Lena Grey's Reviews > Alone in a Crowd

There's no lonelier feeling than being alone in a crowd. For Ryan Blackfeather, of 'Alone in a Crowd' by Carol Lynne knows how it is to feel alone even though people are all around you. He's worked hard to nurture his reputation as a loving, generous, protective person, particularly with his family—his partners Rio and Nate, and they generally share everything. However, when it comes to his childhood, he can't even trust the two men he loves more than anything in the world. Ryan thinks as long as he hides what happened to him in the past, it will not interfere with his life in the present, but he couldn't be more wrong. Ryan must learn that if his feelings about his past are not dealt with, then he will never achieve the peace and closeness with his partners which he so intensely desires.

Ryan Blackfeather is a character whom I wholeheartedly admire. He goes out of his way to help and protect everyone, especially Nate and Rio. There's nothing he wouldn't do for them, except tell them about his past. Ryan's reasoning is that he's protecting Nate and Rio by not exposing his men to the nightmare of a life he had to endure, but I think that he's so ashamed of it that he's afraid it will change their minds about him. Ryan would rather live with a warped perception of the past instead of learning the truth.

Nate and Rio understand Ryan's need to handle things his way. They are amazingly strong, supportive, and loving, and go out of their way to accommodate him, but, if they can help it, they are not going to let him destroy himself. When they see that his way is causing him even more agony, they lovingly but firmly intervene and encourage him to go back and do what needs to be done to find closure.

Of all the stories about Ryan, Rio, and Nate, this is the one that touches me the most. It showcases their extraordinary, unshakable bond better than any of the stories before. Their relationship obviously isn't traditional, but I truly admire them. They've only grown closer as the series continues and show a maturity not only to their partnerships but in themselves. They are coming into their own, particularly Nate. I was very impressed with him in this story. He shows us how much he's grown. He's no longer the whiny, bratty, has to have it always his way guy. He's grown into a mature, secure person who now exhibits all of the goodness, generosity, and support, the qualities he's always had, but now shine brighter than ever. It's a real tribute to the idea that being honest with yourself it the way to secure a happy existence.

I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it, not just to Cattle Valley fans, but to everyone who appreciates a story with three men, very devoted to each other, who will stop at nothing to ensure their partners happiness. Thanks, Carol, for another endearing story.

“When an irresistible force such as you, meets and old immovable object like me. You can bet as sure as you live, Something's gotta give, something's gotta give something's gotta give.”~Ella Fitzgerald

Leigh Masters is all business, polished, confident, and stubborn. He's a force to be reckoned with, one which most people can't resist. He efficiently rolls over them like a tank and is used to always getting his way. Malcolm is an immovable object, quiet, secure, and patient. When he wants something, he goes after it using all the resources at his disposal, even if it means enlisting the help of his family. Put them together and you have a dilemma. Both can't have their way so...something's got to give. The question remains, who will give first so they will both be winners?

Leigh doesn't deny that he is attracted to Malcolm when they first meet. Since he doesn't do relationships, he does his best to make it physical and nothing else. He's underestimated Malcolm's patience and resilience. Try as he may, Leigh can't crack Malcolm's determination and he definitely plays dirty trying to undermine his will using some very steamy tactics. He didn't expect Malcolm's emotional seduction to involve his family, particularly his little baby niece who Leigh fell in love with, making it harder and harder for Leigh not to want to be a part of the family. Malcolm keeps right on chipping away doing all the right things to impress Leigh and show him how good they can be together. The longer Leigh knows Malcolm, the less his arguments against a relationship make sense until even he can't think of a good reason for them not to be together.

This is a short, sweet love story between two seemingly mismatched men, once again proving that opposites attract and actually complement each other. There's no real crisis in the plot. It's just a nice, fluffy story with steamy trysts and a happy ending. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys escaping into a dream world in which love always prevails.

NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.