| Title | : | Thorns |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1623809371 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781623809379 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | First published July 25, 2013 |
Seventeen years ago, a love affair between a jockey and a horse trainer and a tragic accident on the racetrack scandalized the horseracing world. But Nic Pithiviers and Louis Meerow seem to have no desire to set the record straight: they refuse the interview and send attorney Francis LeBon to question Will’s motives.
Francis has a special place in his heart for Nic and Louis, who taught him to take pride in himself as a gay man, and he’ll stop at nothing to protect them from a gossipmongering reporter. However, Francis doesn’t expect the reporter’s honesty and genuine determination to exonerate two men falsely accused… or the growing attraction to Will he feels.
While visiting with Nic and Louis at their horse training center in France, Will uncovers a web of intrigue, secrets, and old lies, and he unwittingly sets a series of perilous events into motion that not only threaten to destroy his budding relationship with Francis, but Nic and Louis’s decades-long commitment as well.
Thorns Reviews
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Written November 17, 2014
3 1/2 Stars - In many ways more a ordinary novel than 'another' sweet & steamy gay romance, I liked but didn't love
Thorns was an unread M/M paperback (bought a year ago) with a topic about an old unsolved crime mystery from the horse racetrack I started to buddyread with Sofia two weeks ago.
A book not read by many GR readers but with a lot of happy reviews and very high raitings. Also my first by
Feliz Faber, a female writer living in Germany.
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Carlifornia U.S. or in France 2005
Seventeen years ago, a love affair between a jockey and a horse trainer and a tragic accident on the racetrack the the Kentucky Derby scandalized the horseracing world.
The gay couple living in France, and still training horses, Nic Pithiviers and Louis Meerow seem to have no desire to set the record straigh. They refuse an interview by the american reporter Will Yeats, from a gay sports magazine, who wants to know the truth. ~ Nic and Louis send their friend the attorney Francis LeBon to question Will’s motives.
However, the american attorney Francis doesn’t expect the gay LA reporter’s honesty and genuine determination to exonerate two men falsely accused… or the growing attraction to Will he immedetly feels.‘It was always special, the first kiss from a stranger: the timeless unfathomable moment when lips Will had only looked at before, s tongue he'd only lestened to so far, became taste and texture and temperature; when anticipation turned into closeness turnex inti intimacy, when the stranger ceased being a stranger, when he turned into a combination of breath pattern and smell and feel that Will could recognize with his eyes closed.’
After a while is Will in France visiting Nick and Louis to get their story, not about the scandal 1988 - that's taboo, but to write a story about their life, the hard horse sport, these mens business and horse training.
“..., it's all about bigger, stronger, faster —horseracing, I mean— and being gay, to me, was a weakness I didn't want anyone to know about.”
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Thorns was a good and well thought out story in many parts, but despite this I felt that I lost interest sometimes. Perhaps a slightly slimmed-down story has become more compelling, intense and more exciting, and therefore better. Maybe was just this to slow, with too many details and a quite complicated story, for me right now. I felt that I guessed these characters feelings and I didn't get all what were said between the lines more than one time.
Either way, these two French mens, Nick & Louis', life and their love story was really interesting to hear about. In the end was I quite caught by the main character's Will's feelings for the sexy lawyer Francis as well. ~ Four men and two touching stories. ...and a lot of horses.
Not bad but not top notch for me.
I LIKE - good enough and a well done story
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A buddyread with Sofia - we started November 3 and she finished long ago. Sorry dear! I promise to do better the time. -
That puts me in an awkward position - the third beta is piping up...
Eden and Val did a very good job of reviewing Thorns and giving it the rating it deserves, so - what to write?
I`ve known Nic and Louis for years. First draft, second draft - they were like old friends to me.
Then Feliz sent me a new version with the succinct comment - "You won`t recognize it anymore".
So true.
I was all "Huh...what happened to the story? Who is Will, who is Francis?
Wait a moment...Francis? OH GOD! An alpha male! Give me more, MORE!"
Somehow I have the feeling I got what I wanted - more Will and Francis - less Nic and Louis. (If Nic and Louis are your favorite couple - all the complaints to me, please.:))
In the end it was Will and Francis love story, a great story about the world of horseracing and Nic and Louis story remained a bit of a mystery. I liked it that way, I loved the story how it is and got everything I want from a romance. Intelligent plot, likeable characters - not to forget Will`s wonderfully pushy boss - a well fledged out mystery and really nice smut.
So what about Nic`s and Louis` story?
Patience.... -
I'm a big Dick Francis fan, and this book reminded me of those favorite mysteries - a well-drawn horse-racing setting, a mystery involving fraud and old scandals, and a developing new romance which in this case, involves two guys. I particularly loved the secondary couple, Nic and Louis, and their relationship, with its intensity and history. I had a little harder time with getting close to Will and Francis, but I was definitely pulling for them, and the tough moment in their relationship tugged my heartstrings nicely. Recommended to fans of M/M mysteries, especially if you also like horses.
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Faber shows us the duality of an established relationship Luis and Nic and the fresh new relationship of Will and Francis. So we get to compare, the comfort, solidity of the established with the newness, eagerness of the first encounters and budding relationship between Will and Francis. We get to see where the new relationship unfolding in front of us can lead to, not just the beautiful, huggy stuff but also the decisions that can bite you in the ass sometime in the future.
All this is told in a horse racing background with an added mystery to solve to boot.
I had previously read Faber’s
City Falcon where I
liked the story. This one I liked better, the story is as good if not more, plus I connected more with the characters.
3.75 stars
BR with Ingela 03.11.14 -
This was a wonderful book! It started with the cover - so beautiful. Then from first to last page this was a gripping story and it didn't let me go! Wonderfully paced, with exactly the right amount of horse stuff in it to get me interested and involved, but not too much as then I would likely have skimmed the pages. Nope, I wanted to read every single one of them and follow Will along in his research for his cover story. I liked Will and Francis as a couple, insta-lust and building of a relationship, well more like stumbling into it:) I also liked Nic and Louis and their development from first being a strong couple to then cracks showing up and the emerging of old secrets along the way.
Yes, I liked the writing a lot! Anything missing for 5 stars? Nope, nothing. -
This one has it all: fascinating, diverse characters, engaging plot and detailed scenery - PLUS horses.
The story is told from Will’s POV. Will Yeats is a reporter for the L.A. based FLAG! magazine. His curiosity is pricked by an old, grainy photograph: a dead horse on a race track and in the background two men, holding each other.
He starts digging and gets a lot more than he’s bargained for. First of all, Francis LeBon, a lawyer who is set on protecting his friends from the shrewd eye of the press (not to mention that he’s hot as hell and exactly what Will needs).
Ordered by his boss to do the job right, Will goes to France to meet with horse trainer Nicolas Pithivier and jockey Louis Meerow who own the horse training centre La Thillaye. During his stay there he gets to know them better, learns about the horse racing business and the excitement of sitting on a horse for the first time.
But there are things going on. The number of accidents is well above the average, old lovers and enemies turn up where they shouldn’t and secrets are being hinted upon left and right. All this while the usual circus of training for the next racing day is going on and Will tries to get to grips with his relationship (or is it?) with Francis, who’s back in L.A. and won’t take his calls.
After a slow beginning (stay with it, it will knock your socks off soon enough *promise*) the story takes off from the second Will sets foot on La Thillaye. The writing flows smoothly, the images are vividly painted and the characters real people, down to earth, with lots of history, motives and emotions.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
P.S. Did I mention horses? ;-) -
Darum geht's:
Will Yeats schreibt noch nicht allzu lange für das Magazin "Flag" und als er eine Titelstory verfassen darf, stürzt er sich mit Feuereifer in die Recherche. Aus dem geplanten Porträt eines schwulen Jockeys ergibt sich die Spur zu einem Skandal, der sich vor 17 Jahren beim Kentucky Derby ereignete. Was hatte die Liebesbeziehung zwischen dem Jockey und dem Trainer mit dem Unfall während des Rennens zu tun? Als Will tiefer gräbt, steht er plötzlich dem smarten Anwalt Francis LeBon gegenüber, der zuerst jede weitere Rcherche verhindern will - und dann können die beiden der gegenseitigen Anziehung nicht widerstehen.
So fand ich's:
Will und Francis beginnen eine etwas holprige Affäre, denn Francis ist ein Workoholic und hat kaum Zeit für Will. Doch noch bevor Will eine Reise nach Frankreich antreten kann, haben die beiden ernstere Gefühle für einander. Louis und Nick, die beiden Männer, die am Skandal beim Kentucky Derby in der Vergangenheit beteiligt waren, sind auch heute noch ein Paar und trainieren in Frankreich Pferde. Will darf zu Besuch kommen und den Jockey Louis interviewen. Und so erleben wir nicht nur die frische Liebe zwischen Will und Francis, sonden auch das vertraute und langjährige Paar Louis und Nick.
Will möchte niemanden bloßstellen, aber er spürt, dass mehr hinter der Geschichte beim Kentucky Derby steckt, als Nick und Louis zugeben wollen. Er bleibt hartnäckig und deckt nach und nach Dinge auf, die beide Paare gehörig durchschütteln.
Die Atmosphäre des Buches ist zu großen Teilen eher ruhig. Die ländliche Umgebung auf dem französischen Pferdehof und Wills erste Einblicke in das Thema Pferde und Pferderennen genauso wie die zögerliche Art von Nick und Louis, etwas mehr preiszugeben, lässt die Geschichte langsam voranschreiten. Die Stimmung hat mir aber von Anfang bis zum Ende gut gefallen, so dass ich die ganze Zeit gut unterhalten wurde. Gegen Ende wird die Krimigeschichte wichtiger, was mehr Spannung aufkommen lässt, was aber die beiden Paare nicht in den Hintergrund drängt. Denn beide Liebespaare und ihre Beziehung werden von den früheren und den aktuellen Ereignissen auf eine harte Probe gestellt.
Der feine Erzählstil und die wunderbare Atmosphäre, gekoppelt mit gleich zwei intensiven Liebesgeschichten, hat mir gut gefallen und mich überzeugt. -
Will Yates, Reporter eines schwulen Sportmagazins, hat die Aufgabe über schwule Jockeys zu schreiben. Er findet ein altes Foto – darauf ist ein totes Pferd und zwei ineinander verschlungene Männer zu sehen. Will gräbt tiefer und findet einen siebzehn Jahre alten Skandal, als ein Pferd bei einem tragischen Unfall starb, dessen Jockey und Pferdetrainer eine Affäre hatten. Doch Nic und Louis, die zusammen in Frankreich ein Ausbildungszentrum für Pferde betreiben wollen nicht ihre Seite der Geschichte erzählen und setzen ihren Freund und Anwalt Francis auf Will an, um dessen Motive zu hinterfragen.
Francis hat damit gerechnet, den neugierigen Reporter abzuschütteln, doch er hat nicht mit dessen Entschlossenheit gerechnet, die beiden zu unrecht beschuldigten Männer zu rehabilitieren. Hinzu kommt, das sich Francis und Will relativ anziehend finden, und diese Anziehung auch immer größer wird. Er lädt Will dazu ein, Nic und Louis in Frankreich zu besuchen, doch dessen Ankunft deckt ein Netz von Intrigen und Geheimnissen, sowie alten Lügen auf, die nicht nur Wills und Francis‘ beginnende Liebe bedrohen sondern auch Nics und Louis‘ jahrzehntealte Beziehung gefährden.
Wow, wow, wow! Mich hat dieses Buch wirklich sprachlos zurückgelassen, da es einfach wunderbar und so detailreich ausgearbeitet wurde. Will war mir auf Anhieb sympathisch und ich mag einfach seine Art. Man merkt, dass er den beiden Männern nichts böses, sondern einfach ihre Geschichte erzählen will. Und auch wenn diese ihm am Anfang etwas distanziert gegenübertreten – wobei, wen wundert das? – so sehen sie früher oder später doch, dass es Will ernst ist.
Francis konnte ich jetzt weniger greifen, liegt aber vermutlich daran, dass er einen großen Teil des Buches über nicht in Frankreich ist und somit natürlich auch nicht so präsent. Aber man merkt, wie sehr ihm an Nic und Louis liegt, die ihm damals geholfen haben, stolz darauf zu sein, dass er so ist wie er ist, und das es nicht nötig ist, seine Homosexualität zu verstecken. Und da haben sie wirklich volle Arbeit geleistet.
Aber mein persönliches Highlight war die Beziehung von Nic und Louis, die beiden sind seid Ewigkeiten ein Paar und man merkt, wie wichtig sie einander sind. Sie sind eine Einheit, zusammengewachsen durch die Jahre, die sie an der Seite des anderen verbracht haben. Man denkt, nichts könnte die beiden dahingehend erschüttern, aber es werden Dinge aufgedeckt, die doch einiges auf den Prüfstand stellen. Dennoch hatte ich nie das Gefühl, dass es die beiden nicht schaffen würden.
Der Plot war wunderbar ausgearbeitet, sehr detailreich und ich – als absoluter Neuling in Sachen Pferde – habe einiges für mich mitnehmen können und fand es mehr als interessant zu sehen wie ein Leben mit Pferde und Wettkämpfe so abläuft. Die Geschichte beginnt relativ ruhig und langsam, nimmt dann aber an Fahrt auf.
Fazit: Eine wirklich wundervolle Geschichte mit starken und gut ausgearbeiteten Protagonisten und einem Setting, wo ich mir wünsche, ich würde jetzt dort sein. Ich hoffe wirklich, dass es vielleicht mal ein Buch zu Nic und Louis gibt, wie es ab diesem Zeitpunkt, an dem „Dornen“ endet, weitergegangen ist. Oder auch ihr Anfang. Von mir eine klare Leseempfehlung. -
Ich war mir anfangs unsicher, ob die Geschichte was für mich sein könnte, weil ich mit dem ersten Buch von Feliz Faber leider kaum was anfangen konnte. Doch der Autorin eine zweite Chance zu geben, hat sich definitiv gelohnt, denn »Dornen« ist großartig und hat für mich alles, was ein gutes Buch braucht. Liebe, Herzschmerz, dunkle Geheimnisse, ein bisschen Action und ein sehr schönes Happy End. Also genau das Richtige für mein Romantikerherz.
Dabei sieht die Story anfangs gar nicht nach einem guten Ende aus, denn Will ist Reporter und verdient sich seine Brötchen mit dem Herumschnüffeln in anderer Leute Leben. Wenn dabei noch ein schöner Skandal ans Tageslicht kommt, ist sein Chef natürlich begeistert, und genau das scheint der Fall, als Will anfängt, sich für die Vergangenheit zweier Männer zu interessieren, die im Pferdesport aktiv und ganz offensichtlich schwul sind. Garniert wird das Ganze mit merkwürdigen Geschichten und dem alten Artikel eines homophoben Reporters, der Will erst so richtig neugierig werden lässt.
Kurz darauf bekommt er es mit Francis zu tun, dem Anwalt von Nic und Louis, und noch dazu engem Freund, der es gar nicht lustig findet, dass Will die beiden anrief und mit einer Skandalstory gedroht hat. Doch wie immer entpuppt sich nicht alles so, wie es auf den ersten Blick zu sein scheint, und auch Will lernt bei seinem Besuch in Frankreich sehr schnell, dass der Skandal, wenn er ihn wirklich in seinen Artikel schreibt, unzählige Menschen für immer ruinieren könnte. Dass er Nic und Louis mag, macht die Sache für ihn nicht leichter, was im Übrigen auch für seine aufkeimenden Gefühle für Francis gilt. Und was hat es mit diesen ganzen kleinen Unfällen zu tun, die das Gestüt in letzter Zeit heimsuchen? Irgendetwas stimmt da nicht, doch Will kann lange Zeit nicht den Finger darauf legen, bis es am Ende beinahe zu spät ist.
Eine wunderschöne Story mit einem Paar, das seit Jahrzehnten trotz aller Widrigkeiten glücklich ist und dennoch Geheimnisse voreinander hat, und eine zweiten Paar, das erst lernen muss, einander wirklich zu vertrauen. Ich habe Will und Francis genauso geliebt wie Nic und Louis, und natürlich Madame Kim.
Darum vergebe ich auch volle Punktzahl, eine dicke Leseempfehlung gibt’s obendrauf und ein dickes Dankeschön geht an den Dreamspinner Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar. -
4.30 stars
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This is a lovely, rich story. In spite of the fact that I know nothing about horse racing nor, really, I want to know, Feliz managed to suck me in and keep me interested from the first page to the last. While I guessed the villain from the the get-go, it didn't diminish my enjoyment in the story. On the contrary.
Why 4 stars then? (It's really more than 4, but I have to work with what Goodreads gives us.) I couldn't really get the hang of the character of Francis. I liked Will instantly and adored Nic and Louis, but, even when the story came to its (satisfying) ending, I couldn't quite let him in my heart as I did the other characters. Maybe, it is his domineering, alpha attitude, maybe it's the way he treated Will (and didn't grovel nearly enough), maybe the fact he was absent for a good part of the story - I don't really know. I would have liked more page time between Will and him, but that's only me.
In spite of my complaint, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I would gladly read more about these characters. Or any other characters Feliz comes up with for that matter. It seems I have a new auto-buy author to add to my very short list. :) -
4.5 stars.
A beautiful, well-written and compelling story! -
A good story with plenty of plot and a dash of mystery, a vividly evoked location in France, along with one new m-m couple and one long-term m-m couple.
-
4.5*
Eine wunderbare Geschichte 😀
https://elmaliest.de/dornen-feliz-fab... -
Thorns is available now from Dreamspinner Press, ARE, Amazon and anywhere else! -
3 1/2 Hearts
Review written for
MM Good Book Reviews
Will is a sports writer who has been told to find a story about gay men in the horseracing world, digging as deep as he can he discovers a scandal from seventeen years before. A horse falls at the start of the Kentucky Derby and the jockey and horse trainer are banned, but a picture has Will determined to discover what happened. Nic Pithiviers and Louis Meerow don’t want the past uncovered though and Will gets a visit from their friend and lawyer Francis. Francis is expecting a nosy reporter who wants gossip but what he finds is someone who wants the story of Nic and Louis the gay partners and Francis can’t stop his attraction to the cute reporter. Nic and Louis offer to do an interview and Will visits them in France, but Will digs up far more than he thought as secrets, intrigue and malicious intent come to the fore and it threatens to destroy his budding relationship with Francis.
This is a great story of scandals in the horseracing world, with a budding relationship thrown in and a long standing relationship that gets threatened. When Will sees the picture of Nic and Louis together after a disastrous race Will knows he has to get to the bottom of the story, but he changes his angle after a visit from a lawyer and finds himself in a tentative relationship with Francis. Embarking on a relationship with Francis is thrilling and Will begins to fall hard, but when Will is in France a wall seems to come down between them and Will isn’t sure what is going on. Throwing himself into interviewing Nic and Louis he knows they are holding something back and after a furious confrontation with Francis about some details that Will uncovered he learns the full story.
I really did enjoy this story and discovering more about the murky world of horseracing in the eighties, seeing the American and French cultures side by side as first Will and Francis explore a Downtown Art Walk in L.A. and the Will explores Caen in France. The storyline is a really good one with an old scandal that covers up the truth of what really happened at that long ago Derby with Nic and Louis still refusing to let the truth out, it also has another slight side story of sabotage and old secrets. Then we have the developing relationship between Will and Francis that undergoes a hard trial when Francis begins to have doubts and makes harsh accusations, but, we also have Nic and Louis’ relationship that we are drawn to as their relationship undergoes trails of its own.
I recommend this to those who love stories set in a horseracing world, wonderful details, two great relationships facing struggles, intrigue and mystery, devastating truths and some wonderful detailed settings. -
Let me preface this by telling you up front that I beta read this story. Is this a gushing review because I betaed and am biased? I'd never do that. It this a heartfelt review because I loved this story and want to tell others who share my tastes in books? Oh, heck yeah.
OMG! Where do I start? I'm afraid I'm going to have to break it down to do justice to this story.
Characters: Even the secondary characters dance right off the page. From the in-your-face editor, to the leering coworker, and the quietly solid housekeeper--all are well defined, realistically drawn, and intriguing. Even the bad guy had me wanting to know more, for he was deftly written with enough gray areas to make me wonder what would have become of him if he'd taken a different path.
Plot: Horseracing? Well, that's not something I knew about, and Feliz Faber taught me, little by little, letting me absorb the details slowly. In the end, I was surprised by how much I learned. And the twists and turns along the way kept me turning the pages. This is one well-researched story, but don't expect to get hit over the head with facts, the author is far too subtle for that. And such subtlety is a gift, the ability to weave in fact amongst fiction, creating a perfectly entertaining read the holds true to fact-checkers.
Romance: We get not one, but two, sweeping romances: Will and Francis, who find each other early on and navigate the pitfalls that could tear them apart, and Louis and Nic, who've weathered many storms together and still stand together at the helm of their intertwined lives. I must admit to playing favorites here: Louis and Nic really touched my heart, and I'd love to read about how they met and fell in love. I'd also like to revisit Francis and Will down the road, to peek in on what they'll become with Louis and Nic as role models. Sigh. Did I mention how much I love Louis and Nic?
Location: The author shows us the French countryside like one who's been there and fallen in love with the surroundings. Louis and Nic's home, the barns, the local pub, all lovingly described until you can see them so clearly and can nearly smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen.
Overall: This is no fast, skim-through read. This is a "take time and savor each word" tale. And when you're through, you just might find yourself smiling. What a satisfying read. If you're like me, you'll probably go back and revisit favorite passages.
I highly recommended this well-written novel to anyone who wants a good, solid, well thought out story with a heaping serving of romance on the side. Very highly recommended. -
I’m impressed with this novel of lush details of romance and of the horseracing world. The tone and language convey a sense of grace and peacefulness while a stream of tension weaves steadying in the atmosphere. Part of the tension created falls on Will Yeats, Flag sportswriter. Doing research, he discovers a 20 years old incident involving Nic Pithiovers, trainer, Louis Meerow, Jockey, and a dead horse. Exactly what his chief editor wants, a story covering a real gay sport person, and not some gay actor playing the part. Will contacts the gentlemen who did not want to drudge up old history that may have a negative effect on their current business. They, in turn, send their lawyer and best friend, Francis LeBon to put an end to Will’s probing.
Francis’ influence has Will making the trip to Frances to meet Nic and Louis. Once there, he discovers a world he has no appreciation for but as I read the story, I am drawn in by the wonderfully crafted descriptions of the land, farm, people, and ultimately, the meeting of the Nic and Louis. I envy Will and at the same time dismay at his inability to enjoy the scenery.
The story moves along with Will observing the activities of the farm and his hosts. He attends the horse races. He meets a few shakers and movers in the industry. Hidden tension rises slowly as Will learns of the financial struggle of Nic and Louis’ farm, of the accidents, and especially the futile and strange looks sometimes exchanged between the lovers. Will’s own relationship with Francis has gone tentative as the man suddenly is avoiding him. He’s hoping to move their acquaintance to a deepening of feelings once he returns to the States.
I quite enjoyed reading Thorns. Readers should note the M/M romance element isn’t as strong as in other stories in the category. Will is the viewpoint character. Nic and Louis is an established couple. We can’t see without Will’s lens, which makes the ending of Thorns particularly interesting.
Recommended to M/M Romance readers and to other who don’t mind male on male love.
Originally posted at
TWLIB Reviews -
3.5 stars
This story felt more like a GLBT fiction with a touch of mystery and a dash of romance. Sure, we had the developing relationship between Will the reporter and Francis the lawyer as well as the established couple of Nic and Louis...
but to me the core of this story was Will going to France, writing and making friends with Nic and Louis, discovering that someone was sabotaging their training center, and of course, getting answers to a scandal that happened years ago.
The mystery lover in me felt satisfied with how the plot went. The romance lover in me wanting it to be a little bit "more". -
Original review in 2013
Four solid stars or a bit more, see also
review by Nikki.
New review after rereading in 2015
4.5 stars
I've bought the print edition and I've reread the book. It was already more than 4 stars as I first read it, now I had more time to notice the well crafted sentences, the vivid setting and the secondary characters. I can definitely round up ;-). -
Beautiful story, beautiful writing, well-drawn characters. Highly recommended!
-
4.5 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Thorns is set in Los Angeles, 2005 and sports journalist Will Yeats is given the instructions by the editor of the gay magazine, Flag, to find a gay man in horse racing to write about in anticipation of the upcoming Kentucky Derby. While doing his research, Will stumbles on the story of the mysterious death of a horse, Brian’s Melody, at the 114th Kentucky Derby in 1988. After speaking to the acerbic and rather offensive Teddy Sampson, a retired journalist who originally covered the race, Will is led to the dead horse’s trainer and jockey, who Sampson suspected at the time of being gay. Seventeen years after that fateful race, Will tracks jockey, Louis Meerow and trainer, Nic Pithiviers down to La Thillaye, a horse training centre in France. Armed with their contact information, Will intends to call them for an interview after checking in with his editor. But Friday night and several drinks later, he throws caution to the wind and, out of boredom, places that call. Enter Francis LeBon. Prominent cheekbones, full lips, six foot two sex on legs, lawyer. And carrying a Cease and Desist warning from a rather irate French horse trainer. LeBon requests Will to meet him to discuss the matter further. During dinner, Will and Francis develop an easy banter which their mutual attraction quickly turns into flirting. When Francis asks Will why he wants to write a story on Louis and Nic, Will replies, “There was that picture. The dead horse, and behind it, these two men—they looked so unmatched and yet they fit, somehow. Like they belonged… I don’t know, this is probably my imagination running off with me, but I thought immediately that they looked like lovers. And then, the way Sampson talked about them, so disdainful. As if the whole mess with that horse had only happened because they were gay. It was… It didn’t sit right with me. Something was off, and I thought perhaps I could… I dunno, rectify things for them or something.” It’s enough to convince Francis to offer Will a proposition from his clients to join them at their home in France for the purposes of interviewing them providing Will agrees that the 1988 race is not a subject they are willing to talk to him about. Will agrees. The night ends in Francis’ personal proposition to Will and a passionate night that leads into a tentative relationship over the next few weeks as Will prepares for his trip.
As Will slowly draws their story from Nic and Louis, it appears that there is more to it than any of them expected.
I loved this book. With a well crafted plot, fluid writing and descriptions that made you feel like you were there it was the perfect balance of mystery, intrigue and sex, along with two love stories – one established and one just beginning. How to review this book was kind of stumping me because except for towards the end when the mystery side of things were all coming together (and I didn’t want to spoiler that), it was just a lot of little things going on. But I loved those little things. Like the interactions between the characters, the details of daily life for a jockey, or a horse trainer, Nic and Louis telling their story, the growing relationship between Will and Francis – these are the things I enjoyed most. Will and Francis were hot and sweet, playful and passionate and I loved them together. Even with a good third of the book was spent with them apart, I was so caught up in everything else that was going on that it didn’t seem out of place at all. The conflict that occurred in France between Will and Francis wasn’t drawn out and felt very true to life. The scene that results from it is powerful – raw, thoughtful, believable, painful and hopeful, it completely caught me up in the emotions of these very real feeling characters. In fact, all of the characters were complex and real. Louis and Nic were fascinating and I loved the unfolding of their story. And while that story in itself was interesting, it’s actually the day to day interactions between themselves and with Will that I really found myself enjoying the most. In a lot of ways, even though it’s told from Will’s POV, the romance of both couples are treated as equally important. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author. -
4.5 to 4.75 stars
Thorns is set in Los Angeles, 2005, and sports journalist Will Yeats is given the instructions by the editor of the gay magazine, Flag, to find a gay man in horse racing to write about in anticipation of the upcoming Kentucky Derby. While doing his research, Will stumbles on the story of the mysterious death of a horse, Brian’s Melody, at the 114th Kentucky Derby in 1988. Seventeen years after that fateful race, Will tracks jockey, Louis Meerow and trainer, Nic Pithiviers down to La Thillaye, a horse training centre in France. Armed with their contact information, Will intends to call them for an interview after checking in with his editor. But Friday night and several drinks later, he throws caution to the wind and, out of boredom, places that call. Enter Francis LeBon. Prominent cheekbones, full lips, six foot two sex on legs, lawyer. And carrying a Cease and Desist warning from a rather irate French horse trainer.
I loved this book. With a well crafted plot, fluid writing and descriptions that made you feel like you were there it was the perfect balance of mystery, intrigue and sex, along with two love stories – one established and one just beginning. Will and Francis were hot and sweet, playful and passionate and I loved them together. Louis and Nic were fascinating and I loved the unfolding of their story. And while that story in itself was interesting, it’s actually the day to day interactions between themselves and with Will that I really found myself enjoying the most.
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Live Your Life, Buy The Book -
copy won in Jessewaves BAHAG Dec 2013
4.5 stars
Nice mystery story set in the world of horse racing and reminscent of a Dick Francis book. Nic is a young journalist who is tasked with finding a story for a special edition of the gay friendly magazine he works for and stumbles across a 20 yaer old mystery surrounding the doping and death of a race horse and the potential relationship between the jockey and trainer, Louis and Nic. No sooner does he contact the pair, who are now living together in France, than their lawyer, Francis LeBon is sent round to scare him off. It doesn't happen though as Francis and Will begin a relationship. When Will heads to France to learn more about Louis and Nic he discovers that the 20 year old mystery isn't just in the past.
I really enjoyed this story, as I have the authors other works. My only niggle would be that the story built up the tension nicely to the conculsion but then seemed to fizzle out slightly. -
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In Thorns, Feliz Faber gives a sweeping and richly detailed glimpse into the often unseen world of horse racing, and the larger-than-life characters that inhabit it. Reading the blurb is like reading the menu at a fine restaurant-you get a dry,brief description of a fillet mignon. To really appreciate the fine meal you must taste-or read-it for yourself.
As a character driven story with a smoothly flowing plot, this book is populated by characters who are very complex,vivid, dramatic, and solid. Watching the characters grow and change as they overcome betrayal, pain, misunderstandings, and sabotage to bring their dreams to life, and the honesty, loyalty, passion and hope they display makes this a very richly satisfying tale. The backstory is utterly fascinating and lays a solid foundation for the storyline. With handsome men, beautiful backgrounds, and passion galor, the sex is hot and steamy.
The author's writing style is unique, eloquent, concise, and straighforward. The author has done a skillful job of pulling back the curtain and giving an in-depth and up close look into the seldom seen world of horse racing. The autor displays a well researched knowledge of the horse owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys, and various others who are part of this fascinating sport. I absolutely love the vivid details of the characters, backgrounds, and pageantry that go wirh this sport. The book has a HEA ending after a surprise twist that I didn't see coming. If you're looking for a fantastic and enthralling way to spend a few hours, then this is a book you should definitely check out. -
I had the good fortune to win a free copy through the GR First Reads programme, and I'm very glad indeed I did.
Thorns is a beautiful novel combining M/M romance and mystery, set in the world of horse racing and following a young journalist who stumbles upon a decades-old scandal and attempts to unravel the truth behind it. The well-plotted story draws you in from the very first page, and you can't help falling in love with the wonderfully developed and realistic characters. Added to that, there are deep emotions, an intriguing mystery to figure out, skilled writing and vividly drawn background settings including a myriad of details about the horse racing world that make it easy also for those who know nothing about the subject to feel at home there. All in all a wonderful read! -
Wow. I really liked this one. The blurb does NOT do it justice.
This is not a simple story. Nothing is tied up in neat bows. Nothing is stereotyped or pat or predictable. Nobody is perfect. Everyone is culpable of something, yet only one person is really bad (and I thought that was a weakness -- IMHO he could have been more complex as well).
It's hard for me to know exactly what to say about the book. As ARE Cafe puts it, it is "vivid" and "three-dimensional". Clear, intelligent writing, a strong sense of place, complex characters, and an easy way with the locale and the culture (both French and horses) make this an easy book to get engrossed in.
There are already plenty of good reviews posted on this book, so I won't bother to say too much. I'll sum it up: good book. Just don't expect simple answers. This isn't Harlequin.
I'm giving this somewhere around 4.3 stars. -
What a wonderful story! I really enjoyed this plot driven story that was rich with secondary characters and a past that unfolds as a journalist looks for a story. I enjoyed the chemistry between Francis and Will, and the scenes together always left me smiling. The behind the scenes look at horse racing kept me oddly intrigued (not something that I would have guessed). This is a nicely paced story, not a lot of bang, but subtlety. Another good story from this author.
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This is more like a 3.5 star story but I rounded up since I like the mellow feel of this book. Very little seems rushed as Will digs around trying to find what happened to Louis and Nic. This has some mystery elements to it but I enjoyed it more for the characters and the connections between them. It actually felt anti-climax to find out what happened in the horse race.
