Title and Link: Seeing You
Author: Dakota Flint
Publisher URL: Samhain Publishing
Genre: Contemporary M/M
Length: novella (71 pages)
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
THE BLURB
Love can be found among the pieces of a broken heart.
The night his brother, Simon, was killed in an accident, Dylan took on a double load of guilt. Guilt for walking away unscathed…and for secretly loving Simon’s partner, Wade. Unable to bear the pain, Dylan left the Lazy G ranch to rebuild his life elsewhere.
A year later he reluctantly responds to his sister’s plea to come home, where he finds the Lazy G falling apart. And so is Wade. Wade has stopped caring about the ranch, about everything that should matter most to him. Though there’s more ranch work than one man can possibly handle, Dylan throws himself into the task. Wondering how he’s going to find the strength to pull Wade out of the fog of grief when his own is still as raw as a fresh wound. Wondering when Wade will finally see that his second chance for happiness is standing right in front of him.
THE REVIEW
When Dylan’s adopted brother was killed in an accident 15 months ago he left home one month later. He had many reasons for leaving, the worst one was guilt that he had lived and Simon had died. To make matters worse he was in love with Simon’s partner of 7 years, Wade, even though he never let either of them know his feelings. His sister Erin’s impassioned plea to return home made him realize that his time had run out and he had to face Wade and accept Simon’s loss.
The situation at home was much worse than he had imagined. The ranch was almost completely devastated, the animals had all been sold except for Dylan’s horse and a few others that the cowboys needed, the finances were almost depleted and Wade, still grief stricken, was unreachable emotionally. The house was a mess and had not been cleaned in months which attested to Wade’s state of mind. It took a long time for Dylan to get through to Wade that he was still alive and needed to move on, and one night they fought each other outside in a thunderstorm in the mud and said some harsh things to each other before Wade accepted that life was for the living. That night Wade really saw Dylan as Dylan and not Simon’s brother, and for the first time since the tragedy started feeling sexual urges towards someone, but Dylan made it clear that he was not going to be Wade’s crutch or his substitute for Simon and if Wade wanted him he would have to figure out what he needed to do to make Dylan believe it was not a rebound affair.
I had some questions about a few things that weren’t explained in the book, although given its length maybe the author felt it best to concentrate on the love story. There was no reason given regarding how everyone, including the cowboys on the ranch, accepted Simon and Wade as partners without any of the usual homophobia. It wasn’t as if they lived somewhere like San Francisco the land of OK Homo rather than in cowboy country. Family (Erin and even her husband) and old friend Mack seemed to accept their relationship as normal and no one thought it was unusual for the men to be lovers. My other issue was other than stating that Simon had died as a result of an accident and that Dylan felt guilty he survived, there was no indication of what caused the accident and whether there was any reason for Dylan to feel guilty. Was he driving? Also Dylan seemed to have put his life on hold during Wade’s and Simon’s 7 year relationship and had no boyfriends. I don’t know how that would work in RL.
I liked Seeing You very much because of the protagonists and the plot, even though there were enough tears and angst to go around twice in this emotion filled story. Dakota Flint is a very good writer and I love her characters who are always three dimensional. I thought that the best part of the book was Wade’s unusual courtship which you will have to read for yourself – let’s just say that the author showed a great deal of imagination.
Seeing You is 1st person POV told in Dylan’s “voice” and I could feel his grief about his brother’s death, complicated by his guilt for loving Simon’s man all those years. He and Wade had many real issues to work through and their story was not the usual boy meets boy, have a Big Misunderstanding and then a HEA – they both had to decide on Simon’s place in their lives and how they could move on to a new life together. This was not a quick romance so of necessity the pace was slower, which suited the emotional state of the characters and the sadness and loss that they had to adjust to and overcome, before there could be any relationsip between them.
Definitely recommended.
Seeing You will be released by Samhain Publishing on January 19.
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I’m always a bit leery of stories with a family member starting up a relationship with a dead family member’s spouse. Seems a bit … ewwww? It took me forever to read the lemonade book because of this but I thought it was well done and especially since the two characters didn’t know each other. Here, it seems that Dylan and Wade knew each other for years as BILs and to switch to lovers makes me squeamish. (Although this happened in my family in the 40’s. Sister 1 died and guy married Sister 2.)
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I can live with the other points you made. Perhaps not that realistic but sometimes you just go with the flow but I’d need your opinion on the “incest” squick factor. (I know I know, it’s not REALLY incest.)
Tam
Dylan was Simon’s adopted brother. His mother died when he was about maybe 6 (I’ll have to check) so they were not blood brothers, even though they were raised as brothers.
*chuckle* It’s not incest you goofball.
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I really enjoyed the story and you know how I am with tons of angst, but this story had a lot going for it. You will need a tissue for one part though, although I won’t tell you which one. I’ll change the review to indicate “adopted” brother.
I know it’s not really incest but if I grew up with someone my whole like, and knew the guy as my siblings partner it would be kind of weird to be in bed with them. But it happens. Being an only I’ll never have to face this dilemma.
It sounds like an awful lot of story to pack into 71 pages but it does sound good. Thanks for the review, Wave.
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L
Leslie
It was but it did work. As I said in the review I had a few questions at the end of the story but I realized that there’s only so much you can include in a short format.
Well, I’m a huge fan of angsty reads, so I may have to give this one a shot. *hee*
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I’m glad you’ve said it’s not a quick courtship, as such. Mostly because I find it rather jarring when the mourning partner immediately turns around and falls fast and hard. Especially in this case, where the two heroes have clearly known each other for a while.
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Nice review! I’ll be adding this one to my list, I think.
~Tis
TC
I guess you can tell from the blurb that this is not a walk in the park. I don’t love angst but I was able to read this book and only cry once, so for you it might be a 3 tissue book.
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The courtship lasted more than 3 months because they had a lot of issues plus the ranch had to be brought back to it’s old glory.
I’m so shallow, I think I’d buy the book just for the cover art!
Hi Merith
One doesn’t have to be shallow to buy a book for its cover art. I’ve posted on the impact that cover art has on book sales especially print books. However, I think it will be money well spent because the story is good.
“I thought that the best part of the book was Wade’s unusual courtship which you will have to read for yourself”
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And now, of course, I want to know. Maybe I’ll pick up the entire Studs & Spurs anthology once my credit card recovers. *g*
LadyM
I thought that was one of the more fun parts of this book which was angst filled.
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I’m sure that you credit card can stand $3.50 for this book as a standalone at Samhain.
Sometimes I like a story that requires tissues at hand and like LadyM I’m really curious now about Wade’s courtship, so I’m gonna add this one to my TBB list! Thanks for the wonderful review.
Hi Janna
This story definitely required a tissue or 2 so you’ll be happy. Glad I included the information about Wade’s courtship – Dakota should thank me.
Thank you, Wave. *g* Actually, that’s not a bad idea, lure potential readers in through sheer curiosity if nothing else. Heh.
I’m looking forward to my share of the royalties.
Some readers are sending me emails to ask what was the “unusual courtship” but my lips are sealed.
Sounds interesting.I like tears and angst(!).I`m in the middle of”Snared”but this will be my next (to calm down).Thank you for the review.
Simsala
I recommend this book as a 2 hankie story. You’ll be happy with the ending.
Hmmmm maybe I should get the anthology there are a lot of good stories in it and a few seem to be released as stand-alones.
It looks like a book worth reading. Good review!
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Is this story expanded as well?
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I’m curious to see what the unusual courship is
Hi Larissa
This is the same story as the one in the anthology, but I believe they were all good stories so buying the anthology might be a better investment. It all depends on what you’re looking for.
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I’m not telling about the unusual courtship.
Hahaha, I don’t want you too! I’m thinking of getting the anthology. only it will have to wait until next month. I am beyond my quota of book-buying this month!
Another author was kind enough to point this review out, and I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to read and review it, Wave! It’s much appreciated.
Hi Dakota
You’re welcome although you made me cry and I really hate that.
Though normally I’d hate to make anyone cry, in this case I’m so pleased that my story affected you that much.That’s so neat.
And if it makes you feel any better, I doubt I will ever write anything quite as angsty as this in the future. I felt very inspired at the time to write this, I pretty much “pantsed” it with only Dylan’s grief driving the story–usually I at least loosely plot before writing.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by jessewave, Dakota Flint. Dakota Flint said: @angelajames Sorry it tookMy Samhain novella, Seeing You, releases on Tuesday. Yay! Jessewave already gave it 4 stars: http://bit.ly/5Ckka9 [...]
[...] Flint, author, is generously donating copies of her brand new Samhain release Seeing You reviewed here to 2 readers on the site, by random draw. Here’s the blurb [...]
[...] Wave over at Reviews by Jessewave was the first to offer a review, giving it 4 out of 5 stars and hitting on an ingenious marketing strategy: curiousity. She said, "I thought that the best part of the book was Wade’s unusual courtship which you will have to read for yourself – let’s just say that the author showed a great deal of imagination." You can read the rest of the review here. [...]