Title: Duncan’s World
Author: T.A. Chase
Publisher: Amber Allure
Genre: Contemporary M/M
Length: Extended Novella (31K words)
Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5
One sentence summary – Duncan and Kyle find love at the rodeo in spite of their age difference and Kyle’s abusive father.
THE BLURB
Duncan’s the reigning world Champion, and has everything he could want. Yet the shy young man whose father is Duncan’s biggest rival catches his eye. Kyle makes Duncan feel protective and passionate. Even though he’s fourteen years older than Kyle, Duncan’s ready to risk rejection to see if Kyle’s lips taste as sweet as they look.
Kyle MacDonald is the son of one of the bull riders on the circuit. He’s 20 years old and likes to feed the bulls after the day’s competition is over, which his dad told him not to do many times, but this small defiance is about all Kyle can manage with his controlling and abusive father, and he doesn’t have to do anything wrong for his father to beat him. It’s like Kyle exists for that purpose, to be a punching bag for his father’s anger. Kyle’s older brother, Rusty, who is also a bull rider, is no help in deflecting that anger and sometimes goes out of his way to rile it up.
Kyle is gay but he is very discreet in his glances at those Wrangler asses. It wouldn’t do to make one of the bull riders mad and if his father ever found out, Kyle fears not only bruises and broken bones, but death at the hands of someone who should love and nurture him.
In the bull pens after the rodeo one evening Duncan Hornsby talks to Kyle for the first time. It definitely isn’t the first time Duncan has noticed the boy, but he is discreet as well. Duncan is Clayton MacDonald’s main competition and for 3 years has been the champion bull rider. This particular evening he re-injured his back and Kyle offers some liniment to rub on those sore muscles. After Kyle’s dad and brother leave for the bar to drink and pick up women, Duncan takes a chance and asks Kyle to come to the motel where he and a lot of the other rodeo cowboys are staying to rub the liniment on his back, and in spite of the danger, Kyle agrees. It doesn’t take much for the two men to share a few kisses, but good ole fashioned sex will have to wait until Duncan’s back is better.
As the story progresses, Duncan and Kyle continue to spend time together and get to know each other better and each occasion gets a little more dangerous for Kyle should his father ever find out. But Kyle is finding some courage too. He doesn’t like the abuse and the fooling around that his father does. He can’t believe his mom would approve, but she’s back at the ranch. Finally, Kyle decides to leave the rodeo and return home. But what about Duncan and their budding relationship? Can a love so new and fragile survive long distances?
Cowboys, and more specifically, rodeo cowboys get my blood churning in certain body parts and I’m sure it’s the same for a lot of you. The rugged nature of the sport and the type of men it attracts are the stuff of dreams and fantasies. Hats, boots, and tight Wrangler asses. WOOHOO!!
Duncan’s World is all about rodeo cowboys and how one mostly unnoticed son of a bull rider grabs the attention of the top rated bull rider. In my view this is a fairly short book, just 120 pages long, but it describes the characters very well, exposes their inner thoughts and fears to the reader, and gets us comfortable with a little of what goes on behind the scenes at a rodeo. Kyle’s mom is mentioned a couple of times during the first half of the book, but only as a voice on the cell phone. Her character develops a good bit more once Kyle goes home – she is the glue that holds the family ranch together. Also Duncan’s grandfather plays a role when Kyle is invited to visit.
I read this book in one afternoon. It’s a fast paced book and I cared for Kyle right away. Several times I had teary eyes, even during the second reading as I prepared this review. Tears for the romance between Kyle and Duncan, and anger at the way Kyle’s dad and brother treated him. I had questions too about why Kyle’s mom would put up with a drunk, abusive, and womanizing husband and that was answered and resolved very well toward the end.
I recommend this story and I’m giving it 4.75 stars. I found one mistake that’s repeated a couple of times as to whether Kyle lives in Texas or New Mexico. I would think it would have been an easy error to correct before publishing but it wasn’t. Overall, Duncan’s World is a very good book to read and reread. (I think Kyle lives in Texas, but I may be slightly partial to the Lone Star State.) 🙂
Lovely review John. I liked this one too although my knowledge of rodeo doesn’t go any further then the m/m books I read and a few video’s on youtube.
TA’s books are always a treat 🙂
Thanks for the kind words, Ingrid. I don’t know that much about the rodeo myself. I’ve been to a few, but I’d rather man watch than watch the rodeo competitions. grin
Well, I have been to a few rodeos in my day. 🙂 Not big ones like I’m sure y’all have down in Texas but a few in Canada. My daughter rides barrels from time to time.
I love TA’s cowboys and have this one in my TBR. Your review makes me even more eager to get to it. Great job.
Thanks, Tam. Do the cowboys in Canada wear wranglers? In my very humble opinion, REAL cowboys wear wranglers!!
Ummm. I obviously haven’t checked that label on the ass as closely as you have John. LOL But I’d assume so. They do have a reputation. I’m pretty sure they aren’t Calvin Kleins. 🙂
John great review. I loved this book too. I liked both Kyle and Duncan right away, but then I do love my cowboys ;). I also enjoyed learning about the rodeo throughout the story. What a tough life that must be!
Wonderful review, John. 🙂
I haven’t read it yet, it’s on my eReader though, but I’ve always enjoyed TA’s books. Looking forward to it.
Great review John! I read this when it came out…and I too had a bit of the sniffles and teary-eyes syndrome. TA’s cowboys just do it for me:)
Kyle’s dad is one character that needs the fist to the face and knee to the balls.
Oh my! I guess Kyle’s dad should be careful if he meets you in a dark alley in Texas (or was it New Mexico?). 🙂
Great Review John!
I’m glad to see I wasn’t the only one with teary eyes reading this book.
Like someone said before I love T.A.’s cowboys.
I’m just a big softy sometimes.
Great review! I didn’t think I was into cowboy stuff, but recently read a great cowboy/rodeo short story (with a shapeshifter–not my usual either, but it was great). That plus your review make me think I’ll buy this.
The blurb says 14 years; the excerpt says 17 years. Another editing snafu (or maybe later it’s explained that Kyle’s confused and Duncan’s 3 years younger than he thought)….
John,
Thank you so much for the awesome review. I’m glad you enjoyed Duncan’s World so much, even with the confusion about where Kyle lived.(and the age difference between them.) I’ll take full blame for those. 😀
Kyle’s dad does deserve to get beat up in a dark alley somewhere.
Thanks again.
Thanks for your kind words. The age difference is part of the plot. That’s not a mistake. But if you say that Kyle is from New Mexico and not Texas, I might have to lower my rating. grin