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Deputy Joe #1
Hard Fall
Deputy Joe Peterson is Mormon and in the closet. Then ex-con Kabe Varghese lands in town on parole. When a tourist falls off the mountain, Joe finds he needs the help of this cliff climbing adrenaline junky to solve the case. Will Kabe tear him apart or does Joe need to fall hard before he can start living?
215 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2009
16 people are currently reading
1061 people want to read
About the author
James Buchanan
91books382followersJames Buchanan, the author of over ten gay novels and single author anthologies, lives in a 100 year old Craftsman in California with SexyGuy, two demon spawn and a heard of adopted dogs, cats, rats and fish. Between managing a law practice with SG, raising kids and writing books, James volunteers with the Erotic Author's Association, Liminal Ink, the EPIC Awards Committee as well as coordinates the newsletter for the ManLoveRomance Author's co-op. James has spoken and read at conferences such as Saints & Sinners and the Popular Culture Association. In the midst of midlife crises, James bought and learned to ride a Harley - it went with the big, extended cab pickup. James has been a member of CorpGoth since 1993 and been know to wear leather frock coats to court.
If you don't find James at the computer working on the next book, you probably won't find the bike in the garage.
Visit James at - buchanan. com for more information on recent and upcoming releases.
If you don't find James at the computer working on the next book, you probably won't find the bike in the garage.
Visit James at - buchanan. com for more information on recent and upcoming releases.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
November 10, 2018
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I was looking for a light, sweet romance. Hard Fall was definitely the wrong choice. There is the death of a tourist to be solved, a cop trying to reconcile his religious faith with his desire for men, and a young mountain climber with a tight body who's run afoul of the law and worms his way into the cop's heart.
The relationship between Deputy Sheriff Joe Peterson, a Mormon, and Kabe Varghese, an ex-con who is staying with relatives while serving his parole, starts off slowly and gradually builds up intensity when Kabe’s help is enlisted to investigate a climbing accident involving a German tourist.
The mystery was rather disappointing, since it was obvious early on who the killer was. What I really enjoyed about this story was the relationship between two very different men, the interaction with a variety of people in the community, some supportive of their relationship and some not, and the issues Joe and Kabe have to deal with when their relationship comes in conflict with church teachings.
Hard Fall is told in the first person, from Joe’s point of view. His character is extremely well drawn, even though I had some difficulty in the beginning getting used to his country dialect. Joe is strong, smart, and faithful. Kabe has an attitude and a smart mouth, but Joe makes him feel safe. These guys are so different, yet so perfect together.
The sex is hot and intense, not gratuitous, and the mountain climbing scenes were breathtaking and realistic.
Great story!
I was looking for a light, sweet romance. Hard Fall was definitely the wrong choice. There is the death of a tourist to be solved, a cop trying to reconcile his religious faith with his desire for men, and a young mountain climber with a tight body who's run afoul of the law and worms his way into the cop's heart.
The relationship between Deputy Sheriff Joe Peterson, a Mormon, and Kabe Varghese, an ex-con who is staying with relatives while serving his parole, starts off slowly and gradually builds up intensity when Kabe’s help is enlisted to investigate a climbing accident involving a German tourist.
The mystery was rather disappointing, since it was obvious early on who the killer was. What I really enjoyed about this story was the relationship between two very different men, the interaction with a variety of people in the community, some supportive of their relationship and some not, and the issues Joe and Kabe have to deal with when their relationship comes in conflict with church teachings.
Hard Fall is told in the first person, from Joe’s point of view. His character is extremely well drawn, even though I had some difficulty in the beginning getting used to his country dialect. Joe is strong, smart, and faithful. Kabe has an attitude and a smart mouth, but Joe makes him feel safe. These guys are so different, yet so perfect together.
The sex is hot and intense, not gratuitous, and the mountain climbing scenes were breathtaking and realistic.
Great story!
May 27, 2015
4,5 stars!!!
(Why not 5?! I know I'm a greedy person.)
I ask myself- WHY FGS I HAVE NOT READ IT BEFORE?!
The first book of the series, was published 2009 and we have 2014!
5 years full of despairing search for something like THIS, for something like HIM, like DEPUTY JOE!!!
I'm not sure that I can order it under mystery, it is for sure not a typical mystery, or better to say, the mystery part is not the main focus of the book.
The main focus of the book is Joe.
Joe is one of the "Magnificent Seven" deputies for the whole Garfield County, Utah, the area where your family has to be around at least three generation to be seen as local. He doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't cuss. He is Mormon, he is a religious man. And he is gay.
Gay and Mormon don't cohabit very well.So, it is no wonder that he is deeeeeply in closet. He could stay there maybe all his life long, pretending and managing to score a hand job in Vegas on some free weekends. But fate has other plans with Joe. It is why it sends Kabe, a city boy on probation after spending time in prison on a felony arrest.
I saw him and I wanted him. I don't think anyone can imagine how bad.
Soon it'll be very clearly, that they share not only passion for the wild nature, mountains, hiking and climbing.
Well, here I want to stop because I don't want to spoil you the pleasure of being in Joe's head. From now on he belongs to my all time favourite MM-characters.
And there are more than one reason for it. But you have to find out for yourself.
My final verdict:
It is one of the best MM-series.
Highly highly recommended!
To the next instalment!
July 15, 2014
Written July 13, 2014
4 Stars - In my taste, it got stuck in the heart
Hard Fall, the first book about the Mormon Sheriff's Deputy, Joe Peterson in a small Utah town. A book and a series (Deupty Joe) all my friends in the the crime-MM-romance girls gang, and sweet Sofia, are nagging about.
I just have to forgive this cheezy cover and start. May it be good. I want more great and romantic crime M/M series to follow
It was good... kind or great. I loved it.
****
From the blurb:
"Deputy Joe Peterson is Mormon and in the closet.
Then ex-con Kabe Varghese lands in town on parole. When a tourist falls off the mountain, Joe finds he needs the help of this cliff climbing adrenaline junky to solve the case. Will Kabe tear him apart or does Joe need to fall hard before he can start living?"
****
The feeling is there, this was so intense and beautifully told.
It started alluring and slightly slow, but oh oh what it steamed about these guys. I struggled a bit with the Utah dialect and their spoken language expressions in the beginning, but then it loosened up.
Possibly too many mountain climbs details but my heart was filled by Joe and I long to see him again. To be a true and faithful Mormon, a country police and now also openly gay in a rather old fashioned and narrow-minded society, is not easy. I admire these guys', especially Joe's of course, courage and strength.
****
A big plus for a M/M story that is told from view of the more dominant partner in a male relationship.
Hard Fall is perhaps not about a traditional BDSM or D/s relationship but on the journey Joe realizes that he really gets hot and hard to create a red and hot butt on Kabe. He begins to fantasize about holding on, rope, tying, smack etc, and he calls Kabe "boy".
..And they both just want more and more a bit rougher stuff. ~ The way it was structured here didn't even do the often so terrified and nervous me especially anxious. It become just sexy and nicely hot.
****
It is difficult to explain but this Hard Fall book is just one of these M/M romances that is so very good and captivating to read. It boils behind the lines, the main characters feels believable, human and unique. This makes it so interesting, emotional and thoughtful. I learn something new about tough mountain climbing, for me so far, Utah, about several Mormon traditions, to discover that you like the rough stuff, sex, men etc etc.
****
I look forward to continuing the story of Joe, Kabe,
their lovely tough female friend Ranger Nadia Slokum and some new criminal cases in the Utah mountains. ~ Thanks you lovely ladies and dear Sofia, that got me to this reading!
I LIKE - these male Mormon underwear ... yummy wow!
***
The Deupty Joe series. So far three novels and a short novella.
4 Stars - In my taste, it got stuck in the heart
Hard Fall, the first book about the Mormon Sheriff's Deputy, Joe Peterson in a small Utah town. A book and a series (Deupty Joe) all my friends in the the crime-MM-romance girls gang, and sweet Sofia, are nagging about.
I just have to forgive this cheezy cover and start. May it be good. I want more great and romantic crime M/M series to follow
It was good... kind or great. I loved it.
****
From the blurb:
"Deputy Joe Peterson is Mormon and in the closet.
Then ex-con Kabe Varghese lands in town on parole. When a tourist falls off the mountain, Joe finds he needs the help of this cliff climbing adrenaline junky to solve the case. Will Kabe tear him apart or does Joe need to fall hard before he can start living?"
****
The feeling is there, this was so intense and beautifully told.
It started alluring and slightly slow, but oh oh what it steamed about these guys. I struggled a bit with the Utah dialect and their spoken language expressions in the beginning, but then it loosened up.
Possibly too many mountain climbs details but my heart was filled by Joe and I long to see him again. To be a true and faithful Mormon, a country police and now also openly gay in a rather old fashioned and narrow-minded society, is not easy. I admire these guys', especially Joe's of course, courage and strength.
‘It ain't nothing but you and the heavens and they're so big and so bright that you realize just how little some things matter. And then sometimes, you realize how much little things matter.�
****
A big plus for a M/M story that is told from view of the more dominant partner in a male relationship.
Hard Fall is perhaps not about a traditional BDSM or D/s relationship but on the journey Joe realizes that he really gets hot and hard to create a red and hot butt on Kabe. He begins to fantasize about holding on, rope, tying, smack etc, and he calls Kabe "boy".
..And they both just want more and more a bit rougher stuff. ~ The way it was structured here didn't even do the often so terrified and nervous me especially anxious. It become just sexy and nicely hot.
****
It is difficult to explain but this Hard Fall book is just one of these M/M romances that is so very good and captivating to read. It boils behind the lines, the main characters feels believable, human and unique. This makes it so interesting, emotional and thoughtful. I learn something new about tough mountain climbing, for me so far, Utah, about several Mormon traditions, to discover that you like the rough stuff, sex, men etc etc.
‘We'd said a good bit of everything we needed to. With my free hand I pulled his chin up and looked my mouth on his. Those hard kisses of his tasted so fine. I could drown in them. Fall forever and not care.�
****
I look forward to continuing the story of Joe, Kabe,
their lovely tough female friend Ranger Nadia Slokum and some new criminal cases in the Utah mountains. ~ Thanks you lovely ladies and dear Sofia, that got me to this reading!
I LIKE - these male Mormon underwear ... yummy wow!
***
The Deupty Joe series. So far three novels and a short novella.
July 19, 2021
Voice is what makes this story distinctive � and that voice belongs to Joe Peterson, devout Mormon, closeted gay man, and Deputy Sheriff working his home territory in rural Utah. Joe's 1st-person narrative took me deep into his life and heart and mind. It made for a memorable trip. He is not a generic m/m romance MC, I promise you.
When Joe encounters young ex-con Kabe Varghese, who's serving out his parole on a local ranch, the attraction that flares between them threatens to tear down the strict boundaries keeping Joe's private life separate from his public life. Both men are skilled climbers, and necessity forces them together on a tricky vertical search & rescue mission. So begins their gradual process of discovering each other.
Characterization is the star of the show here. Even though we only get Joe's POV, Kabe's personality � smart, brave, reckless, loyal � shines through loud and clear. The secondary characters didn't always fare as well, though, and I found myself loving the first 2/3 or so of the story (4.5 stars worth of love), but being vaguely dissatisfied and unconvinced by the final 1/3 (3 stars worth of eh, maybe it's just me, not the book...?).
I went into this knowing there'd be kink, but friends reassured me it wasn't going to be of the D/s variety � of which I am so, so sick and tired, please make it go away aaaaaaagggghhhhh. Alas, while the emphasis is on B&D � for which those climbing ropes sure did come in handy! � it actually *is* D/s too. Kabe even comments on how Joe is a natural dom.
Friends, I need a word with you.
No, wait, sorry guys, wrong gif! Come back! 🤣
Okay, okay, I suppose it can be artificial to try to separate out the letter combos in BDSM. Sometimes it's a package deal, I guess? 🤷🏻♂� At any rate, their sexy times involved too much hitting for my tastes. All I can say is, I'm glad you found each other, Joe and Kabe, but I'll leave you to it. Also, I hear there's loads of family drama in the next book(s), and I'd rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick than suffer through that.
But while I won't be reading further, I still strongly recommend this to anyone who loves character-driven stories and is tired of the same-old same-old in contemporary m/m romance.
When Joe encounters young ex-con Kabe Varghese, who's serving out his parole on a local ranch, the attraction that flares between them threatens to tear down the strict boundaries keeping Joe's private life separate from his public life. Both men are skilled climbers, and necessity forces them together on a tricky vertical search & rescue mission. So begins their gradual process of discovering each other.
Characterization is the star of the show here. Even though we only get Joe's POV, Kabe's personality � smart, brave, reckless, loyal � shines through loud and clear. The secondary characters didn't always fare as well, though, and I found myself loving the first 2/3 or so of the story (4.5 stars worth of love), but being vaguely dissatisfied and unconvinced by the final 1/3 (3 stars worth of eh, maybe it's just me, not the book...?).
I went into this knowing there'd be kink, but friends reassured me it wasn't going to be of the D/s variety � of which I am so, so sick and tired, please make it go away aaaaaaagggghhhhh. Alas, while the emphasis is on B&D � for which those climbing ropes sure did come in handy! � it actually *is* D/s too. Kabe even comments on how Joe is a natural dom.
Friends, I need a word with you.
No, wait, sorry guys, wrong gif! Come back! 🤣
Okay, okay, I suppose it can be artificial to try to separate out the letter combos in BDSM. Sometimes it's a package deal, I guess? 🤷🏻♂� At any rate, their sexy times involved too much hitting for my tastes. All I can say is, I'm glad you found each other, Joe and Kabe, but I'll leave you to it. Also, I hear there's loads of family drama in the next book(s), and I'd rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick than suffer through that.
But while I won't be reading further, I still strongly recommend this to anyone who loves character-driven stories and is tired of the same-old same-old in contemporary m/m romance.
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January 28, 2020
Deputy Joe is my new infatuation!
I have to confess, the cover didn't appeal to me nor did the blurb to be honest, but I luckily had a trusted Goodread friend (Elena) who wrote a whopping great review which completely won me over.
I loved how the changes 34-year old Joe goes through was at the centre of the story, and we only got to see his attraction to young ex-con Kade, the rest of the town folk and the murder investigation through his eyes. Some readers might not like single POV romances but in this book it was perfection.
Stories that are written in a way that transports me to the location they take place in is my drug of choice, and this story did just that—partly by being heavily infused with local dialect, along with heaps of idioms I've never encountered before. Maybe you'd think that a non-native English speaker and European like me would struggle with the author's choice of local lingo dialogues, but not at all. Only learned a few new words and sayings along the way. Cain't fault that.
I was also impressed by the fact this title was published as early as in 2009, but this story still feels fresh, even though I'm a frequent reader of the genre.
If you're into romance and physical attraction at the forefront, and some local town drama and police investigations in the background, this story might suit you perfectly.
I have to confess, the cover didn't appeal to me nor did the blurb to be honest, but I luckily had a trusted Goodread friend (Elena) who wrote a whopping great review which completely won me over.
I loved how the changes 34-year old Joe goes through was at the centre of the story, and we only got to see his attraction to young ex-con Kade, the rest of the town folk and the murder investigation through his eyes. Some readers might not like single POV romances but in this book it was perfection.
Stories that are written in a way that transports me to the location they take place in is my drug of choice, and this story did just that—partly by being heavily infused with local dialect, along with heaps of idioms I've never encountered before. Maybe you'd think that a non-native English speaker and European like me would struggle with the author's choice of local lingo dialogues, but not at all. Only learned a few new words and sayings along the way. Cain't fault that.
I was also impressed by the fact this title was published as early as in 2009, but this story still feels fresh, even though I'm a frequent reader of the genre.
If you're into romance and physical attraction at the forefront, and some local town drama and police investigations in the background, this story might suit you perfectly.
June 20, 2014
Final series review here.
Ѵdzٳ•f'Բ•S貹쾱Բ•H. That's where I'm headed..with my cursing language skills of a non-religious variety and my filthy-carnal pleasures of a lust-filled diversity. Thank Hell I came across this Deputy Joe series to assist me on my sinful way.
Domineering sexy-mofo-Mormon Deputy Joe and his spank-loving beefcake convict..Kabe. Climbing rock, humping mountains, making lust-filled, gut-wrenching love with mother•f'ing nature. Just the way I like it..with a little rough-rope and a firm hand.
Simple-endearing portrayal and reflection of a homo-erotic variety..oh..yeah..and a man's religion.
The only Hard Fall was this POS mullet-haired cover..from hell. Whoever comes up with this shit..I don't even know.
Ѵdzٳ•f'Բ•S貹쾱Բ•H. That's where I'm headed..with my cursing language skills of a non-religious variety and my filthy-carnal pleasures of a lust-filled diversity. Thank Hell I came across this Deputy Joe series to assist me on my sinful way.
Domineering sexy-mofo-Mormon Deputy Joe and his spank-loving beefcake convict..Kabe. Climbing rock, humping mountains, making lust-filled, gut-wrenching love with mother•f'ing nature. Just the way I like it..with a little rough-rope and a firm hand.
Simple-endearing portrayal and reflection of a homo-erotic variety..oh..yeah..and a man's religion.
The only Hard Fall was this POS mullet-haired cover..from hell. Whoever comes up with this shit..I don't even know.
September 29, 2019
You know the old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover�?
I put off trying this book for a long time just because of that ugly cover and I’m sure I’d never even have considered it, if it didn’t come recommended by people whose taste in books I trust. I could kick myself for waiting so long but seriously, that floating head in the background? Like all the rest wasn’t bad enough?
Not that the theme and pose don’t fit and yes, Joe is a little rough and a country hick (his words, not mine) but that cover is just tacky and such a poor presentation for this book that I went right past it every time I skimmed my tbr to choose what to read next.
Maybe it’s just me. I admit that I approached this book with a big side of prejudice, beside the cover issue.
The first thing mentioned in the blurb is that Joe is Mormon and I try to be as open-minded as I can, but I’m only human and anything having to do with religions of any type mentioned in blurbs makes me break out in hives.
So, I had to overcome some internal resistance before jumping in and once I did it was nothing like I expected.
Joe’s voice isn’t like anything I remember ever reading in this genre and I was charmed from the very beginning. I liked his humor, his self-awareness and his confidence, I was prepared to read about a character struggling through his internalized homophobia due to his religious upbringing and got instead a self-assured man who didn’t know the meaning of self-hate and only drew strength from his faith. That’ll teach me to make assumptions.
I know next to nothing about Mormons, to be honest I’ve always been vaguely aware that they exist but never had the interest or occasion to learn more, and I’ve no idea how accurate a portrait of Mormonism this is. I loved Joe’s approach to his faith, though, and I found it was well integrated with his character. You can feel Joe’s faith in the way he looks at the world and in the way he lives his everyday life and it goes to the author’s credit that I didn’t find any aspects of it to be too much, despite my very low tolerance. It’s just the way Joe is and it felt natural for him to be this way.
This first book is practically all about Joe, both the mystery and the romance with Kabe are mostly the background for getting to know Joe, and Kabe of course but mostly Joe, and I’m looking forward to learning more about both of them and seeing where they’ll go from here.
Fair warning for everyone not interested in reading about BDSM dynamics:
I put off trying this book for a long time just because of that ugly cover and I’m sure I’d never even have considered it, if it didn’t come recommended by people whose taste in books I trust. I could kick myself for waiting so long but seriously, that floating head in the background? Like all the rest wasn’t bad enough?
Not that the theme and pose don’t fit and yes, Joe is a little rough and a country hick (his words, not mine) but that cover is just tacky and such a poor presentation for this book that I went right past it every time I skimmed my tbr to choose what to read next.
Maybe it’s just me. I admit that I approached this book with a big side of prejudice, beside the cover issue.
The first thing mentioned in the blurb is that Joe is Mormon and I try to be as open-minded as I can, but I’m only human and anything having to do with religions of any type mentioned in blurbs makes me break out in hives.
So, I had to overcome some internal resistance before jumping in and once I did it was nothing like I expected.
Joe’s voice isn’t like anything I remember ever reading in this genre and I was charmed from the very beginning. I liked his humor, his self-awareness and his confidence, I was prepared to read about a character struggling through his internalized homophobia due to his religious upbringing and got instead a self-assured man who didn’t know the meaning of self-hate and only drew strength from his faith. That’ll teach me to make assumptions.
I know next to nothing about Mormons, to be honest I’ve always been vaguely aware that they exist but never had the interest or occasion to learn more, and I’ve no idea how accurate a portrait of Mormonism this is. I loved Joe’s approach to his faith, though, and I found it was well integrated with his character. You can feel Joe’s faith in the way he looks at the world and in the way he lives his everyday life and it goes to the author’s credit that I didn’t find any aspects of it to be too much, despite my very low tolerance. It’s just the way Joe is and it felt natural for him to be this way.
This first book is practically all about Joe, both the mystery and the romance with Kabe are mostly the background for getting to know Joe, and Kabe of course but mostly Joe, and I’m looking forward to learning more about both of them and seeing where they’ll go from here.
Fair warning for everyone not interested in reading about BDSM dynamics:
Read
September 7, 2012Good book, I quite enjoyed it. I liked Joe, and I liked the build-up before they finally get to have sex. I start to get bored with pants dropping on page 1-5 (in a novel. Short stories might be different). The crime part didn't really work all that well for me, though, so I read it very much as a "love story with a crime plot attached" rather than a crime/thriller novel. At times, Buchanan lost me when they explained all the climbing stuff (probably painstakingly researched, but as a non-native speaker of English, I really didn't get all the technical explanation.
October 26, 2013
What bothered me...the climbing lingo.
I was relieved after reading reviews from friends who apparently had the same problem, even as native speakers. I don`t mind using a dictionary as a help-me-through, but it gets frustrating when I can`t find a translation at all or a confusing translation.
What I liked...
Everything else, especially the take on the BDSM theme. No clubs, no safewords, not overthinking or questioning it. It comes as naturally as every other basic need like eating, sleeping, breathing.
On to the next book...
I was relieved after reading reviews from friends who apparently had the same problem, even as native speakers. I don`t mind using a dictionary as a help-me-through, but it gets frustrating when I can`t find a translation at all or a confusing translation.
What I liked...
Everything else, especially the take on the BDSM theme. No clubs, no safewords, not overthinking or questioning it. It comes as naturally as every other basic need like eating, sleeping, breathing.
On to the next book...
July 28, 2020
3.5 stars
This series is 50% off through Friday (7/31/2020), and I am really enjoying it so far. (Just started Book 3)
For one, it does not have that paint-by-numbers mm romance formula feel to it, which is always appreciated, but especially with LEO characters for me. This is the sub-genre I am least willing to suspend my disbelief for, and for some reason the formula writers have latched on to the handful of tropes I find most annoying with cop/federal agent characters and will not let them go.
But it's the setting that really has me infatuated. We took a hiking trip through southern Utah for my 30th birthday, and I probably spent about six months afterwards trying to convince my husband to move to the exact part these guys live in. We are not climbers -- and never will be; this Utah trip was when we both (rather inconveniently) discovered we have a teeny tiny fear of extreme heights...oops! -- but we are very much outdoors people, so I am absolutely in love with that aspect of these guys' connection to each other.
The sense of place is seriously impressive, and I also love the sense of community among the trained official-types in the greater area. The local cops, state troopers, park rangers, EMTs, volunteer fire responders, etc. all tend to come together to pool their skills and resources however they can since there's so few of them, and I love how naturally Kabe's interests/skills fall into that part of Joe's life.
The religion stuff isn't easy to read, but it stayed just on the right side of overwhelming for me. The level of realism actually helped since I also found the insights into the LDS church interesting, and at this point in the series, most of the people Joe has a personal connection to are pretty supportive. (His parents have just returned from a two-year trip out of the country in Book 3, so we'll see how I feel after that one!)
But Joe gets hit with some pretty serious disgust, even if it's coming from people he doesn't actually care about, and losing the formal connection to his church and that aspect of his community/larger family is heart-breaking for him, even if he's able to focus, for the most part, on the fact that it doesn't change his personal connection to God.
It's only pretty recently that I've gotten to a zen enough place myself to be able to read something like this. It is not the main plot of the book, but it is a big subplot, and it's definitely a big part of Joe's personality/character. There's a religious undercurrent that runs through a lot of the non-religious scenes, partly because of what's going on with Joe and partly because of the community he lives and works in. But there's something different enough about the LDS church -- to, say, your Southern Baptists -- that it doesn't have that automatic triggering effect for me. It's just far enough removed from my reality that I never lost that sense of objectivity. (Which I guess is really just to say that despite my new-ish zen attitude toward religion, Southern Baptists can still trigger the fuck outta me!! For whatever that's worth :)
Also, strange segue, but if you have a hard-line zero tolerance policy against BDSM, this one's not for you. It is a *very* small part of the book, and completely informal (which may be a problem for those on the other end of the BDSM spectrum?), but Joe pretty much completely accidentally stumbles upon the fact that Kabe is a sexy little masochist and Joe is THERE for it. It's the type of thing that didn't bother me at all back when I didn't read BDSM, so I wouldn't let it stop you unless you know for sure it'll ruin the book for you.
This series is 50% off through Friday (7/31/2020), and I am really enjoying it so far. (Just started Book 3)
For one, it does not have that paint-by-numbers mm romance formula feel to it, which is always appreciated, but especially with LEO characters for me. This is the sub-genre I am least willing to suspend my disbelief for, and for some reason the formula writers have latched on to the handful of tropes I find most annoying with cop/federal agent characters and will not let them go.
But it's the setting that really has me infatuated. We took a hiking trip through southern Utah for my 30th birthday, and I probably spent about six months afterwards trying to convince my husband to move to the exact part these guys live in. We are not climbers -- and never will be; this Utah trip was when we both (rather inconveniently) discovered we have a teeny tiny fear of extreme heights...oops! -- but we are very much outdoors people, so I am absolutely in love with that aspect of these guys' connection to each other.
The sense of place is seriously impressive, and I also love the sense of community among the trained official-types in the greater area. The local cops, state troopers, park rangers, EMTs, volunteer fire responders, etc. all tend to come together to pool their skills and resources however they can since there's so few of them, and I love how naturally Kabe's interests/skills fall into that part of Joe's life.
The religion stuff isn't easy to read, but it stayed just on the right side of overwhelming for me. The level of realism actually helped since I also found the insights into the LDS church interesting, and at this point in the series, most of the people Joe has a personal connection to are pretty supportive. (His parents have just returned from a two-year trip out of the country in Book 3, so we'll see how I feel after that one!)
But Joe gets hit with some pretty serious disgust, even if it's coming from people he doesn't actually care about, and losing the formal connection to his church and that aspect of his community/larger family is heart-breaking for him, even if he's able to focus, for the most part, on the fact that it doesn't change his personal connection to God.
It's only pretty recently that I've gotten to a zen enough place myself to be able to read something like this. It is not the main plot of the book, but it is a big subplot, and it's definitely a big part of Joe's personality/character. There's a religious undercurrent that runs through a lot of the non-religious scenes, partly because of what's going on with Joe and partly because of the community he lives and works in. But there's something different enough about the LDS church -- to, say, your Southern Baptists -- that it doesn't have that automatic triggering effect for me. It's just far enough removed from my reality that I never lost that sense of objectivity. (Which I guess is really just to say that despite my new-ish zen attitude toward religion, Southern Baptists can still trigger the fuck outta me!! For whatever that's worth :)
Also, strange segue, but if you have a hard-line zero tolerance policy against BDSM, this one's not for you. It is a *very* small part of the book, and completely informal (which may be a problem for those on the other end of the BDSM spectrum?), but Joe pretty much completely accidentally stumbles upon the fact that Kabe is a sexy little masochist and Joe is THERE for it. It's the type of thing that didn't bother me at all back when I didn't read BDSM, so I wouldn't let it stop you unless you know for sure it'll ruin the book for you.
September 2, 2019
So glad I finally got around to reading this book. I just fell in love with Joe and Kabe and can't wait to continue on with the series.
Joe is a Sheriff's Deputy in Utah. A mormon and a member of the LDS church, he is strong in his faith, but has also come to terms with the fact that he is gay. While the church would not punish him for being gay, he will be punished for having sexual relationships. That requires Joe to stay in the closet and take occasional trips to Las Vegas to get what he needs.
Kabe is new in town, living with relatives while on probation after spending time in prison on a felony arrest. When his family is out of town, they ask Joe to keep an eye on him to make sure nobody bothers him. There is an instant attraction on Joe's part. When a tourist falls to her death on Kabe's land, Joe needs Kabe's help at the accident site. As the two work together, Joe finds that Kabe's obvious interest in him will make it difficult to resist. Any relationship will mean trouble with the church, but that is only the tip of the iceberg once rumors start to fly about Joe and Kabe.
I am not a religious person and I don't like books with overly religious stories, but found this one had just the right balance. Regardless of what the Church says, Joe's faith runs deep. He accepts who he is and the problems it will cause, but never loses his faith in his beliefs and doesn't use it as an excuse in the relationship. Kabe is a force of nature. While outwardly he is the polar opposite of Joe, they fit together in more ways than one.
The mystery really takes a backseat to the story of the two men coming together. There were some technical aspects of rock climbing that were a bit tough to get through since that is not something I have much interest in, but the author did a great job in setting out the thrill and beauty of it as well. The sex was scorching hot and the two have some kinks that complement each other nicely. There are so many obstacles ahead of these two, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
Joe is a Sheriff's Deputy in Utah. A mormon and a member of the LDS church, he is strong in his faith, but has also come to terms with the fact that he is gay. While the church would not punish him for being gay, he will be punished for having sexual relationships. That requires Joe to stay in the closet and take occasional trips to Las Vegas to get what he needs.
Kabe is new in town, living with relatives while on probation after spending time in prison on a felony arrest. When his family is out of town, they ask Joe to keep an eye on him to make sure nobody bothers him. There is an instant attraction on Joe's part. When a tourist falls to her death on Kabe's land, Joe needs Kabe's help at the accident site. As the two work together, Joe finds that Kabe's obvious interest in him will make it difficult to resist. Any relationship will mean trouble with the church, but that is only the tip of the iceberg once rumors start to fly about Joe and Kabe.
I am not a religious person and I don't like books with overly religious stories, but found this one had just the right balance. Regardless of what the Church says, Joe's faith runs deep. He accepts who he is and the problems it will cause, but never loses his faith in his beliefs and doesn't use it as an excuse in the relationship. Kabe is a force of nature. While outwardly he is the polar opposite of Joe, they fit together in more ways than one.
The mystery really takes a backseat to the story of the two men coming together. There were some technical aspects of rock climbing that were a bit tough to get through since that is not something I have much interest in, but the author did a great job in setting out the thrill and beauty of it as well. The sex was scorching hot and the two have some kinks that complement each other nicely. There are so many obstacles ahead of these two, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
November 24, 2020
Hard Fall begins the Deputy Joe series. Deputy Joe Peterson has to be one of my favorite characters in M/M romance. He's a cop and a believing Mormon but also a closeted gay Dom. He walks a difficult line, trying to reconcile his personal faith with who he is. His integrity does not let him pretend to himself about the hard questions.
Joe meets young free-climber Kabe, as a murder mystery opens. Kabe is his balance - a sub, but also a free spirit, a man who can encompass all the parts of Joe that have so far found no real outlet. Joe has always just kept his sexuality and desires under wraps and gone with the flow, but with Kabe in his life, hiding is not going to continue to be an option.
I love Joe's narrative voice. Some people have found his colloquial country-boy tone annoying (one reader on Amazon complained about all the 'typos') but I like it; it sounds right in my head. About his relationship with Kabe, Joe says, "My heart decided to go and I didn't have much choice but to follow." It's that simple, but not that easy.
Each book in this series has a mystery and a solid ending, as the relationship develops, and as Joe finds his way, both in his profession and with his Mormon family. The BDSM element is present, but not the main feature of the stories. I enjoyed all of them, and would read more of Joe any time.
Joe meets young free-climber Kabe, as a murder mystery opens. Kabe is his balance - a sub, but also a free spirit, a man who can encompass all the parts of Joe that have so far found no real outlet. Joe has always just kept his sexuality and desires under wraps and gone with the flow, but with Kabe in his life, hiding is not going to continue to be an option.
I love Joe's narrative voice. Some people have found his colloquial country-boy tone annoying (one reader on Amazon complained about all the 'typos') but I like it; it sounds right in my head. About his relationship with Kabe, Joe says, "My heart decided to go and I didn't have much choice but to follow." It's that simple, but not that easy.
Each book in this series has a mystery and a solid ending, as the relationship develops, and as Joe finds his way, both in his profession and with his Mormon family. The BDSM element is present, but not the main feature of the stories. I enjoyed all of them, and would read more of Joe any time.
May 5, 2015
It can be difficult for me to write a review for a book that has as huge a religious aspect as this book does. I will be the first to admit that I don't really get religion. I've never been particularly religious, in spite of my upbringing, and I have a hard time understanding what people really see in it, much less get out of it. But at the end of the day, we all have to get through life the best we can, I suppose. That said, when a gay man is a member of and a devout believer in a sect that is so hateful and oppressive of the LGBT community, I just really don’t understand it. How does he deal with the cognitive dissonance?
Joe is a Deputy Sheriff of a small town in Utah and gay and ... Mormon. The Mormon faith is not exactly known for being gay-friendly, but Joe sees God in all of nature and knows that God made him just the way he is. He's learned to accept himself. And, somehow, he has found a way to reconcile his faith with his sexuality. He doesn't go out of his way to flaunt his sexuality, because that will get him excommunicated, but he doesn't deny who he is, either. And as far as I can tell, unlike so many of the people in his community, Joe doesn't have a hateful bone in his body. Up until he met Kabe, Joe kept his sexual encounters to trips to Vegas and never so close to home. He still considers his community to be friends and neighbors, in spite of their views, and he can't see himself ever living anywhere else.
Kabe is new in town, but a relative of a couple native residents. He's fresh out of prison for doing something incredibly stupid. He owns it, though, and doesn't try to make excuses or dodge responsibility. He's young, of mixed race and a bit of a firecracker. He tends to speak his mind, especially when someone he cares about is getting abused, or harassed. Kabe doesn't believe in God and, like me, doesn't understand at all how Joe could hold so tightly to a faith that shuns who he is.
Though the suspense part of the plot didn't overshadow the romance, there is a death being investigated, of a German tourist that took a fatal fall. It's during this investigation that Joe and Kabe act on their attraction and doing that gets Joe in a world of trouble with his employer, his church, and his community. I thought Joe handled it all very well, though. He didn't deny, he didn't repent and he didn't push Kabe away. Instead, he spoke his mind and did his best to live and let live, not that certain members of his community would allow that.
I gave Hard Fall four stars, because, as much as I loathe the religious bigotry presented, Joe didn't wallow and repent and push Kabe away. He's deeply religious, but has somehow reconciled his own faith and his sexuality. I think Joe is making progress in his own spiritual journey and isn't just resigned to being a hell bound sinner. If he'd have wallowed, Hard Fall would have taken a different turn for me.
Joe is a Deputy Sheriff of a small town in Utah and gay and ... Mormon. The Mormon faith is not exactly known for being gay-friendly, but Joe sees God in all of nature and knows that God made him just the way he is. He's learned to accept himself. And, somehow, he has found a way to reconcile his faith with his sexuality. He doesn't go out of his way to flaunt his sexuality, because that will get him excommunicated, but he doesn't deny who he is, either. And as far as I can tell, unlike so many of the people in his community, Joe doesn't have a hateful bone in his body. Up until he met Kabe, Joe kept his sexual encounters to trips to Vegas and never so close to home. He still considers his community to be friends and neighbors, in spite of their views, and he can't see himself ever living anywhere else.
Kabe is new in town, but a relative of a couple native residents. He's fresh out of prison for doing something incredibly stupid. He owns it, though, and doesn't try to make excuses or dodge responsibility. He's young, of mixed race and a bit of a firecracker. He tends to speak his mind, especially when someone he cares about is getting abused, or harassed. Kabe doesn't believe in God and, like me, doesn't understand at all how Joe could hold so tightly to a faith that shuns who he is.
Though the suspense part of the plot didn't overshadow the romance, there is a death being investigated, of a German tourist that took a fatal fall. It's during this investigation that Joe and Kabe act on their attraction and doing that gets Joe in a world of trouble with his employer, his church, and his community. I thought Joe handled it all very well, though. He didn't deny, he didn't repent and he didn't push Kabe away. Instead, he spoke his mind and did his best to live and let live, not that certain members of his community would allow that.
I gave Hard Fall four stars, because, as much as I loathe the religious bigotry presented, Joe didn't wallow and repent and push Kabe away. He's deeply religious, but has somehow reconciled his own faith and his sexuality. I think Joe is making progress in his own spiritual journey and isn't just resigned to being a hell bound sinner. If he'd have wallowed, Hard Fall would have taken a different turn for me.
September 28, 2009
I had an extremely difficult time getting into this book, mainly because of the hick style speech of the main character. And since it was in first person, there was no getting away from it. I also had a few issues with some of the main character's behaviors - I didn't really think they rang true for who he supposedly was.
Normally I would have given up and said this book was not for me, but I just couldn't do that this time because of the Mormon thing. I was sooo curious to see how it would be handled, I couldn't just let this go. And I'm glad I soldiered on because it did actually get good.
I was eventually able to slip inside this guy's head, at which point his "hick talk" became much easier to handle. But I wasn't sold until those first few issues I had got addressed.
So you may have surmised by now that I am Mormon. I'm not exactly "active" in the church right now and haven't been for a few years, but otherwise I'm as Mormon as you get. Born and raised in the church, as were my parents and their parents before them. In fact, my great great grandfather actually performed the very first plural marriage ceremony when Joseph Smith was married to his second wife. (I'm oh so proud.) And even though I don't really go to church anymore, my whole family is still active, and I live in Utah right in the heart of Mormon country. It's impossible to avoid. I say all this to establish my "Mormon cred" - so when I address the Mormon issues of this book you know I know what I'm talking about.
At first this book made me a little uncomfortable. The fact that this was supposedly a member in good standing with the church but he was going off to Vegas to get hand jobs? Uh-uh. That's what bugged me immediately; it just doesn't work that way. But later on when he explained that he had stopped taking the sacrament, I felt a lot better about that. (Although he also probably also shouldn't have been wearing garments and definitely shouldn't have had a temple recommend, which he mentioned being taken away later, but whatever.)
The scene that really sold me, though, was that first meeting with his bishop. The conversation they had was pretty darn accurate, and I found myself really relating to Joe. I actually feel the same way he does - I personally still believe in the church, but I have a lot of issues with the people and the organization, the "gay thing" being a big one of those. Mormonism is kind of an all or nothing thing. It's not a Sunday religion, it's a 24/7 religion and you can't pick and choose which parts of it to believe. Joe was trying to straddle the line, which I've also been doing for quite some time, but it doesn't really work that way. So it was this that made me really start to like him.
By the end of the book, I actually felt that Buchanan handled the Mormon angle extremely well. It was very accurate and handled with respect, which I appreciated. I certainly recognize the flaws of my religion, but it was still how I was raised and I still believe a lot of it so I couldn't have enjoyed this book if it had completely torn the Church down.
The only thing that kind of bugged me was the behavior of the bishop at the diner near the end. That was more of a "small town" thing than a "Mormon" thing, I think. For one, Mormons don't really believe in "hell" as such, so it's hard to imagine a Mormon bishop telling someone they were going to burn there. Not saying this was an inaccurate portrayal of the way that particular character would have behaved, just that this wouldn't be typical of most Mormon bishops.
Overall this was a really good book with likeable characters. I was nervous about how it would be portrayed and was ready to point out any inaccuracies but in the end I didn't really find any. Any concerns I had near the beginning were adequately addressed later on. I would definitely recommend it.
Normally I would have given up and said this book was not for me, but I just couldn't do that this time because of the Mormon thing. I was sooo curious to see how it would be handled, I couldn't just let this go. And I'm glad I soldiered on because it did actually get good.
I was eventually able to slip inside this guy's head, at which point his "hick talk" became much easier to handle. But I wasn't sold until those first few issues I had got addressed.
So you may have surmised by now that I am Mormon. I'm not exactly "active" in the church right now and haven't been for a few years, but otherwise I'm as Mormon as you get. Born and raised in the church, as were my parents and their parents before them. In fact, my great great grandfather actually performed the very first plural marriage ceremony when Joseph Smith was married to his second wife. (I'm oh so proud.) And even though I don't really go to church anymore, my whole family is still active, and I live in Utah right in the heart of Mormon country. It's impossible to avoid. I say all this to establish my "Mormon cred" - so when I address the Mormon issues of this book you know I know what I'm talking about.
At first this book made me a little uncomfortable. The fact that this was supposedly a member in good standing with the church but he was going off to Vegas to get hand jobs? Uh-uh. That's what bugged me immediately; it just doesn't work that way. But later on when he explained that he had stopped taking the sacrament, I felt a lot better about that. (Although he also probably also shouldn't have been wearing garments and definitely shouldn't have had a temple recommend, which he mentioned being taken away later, but whatever.)
The scene that really sold me, though, was that first meeting with his bishop. The conversation they had was pretty darn accurate, and I found myself really relating to Joe. I actually feel the same way he does - I personally still believe in the church, but I have a lot of issues with the people and the organization, the "gay thing" being a big one of those. Mormonism is kind of an all or nothing thing. It's not a Sunday religion, it's a 24/7 religion and you can't pick and choose which parts of it to believe. Joe was trying to straddle the line, which I've also been doing for quite some time, but it doesn't really work that way. So it was this that made me really start to like him.
By the end of the book, I actually felt that Buchanan handled the Mormon angle extremely well. It was very accurate and handled with respect, which I appreciated. I certainly recognize the flaws of my religion, but it was still how I was raised and I still believe a lot of it so I couldn't have enjoyed this book if it had completely torn the Church down.
The only thing that kind of bugged me was the behavior of the bishop at the diner near the end. That was more of a "small town" thing than a "Mormon" thing, I think. For one, Mormons don't really believe in "hell" as such, so it's hard to imagine a Mormon bishop telling someone they were going to burn there. Not saying this was an inaccurate portrayal of the way that particular character would have behaved, just that this wouldn't be typical of most Mormon bishops.
Overall this was a really good book with likeable characters. I was nervous about how it would be portrayed and was ready to point out any inaccuracies but in the end I didn't really find any. Any concerns I had near the beginning were adequately addressed later on. I would definitely recommend it.
October 22, 2009
Joe Peterson is a Deputy Sheriff, a Mormon and a gay man. He loves his job and his life in a small Utah town and is very strong in his faith. Over time he has come to terms with his sexuality although he is totally in the closet. There's just no reason to be out as far as he is concerned, when he needs some sexual release he simple goes to Las Vegas and takes care of it. He is not looking for love and really doesn't think to ever have a long term relationship.
All of that starts to change when he meets Kabe Varghese. Kabe is a young man just recently out of prison who has come to the area to stay with relatives while he finishes his parole. When Joe first sees Kabe his reaction is that he's a "prime slab of twenty-something pretty-boy in tight jeans." Joe keeps an eye on Kabe and tries to convince himself it's as a Deputy Sheriff but he soon has to admit to himself that Kabe fascinates him.
When a woman dies in a fall on a nearby mountain both Joe and Kabe, as experienced climbers, are needed to get her body out. The mystery of her death will require them to work together and this will start a chain of events that will ultimately change both Joe and Kabe's life.
I must say I think this is some of 's best writing. I loved this book. Both Joe and Kabe are very well written, Joe especially, and it seemed as if I knew him myself. Kabe is a young man who made a wrong choice for love and paid for it. He is dealing with his mistake as best he can when he meets and falls for Joe. The secondary characters in the book are also well written and some of them will come to play a big part in Joe and Kabe's life, some for good and some bad.
When Joe and Kabe take their relationship to the next level they embark on a journey of discovery that is both highly erotic and full of deep emotions. In the end there will be repercussions, especially for Joe, from their being together. But Joe ultimately comes to the realization that sometimes falling hard, with someone there to catch you, can be just what a person needs.
All of that starts to change when he meets Kabe Varghese. Kabe is a young man just recently out of prison who has come to the area to stay with relatives while he finishes his parole. When Joe first sees Kabe his reaction is that he's a "prime slab of twenty-something pretty-boy in tight jeans." Joe keeps an eye on Kabe and tries to convince himself it's as a Deputy Sheriff but he soon has to admit to himself that Kabe fascinates him.
When a woman dies in a fall on a nearby mountain both Joe and Kabe, as experienced climbers, are needed to get her body out. The mystery of her death will require them to work together and this will start a chain of events that will ultimately change both Joe and Kabe's life.
I must say I think this is some of 's best writing. I loved this book. Both Joe and Kabe are very well written, Joe especially, and it seemed as if I knew him myself. Kabe is a young man who made a wrong choice for love and paid for it. He is dealing with his mistake as best he can when he meets and falls for Joe. The secondary characters in the book are also well written and some of them will come to play a big part in Joe and Kabe's life, some for good and some bad.
When Joe and Kabe take their relationship to the next level they embark on a journey of discovery that is both highly erotic and full of deep emotions. In the end there will be repercussions, especially for Joe, from their being together. But Joe ultimately comes to the realization that sometimes falling hard, with someone there to catch you, can be just what a person needs.
June 19, 2014
An easy flowing compelling page turning read. I was totally engaged whilst being in Joe’s head.
Joe’s whole life was about being in control. We start to see what happens when he loses that control with the entry of Kabe in his life. He is put through a test of fire which tests his life, his beliefs, friendships and family.
Being cut off from his life, seems easy for an outsider, even to us the readers, to say fuck them and turn your back and walk away. But that is not so easy to do is it. Our lives are tied to places, people, modes of thinking, traditions, can we just turn our backs. By walking away we are tearing apart the threads that tie us and that hurts.
What draws me to Joe amongst other factors is that he is a man who recognises his own bullshit and owns it, without seeking to place a bit of blame here and a bit of blame there.
The mountain climbing speak, the Mormon speak were new to me, but I like new, makes things interesting. One thing though is that I will probably never consider becoming a Mormon
Eager to look into the next book in this series, definitely want more Joe and Kabe because:
"And you know, the losing it, I think you had kinda lot of reason to. But that, too. Need me to just hold you while it comes out? I'm there."
January 5, 2014
2.5 stars that I'm gonna go ahead and round up to 3 - all because I liked Deputy Joe.
I almost DNF'd this book. The first half was just boring. I had to put it down for a while and read something else before I went stir crazy from the boredom. When I came back to it this morning, yeah it did get better as they moved from the excessive details about rock climbing and actually gave me some feels but I don't think I will be reading the rest of the series. I don't really think this author does it for me. I had the same issue with - there was just way too much information being dumped on me. I now know more about rock climbing than I ever wanted to know.
The only saving grace was Deputy Joe's voice. He was easy to like, even when he was (or because he was) stubborn.
*sigh*
October 17, 2014
I have to admit I was a little annoyed by Joe’s dialect at first. I did eventually get used it though and it became part of his charm. And if’n I said that I didn’t love Joe, well I’d done be lyin�.
Joe’s a Sheriff’s deputy in a small town in Utah deep in the closet and a devout Mormon. He has a strong belief in his faith and he’s reconciled with being gay but he’s practical enough to know that he won’t be accepted in this small Mormon community if they knew. ‘I know. I know. Gay and Mormon don’t cohabit very well. The Church has been wrong on other stuff, seen the light and changed their ways…I’m hoping they’ll see the light on this issue. Can’t say I’m holding my breath, though. Let’s face it…God made me this way. The same way he made me a blue eyed blond with a receding hairline at 20. � I don’t have any choice in wanting another guy’s meat.� So he’s content with staying in the closet and going off to Vegas to hook up with one night stands…until Kabe comes to town.
Joe wants him and he’s conflicted because he wants more than just a one-off with Kabe once he has him. Sex is one thing, but he never imagined having a relationship with a man. Kabe pushes all of Joe’s buttons. I loved that Kabe brings out the kinky side of Joe. Joe just has the urge to tie Kabe up, spank him, flog him…and Kabe is more than happy to let him. Kabe also bring out the romantic side of Joe. He doesn’t say these things out loud but he does get down right poetic thinking of him. ’The Saints could all fall, burn out like fireballs, and I’d feel his touch over a thousand miles.�
I could’ve done without all the climbing technical jargon, but I did love Joe’s love of nature and just how at peace he feels out there in the mountains. ‘Nothing in the world could compare to a huge sky miles from any hint of civilization. Reminded me of sex…the openness of it, the forgetting yourself in the moment of it, losing your soul to something bigger and touching creation for just a second.�
The mystery was practically non-existent, but I didn’t mind at all. I loved Joe and the relationship starting with Kabe and I’m looking forward to seeing that grow into more. ’So I figured it was about time to let myself fall, fall real hard, so long as I landed in his arms.�
Joe’s a Sheriff’s deputy in a small town in Utah deep in the closet and a devout Mormon. He has a strong belief in his faith and he’s reconciled with being gay but he’s practical enough to know that he won’t be accepted in this small Mormon community if they knew. ‘I know. I know. Gay and Mormon don’t cohabit very well. The Church has been wrong on other stuff, seen the light and changed their ways…I’m hoping they’ll see the light on this issue. Can’t say I’m holding my breath, though. Let’s face it…God made me this way. The same way he made me a blue eyed blond with a receding hairline at 20. � I don’t have any choice in wanting another guy’s meat.� So he’s content with staying in the closet and going off to Vegas to hook up with one night stands…until Kabe comes to town.
Joe wants him and he’s conflicted because he wants more than just a one-off with Kabe once he has him. Sex is one thing, but he never imagined having a relationship with a man. Kabe pushes all of Joe’s buttons. I loved that Kabe brings out the kinky side of Joe. Joe just has the urge to tie Kabe up, spank him, flog him…and Kabe is more than happy to let him. Kabe also bring out the romantic side of Joe. He doesn’t say these things out loud but he does get down right poetic thinking of him. ’The Saints could all fall, burn out like fireballs, and I’d feel his touch over a thousand miles.�
I could’ve done without all the climbing technical jargon, but I did love Joe’s love of nature and just how at peace he feels out there in the mountains. ‘Nothing in the world could compare to a huge sky miles from any hint of civilization. Reminded me of sex…the openness of it, the forgetting yourself in the moment of it, losing your soul to something bigger and touching creation for just a second.�
The mystery was practically non-existent, but I didn’t mind at all. I loved Joe and the relationship starting with Kabe and I’m looking forward to seeing that grow into more. ’So I figured it was about time to let myself fall, fall real hard, so long as I landed in his arms.�
April 15, 2016
So glad I read this. Loved Joe and Kabe and their chemistry. Liked the LDS angle and Joe's struggle reconciling his attraction to men with his cultural upbringing. Being LDS isn't just a church or belief, it's really a way of life and to have that taken away must be extremely difficult. While we didn't meet any of Joe's family (kinda surprising) I suspect that they may pop up in later books. I will be interested to see how it plays out.
December 20, 2014
Great outdoorsy read with steam, intolerance, and self acceptance.
Joe is a solid, upright citizen. A man who contributes to his community and serves it because that is what he believes is right. He's well respected until it all hits the fan. There's something wrong with him--at least, that's what a portion of his neighbors think. Cue intolerance and homophobia.
The temptation? Kabe. An ex-con that's settled into the area. When circumstances bring them together they have a hard time separating again.
There's a lot more to this story than just a biracial, religious romance. There's some great climbing and hiking, and while I don't do the first, this story definitely made me want to do the second--now. Nature lovers take note, a good portion of the story revolves around the open spaces and it has a certain reverence to it. There is a strong emphasis on rock climbing in particular.
Growing up in an extremely diverse area I find that multicultural stories often have a weird fetish to them or stereotyping that doesn't sit well with me, but here it wasn't an issue at all. Yes, there are instances of skin admiration, but it focused more on tonal hues in the sunlight and difference after a solid spanking--Yum. Gorgeous play that noted the inherent difference, but didn't feel skeezy.
The part that was a bit more uncomfortable for me was the LDS component and Joe's struggle with finding a balance between his beliefs, his orientation, and his church. Honestly, this underlined why I have issues with organized religion. Having a family member who converted during college, I can say that I understood and thought the portrayal of Mormon beliefs and behaviors were in line with what I've observed: missionaries, food stockpiles, tithing, caffeine/alcohol restrictions, and baptisms for the deceased. I have no knowledge of undergarments and Temple activities.
Overall, one man's struggle for acceptance in the wild open spaces of the West.
3.5 Stars More than three, but not quite a four.
Favorite quote:
Joe is a solid, upright citizen. A man who contributes to his community and serves it because that is what he believes is right. He's well respected until it all hits the fan. There's something wrong with him--at least, that's what a portion of his neighbors think. Cue intolerance and homophobia.
The temptation? Kabe. An ex-con that's settled into the area. When circumstances bring them together they have a hard time separating again.
There's a lot more to this story than just a biracial, religious romance. There's some great climbing and hiking, and while I don't do the first, this story definitely made me want to do the second--now. Nature lovers take note, a good portion of the story revolves around the open spaces and it has a certain reverence to it. There is a strong emphasis on rock climbing in particular.
Growing up in an extremely diverse area I find that multicultural stories often have a weird fetish to them or stereotyping that doesn't sit well with me, but here it wasn't an issue at all. Yes, there are instances of skin admiration, but it focused more on tonal hues in the sunlight and difference after a solid spanking--Yum. Gorgeous play that noted the inherent difference, but didn't feel skeezy.
The part that was a bit more uncomfortable for me was the LDS component and Joe's struggle with finding a balance between his beliefs, his orientation, and his church. Honestly, this underlined why I have issues with organized religion. Having a family member who converted during college, I can say that I understood and thought the portrayal of Mormon beliefs and behaviors were in line with what I've observed: missionaries, food stockpiles, tithing, caffeine/alcohol restrictions, and baptisms for the deceased. I have no knowledge of undergarments and Temple activities.
Overall, one man's struggle for acceptance in the wild open spaces of the West.
3.5 Stars More than three, but not quite a four.
Favorite quote:
"God may love me, but you don't."
October 2, 2017
4.0 Stars
*sigh* Deputy Joe. What can I say? He's Mormon, a cop, and in the closet. He's imperfect but good, honest, and wholesome. He's wonderful. I loved this book. Kabe is the peanut butter to his jelly. He's young, snarky, and confident. He's out. And, he's on federal probation. Whoa. The sparks fly and the two fall hard and fast for one another but life in small town Utah is less than tolerant ... in fact, it's downright bigoted at times.
This book was wonderful but you have to like Deputy Joe's voice. It's told solely from his perspective. And it's a lot; meaning, you also get his stream of consciousness. His inside voice is not super chatty but it can be a bit much, given that his is the only perspective you ever get. Personally, I liked being in Joe's head.
Couple miscellaneous tidbits:
Bottom line: I <3 Deputy Joe.
*sigh* Deputy Joe. What can I say? He's Mormon, a cop, and in the closet. He's imperfect but good, honest, and wholesome. He's wonderful. I loved this book. Kabe is the peanut butter to his jelly. He's young, snarky, and confident. He's out. And, he's on federal probation. Whoa. The sparks fly and the two fall hard and fast for one another but life in small town Utah is less than tolerant ... in fact, it's downright bigoted at times.
This book was wonderful but you have to like Deputy Joe's voice. It's told solely from his perspective. And it's a lot; meaning, you also get his stream of consciousness. His inside voice is not super chatty but it can be a bit much, given that his is the only perspective you ever get. Personally, I liked being in Joe's head.
Couple miscellaneous tidbits:
- I learned more than I ever wanted to know about rock climbing and the associated apparatus.
- These guys were into the musky smells and sweat that result from rock climbing and going days without a bath. Me, not so much.
- The Mormon faith's stance on homosexuality ... wow, I'm not even going there.
- The mystery was engaging and the legal maneuverings were spot on! (Yay!)
Bottom line: I <3 Deputy Joe.
June 27, 2010
Joe Peterson lives in the small town of Panquich, Utah where he is a deputy sheriff. Joe is a country boy, through-and-through, and he devoutly clings to the traditions of his Mormon faith. He has a penchant for rock climbing, and is by all intents and purposes what you may consider a pragmatic, conservative survivalist. Ironically, Joe is also gay.
When a local couple asks Joe to keep an eye on their ranch while they are away, he encounters Kabe Varghese, the ranch owners� nephew. Kabe is new to the area, and Joe discovers that he has a criminal record. Kabe is on parole after doing time for a drug possession charge, and thus he has come to stay at the ranch for the duration of this two-year probationary period. Kabe is an avid rock climber himself, and of course he is also gay.
When Joe is called out to the ranch to investigate the death of a tourist who had been hiking on nearby property, he enlists the help of Kabe. They must descend the side of a cliff to retrieve the body of this female tourist who had apparently fallen to her death.
Initially Joe and Kabe do not see eye-to-eye, opposite one another in so many ways. As straight-laced and conservative as Joe is, Kabe is equally as free-spirited and rebellious. In spite of their distrust of one another, they form a bond as they begin to focus upon the investigation of this potential murder.
Written in first-person singular from Joe’s point-of-view, the vocabulary and writing style was very disturbing to me. It was so jarring, in fact, that I almost abandoned the read altogether. This is not to say, however, that I felt it was poorly written or edited. Contrarily, it was very skillfully written in what I believe to be a very natural and authentic presentation of rural-northwestern dialect. I must admit, though, that I visibly winced every time the wrong verb tense was used (such as “we was� or “he weren’t�), and the use of the words “If’n�, “cain’t�, “wontcha�, “y’all�, and numerous other slang expressions was enough to send my OCD into overdrive.
I am so thankful that I was able to adapt to the narrator’s accent because this book ended up being one of the most spectacular gay-themed, D/s, love stories that I have ever read. There are so many wonderful things I could possibly say about this book, that I easily could write a novel of my own simply for the purpose of extolling its virtues.
Firstly, it contained all of the classic elements of Dom-sub attraction. Joe is a natural-born leader. He is a pragmatist who makes decisions automatically and confidently. He is a black-and-white thinker who is very concerned with protocol and chains-of-command.
Kabe is sweet and sincere, and he is easily led by his heart. The initial trouble he had gotten himself into was the result of misplaced trust in a person whom he had once idolized. He had been seeking guidance, and in the process he was led astray.
Secondly, the characterization in the story is not only brilliant, but also amazingly realistic. I’ve encountered numerous stories in which the submissive character is fully fleshed out, but the Doms always seem to be an enigma. This story was written from the Dominant’s point of view, and it was amazingly and authentically insightful.
I especially loved the manner in which Joe’s dominant identity was awakened within him. This is precisely what happens in reality. A true submissive will awaken a true Dominant, and omg, when it happens, it is electrifying! Oh man, this review is so hard to write without spoilers, and I hope the author will forgive me for saying this, but this awakening to which I’m referring occurs during a wicked hot spank scene. It is so intensely powerful that afterwards the Dom is overcome with emotion. Reading it literally reduced me to a fit of sobbing.
And one more thing about the characterization: I loved the way Kabe arced during the story. It was not so much that he actually changed, but his vulnerability was exposed. Initially he was so guarded, and I could definitely understand this. He had been badly burned, taking the fall for someone whom he loved. There is a telephone conversation that Kabe has with his grandmother in which he reveals this vulnerability and describes why he is drawn to and needs Joe so desperately. Joe overhears the conversation inadvertently, and again…it is very emotional.
Thirdly—and this is a BIGGIE—let’s talk about the sex! Oh my word, the sex is amazing. Don’t get me wrong, this story is not laced with unnecessary sex scenes. In fact I believe that during the course of this 230 page novel there are only five scenes, but they are utterly perfect. These scenes made me fall in love with Joe. I literally wanted to crawl into the pages of this book and serve him myself. All I can say is you’ve got to read them.
Fourthly, I was beyond impressed by the manner in which Joe’s religious conflict was presented. Perhaps the most difficult issue that a gay person has to face within our society is the reconciliation of their faith with their identity. Many people who are not raised in a religious or rural environment have no understanding of this reality. They seem to think that a person should be able to just get over it and realize that the religion is a bunch of crap. In truth, however, our religious beliefs are often as strongly rooted within our identities as are our sexual orientations. I respect and appreciate that the author did not once trash the Mormon faith. The bigotry that existed within this religious community was exposed, but it was not generalized in a manner in which all people of faith were painted as homophobes. Kudos to the author for this respectful and sensitive presentation. I might also add that it was incredibly well-researched and spot-on accurate.
Fifthly and finally, I must comment on the mainstream presentation of the Dom/sub dynamic. This is a personal pet peeve of mine within BDSM literature. I rarely read BDSM due to the fact that for the most part it is so outrageously exaggerated. In Hard Fall, though, it is as real as it gets. There is no leather or costumes or wild fetish. There is, however, bondage and power-play, and the Top is always the Top—the bottom is always the bottom. It is presented not as a roleplay, though, but rather as a dynamic. It’s a matter of identity, and if you cannot understand this concept, you should not write BDSM. Buchanan obviously does understand!
I see why this book was nominated for the National Leather Association International Writing Award. My only surprise is that it did not win. Hard Fall has moved onto my short list of favorite-books-of-all-time. I highly recommend this read.
When a local couple asks Joe to keep an eye on their ranch while they are away, he encounters Kabe Varghese, the ranch owners� nephew. Kabe is new to the area, and Joe discovers that he has a criminal record. Kabe is on parole after doing time for a drug possession charge, and thus he has come to stay at the ranch for the duration of this two-year probationary period. Kabe is an avid rock climber himself, and of course he is also gay.
When Joe is called out to the ranch to investigate the death of a tourist who had been hiking on nearby property, he enlists the help of Kabe. They must descend the side of a cliff to retrieve the body of this female tourist who had apparently fallen to her death.
Initially Joe and Kabe do not see eye-to-eye, opposite one another in so many ways. As straight-laced and conservative as Joe is, Kabe is equally as free-spirited and rebellious. In spite of their distrust of one another, they form a bond as they begin to focus upon the investigation of this potential murder.
Written in first-person singular from Joe’s point-of-view, the vocabulary and writing style was very disturbing to me. It was so jarring, in fact, that I almost abandoned the read altogether. This is not to say, however, that I felt it was poorly written or edited. Contrarily, it was very skillfully written in what I believe to be a very natural and authentic presentation of rural-northwestern dialect. I must admit, though, that I visibly winced every time the wrong verb tense was used (such as “we was� or “he weren’t�), and the use of the words “If’n�, “cain’t�, “wontcha�, “y’all�, and numerous other slang expressions was enough to send my OCD into overdrive.
I am so thankful that I was able to adapt to the narrator’s accent because this book ended up being one of the most spectacular gay-themed, D/s, love stories that I have ever read. There are so many wonderful things I could possibly say about this book, that I easily could write a novel of my own simply for the purpose of extolling its virtues.
Firstly, it contained all of the classic elements of Dom-sub attraction. Joe is a natural-born leader. He is a pragmatist who makes decisions automatically and confidently. He is a black-and-white thinker who is very concerned with protocol and chains-of-command.
Kabe is sweet and sincere, and he is easily led by his heart. The initial trouble he had gotten himself into was the result of misplaced trust in a person whom he had once idolized. He had been seeking guidance, and in the process he was led astray.
Secondly, the characterization in the story is not only brilliant, but also amazingly realistic. I’ve encountered numerous stories in which the submissive character is fully fleshed out, but the Doms always seem to be an enigma. This story was written from the Dominant’s point of view, and it was amazingly and authentically insightful.
I especially loved the manner in which Joe’s dominant identity was awakened within him. This is precisely what happens in reality. A true submissive will awaken a true Dominant, and omg, when it happens, it is electrifying! Oh man, this review is so hard to write without spoilers, and I hope the author will forgive me for saying this, but this awakening to which I’m referring occurs during a wicked hot spank scene. It is so intensely powerful that afterwards the Dom is overcome with emotion. Reading it literally reduced me to a fit of sobbing.
And one more thing about the characterization: I loved the way Kabe arced during the story. It was not so much that he actually changed, but his vulnerability was exposed. Initially he was so guarded, and I could definitely understand this. He had been badly burned, taking the fall for someone whom he loved. There is a telephone conversation that Kabe has with his grandmother in which he reveals this vulnerability and describes why he is drawn to and needs Joe so desperately. Joe overhears the conversation inadvertently, and again…it is very emotional.
Thirdly—and this is a BIGGIE—let’s talk about the sex! Oh my word, the sex is amazing. Don’t get me wrong, this story is not laced with unnecessary sex scenes. In fact I believe that during the course of this 230 page novel there are only five scenes, but they are utterly perfect. These scenes made me fall in love with Joe. I literally wanted to crawl into the pages of this book and serve him myself. All I can say is you’ve got to read them.
Fourthly, I was beyond impressed by the manner in which Joe’s religious conflict was presented. Perhaps the most difficult issue that a gay person has to face within our society is the reconciliation of their faith with their identity. Many people who are not raised in a religious or rural environment have no understanding of this reality. They seem to think that a person should be able to just get over it and realize that the religion is a bunch of crap. In truth, however, our religious beliefs are often as strongly rooted within our identities as are our sexual orientations. I respect and appreciate that the author did not once trash the Mormon faith. The bigotry that existed within this religious community was exposed, but it was not generalized in a manner in which all people of faith were painted as homophobes. Kudos to the author for this respectful and sensitive presentation. I might also add that it was incredibly well-researched and spot-on accurate.
Fifthly and finally, I must comment on the mainstream presentation of the Dom/sub dynamic. This is a personal pet peeve of mine within BDSM literature. I rarely read BDSM due to the fact that for the most part it is so outrageously exaggerated. In Hard Fall, though, it is as real as it gets. There is no leather or costumes or wild fetish. There is, however, bondage and power-play, and the Top is always the Top—the bottom is always the bottom. It is presented not as a roleplay, though, but rather as a dynamic. It’s a matter of identity, and if you cannot understand this concept, you should not write BDSM. Buchanan obviously does understand!
I see why this book was nominated for the National Leather Association International Writing Award. My only surprise is that it did not win. Hard Fall has moved onto my short list of favorite-books-of-all-time. I highly recommend this read.
August 28, 2018
Some minor spoilers and some personal talk ahead, so be warned.
I'm just going to be upfront about this: I have extremely complicated and mixed feelings about this book. I was raised Mormon, so that's always going to color my views and interpretations of characters who are also Mormon. I also have very complicated and mixed feelings when it comes to my church (though not my faith), so that also factors into all this. I'm also extremely tired of the "bigoted religious people" trope that's used way too often in MM. Need a character who hates the gays? Make them ultra conservative religious! *yawn* It's boring, it's cliched, it's annoying. Stop it, writers. Or at least, balance it out with some open-minded conservative religious characters, because you know what? They exist too.
And that is ultimately what this book does. Joe is, in many ways, my alter ego. If I were a deputy and could rock climb. ;) I connected with Joe in a way I've never connected with another character before. It was like, finally, here's a character I can understand inside and out (or very nearly understand, I'll get to that in a minute), who shares my views and my hopes and disappointments with my church, who can be both true to his faith and himself at the same time. Yes, he meets resistance with the bishop, who is not a mustache-twirling villain but who actually thinks he's trying to help Joe in the way the church ordains it. He also meets with support and affirmation. So I liked all that. Actually, I loved all that.
I also liked the murder mystery. It's pretty standard as far as murder mysteries go, but the location makes it unique and you can tell the author either did an extreme amount of research or has lived in the area and participated in rock climbing himself. It's authentic and genuine, and the locales and characters we meet along the way just jump off the page. It's very rare for an author to do that.
Sadly, he lost me with the BDSM. The way it was introduced here just did not work for me at all. Joe basically comes across as an abusive asshole who just happens to have a boyfriend who's into BDSM and that's reason enough to not have a problem with the way Joe treats him. This was also one of the first books I read with BDSM in it, and it was already a genre I wasn't sure I would like. This certainly did not help matters. It made me extremely uncomfortable and I ended up hating this aspect of Joe and I just could not get into the relationship.
So, there it is. I loved so much about this book, but the BDSM ruined it for me. Without that, I would've gobbled up these books in a week and hailed Deputy Joe as the greatest character ever. But since I've been warned the BDSM continues into the following books and gets more graphic still, I will not be continuing this series, as much as it saddens me to say that. It was like finding a long-lost best friend just to wake up and find out it was a dream. :(
I'm just going to be upfront about this: I have extremely complicated and mixed feelings about this book. I was raised Mormon, so that's always going to color my views and interpretations of characters who are also Mormon. I also have very complicated and mixed feelings when it comes to my church (though not my faith), so that also factors into all this. I'm also extremely tired of the "bigoted religious people" trope that's used way too often in MM. Need a character who hates the gays? Make them ultra conservative religious! *yawn* It's boring, it's cliched, it's annoying. Stop it, writers. Or at least, balance it out with some open-minded conservative religious characters, because you know what? They exist too.
And that is ultimately what this book does. Joe is, in many ways, my alter ego. If I were a deputy and could rock climb. ;) I connected with Joe in a way I've never connected with another character before. It was like, finally, here's a character I can understand inside and out (or very nearly understand, I'll get to that in a minute), who shares my views and my hopes and disappointments with my church, who can be both true to his faith and himself at the same time. Yes, he meets resistance with the bishop, who is not a mustache-twirling villain but who actually thinks he's trying to help Joe in the way the church ordains it. He also meets with support and affirmation. So I liked all that. Actually, I loved all that.
I also liked the murder mystery. It's pretty standard as far as murder mysteries go, but the location makes it unique and you can tell the author either did an extreme amount of research or has lived in the area and participated in rock climbing himself. It's authentic and genuine, and the locales and characters we meet along the way just jump off the page. It's very rare for an author to do that.
Sadly, he lost me with the BDSM. The way it was introduced here just did not work for me at all. Joe basically comes across as an abusive asshole who just happens to have a boyfriend who's into BDSM and that's reason enough to not have a problem with the way Joe treats him. This was also one of the first books I read with BDSM in it, and it was already a genre I wasn't sure I would like. This certainly did not help matters. It made me extremely uncomfortable and I ended up hating this aspect of Joe and I just could not get into the relationship.
So, there it is. I loved so much about this book, but the BDSM ruined it for me. Without that, I would've gobbled up these books in a week and hailed Deputy Joe as the greatest character ever. But since I've been warned the BDSM continues into the following books and gets more graphic still, I will not be continuing this series, as much as it saddens me to say that. It was like finding a long-lost best friend just to wake up and find out it was a dream. :(
December 11, 2014
FREE at on 12/20/14!
4.5 stars This book sums up so well everything that I hate about religion... and what can be good about it. Joe's Mormon faith is extremely relevant to the plot, but no withering indecisive pansy's here. He knows who he is and he knows what he stands for, and that is so incredibly refreshing. Doesn't mean it's easy for him, but it was nice to see a person who doesn't use religion as an excuse to judge someone else. And it was sexy as hell to see the contrast between this no-cussing straight laced cop, and the sexy beast that comes out when Kabe riles him.
Despite my above comments, this book isn't about religion. That's a side-plot that is woven in pretty seamlessly. The mystery plot is interesting, although mainly services as a means to get Joe and Kabe off together. It served it's purpose well.
I liked the climbing analogies and the use of it in the plot. The one thing I will say is that, as a climber, I think they got too detailed at times with the specifics. We don't need to know the play-by-play of why they chose this versus that. They were explaining it to the Ranger as a way to explain to the reader, but all we needed was 'Joe leads and Kade belays - this is what that means...' At times it was overly complicated for someone totally unfamiliar to climbing, and a little boring to someone familiar with it.
But I loved Joe. I loved Kade. I loved them together. I loved the lack of drama (relationship wise). I loved the naughty streak that developed organically and didn't feel at all forced or cheesy. Great read!
Borrowed from BookAddict for 2014 November Free-For-All in
4.5 stars This book sums up so well everything that I hate about religion... and what can be good about it. Joe's Mormon faith is extremely relevant to the plot, but no withering indecisive pansy's here. He knows who he is and he knows what he stands for, and that is so incredibly refreshing. Doesn't mean it's easy for him, but it was nice to see a person who doesn't use religion as an excuse to judge someone else. And it was sexy as hell to see the contrast between this no-cussing straight laced cop, and the sexy beast that comes out when Kabe riles him.
Despite my above comments, this book isn't about religion. That's a side-plot that is woven in pretty seamlessly. The mystery plot is interesting, although mainly services as a means to get Joe and Kabe off together. It served it's purpose well.
I liked the climbing analogies and the use of it in the plot. The one thing I will say is that, as a climber, I think they got too detailed at times with the specifics. We don't need to know the play-by-play of why they chose this versus that. They were explaining it to the Ranger as a way to explain to the reader, but all we needed was 'Joe leads and Kade belays - this is what that means...' At times it was overly complicated for someone totally unfamiliar to climbing, and a little boring to someone familiar with it.
But I loved Joe. I loved Kade. I loved them together. I loved the lack of drama (relationship wise). I loved the naughty streak that developed organically and didn't feel at all forced or cheesy. Great read!
Borrowed from BookAddict for 2014 November Free-For-All in
July 21, 2011
3.5 stars
It's not too easy for me to get to this story; maybe because at first, the technical terms of climbing just make my brain confused. But, I'm happy that I hang on as long as I can because then, I get a very good story about Joe (a Mormon), on his journey to accept who he is, as he feels deep attraction and care for Kabe, an ex-con on two years parole. The mystery that is introduced in the beginning (amidst Joe checking out Kabe and trying to handle his feeling for Kabe) is pushed to the background as Joe handles being outed and receives the not so accepting attitude from his colleague and other town-folks and especially his bishop.
I do enjoy how the story unfolds. Even if I get lost on the climbing technical terms (and I end up skim it a lot). I wish I know more about Kabe, because I don't feel like I know him pretty well, and still trying to understand why Joe falls for him hard.
Just like other James Buchanan's stories I have read before, this is not overloaded with sugary endearment. There is not even a declaration of love between the two, promise of forever. That's okay, really, because if the writing is good and the characters are strong, I don't need all those :)
It's not too easy for me to get to this story; maybe because at first, the technical terms of climbing just make my brain confused. But, I'm happy that I hang on as long as I can because then, I get a very good story about Joe (a Mormon), on his journey to accept who he is, as he feels deep attraction and care for Kabe, an ex-con on two years parole. The mystery that is introduced in the beginning (amidst Joe checking out Kabe and trying to handle his feeling for Kabe) is pushed to the background as Joe handles being outed and receives the not so accepting attitude from his colleague and other town-folks and especially his bishop.
I do enjoy how the story unfolds. Even if I get lost on the climbing technical terms (and I end up skim it a lot). I wish I know more about Kabe, because I don't feel like I know him pretty well, and still trying to understand why Joe falls for him hard.
Just like other James Buchanan's stories I have read before, this is not overloaded with sugary endearment. There is not even a declaration of love between the two, promise of forever. That's okay, really, because if the writing is good and the characters are strong, I don't need all those :)
April 14, 2009
From the Mormonism to the bouldering, Buchanan nails every detail. I know some readers had a bit of a time with the religion aspects in this book. But I can tell the author's writes the Mormon experience from up close and personal, as it is as accurate as my own experience recalls. Having one of the characters, Joe Peterson, a devout Mormon, it was kind of hard to avoid addressing such issues, especially when those issues had the potential to mess with Joe's life.
Wouldn't y'all know, Buchanan had to throw a bad boy into the story, Kabe. And Kabe's a looker with a record, as usual. Buchanan's attention to the fine details of rope use (not just for climbing) and the inner torment Kabe puts Joe through is out of this world sexual tension at its finest.
Anyone who's a fan of rock climbing, mystery, or the erotic James Buchanan's good guy gets all the best parts of the bad guy stories, will truly enjoy this book. I did.
Wouldn't y'all know, Buchanan had to throw a bad boy into the story, Kabe. And Kabe's a looker with a record, as usual. Buchanan's attention to the fine details of rope use (not just for climbing) and the inner torment Kabe puts Joe through is out of this world sexual tension at its finest.
Anyone who's a fan of rock climbing, mystery, or the erotic James Buchanan's good guy gets all the best parts of the bad guy stories, will truly enjoy this book. I did.
August 5, 2015
This was a reread, that I enjoyed every bit as much the second time around. Looking forward to the rest of the series, now that this one is fresh in my mind.
I did get a bit lost at times, at all the climbing lingo, but the relationship stuff, Joe's struggle to manage to fit his sexuality in with his faith, was fantastic to read. I only wish we had gotten more of a glimpse into Kabe's head. I did love how the author let us in just a bit, with his phone call to his grandmother, letting us see how he really felt.
I did get a bit lost at times, at all the climbing lingo, but the relationship stuff, Joe's struggle to manage to fit his sexuality in with his faith, was fantastic to read. I only wish we had gotten more of a glimpse into Kabe's head. I did love how the author let us in just a bit, with his phone call to his grandmother, letting us see how he really felt.
March 24, 2024
This author is one of the OGs in the MM romance genre and trying one of their books has been on my to-do list so I was excited about this one. There were some positives to this story but unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as most other readers did. The positives included Joe's characterization and the strong rural speech patterns present throughout. The negatives included the romance not working for me, Kabe barely getting any character development and the author's approach to Joe's religious beliefs being a disappointment.
Sidenote: I'm not going to bother pointing out that this book has one of the worst covers that exists in the entire genre. I think it's held a spot on that unfortunate list since it was published and it'll continue staying on that list. I don't know what's worse - the lack of artistic skill behind the composition or the clear lack of photoshop skills/knowledge. But as usual, my opinion of the cover had zero impact on my opinion of the story or my rating of it.
First the positives!
Joe's Characterization
As most reviewers point out, the big plus in this story was Joe. He's one of those unique characters that you'll remember long after you finished reading and you might never come across somebody like him again. He's a gentle giant who loves his job as a deputy sheriff, which involves patrolling a huge region of rural Utah. He adores the many tiny towns that he's responsible for and he also holds a deep love for the beautiful rural scenery and the country lifestyle that comes with it. He's an avid mountain climber and he enjoys nothing more than being out in nature, just him, the big sky, the mountains and God. That last aspect is what makes Joe so special. He's a devout Mormon and his faith plays a big role in the story but what was truly unique is that he's found a comfortable balance between his faith and his homosexuality, which gave him a calm maturity that I adored. That balance sometimes gets upset by little things and that'll cause Joe to chew over whatever new complication has been introduced and he'll spend time quietly thinking things over while climbing his mountains, talking to his God and patrolling his little towns until he's found a new balance.
Lastly, I absolutely loved Joe's rural accent and speech patterns. I have no idea if folks in Utah utilize a lot of the same speech patterns that people in the south tend to do but I'm a huge fun of southern accents and I loved it. The entire books is from Joe's first person POV so it's filled to the brim with southern-style speech patterns and expressions. Here are some of my favorite quotes (in no particular order and there's no connection between the phrases):
"We done wrung all the sun outta this day."
I'd done screwed up, dug myself into a well and forgot the ladder so I could climb out.
My pa always teased you couldn't even warm a flea on me when I got hot. They said Joe Peterson simmered, he never boiled over, and I'd darn sure keep it that way.
"You picked yourself one hell of a hard row to hoe, you know that?"
I'd plumb well forgotten he was there. Made no more sense than a rabbit at a wolf convention since he was driving, but my mind does that sometimes.
The man's growl could scare a bull off his feed.
"Law enforcement's thin as hairs on a bald man's head 'round here."
"I just have to tuck a few burrs under your saddle now and again. Can't let Deputy Joe Peterson get all high and mighty."
Oh man, I sounded guiltier than a dog caught in the hen house with feathers on his nose.
He spat the words with enough nails to frame a barn.
Mind you, there were a handful of phrases that I didn't understand, like this piece of delightfulness:
'Lord, what was I in for if'n a two-bit, citified, pretty boy could gill me on a trotline with just a look?'
Mind you - if you don't like this accent and having some of it be written out phonetically, then you probably won't like the book. But I loved that aspect of it.
Unique Romance Narrative Structure
This isn't a big positive but it was a pleasant surprise. Since the book was written in 2009, the author followed her own path instead of sticking to the formulas that became staples for so many authors in later years. There's no third act break up. There's no epilogue. There's instalust but the MCs make it clear at the end of the book that they're a long way from being in love with each other. Some of these deviations from the norm weren't things I liked but I appreciated the unique approach.
Great Side Characters
I adored most of the side characters in this story, particularly Ranger Nadia Slokum and Joe's boss, Sheriff Myron Simple. In particular, I loved that Nadia decided to befriend both MCs separately and formed close bonds with both of them and I liked that Sheriff Simple always fully supported Joe, even when he had to play politics to keep things moving smoothly.
Something that I was neutral about was the mystery. Don't go into this book if you're looking for a mystery-romance because the mystery isn't actually a mystery. It's very clear who the bad guy is from the start and there's never any mystery about it. Instead, it's treated like a general murder case. It's nothing more than a subplot but I appreciate that the mountain climbing aspect of the story brought the MCs together in a realistic way.
Now for the negatives, in no particular order because they all bothered me equally.
Lackluster Romance
Right from the start, it's obvious that Joe's attracted to Kabe because Kabe is a gorgeous pretty boy. Joe uses the word 'pretty' to describe Kabe 16 times in the story, which was about a dozen times too many for me. But what becomes very clear is that Joe doesn't respect or even like any other aspect of Kabe. We never learn anything about Kabe other than the story of how/why he served time in prison because Joe doesn't care to learn more. Joe has been horny and lonely for a long time and when Kabe come across his path and expresses his attraction to Joe, Joe happily pursues him and that's the basis of their relationship. Towards the end, Joe thinks that maybe he could fall in love with Kabe one day, but I didn't buy it. Joe spent the entire book focusing on his own issues and tolerating the aspects of Kabe's behavior that annoyed him because he liked having his pretty fuck toy around.
The lack of chemistry and romantic feelings also came from Kabe's side. Kabe loves the adrenaline rush from mountain climbing but he's not into living in rural areas and he's especially not fond of Joe's Mormon beliefs. Kabe spends the entire book being rude and disrespectful of Joe's beliefs and making zero effort to understand or at least meet in the middle where this is concerned. In the final chapter, This is in the final chapter! The story ends with a so-called HEA but since that wrap-up followed that entire conversation, I have zero faith that these two will be together in a few months, never mind that they'll work out as long term partners. Yes, this is a first book in a series but the summaries of the future books indicate that the MCs are an established couple in them, which means this book was supposed to be their entire getting-together journey and that journey left a lot to be desired.
Non-Con BDSM Sex Scenes
I'm always thrilled to come across romances where the MCs identify that they happen to mesh well as BDSM partners as well as romantic partners, but I'm not into non-con BDSM. I'm surprised at how few people have pointed it out but the two main BDSM scenes in the story were non-con from start to finish.
In the first (which is the first time the MCs have sex), .
Fast forward a week or so in their relationship (the entire book takes place over the span of 2 weeks, even though I was under impression it took at least a few months) and there's another non-con BDSM scene. W...T...F...
Listen - I'm all for MCs not being perfect BDSM practitioners, but there's a difference between a scene unintentionally going sideways and both parties stopping to correct things versus one person deciding to abuse their ability to physically dominate the other person to engage in kinks that weren't discussed or consented to. It almost felt like Joe forgot that Kabe is a living, breathing human being who has rights. He literally treated Kabe like his personal sex doll.
All of this was yet another uncomfortable reminder that Joe doesn't give a damn about Kabe. He's enjoying having a regular sex partner but when it comes to that sex partner having their own opinions and autonomy - nope. Joe ain't interested in that.
Joe's Treatment Of Kabe
As discussed above, I wasn't a fan of Joe assaulting Kabe during the BDSM scenes they had. But Joe took it further by randomly deciding that he's going to take on a fatherly/daddy role with Kabe. Once again - without any discussion or consent. Joe decides that Kabe is an immature, silly brat who needs to be given firm boundaries and disciplined if he crosses those boundaries. Joe spends the entire book growling at Kabe to shut up or move or stop doing XYZ or he's smacking and spanking Kabe to punish him for not doing as he was told. The whole thing made me uncomfortable, even though Kabe claims at one point that he enjoys having Joe dominate him like that.
On the other hand, the author made Kabe act more and more childish as the story progressed. It got to the point where .
At the beginning of the story, I was excited about the MCs pairing up because they're both very professional when it comes to mountain climbing and I assumed that maturity and mutual respect would carry into the rest of their relationship. To find out that it didn't and Joe would treat Kabe like a child was off putting.
Joe's Religious Views
For most of the story, I really liked that Joe had found a good balance between his homosexuality and his Mormon faith. Here's a quote from early on:
'Gay and Mormon don't cohabit very well. The Church has been wrong on other stuff, seen the light and changed their ways...I'm hoping someday they'll see the light on this issue. Can't say I'm holding my breath though. Let's face it...God made me this way. The same way he made me blue-eyed blond with a receding hairline at twenty. Vanity...that convinced me to shave my head and beat my body into submission in the gym. I don't have any choice in wanting another guy's meat.'
In the second half of the book, Overall, I was disappointed by the entire religious plotline. Joe was such a unique character and his steady, confident religious beliefs were a huge part of that so to have things end that way was a letdown.
Conclusion
As a whole, this story could have been so much better than it was. Most reviewers focus heavily on Joe's interesting characterization because there's not much else to get excited about. Despite loving the southern accents and Joe being a character I haven't come across before, the many issues with the romance and Joe's religious beliefs made this one be a disappointment.
Sidenote: I'm not going to bother pointing out that this book has one of the worst covers that exists in the entire genre. I think it's held a spot on that unfortunate list since it was published and it'll continue staying on that list. I don't know what's worse - the lack of artistic skill behind the composition or the clear lack of photoshop skills/knowledge. But as usual, my opinion of the cover had zero impact on my opinion of the story or my rating of it.
First the positives!
Joe's Characterization
As most reviewers point out, the big plus in this story was Joe. He's one of those unique characters that you'll remember long after you finished reading and you might never come across somebody like him again. He's a gentle giant who loves his job as a deputy sheriff, which involves patrolling a huge region of rural Utah. He adores the many tiny towns that he's responsible for and he also holds a deep love for the beautiful rural scenery and the country lifestyle that comes with it. He's an avid mountain climber and he enjoys nothing more than being out in nature, just him, the big sky, the mountains and God. That last aspect is what makes Joe so special. He's a devout Mormon and his faith plays a big role in the story but what was truly unique is that he's found a comfortable balance between his faith and his homosexuality, which gave him a calm maturity that I adored. That balance sometimes gets upset by little things and that'll cause Joe to chew over whatever new complication has been introduced and he'll spend time quietly thinking things over while climbing his mountains, talking to his God and patrolling his little towns until he's found a new balance.
Lastly, I absolutely loved Joe's rural accent and speech patterns. I have no idea if folks in Utah utilize a lot of the same speech patterns that people in the south tend to do but I'm a huge fun of southern accents and I loved it. The entire books is from Joe's first person POV so it's filled to the brim with southern-style speech patterns and expressions. Here are some of my favorite quotes (in no particular order and there's no connection between the phrases):
"We done wrung all the sun outta this day."
I'd done screwed up, dug myself into a well and forgot the ladder so I could climb out.
My pa always teased you couldn't even warm a flea on me when I got hot. They said Joe Peterson simmered, he never boiled over, and I'd darn sure keep it that way.
"You picked yourself one hell of a hard row to hoe, you know that?"
I'd plumb well forgotten he was there. Made no more sense than a rabbit at a wolf convention since he was driving, but my mind does that sometimes.
The man's growl could scare a bull off his feed.
"Law enforcement's thin as hairs on a bald man's head 'round here."
"I just have to tuck a few burrs under your saddle now and again. Can't let Deputy Joe Peterson get all high and mighty."
Oh man, I sounded guiltier than a dog caught in the hen house with feathers on his nose.
He spat the words with enough nails to frame a barn.
Mind you, there were a handful of phrases that I didn't understand, like this piece of delightfulness:
'Lord, what was I in for if'n a two-bit, citified, pretty boy could gill me on a trotline with just a look?'
Mind you - if you don't like this accent and having some of it be written out phonetically, then you probably won't like the book. But I loved that aspect of it.
Unique Romance Narrative Structure
This isn't a big positive but it was a pleasant surprise. Since the book was written in 2009, the author followed her own path instead of sticking to the formulas that became staples for so many authors in later years. There's no third act break up. There's no epilogue. There's instalust but the MCs make it clear at the end of the book that they're a long way from being in love with each other. Some of these deviations from the norm weren't things I liked but I appreciated the unique approach.
Great Side Characters
I adored most of the side characters in this story, particularly Ranger Nadia Slokum and Joe's boss, Sheriff Myron Simple. In particular, I loved that Nadia decided to befriend both MCs separately and formed close bonds with both of them and I liked that Sheriff Simple always fully supported Joe, even when he had to play politics to keep things moving smoothly.
Something that I was neutral about was the mystery. Don't go into this book if you're looking for a mystery-romance because the mystery isn't actually a mystery. It's very clear who the bad guy is from the start and there's never any mystery about it. Instead, it's treated like a general murder case. It's nothing more than a subplot but I appreciate that the mountain climbing aspect of the story brought the MCs together in a realistic way.
Now for the negatives, in no particular order because they all bothered me equally.
Lackluster Romance
Right from the start, it's obvious that Joe's attracted to Kabe because Kabe is a gorgeous pretty boy. Joe uses the word 'pretty' to describe Kabe 16 times in the story, which was about a dozen times too many for me. But what becomes very clear is that Joe doesn't respect or even like any other aspect of Kabe. We never learn anything about Kabe other than the story of how/why he served time in prison because Joe doesn't care to learn more. Joe has been horny and lonely for a long time and when Kabe come across his path and expresses his attraction to Joe, Joe happily pursues him and that's the basis of their relationship. Towards the end, Joe thinks that maybe he could fall in love with Kabe one day, but I didn't buy it. Joe spent the entire book focusing on his own issues and tolerating the aspects of Kabe's behavior that annoyed him because he liked having his pretty fuck toy around.
The lack of chemistry and romantic feelings also came from Kabe's side. Kabe loves the adrenaline rush from mountain climbing but he's not into living in rural areas and he's especially not fond of Joe's Mormon beliefs. Kabe spends the entire book being rude and disrespectful of Joe's beliefs and making zero effort to understand or at least meet in the middle where this is concerned. In the final chapter, This is in the final chapter! The story ends with a so-called HEA but since that wrap-up followed that entire conversation, I have zero faith that these two will be together in a few months, never mind that they'll work out as long term partners. Yes, this is a first book in a series but the summaries of the future books indicate that the MCs are an established couple in them, which means this book was supposed to be their entire getting-together journey and that journey left a lot to be desired.
Non-Con BDSM Sex Scenes
I'm always thrilled to come across romances where the MCs identify that they happen to mesh well as BDSM partners as well as romantic partners, but I'm not into non-con BDSM. I'm surprised at how few people have pointed it out but the two main BDSM scenes in the story were non-con from start to finish.
In the first (which is the first time the MCs have sex), .
Fast forward a week or so in their relationship (the entire book takes place over the span of 2 weeks, even though I was under impression it took at least a few months) and there's another non-con BDSM scene. W...T...F...
Listen - I'm all for MCs not being perfect BDSM practitioners, but there's a difference between a scene unintentionally going sideways and both parties stopping to correct things versus one person deciding to abuse their ability to physically dominate the other person to engage in kinks that weren't discussed or consented to. It almost felt like Joe forgot that Kabe is a living, breathing human being who has rights. He literally treated Kabe like his personal sex doll.
All of this was yet another uncomfortable reminder that Joe doesn't give a damn about Kabe. He's enjoying having a regular sex partner but when it comes to that sex partner having their own opinions and autonomy - nope. Joe ain't interested in that.
Joe's Treatment Of Kabe
As discussed above, I wasn't a fan of Joe assaulting Kabe during the BDSM scenes they had. But Joe took it further by randomly deciding that he's going to take on a fatherly/daddy role with Kabe. Once again - without any discussion or consent. Joe decides that Kabe is an immature, silly brat who needs to be given firm boundaries and disciplined if he crosses those boundaries. Joe spends the entire book growling at Kabe to shut up or move or stop doing XYZ or he's smacking and spanking Kabe to punish him for not doing as he was told. The whole thing made me uncomfortable, even though Kabe claims at one point that he enjoys having Joe dominate him like that.
On the other hand, the author made Kabe act more and more childish as the story progressed. It got to the point where .
At the beginning of the story, I was excited about the MCs pairing up because they're both very professional when it comes to mountain climbing and I assumed that maturity and mutual respect would carry into the rest of their relationship. To find out that it didn't and Joe would treat Kabe like a child was off putting.
Joe's Religious Views
For most of the story, I really liked that Joe had found a good balance between his homosexuality and his Mormon faith. Here's a quote from early on:
'Gay and Mormon don't cohabit very well. The Church has been wrong on other stuff, seen the light and changed their ways...I'm hoping someday they'll see the light on this issue. Can't say I'm holding my breath though. Let's face it...God made me this way. The same way he made me blue-eyed blond with a receding hairline at twenty. Vanity...that convinced me to shave my head and beat my body into submission in the gym. I don't have any choice in wanting another guy's meat.'
In the second half of the book, Overall, I was disappointed by the entire religious plotline. Joe was such a unique character and his steady, confident religious beliefs were a huge part of that so to have things end that way was a letdown.
Conclusion
As a whole, this story could have been so much better than it was. Most reviewers focus heavily on Joe's interesting characterization because there's not much else to get excited about. Despite loving the southern accents and Joe being a character I haven't come across before, the many issues with the romance and Joe's religious beliefs made this one be a disappointment.
October 30, 2014
Wow!
While I've certainly encountered lots of naked men, ropes and other restraints in my previous books, nothing has been quite as 'sextreme' as the scenes from Hard Fall. I think I'll add them to the collection of my fantasies ;)
Because, you see..
I might not have such new experiences in real life, but boy do I live vicariously through my books..
And this was one hell of a ride.
But it's not just the hotness that appealed to me. I loved Joe and Kabe, their story, the problems they faced and how thy dealt with them. Their passion for mountains and climbing is contagious. I could see the beauty of those Utah mountains all the way from the UK. I've suddenly started longing for a wilderness break myself.
Two things I thought could have been different though. First, the mystery. The potential was really good, but it didn't turn out as nail-biting as I expected. The outcome was easily predicted and the mystery resolved without any trouble. And my second issue was the slang. Even after getting used to it, I still found it distracting. It's just my personal opinion, of course, but I would still have a perfect image of a country man without him talking that way. I think I would have liked him even more!
The best way to describe the main guys:
Joe:
Kabe:
And together:
To be continued..
While I've certainly encountered lots of naked men, ropes and other restraints in my previous books, nothing has been quite as 'sextreme' as the scenes from Hard Fall. I think I'll add them to the collection of my fantasies ;)
Because, you see..
“New experiences, what my Grams says, keeps us from going bat-shit in old age.�
I might not have such new experiences in real life, but boy do I live vicariously through my books..
And this was one hell of a ride.
But it's not just the hotness that appealed to me. I loved Joe and Kabe, their story, the problems they faced and how thy dealt with them. Their passion for mountains and climbing is contagious. I could see the beauty of those Utah mountains all the way from the UK. I've suddenly started longing for a wilderness break myself.
Two things I thought could have been different though. First, the mystery. The potential was really good, but it didn't turn out as nail-biting as I expected. The outcome was easily predicted and the mystery resolved without any trouble. And my second issue was the slang. Even after getting used to it, I still found it distracting. It's just my personal opinion, of course, but I would still have a perfect image of a country man without him talking that way. I think I would have liked him even more!
The best way to describe the main guys:
Joe:
“I'm just Joe Peterson. Sheriff or no, I'm a country boy with maybe some big city urges ... but what you see is what you get." He needed to understand that. "I like my evenings long, I like my lemonade sweet and I don't go 'round pretending that I'm something more than that.�
Kabe:
"Mountains and ropes ain't good enough for him, sir." My Kabe, the adrenaline junkie. "He had to go trespass and climb a man-made structure with just his fingers and toes to hold on with. In search and rescue, we call it 'you fall, you die' style climbing."
"Impressive and stupid." The judge shook his head.
And together:
“I'm falling too, it's likely to kill me."
As he rolled his head to look at me, the stars shone in his eyes. For a moment my heart stopped beating. "It's not the fall you know." His breath was all warm on my cheek. "It's that sudden stop at the end that does it.�
“Just before I kissed him, I whispered, "I hope it doesn't hurt much.�
To be continued..
February 20, 2017
3.5 stars
Nice. Very nice.
The writing took some getting used to at first. For the first few pages I had no idea what was going on, but I got used to it and after that it was fine.
Even though religion plays a big part in the story, it wasn’t as overwhelming as I’ve read in other books. I am not a big fan of this aspect, so that was a huge relief.
Joe is a Mormon, absolutely. He lives it, he wears the underwear, he feels it in his heart. But he has never denied being gay to himself and once it is out in the open, he doesn’t deny it. He doesn’t take it out on Kabe, like other characters I’ve read about in other m/m books where religion plays a big part. Joe just goes with it. He knows he will be excommunicated by his church, so he leaves before they can do this.
I really admired Joe. He was so kind to everyone, but wasn’t a pushover. He just had this big heart and wanted everyone to love each other, even though he got a lot of hate thrown at him when people found out he was gay.
There is instant attraction between Joe and Kabe and after Kabe challenges Joe to do something about that attraction, Joe does.
And holy shit, when Joe dominates Kabe's ass� It was great! Be warned, we have spanking! And what a good spanking it was.
This was a really sweet story with some minor kink going on. I do hope the guys will explore this even more in the next book. Because it was HOT! The tying up, the spanking, oh yeah, that is my cup of tea.
I don’t care, give me the spanking!
Definitely worth a read.
Nice. Very nice.
The writing took some getting used to at first. For the first few pages I had no idea what was going on, but I got used to it and after that it was fine.
Even though religion plays a big part in the story, it wasn’t as overwhelming as I’ve read in other books. I am not a big fan of this aspect, so that was a huge relief.
Joe is a Mormon, absolutely. He lives it, he wears the underwear, he feels it in his heart. But he has never denied being gay to himself and once it is out in the open, he doesn’t deny it. He doesn’t take it out on Kabe, like other characters I’ve read about in other m/m books where religion plays a big part. Joe just goes with it. He knows he will be excommunicated by his church, so he leaves before they can do this.
I really admired Joe. He was so kind to everyone, but wasn’t a pushover. He just had this big heart and wanted everyone to love each other, even though he got a lot of hate thrown at him when people found out he was gay.
There is instant attraction between Joe and Kabe and after Kabe challenges Joe to do something about that attraction, Joe does.
And holy shit, when Joe dominates Kabe's ass� It was great! Be warned, we have spanking! And what a good spanking it was.
This was a really sweet story with some minor kink going on. I do hope the guys will explore this even more in the next book. Because it was HOT! The tying up, the spanking, oh yeah, that is my cup of tea.
I don’t care, give me the spanking!
Definitely worth a read.
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