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Sylvan #3
Nathaniel
Young cowboy Happy Nathaniel is struck by a need to reach out when he first meets Aaron King and his son, Samuel, so he helps Aaron find a haven at the Rocking M, far away from their strict Mennonite community. Once Sam is settled in the country school, both men seek something to spur him to speak again. But most of all, Nate also sees Aaron’s loneliness, and a single kiss is the spark Nate has secretly craved. But he’ll put his attraction on hold as long as needed, knowing there is a time for all things and that, one day, Aaron will want to dance again.
79 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2010
2 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Jan Irving
51 books199 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
romance author
Jan Irving has worked in all kinds of creative fields, from painting silk to making porcelain ceramics, to interior design, but writing was always her passion.
She feels you can’t fully understand characters until you follow their journey through a story world. Many kinds of worlds interest her, fantasy, historical, science fiction and suspense—but all have one thing in common, people finding a way to live together—in the most emotional and erotic fashion possible, of course!
Visit Jan's blog at http://jan-revealed.livejournal.com.
romance author
Jan Irving has worked in all kinds of creative fields, from painting silk to making porcelain ceramics, to interior design, but writing was always her passion.
She feels you can’t fully understand characters until you follow their journey through a story world. Many kinds of worlds interest her, fantasy, historical, science fiction and suspense—but all have one thing in common, people finding a way to live together—in the most emotional and erotic fashion possible, of course!
Visit Jan's blog at http://jan-revealed.livejournal.com.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 26, 2011
For a mixing of oil and water cultures story, this combined a lot more like coffee and cream, with a big spoonful of sugar.
Aaron, for a man who has spent his life in a plain community, apparently splintered from the Mennonites, seems a bit technologically backwards, not sheltered from the world. He plows behind a horse not as the only way he knows, but as a choice. Finding porn on the internet seems to be one of his other tech accomplishments. For someone with a heavy duty religious background, it all seems very far away, as if he shed a lot of thoughts when he left the community.
His eight year old son Samuel, who is mute by choice, is Aaron's reason for leaving the community, he says. The boy, who recently lost his mother, has refused to speak since then. Samuel carries his own burdens, but after the initial scenes from his POV, he's much more of a supporting player. There is a big change for him, but it comes out of the blue, not out of any real development.
Nate, Happy Nathaniel, the out and proud cowboy who would like to change the sadness on father and son's faces, is the only truly vivid character here -- he'll pick a child out of a ditch without offering stupid advice, he'll dance if he's happy, and he finds the newcomer to the modern world intensely attractive.
This is good, because Aaron comes flying out of the closet with an intensity that only startles one of them. No introspection about it -- Aaron displays the sort of single mindedness -- See! Want! Grab! Mine! normally associated with the less cerebral shapeshifters. He needs some coaching on technique, but there is no question in his mind of rightness, strangeness, if, maybe not, or frankly of anything short of the logistics of getting Nate moved in with him and his son. Hate to say it, but this wastes a lot of potential, and Aaron comes across as half a character. He doesn't question anything, least of all his own motives, because really, is the best thing for a recently orphaned, traumatized child taking him away from every single stable, familiar thing in his life?
The one working hardest to make this a story is Nate. I wish he'd gotten some help, because this could have been really good.
Aaron, for a man who has spent his life in a plain community, apparently splintered from the Mennonites, seems a bit technologically backwards, not sheltered from the world. He plows behind a horse not as the only way he knows, but as a choice. Finding porn on the internet seems to be one of his other tech accomplishments. For someone with a heavy duty religious background, it all seems very far away, as if he shed a lot of thoughts when he left the community.
His eight year old son Samuel, who is mute by choice, is Aaron's reason for leaving the community, he says. The boy, who recently lost his mother, has refused to speak since then. Samuel carries his own burdens, but after the initial scenes from his POV, he's much more of a supporting player. There is a big change for him, but it comes out of the blue, not out of any real development.
Nate, Happy Nathaniel, the out and proud cowboy who would like to change the sadness on father and son's faces, is the only truly vivid character here -- he'll pick a child out of a ditch without offering stupid advice, he'll dance if he's happy, and he finds the newcomer to the modern world intensely attractive.
This is good, because Aaron comes flying out of the closet with an intensity that only startles one of them. No introspection about it -- Aaron displays the sort of single mindedness -- See! Want! Grab! Mine! normally associated with the less cerebral shapeshifters. He needs some coaching on technique, but there is no question in his mind of rightness, strangeness, if, maybe not, or frankly of anything short of the logistics of getting Nate moved in with him and his son. Hate to say it, but this wastes a lot of potential, and Aaron comes across as half a character. He doesn't question anything, least of all his own motives, because really, is the best thing for a recently orphaned, traumatized child taking him away from every single stable, familiar thing in his life?
The one working hardest to make this a story is Nate. I wish he'd gotten some help, because this could have been really good.
March 20, 2011
I fell in love with Aaron and Nathaniel. This book is my favorite of this series so far.
March 24, 2011
Super deliciously sweet.
Oh, and the older character, Aaron, doesn't have gray hair as the cover would suggest. He's basically platinum blond.
Oh, and the older character, Aaron, doesn't have gray hair as the cover would suggest. He's basically platinum blond.
March 22, 2011
Sad eyes and a warm heart can be a lethal combination. Now add a dusty ranch and a couple of hot guys. You’ve got both endless possibilities and Jan Irving’s Nathaniel.
This story is bittersweet and sweet. I say bittersweet because there are moments that will simply squeeze tight around your heart. Then there are moments that sizzle. I love a story that really picks me up and makes me think. This is one of those books.
Ms. Irving has a great writing style that flows and draw the reader in. I was snagged by Nathaniel and Aaron within a few paragraphs. The chemistry between them is unmistakable and Ms. Irving writes it so well, I thought I was right there watching it all unfold. Although this is a shorter story, but it’s not one to be missed. I loved it.
But don’t get me wrong, this book has moments of sadness. Samuel, Aaron’s son gets treated poorly by the kids in town. Both he and Aaron aren’t readily accepted. Where it could be seen as predictable that Nathaniel is the one man to be nice to them, it’s also a happy moment. I wanted to see Nathaniel and Aaron hit it off and glad with how the story rolled along.
I’ve loved Ms. Irving’s other books and this one is a great addition to my keeper shelf. If you want a book that’s guaranteed to stick with you long after the last page, then you need to read Nathaniel. I give this book 4.5 cherries.
Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
This story is bittersweet and sweet. I say bittersweet because there are moments that will simply squeeze tight around your heart. Then there are moments that sizzle. I love a story that really picks me up and makes me think. This is one of those books.
Ms. Irving has a great writing style that flows and draw the reader in. I was snagged by Nathaniel and Aaron within a few paragraphs. The chemistry between them is unmistakable and Ms. Irving writes it so well, I thought I was right there watching it all unfold. Although this is a shorter story, but it’s not one to be missed. I loved it.
But don’t get me wrong, this book has moments of sadness. Samuel, Aaron’s son gets treated poorly by the kids in town. Both he and Aaron aren’t readily accepted. Where it could be seen as predictable that Nathaniel is the one man to be nice to them, it’s also a happy moment. I wanted to see Nathaniel and Aaron hit it off and glad with how the story rolled along.
I’ve loved Ms. Irving’s other books and this one is a great addition to my keeper shelf. If you want a book that’s guaranteed to stick with you long after the last page, then you need to read Nathaniel. I give this book 4.5 cherries.
Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
February 13, 2011
This was a sweet story about a young cowboy and the older man he falls for. They appear to have very little in common at first, one is a young happy-go-lucky cowboy and the other is older and very serious. He's an ex-Mennonite complete with beard, simple clothes and suspenders and a sweet innocence to him but as their relationship turns from friendship to love there is an evident connection between them. The protags as well as the supporting characters are nice and it was easy to like them all. The story is perhaps too sugary and I found the easy acceptance of their relationship a bit strange but overall it was nice. The one thing I really didn't like was the cover.
March 24, 2011
Nothing's better than a runaway Mennonite and a gay cowboy love story. Nathaniel, Ms. Irving's third installment in her Sylvan series is a very sweet and tender story. It's told very well, the characters are likable, and just to be certain that we cant help but love this story, she throws in a little boy into the mix. I was a goner from the first page.
I give Nathaniel three stars.
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January 5, 2011An old order mennonite/cowboy gay romance novel. That's right, you heard me the first time. Beards, suspenders, anal sex, the whole shebang.
Sweet as cotton candy and twice as simple, but a lovely romantic read.
Oh, did I mention the cute little mute boy?
Sweet as cotton candy and twice as simple, but a lovely romantic read.
Oh, did I mention the cute little mute boy?
March 9, 2011
I thought Nathaniel is a very good read. I loved how Nathaniel and Aaron's relationship is very heartwarming. I do wish that Samuel, Aaron's son, had a bigger part and that his problems had been explored more.
November 12, 2013
It's a sweet story.
January 4, 2011
The story was warm and easy. Aaron and Nathaniel were good together, but somehow, it was just to easy.
May 26, 2012
I loved the character of Happy Nathaniel who wasn't afraid to just break out in dance when the mood struck him. He's wonderful with Samuel and tender with Aaron. How could Aaron resist him?
November 15, 2014
3.5 stars
December 28, 2014
I really wanted more. This was a great story with an abrupt ending that really ruined it for me.
February 15, 2016
Opposites attract for sure! very cute story
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews