New West
A Hearts On Fire Review TWO HEARTS--Post-apocalyptic cowboys...not for the win!
Have you noticed within the MM genre there is a rise of melding sub-genres? Or is it I am just noticing them? *shrugs* There has been a surge that I have noticed lately so I thought BA Tortuga's "New West", book #10 of the New Reality series might be another one to add to the expanding list. Post-apocalyptic cowboys (say that ten times fast LOL) I was looking for something original, something new, something fresh because I've read work from this author before and I enjoyed.
But not this.
What happened?
I am confused. The characters seemed confused. The plot was about post apocalyptic ghostbuster who sees dead people in the desert - I don't know. *squints eyes* Was it trying to make a point? Did I miss it? Was it supposed to philosophical? (Because if so, I definitely wouldn't have got it.)
I'm not going to drag this out because the editing was not great. The plot was convoluted and the dialogue was bad, if this is supposed to be set in the future...they are speaking as if it's 1810. Just no.
There's a cowboy named Ezrah who lives in this post apocalyptic America which has been decimated by earthquakes. Cattle ranching is how to make money but instead of big bad corporations there are now cattle barons. Ezrah has a twin Emmett who is killed by a big evil baron and he calls an old friend who he crushed on named Jesse.
Jesse is a redheaded dread-locked Grounder who is tattooed all over his body by the Native Americans. What is a Grounder? Good question...I sort of know but not really. They connect with "the Flow" which is technology in the ground or spirits of dead people. Whatever. Jesse has a port implanted into the back of his head to connect with "the Flow". He's also gay which has been frowned upon again in the future in their world. But he has always carried a torch for Ezrah. And the same for Ezrah.
The two embark on a journey in the desert, lose their virginity (?), get hurt and time travel, spirit walk or something. I'm not too sure. And I'm not going to reread to figure it out.
The romance? I did not believe it. Nor do I see their attraction being anything other than physical.
The paranormal twist? Unnecessary and too confusing.
The ending? What was that? I am just as confused as Jesse was for most of the book. (He was too busy not trying to get caught in "the Flow")
In summary, this was a "No" from me. I am too confused to even fathom anything higher than Two Hearts.
