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Buchanan House #1
Buchanan House
an alternate cover edition can be found here
Eric Allen and his bestie buy a neglected hotel on the scenic Oregon coast to fulfill their middle-school dreams of co-owning a B&B. The building is in decent shape but in order to turn Buchanan House into the gay resort of their dreams, it's going to need work.
Tim Tate is a skilled carpenter with many hidden talents, and a body that could grace the pages of a fitness magazine. When he and Eric meet, it's mutual lust at first sight. Despite the intense attraction, both men are hesitant to fully out themselves by acting on it. But when they give in, it’s obvious that they’ve found something special—and not only in bed.
Before Eric can be free to love the gorgeous handyman they have to make it through the July4th grand opening. With rain that won't stop and a meddling brother intent on wreaking havoc, can the holiday still go off with a bang?
Eric Allen and his bestie buy a neglected hotel on the scenic Oregon coast to fulfill their middle-school dreams of co-owning a B&B. The building is in decent shape but in order to turn Buchanan House into the gay resort of their dreams, it's going to need work.
Tim Tate is a skilled carpenter with many hidden talents, and a body that could grace the pages of a fitness magazine. When he and Eric meet, it's mutual lust at first sight. Despite the intense attraction, both men are hesitant to fully out themselves by acting on it. But when they give in, it’s obvious that they’ve found something special—and not only in bed.
Before Eric can be free to love the gorgeous handyman they have to make it through the July4th grand opening. With rain that won't stop and a meddling brother intent on wreaking havoc, can the holiday still go off with a bang?
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First published August 19, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 9, 2016
2.5 HEARTS--It started good and then...
It crashed.
Buchanan House starts with Eric grieving at his grandmother's funeral. His grandmother was the only positive family figure in his life. Eric's family is homophobic and his mother tries to make a scene at the funeral, they feel they deserve to get a share of Grandma Jewel's will. Eric, with the help of his best friend and his grandma's best friend, puts a stop to the money hungry family with a little clever trick. Eric, living a grueling job as a cook, pools his money with his best bud, Nathan, and opens a resort in Oregon named the Buchanan for the only bachelor American president.
The story was solid up to that point. It kind of jumped around with Eric and Nathan not discussing actually purchasing the resort or Eric's drinking problem that disappears in the rest of the book. this became an issue for me. I would just start getting used to a new idea being introduced and then the story jumped to a different plot point or twist and I'm left wonder and rereading what I missed. Because I must have missed it. I'm wondering who's on first, who's on second while the story is already on fourth base and it skipped third.
The romance started late in the story and then went from level 1 to 10 super fast. Eric has issues: self-esteem, bad break up (he's only been in one relationship and the ex boyfriend was a douche-knuckle with the same name as the current love interest), grief, psychosexual anal issues which relate to his family's homophobia and his struggle with his self acceptance/hatred of his bisexuality (Freud would have a field day with him) So you add all of that and his love of cooking and then the cast of characters and friends into only a novella...the romance will get shortchanged unless the author kept an eye on it.
What the story gave was rushed romance, decent-ish gay fiction, but both suffered because the other half wasn't strong enough to help carry the story.
What I liked:
- The QUILTBAG cast of characters. - The author tried to include as much of those letters in that acronym as possible. Ambitious but it was cool.
- Eric wasn't the typical hot, anal-ready, tall, good looking, sexually aware main character. He was 33 and still questioning his sexual identity as a bisexual man. He still had hang ups (don't we all) and yes his family and their homophobia added to his mental issues with his anus (Freud would have a field day with this guy)
- Eric cried a lot. He was emotional, short and bitchy but still a good person. I liked him. The story not as much as him. Because he became real to me, the way he was written. Eric getting his happy ending. His friendship with Nathan. Though I question the speed of their relationship, the way Tim and Eric acted toward one another was great.
The Problems:
- Storytelling/style - I might be not too clever enough to get all the points of this story. It was too jarring, the pacing was weird instead of quirky. When it finally hit its stride (last fourth - was far too late to make much of an impact)
- While trying to include the entire QUILTBAG, the romance was swept under the rug - Eric and Tim barely speak more than a handful of sentences, Eric goes from pining for Tim assuming Tim falls for him more glamorous BFF within two weeks of working on the job. Tim reads standoffish, then enter a big life or death crisis and suddenly Tim is all about Eric. Um...when? (this is an issue I'll discuss later) Then the two are zipping through a relationship into a white wedding in a matter of months when I'm still stuck on the fact they didn't have a solid starting point. The author does a great job of trying to stick every letter from LGBTQIA and having a character represent each faction. And that is great. Thank you. Also the disabled characters also get some shine. Love it but while all those characters are getting included...the romance, or lack thereof is the one that suffers.
- Rushed ending - So not only was I playing who's on first, who's on second and what the hell did I leave on third base, the romance continues to speed train into a HEA whether the characters were ready in my opinion or not (they weren't).
- And the story's 'villain', Eric's brother Zach, who I thought the author did a decent job of portraying as a homophobic bully, just does a 180 without any retaliation or revenge in a phone call? Not buying it. Greedy people don't just stop being greedy because you will it to be or have friends of friends in high places. If the brother was just going to be forgotten like that toward the end, why include him in the first place? The evil mother in the beginning did a fine job of being the bad guy without having to write an evil brother. Yes, he does help add dimension to Eric. But overall, if he starts with a bang and ends with a minor peep, to me, Zach wasn't needed.
I've read this author in the past and enjoyed her work, so I'll just take this as an off day and look out for something else from her in the future. I did enjoy the ideas in this one, wanted to love this so bad but the execution was off.
A Copy provided for an honest review.
It crashed.
Buchanan House starts with Eric grieving at his grandmother's funeral. His grandmother was the only positive family figure in his life. Eric's family is homophobic and his mother tries to make a scene at the funeral, they feel they deserve to get a share of Grandma Jewel's will. Eric, with the help of his best friend and his grandma's best friend, puts a stop to the money hungry family with a little clever trick. Eric, living a grueling job as a cook, pools his money with his best bud, Nathan, and opens a resort in Oregon named the Buchanan for the only bachelor American president.
The story was solid up to that point. It kind of jumped around with Eric and Nathan not discussing actually purchasing the resort or Eric's drinking problem that disappears in the rest of the book. this became an issue for me. I would just start getting used to a new idea being introduced and then the story jumped to a different plot point or twist and I'm left wonder and rereading what I missed. Because I must have missed it. I'm wondering who's on first, who's on second while the story is already on fourth base and it skipped third.
The romance started late in the story and then went from level 1 to 10 super fast. Eric has issues: self-esteem, bad break up (he's only been in one relationship and the ex boyfriend was a douche-knuckle with the same name as the current love interest), grief, psychosexual anal issues which relate to his family's homophobia and his struggle with his self acceptance/hatred of his bisexuality (Freud would have a field day with him) So you add all of that and his love of cooking and then the cast of characters and friends into only a novella...the romance will get shortchanged unless the author kept an eye on it.
What the story gave was rushed romance, decent-ish gay fiction, but both suffered because the other half wasn't strong enough to help carry the story.
What I liked:
- The QUILTBAG cast of characters. - The author tried to include as much of those letters in that acronym as possible. Ambitious but it was cool.
- Eric wasn't the typical hot, anal-ready, tall, good looking, sexually aware main character. He was 33 and still questioning his sexual identity as a bisexual man. He still had hang ups (don't we all) and yes his family and their homophobia added to his mental issues with his anus (Freud would have a field day with this guy)
- Eric cried a lot. He was emotional, short and bitchy but still a good person. I liked him. The story not as much as him. Because he became real to me, the way he was written. Eric getting his happy ending. His friendship with Nathan. Though I question the speed of their relationship, the way Tim and Eric acted toward one another was great.
The Problems:
- Storytelling/style - I might be not too clever enough to get all the points of this story. It was too jarring, the pacing was weird instead of quirky. When it finally hit its stride (last fourth - was far too late to make much of an impact)
- While trying to include the entire QUILTBAG, the romance was swept under the rug - Eric and Tim barely speak more than a handful of sentences, Eric goes from pining for Tim assuming Tim falls for him more glamorous BFF within two weeks of working on the job. Tim reads standoffish, then enter a big life or death crisis and suddenly Tim is all about Eric. Um...when? (this is an issue I'll discuss later) Then the two are zipping through a relationship into a white wedding in a matter of months when I'm still stuck on the fact they didn't have a solid starting point. The author does a great job of trying to stick every letter from LGBTQIA and having a character represent each faction. And that is great. Thank you. Also the disabled characters also get some shine. Love it but while all those characters are getting included...the romance, or lack thereof is the one that suffers.
- Rushed ending - So not only was I playing who's on first, who's on second and what the hell did I leave on third base, the romance continues to speed train into a HEA whether the characters were ready in my opinion or not (they weren't).
- And the story's 'villain', Eric's brother Zach, who I thought the author did a decent job of portraying as a homophobic bully, just does a 180 without any retaliation or revenge in a phone call? Not buying it. Greedy people don't just stop being greedy because you will it to be or have friends of friends in high places. If the brother was just going to be forgotten like that toward the end, why include him in the first place? The evil mother in the beginning did a fine job of being the bad guy without having to write an evil brother. Yes, he does help add dimension to Eric. But overall, if he starts with a bang and ends with a minor peep, to me, Zach wasn't needed.
I've read this author in the past and enjoyed her work, so I'll just take this as an off day and look out for something else from her in the future. I did enjoy the ideas in this one, wanted to love this so bad but the execution was off.
A Copy provided for an honest review.
August 27, 2015
Have you ever read something that had just….too much? Maybe it was the writing or the plot. This time it was the characteristics, and they were excessive. I have a tendency to grab the small handheld basket at the grocery store thinking I just need a couple of things.
Before I know it, it’s overflowing and I’m lugging a ridiculously heavy load. The eggs risk getting cracked and the bread smashed. That’s how I felt here- the characters were spilling over and it damaged my enjoyment factor.
Would you like an example?
Okay, as far as couples go here’s the list: Mostly straight. Lesbians. Gay. Trans. Bisexual. Asexual. Triad. A pair of double third cousins.
*blinks* I mean, you name it and it’s here. This could be completely personal, but it was bothersome. It felt forced. A point was made during the renovation to make things ‘accessible’ and then lo-and-behold a handicap guest made a reservation opening weekend. These were the small details that came across as unnatural. Then a BIG detail was more than unnatural and it shoved me out of the story.
Eric’s beloved grandmother passes away and leaves her entire estate to him. She was the center of his world. The rest of his family are horrible people. They don’t deserve the honor of being considering ‘family’ and have absolutely no shame. Thankfully Eric is blessed with an amazing best friend. I tried not to look too closely at the details of their relationship because I was afraid of what I might find. I enjoyed them as irreplaceable besties and wanted to leave it at that. Nathan is flamboyant and fun. I liked Nathan and loved how he cared for Eric. They decide to take a gamble and purchase a deserted hotel with the high hopes of flipping it into a resort. They envision a gay retreat that will cater to all facets of the rainbow. That certainly did attract a vast assortment of guests, again, perhaps too easily?
Tim Tate, the local handyman accepts the challenge of giving the resort a massive face lift. A substantial amount of work needs to be done before their grand opening weekend. They race against the clock to finish in time. Despite the heavy work load, Eric and Tim find time to act on the heated looks and flirty signals. This is where the slightly rocky road became so unsteady that I was thrown out of the story. I think I missed something? There was no relationship building, suddenly it was….there. It was more than rushed, it felt nonexistent.
I’ve read Descoteaux’s stories before and really enjoyed them. Be that as it may, this one was a clear miss.
*2.5 whoa-what-happened? stars*
Before I know it, it’s overflowing and I’m lugging a ridiculously heavy load. The eggs risk getting cracked and the bread smashed. That’s how I felt here- the characters were spilling over and it damaged my enjoyment factor.
Would you like an example?
Okay, as far as couples go here’s the list: Mostly straight. Lesbians. Gay. Trans. Bisexual. Asexual. Triad. A pair of double third cousins.
*blinks* I mean, you name it and it’s here. This could be completely personal, but it was bothersome. It felt forced. A point was made during the renovation to make things ‘accessible’ and then lo-and-behold a handicap guest made a reservation opening weekend. These were the small details that came across as unnatural. Then a BIG detail was more than unnatural and it shoved me out of the story.
Eric’s beloved grandmother passes away and leaves her entire estate to him. She was the center of his world. The rest of his family are horrible people. They don’t deserve the honor of being considering ‘family’ and have absolutely no shame. Thankfully Eric is blessed with an amazing best friend. I tried not to look too closely at the details of their relationship because I was afraid of what I might find. I enjoyed them as irreplaceable besties and wanted to leave it at that. Nathan is flamboyant and fun. I liked Nathan and loved how he cared for Eric. They decide to take a gamble and purchase a deserted hotel with the high hopes of flipping it into a resort. They envision a gay retreat that will cater to all facets of the rainbow. That certainly did attract a vast assortment of guests, again, perhaps too easily?
Tim Tate, the local handyman accepts the challenge of giving the resort a massive face lift. A substantial amount of work needs to be done before their grand opening weekend. They race against the clock to finish in time. Despite the heavy work load, Eric and Tim find time to act on the heated looks and flirty signals. This is where the slightly rocky road became so unsteady that I was thrown out of the story. I think I missed something? There was no relationship building, suddenly it was….there. It was more than rushed, it felt nonexistent.
I’ve read Descoteaux’s stories before and really enjoyed them. Be that as it may, this one was a clear miss.
*2.5 whoa-what-happened? stars*
February 21, 2016
Eric Allen is a thirty-three year old line cook whose world crumbles after the death of his beloved grandmother, who took him in after his disastrous coming out to his family. The story begins with his grandmother’s funeral and Eric’s subsequent spiral into grief with some heavy drinking thrown in as well.
When Nathan, Eric’s best friend since childhood, suggests a trip and takes Eric to a former camp on the Oregon coast it seems like it could be a shot at a new beginning and a place where they could both realize their dreams.
Eric and Nathan pool Eric’s inheritance and some of Nathan’s money and buy the old camp dreaming of re-opening it as a LGBTQ friendly retreat. They rechristen it Buchanan House, named after James Buchanan, the “confirmed bachelor” President with a close male friend.
They quickly come to realize that the place, after sitting dormant for a decade, requires more work than they, or their friends, can provide. Eric and Nathan hire local handyman, Tim Tate, to come in and handle the repairs. Though Eric initially finds Tim very attractive, there is no hint of mutual attraction between the two until Eric nearly drowns and Tim saves his life. After Tim’s heroic action, their mutual attraction is made known, and the two begin a relationship.
I’ve only tried one other Charley Descoteaux novel, but I’m beginning to think this author’s writing style is not a good fit for my reading preferences. The blurb drew me in with the anticipation of a hurt/comfort romance. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations.
While I liked the characters, I didn’t feel like I really got to know them. Ultimately my disappointment stems from the story having a lot of “telling” without a lot of “showing”.
My dissatisfaction in the story may also be because I found the audio a struggle to listen to. Not because of narrator, Alexander Johns’ performance per se, but mainly because I found the sound quality of the audio to be substandard. To me, it sounded like the audio was recorded in a large room without furniture. It made it sound cavernous and left me feeling disconnected from the story.
I also keep going back and forth as to whether or not I liked Johns’ style of narration. I liked his use of character voices, but some were indistinguishable from others. I liked his performance for the most part, but there were times when his performance felt a little flat. Though it was a little shaky, for me, in the beginning, I did feel like the narration quality got better as the audio progressed, which kept me listening, and if it weren’t for the sound quality I can say I would have enjoyed the performance more.
The bottom line is I found it a struggle to get through the story because I never really connected to the characters and didn't care for the sound quality of the audio.
Audio copy of Buchanan House provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
August 18, 2015
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
* I received an advanced copy of this novel via Pride Promotions in exchange for a fair and honest review. *
In case you couldn't tell from the rating, I did not enjoy this novel. Honestly, I thought it was a complete mess from start to finish, and I genuinely struggled to finish it; in the end, this 130 page novel took me almost two days to get through because I kept having to put it aside. The characters were inconsistent, the romance unconvincing, and the writing grated like nails on a chalk-board. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but literally the only thing I liked about this novel was the summary. It's a crying shame that the book didn't live up to the description.
See the full review on Just Love.
* I received an advanced copy of this novel via Pride Promotions in exchange for a fair and honest review. *
In case you couldn't tell from the rating, I did not enjoy this novel. Honestly, I thought it was a complete mess from start to finish, and I genuinely struggled to finish it; in the end, this 130 page novel took me almost two days to get through because I kept having to put it aside. The characters were inconsistent, the romance unconvincing, and the writing grated like nails on a chalk-board. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but literally the only thing I liked about this novel was the summary. It's a crying shame that the book didn't live up to the description.
See the full review on Just Love.
May 9, 2016
Enjoyable story with very detailed characters. All the tears Eric shed along with his lack of self confidence got annoying at times but he was pretty messed up by his family. The primary thrust of the story was the character development which could be why some people did not like the story.
September 4, 2015
The writing style was difficult, the characters were getting on my nerves and the whole thing was a bother to finish.
August 19, 2015
2.5 Stars rounded up to 3
*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by author/publisher via Pride Promotions in exchange for an honest review*
I'm not sure where to start. The blurb made this book sound intriguing and that's about where it stopped. This book was a struggle to finish. The plot sounded good, but the story didn't deliver.
This is Eric's story, told completely from his POV. This was not a true romance. I knew almost nothing about Tim. His character was not developed at all. They worked together for 6 months and didn't have but one or two very brief conversations on paper for the reader to see. If they talked, and obviously they did, because after a near tragedy they quickly enter into a committed, loving relationship, the reader wasn't privy to it. It, like a lot of things about this story happened "off page". You weren't even told it happened. You just had to assume. Because we didn't really get to know Tim, there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry to be felt between them.
Those are not my main complaints though. The book felt off the whole way through. The plot was scattered and didn't flow well. At times the scenes in the book felt incomplete. Conversations between Eric and Nathan felt like they were telling an inside joke.
I'm not gonna say anymore, except I think 3 stars is very kind. I don't like giving bad reviews, but I don't have a whole lot of good to say about it.
*copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by author/publisher via Pride Promotions in exchange for an honest review*
I'm not sure where to start. The blurb made this book sound intriguing and that's about where it stopped. This book was a struggle to finish. The plot sounded good, but the story didn't deliver.
This is Eric's story, told completely from his POV. This was not a true romance. I knew almost nothing about Tim. His character was not developed at all. They worked together for 6 months and didn't have but one or two very brief conversations on paper for the reader to see. If they talked, and obviously they did, because after a near tragedy they quickly enter into a committed, loving relationship, the reader wasn't privy to it. It, like a lot of things about this story happened "off page". You weren't even told it happened. You just had to assume. Because we didn't really get to know Tim, there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry to be felt between them.
Those are not my main complaints though. The book felt off the whole way through. The plot was scattered and didn't flow well. At times the scenes in the book felt incomplete. Conversations between Eric and Nathan felt like they were telling an inside joke.
I'm not gonna say anymore, except I think 3 stars is very kind. I don't like giving bad reviews, but I don't have a whole lot of good to say about it.
October 17, 2015
Fun, not much thought, cozy read. this is one of those books you want when you have a half day to kill, a pot of tea (of something stronger) a chaise lounge to relax on and no one to bother you. So you can read cover to cover.
Eric and Nathan have a unique friendship forged over time, a hatred for Eric’s family and the treatment of him. The love of Eric’s grandmother and the shared dream of opening a B and B together one day.
The one thing that never rubbed off on Eric is Nathan confidence, were we all see Eric this cute kinda geeky guy. He sees this average red head, pale skin and glasses.
The friends of these two are a hoot, are really liven up the story.
The slow build friendship, relationship between Eric and Tim was really cute and understandable on both sides. And Nathan playing the hot playboy to Eric’s monk was a very good contrast.
I got that we couldn’t just have the family disappear after the will and such, but that’s the only part of the book I found lacking. I just thought the whole Zach, call, stop by and the rest was thrown in. Unless we have a book two coming? Although this Eric /Tim was left with a wonderful HEA.
Eric and Nathan have a unique friendship forged over time, a hatred for Eric’s family and the treatment of him. The love of Eric’s grandmother and the shared dream of opening a B and B together one day.
The one thing that never rubbed off on Eric is Nathan confidence, were we all see Eric this cute kinda geeky guy. He sees this average red head, pale skin and glasses.
The friends of these two are a hoot, are really liven up the story.
The slow build friendship, relationship between Eric and Tim was really cute and understandable on both sides. And Nathan playing the hot playboy to Eric’s monk was a very good contrast.
I got that we couldn’t just have the family disappear after the will and such, but that’s the only part of the book I found lacking. I just thought the whole Zach, call, stop by and the rest was thrown in. Unless we have a book two coming? Although this Eric /Tim was left with a wonderful HEA.
August 30, 2015
1.5 stars rounded up to 2 stars
Sadly this book did nothing for me.. I wanted to like the characters, but they had no substance.. There was more of a story in the blurb than in the whole of the book.
Eric was away with the fairies and most of his thoughts and words were tepid or confusing..Tim lacked any form of emotion.
Nathan was the only character close to redeemable, yet even he became background noise.
The expected opening weekend drama from Erics family? Child hood pranks have more impact.
Sadly this book did nothing for me.. I wanted to like the characters, but they had no substance.. There was more of a story in the blurb than in the whole of the book.
Eric was away with the fairies and most of his thoughts and words were tepid or confusing..Tim lacked any form of emotion.
Nathan was the only character close to redeemable, yet even he became background noise.
The expected opening weekend drama from Erics family? Child hood pranks have more impact.
September 4, 2015
This story lacks so much it was rather terrible read. To be sincere I'm to generous with 2 stars, it wasn't worth it. This storyline is a mess and the romance is bland, cold and unrealistic. So disappointing!
September 9, 2015
Sweet, and probably what I was in the mood for. Little angst, handyman, make-over, B&B. HEA and a quick read. Sweet characters, nice unassuming little plot, 'nuff said.
September 4, 2016
Started out great but didn't quite deliver. The writing was disjointed at times and difficult to follow. Potential unfulfilled.
July 18, 2016
Note: This audiobook was provided to me through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
Ostensibly, this story was about a young man named Eric Allen who purchased an old home on the Oregon coast with his best friend, Nathan. Eric primarily used funds he inherited from his grandmother, Jewell. They named it Buchanan House after President James Buchanan, the only unmarried president, who was rumored to be on close terms with his male friend. They hired Tim Tate as their handyman, a young man who was good-looking, buff, a talented woodworker, and had a gruff personality. At least, he did at the beginning. Later in the story he was a sweet guy intent on making Eric’s life happy. Underlying these surface facts was a story that I found to be disjointed.
Caution: What follows contains spoilers but some specifics are necessary to make the review clear.
There were quite a few story vignettes thrown out that seemed disconnected, and many of them really went nowhere. One incident involved his brother Zach showing up to demand his portion of the inheritance for which he had already signed a release acknowledging Eric as the sole heir. Apparently Eric took care of Grannie Jewell in her last year of life without help from anyone, including Zach. But when Zach stopped making demands by phone and showed up in person, Eric gave him a check for $500 telling him that’s all he had, and Zach took it and left. Though he made threats when he left, we heard no more until the very end of the story when he called to apologize.
Another odd and quirky thing occurs once he and Tim are a couple (and that happened almost overnight!) when Tim makes a statement about not having realized Eric was gay and Eric virtually shouts out that he’s not gay. He then states he just happens to care about Tim. That thread goes nowhere, nor does another one—a brief mention that Eric was drowning his sorrows in alcohol in the past and Nathan was concerned about him. Then there’s Tim’s two brothers—both with T names—and his mother Tammy. And if that’s not bad enough, Eric’s past boyfriend (yes, and he’s not gay!) was also named Tim.
Eric seems to care a great deal about Nathan, frequently expressing his hope that Nathan finds true happiness. There were several mentions of Nathan’s demonstrative behavior with two Frenchmen who were hired to help with the house—to the point that I thought there was a ménage starting up and that’s how Nathan would find happiness, but suddenly, a friend from Portland, Paulie, is there for the holiday weekend, and both Eric and Nathan discuss Nathan’s feelings for Paulie as if he is the one Nathan will end up with. Toward the end, there’s no further mention of Paulie, but Nathan is seen hugging his French friends again.
I throw all this out as an example of the many story threads that were started and, either were not finished and woven into balance of the book, or somehow by listening to the story as an audiobook, it was so difficult to follow that the point of these minor plots was missed. To be honest, that would be a first since most audiobooks are as easy to follow as their e-book version.
In summary, this story was a little like a train wreck. I kept watching it happening and thinking it was going to be okay with the introduction of a new plot point, but it never quite reached any coherent conclusion. And Eric was not the least bit loveable. I just couldn’t root for him. In fact, if anything, I would reach out and tell Tim Tate to take all his T relatives and run for the hills.
The narration by Alexander Johns, which was pretty good as far as vocalizations of characters, kept going off-track for me when the narrator mispronounced some common words like enveloped. I would hope that if you enveloped me in your arms, you weren’t wrapping me up in #10 business envelopes. If it was only once, I wouldn’t mention it but multiple times? Yes, irritating enough to include in the review.
Ostensibly, this story was about a young man named Eric Allen who purchased an old home on the Oregon coast with his best friend, Nathan. Eric primarily used funds he inherited from his grandmother, Jewell. They named it Buchanan House after President James Buchanan, the only unmarried president, who was rumored to be on close terms with his male friend. They hired Tim Tate as their handyman, a young man who was good-looking, buff, a talented woodworker, and had a gruff personality. At least, he did at the beginning. Later in the story he was a sweet guy intent on making Eric’s life happy. Underlying these surface facts was a story that I found to be disjointed.
Caution: What follows contains spoilers but some specifics are necessary to make the review clear.
There were quite a few story vignettes thrown out that seemed disconnected, and many of them really went nowhere. One incident involved his brother Zach showing up to demand his portion of the inheritance for which he had already signed a release acknowledging Eric as the sole heir. Apparently Eric took care of Grannie Jewell in her last year of life without help from anyone, including Zach. But when Zach stopped making demands by phone and showed up in person, Eric gave him a check for $500 telling him that’s all he had, and Zach took it and left. Though he made threats when he left, we heard no more until the very end of the story when he called to apologize.
Another odd and quirky thing occurs once he and Tim are a couple (and that happened almost overnight!) when Tim makes a statement about not having realized Eric was gay and Eric virtually shouts out that he’s not gay. He then states he just happens to care about Tim. That thread goes nowhere, nor does another one—a brief mention that Eric was drowning his sorrows in alcohol in the past and Nathan was concerned about him. Then there’s Tim’s two brothers—both with T names—and his mother Tammy. And if that’s not bad enough, Eric’s past boyfriend (yes, and he’s not gay!) was also named Tim.
Eric seems to care a great deal about Nathan, frequently expressing his hope that Nathan finds true happiness. There were several mentions of Nathan’s demonstrative behavior with two Frenchmen who were hired to help with the house—to the point that I thought there was a ménage starting up and that’s how Nathan would find happiness, but suddenly, a friend from Portland, Paulie, is there for the holiday weekend, and both Eric and Nathan discuss Nathan’s feelings for Paulie as if he is the one Nathan will end up with. Toward the end, there’s no further mention of Paulie, but Nathan is seen hugging his French friends again.
I throw all this out as an example of the many story threads that were started and, either were not finished and woven into balance of the book, or somehow by listening to the story as an audiobook, it was so difficult to follow that the point of these minor plots was missed. To be honest, that would be a first since most audiobooks are as easy to follow as their e-book version.
In summary, this story was a little like a train wreck. I kept watching it happening and thinking it was going to be okay with the introduction of a new plot point, but it never quite reached any coherent conclusion. And Eric was not the least bit loveable. I just couldn’t root for him. In fact, if anything, I would reach out and tell Tim Tate to take all his T relatives and run for the hills.
The narration by Alexander Johns, which was pretty good as far as vocalizations of characters, kept going off-track for me when the narrator mispronounced some common words like enveloped. I would hope that if you enveloped me in your arms, you weren’t wrapping me up in #10 business envelopes. If it was only once, I wouldn’t mention it but multiple times? Yes, irritating enough to include in the review.
August 21, 2015
In some ways I felt that this book was more about friendship than love. Or perhaps love in a family/friend sense rather than in a romantic one. But however the book spoke to me, I seriously enjoyed what it was saying. Usually I’m pretty good at picking at least four-star books to review but lately I’ve hit a bit of a bad patch. Also, I’m not a great fan of angst, and the last few books I’ve read have ranged from braced-and-ready-for-pain angst right through to just-stab-me-and-let-me-die angst. Thankfully Buchanan House turned the tide and dragged me back to the land of easy and happy. It’s not fluff, but it will definitely leave you feeling content rather than emotionally drained.
Eric is seriously struggling to deal with the death of his grandmother, the only family member who has loved him for the last twenty years, when his best friend Nathan finds an old, rundown hotel that he wants them to buy together. It would be a chance to make their dreams come true, Nathan can play fabulous hostess and Eric can let his cooking talents shine. Tim Tate (I don’t know why I love saying that so much) is the handyman the two friends hire to help them get the dusty old building in shape for paying guests. Eric finds himself falling for the mysterious and quiet handyman, though he has no idea if Tim sees him in the same way.
This story is definitely what you’d label slow burn. In fact, it wasn’t just the romance but the whole story that seemed to start out at a very slow speed. By about thirty percent into the story Eric and Tim are still more acquaintances than anything else, although the interest is obviously there. The author really takes her time to show us who Eric is, and I loved learning about him through watching him interact with his friends and family. The family he’s made for himself that is, cause his biological family are a bunch of right fuckers.
Usually with novellas (and I realize that this is a longer novella) I wonder why authors waste time with so many other characters while they really need to be getting to the main character’s relationship. At no point while reading Buchanan House did I feel that way, and there are a fair number of characters sprinkled throughout this story. I’d say that it’s a testament to this author’s skill that she accomplished it successfully.
Speaking of secondary characters, Eric’s friend Nathan really shines during this story. The romance between Eric and Tim, while slow to develop, is beautiful to read but I couldn’t help but fall in love with Nathan. His relationship with Eric was just as important as the relationship Eric has with Tim and it was the love between the two best friends that lifted this story from another nice romance to something more memorable. I’m not sure if I’m hoping for Nathan to get a story or not. I’m kind of scared about how that one might go for poor Paulie.
This was the first book that I’ve read by this author but I’m convinced that I should go check out some more.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/08/2...
Eric is seriously struggling to deal with the death of his grandmother, the only family member who has loved him for the last twenty years, when his best friend Nathan finds an old, rundown hotel that he wants them to buy together. It would be a chance to make their dreams come true, Nathan can play fabulous hostess and Eric can let his cooking talents shine. Tim Tate (I don’t know why I love saying that so much) is the handyman the two friends hire to help them get the dusty old building in shape for paying guests. Eric finds himself falling for the mysterious and quiet handyman, though he has no idea if Tim sees him in the same way.
This story is definitely what you’d label slow burn. In fact, it wasn’t just the romance but the whole story that seemed to start out at a very slow speed. By about thirty percent into the story Eric and Tim are still more acquaintances than anything else, although the interest is obviously there. The author really takes her time to show us who Eric is, and I loved learning about him through watching him interact with his friends and family. The family he’s made for himself that is, cause his biological family are a bunch of right fuckers.
Usually with novellas (and I realize that this is a longer novella) I wonder why authors waste time with so many other characters while they really need to be getting to the main character’s relationship. At no point while reading Buchanan House did I feel that way, and there are a fair number of characters sprinkled throughout this story. I’d say that it’s a testament to this author’s skill that she accomplished it successfully.
Speaking of secondary characters, Eric’s friend Nathan really shines during this story. The romance between Eric and Tim, while slow to develop, is beautiful to read but I couldn’t help but fall in love with Nathan. His relationship with Eric was just as important as the relationship Eric has with Tim and it was the love between the two best friends that lifted this story from another nice romance to something more memorable. I’m not sure if I’m hoping for Nathan to get a story or not. I’m kind of scared about how that one might go for poor Paulie.
This was the first book that I’ve read by this author but I’m convinced that I should go check out some more.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2015/08/2...
August 3, 2015
Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux
4 stars
I was given this book for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Eric is a wonderful character. He is sincere, loving, loyal and a great chef. But, Eric comes from a family who did not condone his sexuality. The only person who loved him for him was his beloved Grandma. The connection that they shared was above any other connection that he has had in his life, thus far. Descoteaux painted a picture of a loving life for Eric. He was sheltered and cared for. And, since he was able to be himself with his grandma, he was able to build meaningful friendships as well. When tragedy strikes Eric's life, his friends come to his aid.
I wanted to kick his brother and the rest of the family who held a grudge against Eric. Not only did he have to endure their terrible teasing and mocking of his life, but then, after Jewell dies, he has to endure their hatred without Jewell as his shield.
Then you have Tim - quiet, handsome and hard working. I enjoyed his character, but thought it was kind of strange that there was mention of his brother's not feeling all that happy about his sexuality. There was only a brief mention of that and then it was not really addressed again, despite having some interaction with family. I enjoyed his parents and really enjoyed the interaction between Eric and Tim.
Their relationship started out one sided. You were only given Eric's POV. I would have liked to know more of Tim's mind throughout the story. We were always guessing when it came to him.
I think that I would have rated the story higher had it not felt so rushed at the end. It was going along at a good clip and then all of the sudden, they hit the fast forward button.
Overall, this was a nice romance that showed what true love and friendship can do for someone.
4 stars
I was given this book for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Eric is a wonderful character. He is sincere, loving, loyal and a great chef. But, Eric comes from a family who did not condone his sexuality. The only person who loved him for him was his beloved Grandma. The connection that they shared was above any other connection that he has had in his life, thus far. Descoteaux painted a picture of a loving life for Eric. He was sheltered and cared for. And, since he was able to be himself with his grandma, he was able to build meaningful friendships as well. When tragedy strikes Eric's life, his friends come to his aid.
I wanted to kick his brother and the rest of the family who held a grudge against Eric. Not only did he have to endure their terrible teasing and mocking of his life, but then, after Jewell dies, he has to endure their hatred without Jewell as his shield.
Then you have Tim - quiet, handsome and hard working. I enjoyed his character, but thought it was kind of strange that there was mention of his brother's not feeling all that happy about his sexuality. There was only a brief mention of that and then it was not really addressed again, despite having some interaction with family. I enjoyed his parents and really enjoyed the interaction between Eric and Tim.
Their relationship started out one sided. You were only given Eric's POV. I would have liked to know more of Tim's mind throughout the story. We were always guessing when it came to him.
I think that I would have rated the story higher had it not felt so rushed at the end. It was going along at a good clip and then all of the sudden, they hit the fast forward button.
Overall, this was a nice romance that showed what true love and friendship can do for someone.
September 5, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
2.5 stars
I admittedly had trouble with this author’s style. There was a lot of telling going on, and not nearly enough showing. A lot of opportunities for dialogue or action were missed. Characters began an action in one sentence, only to have it be completed in the next. Like they sat down to eat and then next sentence began with them being finished with their meal, for example. It made the story fell choppy, and add to that the time jumps, and I felt like I was being given a laundry list of the characters’ actions without much description to engage me in my surroundings.
But the problems didn’t stop there. The characters felt like caricatures instead of real, relatable people. I never felt like I truly understood their motivations or thoughts or reactions. I just didn’t feel the connection. I felt removed from them. Again, it could be the writing style that kept them at arm’s length. Eric is the kind of guy that can get lost in his own head. I know that because he told us. But despite all the thinking he did on page, I still never felt like I understood exactly why he thought and felt the things he did. On top of that, it was implied for more than half the book that Eric was gay, only for him to blurt out that he wasn’t, and that he was in fact, bisexual. Honestly, this felt like it came out of left field to me. Especially because of the way that his family has treated him, as they made derogatory comments that didn’t seem to reconcile with bisexuality, only if he were gay. This may be a personal issue, and other readers might not have as big a problem with it as I did.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
2.5 stars
I admittedly had trouble with this author’s style. There was a lot of telling going on, and not nearly enough showing. A lot of opportunities for dialogue or action were missed. Characters began an action in one sentence, only to have it be completed in the next. Like they sat down to eat and then next sentence began with them being finished with their meal, for example. It made the story fell choppy, and add to that the time jumps, and I felt like I was being given a laundry list of the characters’ actions without much description to engage me in my surroundings.
But the problems didn’t stop there. The characters felt like caricatures instead of real, relatable people. I never felt like I truly understood their motivations or thoughts or reactions. I just didn’t feel the connection. I felt removed from them. Again, it could be the writing style that kept them at arm’s length. Eric is the kind of guy that can get lost in his own head. I know that because he told us. But despite all the thinking he did on page, I still never felt like I understood exactly why he thought and felt the things he did. On top of that, it was implied for more than half the book that Eric was gay, only for him to blurt out that he wasn’t, and that he was in fact, bisexual. Honestly, this felt like it came out of left field to me. Especially because of the way that his family has treated him, as they made derogatory comments that didn’t seem to reconcile with bisexuality, only if he were gay. This may be a personal issue, and other readers might not have as big a problem with it as I did.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
September 13, 2015
FourStars
Eric is a wonderful character. He is sincere, loving, loyal and a great chef. But, Eric comes from a family who did not condone his sexuality. The only person who loved him for him was his beloved Grandma. The connection that they shared was above any other connection that he has had in his life, thus far. Descoteaux painted a picture of a loving life for Eric. He was sheltered and cared for. And, since he was able to be himself with his grandma, he was able to build meaningful friendships as well. When tragedy strikes Eric's life, his friends come to his aid.
I wanted to kick his brother and the rest of the family who held a grudge against Eric. Not only did he have to endure their terrible teasing and mocking of his life, but then, after Jewell dies, he has to endure their hatred without Jewell as his shield.
Then you have Tim - quiet, handsome and hard working. I enjoyed his character, but thought it was kind of strange that there was mention of his brother's not feeling all that happy about his sexuality. There was only a brief mention of that and then it was not really addressed again, despite having some interaction with family. I enjoyed his parents and really enjoyed the interaction between Eric and Tim.
Their relationship started out one sided. You were only given Eric's POV. I would have liked to know more of Tim's mind throughout the story. We were always guessing when it came to him.
I think that I would have rated the story higher had it not felt so rushed at the end. It was going along at a good clip and then all of the sudden, they hit the fast forward button.
Overall, this was a nice romance that showed what true love and friendship can do for someone.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
Eric is a wonderful character. He is sincere, loving, loyal and a great chef. But, Eric comes from a family who did not condone his sexuality. The only person who loved him for him was his beloved Grandma. The connection that they shared was above any other connection that he has had in his life, thus far. Descoteaux painted a picture of a loving life for Eric. He was sheltered and cared for. And, since he was able to be himself with his grandma, he was able to build meaningful friendships as well. When tragedy strikes Eric's life, his friends come to his aid.
I wanted to kick his brother and the rest of the family who held a grudge against Eric. Not only did he have to endure their terrible teasing and mocking of his life, but then, after Jewell dies, he has to endure their hatred without Jewell as his shield.
Then you have Tim - quiet, handsome and hard working. I enjoyed his character, but thought it was kind of strange that there was mention of his brother's not feeling all that happy about his sexuality. There was only a brief mention of that and then it was not really addressed again, despite having some interaction with family. I enjoyed his parents and really enjoyed the interaction between Eric and Tim.
Their relationship started out one sided. You were only given Eric's POV. I would have liked to know more of Tim's mind throughout the story. We were always guessing when it came to him.
I think that I would have rated the story higher had it not felt so rushed at the end. It was going along at a good clip and then all of the sudden, they hit the fast forward button.
Overall, this was a nice romance that showed what true love and friendship can do for someone.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
August 10, 2016
This is a soft, gentle story, but it quickly drew me in and held my attention. The writing style is beautiful. The transformation of Buchanan House from an empty shell into a welcoming retreat mirrors Eric's transformation from insecurity to fully embracing who he is. The whole thing has the quality of hiding away for a time to heal and rejuvenate, ready for the next phase.
I loved Eric. He was easy to connect to, with his fears and the ways he'd been damaged by his abusive family. The pacing of his romance with Tim was just right, and I loved that their relationship wasn't the sole focus of the story. Eric not only learns to trust Tim but also to let go of the destructive beliefs ruling his life.
The side characters are marvelous. I adored Nathan, and the affection between him and Eric is obvious all throughout. I'll admit he's probably someone who would intimidate me in real life, but there's no question about how much they love each other. Tex is terrific, with her larger-than-life personality and her ability to get things done. All the rest are people I would love to know better. None of them feel like tokens or flat characters; they are all significant in some way to the story and to the myriad of social issues brought forward by the story.
This story hits on some sensitive things, particularly with Eric's unhealthy methods of avoiding things he'd rather not think about. But when he finally opens up and trusts the people around him, the end result is emotional and beautiful.
Buchanan House itself is as much a character as any of the people. It's a setting which lends itself well to ongoing tales of the people in and out of the house, whether they work or simply vacation there. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
I received a free copy via Inked Rainbow in exchange for an honest review.
I loved Eric. He was easy to connect to, with his fears and the ways he'd been damaged by his abusive family. The pacing of his romance with Tim was just right, and I loved that their relationship wasn't the sole focus of the story. Eric not only learns to trust Tim but also to let go of the destructive beliefs ruling his life.
The side characters are marvelous. I adored Nathan, and the affection between him and Eric is obvious all throughout. I'll admit he's probably someone who would intimidate me in real life, but there's no question about how much they love each other. Tex is terrific, with her larger-than-life personality and her ability to get things done. All the rest are people I would love to know better. None of them feel like tokens or flat characters; they are all significant in some way to the story and to the myriad of social issues brought forward by the story.
This story hits on some sensitive things, particularly with Eric's unhealthy methods of avoiding things he'd rather not think about. But when he finally opens up and trusts the people around him, the end result is emotional and beautiful.
Buchanan House itself is as much a character as any of the people. It's a setting which lends itself well to ongoing tales of the people in and out of the house, whether they work or simply vacation there. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
I received a free copy via Inked Rainbow in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2016
Charley Descoteaux has an idiosyncratic style of storytelling. She leaves gaps here and there for the reader to fill in with one’s own imagination, but without creating plot gaps, for this particular story is held together by the old Buchanan House.
Eric came out to his family on Thanksgiving Day as a thirteen-year-old, expecting a warm reception but instead receiving coldness and rejection. As Eric recalls, he left with his grandmother before pie was served and she and her eclectic group of friends became Eric’s family. When Eric’s grandmother passed away, Eric was named her sole heir, against the demands of his greedy family. Eric took his inheritance and invested it in an old fixer upper on Oregon’s coast with the plan to create a place where all the people under the rainbow could gather happily and feel safe.
Nathan was Eric’s best friend since childhood. Much more flamboyant than Eric, Nathan became Eric’s co-investor in Buchanan House. Why the coastal camp and house has that name is fascinating and I’ll let you discover that for yourself.
Eric is weepy and emotional on the best of days. When he meets Tim the handyman who is engaged to fix up the house he finds his other half. Tim is as calm and ordered as Eric is sensitive and passionate.
There are many other secondary characters who are lovingly developed by the author. Some are in and out of the story quickly and I would have liked to know more about them. Others are woven into Eric’s life, for the story is told entirely from Eric’s POV. I’m hoping for more stories from Buchanan House to fill in the stories waiting to be told about the other people and guests. It was a lovely book and I enjoyed reading it and watching the story blossom like roses in spring.
Eric came out to his family on Thanksgiving Day as a thirteen-year-old, expecting a warm reception but instead receiving coldness and rejection. As Eric recalls, he left with his grandmother before pie was served and she and her eclectic group of friends became Eric’s family. When Eric’s grandmother passed away, Eric was named her sole heir, against the demands of his greedy family. Eric took his inheritance and invested it in an old fixer upper on Oregon’s coast with the plan to create a place where all the people under the rainbow could gather happily and feel safe.
Nathan was Eric’s best friend since childhood. Much more flamboyant than Eric, Nathan became Eric’s co-investor in Buchanan House. Why the coastal camp and house has that name is fascinating and I’ll let you discover that for yourself.
Eric is weepy and emotional on the best of days. When he meets Tim the handyman who is engaged to fix up the house he finds his other half. Tim is as calm and ordered as Eric is sensitive and passionate.
There are many other secondary characters who are lovingly developed by the author. Some are in and out of the story quickly and I would have liked to know more about them. Others are woven into Eric’s life, for the story is told entirely from Eric’s POV. I’m hoping for more stories from Buchanan House to fill in the stories waiting to be told about the other people and guests. It was a lovely book and I enjoyed reading it and watching the story blossom like roses in spring.
September 8, 2015
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
This story is so amazing. While Eric definitely falls for Tim and has a beautiful happy ending, that’s not really the main point of the story. Eric goes through so many changes and grows so much in the year or so this story encompasses. You take this journey where you see Eric really get to see himself for who he is; and he is a wonderful person. He cares for his best friend Nate and he has these dark times where he gets lost in his head. But he also hates himself, just a little bit, because of the bullying he endured as a teen and young adult from his family and the typical bullies from school. But he starts to grow, do what he’s always wanted, and he meets a fabulous man. He learns to realize there’s nothing wrong with himself. Eric is surrounded by an amazing group of people that are his family of choice and you get to know and love them by the end of the story. I so want a sequel or two because there’s at least two couples I want to read about their happy ending. But this story is wonderful and complete and just leaves you with good feelings when you’re done.
Four and a half stars!
This story is so amazing. While Eric definitely falls for Tim and has a beautiful happy ending, that’s not really the main point of the story. Eric goes through so many changes and grows so much in the year or so this story encompasses. You take this journey where you see Eric really get to see himself for who he is; and he is a wonderful person. He cares for his best friend Nate and he has these dark times where he gets lost in his head. But he also hates himself, just a little bit, because of the bullying he endured as a teen and young adult from his family and the typical bullies from school. But he starts to grow, do what he’s always wanted, and he meets a fabulous man. He learns to realize there’s nothing wrong with himself. Eric is surrounded by an amazing group of people that are his family of choice and you get to know and love them by the end of the story. I so want a sequel or two because there’s at least two couples I want to read about their happy ending. But this story is wonderful and complete and just leaves you with good feelings when you’re done.
January 23, 2016
1.5 Stars
In lieu of writing reviews – I’m taking an extended break – I decided to leave this list showing the reasons for the stars I’ve given to the stories I’ve read.
5 Stars – Given to stories that had me falling in love with the characters, had me so engaged in the plot I couldn’t put the book down and stories that either made me cry buckets and/or laugh until I cried.
4 Stars– Given to stories that I REALLY enjoyed reading but had me wishing for just a bit more.
3 Stars – Given to stories that I thought were worth the read but they didn’t knock my socks off.
2 Stars – Given to stories that didn’t work for me. I couldn’t connect to the MCs or feel any sort of connection between them. I couldn’t follow the plot or there wasn’t a plot. Every so often one of these stories just needs work to fix what went wrong but mostly 2 star reads are stories that leave me wondering why I kept reading until the end.
1 Star - I RARELY give out 1 Star so when I do it means the story was a complete train wreck.
I know what I may love another reader may wonder what the hell I was thinking and vise versa but I’m okay with that!
In lieu of writing reviews – I’m taking an extended break – I decided to leave this list showing the reasons for the stars I’ve given to the stories I’ve read.
5 Stars – Given to stories that had me falling in love with the characters, had me so engaged in the plot I couldn’t put the book down and stories that either made me cry buckets and/or laugh until I cried.
4 Stars– Given to stories that I REALLY enjoyed reading but had me wishing for just a bit more.
3 Stars – Given to stories that I thought were worth the read but they didn’t knock my socks off.
2 Stars – Given to stories that didn’t work for me. I couldn’t connect to the MCs or feel any sort of connection between them. I couldn’t follow the plot or there wasn’t a plot. Every so often one of these stories just needs work to fix what went wrong but mostly 2 star reads are stories that leave me wondering why I kept reading until the end.
1 Star - I RARELY give out 1 Star so when I do it means the story was a complete train wreck.
I know what I may love another reader may wonder what the hell I was thinking and vise versa but I’m okay with that!
August 19, 2015
this story had potential. nathan was great. tim and eric were decent. the idea of running a camp by the ocean is a great one...and the story to get it up and running was neat.
i had a hard time with the writing...it was a bit hard to follow at times and a little stilted. i also had a hard time with tim and eric falling in love after having only said 10 words to each other that we know of. if they bonded or got to know each other, that was never mentioned or even hinted at until the beach fiasco.
overall, it was a decent read that i finished but had a couple issues with.
i had a hard time with the writing...it was a bit hard to follow at times and a little stilted. i also had a hard time with tim and eric falling in love after having only said 10 words to each other that we know of. if they bonded or got to know each other, that was never mentioned or even hinted at until the beach fiasco.
overall, it was a decent read that i finished but had a couple issues with.
September 26, 2015
I liked this book, the characters and story. Since it was told from one characters POV some of the other characters didn't get explained much. There was some points in the story that were left unfinished, but still all and all - I enjoyed Eric and his turmoil, would have like to have gotten to know Tim & Nathan a little more too and wonder about Nathan's love life - was some confusion regarding it for me in the book. Would have like to see Tim & Eric's relationship a little more developed too. Still it had very little angst and a happy ending just my kind of story.
January 10, 2016
Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance
I wanted to love Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux. Based on the blurb, it should have been a perfect comfort read for me. However, the execution fell flat for me.
For Complete review see Prism Book Alliance: http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
nah-not-for-me
August 24, 2015I liked the sound of this one but the sample was a bit...boring? Contemporary romance is not my fave genre, so I think this one just isn't for me.
September 13, 2015
Sweet story with minimal angst. I want this to be the first in novellas. There are so many stories to be told!
December 19, 2016
Disappointingly, that was not a great experience. The story line was choppy and full of holes, and the writer's style didn't meld with me.
Read
August 22, 2016Kindle edition.
January 7, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I got this because someone I was friends with on Goodreads claimed it was too much. The more I read about the book, the more I was excited to read it. Sign me up for anything a cis het person claims is too queer. I am here for it.
That being said, this book did not live up to the hopes I had for it. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing. My biggest issue is the ace rep. I don’t think Descoteaux knows what being ace means. Being ace means a lack of sexual attraction, not a lack of wanting penetrative sex. So the main character was clearly sexually attracted to the handyman. He was sexually attracted to others based on the way he was written. He just wasn’t into penetration. Sexual activities or the disgust toward them don’t make you ace. You can be kinky and have sex every single day and be ace. You can be allo (not ace) and hate the idea of being penetrated. I am just really annoyed that the ace plot only came up around not wanting to bottom. The thing is the bottoming issue was clearly based on internalized homophobia, not being ace. Signed an ace who is tired of this nonsense.
Things I loved about this book was the fact there were trans people, ace people (sorta), someone in a wheelchair, and a threesome (someone claimed polyam relationship, but it does not count until they are named and actually have a plot, thank you). This book felt like a queer book. It had the queer characters. It had some queer ideas. This would have been my friend group. It makes sense. This is one of the first queer themed books where I think the author got the social group right. There was a lot of little social things that were just wonderful.
The writing wasn’t the best. It very much felt like a first book, which it very well may be. There are a lot of missing details and some stilted dialogue. There are some technical issues. But the thing is, the plot and the ideas shine through. I am hopeful for the series to improve as it goes along.
I love that there are older lesbians in love. I just adore Tex and her partner. I adore that they are busybodies and physically strong. I adore so much about Tex. I would like a Tex specific book, thank you.
Overall, the book isn’t the best but I also read it in one sitting and I liked the idea of it.
I got an ARC of this book.
I got this because someone I was friends with on Goodreads claimed it was too much. The more I read about the book, the more I was excited to read it. Sign me up for anything a cis het person claims is too queer. I am here for it.
That being said, this book did not live up to the hopes I had for it. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing. My biggest issue is the ace rep. I don’t think Descoteaux knows what being ace means. Being ace means a lack of sexual attraction, not a lack of wanting penetrative sex. So the main character was clearly sexually attracted to the handyman. He was sexually attracted to others based on the way he was written. He just wasn’t into penetration. Sexual activities or the disgust toward them don’t make you ace. You can be kinky and have sex every single day and be ace. You can be allo (not ace) and hate the idea of being penetrated. I am just really annoyed that the ace plot only came up around not wanting to bottom. The thing is the bottoming issue was clearly based on internalized homophobia, not being ace. Signed an ace who is tired of this nonsense.
Things I loved about this book was the fact there were trans people, ace people (sorta), someone in a wheelchair, and a threesome (someone claimed polyam relationship, but it does not count until they are named and actually have a plot, thank you). This book felt like a queer book. It had the queer characters. It had some queer ideas. This would have been my friend group. It makes sense. This is one of the first queer themed books where I think the author got the social group right. There was a lot of little social things that were just wonderful.
The writing wasn’t the best. It very much felt like a first book, which it very well may be. There are a lot of missing details and some stilted dialogue. There are some technical issues. But the thing is, the plot and the ideas shine through. I am hopeful for the series to improve as it goes along.
I love that there are older lesbians in love. I just adore Tex and her partner. I adore that they are busybodies and physically strong. I adore so much about Tex. I would like a Tex specific book, thank you.
Overall, the book isn’t the best but I also read it in one sitting and I liked the idea of it.
September 7, 2018
This is the first book in The Buchanan House Series. A beautiful book the writing was great. The story is told by Eric’s point of view. That is my only problem with the book. I would’ve like Tim’s thoughts. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters wonderful. The characters were well developed and thought out. Tim and Eric are the MC’s of this book. Nathan is a great secondary character. There was humor, grief and loss, family and friends, an accident, a beach, police, a phone call and so much more in this book.
Here is a quote from the book, “Eric had grudgingly agreed when Nathan suggested they take one full day off every week, and named it Sanity Preservation Day. After the craziness that was Work Party Weekend, it was hard to deny Nathan a solid day of rest.”. There is more but you will need to read the book which I can recommend as a good read.. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
Here is a quote from the book, “Eric had grudgingly agreed when Nathan suggested they take one full day off every week, and named it Sanity Preservation Day. After the craziness that was Work Party Weekend, it was hard to deny Nathan a solid day of rest.”. There is more but you will need to read the book which I can recommend as a good read.. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
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