The Tockleys

by Laney Cairo

The best time of a young man's life is when he hits the college scene. From figuring out the best way to meet guys on campus to testing untried limits, the men of Kegs and Dorms take university life and turn it upside-down. In Kiernan Kelly's "Secui Domus", clever Aidan thinks he has a solution for solving campus housing problems, and all he needs is a little help from his friends -- including the delicious Bobby Hatcher, who might just carry a torch for Aidan. Stephanie Vaughan's "Another Believer" takes a look at the train ride of a lifetime in which two college-bound strangers find they have a chemistry that can't be denied. Tory Temple's "What It's All About", a rip-roaring adventure through Rush Week, tells the story of Max, who's out, proud, and confused. Last but not least, Jane Davitt's "Reading Between the Lines" tells the story of Seth and Gabe, the odd-couple-from-hell roommates who are either going to kill

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Musicians, Romance

280 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2008

About the author

Laney lives in a queer commune with three of her favourite people and two of her favourite dogs. When not writing, she teaches university students about apostrophes, scientific methodology and visual culture. In her spare time she photographs fjords and works on being kinder.

In her previous professional incarnations she has been a masseuse, owned a genre bookshop and dipped her toes in the civil service. In her long distant past Laney has undertaken nude modelling, been a fairy-for-hire, run murder mystery nights and been a breastfeeding educator; but not all at the same time.

Laney likes to tell stories about people who could be real, imagined into the future or an alternate reality.

Laney would rather curl up with a pot of tea and her laptop than speak to a group of people. Laney’s favourite word is ‘utterly’ and her long-suffering editor often has the task of restricting her to one per story. If you find an extra one she’d be utterly, utterly delighted to hear from you at laney [at] laneycairo [dot] com.

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laney Cairo is able to get the atmosphere and setting of her novels just perfect. She has a terrific sense of place. In Bad Case of Loving You I could have sworn her background was a doctor in the British Public Health System. Now, having read The Tockleys she must have been part of a pub band in Fremantle, Australia. The details are so perfect from the prickly gumnuts on the hard ground to the angst of growing up. I love the way people argue and talk in her books because its so real and authentic. Her characters are wonderfully drawn and they felt like a memory of people I've known.

I also love the way she doesn't have a "plot" plot. Her book meanders its way through a traumatic and pivotal period in the lives of her MCs. It did lose its momentum a bit before the end but it was the feel-good ending I was hoping for.

4.5 stars

[Liz Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Australian teen who had only previously read gay romance in the form of fanfic, I discovered this book right when I needed it. Reading it was a pleasingly familiar experience.

[Elisa Rolle]

Boys love, show business setting and also a nice female character who doesn't mess with the two male characters? What is there to not like in this story?

Lori is a drummer, she is living with her boyfriend who is in a band and she has also the chance to write a song here and there, but she really wants to play her music. And so she puts an ad to find bandmates and Luk and Jude answer to it.

Jude is Lori's best friend, openly gay and with a nice voice but an even nicer look that goes well on stage. Jude is Straight Edge: you can always learn something while reading, even if you are reading romance; from Wikipedia, Straight Edge refers to a lifestyle that started within the hardcore punk subculture whose adherents make a commitment to refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs. Plus Jude is also a buddhist, and so he is also vegetarian and avoids to have "recreational" sex.

Luk is a college student who is just starting to realize why he doesn't like to have sex with girls and why he finds so interesting blokes... He still lives at home with his parents and he lives from an allowance; he is also so lucky to have a former famous rock band member as neighbor that let him use her expensive equipment. Luk is quite irresistible, with his punk look that only hides a boy in searching of an identity. And since he is so cute, Jude can't avoid to fall in love with him.

Jude and Luk's relationship is easy and nice, no much drama and very enjoyable sex, very simple and tender; quite a novelty, in a Laney Cairo's book, since she has accustomed me to be quite bold and a source of info in "unusual" way to do it. But probably in this book it was not necessary, the love story is quite nice as it is, with Luk's awkwardness since for him all, and when I say all I mean that, is new when it arrives to sex with a man.

When I said the Lori is a nice female character, I don't mean that she is only a pretty thing to grace the story; she is bold and strong, talk straight and shot straight (only with words) but not for this reason she is less feminine or charming: she is woman in all for all. She is not lucky in love thought, and she needs help, even if she doesn't know how to ask. All in all probably she is the best character in the book, meaning how she behaves. Luk probably is second in list, but he is also very young and maybe even a bit spoiled but his mother; when he has the chance to build something steady with Jude, he prefers to return back home with his mother and continues to have a "boyfriends" relationship with his man... but he is still 19 years old, and so it's only the right thing to do for him. And the Jude; he apparently is the more balanced of the three, no drink and drugs, only safe sex and rock and roll... but he is also the first to retreat in "peaceful" silence when things go wrong and it's not even the first time; he needs to be said as behave with his wounded friend (Lori). Jude is not bad, don't get me wrong, but I believe that he is not as strong as Lori and Luk are.

Anyway the story is good and all the characters, even the supporting ones, are well developed and interesting. And I like also the Australian setting, I don't know how to explain, but you can say that it's another world than USA or UK.

Note: Wonderful cover by Manic Pixie, and despite the term "Diva" that in italian is female, the boy on the cover is Luk :-)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603705392/?...

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is both the first ebook I've ever bought, and the first published "original slash" I've read (though I have read some online, like Manna Francis' The Administration). I bought it because I know the author and have read and enjoyed some of her fanfiction, and when she posted a summary, it sounded interesting enough to overcome my general lack of interest in the genre.[return][return]The story is a romance, obviously, but what piqued my interest was the fact that it seemed like it would be equally about the female member of the band, Lori, as it was about the two guys, Jude and Luk. It wasn't quite, but she did play a big role, and not as any sort of yenta or other slash cliche role usually given to female characters. Though Jude and Luk's relationship was the main focus, this was definitely a story about the three of them together, as friends and as a band, all the way to the end.[return][return]One of the things I have liked best about other stories I've read by her is the richness of the detail, and this is no exception. She really made the band scene come alive and be more than just backdrop for the romance. I also really loved the Australian setting.[return][return]I think the biggest detraction for me was the way the characters talked about everything. I don't like talky emotional stuff and this had a lot of it.[return][return]Still, it was a good story, and I'd definitely recommend it to those who are more interested in original slash.

[Tj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the concept of the book. The overall writing was excellent. I really loved the characters. The fact that this one actually has female characters that aren't horrible is wonderful. At first when I read the blurb I thought that Lori would be more of the story than she was. I read almost exclusive M/M and wasn't sure how much I would enjoy a main female character involved in the story. She isn't as much a part of the story as I thought she would be. She is important to the story though. I loved how the author incorporated Buddhism in the story. I've not read one before that had the religion in it. Unfortunately the story just lacked...something. It didn't hold my interest. I can't say there was necessarily anything wrong. Maybe I'm use to more action. Good book all the same:)

[Elci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, there was a m/m couple, but it was about so much more than that. It was slow at the beginning, but it still kept me entertained. I've come to realize that all my Australian reads have this cadence to them, and I really like it.

[Gwengwel]

Not sure I'm going to finish it, I'm bored with it.