Since Cap Iversen's Dakota trilogy, I’ve been looking high and low for a good western historical with gay main characters and Mark Probst debut novel ticks all my check box requirements fully. Responsible, shy and bookish seventeen year old Ethan is introduced working at the general store as an assistant when a tall handsome stranger walks into his life. Several years older than Ethan, Travis Cain is an itinerant cowboy with a beautiful sorrel mare and riveting eyes. Thus starts the courtship dance – with Ethan not even fully aware of his bourgeoning feelings generated by Travis’ physical presence. Travis has his own dark secrets … which slowly come to light throughout the book and brings life threatening ramifications for both MCs before the book ends.
Over-responsible Ethan has to work in order to contribute to his family’s income, plus keep an eye out for his wayward and wild older brother Willie as he promised his drawn and worn out widow mother. Horses and books are his solace as well as visits to his ex-schoolmarm teacher spinster friend, who sets her sights on the hunky Travis and enlists Ethan’s help for a personal introduction. Starting from chance meetings, and moving to longer horse-riding encounters, the author subtly but deliciously builds the attraction Ethan develops for Travis; this is Huckleberry Finn type innocence here folks and so charmingly done too! Opportunity arises for Ethan to make extra cash as well as be more constantly within the presence of the object of his affections – and we’re off on an epic 900 mile cattle drive through harsh killer-desert terrain and the spectacular beauty of Colorado’s mountain ranges. Camp-fire evenings, washing naked in rivers, cowboy tall-tales and pranks, injuries and death ensue. And through all this activity, Ethan discovers who he is, why he feels the way he does about Travis, and risks everything to find love.
You cannot have a Western tale without some form of blind prejudice, brutality, injustice and lynch-mobs being featured … and Probst incorporates these towards the latter half of the book as the story-arc for both Ethan and Travis soars and then crashes to a shocking finale. Familiar faces from his hometown return to help and haunt Ethan at his direst moment of need. Without giving away much, I was so pleasantly surprised by how one secondary character turned out, I developed quite a soft spot for him by the end of the book (it actually showed that I was prejudiced towards this character myself!).
The author does a believable job of describing both the historical wild west town-ship life and community as well as the driving on the range experience. I was very taken by both MCs and was absolutely crushed by what befell them eventually. But before Octobercountry screams oh-no … I can reassure The Filly has no ‘Brokeback’ ending; rather something more along the lines of Mel Smith’s Sweet Lips (but without that novel’s descriptive raunchiness). I recommend this book for those who are fond of their gay cowboys. Probst has released a couple of shorter books (historical militaries) since this debut novel but I hope he’ll find it within himself to give us another couple of gay westerns in days to come
Over-responsible Ethan has to work in order to contribute to his family’s income, plus keep an eye out for his wayward and wild older brother Willie as he promised his drawn and worn out widow mother. Horses and books are his solace as well as visits to his ex-schoolmarm teacher spinster friend, who sets her sights on the hunky Travis and enlists Ethan’s help for a personal introduction. Starting from chance meetings, and moving to longer horse-riding encounters, the author subtly but deliciously builds the attraction Ethan develops for Travis; this is Huckleberry Finn type innocence here folks and so charmingly done too! Opportunity arises for Ethan to make extra cash as well as be more constantly within the presence of the object of his affections – and we’re off on an epic 900 mile cattle drive through harsh killer-desert terrain and the spectacular beauty of Colorado’s mountain ranges. Camp-fire evenings, washing naked in rivers, cowboy tall-tales and pranks, injuries and death ensue. And through all this activity, Ethan discovers who he is, why he feels the way he does about Travis, and risks everything to find love.
You cannot have a Western tale without some form of blind prejudice, brutality, injustice and lynch-mobs being featured … and Probst incorporates these towards the latter half of the book as the story-arc for both Ethan and Travis soars and then crashes to a shocking finale. Familiar faces from his hometown return to help and haunt Ethan at his direst moment of need. Without giving away much, I was so pleasantly surprised by how one secondary character turned out, I developed quite a soft spot for him by the end of the book (it actually showed that I was prejudiced towards this character myself!).
The author does a believable job of describing both the historical wild west town-ship life and community as well as the driving on the range experience. I was very taken by both MCs and was absolutely crushed by what befell them eventually. But before Octobercountry screams oh-no … I can reassure The Filly has no ‘Brokeback’ ending; rather something more along the lines of Mel Smith’s Sweet Lips (but without that novel’s descriptive raunchiness). I recommend this book for those who are fond of their gay cowboys. Probst has released a couple of shorter books (historical militaries) since this debut novel but I hope he’ll find it within himself to give us another couple of gay westerns in days to come