Review: Mixed feelings about this one. 3.5 stars.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 27, 2010
I am not saying I am bored with this one, just impatient. The melodrama in certain parts have me rolling my eyes. I may have liked this one when the genre is still fresh but after reading so many M/M romance this is just the usual mushy stereotype even if Cameron Dane's writing is better than some. I have always found her sex scenes wordy and it is no exception here. If you read it in kindle, you will notice at least 5% of the story allotted for each scene. Some of her words have me cringing. To make it worse, most of these sex scenes happened in flashbacks when these 2 guys met in San Fancisco when nothing much happened but lust and sex during those few days when one guy lost his virginity to the other. I dread flashbacks like this. We already know what has transpired in the guys' relationship. I want my story to move forward not wallowed in flashbacks which does nothing much to the plot except excuses for pages of sex.Then there is this unbelievable melodramatic part of faithfulness during the 5 years the guys are apart after only spending a week end together. Yes they corresponded for 6 months after they separated but come on. This is not romantic but just defies credibility and makes the guys look silly. Another fault I find in Cameron's writing is the supposedly alpha guy in the beginning often ends up pretty wimpy and it again happens here with Garrick. And I dislike writers trying to get the reader interested in a potential heterosexual romance when I am reading a M/M romance. Another weird insertion in the story is a 11 year old's commenting the difference between a transgender and a transsexual. What is the writer trying to convey??Those flaws aside, there are patches of great story telling.  Garrick's painful revelation towards the end of the book is one fine example. We already know the reasons behind his disguise but the emotions when he relates it to Devlin is very well expressed. I also enjoy the friendship between one courageous woman and her 2 kids with Garrick. On the other hand I could be over critical as I read this straight after 2 excellent ones,72 HoursandIn the Flesh.