“Trapped In Oz” by Andrew Grey #LGBT #Review

Marc reviews ‘Trapped In OZ’ (Tales from Kansas Book 3) by Andrew Grey, published on October 8, 2014 by Dreamspinner Press, Length 118 Pages.

Why I read this book: Hi guys! Andrew Grey generously provided me with an advanced reading copy (ARC) of “Trapped in OZ”, as I already reviewed books one and two HERE!

 

I adored this quaint city and all of its colorful inhabitants and was more than happy to revisit it.

Blurb:

Tales from Kansas, Book Three.

Martin Long has plans and dreams, but they are derailed when his parents move and must sell their house. In need of a place to stay, fast, he answers an ad for a roommate, and even though the house needs work, the owner seems nice so Martin agrees to move in.

Gary Hunter is barely making ends meet, with mysteriously disappearing tips at work and tuition to pay. Disowned by his family and left with a house in need of repair, Gary desperately needs the extra set of hands along with the money.

When Gary confesses that his family disowned him for being gay, Martin makes his own confession that opens a world of possibilities. But Gary has paid a heavy price for being who he is, and Martin’s unwillingness to open up to his family puts strain on the fledgling relationship.

*****

The Cover:

This is the first cover where we get a closer look of the town. The rainbow ties the cover into the ‚Oz’ theme of the town and ties together the series. The two models are not exactly how I imagined the characters myself, but they are handsome and look good on the cover even without being almost naked and didn’t really hinder me from imagining the guys as I wanted them to look 😉

The Title:

The title fits great with the series, but does not really seem unique. It does its job very well, though.

The Story:

I went into this story right after a very difficult book (The Angels of Karnataka) and this was exactly what I needed. It is a quick comfort read that made me smile and care for the main characters. Martin has very nice and supportive parents who move away for a good job opportunity and for the first time he will be on his own.

I was really able to sympathize, because when I was 15 my parents moved to the United States for 4 years for a great job opportunity and I went with them. Two years after we returned to Germany, they went away again (to China this time) and for the first time in my life, I was left to fend for myself.

Always having your parents at your back does shelter you and I really loved Martin’s journey to independence, the romance blossoming between the main characters and the exploration of their sexuality and how to best deal with it.

Some might not understand Martin’s reluctance to be open to his parents about his sexuality, caused by a fear that nearly causes him to take the opportunity of rooming with Gary. However, coming out is a scary thing and I believe considering how Gary’S family reacted to him, this fear is not always imagined.

I loved the small details in this book like Martin trying to figure out how his parents might react by analyzing their behavior around gay people. He was concerned, because they did not often go to the restaurant owned by the ‘open gay couple’ in the city. I remember carefully watching and analyzing my parents reaction to gay people in the media. Coming out is a nerve-wracking thing.

This story is a very quick and sweet read that handles the problems the characters face with Andrew’s practiced. It’s a solid comfort read and a wonderful sequel to this series that brings back some of the previous characters for cameos. If you liked the other books, you can’t go wrong here.

My Rating: 8.5/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buy Links:

Buy at Amazon

Buy at Dreamspinner Press

Buy at Barnes & Noble

 

Author Bio:

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation. Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Contact Links:

Author Website

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Twitter  @andrewgreybooks