Blueberry Boys by Vanessa North
You can never go home again… or so
the saying goes. The place really doesn’t change, but you do. Connor left for
the big city and never looked back. Being an openly gay kid in a small town is
hard, especially given the assumed time period.
It’s when Connor’s uncle dies and
he is forced to return for the funeral and deal with the farm that he faces his
sour and unloving brother, who has decided that he needs the money, and that
selling the whole farm is in his best interests.
Jed is a beautiful soul: afflicted
with a stutter, but has a strong will to make things grow and be a part of the
farming community. He never thought that he would have a connection with one of
the owners, as well as a lease about to become null and void.
I really liked Jed and Connor.
Their problems are realistic and heartfelt. I wish we could have luxuriated
with their internal thoughts more, though. I wanted to feel the connection and
indecision on a deeper level. At times it could feel brushed over.
Coming out is never easy, and no
one ever wants to jump back in the closet. Eventually, many family issues are
addressed and some common ground can be found.
All in all, though, it’s a solid
read.
Amazon
Connor
Graham is a city boy—a celebrated fashion photographer in New York. When his
uncle’s death drags him back to the family blueberry farm, all he wants to do
is sell it as quickly as he can. Until he meets his uncle’s tenant farmer.
Jed Jones, shy and stammering, devout and dedicated, has always yearned for land of his own and a man to share it with. Kept in the closet by his church, family, and disastrous first love, he longs to be accepted for who he is. But now, with his farm and his future in Connor’s careless hands, he stands to lose even the little he has.
Neither man expects the connection between them. Jed sees Connor—appreciates his art and passion like no one else in this godforsaken town ever has. Connor hears Jed—looks past his stutter to listen to the man inside. The time they share is idyllic, but with the farm sale pending, even their sanctuary is a source of tension. As work, family, and their town’s old-fashioned attitudes pull them apart, they must find a way to reconcile commitments to their careers and to each other.
Jed Jones, shy and stammering, devout and dedicated, has always yearned for land of his own and a man to share it with. Kept in the closet by his church, family, and disastrous first love, he longs to be accepted for who he is. But now, with his farm and his future in Connor’s careless hands, he stands to lose even the little he has.
Neither man expects the connection between them. Jed sees Connor—appreciates his art and passion like no one else in this godforsaken town ever has. Connor hears Jed—looks past his stutter to listen to the man inside. The time they share is idyllic, but with the farm sale pending, even their sanctuary is a source of tension. As work, family, and their town’s old-fashioned attitudes pull them apart, they must find a way to reconcile commitments to their careers and to each other.
*ARC provided by Riptide Publishing via Netgalley
Review previously posted to Goodreads - T's Book and Netgalley
10/22/15
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