Title: Finding Forgiveness
Series: N/A
Author: Ari McKay
Genre: Historical Western (1888)
Length: Novel (200 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-63216-153-6
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (September 24, 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Reviewer: Leigh
Blurb: Boston in 1888 is quite urbane, but unfortunately for Gil Porter, that isn’t the same thing as being understanding.
When his sexuality is exposed by the scandalous suicide of his lover, Gil is exiled to the small town of Mercy, Texas, by his domineering father, George, who believes life on Vernon Porter’s ranch will cure Gil of his “unnatural” desires. Grieving and ashamed, Gil is determined to keep his distance from everyone until he can return home. To his surprise, he finds acceptance at Bent Oak Ranch, especially from Matt Grayson, the handsome son of the ranch foreman.
Knowing he must fight his attraction to Matt, Gil courts a local girl, but an unexpected encounter with Matt leads to his discovery of Matt’s feelings for him. Torn between Matt and his desire to be “normal,” between returning to his old life and building a new one in Texas, Gil is faced with a choice—appeasing his father or becoming the man Matt knows he can be.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5472
Review: Gil has been sent to his uncle’s ranch in Texas by his father after his male lover commits suicide. The father thinks that ranch life will cure him of his gayness and make him a “proper man.” Gil has so many self-esteem issues mostly caused by his father. The reaction of his father and those he thought were friends had Gil believing he is unnatural. Determined to do what he has to be “normal” Gil does what he thinks he should be doing and that is to ignore his growing attraction to Matt.
Gil changes over the course his stay at the ranch. He started off as arrogant and distant and slowly starts to mature and grow. Matt and Gil build a friendship all while hiding the feeling they are each having about the other. Matt is slowly falling in love with Gil, and Gil is doing his best not to fall in love with Matt. It comes as a shock when both realize they are gay.
They were hiding from each other so much that it was an accident they figured even figured it out. They have a passionate moment, and Gil screws it up by saying it can never happen again. Again with his “normal” life idea that has been drilled into his head.
Matt and Gil go through a lot. Matt tries so hard to get it through Gil’s head that there is nothing wrong with him. But the emotional damage Gil’s father has dished out over the years has nearly ruined Gil. It makes it hard for him to see outside the narrow box his father has drawn. It takes almost losing Matt completely, to finally get his ass in gear and make his own choices to be happy.
So it’s 1888, in Texas, on a ranch. Where still today there are issues with gay rights. I found it a little hard to believe that Gil would find a ranch that was OK with Gil and Matt being together. I most definitely blame my own preconceived notions, but it made it very hard for me to get into the book.
The writing is as good quality as I have come to expect from this author, I just could not get pulled in. I am sure people will disagree with me and that is perfectly fine. This book has left me in the middle, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either.