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

Oct 03, 2012 Vishous rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m, emo-angsty, romance, marry-me, yeah-i-cried-a-bit, visholicious, oh-my-god, omg-omg-omg, awesome-recommended-by-blacky, male-pov

This was absolutely, at least to me, the best one in the series!

THE BEST!

I don't remember when was the last time I laughed so hard while reading a book. I always loved the humor between Ty and Zane but in this one I was laughing from the first page and I don't think I even stopped til the end! I loved every f***ing page! And I didn't want it to end, no no! But as I was reaching to the end, as much as I was dreading to finish it, because that meant no more Ty and Zane til april and no more laug ...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Anna (Bananas) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: m-m, bisexual

2021 Review:
Ahh I loved this so much! It’s interesting how I’m having different reactions to each of the books the 2nd time around. This one was sweet, sexy, and hilarious. It’s their coming out book for me and I loved seeing how their families reacted to them as a couple. It was such a comfort read. I only rated it three stars in 2013 and I’m bumping it up to five now. 🙌🏻
Also, tigers and tiger napping in Texas are much more believable now in 2021 LOL. But I still refuse to watch that TV show.

2 2021 Review:
Ahh I loved this so much! It’s interesting how I’m having different reactions to each of the books the 2nd time around. This one was sweet, sexy, and hilarious. It’s their coming out book for me and I loved seeing how their families reacted to them as a couple. It was such a comfort read. I only rated it three stars in 2013 and I’m bumping it up to five now. 🙌🏻
Also, tigers and tiger napping in Texas are much more believable now in 2021 LOL. But I still refuse to watch that TV show.

2013 Review:
What is with all the cats? It's getting a bit...absurd. First, the mountain lion (I rolled my eyes, but okay, whatever, they do exist in the wild), then Smith & Wesson (alright, they're adorable, yes), but Tigers? Being kidnapped? Tigers that inexplicably love Ty? Um. *deep breath*

I once said I'd enjoy reading about Ty and Zane no matter the plot. I'd like to quietly retract that statement. Because tiger-napping, while cute, utterly strains credibility for me.

What I did enjoy about this book, as always, was Ty Grady and Zane Garrett. They have my heart, eternally. I LOVE THEM. I'd take a bullet for each of 'em, which is why I finished the book.
The coming out theme was welcome and handled well and believably, both with Ty's family in West Virgina and with Zane's family in TX.

More pluses: the humor, the general Texasness of it all, the comfortable private moments, the loving bond between Ty and Zane, the HOT sex scenes, the talk of kids (WHAT? Kids! I like kid-talk? Clearly, I've come down with something), and Zane almost (view spoiler)

There really were a lot of great moments. However, the other main issue I had was the boys' relationship being too...stationary? It needed more conflict, bigger emotions, more reason to cheer or rant. Just, MORE.

This is why I'm hoping for serious angst, even heartbreak, in Touch & Geaux. Please shake up the status quo, Roux, and please, please give us a plot to believe in.

Essentially, T and Z are my fictional gay boyfriends, and I will never abandon them, tigers be damned. But this book was about 50% joy, 50% annoyance for me - I don't like them fractions. ...more

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Aug 22, 2012 B. rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-read

For several months of relative calm and stability, Ty and Zane have finally been able to enjoy being together. Aside from the constant need to hide their relationship from their coworkers and families, things are going better than ever. But, as living magnets for chaos, it’s a sure bet that such bliss couldn’t last for long.

Stars & Stripes covers a lot of ground, both figuratively as well as geographically. From the mountains of West Virginia to the Hill Country of Texas, Ms. Roux puts her hero For several months of relative calm and stability, Ty and Zane have finally been able to enjoy being together. Aside from the constant need to hide their relationship from their coworkers and families, things are going better than ever. But, as living magnets for chaos, it’s a sure bet that such bliss couldn’t last for long.

Stars & Stripes covers a lot of ground, both figuratively as well as geographically. From the mountains of West Virginia to the Hill Country of Texas, Ms. Roux puts her heroes to the test, and proves once again that she is adept at multitasking; writing not only an endearing romance, but a compelling whodunit, as well. Subtle where it counts, and funny in the most unexpected places, this story expands on the solid foundation that’s been built by the previous novels in the series, while giving the two main characters a chance to evolve along with the relationship they’ve been working for.

I was very happy to see Ty’s family again, even though I have serious issues with Ty’s father, as was certainly intended. Every family is different, and things turned out well, but I couldn’t help feeling a strong connection to Zane and his desire for retribution during one particular scene. However, meeting Zane’s family was a real eye-opener, too, his mother being of the most fascinatingly abhorrent characters I’ve read in a while. She defies every idea I have of what a mother should be, and I absolutely hated her. Zane’s father, Harrison, on the other hand, has garnered a solid place in my heart, right alongside Chester, whose reappearance thrilled me through and through.

Both Ty and Zane are more overtly affectionate in this book, which I very much enjoyed. They’ve been together for nearly a year at this point, and have fought hard to make it this far. Combine what would have to be a substantial fatigue over having to hide their relationship from the rest of the world with the relief of giving in and letting themselves love simply and honestly, and it makes their increasingly demonstrative interactions quite lovely, indeed. They’ve travelled a long road together already, and they’ve earned it. Not that being able to love openly should be a thing to be earned in the first place, but they have, regardless.

Part of what made Stars & Stripes so interesting, was that I was truly surprised by the conclusion to the mystery Ty and Zane were trying to solve. While the villains were obvious and even fairly predictable on the surface, there was a deeper level of betrayal that I never saw coming, leaving me with the grudging satisfaction that can only come from being outwitted by a book.

The Cut & Run series continues to be an incredibly enjoyable one to read, and Ty and Zane are two of my favorite characters ever. The determined self-sacrifice each displayed earlier in the series has been transformed into the heartfelt unwillingness to live a life without each other in it. These two men are perfect together, and the more explicit depiction of the sex between them was undeniably scorching. Suspenseful and funny, Stars & Stripes is one story I know I’ll read again and again as I wait impatiently for the next novel in the series. ...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Tiffany rated it it was amazing

Ty and Zane are back in this sixth installment of the Cut and Run Series. I still love these guys, even though they're sappier than ever. Nothing can shake the foundation of their love. Ha! Seriously though, this book was amusing and sweet. I enjoyed it immensely. I would like for some of the grittiness from the earlier novels to return to the series...but I'll take what I can get. I will definitely continue to read everything Abigail Roux writes.

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Jul 11, 2012 Brandilyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mm, read-2012, read-2013, read-2015, audible

This was my 3rd time reading S&S. I love it more each time I read it. I love the dynamic between T&Z in this one. Harrison is all kinds of awesome. Now we just need to have the Louisiana category called so I have my excuse to re-read Touch & Geaux

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