Review: Engrossing Read - Best Book!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 23, 2011
Morning Report by Sue Brown is such an incredibly engrossing novel that the world around me faded away as I found myself completely immersed in Luke and Simon's passionate and loving relationship and the troubles facing them.Luke Murray and Simon Bryan have been in a solid and established relationship for ten years and they successfully run the Lost Cow ranch together. Surrounded by a loving family and loyal ranch hands who accept and respect their relationship, they live openly but inconspicuously as a gay couple near a small Texas town.After a new pastor and his wife target the gay men, Luke and Simon find themselves ostracized by many longtime friends and business acquaintances. Adding to their troubles are the almost daily attacks on the Lost Cow by overzealous and deeply prejudiced townspeople. For the first time in ten years, Luke and Simon find their relationship tested in unforeseen ways. Will their relationship survive intact and relatively unscathed?Luke and Simon are engaging, three dimensional protagonists, and Ms. Brown brings them vividly to life. Luke's passionate and vibrant personality is displayed by his fierce devotion to his family and Simon and by his deep love for the family ranch. He fights for what he believes in, and he does not back down. Simon is an equally strong character but he is the more level headed and observant of the two men. As events unfold, the two men find themselves switching roles on occasion, and they discover they do not know each other quite as well as they thought they did.The secondary cast of characters is equally well developed, and they add a great deal of depth to the novel. Luke's parents, Pamela and Greg, may be retired from ranching, but they are still actively involved in the ranch's business and Luke's life. Their staunch and unwavering support of Luke and Simon is easily one of the most endearing aspects of the novel. The interactions between Luke and his siblings are intense and emotional with a few lighthearted and fun moments thrown in to relieve some of Morning Report's heavier moments.Morning Report by Sue Brown is a gripping and fast paced novel. Luke and Simon's relationship is marked by deep love and respect. Their sexual attraction for one another sparks frequent hot and steamy sex whenever and wherever the mood strikes. Flawed characters that make their fair share of mistakes provide Morning Report with an undeniable air of authenticity as does the realistic yet emotionally satisfying ending.Originally posted at Whipped Cream Reviews