True North

I decided to try the m/m books and I was a little apprehensive becasue I am not gay, but I gotta tell it was great, tastefully done. As a matter of fact it was my first romance that was not hetrosexual. I have since read that book at least five times. It is so good, I think I will contiune to read them. Even though the men are gay, they are manly gay, I mean they are rough and they are strong men. Great Book,

This book was excellent. I finished it in one sitting, and it left me with a huge smile on my face. The characters were great, the story was great, the writing was excellent, and it made me laugh out loud so many times. I can't say enough good things about it. If you love a well written, well developed m/m story with great humor and great sex, this book is for you.

There are several real strengths in this novel, centered around the characters in it, and the fact that they are well-depicted, three dimensional, human beings, with some flaws, some internal conflicts to overcome, some miscommunications, and some difficult situations to deal with. The two lovers, Julian and Jack, are both a bit "closeted," especially he-man alpha male Jack. Jack instinctively resists admitting his sexual orientation, but cannot deny from the "get-go" his deep attraction to Dr. Julian. Julian has his own ghosts, mostly centered around the two previous lovers who betrayed and hurt him so badly. Add some lovely supporting characters (as the other reviewers rightly pointed out, mostly women, all of them interesting and well-developed in their own rights), a deeply troubling situation that could not help but cause explosive tension between the two lovers, yet both acted understandably and, in Julian's case, ethically. Because this is "romantic fiction," the reader knew the conflicts would be happily resolved, but even the way it was resolved and the pain and difficulty in finding the resolution was realistic and moving. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

What I like about this one is that it takes the time to build the characters and the romance admidst an engaging and enjoyable plot, which is not consumed by erotism. The setting is a small town in Canada, which in itself provides a liberated environment for same sex love. So I am surprised that both Jack and Julian are reluctant to be opened about their sexuality, especially Jack, the older guy. Maybe this has to do with his macho personality and living in a small town where everyone knows everyone's business. Jack's reluctance is irritating in the beggining as I feel for the poor doctor who certainly deserves a better man. Each man has his own ghosts to overcome before he could commit. The writers have done a fine job giving us their story, which is certainly made more enjoyable by the addition of a few well developed female characters who help the guys in their romance, Julian's caring and strong willed sister, Jack's independent mother and one precocious little girl. These female characters do not intrude into the guys' love story (which I really appreciate) but actually spice up the plot as all their lives intertwined. I think this is the first effort from these 2 writers and I am certainly impressed.

True North is one of that typical story setting in a small town, where everyone knows what his neighbor is doing; the only difference, and maybe what made it so nice, is that is setting in Canada, and so Julian and Jack's love, even if not totally in the open, it's at least accepted and also facilitated by relatives (Julian's sister and Jack's mother). Julian is originally from the small town, but he went to study medicine in the big city, and for a period he lived there. The life and some bad experiences, and his sister, convinced him to come back in small town, since life is easier and love is more available. Jack is not from there, but he is from another similar small town in Canada, and he likes this type of life, with its slow rhythm and the easiness which you make friend: everyone is out to give an hand if necessary, and Jack is not less than the other, he carpools the sons of his friends, he plays on Saturday in the only pub of the town, he is famous as a gentle man but prone to accident. And so, when for a countless time, he ends in hospital, Julian patches him up and not only; since everything is simpler, it doesn't pass too much time that Julian and Jack are a steady thing, even if at first there are some misunderstandments. Julian doesn't hide the fact that he is gay but neither flaunts it; Jack instead has no problem to admit that he prefers the company of men, but he is still in the closet with his mother, and so he prefers to be very discreet. Jack is not a bad guy, but Julian needs to be accepted in all he is and he needs to "hear" those words of acceptance, since he was scarred in the past. Overcome this problem between them, there is still one question or two, but all in all their story is settled and fated for an happily ever after. The really original touch in the story are all the female characters, some with very important roles, like Roz, Julian's sister, or Flo, Jack's mother, and someone else with lesser roles, but not less interesting, like Brenda, the owner of the pub, or Bella, Jack's aunt, or Hallie, one of the kid Jack carpools around... if you think well at it, this book, even if it's about two men, it's full of women! But in this way I have no problem, they didn't interfere with the two men... or at least, if they interfere is to bring the two men together. At the end, Julian and Jack have to share the scene with all these women, and sometime the women stole them the scene. True North is a really nice book, tender and easy, without too much angst but with a very comfortable feeling.