Reviewed by Vicki
TITLE: Stuck in Oz
SERIES: Tales from Kansas #2
AUTHOR: Andrew Grey
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 176 pages
BLURB:
Tales from Kansas
When Jeremy and Petey’s mother died, their house was taken to pay the debts she left behind, leaving them homeless. Afraid Petey will be put in foster care, they have no one to turn to but their Uncle Milt, so they pack up Jeremy’s beat-up car and leave San Diego for Wamego, Kansas.
They arrive in the middle of a snowstorm and stop at the local diner to contact their uncle, where they meet Nate. Nate and his aunt help them contact Uncle Milt, and he agrees to help.
Jeremy and Nate hit it off quickly, but Jeremy runs when he’s made to believe their new home isn’t permanent. Nate goes after him, finds him, and convinces him that he’s wanted. However, just as Jeremy and Nate begin to trust each other, Petey’s estranged father appears and threatens to tear Jeremy’s new life and fledgling family apart.
REVIEW:
Oh poor Jeremy… His homophobic twit of a mother has died on him, leaving him, at twenty years old, with his three year old brother, a mortgage he can’t afford, and no one to help. He doesn’t know who his father is, and has very limited options. He walks away from the house, sells what he can and pulls what little cash he has out of his savings account. He calls his uncle Milt, who has been been out of contact with Jeremy and his Mom for years, but he has no choice. Milt says he’ll help and off to Wamego Kansas the two boys go. In a crappy car, in January, and they find snow. (Coincidentally my husband and I got caught in a snow storm in Russell Kansas, not too far from Wamego!)
Jeremy and Petey arrive to find uncle Milt gruff, they don’t really get warm fuzzies from him, but again, with limited options, what are they going to do? The one bright spot is Nate. Jeremy has hidden his attraction to men, and isn’t really sure what to think of Nate, who works for his uncle. Nate is everything Jeremy isn’t. Confident, secure in the love of his family, experienced, outgoing, and employed. I wouldn’t say there was flirting between them initially, but an acknowledgement of a common desire, an understanding maybe, and the potential for more. Thus begins life in Wamego Kansas for Jeremy and Petey.
I’d like to say they settle in to life in Wamego, but Jeremy is so distrustful that he can’t unpack his suitcase and commit to being there. He has a bit of a secret and doesn’t feel he’s going to be able to stay. But he so wants to, you can just tell, he’s looking for a family so badly. And love.
Jeremy was interesting, this is mostly his story, and he goes through a nice transition throughout the book. From scared, untrusting, unloved boy, to a confident, loved, independent young man, eventually with a boyfriend. Nate comes off as being so strong at the beginning, more strong than Jeremy, and a bit… Unsympathetic maybe. He complains about how rough his life was when his totally loving and accepting parents sold the family property and moved to Florida. He now has to go to Florida for Christmas every year, poor man! Jeremy seems somewhat baffled by his complaints, considering he doesn’t know who his dad is, had a drug and alcohol using, slut of a mother, who shacked up with man after man. He’s been unsupported and neglected his entire 20 years. But we find out Nate has been harassed by Larry, the town bully, since high school. Nate, who seems so confident, is quite paranoid and afraid, watching for Larry every where he goes. So of course Larry harasses and stalks him. Meek seeming Jeremy is the one to stand up for them, and puts Larry in his place. So Nate freaks out and hides from Jeremy, cause he’s a wimp and little Jeremy is stronger than him! Nate annoyed me at times….
So anyway. There is some drama with Larry that has a great resolution, really a nice commentary on bullying actually. There is some drama with a man from Jeremy’s past, also with a great resolution. There’s a bit of drama between Jeremy and uncle Milt, also ending well. There is a nice love story building between Jeremy and Nate, with a happy ever after. Oh come on, it’s Andrew Grey, it’s not a spoiler to say it has a happy ending! What was missing was sex. Andrew’s books are romance not erotica, I get that, and I don’t expect raunchy scenes from him. Nor would that fit with his books. But he does write lovely love scenes, and there weren’t quite enough in this one for me. I wanted a little more physical connection between Jeremy and Nate, a bit more spark and need. What there was, was nice, just could have used another couple scenes for me personally.
Overall it was a great book. Good characters, including the secondary characters, Nate’s aunt is fun, and uncle Milt and Petey were sweet. Good story with a nice message, and a great ending. Exactly what I expect with Andrew, and he delivers so consistently. This was a great addition to the Kansas books, I hope we get more!
RATING: 
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