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Wanting It All

by Emma Lai (Goodreads Author)

3.31 of 5 stars 3.31 · rating details · 32 ratings · 6 reviews

Clayton Palmer is an up and coming lawyer in the family's East Coast firm. A long-standing agreement with his father allows Clayton to head to Colorado during the summer--to work hard as a dude ranch hand and if he's lucky, play harder with a hot cowboy, or two. But this summer, his luck is all bad. His normal bunk buddies are missing, and a lawyer from a competing West Co...more

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Published September 25th 2012 by Loose Id

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Sep 28, 2012 Cole Riann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, armchair-reviews, m-m-contemporary, m-m-western, m-m-closeted-coming-out

Review posted at The Armchair Reader.

I believe that this is the first m/m romance this author has written. At the very least, she is new to me and the blurb and cover were both quite tempting. I haven't read a cowboy book in a while, and thought I didn't expect it from the blurb, I liked the dynamic between the two characters, the whole two alphas going head to head in a battle of wills can be intriguing. That's just how I saw it, as both men were quite stubborn and had a prior competition that...more Review posted at The Armchair Reader.

I believe that this is the first m/m romance this author has written. At the very least, she is new to me and the blurb and cover were both quite tempting. I haven't read a cowboy book in a while, and thought I didn't expect it from the blurb, I liked the dynamic between the two characters, the whole two alphas going head to head in a battle of wills can be intriguing. That's just how I saw it, as both men were quite stubborn and had a prior competition that bled over into their relationship, but I also wouldn't say that that dynamic was the focus of the story.

The story is quite short for the length and I did have some trouble with how the story was split into two different halves. We get to know the two men on the dude ranch in Colorado. Clay is spending his summer there, as he has done for several years as a ranch hand. It is the only time of the year he can be himself, but he's lonely this year without the other two men who usually spend the summer with him. They've both come out and are now in committed relationships. The loneliness of being at the ranch alone only echo his decision to toe to his powerful father's expectations. James is another high powered litigator based across the US in San Francisco. Unlike Clay, James is out and proud and refuses to date another man in the closet. The ranch gives them anonymity to get to know each other away from the world in which they are rivals on opposite sides of the bench during the many cases they've gone up against one another.

The second half really switched things up. Right around the 50% mark, there is a huge shift in time, where Clay gets fed up (like we knew he would) and makes some changes in his life. We see very little of this, most of which is summarized. I'm not a big fan of this style, in fact is really frustrates me. I would have loved to see Clay's transition at this point, it's the most powerful part of the story. But, we don't get to see the most of it, and the story starts 6 months later when he tries to win James back.

For the most part, the giant plot hole made this story disappointing for me. Also, it made it nothing special. I've read countless stories exactly like this one, and while somewhat enjoyable at the moment, it isn't memorable. Maybe it would be different if I hadn't felt cheated out of the mid-story development. This is a good read if you're really into cowboys and/or are looking for a short, little stress read that doesn't offer much complication or time out of your schedule. There are a few sexy explicit scenes, but nothing totally scorching, at least to me. I did like the dynamic between the characters though -- they had a stubborn (but not too stubborn) head to head competitive thing going that worked well in the bedroom. The story is too short to really see the development of that as well.(less)

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Dec 05, 2012 Cryselle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: loose-id

This book left me with some very mixed feelings: the writing is smooth and engaging, and I really like the style. When the prose is almost good enough to lull me into ignoring or accepting inconsistencies and plot holes, that’s very good writing indeed. Emma Lai’s style makes me want to read more of her work, with a more logical plot attached.

Clayton uses his summer for playing gay cowboy; wrangling on a dude ranch and spending hot bunkhouse nights with a couple of pals. They both managed to fin...more This book left me with some very mixed feelings: the writing is smooth and engaging, and I really like the style. When the prose is almost good enough to lull me into ignoring or accepting inconsistencies and plot holes, that’s very good writing indeed. Emma Lai’s style makes me want to read more of her work, with a more logical plot attached.

Clayton uses his summer for playing gay cowboy; wrangling on a dude ranch and spending hot bunkhouse nights with a couple of pals. They both managed to find permanent partners and didn’t return this season, leaving him alone, horny, and regretting the time spent, at least until his hot competition shows up.

James, a lawyer for a firm on the opposite coast, is openly gay, and has argued cases against Clay, so they have more than a passing acquaintance, but only on the professional level. He’s certainly not expecting to find a legal hotshot carrying suitcases and saddling horses, and James, I’m right there with you. They’re in the sack pretty fast.

The mismatch between James’ expectations of a partner who’s out and proud and Clayton’s life in the closet send them in opposite directions practically before they finish coming. James has no patience for hiding, and Clayton’s stayed in the closet because of family pressure, which is the flip side of the family advantages of wealth and position. As long as he refuses to do without what his father can provide, Clayton has to abide by the old man’s wishes and hide his true self. His encounter with James sets him thinking, evaluating, and making changes.

And the next time we see him, those changes are all made and he just has to convince James to go along with it, which takes little more than some mind blowing sex.

This is supposed to be a story of coming out, and it does have the bare facts of Clayton’s revision of his life, but there’s a pretty substantial gap in the emotions of it, and also in the practical aspects. All of these are dismissed in a few paragraphs, and then it’s off to more sex, which clinches the relationship.

Unfortunately, all Clayton’s interesting growth after his initial decision to come out falls into the missing six months. There have to be a lot of practical issues to consider, quite a lot of self-examination, and it would be nice to see some relationship growth. James and Clayton have yet to establish that they can stand to be in each other’s company for more than an hour while not engaged in litigation or sex. But similar career trajectories and hot sex have to be enough for this story to end in an HEA. In short, there’s just enough text in the middle to string the sex scenes together.

This might be enough for readers primarily looking for the hawt, although I don’t consider it complete. I also have issues with some of the world-building. Students get three month summer vacations, hotshot litigating lawyers’ cases don’t fall so neatly into the calendar, but this is a longstanding habit for Clayton. Lawyers who have yet to make partner don’t have the luxury of months off at a time, even if Daddy is the boss, and lawyers who have made partner are harder to discard than Clayton was, so what was he really? His cover story for those three months off every year is so flimsy as to be insulting to the reader; if he’s in the London office, surely someone will try to pick up the phone and ask him a question, and good luck with that if he’s really on a horse in Colorado.

I wanted to be happy with this story, because it does flow like water, but I kept bumping into the logical and developmental rocks and getting bounced out. Had I been reading strictly for the sex, I’m sure I would have been more satisfied. (less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Becky Mrs Condit Reads Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

The best part of this story is the ending (normally I’d have gone with the sex, which was pretty good!). This ending, though, wrapped up everything very nicely in a pretty little bow.

James and Clay have been opponents in the courtroom many times. Can they find a way to be together? Can they really find a way to have it all? Read the story and find out.

Please see Mr. P's complete review on January 25, 2013 at http://mrsconditreadsbooks.com/index....

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Sep 30, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The MC's played off each other well.. Nothing too angsty and a nice HEA ending.

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Oct 28, 2012 Cecilia Rodriguez rated it 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable read with a nice HEA for Clay and James.

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Apr 03, 2013 Ebookie marked it as to-read

Shelves: kindle

Apr 02, 2013 Jana Armstrong added it

Shelves: edited-it

Mar 29, 2013 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 16, 2013 Kristie marked it as to-read

Shelves: review

Mar 09, 2013 Mel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mar 01, 2013 Aqila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Feb 25, 2013 Malina added it

Shelves: bl-slash

Dec 26, 2012 Shana marked it as to-read

Shelves: fiction-glbt

Dec 10, 2012 AndyB rated it 4 of 5 stars

Dec 02, 2012 Chandra marked it as to-read

Nov 27, 2012 Mithru rated it 2 of 5 stars

Nov 27, 2012 Mar Durango added it

Nov 18, 2012 Indigo marked it as to-read

Shelves: m-m

Nov 16, 2012 Joseph-Daniel Peter Paul Abondius marked it as to-read

Nov 16, 2012 Galathea marked it as to-read

Nov 14, 2012 Isabel marked it as to-read

Shelves: m-m-romance, to-read-mm-books

Nov 14, 2012 Sloan Parker marked it as m-m

Nov 13, 2012 Farfallina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nov 07, 2012 Lea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nov 03, 2012 Kellie Dennis marked it as to-read

Shelves: my-books

Oct 31, 2012 Carla rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, glbt

Oct 29, 2012 Susan Laine marked it as to-read

Oct 29, 2012 Sars rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oct 28, 2012 Mel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: cowboy, i-m-coming-out

Oct 27, 2012 Bogusia marked it as to-read

Shelves: waiting-room, cowboys

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About Emma Lai

Emma likes nothing more than a challenge. First, she tackled the male-dominated field of engineering. Next, she expanded her understanding of the world by studying international relations. Finally, her husband dared her to use her experience and knowledge and devote herself to writing. She accepted his challenge and has been writing ever since.

Writing keeps Emma sane. Her characters demand their...more

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