I have a handful of favorite authors. Writers whose craft resonates with me and who I am confident diving into their material will ensure several hours of lost time while I explore their worlds.
Brandon Witt is one such author. I’ve reviewed his books several times before. For those who don’t know, Brandon Witt also writes under the pen name of Rosalind Abel (Lavender Shores series), and as Mildred Abbott (Cozy Corgi Mystery series). With three distinct pen names and different genre writing, Brandon garners much admiration from me. As a writer myself, I find I’m still honing my craft and finding my voice, and I only write in one genre. So, hats off Mr. Witt.
As much as I love my demons, wings and tails, with magic both light and dark, slipping into a cuddly romance every now and then is like the well deserved dessert. It’s sweet and you savor every bite. A few months ago, Brandon put out a call for advanced reviews to help with the re-release of two novels previously published works, and of course, I had to jump on that opportunity. So, here we go.
Title: Mapping the Forest
Series: Rocky Mountain Boys #1
Author: Brandon Witt
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: July 14, 2020
Heat Level: 4/5 – steamy!
Pairing: M/M
Length: 242 pages
Genre: Romance, Men over 30
Summary:
Happily ever after has no map, but sometimes fate sends a guiding light.
Gabe Rice, a seasonal ranger at the Rocky Mountain National Park, can’t seem to get his life on the right trail. He loves the rugged beauty of the land, and there is no place he would rather live than the mountain community of Estes Park. But after six years, Gabe is beginning to wonder if he’ll ever get a full-time position or find love. When Gabe sees Luis—and hears his gorgeous singing—he’s compelled to meet him.
Luis Martinez, the new owner of a hotel and steak ride business in Estes, left California and a career as a therapist for a fresh start in Colorado. But even the beauty of the mountains can’t help him forget the past or move forward. Unprepared for his strong attraction to Gabe, Luis is ready to run and hide from emotions he never thought he’d have again.
Suddenly the path ahead opens to a future that looks brighter for both of them, if they can find the courage to walk forward—together.
My Review:
As this book was previously published it already has a slew of reviews, but with 167 ratings on Goodreads, it still has an average of over 4 stars. That has to tell you something.
I rated this pretty high, despite one issue that got under my skin.
The set up is brilliant. Settled within the Colorado Rocky Mountains, Estes Park is a mountain town that relies heavily on tourist season in order for it to survive. Living in Edmonton, Alberta, we have two very similar towns ourselves – Banff, Alberta and Jasper, Alberta. Both of which are small tourist towns, nestled among the Canadian Rockies, and both VERY worthwhile a visit in either the winter or summer seasons. Having been to both these towns on numerous occasions, I can tell you Witt has nailed the ambience and feel to perfection. After reading the book, I longed for another trip to visit the mountains.
Within this town a small group of gay men have banded together and become the best of friends. The dynamics within this group are fun, and relatable. There’s a notable side character who owns the bookstore in town, a character none other than, Rosalind Abel. Readers of The Lavender Shores series will immediately get this reference…and brilliant set up. Well Done, Mr. Witt, well don, indeed.
The story centers around Gabe, a struggling part time Forest Ranger, big, burly and furry, who by chance ends up on a tourist Steak and Ride where he meets a handsome Latin bear, who strums the guitar and sings like an angel, Louis.
Gabe is over thirty, and still looking to find the right guy, along with struggling with whether or not his job is the right place for him. Louis had that love of his life once, but after a tragic accident, has been left a widower. The struggle is mostly with Louis in coming to terms with the death of his husband, in letting go, and in being able to accept a new love into his heart.
There were times that the grief stricken Louis was almost a bit much – but then death affects us all very differently, and although I personally have had to deal with the death of close loved ones, I’ve never had to come to terms with losing a partner/significant other.
What I truly cherished about this story was the fact that the romance centered around a man of colour, and men over the age of thirty – in fact, Louis is over forty. It’s nice to see romantic tales of guys who are a little bit older. Gabe is described as muscled and furry, whereas Louis, although furry, and with muscles, also has a belly. Stories with these kinds of characters immediately go to the “My Favourites” pile because most of the romance novels out there are guys in their twenties, who are ripped and muscled, and usually smooth. This is more relatable. It’s more real life and the main characters are just like me. Older, furry, and with a little belly. Diversity and inclusion in literature matters!
So, Mr. Witt, please continue to write about guys who are just like us. A little older (okay, a lot older), not quite in the best shape of our lives, and furry. It’s nice to see that we can have happy endings too.
My Rating:
Purchase Links:
Meet the Author:
Brandon Witt’s outlook on life is greatly impacted by his first eighteen years of growing up gay in a small town in the Ozarks, as well as fifteen years as a counselor and special education teacher for students with severe emotional disabilities. Add to that his obsession with corgis and mermaids, then factor in an unhealthy love affair with cheeseburgers, and you realize that with all those issues, he’s got plenty to write about….
J.P. Jackson 