Book Review: My Only Sunshine by Rowan McAllister

My Only Sunshine by Rowan McAllisterTitle: My Only Sunshine
Author: Rowan McAllister
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy provided by publisher
Published: October 4, 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

Tanner Wallis is nearly at the end of his rope the night Mason Seidel finds him lying next to the mangled body of a cow on the back pastures of the Seidel family's Wyoming ranch. Recently out of the hospital after he and his boyfriend were brutally beaten, Tanner is jobless, homeless, and almost penniless. His desperate hope is that Mason will believe he’s innocent of the senseless crime and give him a place to heal, both physically and emotionally, until he can get on his feet again.

But Mason already has enough on his plate. He's only been back on the ranch a few months, ten years after his father kicked him out for being gay, and only because his sister begged him to come help after the man's disabling stroke. With all his responsibilities—running the struggling ranch and keeping his sister and father off his back—Mason can't really afford the distraction Tanner represents. But he can't just abandon the attractive young man either. There’s trouble in spades on the ranch, but if they face it together, Mason and Tanner might find a future with a little sunshine.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Simple and sweet romance with likable leads. This didn’t have the angst that I love in my romance but it was solid.

The Set Up: Tanner is brutally beaten and barely aware when he stumbles upon a crime on the Seidel ranch. Mason Seidel at first thinks Tanner killed his family’s livestock but his heart goes out to the young, penniless and clearly sick Tanner. Mason offers Tanner a place on the ranch but has his own problems caring for a sick father after being disowned the previous ten years.  But Mason and Tanner soon become each others’ ports in life’s storms.

Why I Read this Book: Gay cowboys, y’all!

What I Liked: Tanner and Mason are everyday men and it was enjoyable to watch their sweet romance. They are both lonely men who are attracted to each other but I liked how they had enough emotional intimacy so I could see why they’d want each other. Tanner and Mason spend lots of time talking before they move to sexual intimacy and this caused a holistic feel to their romance that I enjoyed and think other readers will too. I also liked that this isn’t a gay-for-you story but just two gay men who find each other in life’s storms.

What I Also Liked: The tension in the book involve Mason’s sick father who still manages to show Mason his hatred even after barely surviving a stroke. Mason’s strength of character is shown time and again as he’s mocked by his father and still cares for the old man. It was easy to see how Mason would turn to Tanner for comfort and acceptance. This book does have Mason being more than ten years older than Tanner’s twenty-two but unlike other romances were I’m merely told the younger lead is mature, here it’s shown. For instance, because of Mason’s father, Mason asks Tanner if they can keep their relationship quiet. Tanner is mature enough to say it’s fine now but he’s not sure how he’ll feel about in a few months. This served to cross-cancel the age difference that I normally gripe about in MM romance.

The plot of who is killing the cattle is mere backdrop so don’t worry about that taking over the romance, it doesn’t. In fact, it serves to bring Mason and Tanner together and then we don’t really hear about it until it’s ready to be resolved. It almost didn’t matter to me since I felt like the focus of the book was the relationship between Mason and Tanner and not the cattle vandals.

What I Didn’t Like: I like angst in my romance with complicated leads and this doesn’t offer that. Mason and Tanner are just normal nice guys who love and support each other. It was fine and I shouldn’t complain about that but it didn’t make for the wow-me-intense romance that I prefer.

IMO: My Only Sunshine is a solid cowboy read with a more sweet than intense romance but enjoyable anyway.



J9’s Rating:

3 Frogs

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About J9: Vegan. Avid runner. Android addict. Never without a book in hand. Currently devouring MM romance but reads historial romance and paranormal romance as well. Follow J9 on Twitter.

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