This is the first romance novel I've read with more than two points of view; there's more than one love story. :) The various (small-town & thus linked) motivations and driving forces are well established. I spent formative years in small town Montana. This feels authentic, if a little magical in acceptance. I like magic of this kind, this fictional display that can drive real-life changes. I hope Montanans read this and the story of Joshua and Ben in the novella "A Prairie Dog's Love Song" (each stands alone but that's a prequel for the characters you see together in The Stolen Suitor) and decide to be vocal in supporting equality. Bigotry hates the bright light of acceptance.

The digital version of this novel could have used a line editor. (It had the most typos I've seen in an Eli Easton story, ever). Many readers won't notice, they're pretty easy to pass over because Easton writes VERY compellingly. ( )

Most people might wonder if Mabe Crassen is serious about her scheme. But her son Jeremy knows better, even though he's surprised about one aspect of it. Chris Ramsey is set to marry Trix Stubben, a widowed single mother. Trix also just happens to live on the most successful ranch in the area. Mabe has her sights on that ranch, so she's set her sons to work. Eric, Jeremy's older brother, is to use his charms on Trix. It shouldn't be too hard; Eric's great with the ladies. And Jeremy's assignment is to seduce Chris. If they can get Chris in a compromising position, there will be no engagement. There are two problems with that: Chris isn't gay (is he?), and Jeremy's never come out to his mother. There's no way she could know, right?

Jeremy isn't keen on being a part of the scheme. But he wants nothing more than to get out of Clyde's Corner and go to college. That's not going to happen as long as he's needed to contribute to the family finances. His mother's plan seems like his ticket out. So he's willing to play along. But will he be able to go through with the plan when he gets to know Chris better? And if he develops feels for Chris, will he be able to leave him behind when he finally gets out of town?

The plot of this one seems like it might be straightforward. But one thing's for certain: it's not. There are some major twists here that throw the story for a loop. And the relationships that build here do so in a believable and understandable way. The character development is well done too. The strong writing here brings Clyde's Corner to life and it's almost like they all jump right off the page. I had a hard time putting this one down. ( )

Talk about a complicated situation with multiple romantic entanglements. I mean, the title already made me suspect this wouldn’t be a straightforward story, but the reality was a lot more fun than I expected. This soap-opera-like emotional drama is set in Montana, in my mind not known for being the most exciting state out there in terms of city-based entertainment, but blessed with beautiful mountains and great opportunities for outdoor activities. Add quite a few cowboys and a variety of really likable small-town characters, and I was happy to sit back, rub my hands in anticipatory glee, and get stuck right in. From the opening scene that had me laugh out loud at Mabe Crassen’s crafty scheming, to Jeremy’s endearing attempts to be “slick and sophisticated” so he can trap Chris, to Chris’s determination to do “the right thing” – or what he perceived to be right – it quickly became clear to me that all these people had a thing or two to learn. And I had a front-row seat!

Jeremy is shy, secretly gay, and wants to be a writer. He also wants to go to college, but unless he helps his mother with her crazy scheme, he doesn’t think he’ll ever make it out of Clyde’s Corner. Not that he minds seducing Chris, but he has no experience and no clue how to go about it. So he does what any author might come up with – he channels one of his characters and approaches Chris that way. Not that it helps, and he can’t keep up the act long enough to truly impress Chris, but it opens the door to getting to know each other. Only, even if Chris is interested in him, how is that ever going to work with what Jeremy knows he has to do – go to college?

Chris has always been known as a dandy, and he is proud of his appearance. But he is also a loyal friend and determined to do the right thing, so when his father breaks a leg, he returns to Clyde’s Corner to help out. And then there is his best friend’s widow, Trix – and Chris has convinced himself he needs to take care of her and her little girl. But when Jeremy approaches him, and Chris begins to see him for the quiet, underestimated man he is, Chris has more than one question about what the right thing really is.

Jeremy and Chris have a lot to deal with: their pasts, their different goals, whether or not to come out, the list goes on. But then there is also Jeremy’s brother whose “mission” it is to seduce and marry Trix so Mabe can become more “respectable” by association. There is Trix herself who is still grieving and not at all sure it is time to move on even a year after her husband’s death. As for Mabe and her scheme to have Eric marry into a rancher’s family – she has a surprise coming her way as well. All these threads and relationships combine to make a wonderful story that is much more than Chris and Jeremy’s romance. Caught between occasional laughter, amusement, and the odd tear, I was delighted to get to know these people and relieved about the way it all worked out in the end.

If you like complicated romances and the kind of convoluted, entangled relationships present in many small towns, if you like reading about two men who think they know what they want only to find out they may have been wrong, and if you’re looking for an entertaining read full of emotional moments and more than one surprising revelation, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews. ( )