Title: Tamarillo Tart
Series: Southern Lights 2
Author: Jay Hogan
Genre: Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: MM Gay
Publisher: Southern Lights Publishing
Pages: 262
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon
About The Book
CASSIDY MARTIN is a country boy through and through. He loves his horses, his Lord of
the Rings tourist business, and his isolated paradise at the foot of New Zealand’s Southern
Alps. Not that everyone appreciates the seclusion he craves. Take his ex-wife for example.
The sexy-as-hell guy on his latest tour might be whip-smart and push all of Cass’s buttons,
but he’s about as country as a pair of Louboutins, and Cass has been there and done that.
Broken heart with the T-shirt.
STEFAN HAMILTON doesn’t do ‘outdoorsy’, he’s a city boy, born and bred. The closest
Stef gets to the country is ‘Cowboy Night’ at his favourite Auckland gay bar even if the music makes Stef want to rip his hair out by the roots.
But Stef is also a hardcore Lord of the Rings fanboy. So, when he gets the chance to go on a horse trek to the iconic film locations in the Southern Alps, he sucks up his fear of the
gigantic animals and his allergy to camping for the chance to let his nerd flag fly. But when
his mate pulls out at the last minute, Stef is left to negotiate the horses, the wrath of mother nature, and an inconvenient crush on the cowboy leading the tour.
City meets country and the sparks fly.
The Review
Jay Hogan brings Stefan “Stef” Hamiliton to the forefront with “Tamarillo Tart”, the second installment in the “Southern Lights” series and introduces Cassidy “Cass” Martin.
Stef is a jeweler with ties to the big city life. He doesn’t hide who he is, he’s cheeky but has also dealt with romance gone bad. He has a special bond with his brother.
Cass is a very business-minded cowboy. He loves his horses and giving tours of the beautiful land of New Zealand Southern Alps. He’s not out and has tried pushing it aside but even marriage didn’t make things any easier for him.
Stef and Cass are both extremely different and come from two different ways of life, but as beautiful as the Southern Alps are there’s also danger that could just make their lives turn around.
Jay Hogan makes this novel a study in character. Stef finds himself doing things he wouldn’t normally or ever do. He finds himself reacting to all types of situations from: horses, dangerous terrain, weather and tragic circumstance. He also finds a way to benefit from city to country and have all the things he loves, especially where Cass is concerned. Cass learns to have faith and accept who he is with Stef’s presence.
Once again, with the “Southern Lights” series, Jay Hogan entertains with her character building. Interesting side characters with: Sean, Cass’ dad, who’s a surprise; Dee the subtle mother figure; Tomas and Andrew, who have an odd brotherly connection and Stef’s wonderful and lovable brother Benny.
There are tense and dangerous moments that made this a page-turner for me.
There’s just the right amount of humor between Cass and Stef and especially Arwen. It was amazing how Hogan took the idea of “Lord of the Rings” and built a story around the beautiful countryside of Glenorchy and the Martin’s Stables and Tours.
“Tamarillo Tart” is another great addition and read from Jay Hogan. I’m ready for the third installment with “Flat Whites and Chocolate Fish”! Can’t resist with a title like that!
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
