Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6184
Blurb
[2nd edition has been extensively rewritten and the story changed from the original. Contains approximately 25k words of new content.]
Of all the tiny towns, in all the world, he walks into mine.
Texas native Kieran Quinn has hit the big time, working in Manhattan as a columnist for Gloss, a national literary magazine. He’s well-known for his snarky, sardonic columns, but deep down he’s more interested in exploring what makes people tick than his editor would like. He keeps his desire to find his own Mr. Right hidden under a sexy, carefree persona that favors champagne and underwear models of the male variety.
Jaxon Lang loves being the high school principal in tiny Buckwheat Springs, Texas after relocating from Austin to pursue his relationship with Danetta Archer, despite her reputation for leaving grooms at the altar. So far, he’s avoided examining the questions he has about himself, certain that marriage will put them to rest. Then Kieran arrives in town. Kieran’s charm and unique attitudes about sex and attraction soon challenge Jaxon’s concept of what—and who—he wants.
While covering the latest wedding of a real-life “runaway bride,” Kieran falls hard for the gorgeous—and supposedly straight—groom, Jaxon Lang, despite that ridiculous X. Then Kieran discovers the bride’s hiding a shocking secret.
First Edition published by Ravenous Romance, April 2009.
Review
The blurb pretty much tells you what happens. Jaxon is supposed to marry Danetta, but he finds he has feelings for Kieran – a man! He convinces Kieran to “experiment” with him, but at the last minute decides he needs to follow through and marry Danetta.
Kieran uncovers some “truths” about Danetta and Jaxon and he go to Hawaii to explore their new “relationship”.
When the article that Kieran wrote about Jaxon comes out it paints Jaxon in a bad light and Jaxon gets mad – but then he gets over it and they reconcile.
**
I really wanted to like this story because the premise is cute and I love GFY/OFY. But it just failed for me in a lot of ways.
I thought the “exploratory” sex between Jaxon and Kieran was funny and hot but it sort of felt teen-agerish. Jaxon acted like he’d never been around a penis before or heard what happened during gay sex.
I also thought the progression of their relationship was a little too fast. From “get to know you” to “I love you” then there’s the “big misunderstanding” that tears them apart. That was pretty frustrating. I would have liked to see them really work on their relationship – Jaxon being with a man, Kieran living in a different state, Jaxon’s feelings of guilt…these are real issues that could have built on some of the more real challenges the couple faced.
But… I really could have gotten over these issues if that had been all.
What I couldn’t get over was Jaxon. I just never liked him. I didn’t like what he was willing to do to Danetta (cheat) or how he treated Kieran (like an experiment) or how he completely over-reacted to Kieran’s article (wouldn’t even listen to the man he said he loved).
Over 70% of the book sees Jaxon and Kieran separated and then in the last few pages they reconcile but I didn’t really buy that their relationship would be a long lasting one.
The writing and editing were fine and I liked the cover a lot, but I just didn’t connect with it well.
It was interesting and had some good promise.
3 of 5 hearts
