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Man's Best Friend
New Mexico, the land of enchantment weaves a spell of love around Todd Richards and Dr. Keith Anderson as they struggle to make their love work amid terrible loss, betrayal and rustlers and make their dream of a bed & breakfast in Santa Fe a reality.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
P.A. Brown
35 books127 followersPat Brown, writing as P.A. Brown, is the author of the Chris and David police procedural novels featuring LAPD homicide detective David Eric Laine and his lover, computer network engineer Christopher Bellamere. In L. A. Heat the first in the series, David is an uptight, in the closet cop living a life of denial and dark secrets he will protect at all costs. Then his life becomes entwined with Chris who is a suspect in the brutal slayings of young gay men. Neither of them ever expected to find love. L.A. Heat was followed by L.A. Mischief which follow Chris and David as they try to reconcile their vast differences and forge their relationship into one of true love. In L.A. Boneyard, a dark thriller that moves from the bright streets of West Hollywood to the gang ridden streets of East L.A. All the while David faces the temptation of his sexy new partner, Jairo Hernandez.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 10, 2010
There are so many problems with this book I’m not sure where to begin. Perhaps with the truly hideous cover art that preschoolers put together with picture cut outs. For a press that prides themselves on their quality, I’ve yet to see these dominating displays unfortunately and the cover art is just one area. This book is actually a DNF. I got about halfway and realized this book was not worth my time as it was that bad. Also by that point, I simply couldn’t have cared any less about the characters so I wasn’t going to spend anymore time to finish their ridiculous story. What is most surprising is that this is by an established author – who I liked! What happened to her?
Anyway, the book is about a new to town vet, Kevin that meets with Dobie owner Todd. The two hit it off immediately and engage in rampant, raunchy sex before falling in love. Tragedy strikes Kevin and the two end up moving to New Mexico to start a bed and breakfast inn together. I stopped here so what happens in the last 100 pages at the Inn, I couldn’t say.
The plot is weak and the characterization is non-existent. The story is told from Todd’s point of view but neither man is well developed and the author surprisingly chooses to spend the majority of the first half depicting sex scenes in cringe inducing language. The story has some tense problems and the initial part jumps between present and past tense, some of which is exacerbated by the use of the first person narrator. The biggest problems that detract are the language choices. Many of the descriptions are awkward with unattractive prose and the first person point of view, in this case, is too intimate. Examples of prose that is not attractive or enticing and often forget the condom they have on:
------------
I pulled away as he arched his entire body in release. I watched as his cock spewed out gobs of thick, hot cum. I smeared it all over his washboard stomach and abs. Leaning down I licked a path up to his turgid nipples, while he continued to pump out thick, gluey fluid. Five, six times his cock spasmed and poured juice all over himself and me. I released his softening cock and slid up his body, smearing it even more, coating us both in hot, salty cum. I captured his mouth in a kiss that left us both breathless. I rolled him over and pressed my hard cock against the soft skin of his ass.
[…:]
The bed undulated wildly under us, and I clamped my legs around his waist, pumping with my ass as my own pleasure mounted. Then it broke out into a starburst of pleasure, and exquisite pain, as wave after wave of release slammed through me. My cock twitched and jerked as I came, pumping what felt like gallons of cum onto my chest, face, and hair.
[…:]
I arched away from him, ripping open the condom pack and unrolling it over my bulging cock. Slathering my fingers with lube, I explored Keith’s damp hole, then lathered my cock with more lube. I eased the cock head in, past the ring of muscle, pausing long enough to let his body adjust to me. Then I sank into him and began to pump.
[…:]
He used the copious amounts of precum off my cock to coat his hand, and slid it between my ass cheeks. He shoved two coated fingers up my hole.
I threw back my head and rode his hand, bucking and twisting, as he worked me harder and deeper. He had never been so relentlessly aggressive in his possession of me. When he replaced his hand with the head of his cock, I growled. He shoved it into me.
[…:]
His tongue worked into me, digging and probing, sending wave after wave of raw lust singing along my nerve endings.
[…:]
Ropey cum shot out of his straining cock all over my stomach and chest, and the sudden tightening of his ass sent me over the edge. I shouted his name and slammed into him, holding his straining legs high over his thrashing head as I poured my liquid seed into his hot, wet hole. We collapsed on the bed, our bodies glued together. I made no move to extricate myself from him.
-------------
There are also several continuity errors in the book. The time line of days seems fluid and without much structure, causing some confusion and I was left wondering if I’d missed part of the book, until the men meet up at a dog event on a beautiful Sunday. They go immediately to have sex and spend the night together, yet the next morning after about a page of detail about the eggs, bacon, toast, and brimming cups of coffee, there is a comment “Nine,” he said, glancing at the wall clock. It was eight-fifteen on a Friday morning.
So it was Sunday night last night and the next morning it’s Friday morning. All of this occurred within the first thirty pages and the sheer volume of examples that could have been included is staggering. For an author I have previously enjoyed quite a bit, I’m shocked at the lack of solid writing and tight editing. There are obvious errors (such as the continuity problem) that should have been caught on reading let alone the writing and editing process.
Moving on with the story, the two men admit the day after their first night together (mere days from their first meeting), that although neither is experienced, they’re both convinced the connection between them is love. Here, Kevin is a thirty something vet who is a virgin, never giving or receiving in gay sex, which leaves much to be wondered about his previous experiences. He then immediately tells his parents about Todd after they’ve declared their love, which prompts Kevin’s parents to call and grill Todd about his job prospects and ambition. This entire scene is unbelievable, beyond reality and cemented the lack of depth to the men and the story.
The lack of weight to the various details included is shown over and over in the minute and frankly unimportant bits of information that litter the story. Frequently the men are seen eating and there are extended descriptions of the food which just serve to give the story a boring and superficial layer of information. Repeated descriptions of food without action or conversation are superfluous when adding nothing to the story as is the case here.
These are some very brief excerpts from longer examples:
-------
We dug in, and I found I had a developed a hearty appetite, which necessitated a full helping of omelet, tomatoes, and bacon, several butter-slathered pieces of sourdough toast, and two brimming mugs of coffee.
Keith proved to be an excellent cook. He grilled the salmon steaks on my barbecue, tossed the watercress with a light vinaigrette dressing he whipped up in my blender, and boiled the new potatoes. He served them with butter and chives.
Tonight it was stuffed manicotti shells with herbed spinach and cheese filling. I’d made up a fresh pitcher of ice tea—we made it a habit not to drink at every meal. Everything in moderation, you know. Well, except for sex. We hadn’t gotten around to moderating that yet.
“So, did you have a busy day?” I asked, spooning some extra sauce onto my pasta, along with a generous sprinkling of Parmigiana Reggiano—until Keith, I’d never realized there were top-shelf cheeses right up there with premier wines.
--------
At this point, ~page 60, the emotional upheaval of the book is in full swing with the death of Kevin’s parents right before their big visit. However, the parents still had time to rewrite their will and include the barely known boyfriend of their son.
He cleared his throat. “Er, yes. At any rate, they had me draw up another will. I can go over the details later today in myoffice, but the crux of the document is simple. The entire estate is deeded to you, Keith, as their sole heir, with the exception of this property.” Bartlett’s washed out blue eyes scanned the cozy living room, with its infusion of southwest artifacts and decor. “This, and the ten acres surrounding it, are deeded to Mr. Todd Richards and you, sir. Your parents gave it to both of you equally.”
At this point, Kevin freaks out and kicks Todd out, back to San Francisco. However, not to worry Kevin comes back with a ring and a blowjob and all is wonderful again for the two as they plan to open up a bed and breakfast. This is about halfway through the book and I question do I really care what happens with the bed and breakfast and can I really stand more horrific writing? The answers are no and no.
Ultimately, the plot is utterly ridiculous and the writing is horrible. I have read other books by PA Brown, even a stunning BDSM themed mystery, and yet this book almost points to an entirely new author. I’m shocked this is under the same name as books I really enjoyed. The raunchy and cringe inducing sex descriptions filled the first 50 pages of the book, to the exclusion of any plot development or characterizations. In between the sex, mundane details and inane conversations filled the pages.
I could go on but you get the point. I can’t recommend this book and this is likely to color my opinion of the author (it was that bad). Why did no one catch this?
Anyway, the book is about a new to town vet, Kevin that meets with Dobie owner Todd. The two hit it off immediately and engage in rampant, raunchy sex before falling in love. Tragedy strikes Kevin and the two end up moving to New Mexico to start a bed and breakfast inn together. I stopped here so what happens in the last 100 pages at the Inn, I couldn’t say.
The plot is weak and the characterization is non-existent. The story is told from Todd’s point of view but neither man is well developed and the author surprisingly chooses to spend the majority of the first half depicting sex scenes in cringe inducing language. The story has some tense problems and the initial part jumps between present and past tense, some of which is exacerbated by the use of the first person narrator. The biggest problems that detract are the language choices. Many of the descriptions are awkward with unattractive prose and the first person point of view, in this case, is too intimate. Examples of prose that is not attractive or enticing and often forget the condom they have on:
------------
I pulled away as he arched his entire body in release. I watched as his cock spewed out gobs of thick, hot cum. I smeared it all over his washboard stomach and abs. Leaning down I licked a path up to his turgid nipples, while he continued to pump out thick, gluey fluid. Five, six times his cock spasmed and poured juice all over himself and me. I released his softening cock and slid up his body, smearing it even more, coating us both in hot, salty cum. I captured his mouth in a kiss that left us both breathless. I rolled him over and pressed my hard cock against the soft skin of his ass.
[…:]
The bed undulated wildly under us, and I clamped my legs around his waist, pumping with my ass as my own pleasure mounted. Then it broke out into a starburst of pleasure, and exquisite pain, as wave after wave of release slammed through me. My cock twitched and jerked as I came, pumping what felt like gallons of cum onto my chest, face, and hair.
[…:]
I arched away from him, ripping open the condom pack and unrolling it over my bulging cock. Slathering my fingers with lube, I explored Keith’s damp hole, then lathered my cock with more lube. I eased the cock head in, past the ring of muscle, pausing long enough to let his body adjust to me. Then I sank into him and began to pump.
[…:]
He used the copious amounts of precum off my cock to coat his hand, and slid it between my ass cheeks. He shoved two coated fingers up my hole.
I threw back my head and rode his hand, bucking and twisting, as he worked me harder and deeper. He had never been so relentlessly aggressive in his possession of me. When he replaced his hand with the head of his cock, I growled. He shoved it into me.
[…:]
His tongue worked into me, digging and probing, sending wave after wave of raw lust singing along my nerve endings.
[…:]
Ropey cum shot out of his straining cock all over my stomach and chest, and the sudden tightening of his ass sent me over the edge. I shouted his name and slammed into him, holding his straining legs high over his thrashing head as I poured my liquid seed into his hot, wet hole. We collapsed on the bed, our bodies glued together. I made no move to extricate myself from him.
-------------
There are also several continuity errors in the book. The time line of days seems fluid and without much structure, causing some confusion and I was left wondering if I’d missed part of the book, until the men meet up at a dog event on a beautiful Sunday. They go immediately to have sex and spend the night together, yet the next morning after about a page of detail about the eggs, bacon, toast, and brimming cups of coffee, there is a comment “Nine,” he said, glancing at the wall clock. It was eight-fifteen on a Friday morning.
So it was Sunday night last night and the next morning it’s Friday morning. All of this occurred within the first thirty pages and the sheer volume of examples that could have been included is staggering. For an author I have previously enjoyed quite a bit, I’m shocked at the lack of solid writing and tight editing. There are obvious errors (such as the continuity problem) that should have been caught on reading let alone the writing and editing process.
Moving on with the story, the two men admit the day after their first night together (mere days from their first meeting), that although neither is experienced, they’re both convinced the connection between them is love. Here, Kevin is a thirty something vet who is a virgin, never giving or receiving in gay sex, which leaves much to be wondered about his previous experiences. He then immediately tells his parents about Todd after they’ve declared their love, which prompts Kevin’s parents to call and grill Todd about his job prospects and ambition. This entire scene is unbelievable, beyond reality and cemented the lack of depth to the men and the story.
The lack of weight to the various details included is shown over and over in the minute and frankly unimportant bits of information that litter the story. Frequently the men are seen eating and there are extended descriptions of the food which just serve to give the story a boring and superficial layer of information. Repeated descriptions of food without action or conversation are superfluous when adding nothing to the story as is the case here.
These are some very brief excerpts from longer examples:
-------
We dug in, and I found I had a developed a hearty appetite, which necessitated a full helping of omelet, tomatoes, and bacon, several butter-slathered pieces of sourdough toast, and two brimming mugs of coffee.
Keith proved to be an excellent cook. He grilled the salmon steaks on my barbecue, tossed the watercress with a light vinaigrette dressing he whipped up in my blender, and boiled the new potatoes. He served them with butter and chives.
Tonight it was stuffed manicotti shells with herbed spinach and cheese filling. I’d made up a fresh pitcher of ice tea—we made it a habit not to drink at every meal. Everything in moderation, you know. Well, except for sex. We hadn’t gotten around to moderating that yet.
“So, did you have a busy day?” I asked, spooning some extra sauce onto my pasta, along with a generous sprinkling of Parmigiana Reggiano—until Keith, I’d never realized there were top-shelf cheeses right up there with premier wines.
--------
At this point, ~page 60, the emotional upheaval of the book is in full swing with the death of Kevin’s parents right before their big visit. However, the parents still had time to rewrite their will and include the barely known boyfriend of their son.
He cleared his throat. “Er, yes. At any rate, they had me draw up another will. I can go over the details later today in myoffice, but the crux of the document is simple. The entire estate is deeded to you, Keith, as their sole heir, with the exception of this property.” Bartlett’s washed out blue eyes scanned the cozy living room, with its infusion of southwest artifacts and decor. “This, and the ten acres surrounding it, are deeded to Mr. Todd Richards and you, sir. Your parents gave it to both of you equally.”
At this point, Kevin freaks out and kicks Todd out, back to San Francisco. However, not to worry Kevin comes back with a ring and a blowjob and all is wonderful again for the two as they plan to open up a bed and breakfast. This is about halfway through the book and I question do I really care what happens with the bed and breakfast and can I really stand more horrific writing? The answers are no and no.
Ultimately, the plot is utterly ridiculous and the writing is horrible. I have read other books by PA Brown, even a stunning BDSM themed mystery, and yet this book almost points to an entirely new author. I’m shocked this is under the same name as books I really enjoyed. The raunchy and cringe inducing sex descriptions filled the first 50 pages of the book, to the exclusion of any plot development or characterizations. In between the sex, mundane details and inane conversations filled the pages.
I could go on but you get the point. I can’t recommend this book and this is likely to color my opinion of the author (it was that bad). Why did no one catch this?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 1, 2009The last novel by P.A. Brown surprised me in a good way; it's true, it's not that I read many novels by this author, only her famous L.A. Heat, but from that one I had the idea that she was a good mystery / thriller author, who wrote very good characters, out of the ordinary and original, and good love story, even if not particularly sexy. In L.A. Heat there was sex, but it was not the main course of the story, and the story between the two men was intimate without giving so much details on their private moments.
So you can imagine my surprise when, just from the first pages of this new novel, I realized that I was starting to read a sexy and funny romp. Todd is an hotel assistant manager with a passion for dogs; he has two German dobermans, quite impressive animals, but they behave more like puppy than threatening dogs. Todd is also a old-fashioned gay guy, he is searching for the right man, but in the meantime he doesn't mind a bit of eye candy. And so when he meets the new young vet, Keith, he is open to the chance of love at first sight, even better when the feeling is mutual.
Like Todd, also Keith is more the old fashioned guy than the animal party. I also had the feeling that he is also a bit less experienced than Todd, and this, being both virgins at least in one way, makes them quite the naive couple. But Todd would have been more willing to accelerate the things between them, and instead Keith is the one who wants to wait and see if what they have found together is the real thing... at least for one day! Yes, it's not that Keith doesn't put out for a long time, but at least not at first appointment.
Meanwhile to their new family bliss is added a new element, a little chihuahua named Taco. Everything seems perfect, so good that it was almost pouring sugar from the side, when an unexpected event forced them to take a decision that it was probably on the horizon, but not so soon: they need to decide if what they have is real and forever love, or if it's only a temporary nice fling. Obviously being this a romance, they will take the right decision.
The novel is clearly divided in two part; the first one is more intimate, almost all spent between Todd and Keith with very few interferences from the outside. Even when they have to face that decision, they do that with a bit of drama, but all in all in almost smooth way. There is one scene, quite harsh and disturbing, when Todd takes his "revenge" for Keith's temporary abandonment: he searches for mindless and meaningless sex with a stranger, putting himself and their relationship in danger. It's a brutal scene, but probably necessary to shake off the reader from the blissful he was till the moment before; it's a way to prove how bad life can be for both of them, Todd and Keith, if they are not together. Strange to say, to me was also a way to prove how much stronger and tougher Todd is in comparison to Keith.
It's not that Keith is not a negative character, it's only that I have the feeling that he is a bit soft and not tempered by life. Everything was quite easy for him, and yes, maybe now he is struggling to build his career, but it's a little struggle, nothing serious. At the first real trouble in his life, he reacts in a very bad way, closing off Todd, who was instead supporting and willing to help. Todd's reaction to this attitude was maybe drastic, but he realized soon his mistake, and was ready to make penance. He also behaves with honesty towards Todd, an honesty that was all willingly given, since there was no way Todd would have found out otherwise.
The following part of the novel is more smooth and easy, at least for what regards the relationship between Keith and Todd. The trouble this time are not between them, but we see them against the outside world, even if, truth be told, is a very little fight. In this second part the author introduce another couple, Charlie and Tyler, a couple I wouldn't mind to have a deeply insight: they stood out in a way that makes me think they are not merely supporting characters, that maybe there is a story planned also for them: but what I would be glad to read is not what will be of them after this book, but how they met and arrived to make their appearance in this story.
What at first appeared to be a simple and funny sexy romp, in the end is a complex romance all bore by the characters more than the plot, characters that have unexpected layers, positive but sometime also negative. The story flows smoothly only to be shaken by three dramatic events that serve to the author to not let the reader falls in the sugar feelings of the romance. To top all like a cherry on the cream, there are a lot of sex scenes, sexy and detailed.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/77...
So you can imagine my surprise when, just from the first pages of this new novel, I realized that I was starting to read a sexy and funny romp. Todd is an hotel assistant manager with a passion for dogs; he has two German dobermans, quite impressive animals, but they behave more like puppy than threatening dogs. Todd is also a old-fashioned gay guy, he is searching for the right man, but in the meantime he doesn't mind a bit of eye candy. And so when he meets the new young vet, Keith, he is open to the chance of love at first sight, even better when the feeling is mutual.
Like Todd, also Keith is more the old fashioned guy than the animal party. I also had the feeling that he is also a bit less experienced than Todd, and this, being both virgins at least in one way, makes them quite the naive couple. But Todd would have been more willing to accelerate the things between them, and instead Keith is the one who wants to wait and see if what they have found together is the real thing... at least for one day! Yes, it's not that Keith doesn't put out for a long time, but at least not at first appointment.
Meanwhile to their new family bliss is added a new element, a little chihuahua named Taco. Everything seems perfect, so good that it was almost pouring sugar from the side, when an unexpected event forced them to take a decision that it was probably on the horizon, but not so soon: they need to decide if what they have is real and forever love, or if it's only a temporary nice fling. Obviously being this a romance, they will take the right decision.
The novel is clearly divided in two part; the first one is more intimate, almost all spent between Todd and Keith with very few interferences from the outside. Even when they have to face that decision, they do that with a bit of drama, but all in all in almost smooth way. There is one scene, quite harsh and disturbing, when Todd takes his "revenge" for Keith's temporary abandonment: he searches for mindless and meaningless sex with a stranger, putting himself and their relationship in danger. It's a brutal scene, but probably necessary to shake off the reader from the blissful he was till the moment before; it's a way to prove how bad life can be for both of them, Todd and Keith, if they are not together. Strange to say, to me was also a way to prove how much stronger and tougher Todd is in comparison to Keith.
It's not that Keith is not a negative character, it's only that I have the feeling that he is a bit soft and not tempered by life. Everything was quite easy for him, and yes, maybe now he is struggling to build his career, but it's a little struggle, nothing serious. At the first real trouble in his life, he reacts in a very bad way, closing off Todd, who was instead supporting and willing to help. Todd's reaction to this attitude was maybe drastic, but he realized soon his mistake, and was ready to make penance. He also behaves with honesty towards Todd, an honesty that was all willingly given, since there was no way Todd would have found out otherwise.
The following part of the novel is more smooth and easy, at least for what regards the relationship between Keith and Todd. The trouble this time are not between them, but we see them against the outside world, even if, truth be told, is a very little fight. In this second part the author introduce another couple, Charlie and Tyler, a couple I wouldn't mind to have a deeply insight: they stood out in a way that makes me think they are not merely supporting characters, that maybe there is a story planned also for them: but what I would be glad to read is not what will be of them after this book, but how they met and arrived to make their appearance in this story.
What at first appeared to be a simple and funny sexy romp, in the end is a complex romance all bore by the characters more than the plot, characters that have unexpected layers, positive but sometime also negative. The story flows smoothly only to be shaken by three dramatic events that serve to the author to not let the reader falls in the sugar feelings of the romance. To top all like a cherry on the cream, there are a lot of sex scenes, sexy and detailed.
http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/77...
August 20, 2009
This was a nice enough story, but such a disappointment considering P.A.Brown's other works. LA Heat etc.
I have to say this was bland. Plus, it was quite clearly either one short that had been made longer half heartedly on request or it was two or three shorts that had been published as one novel WITHOUT EDITING.
At the end of chapter 12 the first story finishes with a quite clear HEA, but then suddenly we have chapter 13 which not only recaps on the previous 12 chapters but then goes onto invent a 'situation' which is resolved "natch" This would be a good read if you picked up a magazine in a waiting room, but not sufficiently good to pay for it!
P.S. How many sets of parent's get to be killed in car accidents in M/M novels? This is a crude plot device and I am sick of it.
I have to say this was bland. Plus, it was quite clearly either one short that had been made longer half heartedly on request or it was two or three shorts that had been published as one novel WITHOUT EDITING.
At the end of chapter 12 the first story finishes with a quite clear HEA, but then suddenly we have chapter 13 which not only recaps on the previous 12 chapters but then goes onto invent a 'situation' which is resolved "natch" This would be a good read if you picked up a magazine in a waiting room, but not sufficiently good to pay for it!
P.S. How many sets of parent's get to be killed in car accidents in M/M novels? This is a crude plot device and I am sick of it.
September 12, 2014
2.5 stars I think I prefer the mystery side of Ms. Brown rather than the usual contemporary romance. I don't know, there is something missing here, like the intense emotion maybe? It feels bland throughout. AND this story feels like a two parter. The before and the after. While I can still enjoy the before: including the meeting, the fall in love, the fall out, and the reunion -- but the after feels like dragging on. Maybe it will be better if the after is in a separate book? I do welcome Charlie and Tyler from "Lynx Woods", though. Overall, I'm not impressed with this.
January 22, 2020
Best part of this book is the cover.
November 28, 2010
Todd Richards meets veterinarian Dr. Keith Anderson when he takes his injured Doberman to the clinic to have him checked out. There’s an instant mutual attraction and Todd and Keith waste virtually little time in getting together. Although Keith is a virgin and Todd isn’t that much more experienced in the affairs of the heart, Todd believes that he’s found someone with which to share his life. They both love animals, especially dogs, are compatible on most fronts, the sex is fantastic and they’ve fallen in love.
Their relationship seems to be progressing with future promise when a family tragedy strikes Keith and as he falls apart so does their relationship. Keith takes a hiatus from San Francisco and Todd and returns to his hometown in New Mexico to deal with the family crisis, figure out what he wants to do and whether Todd is part of his future. Todd is devastated and seeks comfort through anonymous sex, but one brief encounter is enough for him to realize that Keith is the only man for him.
Keith eventually returns to San Francisco to ask Todd for a second chance. As they attempt to rebuild their relationship, Keith and Todd move to New Mexico to open a gay-friendly Bed and Breakfast managed by Todd, raise some horses and for Keith to operate a small vet practice. But small town New Mexico is a far cry from San Francisco. As their plans for the B & B and ranch are coming together, Keith and Scott are faced with small-town homophobia, potential horse thieves and other dangerous challenges that not only threaten their livelihood but also their lives.
Man’s Best Friend by P.A. Brown starts off with a promising story premise and characters. The initial meeting and getting together of Todd and Keith was interesting enough for me to settle into what I anticipated was going to be a nice reading escape. While there were some interesting aspects to the story and the characters, unfortunately, I feel that it fell slightly short of its promise.
What did work for me was the overall story arc. I usually enjoy reading stories that span over longer periods of time. In this respect I appreciated the various episodes in the lives of Todd and Keith - the beginning and evolution of their relationship, the period of angst and uncertainty when they are apart, the transition to their new life together in New Mexico and the challenges they face.
Although somewhat underdeveloped, I did find the characters to be sympathetic and appreciated the dynamics of their relationship - lovers, partners and best friends. Finally, as a reader, I don’t mind stories written in the first person and felt that the author did a relatively good job in writing the story in the first person, exclusively via Todd’s point of view.
What I felt was a key shortcoming in this story was the over-detailed descriptions of the things and happenings in the lives of Todd and Keith. There was too much detail in Todd’s narrative throughout the story, so much so that it kept stealing my attention and interest away and detracted from the primary and secondary plots and characters.
Man’s Best Friend by P.A. Brown was a good enough read for me that I believe with some tighter writing it would have lived up to its fuller promise of a good or even great story in terms of both plot and characters.
NOTE: This review was originally published online by Rainbow Reviews on August 23, 2009.
June 8, 2012
My first instinct is to rate this book 1 star, but since I think that may be my sense of disapointment speaking and not a true reflection of the writing I have upped it.
The story started just fine, a bit rambling but still good and all of the sudden there was an accident and not just the characters but the whole story started to fall apart. Instead of the characters gaining depth they seemed to plateu out and I couldn't relate to any of them.
After that I skipped chunks in the hope the book would get better....it didn't. The writing is good, the pace a little slow, but there is a real lack of emotional depth and the characters are like cardboard cutouts, really one dimensional.
I wanted to like this book but it feels passionless as if a good author wrote something without putting anything of themselves in it.
The only things I was feeling when I turned the last page were a sense of relief that it was finally over, dissapointment that the books' promise was never realised and a vauge sense of curiosity about Tyler and Charlie who were, at best, secondary characters.
Will be keeping an eye out to see if this author can rectify the problem if they continue with this genre.
The story started just fine, a bit rambling but still good and all of the sudden there was an accident and not just the characters but the whole story started to fall apart. Instead of the characters gaining depth they seemed to plateu out and I couldn't relate to any of them.
After that I skipped chunks in the hope the book would get better....it didn't. The writing is good, the pace a little slow, but there is a real lack of emotional depth and the characters are like cardboard cutouts, really one dimensional.
I wanted to like this book but it feels passionless as if a good author wrote something without putting anything of themselves in it.
The only things I was feeling when I turned the last page were a sense of relief that it was finally over, dissapointment that the books' promise was never realised and a vauge sense of curiosity about Tyler and Charlie who were, at best, secondary characters.
Will be keeping an eye out to see if this author can rectify the problem if they continue with this genre.
January 10, 2021
P A Brown the author of LA Heat and LA Mischief made me purchase this paperback. Very surprised when it arrived in less than a week. I had no idea what to expect since I hadn't read the synopsis and was therefore very very pleased with the story. I found out that the author is a lady who knows how write. Wow! This book had all my favorite ingredients. A handsome hunny veterinarian / hotel manager / goal / horses / Dobermans / Chihuahua / ranch / grieving / painful breakup / loss / forgiveness / bed and breakfast / love at first sight / sweet / tenderness / first time / supportive family / wedding ring / fire /honeymooners / no BDSM at all/ San Francisco / national park / New Mexico
October 9, 2010
I'm being generous here. What in the world happened in this book? The author is capable of far better. The story was obviously cobbled together to make it longer. I had no connection to either main character and so it was easy to skip sex scenes. Hot, cold, dynamic, slow, it didn't matter because I wasn't involved with either man. I think this book is a real shame, as it reflects poorly on an author who I know has considerable talent.
February 1, 2010
I couldn't get even halfway through the book because it was boring. It was putting me to sleep it was so bland. I didn't expect this at all, considering the other books from this author which are packed with action. This was a disappointment. I had to put it down, and I don't think I'll ever finish it.
November 28, 2010
Won't be as harsh as some of the reviews I've read, but I liked it. True, it started off slow. True there were typo's and funky word usage, but there were some parts of this story that I really enjoyed. So I gave it a 4 star for that alone and I couldn't help grinning whenever the word helmet showed up.
February 13, 2021
Ups and downs of a relationship. A bit boring to read.
maybe
January 1, 2013Adorable cover...
And a re-release too!
And a re-release too!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews