The Ranger's Boyfriend

2stars

This book was supposed to have that lonely older ranger meets younger guy feel. I didn't get much of that though. For an adult book, something about the writing style felt juvenile. Like the story is written in the first person but instead of it feeling like that the first time the characters are introduced it attempts to break the third wall by directly addressing the reader. It doesn't quite work. It should've just stuck in normal first person because it almost reads like it will happen again. Much like how the Lemony Snicket stories work where the narrator addresses the reader throughout the story and not just as an introduction. Since it's only an introduction just going with the flow like every other first-person story reveals backstory would've fit better and not seemed as if it wasn't an attempt at something.

Next, there are some oddities. Like how Chet doesn't want to move back home to his parents because they don't know he's gay. Firstly if they don't know there is no reason to tell them still. Secondly, his relationship with them doesn't play a part in this story so why mention it at all unless it was a real possibility he'd do this. Thirdly I can't really like a guy who gets mad when someone dumps them because they don't have anything in common then goes out of his way to explain how they don't have anything in common like it's a logical reason they aren't together. Why so mad then? He even mentions this exact same thing to the love interest when they meet. Honestly, if it was so true I can see why the ex was weirded out by him getting mad.

My other problem with this was how it starts with the notion that things can't happen because... I dunno the plot won't allow it. Yes, Larry can kiss Chet. Yes, he can either choose to have a fling with him or not. But if he wants him so bad a kiss falls into some weird moral category of not wanting Chet to think he was using him it doesn't make sense. Then, after all, is said and done this lingering it cant work stuff is still there. Does Chet live so far away he can't come up and visit? Even still is only being able to see him on weekends so terrible. Can't Larry hire an assistant so he can actually leave? And, if he is the only one there doesn't he have to leave sometimes for supplies or is everything delivered to him? There was just something about the whole set up of this not being able to work that I didn't get cause I couldn't see any real obstacle in the way. The fact he said if you ever want to come back was also a clear indicator it wouldn't be that difficult. 

Chet gets back to town after the ordeal, basically, enough time to cry and ponder the situation, he has enough time to make a call, quit his job and head back to the campsite so fast Larry literally says "in the short time he'd been gone" that he was missing him. So clearly he wasn't far away if it was short, so why all the angst and crying and drama about it not being able to work?

This was my takeaway really. That somehow the relationship couldn't progress at a certain speed because Larry wanted more so you know, as fully grown adults we cant act on desires if we want more, then after finally moving to the more phase apparently there's some mystical reason it can't work and distance doesn't seem to be a problem. From the awkward breakup to the odd introductions and then this invisible reason why they couldn't even attempt a relationship, it was hard for me to get into this. It had all the makings of a decent weekend romp in the mountains but didn't quite make it to the finish line for me because it tried to be more serious and that part of it didn't work out so well.