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Hard Tail

by J.L. Merrow (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 933 ratings · 158 reviews

"Finding love can be a bumpy ride. "

His job: downsized out of existence. His marriage: on the rocks. It doesn t take a lot of arm twisting for Tim Knight to agree to get out of London and take over his injured brother s mountain bike shop for a while. A few weeks in Southampton is a welcome break from the wreck his life has become, even though he feels like a fish out of w...more

ebook, 248 pages

Published May 8th 2012 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

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Best M/M Romance Published in 2012

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Apr 30, 2012 Feliz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, jw, contemporary

Tim Knight used to be an ordinary middle-class accountant for a Mill Hill, London firm. He had a wife, a BMW, a mortgage on his house, and his most daring activity consisted in winning a black belt in karate. His life may be a bit unexciting, but Tim is contented with keeping a low profile. He never caused his family any sorrow. Very unlikely his older brother Jay, who from his earliest years broke his bones on a regular basis and went on a self-discovery trip to Goa before opening a bike shop i...more Tim Knight used to be an ordinary middle-class accountant for a Mill Hill, London firm. He had a wife, a BMW, a mortgage on his house, and his most daring activity consisted in winning a black belt in karate. His life may be a bit unexciting, but Tim is contented with keeping a low profile. He never caused his family any sorrow. Very unlikely his older brother Jay, who from his earliest years broke his bones on a regular basis and went on a self-discovery trip to Goa before opening a bike shop in their native Southampton. However, instead of making him the black sheep of the family, Jay’s shenanigans put him at the center of attention with none left for Tim, despite his best efforts to please everybody.

The day Tim’s job falls victim to his firm’s cost cutting measures is the day on which Tim’s comfortably dull life starts coming apart. Not much later his wife leaves him – for his friend, no less – and Tim finds himself minding his brother Jay’s bike shop while Jay is in hospital yet again. He’s also supposed to mind the shop’s only employee, Matt, who is a genius with bikes but otherwise apparently rather clumsy, considering the various bruises he keeps showing up with.
Over the course of the following weeks, Tim comes to reconsider his life. He realizes he misses London, and his marriage, far less than he’d have thought. A big part of that has to do with Matt, for whom Tim starts developing feelings he had denied himself for a very long time. But Matt is in a committed relationship, and Tim suddenly finds himself with a boyfriend of his own, Adam, without really knowing how he got there. Used to always go for the soft option because he never cared much one way or another, Tim gradually becomes aware that for the first time in his life he really wants something–someone–badly enough that he’s ready to fight for him

Tim tells this story from his 1st person POV in a catchy, witty and at times deliciously self-ironic voice that pulled me along, seeing me smoothly across the unfamiliar-to-me Briticisms that gave the story such a nicely distinctive sense of place.

In the beginning Tim was so mellow he allowed everybody to just push him around. He let his wife walk out on him with his best farewell wishes, his mother and brother got to effortlessly shanghai him into unpaid shop-sitting, and Wolverine the cat had no problems bullying him into turning into a can-opener operator. Though once he figured out what he really wanted, Tim went about it with determination. He didn’t exactly turn from doormat to leadership personality, but over the course of the story, he certainly grew a pair. Even though sometimes his behavior appeared a little inconsistent, I found him believably drawn and grew to like him a lot.

Matt, on the other hand, was simply adorable right form the moment he literally stumbled onto the scene. I found him authentic as the abused part in an abusive relationship, and I liked that he found it in him to leave his violent partner of his own accord. He was no damsel in distress waiting to be rescued, he didn’t even ask Tim for sanctuary (though Tim of course ended up offering). Matt was brave, honest, and of a cheerful disposition despite everything that happened to him. I couldn’t help but taking him into my heart.

The most unsympathetic character in this book was, surprisingly, not Steve the vile boyfriend but Tim’s and Jay’s mother. Steve was merely a brainless brute (who actually remained quite sketchy outside of these denominating character traits). Now the mother? Perhaps she was meant to come across as protective in a lioness-defending-her-weakest-cub way, but to me, she was nothing but a bully if there ever was one, blatantly favoritistic (is this a word at all?) of Jay and unbearably condescending toward Tim. What she did to him throughout his youth bordered on emotional abuse, and the one-eighty she did in the end couldn’t redeem her to me. Unfortunately, she was quite realistic, too; I’ve met and despised people like her in real life.

The rest of the secondary cast were equally colorful and well-rounded, from Adam, Tim’s unlooked-for, sympathetic boyfriend down to Wolverine the squatter cat (who was an impressive character with a mind of his own, though the many references to his feline halitosis got a bit old after a while). For those who have read Pricks and Pragmatism, Luke and Russell make a guest appearance here!

This book captured me and kept me turning the pages; I almost finished it in one setting even though I really should’ve been doing other things at that time. So consider yourself warned. :-D Highly recommended!

review originally written for reviewsbyjessewave.com(less)

20 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 MandyM rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

Wonderful story with all the qualities I love in an m/m romance. When we meet Tim he is newly separated, lost his job and about to move to a small English town to take over his injured brother's bicycle shop. The only other employee is Matt, a lovable bike-repairer with a frightening secret. Gradually, small town life and Matt's charms set Tim on a new path, albeit with a few obstacles on the way.

Engaging characters, intelligent and funny dialogue, great sense of place, and a very satisfying slo...more

24 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2012 Td rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: humor, in-the-closet, light-and-easy

EDIT
There's been a debate going on since last night between 3 and 4 Stars. Neither side is willing to give in, stubborn stars! I'm going to let them continue to battle it out and see who comes out on top.
UPDATE
Well, it seems after two days of getting nowhere, Wolverine became impatient and irritated and decided to take matters into his own paws. 3 Stars has been stomped on and flicked into the corner to keep 5 Stars company, they are now tending each others wounds. It wasn't pretty but 4 Stars w...more

19 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2012 Simsala*is getting slow* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m, purring-beasts, comfort-reads

4,5 stars

Fabulous review from Feliz here.
There`s not much left to be said...

Loved this funny coming-out-late story with likeable MCs and a lively cast of secondary characters with two and four legs.
I especially liked that the funniness wasn`t overbearing and slapstick-y but left enough breathing space for more serious undertones.
The romance was a slow burner thanks to Tim`s indecisive sandbag-personality and that made me itchy to the point I went searching for a needle to speed things up but it...more

14 likes · like · see review

Oct 05, 2012 Kate added it

Shelves: dnf

TLDR. I quit somewhere between 65-70%.

But Kate, the guys aren't even together yet!

They bore me, the story bores me, everything is at once too drawn out and too superficially easy. Tim fusses about being gay but it's just surface fuss, Matt is supposedly abused but it never affects his behavior. Besides, the author was busily malnourishing the cat on a steady diet of canned tuna.

Don't you think you are being a little arbitrary?

Look, when the best character in the book is a cat and you care so li...more

11 likes · like · see review

May 27, 2012 Heller rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m

I enjoyed this book. It was a sweet romance and I really like those. I've always enjoyed Merrow's voice, really natural and great characterizations.

I liked Tim's journey a lot and how he found his place full circle.

He has an interesting family and a kickass cat in Wolverine. I love, love, loved Matt. Sweet, klutzy, vegetarian Matt. How could he not fall for this guy?

If I could say anything it would be that I wish we could see more of them as a couple. There was sweet tension throughout the boo...more

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 22, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm, mm-furball

I love Wolverine!

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 18, 2012 genao rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good-hearted, and very, very Anglo.

Lenore's review sums up my thoughts perfectly, especially as relates to the dodgy particulars of the MC's sexuality, and the timidity of the sex scenes.

I had my doubts about this one, no mistake. But before long artfully juxtaposed characters grew on me, even if the plot didn't, and by the end I found myself smirking and tut-tutting like an old lady.

This was my first Merrow book. Her ability to craft a credible and appealing narrative voice is really very spec...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 30, 2013 Ilhem rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, sweet, fun

J.L. Merrow’s book relies once more on a 1st person POV.
Reading Hard Tail meant watching the world through Tim’s slightly fogged window (the man is damn clueless) and guffawing at comical situations and witty lines, while he lived his day-to-day life, nurtured his ugly duck complex, mooned over Matt, extricated himself out of the closet and finally slayed the dragons.

There is no deep characterization or story development and it gets a little corny in the end, but did I laugh!

2 likes · like · see review

May 10, 2012 Ami rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-contemporary, mm-romance-or-erotica

3.5 stars
Many have said their piece about this story, so I don't have a lot to add.

Written from Tim's perspective, it is his "journey" from a guy whose job just made redundant and a wife who left him for another man, to accepting his "gay" nature and finding love along the way. The romance is (very) slowly built, because Tim's love interest, Matt, is in a relationship when this story starts, and Tim still struggles to acknowledge his feeling for Matt. In fact, their first approach doesn't happe...more

8 likes · like · see review

May 08, 2012 Cole Riann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, m-m-abuse-physical-sexual, m-m-contemporary, m-m-closeted-coming-out, favorites

4.5 stars

Stunning Cover!!

I'm not up to a full review right now, but I really enjoyed this story that was smooth reading. The characters were great, the antagonist in all his glory didn't spin over the top into incredulity (unlike many books I've read lately, where somehow a skirmish always becomes a war and a feminine man is always the flamiest flaming queen ever seen). It's really a simple story about coming to terms with your sexuality and domestic abuse, but what makes it special are the char...more

15 likes · like · see review

Oct 15, 2012 Mercedes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-romance

Great page turner that had me staying up super late so I could finish it all in one sitting sleep be damned.

This book gets 5 stars not only for its entertaining story and characters but also for the great reference to the show "Sherlock" and the "purple shirt of sex." Really, if you want me to love your book just let me know that the main character resembles Sherlock in this hot outfit.

Told for 1st person POV, Tim's voice is witty, funny and adorably self-deprecating. You will love Matt from the...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Elspeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: twenty-twelve, kindle, mm, own, its-so-fluffy-im-gonna-die, not-us

I loved it.
This was just what I was in the mood for, and the cat was great fun!

3 likes · like · see review

Nov 10, 2012 R.B. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, contemporary, romance, yummy-cover, favorites, humor, coming-out, pets

Interesting and humorous journey out of the closet.

5 likes · like · see review

Jun 04, 2012 Amy *Sussudio* rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-stars-or-less

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 03, 2012 Kassa rated it 3 of 5 stars

JL Merrow usually works pretty well for me with her smooth writing, great wit, and adorable characters. Hard Tail is no departure from that and feels like a solid comfort read that fits well with the author’s backlist. The situation is interesting with some good and obvious research thrown in. I think the external tension drew out a bit too long and in a very predictable way. Due to this some sections of the book seem to drone on while others flew by easily giving an uneven pace. Despite this th...more JL Merrow usually works pretty well for me with her smooth writing, great wit, and adorable characters. Hard Tail is no departure from that and feels like a solid comfort read that fits well with the author’s backlist. The situation is interesting with some good and obvious research thrown in. I think the external tension drew out a bit too long and in a very predictable way. Due to this some sections of the book seem to drone on while others flew by easily giving an uneven pace. Despite this the nice guy characters and cute chemistry should be enough to win over fans of the author.

The plot is your basic gay in denial guy meets adorably cute, open guy resulting in sparks. Tim begins the book with an announcement from his wife that their marriage is over and she’s leaving him for a friend of his. Since Tim is really gay in denial, he’s not too broken up over the marriage and heads out of town for a while. He is running his brother’s bike shop while said brother recovers from a leg injury. The only other bike shop employee is the adorable but klutzy Matt. Matt is in an abusive relationship and he and Tim dance around each other for most of the book before admitting their feelings.

First off Merrow does a superior job with her clean writing, dry wit, and clear research. The story includes quite a bit of bike information and this never overwhelms but fits the situation while being mostly correct. The only discrepancies I could point out are more subjective to the sport but the amount of research is evident and appreciated. Likewise the English countryside setting is well described and fits seamlessly into the story and the characters themselves. One of the aspects I particularly enjoy about this author’s writing is the ability to feel fresh and interesting with familiar elements. The descriptive quality is very nice but never overwhelms the story itself.

The characters are nicely developed with some depth. I think they tend to slide a bit easily into stereotypes – the adorable klutz, the controlled martial artist, the steroid closet case – which is unfortunate. This takes away some individuality from the characters and makes them feel more predictable and rote. We only see into Tim’s head and he spends most of the time overanalyzing and freaking out about everything. He’s paranoid and gives off mixed signals, perhaps with good reason to both, but it makes him difficult to like all the time. On the other hand Matt is cute and fun, making for a shy foil to Tim’s mental acrobatics.

I did find the pace to be uneven. Some of the scenes are quite engaging and the pages fly by easily while others seem to drag. Sadly I never really found Matt and Tim’s encounters together to be that great. I like their tension and dance a lot more than I like the scenes at the end once they were together. Their relationship also feels a bit like a rebound for both of them than lasting love but that’s not a criticism. Some of the plot is simply too obvious and predictable. It’s easy to see where the story is heading at most times and it takes away the excitement of getting to the next scene. Countering this is good writing and enough interest in the story and characters to get past any parts that drag.

Overall Hard Tail is an enjoyable read. It fits very well with the author’s backlist and likely fans of Merrow will especially appreciate this. Anyone new to the author can get a good feel for the typical style. I’d recommend this one but it’s not one I’ll read again.
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Mar 12, 2013 Sas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm

Fave Quote: 'he was currently looking at me as if I’d just stripped stark bollock naked and announced my intention to enter for the world puppy-kicking championships.'

- Storyline - 7/10
- Hero (Tim) - 8/10
- Hero (Matt) - 9/10
- Chemistry - 7/10
- Steaminess - 7/10
- Sweetness - 7/10
- Secondary Characters - 9/10
- Setting - 9/10
- Details/Quirks - 8/10
- Banter/Humor - 9/10
- Ending - 10/10
- Ridiculousness - 3/10
- Annoying the shit out of me factor - 0/10
- This book described in one word/phrase - Britis...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Thomaidha Papa rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/

A lovely story, Hard Tail grips you smoothly and without even realizing it you find yourself in a lovely place in England with wonderful sceneries and great characters. This is the story of Tim, a young man that in a blink of an eye lost everything, or so it seems at the beginning of his journey. At the age of 28 years old Tim loses his job and on the same day his wife tells him she’s leaving him for his best mate… Yet Tim is somehow detached from both of t...more http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/

A lovely story, Hard Tail grips you smoothly and without even realizing it you find yourself in a lovely place in England with wonderful sceneries and great characters. This is the story of Tim, a young man that in a blink of an eye lost everything, or so it seems at the beginning of his journey. At the age of 28 years old Tim loses his job and on the same day his wife tells him she’s leaving him for his best mate… Yet Tim is somehow detached from both of these events. The only thing that shocks him a bit is a phone call from his mother informing him that his big brother had an accident and broke his leg. Having nothing to tie him down to London Tim goes to Totton, a small, gorgeous town, where he steps in his brother’s (Jay) place and takes care of his bike shop where he meets Matt, Jay’s employee and best friend. Young, gorgeous and clumsy Matt literally fell the moment he entered the shop to the disbelieving eyes of Tim. And that’s how this story begins.
In essence the two main character here are Tim and Matt. Each of them have their hidden demons and each of them have incredible inner strength. Tim is a deeply hidden gay man, who decided that he could lead a “normal” and ignore the “gay” thing. His fears and reactions seemed ludicrous up until you met his mother. A very intimidating character that had me cursing her too many times to count. After his illusion of a life got knackered down and meeting Matt, Tim seriously starts thinking about coming out. The one question hammering through his head though is: “Is it worth it?” After 28 years, a lifetime of convincing people he’s straight, is this final step to follow his true nature really worth the pain he might cause his family and upon himself?
But then, there’s Matt. A sweet, gently, lovely character. I adored him. Matt’s life was not walking on roses, well perhaps if those roses had thorns… And to make things worse, Matt is in a relationship with a very violent person. He keep showing up with bruises which he claims to have come from his clumsiness. He always justifies his partner by saying, mostly to himself, that in the end it was his own fault. He is so endearing though that Tim can’t help falling, and falling hard for him.
Their attraction is lovely and although we see mostly Tim’s obsession over Matt, there are a series of little events that show with the most subtle way Matt’s feelings too. I loved how this author pulled this up. I loved how this pair started and evolved from zero to a meaningful relationship. Even though the end left me unsatisfied and with some questions, it still didn’t do much to spoil the entire story.
Normally a novel is all about the main character with some supporting secondary that are nearly shadows, but here I had an extremely good time with the supporting characters/environment. The ex-wife, that we see as a complete slut at the beginning is anything but. Loved how she ended up in this story. Jay, Tim’s brother is a very humorous guy and even he often made me wanna bitch-slap him to senses, yeah ended up one of my favorites. And God, Adam, Matt’s best friend. Oh dear me, I had a laugh with him and the scenes he took part in.
The scenery where this whole story took place was fantastic as well. So much so, that it’s on my “to visit” list of places. All in all, there was exquisite chemistry between all and everything, with the highlight being Wolverine, the cat. A fantastic read, sweet, gentle and with the proper amount of well… beating. At this point I’m having my huge grin, I can’t help loving a good fight and boy was the fight between Tim and the bullying ex-boyfriend a treat. In one word it was believable and that is what makes me respect this author. She wrote a book that was simply not too much, while having it all.
And with this I’ll say no more, but go catch this one, read it, you’re bound to enjoy it.
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Oct 30, 2012 Charly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Real men falling in love under normal circumstances

*NOTE: I received a free review copy of this story.*
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- I love reading stories about characters who aren’t super good looking, especially when they’re hyper-aware of their own normalcy. It’s not that I enjoy reading about people with low self-esteem; it’s that I like seeing how being loved lifts someone’s opinion of him/herself. Besides that, Tim’s comments ab...more Real men falling in love under normal circumstances

*NOTE: I received a free review copy of this story.*
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 8/10

PROS:
- I love reading stories about characters who aren’t super good looking, especially when they’re hyper-aware of their own normalcy. It’s not that I enjoy reading about people with low self-esteem; it’s that I like seeing how being loved lifts someone’s opinion of him/herself. Besides that, Tim’s comments about his looks are rather amusing: when someone new meets him and already knows his brother, Tim often sees “that frown I always thought of as the ‘so which of you was adopted, then?’ look.”
- Parts of this really made me laugh. I think this is due in part to my being in a particularly good mood when I read it, but part of it is also Merrow’s writing. This is one of my favorite parts: “I opened my eyes to a mouthful of fangs looking like they were about to take my nose off, which, given the dead-mouse breath coming my way, would actually have been a mercy. ‘Gah!’ I’m never at my most eloquent when I’ve just woken up. The cat hissed back at me, obviously not a morning person either.”
- The details about the bike shop are well done. There’s enough information to paint a solid picture and to show that Merrow did her research, but not so much that the story feels bogged down by useless minutiae.
- The romance moves at a delightfully slow pace. The friendship develops gradually, and the sexual tension has a long time to build and grow to a point where it’s nearly unbearable.

CONS:
- This is not a failing of the book or its author; it’s just something that I really dislike, and there’s quite a bit of it in this book that I had to wade through. Tim is very much the picked-on, less-cared-for child in his family. I despised his mother. Really--DESPISED her.
- I’m not a fan of seeing sex scenes that occur between one of the main characters and someone other than the love interest. This happens more than once in this book--although to be fair, those scenes didn’t feel contrived to me, and they fit the story well enough. I just didn’t want to see them. I would have been happier if those scenes had faded to black, and the only ones we got details about were the ones involving Tim and Matt.

Overall comments: Once again, Merrow has written a book that doesn’t have a detailed, involved plot but still managed to keep me interested all the way through. Her characters are lifelike and imperfect, and their human failings and uncertain emotions make for splendid stories.(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Top 2 Bottom Reviews Interviews and More rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://top2bottomreviews.wordpress.co...

Matt Berridge, a lovable klutz, who fixes bikes. Tim Knight, a karate-loving accountant, who takes over his brothers’ bike shop and Wolverine, a mysterious cat with a big appetite for tuna fish. These three characters take you on a journey to the outskirts of the city and into the beauty of wildlife that seems to have been forgotten by man.

Tim Knight, who recently got dumped by his wife, has to go and take over his brothers’ bike shop (named Knight Rides)...more

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Jun 21, 2012 Cryselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-25, m-m, samhain

For every door that closes, another door opens. For Tim, the dissolution of his marriage and the evaporation of his job let him step back from the cookie cutter corporate “happiness” that his life has become. Redundant at a job that he was good at but didn’t love, and redundant too in a marriage that was peaceful but not passionate, Tim has a chance to find out what he really wants.

Much to his surprise, it’s Matt, the klutzy bike mechanic at the shop Tim is managing temporarily while the owner,...more For every door that closes, another door opens. For Tim, the dissolution of his marriage and the evaporation of his job let him step back from the cookie cutter corporate “happiness” that his life has become. Redundant at a job that he was good at but didn’t love, and redundant too in a marriage that was peaceful but not passionate, Tim has a chance to find out what he really wants.

Much to his surprise, it’s Matt, the klutzy bike mechanic at the shop Tim is managing temporarily while the owner, his brother Jay, is laid up with injuries. The longings sneak up when Tim isn’t looking—he never really questioned his orientation, and then denied it, and now, because of the irrefutable evidence, has to examine it.

JL Merrow unrolls Tim’s story with her trademark humor—Tim pokes gentle fun at himself even while he’s pondering a complete remake of his life and his perceptions of himself. Assisted in the chuckle department by a demanding feline he dubs Wolverine, Tim examines some difficult issues without devolving into total angst. When his newfound friends in Eling encourage him to live a little, Tim finds himself falling out of the closet like an improperly stored skeleton. It’s sweet, and if his experiments with Adam aren’t destined to be more than a few nights of groping, they do at least convince Tim that he’s on the right course at last.

Matt has to find a new path, too. Much of what he endures we see only in his demeanor and condition after the fact—he’d rather blame every black eye and bruise on cycling accidents than admit more than that his boyfriend is a trifle controlling. The clues add up to bad things happening. Finally asserting his right to being treated with respect turns Matt into a single man, but one on the run, and it makes sense that he turns to Tim, who has a roof to share and nothing but kind words.

Much of the action is low key, as Tim ponders what to do with himself in all ways, especially regarding Matt, whom he regards as off limits as long as he remains with the terrible lover. Tim feeds the cat, learns the joy of cycling, and sheds a marriage like a snakeskin. His relationship with his family gets some good long looks too, and part of this fell apart for me. Tim has always been the overshadowed child, doing well but getting far less attention or credit than the flamboyant brother, who manages to turn Tim’s big revelation into something that’s all about him. Funny in a way, but the response from the family didn’t make sense, given the entire rest of the dynamic.

Once Matt is no longer off limits, he and Tim can be together, and they get together with a thump as audible as when Matt trips through doorways. The speed is understandable but still a little offputting, since Matt has about 20 milliseconds between good-bye ex, hello forever love. Still, we readers know he’s far better off in Tim’s gentle hands, and forgive most of the warp speed.

And Wolverine? He surely owns both Tim and Matt.(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Jenre rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m, romance

The story centres around Tim, who, after his wife leaves him for another man, moves temporarily from London to Totton, a small town on the edge of the New Forest to look after his brother's bike shop whilst his brother is in hospital with a broken leg. The other worker in the shop is Matt, who assembles and mends bikes. Matt's a nice guy but awfully clumsy and Tim finds himself attracted to Matt. Unfortunately Matt's already taken and, besides, Tim isn't sure he's ready to tell everyone that he'...more The story centres around Tim, who, after his wife leaves him for another man, moves temporarily from London to Totton, a small town on the edge of the New Forest to look after his brother's bike shop whilst his brother is in hospital with a broken leg. The other worker in the shop is Matt, who assembles and mends bikes. Matt's a nice guy but awfully clumsy and Tim finds himself attracted to Matt. Unfortunately Matt's already taken and, besides, Tim isn't sure he's ready to tell everyone that he's gay after being a supposedly happily married man for so long.

There are a few interlocking themes in the book but two main themes that stood out for me. The first is Tim's coming out. Tim is someone who, due to various reasons, has decided to suppress his homosexuality. Kate leaving him and the move away from London acts a catalyst for Tim who decides that he could try coming out slowly and safely among people he doesn't really know. Of course, this all backfires rather and the fun of the story is following Tim as he blunders around trying to be cool and sensible about being gay, whilst on the other hand, living in fear about his parents or brother discovering his secret before he can 'experiment' with the idea. Tim is a very endearing character who seems to be constantly putting his foot in it, or more entertainingly being completely oblivious about the fact that he's not being particularly subtle in giving away his feelings. There were a few scenes where I laughed out loud at his behaviour or the situations he gets into. More than this though was my utter delight at the way that the author uses situation to further Tim as a character. Each embarrassing situation or new experience moved him further on in his journey towards happiness and fulfillment, and I was pleased when I got to the end of the book and saw how much more content Tim was with his life.

The second theme is that of partner abuse. The book is taken from Tim's first person point of view, and as is typical for him, it takes him a while to clue into the fact that Matt's bruises are not all due to his natural clumsiness. It's easy for the reader to pick up on it though because the author does such a good job in showing Matt's embarrassment, shame and even slight fear whenever his injuries are mentioned that even through Tim's eyes the theme remains strong and realistic. I liked that despite never seeing Matt and Steve together we are able to see the effect of the abuse, the lies, the excuses, recriminations and the defeat of someone who suffers from abuse. It was handled sensitively and with a deft touch that made it real without becoming too heavy and dragging down the generally lighthearted tone of the book.

There were other themes and characters to like too, as well as Tim and Matt. Tim's family were a total delight and showed a realistic family dynamic. Jay, Tim's brother, is the attention seeker of the family and I liked the way we are shown how Tim's personality has been affected by his larger than life brother. Alongside Tim's family were Matt's friends, especially Adam who showed Tim the pleasures gained in male companionship and relationships of both a platonic and sexual nature. The fact that Tim mentions no-one from his life in London, except for Kate and Alex, was very telling about just how lonely and isolated he must have been and I loved seeing Tim grow and flourish as he makes new friends in Totton. There's even a cameo appearance from Luke and Russell from Pricks and Pragmatism, which is used as a way of forwarding the plot and I was pleased to have a quick revisit of that couple.

The final thing that I liked a great deal was the way the romance develops between Tim and Matt. They become friends first, and it is the attraction that Tim feels for Matt that begins his process of re-evaluating his life and coming out of the closet. There were a number of lovely scenes where the pair just spend time with each other, the attraction and desire crackling between them, before either of them made a move. I love books with a slow build-up and it made it all the more satisfying when the pair were able to act on their attraction.

So as you can see, this is a book that I enjoyed immensely and there was so much more I could say about it that I haven't put into this review. Things like how much I enjoyed the way the setting was described, in that I felt I was actually there through the vivid description of place; or the way that the narrative was so perfectly paced that I never felt that the story dragged or was rushed; or that the author has pitch perfect 'blokey dialogue (the scenes with Tim and Adam were both funny and wholly realistic); or even that I liked the way that Tim's marriage and especially Kate is shown. Let's face it, I pretty much loved this book overall, and whilst it might not have surpassed Muscling Through as my favourite JL Merrow book, it's come a close second. I'd highly recommend Hard Tail to those looking for an entertaining romance with a big heart and a very likable narrator. A word of warning though, you may wish to set aside a chunk of time before you start it! (less)

7 likes · like · see review

May 30, 2012 Terry rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book, maybe it was the slow burn romance, maybe it was the "realness" of the characters, maybe it was the humour but probably because it mirrors my own experiences and I could relate to how the characters felt and behaved.

The main character Tim had been brought up in an era of what was expected of him and how he was to conduct his own life within strict guidelines and that meant he should get married etc etc and if his wife had not left him at the beginning of the book y...more

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May 15, 2012 Anwen Ross rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

I love JL Merrow's writing and this one had plenty of the humour and characterisation that makes it great. I liked the situation that Tim found himself in, and I liked Matt although I didn't feel I completely 'got' him. I would have expected him to be more damaged and (view spoiler) I loved Wolverine the cat and I wondered if he was going to turn...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-gennieg, samahinreview, publishersent

Gennie's Review posted on Guilty Pleasures

ARC Review
4.5 Stars

I wasn’t sure what to expect of Hard Tail by J.L. Merrow, but as I like several other books by this author, I decided to give it a shot. I am very happy I did! As always with this English author, the main characters are lovable and quirky and the secondary characters are compelling and push the story forward.

This story is told from Tim’s point of view. For most of his life Tim’s been in the closet because it was just easier to be “norm...more

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Mar 25, 2012 J.L. Merrow added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: books-i-ve-written

Finding love can be a bumpy ride.

His job: downsized out of existence. His marriage: dead in the water. It doesn’t take a lot of arm twisting for Tim Knight to agree to get out of London and take over his injured brother’s mountain bike shop for a while. A few weeks in Southampton is a welcome break from the wreck his life has become, even though he feels like a fish out of water in this brave new world of outdoor sports and unfamiliar technical jargon.

The young man who falls—literally—through th...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 15, 2012 Gennie Gee rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5

I wasn’t sure what to expect of Hard Tail by J.L. Merrow, but as I like several other books by this author, I decided to give it a shot. I am very happy I did! As always with this English author, the main characters are lovable and quirky and the secondary characters are compelling and push the story forward.

This story is told from Tim’s point of view. For most of his life Tim’s been in the closet because it was just easier to be “normal” than make waves. Tim’s world collapses around him at t...more

12 likes · like · see review

May 10, 2012 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 16, 2012 Julesmarie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, comfort-reads, gfy-ofy

A fabulously entertaining book! Hilarious and heartwarming, sweet and silly and so much fun to read. The characters all seemed not only like real people, but like people that I would like to be friends with. They all had their issues and their own stuff to deal with, but they were all happy and loving and forgiving. It made the whole vibe of the book come off as a nice, warm, literary hug, and I loved it!

I really did love all of the secondary characters (even Adam ended up winning me over in the...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Tammy rated it 5 of 5 stars

4 1/2 Stars

For a book about a gay man who starts out in the closet and a man who is in an abusive relationship this book is a relatively angst free and easy read. Merrow focuses more on the relationship and interactions between the 2 mc's and the supporting cast. Tim has just been laid of from his job when his wife tells him she is in love with someone else and is moving in with him. At the same time Tim's brother has an accident and asks Tim to look after his bike shop while he recovers. The mo...more

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About J.L. Merrow

JL Merrow is a very English writer of (mainly) m/m fiction who finds writing the only way to stay sane, except of course when a plot is driving her crazy. Having grown up on an island, she can’t remember a time before she could swim and prefers to remain close to water at all times. Luckily, the weather in her native land being as it generally is, this is not difficult.

She enjoys reading, martial...more

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Quotes from Hard Tail

“I gave the wretched beast a look that said plainly I’ll deal with you later.
He flicked his tail at me, cat-speak for Do I look like I’m bothered?” — 3 people liked it

“Feeling inspired, I grabbed one of Jay’s cookbooks from the kitchen shelf and flicked through until I found a recipe for something I recognised. Lasagna. That was just pasta, and pasta was easy, right? Trying not to be put off by the list of ingredients longer than my small intestine, I scanned the instructions. Chop onions… I could do that. Brown mince…trickier but manageable. Probably. Make a roux in the usual way… I sighed, shut the book with a snap and went off to make dinner in my usual way: pierce film; bung in microwave; wait for bell.” — 2 people liked it

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