Erryn reviews ‘Broken Man (McCullough Mountain Book #5)’ by Lydia Michaels. The ebook was published on November 6, 2015 and is 358 pages. The audiobook version of this story was narrated by David Allen Vargo, released on April 5, 2022, and is 7 hrs and 28 mins long. A copy was provided for an honest review.
Why I read this book: I’m always up to try a new author.
An eye-opening exploration of small-town life and adversity through an LGBT lens, best-selling author, Lydia Michaels, delivers a masterpiece of emotion in an unforgettable male-male romance that all listeners will love.
When Luke McCullough’s athletic potential is diminished by a field injury, his pride pays the price. Returning to his small town a broken man, the long road to recovery seems dreary and overshadowed by lost opportunities until he meets Tristan Hughes.
Tristan came to Center County to escape his past and start anew, but nothing prepared him for Luke. Intrigued, Tristan cautiously gets to know this formidable man and falls head over heels for the vulnerable soul hiding behind all that muscled intensity and drive.
Luke has never been interested in men. When he can’t get Tristan out of his head, he fights the inevitable. Stolen glances lead to heated encounters, followed by punishing regret, but Luke’s inability to face the truth of who he really is could cost him the only happiness he’s ever known.
Best-selling author, Lydia Michaels, has created an unforgettable family saga bursting with sizzling secrets and scandalous moments in this award-winning series, McCullough Mountain, where each story can be listened to as a stand-alone!
Buy it here: Audible | Amazon | Add to Goodreads
My review:
I’ll quickly start with what I didn’t like. Mainly the way Luke treated Tristan. And his ‘attempts’ to put Tristan out of his mind. Which also leads to the treatment of women in the story – pretty disrespectful at times. Finally, there’s a violent scene that caught me off guard. I supposed the groundwork was laid, but I wasn’t prepared, and it hit me hard. Just offering a warning.
Okay, what I did like. Gay for You stories always intrigue me. How a guy can not be interested in men until he meets a man who captures his attention and suddenly he’s fixated on that man. And he’s not sure how it’s all supposed to work, but he’s willing to try. What I enjoy less is when that guy turns into a jerk. I didn’t always like Luke in the story, and Tristan came off as much more sympathetic.
Now, this story takes place over many years – and how the men thought they were fooling everyone was beyond me. McCullough Mountain is a series and, if I had to guess, Luke and Tristan’s love story has been in the backdrop of all the books that’ve come before – and those love stories intrigued me. Enough I might go back and check out the entire series. This book is a stand-alone, but I think it would’ve been richer had I had the entire context.
Still, a book I can recommend. David Allen Vargo was a good narrator and I’ll definitely listen to more stories narrated by him.
My rating:
8.5/10 Pots of Gold (85% Recommended) – Compares to 4.25/5 Stars
Website | Twitter: @lydia_Michaels | Goodreads
Lydia Michaels is the award winning and bestselling author of over forty novels, including the groundbreaking collection, Write 10K in a Day. She is the consecutive winner of the 2018 & 2019 Author of the Year Award from Happenings Media, as well as the recipient of the 2014 Best Author Award from the Courier Times. She has been featured in USA Today, Romantic Times Magazine, Love & Lace, and more. As the host and founder of the East Coast Author Convention and the Behind the Keys Author Retreat, Lydia Michaels plays a respected role in the book community. When she’s not working on her next novel, she is accepting speaking engagements and using her platform to advocate for positive author business practices and doing whatever she can to empower female entrepreneurs around the world.
Lydia is happily married to her childhood sweetheart. Some of her favorite things include the scent of paperback books, listening to her husband play piano, escaping to her coastal home at the Jersey Shore, cheap wine, 80’s pop culture, coffee, and kilts. She hopes to meet you soon at one of her many upcoming events.
Rainbow Gold Reviews 