Half Pass

Dec 02, 2012 ttg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, reviews

Enjoyable m/m mystery romance about Paul, an account manager who moves from San Francisco to northern Washington State to take over his late aunt’s stables. City boy Paul isn’t too keen about running Serenity Stables, especially after a horse-riding trauma from his youth, but he presses on until he can find a buyer for the place. But plans go awry as he struggles with a gaggle of nosy boarders, a violent and homophobic cousin, and the sudden disappearance of one of the horses. Throw in there a s...more

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Mar 31, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, glbt-fiction

I really do enjoy Astrid Amara's work, but this one has to be one of my favorites. Gorgeous characters and plenty of 'will they won't they' tension. Men wearing riding breeches/jodhpurs - what's not to like? AND horses. The mystery was a very scooby affair and made me laugh. Nothing nicer than a nasty villain or three!

The authors deft descriptions of riders and their equine companions was well done. It had me wishing I was fourteen again and charging about the countryside on my own horse. I thin...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am a fan of Astrid Amara's books and this is no exception. What a pleasure to read a book set in the equestrian world of dressage barns and boarders by someone who knows horses and the politics of boarding. She has all the details exactly right, from the quirks of various horses to the drama of the boarders. Then on top of that she has created wonderful characters to populate that world of Serenity Stables in the Pacific Northwest. complete with renown trainer, Estevan Souza.

Paul King has jus...more

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Mar 24, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Life takes a dump, and you scoop it up and move on.” That is how Paul King felt when he lost his job and inherited a run-down equestrian boarding facility from his aunt Beth. Most of us can all relate to downsizing in today’s economy and know how if feels to let go of a job you love and take on a job you hate, like cleaning horse stalls in a backwoods town you left behind years ago.

It was the title and horse on the cover of this book that caught my eye and the rest was history because I had to...more “Life takes a dump, and you scoop it up and move on.” That is how Paul King felt when he lost his job and inherited a run-down equestrian boarding facility from his aunt Beth. Most of us can all relate to downsizing in today’s economy and know how if feels to let go of a job you love and take on a job you hate, like cleaning horse stalls in a backwoods town you left behind years ago.

It was the title and horse on the cover of this book that caught my eye and the rest was history because I had to get it. I have never read any of Astrid Amara's books, so I was very pleased at her knowledge of horses and the running of equestrian boarding facilities, which not only added a feel of realism but also created an incredible entertaining story. As I watched the unique and charming personalities of Paul and Estevan Souza come alive as well as the secondary characters, I found it hard to put the book down. However, this story is not a short read so I could not finish it before bedtime.

Up early the next day, I had my nose back in the book eager to see if a missing horse had been found or if he was dead. I also needed to find out if there was anything going on between Paul and Estevan, who seemed to be dancing around each other without really coming out and giving you an idea if there was more than friendship connecting them. To say that I was completely blown away with the plot and all the action that took place within the story is an understatement, for I found myself completely enchanted by the story line as well as the characters and chomping at the bit to see what would happen next.

There is definitely conflict, trust issues, mystery, and suspense found through out the pages that made it hard to lay the book down. I found it well written and jam-packed with all the elements that make a book worth reading. I'm definitely looking for more books by this author. It was a pleasure to review this story and recommend it to all my friends.

Originally posted at http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...(less)

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Mar 22, 2011 Jax rated it 5 of 5 stars

I finally got around to reading this one. A combination of the blurb doing nothing for me & and some luke warm reviews made me hesitate even though this author is usually an auto-buy for me. I finally decided that a so-so book by Ms. Amara would be better than most other m/m books and went for it. I needn’t have worried because I enjoyed this one as much as all her others.

I really loved Paul and there was just the right amount of stable life shown for my taste. That is, I felt totally emerse...more

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Dec 25, 2012 DaisyGirl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-romance, i-own, m-m, romance-contemp, other-steamy, romance-suspense

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.0

Paul King is an accounts manager who recently lost his job at a respectable accounting firm in San Francisco after he broke off his long time love affair with his boss. When Paul's beloved aunt dies and leaves him her equestrian boarding facility named Serenity Stables, Paul reluctantly returns to the hometown of his youth. He has one plan for the crumbling facility: unload it as fast as possible. But two months on the market, and he's still mucking stalls and dreaming...more 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.0

Paul King is an accounts manager who recently lost his job at a respectable accounting firm in San Francisco after he broke off his long time love affair with his boss. When Paul's beloved aunt dies and leaves him her equestrian boarding facility named Serenity Stables, Paul reluctantly returns to the hometown of his youth. He has one plan for the crumbling facility: unload it as fast as possible. But two months on the market, and he's still mucking stalls and dreaming of his old life back in San Francisco. To makes matters worse, Paul has lost one of his boarders, a million-dollar Warmblood named Tux. On the (sorta) bright side, Serenity Stables is home to Brazilian horse trainer and Olympic medalist, Estevan Souza, whom Paul fancies. Intriguing as Paul finds Estevan, distractions are piling up: the boarders are picky; the arena roof is leaking; Paul's drunken cousin is wreaking havoc; Tux's owners are threatening to sue; and someone is trying to take Paul out of the game, permanently. Half Pass is a story about Paul and Estevan overcoming horse thieves, would-be murderers, and long-held phobias to reach their HEA.

I'm a huge fan of Astrid Amara's work and while this was not one her best books (IMHO), I enjoyed it nonetheless. Both MCs were likeable enough but I had a difficult time connecting with them at first. They warmed up to me by the end but my affection remained tenuous at best. Paul was okay but I got frustrated with him at times. I don't know if it was because he was too passive or too complacent or what ... but there wasn't a strong connection for me there. Estevan was even harder for me to relate to. He was so obnoxious at first that I just flat out didn't like him. He seemed like such a pompous ass. Granted, as the story progressed we saw the softer side of him. But, again, I wasn't enthralled with his character. The book had many secondary characters that provided fodder for the underlying mystery. I liked them okay but no one really stood out for me. Besides adding to the pool of suspects, the secondary characters managed to repeatedly interrupt Paul and Estevan at the most inopportune moments making this book one for the "slow burn" category.

Bottom line: The mystery woven throughout the book kept me guessing; and, although the MCs were hard to relate to at first, they eventually grew on me. An entertaining read from one of my most favorite authors.(less)

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Jan 17, 2011 Kassa rated it 2 of 5 stars

I guess readers are fickle since while I adored Love Ahead by Astrid Amara, I found Half Pass to be totally devoid of the same charm and warmth. This story relies on a weak pseudo mystery, circumstance, and an equally tepid happy ending between characters that I simply couldn’t connect to on any meaningful level. There are several good areas of tension introduced, yet the story and characters go nowhere with the possibility. Instead most of the issues are resolved too easily and I never could ap...more I guess readers are fickle since while I adored Love Ahead by Astrid Amara, I found Half Pass to be totally devoid of the same charm and warmth. This story relies on a weak pseudo mystery, circumstance, and an equally tepid happy ending between characters that I simply couldn’t connect to on any meaningful level. There are several good areas of tension introduced, yet the story and characters go nowhere with the possibility. Instead most of the issues are resolved too easily and I never could appreciate the romance dynamic between the main men.

Paul is going through a life change. He broke up with his lying, philandering boyfriend, who happened to be his boss, and was the sole recipient of the company’s “downsizing.” Out of work and home, Paul heads to the Pacific Northwest to handle the sale of his late aunt’s horse boarding business. Yet the business is nearly bankrupt, the work is piling up, Paul’s openly hostile cousin may be sabotaging the barn, and now a million dollar horse is missing. Paul is not having a good time right now. Between all his problems and lack of solutions, sexy pretentious trainer Estevan comes riding into the muck.

Told in first person point of view from Paul’s perspective, the story relies on a lot of telling and less showing right from the start. Most important details are offered in internal monologues and heavy dialogue with very little action. Although Half Pass begins with a lot of coincidences and some obvious manipulation to get all the right players where they need to be, this isn’t such a big stretch. The initial setup of the circumstances and Paul’s trust issues are nicely incorporated and the edgy feeling to the business is established early on. This is a business on the verge of total collapse and only Paul’s hard work and increasing confusion about why he’s even there hold the duct taped mess together. This is also important since the story spends considerable time reminding readers that Paul has trust issues. The truth is a big deal to him and he refuses to lie in any way, no matter how small.

Unfortunately this is also a major problem I had with the story and Paul in particular. Throughout the story many, many, many people lie to Paul. From small lies to rather big, essential manipulations, Paul is rarely ever told the truth. Yet these lies – which are all exposed – never really factor into the story or cause much tension. When female employees lie to Paul, his main concern is he made them cry; not that his employees are lying to him and potentially causing harm and problems for his failing business. Nor does Paul’s supposed near obsession with the truth come into play when he’s being lied to. Since the story spends so much time reminding us that Paul hates lies, why isn’t it an issue when people lie to him?

Although I’m going to attempt not to give any spoilers, a similar event occurs towards the end of the story with the missing horse issue involving lies and manipulations. Instead of feeling betrayed and angry, perhaps a near breaking point, Paul is only concerned with the liar’s feelings and motivations. Sure this makes sense given that Paul is a rational, logical person understanding that reasons are important. Yet the emotional aspect is almost completely absent and again I’m left wondering why the story makes such a point about Paul’s love of honesty when it never factors into issues in any significant way. No matter how big these lies are, no matter how damaging, Paul gets over them almost immediately. This really kept me from connecting with the character on any meaningful level since he seems to have no great depth of emotion. He rarely gets angry or even that passionate, he’s almost too easy going. Whenever the tension would build and I expected Paul to get upset or angry, he never did and instead left me confused about the character and his motivations.

Likewise Estevan, the eventual love interest, is too mysterious. Paul spends considerable time chasing Estevan and seducing him, likening Estevan to “a scared mouse.” In fact this description is so apt I couldn’t really feel any chemistry between the two nor an engaging dynamic. When Estevan later changes his personality and becomes open and affectionate, I was left wondering what happened and what I missed. The two men are the only gay men in the story and seemingly in the area so I guess it makes sense to be together but their relationship feels more like circumstance than a passionate and instant connection.

Another jarring note is the resolution at the ending. The finances of the barn are an important aspect of the story and one family is the sole reason the barn can stay open. This family apparently pays quite a bit of money to house their horses yet when that money disappears, the barn seems to be the same financially. Oh it’s bad and barely hanging on still, but the sudden withdrawl of money, which should have forced the barn to close, isn’t referenced again. If this detail is important enough to be a main element in the pseudo mystery of the missing horse and that resolution, then I imagine it’s important enough to tie up the loose end in how the barn will survive now without it.

Unfortunately Half Pass left me with the feeling of thinking the book is “ok” but I can still imagine other people will be interested. There are familiar elements of the story that have it fitting well within the genre and those looking for a story they know well may really enjoy this despite its problems. The themes and tropes used are ones readers are likely to recognize and thus will appeal to the right reader. Astrid Amara is a good writer and though Half Pass didn’t work for me, chose for yourself.(less)

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Jan 19, 2011 Sylvie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

4.5 stars

Comfortable, feel-good story that has everything I love - gorgeous horses, lovely characters, and a mystery-suspense that had me guessing to the end.

The horses stole my heart even though they weren't the stars of the story. Solo and Tux, you need to be riding together with your owners more often. The horses were adorable, antics and personalities described humorously - great interaction with the characters.

Paul seemed to have lost everything in his life, his job, his love, his only rela...more 4.5 stars

Comfortable, feel-good story that has everything I love - gorgeous horses, lovely characters, and a mystery-suspense that had me guessing to the end.

The horses stole my heart even though they weren't the stars of the story. Solo and Tux, you need to be riding together with your owners more often. The horses were adorable, antics and personalities described humorously - great interaction with the characters.

Paul seemed to have lost everything in his life, his job, his love, his only relative that meant anything to him. But as bad as his fate was, it forced him to face some of his demons and perhaps given a second chance to rediscover himself. And as simple as that sounds, it's my favorite type of story. I'm not interested in reading about a story without a character who grows and matures - someone who gains knowledge of himself even though it takes a while. I don't need to identify with the character, but I need to know his motivations and understand him, and that's what I got with Paul.

Estevan was more of a mystery than other characters I've encountered, and I think he was meant to be annoying to the reader because he was just so elusive and unpredictable. I was disturbed until about halfway into the book and all of a sudden, everything cleared up. And from that point on, I fell in love with his character. However, I wished the reveal happened sooner because I felt that I could have gotten to know him better as a reader.

The plot really picked up towards the end of the story, and that's just something that kept me on my toes. Without going into the details, I'm going to say the ending definitely feels like a beginning for Paul and Estevan. I can foresee tournaments and adventures for the two, and it's the best place to leave their story.

Frankly speaking, I think the length of the book really makes a difference. I'm not one who needs a book to be exceptionally long, but I've always felt that characters and plot need time (and words!) to grow. It's probably my own preference, but I'm done with mini-novellas that leave me hanging and unsatisfied (short stories are a different category).

All in all, a fantastic read and highly recommended.

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Jan 26, 2011 Justacat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

I'm not actually sure I'd give this book 5 - probably more like 4 - but I'm jumping it up here to offset what I see as unduly low reviews, because I think this is a good, solid read, definitely up there with most that are rated 3.5 or 4 or 4.5 in this genre, and well worth reading, especially (but not only) by fans of the author or people who know what the name of the book is referring to!

I found it, like most of the author's current works, charming and warm; it's not my favorite of hers (that w...more I'm not actually sure I'd give this book 5 - probably more like 4 - but I'm jumping it up here to offset what I see as unduly low reviews, because I think this is a good, solid read, definitely up there with most that are rated 3.5 or 4 or 4.5 in this genre, and well worth reading, especially (but not only) by fans of the author or people who know what the name of the book is referring to!

I found it, like most of the author's current works, charming and warm; it's not my favorite of hers (that would be Holiday Outing), but I liked it a lot and will definitely re-read it. To be fair, this might be partly because I am a big horseperson (with three of my own), and specifically someone who does the sort of riding described in this book. So the horse bits really spoke to me - I thought the author was dead on in so many of her descriptions both of horse owners and of horses. In particular, she captured so very well, and often with just a few lines, those sometimes clashing feelings of sublime joy, anxiety, and heartbreak that characterize horse ownership. I loved how her descriptions were often slightly barbed and...maybe perplexed, from the perspective of an outsider, while still obviously (to me at least) showing an "insider's" (i.e., horse lover/owner's) understanding of and empathy with that seeming craziness.

So the horse setting - and the characters in that setting, and the protagonist's (Paul's) reaction to it - were, I felt, very well done; I'd have enjoyed the book for these alone. (And admittedly, there were some things in the book that perhaps could only be fully appreciated by someone who does in fact read Dressage Today every month, and has gone to the World Equestrian Games, and is familiar with the current raging helmet controversy in the dressage world; unlike many sports, dressage is not one familiar to many who don't participate.) But I also enjoyed the underlying characters and story; in particular, seeing Paul grow and change - seeing his feelings about the place evolve, seeing him overcome long-ingrained fears (fears to which any horseperson can certainly relate).

Paul's love interest, Estevan, wasn't as well developed, and I didn't feel as great an attachment to him, but I still enjoyed his role. Again, part of this was recognition: he's a type (the arrogant, naturally gifted dressage trainer/rider) so familiar to me, an object of both awe and mockery. I got such a kick out of the scene in which he, who is blessed with such natural gifts and "feeling" for riding, attempts to teach a plodding, average, amateur, with classic lines like "put him on the aids" - instructions that are utterly meaningless unless you already know, and can feel, what they mean. Such a familiar scene to anyone who's been in this sport who isn't naturally gifted! But I also liked seeing Estevan humbled, seeing him overcome barriers of his own to be with Paul, seeing how deeply he cared for the horses, and what he was willing to do to save people - and horses! - he loved. And the author, I thought, did reasonably well at showing Estevan's conflict and confusionfrom Paul's first person POV.

The mystery was fun - I didn't figure the entire thing out on my own. It was appropriate for a book set in the horse world - in some elements it reminded me of an old Dick Francis. The resolution did, as another reviewer noted, reveal that Paul had been lied to, but - again perhaps because of my horse background, I don't know - I did not feel at all that he should have felt more angry and/or betrayed about this than he did. In fact, I can't imagine any horseperson I know facing that situation ending up angry about that "betrayal" once discovering the reason, no matter how great their purported "love of honesty" - so perhaps the point of his lack of more extreme reaction was to show his growth and healing: he now sees that in some cases there might in fact be things more important than 100% honesty and he realizes what the horses and the barn operation are coming to mean to him.

This wasn't a perfect book - in particular, it did feel as if some problems were overcome too quickly and easily, specifically with regard (as mentioned by other reviewers) to barn finances, and also to the resolution of Paul's feelings about and history with the hostile atmosphere of the town. But I found it a fun, enjoyable read, with what has become (to me) Astrid Amara's trademark blend of light humor and a sort of non-saccharine sweetness of spirit, solidly written, with an interesting and unique setting. I definitely recommend it, and doubly so to anyone with a remote familiarity with or interest in things equine.

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Mar 23, 2011 Jenre rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, romance, contemporary

This review can also be found at Three Dollar Bill Reviews.

I love Astrid Amara’s books and so jumped at the chance to review this latest book of hers. Whilst it wasn’t one of her best books for me, I still rather enjoyed it.

The story follows reluctant stable owner Paul, who has inherited his stable business from his aunt. He’s struggling a little because running a stable is a far cry from the safe accountancy office job he used to have. However, he’s trying his best to keep things ticking over w...more This review can also be found at Three Dollar Bill Reviews.

I love Astrid Amara’s books and so jumped at the chance to review this latest book of hers. Whilst it wasn’t one of her best books for me, I still rather enjoyed it.

The story follows reluctant stable owner Paul, who has inherited his stable business from his aunt. He’s struggling a little because running a stable is a far cry from the safe accountancy office job he used to have. However, he’s trying his best to keep things ticking over whilst he waits for a buyer to take the stables off his hands. Things are further complicated by his jealous cousin who thinks he should have inherited the business, by homophobic townsfolk and then by the disappearance of a Olympic medal winning horse. Paul also has to contend with an attraction to star trainer Estevan, who is contently throwing Paul mixed messages and seems to be hiding something.

Those readers who love anything to do with horses are going to really enjoy this book which lovingly describes the joys and frustrations of owning horses. I’m not a huge horse fan and so whilst I found it interesting to learn all about their upkeep, the ins and outs of running a stable and the various personalities of the horses, I wasn’t particularly captivated by this part of the book. As much of the book is on this subject this meant that, although it was fun to read about these things from Paul’s point of view, much of the book was merely interesting from an intellectual point of view rather than engaging my emotions. As I said, if horses are your thing, then you’ll probably find this one of the best parts of the book as the reader is taken through Paul’s day to day running of the stables and the difficulties he faces due to his fear of horses.

One of the best parts of the book for me was the character of Paul. I liked him and sympathised with his problems. He’s a bit of a whinger at first, but as the book progresses, he begins to appreciate his life at the stables more and as such his narration becomes more upbeat. He’s thrown into a situation not of his choosing and manages to conduct himself with a certain amount of dignity even when everything seems against him and the problems are piling up. His reluctant love of horses was cleverly shown and I wanted him to succeed – showing that the author had managed to get me to care about him.

The romance aspect relies heavily on the reader forgiving Estevan for being a bit of a prick. I never really warmed to him as a character, nor did I think he was good enough for Paul. He messes him about, leaves mixed messages and is as skittish as a horse (if you’ll forgive the analogy). I could see why Paul was attracted to his good looks and arrogant personality, but I never felt the spark or really believed there was any sexual tension between them. It felt flat to me and as such the romance was a bit of a dud. Whether this was because I just didn’t really like Estevan or because of some failure in the writing, I don’t know. All I do know is that emotion-wise the book didn’t work for me and that reflected in my feelings towards the romance.

There were other things that did work, including the rather clever mystery plot and the way that Paul manages to overcome all the obstacles thrown at him during the book. The secondary characters add to the story and are a nice mix of personalities.

Overall, I would class this as a decent read, a good story but lacking a little in the romance. I would still recommend it though to those readers who love horses or those interested in reading a character based mystery story.(less)

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May 17, 2011 Gwengwel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-contemporary, profession-rancher-farmer-cowboy, profession-sportif, romance-mm, sexcontent-mm, theme-interracial-or-culturel, theme-sports

1.5 stars

I nearly made a snide remark saying he’d better, considering he made three times off the boarders what I did. But he gave me another confusing look, and I began to suspect this was a pickup. If so, I didn’t want to ruin it. It had been months since I’d done anything with anybody, and the idea of getting laid by this strong, handsome stranger sounded like the perfect ending to what had otherwise been a shitty day.

Shallow the guy! Just before seeing the magnificent Estevan he 'dislike' hi...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Merwan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked Half Pass. Sure, there were some minor consistency issues* and it's not super-realistic. Still, I found it a thoroughly enjoyable story. The author's love of horses really transpires from the writing (which by the way is pretty amazing); the setting was very well drawn and I found myself wanting to be there, with the horses, smell and dirt and all.

I'd say don't over-analyze it, go with it and enjoy the ride.

* For example, a horse steps on the character's foot and it's swollen, bu...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Kaje Harper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m, mystery

This book had realistic characters, a mystery that did not involve a dead body, and horses. The equine stuff is written with authority and, for me at least, just the right amount of detail. I really liked the narrator, both his character and his voice. My only reason to withhold the fifth star was that I felt the relationship evolved too fast once it got going. The closeted character came out too fast and too easily for someone who had spent that long hiding. Still a great read, especially if yo...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Emanuela ~plastic duck~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glbt, rainbow-gay, action-crime-suspense, romance

I enjoyed this story very much. The details of the stables and all the work with and for the horses made me feel into the story. I know nothing about horses, but you can really see the author's passion for these animals.

Paul, the narrator, has inherited Serenity Stables from his aunt and has accepted to manage them until he finds a buyer. He has just lost his job, after his boss and lover dumped him, and he's back in his conservative home town with little hope and little prospects.

Estevan is the...more I enjoyed this story very much. The details of the stables and all the work with and for the horses made me feel into the story. I know nothing about horses, but you can really see the author's passion for these animals.

Paul, the narrator, has inherited Serenity Stables from his aunt and has accepted to manage them until he finds a buyer. He has just lost his job, after his boss and lover dumped him, and he's back in his conservative home town with little hope and little prospects.

Estevan is the Brazilian Olympic champion horse trainer. He is aloof and mysterious and he sends all sorts of mixed signals to Paul.

Paul's already troubled life turns into a nightmare when one of the most prized horses, Tux, disappears. The horse was probably stolen by someone close to the stables. The suspects include co-workers, boarders, the cousin with whom Paul has a feud.

Paul's voice is not flashy, or too funny, or humorous, it's a polite, level, rational voice that by the end of the book becomes almost hypnotic. It made the book easy to read and engaging. His previous relationship colors his fears about a new love and Estevan seems the worst choice: everybody thinks he's straight, but Paul feels his eyes on him; he defends Paul but he's also unusually skittish. He's hot and sexy, but he's not easy to like.

The romance simmers throughout the book and since I like anticipation, it was perfect for me, but I have to admit that I didn't really feel the explosion of their passion, because for all the proud and haughty attitude, Estevan was a bit too weak in my opinion, while Paul, who appeared a bit whiny at first, was really brave.

The mystery-suspense part of the story was ok. I guessed the "how", but not exactly the "who", and there was a part at the end that I didn't find convincing (view spoiler).

So, apart from a couple of things, I really liked the story. Up until now I've enjoyed this author's work in different genres and it's always been satisfying. (less)

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May 06, 2012 Erik Orrantia rated it 4 of 5 stars

A fast, smooth read. Not sure why Goodreads shows over 300 pages if the actual book has only 199.
I liked the unique setting and constantly got a good feel for place.

There were a few instances of loose ends that left me wondering, but they all got tied up pretty well by the end. I also think there was more potential to develop the relationship, had it actually started a little sooner.

I didn't love it, but I really liked it.

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Apr 04, 2011 Tamela rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-or-mmm, cops-detective-security, contemporary

Well, I always say I like characters... and this story was chock-full of them. I'm not a big fan of murder mysteries, and here there ended up being tons of mysteries. What happening to Tux? Why does Collin have it in for Paul? What is up with those rich pains in the *sses, the Jacksons? So many questions, whew, was exhausted by the end of the book :)

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Jan 28, 2011 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, gay, ebook, romance, done

Good m/m romance about a horse phobic guy who inherits his aunt's boarding stable and moves back to the small town in which he grow up so he can get the stable ready to sell. Unfortunately, it felt like all the details about the horses and their training and care overshadowed the actual story.

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Nov 04, 2012 Ery rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

Barely a two.... While the tone and writing itself was solid, the mystery was weak at best. I was particularly annoyed at how challenges were so easily glossed over (and I kept waiting for the invisible fairy godmother who solved everything with a wave of her wand to show up).

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Aug 05, 2012 Silke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Nice, well written book - I read it in a couple of hours flat. BUT: I think the behaviour of both the protagonist and the police is implausible. Don't you think the police would be a little more interested if a million-dollar-horse disappeared?

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Jan 26, 2011 Clover rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m, mystery-thriller, pick-for-me-book

really funny mystery book about a stale manager trying to find a missing horse. I laughed a lot reading it. it's written in the manager's POV and he has really good expressions !
the end was a little too quick for my tastes.

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Jan 27, 2012 Barb Gilmour rated it 5 of 5 stars

Astrid is becoming one of my absolute favourite authors - her writing has some of the sweetest and the funniest touches, a winning combination in my book! This book had everything, and the mystery kept me guessing right to the end!

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Mar 01, 2013 k reads rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013

I didn't really click with this one. Wasn't engaged by the characters, they never came alive for me.

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Jan 02, 2011 Tracy's Place rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

4.25 out of 5

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Feb 02, 2012 Aniko rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

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Jul 15, 2012 Ajax1978 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Yes I gave this book five stars. Certainly it's not great literature that will be reviewed in Esquire as one of the greatest books ever written. But to me, it was enjoyable, knowledgeable about its setting in the equestrian world, not riddled with gay romance cliches, had believable main characters, and didn't overdo the sex scenes. In its genre I could not ask for more thus....five stars.

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Dec 27, 2011 Emmie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

Sweet story, however, the ending was a little too easily wrapped, as well as Paul's concerns about Estevan's lies (however well meaning) allayed. I did like the characters, it just seems a little too convenient in places, but overall, really nice story.

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Jan 05, 2013 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, m-m, samhain

3.5

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Aug 30, 2012 OkayKim rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5
Cute!

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Mar 26, 2011 Nightcolors rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ebook, glbt, romance, 2011

3.5 stars.

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May 19, 2013 J♥J marked it as to-read

title link	preview: Half Pass
avg rating	preview: Half Pass Goodreads rating: 3.72 (152 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9674567-half-pass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365992941l/9674567.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9674567-half-pass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Half Pass by Astrid Amara[/url]

Half Pass

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