clmiles | BOOK REVIEW: A Change Of Tune by JM Cartwright (Reply)

I tend to read a lot of books, it's one of my life's little pleasures. Most of them are m/m books, but I have been known to read an m/f book once in a while *g*. So, I thought every few weeks I'd share with you the books that I have enjoyed reading the most. These will be books that range from 3 stars to 5 stars. You will only find positive criticism from me in these reviews. I'm the type of reader who does not send negative feedback. If I don't enjoy a story, then I just move on to the next. I've been pretty lucky, though. Out of all the stories I've read over the years, there are only a handful that I really did not enjoy.

I'm starting off this first review with a sweet, well-written story with wonderful characters. This author is new to me and I was so happy I took the chance and read the book because I enjoyed it very much. I know I will be reading it over and over again, and I am looking forward to more stories by JM Cartwright.

Just a word of warning. My reviews contain spoilers so if you don't want to know details of the story then do not click on the link.

     Title: A Change Of Tune
     Author: JM Cartwright
     Website: http://www.jmcartwright.com
     Publisher: Torquere Press
     Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
     Word Count: 85,300
     Pages: 373 (.pdf pages)

     My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

SUMMARY:

Johnny Rayne has had enough - enough of being at the top of the rock music industry for the last decade, enough of constant touring and recording. He wants something more -- just something very different. Moving to a farm in West Virginia, Johnny meets Sheriff Virgil Grissom on his first morning in the mountains.

The sheriff challenges Johnny in a multitude of ways - with overt machismo, disdain for Johnny's musician past, and all-around know-it-all-ness. The two men clash continually, and Johnny resists succumbing to the sheriff's brash charm until Grissom forces him to admit some very basic truths. One: Johnny's definitely attracted to men. Two: Johnny's definitely attracted to Grissom. And three: Johnny's definitely going to enjoy every moment of it.

MY REVIEW:

I wasn't sure what to expect from this story when I purchased it. I had never read anything by this author before and from what I could tell, this was the first full-length m/m novel written. However, I had the opportunity to get to know a little bit about JM Cartwright thanks to the wonderful comm

torquere_social, where, each day, authors share bits about themselves and/or post their story snippets, or set up little contests. This is where I first read about A Change of Tune. The story excerpts and info that JM Cartwright shared with us intrigued me and made me want to read the story. I happened to win one of the contests offered by this author, a very generous gift certificate from Torquere Press, so that gave me the opportunity to buy the ebook immediately.

I was not at all disappointed with this story. It is a sweet, warm-hearted, feel good story with not a whole lot of angst. It's well written and both the main and secondary characters are very likable. For me, it was the perfect story to read on a cold winter's night while curled up on the sofa, snuggled under a blanket with a cup of hot cocoa. Overall, this was a wonderful, very enjoyable, stress-free read.

Johnny Rayne is a thirty-six year old rock star who has had enough of touring, of being involved in the music industry, of being surrounded by groupies. He's tired of being alone and wants to find someone to love and build a life with, and he wants to adopt a child, so he makes a decision to leave his hectic lifestyle. He packs up his belongings and moves from Los Angeles to the beautiful, quiet hills of West Virginia. On his first day in his new town, he happens to meet the local sheriff, Virgil Grissom, and is immediately attracted to and overwhelmed by the big, tough, sexy, domineering man. Johnny has often thought of being with a man, but he's never acted on those feelings before. Because he's always hidden that allure he's felt toward other men, he's confused by his attraction to Grissom, and has a hard time accepting the fact that he's gay. Grissom, however, won't take no for an answer. He's equally attracted to Johnny and is determined to have him. He pretty much pushes his way into Johnny's life, into his bed and, eventually, into Johnny's heart.

They get together almost right from their first meeting, the two men fitting well and working on their relationship as a couple, but Johnny is a very private person and is just beginning to acknowledge that he's a gay man, so he tends to hide how he feels about Grissom when they are out in public, worried about what people will think of him. Eventually, though, with Grissom's help, unconditional love, support and understanding, Johnny realizes what's truly important in his life and that is his small family, which consists of Grissom, the two young children who happen to come into their lives, and the three dogs he rescued from the pound.