Falcon's Fox

I am kinda surprised at all the great reviews. It was an okay book. The instalove from pictures/interviews/fanboi-ing when they were kids seemed very immature to me. I know they get to know each other but they are "in love" with each other as fans and I couldn't connect to that shallow reason being their base of such quick true love.<br /><br />What really bothered me though is that Ransom has absolutely no business revealing Sal's medical information to anyone. I know he "only" told his HUGE trusted circle but it was not his place to do so and it was a really douche move. Additionally, that Sal felt he owed perfect strangers any medical information (thinking of the Flagstaff bar folk) is just sadly disturbing. I would hope the people in his life would help him see what and who he actually owes info to and it's not fans and strangers.<br /><br />The boys are very romantic with each other but I didn't actually feel that intimacy that usually comes in this series. The whole thing was just rushed and "off".<br /><br />Just not the best book in the series.

3/4<br />I had been looking forward to Ransom &amp; Sal's story but in the end I liked their story less than the ones in the previous books

Umm, no. Just, no. This wasn't the book for me. I technically finished it but I soooooo skimmed like 90% of this story. It was just really far out there and not well done. Perhaps if I had started with the first book, things would have been different, but somehow I doubt it. <br /><br />It was improbable, illogical and so far outside of <i>possible</i> I had a hard time even reading from one word to the next. This author and I just don't mix so this will be the last one for me.

I'm giving this three stars because two feels too low but honestly I'm very meh about it. I like parts but mostly it was very cliche and ridiculously simplified. The angst felt shallow even though it was a serious subject. I did like the characters, but maybe that's why I wanted more. I don't know. Not my favorite.

This story was too sugary sweet with too many rainbows and unicorns for me. I wanted to DNF it but I try not to do that too often as I have wanted to do that and some books actually have gotten better. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. Despite the fact that the subject of HIV infection is a main theme, everything in this world is just too magically perfect. It felt like an alternate reality where everything came out smelling like a rose. The characters face challenges but the hurdles are so easy to step over that nothing is gripping for the reader or in depth. The writing is very simple and feels more like writing in a teenage girl's diary than a well woven tale. Thus, the story becomes boring and barely tolerable. I enjoyed the other books in this series but I believe I'll be quitting here.

Rares sont les livres qui me font pleurer, mais celui-ci en fait partie. <br /><br />C'est un énorme coup de coeur ! De la première à la dernière page, je n'ai pas pu m'arrêter. <br /><br />Le sujet abordé est risqué, mais tellement bien traité, avec beaucoup de respect et de dignité. <br /><br />Je ne veux pas spoiler, mais merci Sandrine Gasq-Dion de casser les clichés sur cette maladie et de montrer qu'il y a toujours de l'espoir. Ce n'est pas une fatalité ! Merci pour cet éclairage nouveau et merci pour ce beau moment de lecture très intense !

This thing right here just pissed me off. This romance was super rushed and shallow it seemed and because there is such heavy subject matter to deal with here and the connection between the Mc's wasn't there for me it made everything seem unbelievable. This was too insta for me and not done very well.

3.5 stars for the SGD's latest installment in The Rock Series. Ransom has had a lot of adversity and challenges to face in his life. Losing his mother to illness, losing his father to a drug addiction that landed him in prison, trying to raise his younger brother. And then starting a band with his best friend, being in a horrific accident that leaves his best friend unable to play the guitar, therefore pressuring his younger brother to fill the shoes of a lead guitarist. And once his brother, Gareth, decided to be open about his sexuality, he was threatened and had multiple attempts made on his life. So enter the bodyguards, who one by one, are stealing the hearts of Ransom's band members. Which brings greater safety, but leaves Ransom feeling more alone. <br /><br />One thing that has never changed is the super-crush Ransom has on Sal Falco, movie star extraordinaire, since he was 12 years old. A few months back, Sal and Ransom finally met at a party, and the sparks were flying in both directions. Mutual attraction abounds, but Ransom will face his biggest challenge yet--standing by and supporting someone with whom he's falling in love while they deal with a frightening and life-changing event.<br /><br />This story touched on some difficult issues with compassion, but also with factual (and helpful) information for those with questions and confusion, and a portion of the royalties from this book will go to a very worthwhile cause. <br /><br />**Once again, the rock &amp; roll stage is set for more romance for the band and their circle of <br /> friends.<br />***One of the very best things in this book was Rebel's grandpa, who had me LMFAO every time he <br /> opened his mouth.

Writing about serious subjects can be very hard to do. You have to stay true to your characters, be sensitive to the situation you're writing about and still tell a great story. In Falcon's Fox, Sandrine Gasq-Dion hit everyone of these points dead on. <br /><br />Writing about people going through truly life changing, world wreaking situations, while not only displaying a wealth of compassion, but taking the time to educate yourself on the situation is a mark of a great author. The way she told Sal’s and Ransom’s story was so heartfelt and beautiful I cried through much of the book. This is a tough read, but one that will make you better for reading it.<br /><br />***SPOILER ALERT***<br /><br /><br />I had dated many positive men while being negative WAY before the advancements in treatment and prevention for HIV were around. I was a health care provider and I always used protection and took all the recommended methods of not becoming infected myself. But as the old saying goes it only takes one time; for me that one time was when I was violently attacked and raped by multiple people. So to say I know what I'm talking about is a very fair statement.<br /><br />This story is very much true to life for far too many people even today. Sandrine took the subject very seriously, talking to multiple people and groups to find out the information she needed to write this book, and she did a damn fine job of doing it. Book's like this one and realistic portrayals by other authors are vital to helping educate the uninfected and even help people who are newly infected in dealing with situations in real life.<br /><br />So I am forever indebted to Sandrine for giving people like me and men and women all around a story about our lives, in a roundabout way, filled with compassion, dignity and without scorn or judgement.

This was just ok for me. I liked the connection between Ransom and Sal at first. Sure it was all fast connection but they were so adorably innocent about coming together. But once the story took it's turn, well it just didn't hold up as well for me. It went off the rails a bit. I haven't really enjoyed most HIV stories and this wasn't really an exception. I didn't like the way Ransom handled Sal's business with his friends, he was too open without Sal's acceptance. But I still wanted them together.