Barry Lowe

This book breaks all the rules.

There are gang rapes, sex without condoms, manipulative sex, discriminatory work practices, in fact you could make a list of all the things that are wrong.

I think that's the point.

The characters aren't "nice". They deal in an industry which I suspect the author sees just as bad. In a way the story is almost allegorical. Instead of all these practices being done to individuals on a sexual basis, they are done with companies. People are screwed over just like a show more lot of investors were during the GFC. It's up to the reader to see this though. Barry doesn't spell it out. In fact he may not even mean it to be like that.

However given the title and the use of a faux "stock" I'm suspecting there may have been a tongue in cheek (or between cheeks) method in his madness. show less

This is a fun and very sweet Valentine's Day offering from Barry Lowe. The main character who tells the story is full of assumptions and fear (not that I can blame him after what he's been through!) but he tells it with such a sense of humor that some of his observations and comments made me laugh. The stranger who should be totally fearsome is actually really charming, and the romance that develops is as sweet as it seems unlikely. 'He Won't Send Roses' is one of the most romantic and show more charming Valentine's stories I have read in a while, delighting me with its charm and a heat level that was just right.

Christopher grew up knowing he'd have to run as soon as his father found out he is gay. When it happens, it still isn’t easy for him. But at least he knows where he is going: Uncle Ben is "just like him", so he figures he should give it a try. Years later, after he inherits his uncle's shop in a rough area of the city, he is confronted with an extremely rough looking delivery man and thinks his life has ended. Christopher has learned to expect the worst, but this one time, he is most definitely wrong.

Ryder, who looks like a biker, ends up helping Christopher out on one of the busiest days of the year for a florist. He is very good with the customers, but that isn’t the only surprise he has to offer. I loved discovering layer after layer of what kind of a man Ryder is, and as for the cute twist at the end? Absolutely brilliant! I laughed out loud and am still smiling.

If you like stories about men who have a haunted past yet manage to build a life for themselves, if you enjoy watching assumptions crumble before a deeper and very human truth, and if you're looking for a Valentine's story that is as sweet as it is funny and hot, then you will probably like this Valentine's short story. show less

A Fin moving to Australia to escape a love affair gone wrong is probably a little extreme, in terms of sheer distance traveled, but I can definitely see the logic in it. And, as it turns out, this story is about so much more than Kauko trying to find a new home. Initially, that is exactly what seems to be going on, and the tone is lighthearted, even humorous, as he experiences the differences in landscape, culture, and lifestyle. But as he meets sexy Dr. Miles and begins to delve deeper, show more everything suddenly appears in a new light, and levity is hard to find. I loved the depth of this story as it unfolded, and while I am not normally a fan of “bittersweet”, this one caught me, pulled me in, and didn’t let me go—in a very good way.

Kauko works in IT, which is lucky for him, because when he decides to relocate to the other end of the world, he has no trouble finding a job. Before he starts working for his new employer in Sydney, he ends up in the Blue Mountains so he can see all the Australian animals he has always been curious about in the wild. Unfortunately, he ends up slipping on a wet stone and sprains his ankle. A doctor who also stays at the hotel ends up helping him out, and they begin a slow romance. Kauko is uncharacteristically flirty with Miles, and almost throws himself at the man of his affection.

However, Miles has a secret, and the distance between them only grows when Kauko finds out what it is. A tragedy unfolds, and Kauko almost loses the man he now knows he loves. How can he ever believe a word Miles says when he has so clearly violated Kauko’s trust? But it was the other tragedy that drove tears to my eyes, and as wonderfully written as it was, it touched me deeply.

If you like stories with strong characters who encounter real-life situations, if you enjoy men who take big steps to change their lives only to wonder if they ended up biting off more than they can chew, and if you’re looking for a read that is in turn funny, sweet, and deeply emotional, then you will probably like this touching novella as much as I did.


NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. show less

Ah, the good old Wild West. Reading the blurb for this story had me curious, especially the bit about “new-fangled spaghetti”. The thought of anyone trying to serve pasta to hardened cowboys had me grinning, and the idea of a gay sheriff? Needless to say, I had to read this book. And the opening lines had me settling back ready to enjoy a fun read: “When you’re the sheriff of a small lawless western town, you have to make it your aim to know everyone’s business. If you don’t then show more your life is as short as the fuse on a stick of dynamite and ends up the same way: f*cked.” Yeah, with to-the-point language like that, how could this be anything but highly amusing?

Sheriff Haskell is a tough guy. He learned the “sinful ways” of men loving other men on long cattle drives before settling down as a small town’s sheriff and proceeding to keep the peace. His version of peaceful coexistence between the God-fearing congregation and the more fun-loving saloon girls works pretty well until a particularly fervent preacher comes along and upsets the balance. Add to that the distraction of Benedetto, the new cook, and the sheriff is in trouble.

Benedetto is of Italian descent and comes with enough courage for two men. Undeterred by the town’s grumblings he serves them spaghetti, stands up for his right not to be called “pretty”, and proceeds to steal the sheriff’s heart. He also has no intention to accept the new preacher’s insulting his mother, and ends up forcing a showdown the sheriff didn’t want, but happily joins once it happens. And that is when the real surprises and twist begin…

If you like stories set in the old west where even the law can be a bit – flexible, if you enjoy a little humor in your reading, and if you’re looking for a short, fun read with some hot man-on-man action, a few unexpected twists and a true “riding off into the sunset” ending, then you will probably enjoy this short story. I certainly did! show less