Sticks & Stones (Cut & Run, #2) in EVERYTHING BI

Oct 23, 2012 Anna (Bananas) rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m

Re-read 2021:
F@ucking adorable. This might be my favorite now, just for the family dynamics coupled with the blooming relationship. Lots of sweet. The setting is fantastic, but the plot? Who needs a plot? I mean, in these books it feels like an afterthought and sometimes makes no sense, but you know, so what? We’re not here for that.

2012 Review:
I would read 600 pages of Ty and Zane arguing. I’d watch paint dry for hours in their company (or hell, read about it, which must be worse.) Character i ...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Jess Candela rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2010, read-in-2011, read-in-2012, favorites, read-in-2014, bingo-challenge, m-m

Update 22 March 2014: This book is still as much a favorite as I'd remembered, despite my reservations at 43%. I decided to persevere and was rewarded for doing so, as around 60% or so I got right back in the groove and read the remainder in one sitting. So although I might not have rated it 5 stars now, I'm going to let that rating stand.

This was the Zane and Ty I fell in love with: two proud and flawed men who seem to communicate best by fighting and/or fucking, and who complement each other Update 22 March 2014: This book is still as much a favorite as I'd remembered, despite my reservations at 43%. I decided to persevere and was rewarded for doing so, as around 60% or so I got right back in the groove and read the remainder in one sitting. So although I might not have rated it 5 stars now, I'm going to let that rating stand.

This was the Zane and Ty I fell in love with: two proud and flawed men who seem to communicate best by fighting and/or fucking, and who complement each other perfectly. They were raw, and the writing was at times rough (the constant rubbing noses with a broken nose was excruciating to read), but I think that's all part of what made them "real" and lovable. The plots were over-the-top and unbelievable, but they made for a fun ride and were a great backdrop for the character development. No one ever read the C&R books for the plots, it was always about Ty and Zane.

Kate and I have hypothesized that the change came when Madeleine Urban stopped writing Zane, but that's also when Riptide started publishing them and it occurs to me now that could also be a significant factor. It's not surprising that Zane might become less Zane-like when his creator stopped writing him, but I also think it could be the Riptide over-editing that results in homogenized books that lose a great deal of their character. The newer versions of Ty and Zane seem like characters to me, whereas the original guys were believable as real people.

So it seems memory did not deceive me: the good parts are about as good as I remembered. Maybe the bad(ish) parts are a little worse now that some of the shine has been scrubbed off (I was going to say 'worn' but it didn't seem active or violent enough), but overall these books and characters are still appealing and worth reading. I'd thought I might need a break before reading more, but the end of this book rekindled my enthusiasm enough for me to want to continue on to Fish & Chips.

Update 30 August 2011: I just reread this again and if possible love it more than ever; I should stop being surprised, that happens every time I read it. It's always been my favorite of the series (though D&C might have changed that, but I'll have to reread it a few times, too, to be sure).

It doesn't seem to matter how many times I read it, or how exactly I know what's about to happen (or how many inconsistencies or odd word choices ("devoted") I notice), I still get so engrossed it almost becomes more real to me than whatever is actually happening IRL around me. I guess it would be a seriously bad idea to listen to the audio book while driving!

So, yeah, 5+ stars. And May cannot get here soon enough for my next fix. ...more

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May 14, 2012 Alex is The Romance Fox rated it it was amazing

Shelves: erotic-romance, series, romance, adventure-mystery-crime-thriller, m-m

Synopsis: Six months after nearly losing their lives to a serial killer in New York City, FBI Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett are suffering through something almost as frightening: the monotony of desk duty. When they're ordered to take a vacation for the good of everyone's sanity, Ty bites the bullet and takes Zane home with him to West Virginia, hoping the peace and quiet of the mountains will give them the chance to explore the explosive attraction they've so far been unable to recon Synopsis: Six months after nearly losing their lives to a serial killer in New York City, FBI Special Agents Ty Grady and Zane Garrett are suffering through something almost as frightening: the monotony of desk duty. When they're ordered to take a vacation for the good of everyone's sanity, Ty bites the bullet and takes Zane home with him to West Virginia, hoping the peace and quiet of the mountains will give them the chance to explore the explosive attraction they've so far been unable to reconcile with their professional partnership.

Ty and Zane, along with Ty's father and brother, head up into the Appalachian Mountains for a nice, relaxing hike deep into the woods... where no one will hear them scream. They find themselves facing danger from all directions: unpredictable weather, the unrelenting mountains, wild animals, fellow hikers with nothing to lose, and the most terrifying challenge of all. Each other.

My thoughts:

Wow…..what a start to the follow-up book to Cut & Run……..had me holding my breath…..letting it out only when I realized what was really going on….yes I am not going to spoilt the moment for anyone here!!!!!!
Zane Garrett & Ty Grady are back ….after being separated for a few months , still trying to come to terms with their feelings for each other, have been given time off from work. Ty has invited Zane to go with him to visit his family and do some mountain hiking.

And what a crazy and weird family Ty has – hated his father…no wonder Ty has issues….his crazy grandfather who thinks the garden hose is a snake, his brother….the psychiatrist..really….sorry but he just did not fit into my idea of a doctor of the mind……but he was sweet in a way, so guess I overcame this point thru the story….. his mother who wants to feed them all whilst using her wooden spoon!!!!!! At times Zane seems to be the only normal person around!! And that is something else….Zane, sane!!!!!

At times I really felt an intense dislike for Zane & Ty……I love him, I want him, no let me go, I don’t want him stuff……..Why can’t they just admit that they care for each other? Why is there such a problem for Ty to come out about his feelings for Zane? It’s not as if he has never had sex with a male before!!! But on the other side, these are two much damaged men with so many issues that makes it in a way difficult for them to open up and talk about their inner selves and their true feelings.

We learn so much about what makes Ty be what he is…..the issues he has and the fear of commitment and of losing someone he cares about.

The part between Ty and his father after Ty’s attack is really heartbreaking. Are there really fathers out there like his??? Scary!!!

Lots of tension, some fabulous dialogue, hot sex scenes, thrills and spills – despite the two guys not being on the job!!!! – why is it that cops always get caught in a middle of something criminal even when off duty????? –
I enjoyed the story taking place outside their work situation – to see another side to the guys

I am getting so attached to these two men……I just wish they were not kept apart so much….all the angst, questions, insecurities…..just talk to each other about your true feelings…please!!!!!!! I want you both to find happiness together..so do something about it…right now!!!!

Now, onto book 3 ….with some hope that I don’t have to knock their heads together to see what they mean to each other.
...more

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Jan 30, 2013 JR rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, audio, mystery, favorites, afraid-to-come-out-of-the-closet, action-adventure, bisexual, military, fbi

Could Cut and Run get better, I asked myself. Well, yes, yes it did. In #2, Ty and Zane are still at loose ends, waiting to end their desk jockey assignment. So, what better for them than to be "told" to take a vacation. Where? A site I can see every day from my windows, the mountains of West Virginia, Ty's home state.
In this one, once again we have those two at loggerheads with their emotions, each thinking that they know what the other feels, yet totally unable to express any of what they fe ...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Vishous rated it it was amazing

Shelves: series, adult, can-i-join-please, taking-deep-breaths, abigail-roux, my-favourite, mmmmmmmm, steamy, swooning, hooked-addicted-please-be-real

review to come

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Dec 31, 2013 Bookwatcher rated it it was amazing

Shelves: glbt-gay, suspense

This book is waaaaaaaaaaay better than the first

In one phrase, what I think about it: I ❤ Ty and Zane!

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Jul 15, 2012 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m, roux-abigail

Ty Grady *mmmm* and Zane Garrett are back together again. This time they are with Ty family on vacation both of then still carrying a huge hardship over their shoulders. Before I get into the so-called vacation I have to say that I love Ty mom, she don't take any sh@t from Ty, Deacon and even Zane but I guess thats what you do when you have 2 boys like TY and Deacon you have to get a tougher skin to deal with them and keep them in line. At the end of the book I was not fond to Earl, even after h ...more

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