Book Review: Splinters

Title: Splinters

Author: Thorny Sterling

Publisher/GR Link: Smashwords, Goodreads

Genre: MM

Vice: Contemporary, Cowboys, Cross Dressing

Rating: 4/5

Lock this book up: 3 keys out of 5, Sex and Romance proportional

Length: Short novel

Satisfaction: HEA

Cover Impressions: Simple, clean looking.  I like it.

Best Line: "'Butch or femme, you are beautiful to me.' He gets it.  Oh my god, he understands me."

Synopsis:Waking up in a strange place isn't a first for model and actor Allan Seville, but discovering himself alone and bound to a rough plank in the middle of an open Texas range certainly is. With no memory of who did this to him or why, panic sets in, until rescue comes riding up on a big, brown horse.

There’s more to Duke Walters than a handsome face and sexy drawl. In the arms of this rugged cowboy, Al discovers a peace and safety he never knew he needed, and now doesn't want to be without.

But someone wants Al out of the way and drugging him during a movie junket in Houston is only the beginning. A world of differences may separate this cowboy and diva, but when danger strikes again, Duke might be the only one who can get them out alive.

Impressions:  I heard a great buzz about this book, so I had to check it out, even bumping up in my TBR list!  I admit, when I started it, I experienced a lot of eye rolling and I wondered what people were thinking (getting aroused while being untied after some sort of assault?!) but Duke was adorably endearing, and I liked Al's sassiness, and, I'll admit, the mystery grabbed me.

I am SO glad that I stuck with it!  What an adorable story, with enough sexual tension, and sexual celebration, to round it all out.  I loved the secondary characters from Al's friend Elsie, to the Sheriff,  to the ranch hands, but what really got me was Duke.  I fell head over heels with him, and Al was a great match.  I loved seeing Al find a man who appreciated him, in all of his kinks, and watching Duke fall in love, and balance the needs of those around him was so fun!

I don't usually care about mystery sub-plots, but this one held my attention, and I felt very satisfied in the end!  It had enough angst, without drowning me in it, that I enjoyed reading it and felt like it was a lighter, fun read balanced with a great romance and some very hot action!

Definitely recommended!