Pytor’s behavior/choices are a bit contrived and flat as well. There are only so many times that a character can point out that their behavior doesn’t make any sense or has no reasoning behind it before this narrative fourth wall breaking just stops working. If the characters continually have to make excuses for nonsensical behavior, than maybe a few modifications of the story are in order, especially given the extreme time crunch in which this insta-love happens. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, let’s just say that when the inevitable spy plot intrigue finally catches up to the MCs, the impetus for the action sequence the author wants to have could have been avoided by one common sense action, especially since it relates to Pytor’s whole motive for being on the mountain and what he spends most of the book at that point trying to do. No amount of “these guys are distracting me” character monologue can overcome the ridiculousness of the situation given that Pytor is able to think pretty logically about his mission in other moments and has no reason to be more distracted in that one.
All in all, it’s a quick read and the writing style and tone are well done; I can see people really enjoying it. For me however, while a story that humanizes people struggling with something so huge and life-altering as heroin addiction is great, it is extremely important for the author to make sure that the characters have fully developed personality traits beyond their addiction to actually humanize them. I could have really enjoyed this story had I not felt that all the character development was shortchanged.
The Novel Approach Reviews
April 16, 2018
2.5 stars.
I'm not sure what to say here. I think the story had a lot of potential but the scope of the book made it impossible for me to get on board for the relationship at the pace that it galloped off in.
I think I've had enough of spies that spill the beans immediately. As soon as that happened I stopped looking for this book to actually be held to any standard of reasonable suspension of disbelief. Sorry.
Once we get into the detox of Tanner and goes as easily as it does it just keeps up the feeling of non-reality and simplified plot movement.
The only character that could be considered fleshed out and able to get to know (although not by much) is Joe. The others are superficial characterchures that are two dimensional at best.
Mild spoilers
Even the sex scenes always seemed a little skeevy, especially all of the ones that included high or detoxing Tanner (all of them).
Nah, the book wasn't that good in its plotted execution but the writing was even and the editing above par.
I'm not sure what to say here. I think the story had a lot of potential but the scope of the book made it impossible for me to get on board for the relationship at the pace that it galloped off in.
I think I've had enough of spies that spill the beans immediately. As soon as that happened I stopped looking for this book to actually be held to any standard of reasonable suspension of disbelief. Sorry.
Once we get into the detox of Tanner and goes as easily as it does it just keeps up the feeling of non-reality and simplified plot movement.
The only character that could be considered fleshed out and able to get to know (although not by much) is Joe. The others are superficial characterchures that are two dimensional at best.
Mild spoilers
Even the sex scenes always seemed a little skeevy, especially all of the ones that included high or detoxing Tanner (all of them).
Nah, the book wasn't that good in its plotted execution but the writing was even and the editing above par.
April 2, 2018
Three men thrown together by chance or maybe is was by fate. Three men that know nothing about one another? Three men that find their attraction to one another to be off the charts. Three men that have secrets that when revealed will leave them all with very little trust and a while lot of questions.
Joe works on top of a seclueded mountain. He has worked there for several years. So when he hears that a blizzard is approaching, he knows he needs to get the others that are at the hut that he is in charge of off the mountain or they will be stuck there till it passes.
Joe believes that he has everyone off his mountain until he goes up to the barracks where everyone sleeps and sees that one camper is indeed still there and is asleep. When Joe wakes up the camper, he meets a man that captures his interest almost immediately. This man is Tanner.
Tanner knows he should have left the mountain with the others but he also knows that his reason for being there is also extremely important. Especially if he wants to leave the mountain debt free. The only problem is he cannot let on to Joe why he has stayed and he can definitely not let on his other secret either, he is an addict with a very serious addiction.
One thing Joe can recognize is an addict and though he recognizes it in Tanner, he keeps it to himself. He knows that pushing an addict is not the way to go about things. He also knows that if he starts to go through with-drawls then he will need the support because from the looks of the storm, they will not be getting off the mountain anytime soon.
Neither man expects the unexpected visitor they get that night in the form of a man named Pyotr. Pyotr has his own secrets to hide and the main one being who he is. He is on a mission and he knows that one of these two men has what he is looking for. Once he figures out which one it is, he will retrieve what he came for and complete his mission. What he does not expect is to find both men irresistible. But he does.
What will happen between these three men when all the secrets they are all hiding come to light? Will they ever be able to trust one another again and will they be able to put their differences aside when it matters the most?
This was a good read. I really enjoyed it. There is a lot of secrets that you would not expect and they are of a serious subject matter. But he book was written beautifully. I really enjoyed his read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Joe works on top of a seclueded mountain. He has worked there for several years. So when he hears that a blizzard is approaching, he knows he needs to get the others that are at the hut that he is in charge of off the mountain or they will be stuck there till it passes.
Joe believes that he has everyone off his mountain until he goes up to the barracks where everyone sleeps and sees that one camper is indeed still there and is asleep. When Joe wakes up the camper, he meets a man that captures his interest almost immediately. This man is Tanner.
Tanner knows he should have left the mountain with the others but he also knows that his reason for being there is also extremely important. Especially if he wants to leave the mountain debt free. The only problem is he cannot let on to Joe why he has stayed and he can definitely not let on his other secret either, he is an addict with a very serious addiction.
One thing Joe can recognize is an addict and though he recognizes it in Tanner, he keeps it to himself. He knows that pushing an addict is not the way to go about things. He also knows that if he starts to go through with-drawls then he will need the support because from the looks of the storm, they will not be getting off the mountain anytime soon.
Neither man expects the unexpected visitor they get that night in the form of a man named Pyotr. Pyotr has his own secrets to hide and the main one being who he is. He is on a mission and he knows that one of these two men has what he is looking for. Once he figures out which one it is, he will retrieve what he came for and complete his mission. What he does not expect is to find both men irresistible. But he does.
What will happen between these three men when all the secrets they are all hiding come to light? Will they ever be able to trust one another again and will they be able to put their differences aside when it matters the most?
This was a good read. I really enjoyed it. There is a lot of secrets that you would not expect and they are of a serious subject matter. But he book was written beautifully. I really enjoyed his read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
September 21, 2019
Implausible characters having hot sex amid an implausible plot
I enjoy romance - ok, fine - erotic novels. Hot, ripped guys with above standard endowments? Rawr, more please. Two hot, ripped guys and one gangly yet attractive guy that's portrayed like a teen but clearly says he's not? (Seriously, guys, check Tanner's ID). Well, you have 2/3 of my interest, at least.
***Spoilers possible, read at your own risk!***
The setup: Ripped mountain man struggling with demons finds Tanner (and his demons, and secrets) stuck in the cabin he hosts due to weather. Immediate attraction, and sex. Muscular, mysterious Russian man arrives in same cabin - discreetly, by helicopter. Immediate attraction, and sex in a variety of configurations. Personal demons are exposed - some more believable than others...
...Yeah, no. Some of the vital plot points are not believable, some are rage inducing. I warned you about spoilers, right? I don't buy anything about Tanner being both an addict and a genius, high clearance level employee at his age. I raged about Joe not warning about his positive status. And Pyotr is a really, really talkative spy. I didn't run the odds for three stranded guys all being into immediate gay sex, much less love and threesomes, but I don't think they're good. Climactic action scene? Impossibility level off the charts.
That said, I didn't pick this book up for the plot. Nope. There are three guys on the cover, and I wanted to read about their games of Twister. Ahem. In that area, the book delivers with a variety of moods, positions, and configurations.
Overall, implausible: 1, plot: 3, sex: 5. Average 3, would still read more from this author. An example:
"Why was he even surprised Tanner had been misrepresenting himself? Tanner was an addict. It was what addicts did. But a mountain top in a snowstorm was a foolish place to be an addict. If he’d come here to try to kick his habit, he’d brought a supply with him, and there was no addict story he’d ever heard that ended with having some left over."
I enjoy romance - ok, fine - erotic novels. Hot, ripped guys with above standard endowments? Rawr, more please. Two hot, ripped guys and one gangly yet attractive guy that's portrayed like a teen but clearly says he's not? (Seriously, guys, check Tanner's ID). Well, you have 2/3 of my interest, at least.
***Spoilers possible, read at your own risk!***
The setup: Ripped mountain man struggling with demons finds Tanner (and his demons, and secrets) stuck in the cabin he hosts due to weather. Immediate attraction, and sex. Muscular, mysterious Russian man arrives in same cabin - discreetly, by helicopter. Immediate attraction, and sex in a variety of configurations. Personal demons are exposed - some more believable than others...
...Yeah, no. Some of the vital plot points are not believable, some are rage inducing. I warned you about spoilers, right? I don't buy anything about Tanner being both an addict and a genius, high clearance level employee at his age. I raged about Joe not warning about his positive status. And Pyotr is a really, really talkative spy. I didn't run the odds for three stranded guys all being into immediate gay sex, much less love and threesomes, but I don't think they're good. Climactic action scene? Impossibility level off the charts.
That said, I didn't pick this book up for the plot. Nope. There are three guys on the cover, and I wanted to read about their games of Twister. Ahem. In that area, the book delivers with a variety of moods, positions, and configurations.
Overall, implausible: 1, plot: 3, sex: 5. Average 3, would still read more from this author. An example:
"Why was he even surprised Tanner had been misrepresenting himself? Tanner was an addict. It was what addicts did. But a mountain top in a snowstorm was a foolish place to be an addict. If he’d come here to try to kick his habit, he’d brought a supply with him, and there was no addict story he’d ever heard that ended with having some left over."
March 12, 2021
Sometimes I read books despite the trigger warnings at the end of the back-cover blurb. In this case, I picked this book because of one of the trigger warnings. I have a professional interest in HIV due to my day job, and I’m always interested in seeing how HIV and HIV prevention are addressed in romance, especially queer romance. I get excited whenever PrEP is mentioned, but this is only the third book I’ve read in which one of the main characters has HIV.
Both Joe’s HIV status and Tanner’s heroin use are alluded to in the text before the author explicitly spells them out, and both things cause conflict between the three main characters. Pyotr can’t get on much of a high horse because of his current life situation, and I enjoyed the honest arc between him and Joe as truths come out and tensions rise, then ease. I especially appreciated how the author handles Joe’s status, in how he came out the losing side of the odds he played with his earlier life, but that he is not a character set out as a tragic example who must be punished.
In fact, I loved how all three men ended up with a happily ever after despite the conflicts they faced both separately and together. This book could have worked with distinct romance arcs between three different couples (though we’d have lost the fun spy shenanigans in one of them). Chris brings this story to the next level by intertwining them, packing the perfect amount of tension and angst into the intriguing and shifting plot. I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a different twist on the romantic suspense story, featuring dynamic and unapologetic characters I couldn’t help but root for.
Both Joe’s HIV status and Tanner’s heroin use are alluded to in the text before the author explicitly spells them out, and both things cause conflict between the three main characters. Pyotr can’t get on much of a high horse because of his current life situation, and I enjoyed the honest arc between him and Joe as truths come out and tensions rise, then ease. I especially appreciated how the author handles Joe’s status, in how he came out the losing side of the odds he played with his earlier life, but that he is not a character set out as a tragic example who must be punished.
In fact, I loved how all three men ended up with a happily ever after despite the conflicts they faced both separately and together. This book could have worked with distinct romance arcs between three different couples (though we’d have lost the fun spy shenanigans in one of them). Chris brings this story to the next level by intertwining them, packing the perfect amount of tension and angst into the intriguing and shifting plot. I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a different twist on the romantic suspense story, featuring dynamic and unapologetic characters I couldn’t help but root for.
April 3, 2018
❄🚁🗻Espionage and explosive passion come to the mountain and disrupt Joe's solitary existence!😱
April 3, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
👍👍 Wow! This story had everything! Addiction, spies, national secrets, dangerous mountain summer snow storms, and mega heat🔥🔥🔥 with mm and mmm action. What a rollercoaster of action and a trio of MCs that grew on me as their backstories were gradually revealed and their true characters came to the fore.
This is not a cozy or sunny tale. Drug addiction and the ravages it causes are front and center. The pain of withdrawal and the extremes addicts go to in order to finance their next fix are some things these characters face together thanks to a freak snowstorm that strands them together in an isolated hiker's hut. Of the three, hut custodian Joe was my favorite. His drive to escape his demons by hiding himself in the loneliness of the remote mountains was touching; with every move to help Tanner he is reminded of his own weakness AND YET he will not abandon his efforts to care for and protect the younger man. I loved that about him!
I've now read several of the author's books and enjoyed them all thoroughly. This one gained momentum as it progressed and, by the gut-wrenching final action scene, I was totally bowled over. Chris imbues her romances with great plots. Her characters are sexy and romantic, flawed and fully believable.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
April 3, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
👍👍 Wow! This story had everything! Addiction, spies, national secrets, dangerous mountain summer snow storms, and mega heat🔥🔥🔥 with mm and mmm action. What a rollercoaster of action and a trio of MCs that grew on me as their backstories were gradually revealed and their true characters came to the fore.
This is not a cozy or sunny tale. Drug addiction and the ravages it causes are front and center. The pain of withdrawal and the extremes addicts go to in order to finance their next fix are some things these characters face together thanks to a freak snowstorm that strands them together in an isolated hiker's hut. Of the three, hut custodian Joe was my favorite. His drive to escape his demons by hiding himself in the loneliness of the remote mountains was touching; with every move to help Tanner he is reminded of his own weakness AND YET he will not abandon his efforts to care for and protect the younger man. I loved that about him!
I've now read several of the author's books and enjoyed them all thoroughly. This one gained momentum as it progressed and, by the gut-wrenching final action scene, I was totally bowled over. Chris imbues her romances with great plots. Her characters are sexy and romantic, flawed and fully believable.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
April 4, 2018
I enjoyed this book. Love the interaction between the three men and how they learn to interact with each other and eventually as a triad.
As well as this brand new type of relationship there's a spy on their way to buy stolen confidential information from Tanner who is an addict low on his vice. Pyotr is the CIA agent come to stop the trade and Joe is the caretaker of the cabin that they've chosen as the trade point. Oh, and they also get snowed in. A lot of drama to squeeze into this book but I think that Tanya Chris did it very well.
We had a good amount of history per character for the amount of time we have with them. You can feel the emotions between the characters and the connection that is created. Though for me things happened very quickly and events and interactions were occasionally a little hard to be believe. The reveal of Joe's status was handled well and I could see Pyotr's anger at not knowing but Joe makes valid points about information sharing among strangers.
Tanner's addiction is handled well and is supported by mainly by Joe with back up from Pyotr.
I would recommend as a good read for those introducing to mmm or fans of the trope.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review
As well as this brand new type of relationship there's a spy on their way to buy stolen confidential information from Tanner who is an addict low on his vice. Pyotr is the CIA agent come to stop the trade and Joe is the caretaker of the cabin that they've chosen as the trade point. Oh, and they also get snowed in. A lot of drama to squeeze into this book but I think that Tanya Chris did it very well.
We had a good amount of history per character for the amount of time we have with them. You can feel the emotions between the characters and the connection that is created. Though for me things happened very quickly and events and interactions were occasionally a little hard to be believe. The reveal of Joe's status was handled well and I could see Pyotr's anger at not knowing but Joe makes valid points about information sharing among strangers.
Tanner's addiction is handled well and is supported by mainly by Joe with back up from Pyotr.
I would recommend as a good read for those introducing to mmm or fans of the trope.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review
April 3, 2018
This book was unusual in its execution and the pace of the narrative. It takes a little while to be drawn into the story, with characters who reveal specific details about themselves to the reader through multiple points of view as each chapter progresses. The author put a lot of thought into how the narrative arcs of each character would converge, which worked successfully, even though information about motivations behind character decisions were unclear beyond a handful of defining characteristics. I was left wondering whether the addiction aspect would overwhelm all other impressions of two out of three characters as the tale progressed, and I continued to wonder this after I was done reading. The most challenging thing about the book was understanding why sparks flew between the three characters - an authentic portrayal of reality, and yet lacking in terms of other childhood/adolescent memories and/or previous life experiences to colour why the characters conducted themselves in the way that they did. This one's recommended for those seeking to ponder the surreal potential in a tripling of three men.
Voluntary review in exchange for ARC received from author.
Voluntary review in exchange for ARC received from author.
April 18, 2018
This is my first time reading this author but if the caliber of this book is anything to go by, I don’t think it will be the last. This book is a heartfelt look at not only the struggle to find love, but the struggle with addiction that so many people face these days… too many people. It’s also about the struggle to find yourself and to be happy with yourself just as you are, regardless of your issues... to know that you’re worthy of love. In the midst of all this, these three men managed to find each other and to help each other grow and learn to love. They each learned how to give love and how to accept love, which can sometimes be the more difficult lesson. This book was impassioned and insightful, intriguing and inspiring, romantic and endearing, and utterly compelling. I would highly recommend it.
*I was given an ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review. All opinions are my own.
*I was given an ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review. All opinions are my own.
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