Do You Trust Me?

4 Stars!

While overall I quite enjoyed the story of Neil and Cole, there were more than a few moments which I had a very difficult time liking Neil and had to question whether or not I could get past the way the author portrays him. While I understood Neil's past caused him to have confusing thoughts of himself and homosexuality, his attitude and his actions disgusted me quite a bit at first. Yes, it seems to be common for stories in which someone who was blatantly homophobic turned out to be so deep in the closet they had no clue they were even gay but I kept getting the feeling that Neil actually knew he was gay. There was no hint that his family had problems with homosexuality so his behavior felt asinine to me.

Luckily, as the story progresses and we got more of Neil's background, the way he was raised and the way he was treated by his mother, the more everything made sense. His relationship with his late wife and the way he views himself, sex and everything made a lot more sense to me and I was finally able to enjoy the story. I actually found myself feeling sorry for him and hoping that he would be able to be true to himself as well with his family, friends and the world. He was a very sad character and until about the halfway point of the book, I didn't realize it was more than just my perception of him but his actual character.

For the most part, I enjoyed Cole's character, although I would've liked a little bit more background on him. I was very interested in finding out what drew him to older men and if any of it had to do with his past experiences in his life. I'm not gonna lie, his nickname of "Big Daddy" for Neil irritated me to no end. His use of the nickname in front of people and in front of Neil's own daughter just didn't seem right to me.

In the end, though, I quite enjoyed both Neil and Cole together and thought they made a good couple I was happy to see Neil actually become more human and I thought that had a lot to do with finally being able to admit who he really was. Would I recommend the book? Yes, I think it's a good book about self-discovery, family and love and if you're into May/December romances this one's definitely for you.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement.***

4 Stars!

While overall I quite enjoyed the story of Neil and Cole, there were more than a few moments which I had a very difficult time liking Neil and had to question whether or not I could get past the way the author portrays him. While I understood Neil's past caused him to have confusing thoughts of himself and homosexuality, his attitude and his actions disgusted me quite a bit at first. Yes, it seems to be common for stories in which someone who was blatantly homophobic turned out to be so deep in the closet they had no clue they were even gay but I kept getting the feeling that Neil actually knew he was gay. There was no hint that his family had problems with homosexuality so his behavior felt asinine to me.

Luckily, as the story progresses and we got more of Neil's background, the way he was raised and the way he was treated by his mother, the more everything made sense. His relationship with his late wife and the way he views himself, sex and everything made a lot more sense to me and I was finally able to enjoy the story. I actually found myself feeling sorry for him and hoping that he would be able to be true to himself as well with his family, friends and the world. He was a very sad character and until about the halfway point of the book, I didn't realize it was more than just my perception of him but his actual character.

For the most part, I enjoyed Cole's character, although I would've liked a little bit more background on him. I was very interested in finding out what drew him to older men and if any of it had to do with his past experiences in his life. I'm not gonna lie, his nickname of "Big Daddy" for Neil irritated me to no end. His use of the nickname in front of people and in front of Neil's own daughter just didn't seem right to me.

In the end, though, I quite enjoyed both Neil and Cole together and thought they made a good couple I was happy to see Neil actually become more human and I thought that had a lot to do with finally being able to admit who he really was. Would I recommend the book? Yes, I think it's a good book about self-discovery, family and love and if you're into May/December romances this one's definitely for you.

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement.***

When I saw B.G. Thomas and Cowboys, I jumped up and down! One of my favorite authors and a favorite genre!
I wasn't let down! This book delivered on so many levels. It does start out on a sad note.
Niel is still grieving over the loss of his wife. It's been two years, but he hasn't let go. Now his sister in Law is also grieving. Her husband died of cancer and had Ben dead two months. She asks Neil to go on vacation at their favorite dude ranch so she can say goodbye to her husband and move on. Niel isn't happy about going to a ranch. He is afraid of horses and after looking at the website and finding out one of the wranglers is gay. He does break down and go for his Sister in law.
Both are mourning in their own ways. B.G.Thomas has a way to add a touch of humor to his stories. In this case, it was reined in and just enough to lighten the initial sorrow.
Once the story gets going we get hints that Neil has a past he wishes to keep hidden. There were times I wanted to smack Neil, but all in all, it came out in the wash, and I adored him.
There is a lot going on in this story. We have the attraction between Neil and Cole, and then some other things pop up. The story is fast paced, complex, intriguing characters and a very satisfying ending. I loved this book. B.G. give me more cowboys!