Stars & Stripes (Cut & Run, #6) in Riptide Publishing

Sep 11, 2012 LenaLena rated it did not like it

Shelves: mm, action

Most romance books have an epilogue. It's that bit at the end where it shows the couple a few days, weeks or years later all happy and solid in their relationship, usually with a few cute references to quirky, couple-y things that happened to them in the process of getting together. Things to make the couple (and the reader) chuckle at their previous antics, now happily in the past. Epilogues are like the icing on the cake, the cherry on top: enjoyable, reassuring, but of little substance.

This Most romance books have an epilogue. It's that bit at the end where it shows the couple a few days, weeks or years later all happy and solid in their relationship, usually with a few cute references to quirky, couple-y things that happened to them in the process of getting together. Things to make the couple (and the reader) chuckle at their previous antics, now happily in the past. Epilogues are like the icing on the cake, the cherry on top: enjoyable, reassuring, but of little substance.

This book is like one big, endless, epilogue. Ty and Zane are together. They are totally committed. They are rock solid. Nothing shakes the foundation of their relationship. They reaffirm their love every couple of hours or so. Excellent. Wonderful. Good for them.

So what this book is, besides one mighty long-winded affirmation of mutual love and desire, is a unending collection of quirky couple-y things that are all different flavors of CUTE. Designed to make the fangirls sqeee and go 'Aaaaaawwwww' and do the Snoopy-dance.

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As you can see, the book is wonderfully successful at the cute and quirky. So, yay, well done. But OMFG it's like drowning in syrup for close to 300 pages!

The status updates mention some other problems I had. ...more

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May 21, 2012 Fangtasia rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is weird. And sad. Never thought I'd give a Ty and Zane story less than 4 stars. It's not that I didn't like the story, though it was way too nice, and easy, and syrupy sweet to be even remotely believable most of the time. Ty's father's reaction? Nah, no way. Zane's Dad? Not either.

Ty and Zane themselves? Somebody took them away and left bad copies behind. I want them back!

It's like I'm in a mirror-image universe, where Ty and Zane are some kind of earnest, sweet, kind version of themselv ...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Aves Raggiana rated it really liked it

You know, it's either my Inner-Cynical-Bitter-Bitchy-Queen has taken a Valium, or I'm willing to go along with where this series is going. What has prompted my reassessment of this whole series, was when someone very kindly left a "Like" and a comment on my review of "Sticks & Stones". I had quite forgotten what I'd written. When I re-read my own words, I was dumbfounded.

It turns out, that the turn in Zane and Ty's relationship was what I had wanted all along. So it bemuses me why I'm moanin You know, it's either my Inner-Cynical-Bitter-Bitchy-Queen has taken a Valium, or I'm willing to go along with where this series is going. What has prompted my reassessment of this whole series, was when someone very kindly left a "Like" and a comment on my review of "Sticks & Stones". I had quite forgotten what I'd written. When I re-read my own words, I was dumbfounded.

It turns out, that the turn in Zane and Ty's relationship was what I had wanted all along. So it bemuses me why I'm moaning so much about this turn as written in "Armed & Dangerous" and now "Stars & Stripes". In my "Cut & Run" review, I had complained long and loud about how these "two knuckleheads" could never get it together. Then I implored both writers for a wedding! I even anticipated Earl's acceptance of Ty and Zane as a gay couple. So why all this carping on my part, when the series as now written, is giving me exactly what I want?

About "Stars & Stripes": Skillfully written? Without a doubt. Entertaining? Absolutely. Plausible? Not in the least. I'm not even talking about the plausibility of the plot of which there is no plausibility, of course. I'm talking about the believeability of Ty and Zane's relationship itself. As much as I really, really wanted them to succeed, and as strongly as I rooted for them through all six books, I have to wonder, could their relationship really have come this far, with all its gratuitous mushiness and toothache inducing sentimentality? I found myself enjoying far more the spoken input of the supporting characters such as Chester and Zane's father, Harrison and Ty's parents, Earl and Mara, than the whispered intimate exchanges between Ty and Zane. I'm hoping that the lone authoress of the remaining three installments will better calibrate the expressions of love and ardent devotion that are more and more becoming characteristic of Zane and Ty's relationship..

So, with the recalibration of my expectations of Ty and Zane's relationship, and with my feel-good-meter pinging at the high end of the scale, after reading "Stars & Stripes", I am resolved to continue reading all three remaining books, happy to just go along with Ty and Zane until the end, when we have to say "Good Bye" to them, and we hear from them no more. ...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Kerry rated it it was amazing

Shelves: e-book-own, m-m, series, favorites, kobo

Reread #3- August 2024

I have no idea why I said this was my least favorite in my original review. I love this book! My favorite part has to be Ty coming out to his family. I think it's the best coming out scene I remember reading. Grandpa Chester is the best! Zane coming out to his family was also good, although his mother is a major BITCH!

Ty and Barnum the tiger were great. I certainly have a better understanding of large cat animal sanctuaries after seeing The Tiger King on Netflix in 2020.
*** ...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Cindi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m, series, favorites, 2012, pre-order

I think I fall a little more in love with Ty and Zane with each additional book in the series. I've never liked series that focus on the same characters throughout but I can't get enough of these guys.

The first 5%: Priceless. I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard reading a book. I had tears running down my face. Ty's parents (and Chester, God love him) are a blast.

"We wouldn't need your help normally, but this morning I cut your daddy's finger off and he says he can't hold a hammer.

...more

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May 29, 2012 Book Gremlin Reads rated it it was amazing

Shelves: to-re-read, male-male, romance, contemporary, mystery, highly-recommend, romantic-suspense

Review coming soon! ...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Joy rated it liked it

“She told me to wait,that I was going to lose a finger." Earl looked toward the kitchen and back at Ty and Duece. He snorted. "I asked her, did she think I was stupid? Then a couple of snips later, whack. Off went the finger. And you know what that woman said to me? I said 'Mara you cut my finger off.' And your mother said to me, 'Well Earl who's stupid now?”

IMHO this was the best paragraph in the whole book--love Ty's mother--the rest of the book was sweet, sappy and so over the top that I thi ...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Kate McMurray rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m, romance

I pretty much agree with everyone's assessments—the book is great, funny and emotional, and the emphasis is definitely on the emotional rather than the mystery (which still felt a little unresolved to me at the end, actually). But there's a lot to love here: forward progress in Ty and Zane's relationship, delightful (and one not so delightful) secondary characters in Ty and Zane's families, a lot of humor and heart, and of course, Cowboy Zane and Ty's tigers. I even liked how Zane's mother was h ...more

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Aug 16, 2012 OkayKim rated it really liked it

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

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Jun 16, 2012 Tj rated it it was amazing

Shelves: have, read-2012, have-audible, animal-cat, cover-white, trope-secret-relationship, trope-lost-partner, read-2022, occupation-police-pi, genre-contemporary

A little lighter story for Zane and Ty. Still lots of action and etc. It seems this one was more about Zane and Ty taking more steps in their relationship and "coming out" to the families. Zane seemed more relaxed in this one and more likable and approachable. Ty and his interaction with the tiger was priceless as was his banter with the horse. Poor Ty always is getting shot and/or beat up. ...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Sharon rated it it was amazing

Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way, I loved it. I am so invested in Ty and Zane’s relationship at this point I don’t care what they are doing as long as they do it together. But I tried to look at the story objectively so I could review it. I thought it was one of the funniest of the series. How could it not be with all the cat jokes and cowboy innuendos? Ty and Zane are still in the puppy love phase of their relationship and doing it like bunnies, sexy cowboy bunnies. They are getting c Let’s go ahead and get this out of the way, I loved it. I am so invested in Ty and Zane’s relationship at this point I don’t care what they are doing as long as they do it together. But I tried to look at the story objectively so I could review it. I thought it was one of the funniest of the series. How could it not be with all the cat jokes and cowboy innuendos? Ty and Zane are still in the puppy love phase of their relationship and doing it like bunnies, sexy cowboy bunnies. They are getting comfortable showing affection to each other and finding it harder to hide it while at work. They are talking about spending the rest of their lives together.

We finally get to meet Zane’s family in Texas when his father gets shot by people trespassing on their ranch. The books have become more concentrated on Ty and Zane’s relationship, but I thought there was a clever and solid “who dunnit?” in this one. Abi Roux is a big supporter of Big Cat Sanctuaries and has been raising money with the sales of this book to adopt Barnum, a Bengal Tiger at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary. There are tigers in this book and it made for some hilarious moments with Ty. You will love Zane’s father and understand more about why Zane behaves the way his does when you meet his mom. We found out Ty can sing in the last book, in this one we find out Zane has a talent too, other than making Ty scream .

It is no secret this is a coming out book, but only to their families. It was a little heartbreaking to see them struggle with the fear of telling their parents, but I liked how Roux handles things. The two families handled things differently. Did I tell you I love Zane’s father?

Roux’s writing style is smooth and natural which means you don’t notice the prose as you read. I feel like I am watching a movie so the story goes by fast. It was over to soon. There are so many laugh out loud scenes, but this is one of my favorites. It makes me laugh every time I imagine it.

“Good or bad?” Ty asked, rubbing his fingers over Zane’s chest to soothe him. Smith chose that moment to come out of hiding, pouncing on his moving fingers and landing on Zane’s chest. His claws sank in, turning the bed into a frenzy of cat fur, flying linens, and screaming FBI agents.”
http://www.rarelydustybooks.com/2012/...# ...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Jerry rated it really liked it

Shelves: detective, contemporary

There is so much difference of opinions about this one. I have been very distracted by work and my reading has been sporatic. Therefore my comments might not be too fair so I will give the benifit of the doubt.
Sometimes I thought Ty and Zane were exactly who they should be. They can't be the same men that started this series as they changed each other. My issue with them is their sometimes goo-ey, doe-eyed, lovey-dovey stuff. Some in tender moment is right, I guess it's just a little too often ( ...more

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Dec 10, 2013 Chrissy rated it it was amazing

So freaking perfect!! Just as I thought I picked team Ty, Zane had to go and be just as awesome and once again I'm team both. It needs a name... Team Tyza? Team Zaty? This was was by far the best book so far. I love them all, but this one was the one I was waiting for. Perfect! ...more

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