Reviewed by Donna

TITLE: Prancer and Gruff

AUTHOR: Jade Crystal

PUBLISHER: MM Romance Group – Goodreads

LENGTH: 65 Pages

BLURB:

Being a cowboy is the only life I’ve ever known and I wouldn’t change that for anything. Running the ranch keeps me too busy to be lonely but at night, when I’m lying in bed waiting for exhaustion to take me, I can admit I wish there was someone there beside me. Then you pranced into my life in response to a housekeeper wanted ad I posted online. You are nothing I expected and everything I need. My opposite in every way, your softness to my strength, your sass to my gruff, and yet we just fit. I’m stubborn and set in my ways, but I know I can be your happy ever after if you give me a chance. How do I convince you to be mine?

REVIEW:

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I love stereotypes. I think that stereotypes get a bad rap and I don’t know why most people see them as always being a negative thing. In my opinion flaming, prancing, swishy, hip-popping twinks are the most beautiful beings ever created. They’re like fairies (no pun intended), too pretty to be real and if someone made them I’d probably have a collection of little ceramic twinks displayed in my house somewhere.

Troy is my favourite kind of twink. Self proclaimed “sassy and fabulous” with a bubbly personality, caring nature and a shiny pair of bubblegum-pink heels. The whole story has a sweet yet humorous vibe that basically emanates from Troy. Underlying that, for me at least, there was a faint sense of sadness, not sorrow but rather an unconscious sadness that stems from both men being lonely. As cute as it is, the way Troy speaks to himself and to inanimate objects reminds me of the way a lonely child will create imaginary friends. My favourite would have to be the gender neutral toothbrush who wished only to be referred to as Lovely. Beneath all the colour and dazzle Troy wants nothing more than to find a home.

We spend a lot more time with Troy than Cliff in this book and I can’t say I was in anyway disappointed. Though Cliff too has his what-a-great-line moments, I particularly liked the one about assless chaps and a rainbow flag, Troy is definitely the heart and soul of this story. Actually I think I could easily write this whole review on just how much I love the character that is Troy.

While the story is definitely a romance there’s no sex here (I know that’s important to some people). There’s no sense of a novel length story having been crammed into a short story. Instead the author allows the pair to feel out their attraction and not rush anything so I think the lack of sex was the right decision to make.

I’ve seen mention of this story being extended and while I’d love to see what happens next for Troy and Cliff my only concern is the lack of any other characters in the story. I think this story benefitted from not having any secondary characters to take up page time but if it’s made longer I don’t know if the lack would become a negative rather than a positive. Of course, the author could obviously add in some more characters but the setting doesn’t really allow for much. I’m actually keen to see this story extended because I have have a feeling it will only improve the story.

This was actually one of my favourite stories from this years Love’s Landscapes offerings. It’s fun and not to be taken too seriously. When I read a light hearted, cute romance I expect to be left happy and smiling and Prancer and Gruff certainly accomplished that.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

M/M Romance Group