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Barging In
When the boat's a rockin', don't come knockin'!
Out-and-proud travel writer Dan Taylor can't steer a boat to save his life, but that doesn't stop him from accepting an assignment to write up a narrowboat holiday. Instead of a change of pace from city life, though, the canal seems dull as ditchwater. Until he crashes into the boat of a half-naked, tattooed, pierced man whose rugged, penniless appearance is at odds with a posh accent.
Still smarting from past betrayal, Robin Hamilton’s “closet” is his narrowboat, his refuge from outrageous, provocative men like Dan. Yet he can’t seem to stop himself from rescuing the hopelessly out-of-place city boy from one scrape after another. Until he finds himself giving in to reluctant attraction, even considering a brief, harmless fling.
After all, in less than a week, Dan’s going back to his London diet of casual hook-ups and friends with benefits.
Determined not to fall in love, both men dive into one week of indulgence…only to find themselves drawn deep into an undertow of escalating intimacy and emotional intensity. Troubled waters neither of them expected…or wanted.
Product Warning: Contains one lovable tart, one posh boy gone feral, rough sex, alfresco sex, vile strawberry-flavoured condoms, intimate body piercings, red thermal long-johns, erotic woodchopping, an errant cat, a few colourful characters you wouldn't touch with a bargepole, and plenty of messing about on the river.
288 pages, ebook
First published September 20, 2011
About the author
Josephine Myles
62 books645 followersEnglish through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. She blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She's beginning to suspect he enjoys it.
***
Note to readers: I don't read reviews of my stories on here anymore, as I think they're geared for other readers, not the writers (plus I'm chicken and would rather stick my fingers in my ears going "la-la-la"). If you'd like to let me know what you thought about any of my stories, please PM me or send me an email. I'd be very happy to hear from you :)
***
Note to readers: I don't read reviews of my stories on here anymore, as I think they're geared for other readers, not the writers (plus I'm chicken and would rather stick my fingers in my ears going "la-la-la"). If you'd like to let me know what you thought about any of my stories, please PM me or send me an email. I'd be very happy to hear from you :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
June 27, 2016
2.5 stars
I think review from Vio, and Arthur capture my view on the story perfectly. Yeah, I'm feeling too lazy to form an opinion of my own :p.
I agree that this book is just a bit too long for immature romance. One guy who is just firm on not being in commitment and wants to be living his "slutty" ways, while the other one is holding grudge of past lover and ends up being hostile. Grumpy is good, hostile is definitely NOT sexy for me.
I do enjoy some angst and I admit that some scenes make my heart squeezed, but most of the times, throughout the book, I kinda want to hit both guys in the head with a stick. Add intrusive best friend, that becomes annoying after a while and a scene that for me just comes out of nowhere ()
Oh, and don't forget about both considered cheating just to make a point (what?!?)
I think review from Vio, and Arthur capture my view on the story perfectly. Yeah, I'm feeling too lazy to form an opinion of my own :p.
I agree that this book is just a bit too long for immature romance. One guy who is just firm on not being in commitment and wants to be living his "slutty" ways, while the other one is holding grudge of past lover and ends up being hostile. Grumpy is good, hostile is definitely NOT sexy for me.
I do enjoy some angst and I admit that some scenes make my heart squeezed, but most of the times, throughout the book, I kinda want to hit both guys in the head with a stick. Add intrusive best friend, that becomes annoying after a while and a scene that for me just comes out of nowhere ()
Oh, and don't forget about both considered cheating just to make a point (what?!?)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2011
It's not bad, but I didn't enjoy reading it as much as I expected.
1. There isn't much chemistry between the two MCs.
2. I don't mind angst as long as it's not too much, and not something caused by their own actions. Some of the angst situations can easily be avoided with a quick call to Mel. They're both close to her and have her cell phone number.
3. They both were about to cheat. They both basically were saved by people with whom they were about to cheat. OK, Dan did cheat. Giving a BJ as a birthday present qualifies as cheating in my book.
Perhaps it's just not my cup of tea.
1. There isn't much chemistry between the two MCs.
2. I don't mind angst as long as it's not too much, and not something caused by their own actions. Some of the angst situations can easily be avoided with a quick call to Mel. They're both close to her and have her cell phone number.
3. They both were about to cheat. They both basically were saved by people with whom they were about to cheat. OK, Dan did cheat. Giving a BJ as a birthday present qualifies as cheating in my book.
Perhaps it's just not my cup of tea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2011
2.5 stars
The pace was too slow for me and I didn't really connect with the characters nor was I drawn into the story. I felt no magical spark between Dan and Robin and their first sexual encounter, was so not hot or sexy. The lack of preparation as in just spit for lubrication was a complete turn off, that encounter did not sit well with me. What I did like was the vivid description of the waterways, boats and scenery oh and of course Morris!
The pace was too slow for me and I didn't really connect with the characters nor was I drawn into the story. I felt no magical spark between Dan and Robin and their first sexual encounter, was so not hot or sexy. The lack of preparation as in just spit for lubrication was a complete turn off, that encounter did not sit well with me. What I did like was the vivid description of the waterways, boats and scenery oh and of course Morris!
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January 12, 2018Kindle freebie 1/12/18!
January 21, 2012
More of my reviews and ramblings at PANTS OFF REVIEWS
Where has Josephine Myles been all my life? It’s been such a joy to read a Myles book; I am in deep obsessing fan love. Her characters are always diverse; her writing filled with such beautiful description and the heat always singes a hair or two. I am all about the pants losing, but I think I might have lost my underwear with this one. Barging In is splendid and I am happy I read it.
Dan Taylor is on an assignment to write up an article on boating holidays. He has no idea how to handle a narrowboat even with the fifteen-minute tutorial he got from the boat rental place. Trying to avoid crushing other boats while steering, Dan eyes get caught on the sexy tattooed and pierced god chopping wood half naked. Dan is thinking that his work is about to become good with a little play.
Robin Hamilton life is his boat and Dan is about to f*ck that up. There is no way he will fall for the established slut, because that is exactly what Dan is. He makes no apologies about it, and Robin isn’t looking for someone like that. He has been down that road before and it only left him heartbroken. Well… Dan is hard to resist and Robin wants him in his bed, and besides the relationship wont be long-term because Dan will have to leave and head home eventually and what’s wrong with taking something/someone he wants?
Can I just say this book is a total surprise of freaking awesome! The relationship between both Dan and Robin is unexpectedly sexy and emotional filled. Both men a far from perfect but together they just fit perfectly. Dan believes he will never be a one-man type of guy, and Robin is an itch he has to scratch but slowly their days and night together become something more to him. Robin is afraid to love someone again, and so he hides behind a surly ‘I don’t give a crap attitude’ to keep potential mates at bay. Though Dan is getting under his skin and it’s hard to resist his outrageous flirt.
With a colourful back drop of boats and equally colourful supporting characters. Barging In is a wonderful book, and I am just in awe. There is always diversity offered up in a Josephine Myles book. That love is something that conquers all no matter what you look like and where you came from, what we perceive on the outside is never true once we look in. That’s one of the reasons why I love this book.
Lets get serious, Dan and Robin are to die for all that sexy had me losing my pants all over the place. I love Dan because he remained true to himself to the very end, that man is no pretender. I love Robin because he’s sex on a boat. He was surly in the beginning, but that man is an onion and Dan knows how to unravel all his layers. I love them together!
I can’t dislike any part of this book, even when they were both pulling douche moves it just went right with the story. I am sad it ended, and I would love to read about these guys again. I recommend a Josephine Myles book in a BIG WAY.
Where has Josephine Myles been all my life? It’s been such a joy to read a Myles book; I am in deep obsessing fan love. Her characters are always diverse; her writing filled with such beautiful description and the heat always singes a hair or two. I am all about the pants losing, but I think I might have lost my underwear with this one. Barging In is splendid and I am happy I read it.
Dan Taylor is on an assignment to write up an article on boating holidays. He has no idea how to handle a narrowboat even with the fifteen-minute tutorial he got from the boat rental place. Trying to avoid crushing other boats while steering, Dan eyes get caught on the sexy tattooed and pierced god chopping wood half naked. Dan is thinking that his work is about to become good with a little play.
Robin Hamilton life is his boat and Dan is about to f*ck that up. There is no way he will fall for the established slut, because that is exactly what Dan is. He makes no apologies about it, and Robin isn’t looking for someone like that. He has been down that road before and it only left him heartbroken. Well… Dan is hard to resist and Robin wants him in his bed, and besides the relationship wont be long-term because Dan will have to leave and head home eventually and what’s wrong with taking something/someone he wants?
Can I just say this book is a total surprise of freaking awesome! The relationship between both Dan and Robin is unexpectedly sexy and emotional filled. Both men a far from perfect but together they just fit perfectly. Dan believes he will never be a one-man type of guy, and Robin is an itch he has to scratch but slowly their days and night together become something more to him. Robin is afraid to love someone again, and so he hides behind a surly ‘I don’t give a crap attitude’ to keep potential mates at bay. Though Dan is getting under his skin and it’s hard to resist his outrageous flirt.
With a colourful back drop of boats and equally colourful supporting characters. Barging In is a wonderful book, and I am just in awe. There is always diversity offered up in a Josephine Myles book. That love is something that conquers all no matter what you look like and where you came from, what we perceive on the outside is never true once we look in. That’s one of the reasons why I love this book.
Lets get serious, Dan and Robin are to die for all that sexy had me losing my pants all over the place. I love Dan because he remained true to himself to the very end, that man is no pretender. I love Robin because he’s sex on a boat. He was surly in the beginning, but that man is an onion and Dan knows how to unravel all his layers. I love them together!
I can’t dislike any part of this book, even when they were both pulling douche moves it just went right with the story. I am sad it ended, and I would love to read about these guys again. I recommend a Josephine Myles book in a BIG WAY.
July 17, 2018
I couldn't connect with the characters and the story at all. It became a chore to finish this and it took weeks.
August 27, 2011
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
Tattoos, piercings and an attitude problem are something that never gets old with me. Add an accent and an unconventional setting and I'm completely hooked and won over. Josephine Myles was an author whose work I've never read before, but I did catch her blog post or two and just based on that, I had high expectations. One thing she didn't do is disappoint.
Dan is a man who has his life planned and is perfectly happy with it. He sleeps around, focuses on his career and has fun with his best friend. However, everything changes with one great job opportunity and a perfect ass that takes his breath away.
The owner of the said ass is Robin, a grouchy tattooed and oh-boy-is-he-pierced man who lives on a boat and has a painful past. Robin doesn't like Dan. He absolutely dislikes the way his lips look, how well he is dressed and how great his body is, but he really hates the way Dan makes his lower regions stir.
But Dan is set on seducing Robin and while Robin resists, what's between them is way more powerful than either of them is prepared for.
One thing about this book that might have made me reconsider my rating was the slow way everything moved. But somehow, by the time I reached the last page I didn't really care. The sex was both hot and sweet. The characters were charming and very lovable and the story had a mind of its own.
If you've read any of my reviews, you know I have a soft spot for originality. That is another thing this book has. The boating details, from the people to the way of life, brought a breath of fresh air into this genre and it was a fascinating thing to read about. With this book you will get to know a whole different world where there are no steady addresses and where prejudice is a daily occurrence.
The love story was filled with ups and downs, and while some details about Dan might bother some readers, I thought it was a very realistic view of things. The characters are not without flaws but in the end, that was the most gripping thing about them.
I do hope this author gives us more work of this quality, but until then, I'll keep on recommending BARGING IN to my friends.
Tattoos, piercings and an attitude problem are something that never gets old with me. Add an accent and an unconventional setting and I'm completely hooked and won over. Josephine Myles was an author whose work I've never read before, but I did catch her blog post or two and just based on that, I had high expectations. One thing she didn't do is disappoint.
Dan is a man who has his life planned and is perfectly happy with it. He sleeps around, focuses on his career and has fun with his best friend. However, everything changes with one great job opportunity and a perfect ass that takes his breath away.
The owner of the said ass is Robin, a grouchy tattooed and oh-boy-is-he-pierced man who lives on a boat and has a painful past. Robin doesn't like Dan. He absolutely dislikes the way his lips look, how well he is dressed and how great his body is, but he really hates the way Dan makes his lower regions stir.
But Dan is set on seducing Robin and while Robin resists, what's between them is way more powerful than either of them is prepared for.
One thing about this book that might have made me reconsider my rating was the slow way everything moved. But somehow, by the time I reached the last page I didn't really care. The sex was both hot and sweet. The characters were charming and very lovable and the story had a mind of its own.
If you've read any of my reviews, you know I have a soft spot for originality. That is another thing this book has. The boating details, from the people to the way of life, brought a breath of fresh air into this genre and it was a fascinating thing to read about. With this book you will get to know a whole different world where there are no steady addresses and where prejudice is a daily occurrence.
The love story was filled with ups and downs, and while some details about Dan might bother some readers, I thought it was a very realistic view of things. The characters are not without flaws but in the end, that was the most gripping thing about them.
I do hope this author gives us more work of this quality, but until then, I'll keep on recommending BARGING IN to my friends.
November 9, 2014
Hmmm, this was pretty darn good.
Yep, another Jo Myles winner in my book.
Perhaps it was a tad babbley at times, but I didn't mind.
Their British banter was adorable and amusing.
Dan has absolutely no intentions of becoming a one-man man.
Nope. He's quite happy being the slut he is. Well until a grouchy sexy drifter crosses his path. After they quite literally bump into one another, they can't seem to get rid of each other.
As things heat up (and sweet mercy do they ever!) they find themselves looking at different paths.
Dan can't commit; he's never been in a relationship before and likes bar-hopping and bed-hopping.
Robin can't keep himself from giving his heart.
One of them is going to have to bend...but who?
If you've read Merry Gentlemen and enjoyed it...you'll love these troubled boys too.
*4 sexy-saucy-and-then-more-sexy stars*
Yep, another Jo Myles winner in my book.
Perhaps it was a tad babbley at times, but I didn't mind.
Their British banter was adorable and amusing.
Dan has absolutely no intentions of becoming a one-man man.
Nope. He's quite happy being the slut he is. Well until a grouchy sexy drifter crosses his path. After they quite literally bump into one another, they can't seem to get rid of each other.
As things heat up (and sweet mercy do they ever!) they find themselves looking at different paths.
Dan can't commit; he's never been in a relationship before and likes bar-hopping and bed-hopping.
Robin can't keep himself from giving his heart.
One of them is going to have to bend...but who?
If you've read Merry Gentlemen and enjoyed it...you'll love these troubled boys too.
*4 sexy-saucy-and-then-more-sexy stars*
August 25, 2017
Ah, I just adore Jo Myles' books. They're so very British, and I just love that.
I'd never heard of Narrowboats before this book. I'd no idea that there are people in Britain who live on these skinny boats, slowly moving up and down the rivers and canals through the country-side. I'd no clue that you can rent such a boat for a holiday. Until I googled that, and wow - there's apparently a ton of these boats, no wider than a few feet, on which you can live and cook and sleep.
Robin, one of our MCs, owns such a boat, and he's basically hiding himself away after heartache and heartbreak, unwilling to risk his heart ever again. Love? Pshaw - who needs it?
On the other side, we have Dan, a London-based travel writer and self-proclaimed slut (one-night-stand-Dan), whose latest assignment is writing a story about the Narrowboat culture. He knows not a darn thing about boats, including the one he's rented, which is how he meets Robin.
Boats collide, two very different men collide, and - dare we hope - hearts collide as well.
With her typical British humor, Jo Myles creates a fabulous romance against a background of lazy canals, penniless boaters scraping by, and the ever so beautiful English countryside, where two men, both different and alike in so many ways, literally bump into each other and tentatively, carefully, dare to reach out and learn that what they believed to be true might not be true after all.
With a fabulous supporting cast (other boaters, a land-locked curmudgeon, a randy old geezer, and Robin's errant cat), this book paints a gorgeous picture of what life is like when you live on a boat, and presents you with two imperfect, somewhat damaged MCs who are, beyond their wildest dreams, perfect for each other. Their banter had me in stitches, the sexy times were smoking, and their rather rough road to their love story, no matter how much they might fight their feelings and hurt each other in the process before kissing and making up, made me want to root for them, and in the end left me with a huge smile on my face.
I love Jo Myles' books. Recommended!
** I received a free copy of this book from the author via Signal Boost Promotions. A positive review was not promised in return. **
I'd never heard of Narrowboats before this book. I'd no idea that there are people in Britain who live on these skinny boats, slowly moving up and down the rivers and canals through the country-side. I'd no clue that you can rent such a boat for a holiday. Until I googled that, and wow - there's apparently a ton of these boats, no wider than a few feet, on which you can live and cook and sleep.
Robin, one of our MCs, owns such a boat, and he's basically hiding himself away after heartache and heartbreak, unwilling to risk his heart ever again. Love? Pshaw - who needs it?
On the other side, we have Dan, a London-based travel writer and self-proclaimed slut (one-night-stand-Dan), whose latest assignment is writing a story about the Narrowboat culture. He knows not a darn thing about boats, including the one he's rented, which is how he meets Robin.
Boats collide, two very different men collide, and - dare we hope - hearts collide as well.
With her typical British humor, Jo Myles creates a fabulous romance against a background of lazy canals, penniless boaters scraping by, and the ever so beautiful English countryside, where two men, both different and alike in so many ways, literally bump into each other and tentatively, carefully, dare to reach out and learn that what they believed to be true might not be true after all.
With a fabulous supporting cast (other boaters, a land-locked curmudgeon, a randy old geezer, and Robin's errant cat), this book paints a gorgeous picture of what life is like when you live on a boat, and presents you with two imperfect, somewhat damaged MCs who are, beyond their wildest dreams, perfect for each other. Their banter had me in stitches, the sexy times were smoking, and their rather rough road to their love story, no matter how much they might fight their feelings and hurt each other in the process before kissing and making up, made me want to root for them, and in the end left me with a huge smile on my face.
I love Jo Myles' books. Recommended!
** I received a free copy of this book from the author via Signal Boost Promotions. A positive review was not promised in return. **
August 29, 2011
Excellent m/m romance about a somewhat slutty travel writer who's rented a narrowboat for a week so he can write about and photograph life on the canals. When he (literally) runs into a hunky, prickly boater who takes an instant dislike to him, things get a lot more interesting... for both of them. This was a story that built slowly, but never felt like it. And make sure you have your hankies handy! Highly recommended.
September 22, 2011
Sometimes I think the (my) 3 star ratings are the worst books.
Nothing`s really wrong,they have all the right ingredients,a promising story but the spark doesn`t ignite. - Lukewarm.
Nothing`s really wrong,they have all the right ingredients,a promising story but the spark doesn`t ignite. - Lukewarm.
February 10, 2013
This was a really enjoyable read. I found it very easy to like the 2 main characters (Robin & Dan) & the secondary characters were well fleshed out too. I loved the setting of the book as I have always had a dream of living on a river barge so I was predisposed to like the book because of that anyway. The other thing I liked about the story was that the men were, well, men ... not women with willies (if you know what I mean). Having said that, they also had real emotions & feelings too which made a nice change. The background story & resolution of past hurts & relationships added depth & feeling to the story too. I would definitely re-read this book & I might have to see if I can find any river barges in Australia.
Shelved as 'dnf'
November 9, 2012DNF. I don't hate it, but it's just not grabbing my attention either. With so many other books to read, it's time for me to move on.
April 9, 2018
I sadly didn't really love this. It was fine. But I just did not like how Robin treated or talked about Dan. And there was never any resolution. His behavior is pointed out but I didn't get any indication of long term changes. Dan completely changes his life for Robin and I never noticed any reciprocation by Robin. It irks me. I don't know. It never clicked.
September 22, 2011
Dan is a journalist who is doing an article about barging on the canal near Bath. He's pretty hopeless at it really, and literally runs into hottie Robin, who lives on his boat. He's surly and not impressed with idiot tourists, however before long, self-professed slut Dan, with no interest in a relationship, and firmly-bi Robin, have agreed to spend the week together, no strings. Well, we all know how that goes right? At first Robin comes across as a bit of an ass, and Dan is a good-time Charlie, but the more you get to know them and dig beyond the surface you find out what they are really about. Why Robin behaves as he does toward Dan, and Dan's sexually-free lifestyle and why he is staying away from commitment. I really really liked this story. It takes the time to develop the relationship, even after the week vacation, there's no easy answer to their issues, especially the distance. The cast of secondary characters was great, the locals who live on/beside the canal, Robin's very upper-crust family and Dan's blue-collar family, and his best friend and sometimes bed-buddy Tristan, all play important roles and are individuals with distinct personalities. I may have sniffled a bit at one point, but it's not super angsty. There are funny parts and serious parts and both men change and grow and move forward in their personal growth due to the other. If I had any niggles it was Robin's female friend who interfered a bit (but I appreciated that both guys ignored her LOL), and I would have loved to see Robin address his bi vs gay status, but those are very minor. So I am saying, rush out and get this great little story. You'll fall in completely love with Dan and Robin by the end of the book. I'm kind of hoping Tristan gets to find his HEA soon. :-)
January 13, 2012
I was really happy to read a gay romance set in England, especially such a quintessentially English setting as the canals.
Josephine Myles gets the ambience just right, and the boats are lovely - made me want to take a boating holiday next summer!
I think some of the less enthusiastic reviews for this book come from people who cannot empathise with the setting and the different pace of life in Britain. Not much in the line of car chases, gun-toting enemies or gangs are found here as a rule, and that might make it seem boring to some, but to me it was like - and indeed is - home.
I like reading action-based romances as well, but do I prefer something like this, like Jo Myles' careful build-up (too long? well, long enough, but not too long) and characterisation, including the side characters. The pub was so real I could smell it! Mine's a pint of local ale, by the way...
I found both main characters believable, and while I was less drawn to the flamboyantly gay Dan, I still liked him. Robin made it for me, though. I really wanted to give him a hug quite often during the course of the book.
Silly boy!
I'd recommend this to lovers of England, boats, and hot, slow-building romances with a happy ending.
Josephine Myles gets the ambience just right, and the boats are lovely - made me want to take a boating holiday next summer!
I think some of the less enthusiastic reviews for this book come from people who cannot empathise with the setting and the different pace of life in Britain. Not much in the line of car chases, gun-toting enemies or gangs are found here as a rule, and that might make it seem boring to some, but to me it was like - and indeed is - home.
I like reading action-based romances as well, but do I prefer something like this, like Jo Myles' careful build-up (too long? well, long enough, but not too long) and characterisation, including the side characters. The pub was so real I could smell it! Mine's a pint of local ale, by the way...
I found both main characters believable, and while I was less drawn to the flamboyantly gay Dan, I still liked him. Robin made it for me, though. I really wanted to give him a hug quite often during the course of the book.
Silly boy!
I'd recommend this to lovers of England, boats, and hot, slow-building romances with a happy ending.
January 13, 2014
A well-told romance about two men, neither of whom are expecting to find love, with a terrific setting in the narrow boat community around Bath in England. I enjoyed learning about both characters and watching them grow closer together, and also enjoyed their relationships with their families - especially Robin's with his mother. The details of the setting were thorough and vivid, so it was no surprise to learn that the author once lived on a narrow boat herself.
The whole thing was really quite excellent, especially for a first novel! I shall have to look into what else Jo Myles has on offer. :-)
The whole thing was really quite excellent, especially for a first novel! I shall have to look into what else Jo Myles has on offer. :-)
October 30, 2011
This review was originally published at Joyfully Jay.
Travel writer Dan Taylor has a new assignment covering boating holidays in a rented narrowboat he isn't quite sure how to steer. He spots gorgeous Robin Hamilton chopping wood along the water and is instantly attracted to the tattooed and pierced man. Unfortunately, too much ogling leads Dan to run his boat right into Robin's.
Robin isn't thrilled to deal with an unskilled city boy boater, and is even less thrilled later in the day when Dan gets his boat stuck and Robin has to help bail him out once again. He just wants to be left alone and has no interest in Dan or his article. Yet the two men keep encountering one another and soon the attraction is too strong and they start a hot and heavy sexual relationship.
Both men know this fling will be short term. Dan grew up poor in a small cramped house and he loves his independent and free lifestyle as an adult. He enjoys lots of casual hookups, never committing to one man for long. Dan quickly loses interest after a short time with other guys and figures a fling with Robin while on assignment will be be all he needs.
Robin isn't looking for a relationship either. He is still recovering from a terrible break up years before and is not ready to open his heart up to anyone.
But both men are surprised then to find that a week together is not nearly enough. They form not a just a physical connection, but an emotional one as well, and as their time together draws to a close each man realizes he wants more than just a brief fling. They now must struggle to figure out if and how they can be together for more.
I loved the way both men grew and developed in this story. Dan starts out as a casual party boy, just looking to have some fun and sees Robin as another conquest. He has no real appreciation for the boating life, not even bothering to really learn to steer his rented narrowboat. As the book continues though, Dan starts to really see the people behind the boats. His article and photos show the real stories behind the boating community, from the diverse population to their struggles with British Waterways. As he gets to know Robin, he suddenly realizes that he doesn't want to just go find another guy to hook up with and that he really does want a relationship and commitment. Yet he is terrified that he is not good enough for Robin and that he doesn't know how to settle down with one person. He also still struggles with his need for an independent space after growing up so poor.
Robin faces an even bigger emotional challenge. When the book starts he is fairly surly and disinterested in company. He is still reeling from the loss of his former boyfriend and not at all ready to risk his heart again. He also isn't completely comfortable out of the closet, which makes things difficult with the out and proud Dan. But his time with Dan helps Robin open up and learn to take the risk on love again. He also is finally able to reconcile with his family who he has largely been avoiding.
I really loved this story and thoroughly enjoyed Dan and Robin. I liked watching them grow both separately and together throughout the book. I especially enjoyed how each learns to not hold back their true self when with the other man. Robin finally finds someone with whom he can share the stories of his troubled past with his ex and with whom he can confide about his dyslexia.
Their relationship felt so real to me. So many stories would have ended after Dan's week trip with a pat HEA. But I love that the story takes if further as the men try to figure out how to make things work and whether they can find a way to combine their very different lifestyles.
I also really enjoyed the insight into the narrowboat world. Myles shares that she spent two years living on a narrowboat and it is obvious from the rich detail she is able to provide into the boating world. (In case, like me, you have no idea what a narrowboat looks like, here are a couple of pictures I found that might help.) One of the interesting aspects of their lives are the restrictions placed on the boaters by British Waterways requiring them to move to a new area every two weeks. This makes it hard for the boaters to hold down steady jobs, which in turn makes many in the surrounding communities resent them as "hippies."
I thought Barging In was a wonderful story. Great troubled characters who find a way past all their emotional baggage so that they can be together. Hot couple that steams up the page. Fascinating setting described in a way that makes you feel like you are really there. Wonderful writing that made me really feel what the characters were experiencing. Overall, I thought it was a fabulous book that I strongly recommend.
Travel writer Dan Taylor has a new assignment covering boating holidays in a rented narrowboat he isn't quite sure how to steer. He spots gorgeous Robin Hamilton chopping wood along the water and is instantly attracted to the tattooed and pierced man. Unfortunately, too much ogling leads Dan to run his boat right into Robin's.
Robin isn't thrilled to deal with an unskilled city boy boater, and is even less thrilled later in the day when Dan gets his boat stuck and Robin has to help bail him out once again. He just wants to be left alone and has no interest in Dan or his article. Yet the two men keep encountering one another and soon the attraction is too strong and they start a hot and heavy sexual relationship.
Both men know this fling will be short term. Dan grew up poor in a small cramped house and he loves his independent and free lifestyle as an adult. He enjoys lots of casual hookups, never committing to one man for long. Dan quickly loses interest after a short time with other guys and figures a fling with Robin while on assignment will be be all he needs.
Robin isn't looking for a relationship either. He is still recovering from a terrible break up years before and is not ready to open his heart up to anyone.
But both men are surprised then to find that a week together is not nearly enough. They form not a just a physical connection, but an emotional one as well, and as their time together draws to a close each man realizes he wants more than just a brief fling. They now must struggle to figure out if and how they can be together for more.
I loved the way both men grew and developed in this story. Dan starts out as a casual party boy, just looking to have some fun and sees Robin as another conquest. He has no real appreciation for the boating life, not even bothering to really learn to steer his rented narrowboat. As the book continues though, Dan starts to really see the people behind the boats. His article and photos show the real stories behind the boating community, from the diverse population to their struggles with British Waterways. As he gets to know Robin, he suddenly realizes that he doesn't want to just go find another guy to hook up with and that he really does want a relationship and commitment. Yet he is terrified that he is not good enough for Robin and that he doesn't know how to settle down with one person. He also still struggles with his need for an independent space after growing up so poor.
Robin faces an even bigger emotional challenge. When the book starts he is fairly surly and disinterested in company. He is still reeling from the loss of his former boyfriend and not at all ready to risk his heart again. He also isn't completely comfortable out of the closet, which makes things difficult with the out and proud Dan. But his time with Dan helps Robin open up and learn to take the risk on love again. He also is finally able to reconcile with his family who he has largely been avoiding.
I really loved this story and thoroughly enjoyed Dan and Robin. I liked watching them grow both separately and together throughout the book. I especially enjoyed how each learns to not hold back their true self when with the other man. Robin finally finds someone with whom he can share the stories of his troubled past with his ex and with whom he can confide about his dyslexia.
Their relationship felt so real to me. So many stories would have ended after Dan's week trip with a pat HEA. But I love that the story takes if further as the men try to figure out how to make things work and whether they can find a way to combine their very different lifestyles.
I also really enjoyed the insight into the narrowboat world. Myles shares that she spent two years living on a narrowboat and it is obvious from the rich detail she is able to provide into the boating world. (In case, like me, you have no idea what a narrowboat looks like, here are a couple of pictures I found that might help.) One of the interesting aspects of their lives are the restrictions placed on the boaters by British Waterways requiring them to move to a new area every two weeks. This makes it hard for the boaters to hold down steady jobs, which in turn makes many in the surrounding communities resent them as "hippies."
I thought Barging In was a wonderful story. Great troubled characters who find a way past all their emotional baggage so that they can be together. Hot couple that steams up the page. Fascinating setting described in a way that makes you feel like you are really there. Wonderful writing that made me really feel what the characters were experiencing. Overall, I thought it was a fabulous book that I strongly recommend.
July 29, 2013
4 Stars
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Dan Taylor is a travel writer that takes an assignment to cover a narrowboat holiday. Dan knows nothing about boating other than the brief lesson given by the people where he hired the boat. While making his way along the canal he is distracted by the sight of a hunky, tattooed man chopping wood. He is so distracted he runs into the man’s narrowboat. Not exactly the best first impression.
Robin Hamilton is the owner of the boat, Serendipity. The one Dan happens to hit. Robin is gruff and surly and makes it known he does not think highly of tourists. Even so, he helps Dan out and gives him some boating advice.
The difference between these two men is a gap wider than the canal. Dan is a free spirit, openly gay and a bit promiscuous. Dan has no intentions of settling into a relationship and makes no pretense otherwise. Robin is a mess. He is a rebellious young man, still dealing with resentments from his childhood, a learning disability that was never really addressed and a relationship that ended tragically with a young man named Jamie. He resists the feelings that emerge when he meets Dan; not wanting to be involved with someone he feels is slutty. Robin also has issues with being gay and insists he is bi. His view of how gay men behave coming from the baggage he is carrying around from his relationship with Jamie.
Dan meets another boater named Mel. Mel is a woman boater that befriends him and helps him meet other boaters for Dan to interview and photograph. Dan becomes more involved in the boater culture and he continues to come in contact with Robin. They eventually decide the attraction is too strong to deny and go for a casual fling for the week that Dan has left on assignment. As the men get to know one another, they learn more about one another, share histories and make an emotional attachment that neither is expecting or wanting. We learn why Robin has the attitude he does towards Dan’s freedom loving ways and why Dan wants to remain that way. There is a large amount of misunderstandings and trust issues before we get to our HEA.
I had a hard time liking Robin. He is gruff and angry and I thought his treatment of Dan bordered on abusive upon their initial encounter. I was not sure why Dan accepted it or wanted to continue without having more of an emotional attachment. Robin’s insecurities and jealousy dominated the relationship building and Dan’s tendency to view sex casually only made it worse. The scene involving the birthday “present” kind of showcased how each man viewed monogamy to me.
Although I was not always comfortable with the relationship, it was obvious Dan and Robin connected on a deeper level than just sex. However, I had a hard time seeing exactly what that was and it felt a bit one-sided at times with Dan having to change more than Robin.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I have read an anthology by Ms Myles that had a story involving narrowboats before. This lifestyle fascinates me and I loved the descriptions of the cities, canals, boats and people. There is a whole cast of eccentric characters to round out the story. Dan’s and Robin’s mother’s play an important part in helping us understand where these two men come from and how their personalities were formed. I love Ms Myles style of storytelling and will definitely continue to read her books.
A "Live Your Life, Buy The Book" Review
Dan Taylor is a travel writer that takes an assignment to cover a narrowboat holiday. Dan knows nothing about boating other than the brief lesson given by the people where he hired the boat. While making his way along the canal he is distracted by the sight of a hunky, tattooed man chopping wood. He is so distracted he runs into the man’s narrowboat. Not exactly the best first impression.
Robin Hamilton is the owner of the boat, Serendipity. The one Dan happens to hit. Robin is gruff and surly and makes it known he does not think highly of tourists. Even so, he helps Dan out and gives him some boating advice.
The difference between these two men is a gap wider than the canal. Dan is a free spirit, openly gay and a bit promiscuous. Dan has no intentions of settling into a relationship and makes no pretense otherwise. Robin is a mess. He is a rebellious young man, still dealing with resentments from his childhood, a learning disability that was never really addressed and a relationship that ended tragically with a young man named Jamie. He resists the feelings that emerge when he meets Dan; not wanting to be involved with someone he feels is slutty. Robin also has issues with being gay and insists he is bi. His view of how gay men behave coming from the baggage he is carrying around from his relationship with Jamie.
Dan meets another boater named Mel. Mel is a woman boater that befriends him and helps him meet other boaters for Dan to interview and photograph. Dan becomes more involved in the boater culture and he continues to come in contact with Robin. They eventually decide the attraction is too strong to deny and go for a casual fling for the week that Dan has left on assignment. As the men get to know one another, they learn more about one another, share histories and make an emotional attachment that neither is expecting or wanting. We learn why Robin has the attitude he does towards Dan’s freedom loving ways and why Dan wants to remain that way. There is a large amount of misunderstandings and trust issues before we get to our HEA.
I had a hard time liking Robin. He is gruff and angry and I thought his treatment of Dan bordered on abusive upon their initial encounter. I was not sure why Dan accepted it or wanted to continue without having more of an emotional attachment. Robin’s insecurities and jealousy dominated the relationship building and Dan’s tendency to view sex casually only made it worse. The scene involving the birthday “present” kind of showcased how each man viewed monogamy to me.
Although I was not always comfortable with the relationship, it was obvious Dan and Robin connected on a deeper level than just sex. However, I had a hard time seeing exactly what that was and it felt a bit one-sided at times with Dan having to change more than Robin.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I have read an anthology by Ms Myles that had a story involving narrowboats before. This lifestyle fascinates me and I loved the descriptions of the cities, canals, boats and people. There is a whole cast of eccentric characters to round out the story. Dan’s and Robin’s mother’s play an important part in helping us understand where these two men come from and how their personalities were formed. I love Ms Myles style of storytelling and will definitely continue to read her books.
May 1, 2017
Although this dragged a little in the middle, it was a good story and interesting. I learned a lot about a culture I'd never even heard of. I mean, I knew about travellers/"gypsies" but I was unaware of the boat culture in that part of England. When I originally read the summary, I thought it took place in some exotic non-Western country. So I learned something and that in itself was wonderful.
I liked Robin a lot except in the very, very beginning when he was a jerk. I really liked Dan, except when he was on the prowl or thinking about sex, which unfortunately, was most of the time. He was far too smug and pushy, too aware of his own sex appeal and utterly convinced he would get who he wanted when he wanted. Frustratingly, he was right, and that pissed me off. I wanted him to be put in his place and some of that arrogance taken away. He was also a little judgmental in the beginning, but that went away.
Warning, this book contains cheating:
The part where I was really uncomfortable was when (minor spoiler)
Despite this, I still liked both characters and did want them to have a happy ending. That's a testament to Myles's skill as a writer. I liked the families and that the individuals weren't black and white, but had both good and bad qualities. I also liked that the book accepted that there are true bisexuals in the world.
My last two comments are:
1. 29 is not old, even in the gay world.
2. The characters made a "cholesterol sandwich." In college, we had something we called a "heart-attack sandwich" which was similar and similarly delicious.
I liked Robin a lot except in the very, very beginning when he was a jerk. I really liked Dan, except when he was on the prowl or thinking about sex, which unfortunately, was most of the time. He was far too smug and pushy, too aware of his own sex appeal and utterly convinced he would get who he wanted when he wanted. Frustratingly, he was right, and that pissed me off. I wanted him to be put in his place and some of that arrogance taken away. He was also a little judgmental in the beginning, but that went away.
Warning, this book contains cheating:
The part where I was really uncomfortable was when (minor spoiler)
Despite this, I still liked both characters and did want them to have a happy ending. That's a testament to Myles's skill as a writer. I liked the families and that the individuals weren't black and white, but had both good and bad qualities. I also liked that the book accepted that there are true bisexuals in the world.
My last two comments are:
1. 29 is not old, even in the gay world.
2. The characters made a "cholesterol sandwich." In college, we had something we called a "heart-attack sandwich" which was similar and similarly delicious.
August 15, 2012
2.5 stars This is a really hard book to review. The first half was 1.5 to 2 stars and the second half was 3.5 to 4 stars, so I averaged it out.
Why I didn't like the first half? I didn't like (actually flat out disliked) the two main characters. Robin was just a complete ass, and despite Dan continually saying he wanted to conquer him or whatever, I wasn't buying it. I didn't feel a connection, and Dan acted like he knew Robin wanted him, but really, he was kind of a dick most of the time. So I was annoyed with Robin for being a dick, but then also annoyed with Dan for not leaving him alone.
The characters just assume or know too much that isn't implied to the reader. For example, Robin declaring that Dan is a slut (which I was pissed about, how rude!), and Dan agreeing with him! We had no inkling of this. Dan had been flirty and persistent but kind and friendly. Then all of a sudden all Dan thinks about half the time is how much of a slut he is and different slut-related things. He seemed like a different person than the one I thought I had met in the first chapter.
Anyway, they both calmed down after they got laid, and the book started improving for me. There were still a few things that annoyed me or just flat out pissed me off, both about Dan and about Robin . But anyway, I ended up smiling at the end, and seeing as it has me day-dreaming about living on a boat (which is ridiculous on so many levels, least of which is that I'm scared of the ocean and hate the smell of seafood), it has to have something going for it.
Why I didn't like the first half? I didn't like (actually flat out disliked) the two main characters. Robin was just a complete ass, and despite Dan continually saying he wanted to conquer him or whatever, I wasn't buying it. I didn't feel a connection, and Dan acted like he knew Robin wanted him, but really, he was kind of a dick most of the time. So I was annoyed with Robin for being a dick, but then also annoyed with Dan for not leaving him alone.
The characters just assume or know too much that isn't implied to the reader. For example, Robin declaring that Dan is a slut (which I was pissed about, how rude!), and Dan agreeing with him! We had no inkling of this. Dan had been flirty and persistent but kind and friendly. Then all of a sudden all Dan thinks about half the time is how much of a slut he is and different slut-related things. He seemed like a different person than the one I thought I had met in the first chapter.
Anyway, they both calmed down after they got laid, and the book started improving for me. There were still a few things that annoyed me or just flat out pissed me off, both about Dan and about Robin . But anyway, I ended up smiling at the end, and seeing as it has me day-dreaming about living on a boat (which is ridiculous on so many levels, least of which is that I'm scared of the ocean and hate the smell of seafood), it has to have something going for it.
October 18, 2012
This story is lovely. The blurb is extremely accurate, I love the disclaimer, so I won’t go into the details of the story.
I really appreciated the way the relationship between Dan, the journalist, and Robin, the boater, developed. The two are out of sync for all the story, but not in a too dissonant way. You can see that they’re trying to overcome their doubts and fears to get to the coveted result, even when they can’t name what it is yet.
They fall in lust quickly, but they both have to earn the love. Robin is the one with a failed past relationship which left an emotional trauma, but he is also the first who can identify what he’s feeling for Dan, and even if he knows what he has to lose, he is the first one to take a leap of faith and show what he wants from the other man. Dan is apparently the braver of the two, but he values his independence too much. He has to get to a breaking point before being able to realize what he can gain and what he can lose.
I loved to see that they really cared for the other, for example when Dan finds the way to help the dyslexic Robin order in the restaurant without making him feel embarrassed, or how Robin can read Dan’s distress on the water. I liked very much Robin’s mother, her love shines through even if she’s confused or when she’s set in her ways. Often in this story people start from differences but they find a common ground to understand each other.
It was a very relaxing read, funny, entertaining. I like British settings and I’ve always been fascinated with boats, even if I’m a bit afraid of water.
I really appreciated the way the relationship between Dan, the journalist, and Robin, the boater, developed. The two are out of sync for all the story, but not in a too dissonant way. You can see that they’re trying to overcome their doubts and fears to get to the coveted result, even when they can’t name what it is yet.
They fall in lust quickly, but they both have to earn the love. Robin is the one with a failed past relationship which left an emotional trauma, but he is also the first who can identify what he’s feeling for Dan, and even if he knows what he has to lose, he is the first one to take a leap of faith and show what he wants from the other man. Dan is apparently the braver of the two, but he values his independence too much. He has to get to a breaking point before being able to realize what he can gain and what he can lose.
I loved to see that they really cared for the other, for example when Dan finds the way to help the dyslexic Robin order in the restaurant without making him feel embarrassed, or how Robin can read Dan’s distress on the water. I liked very much Robin’s mother, her love shines through even if she’s confused or when she’s set in her ways. Often in this story people start from differences but they find a common ground to understand each other.
It was a very relaxing read, funny, entertaining. I like British settings and I’ve always been fascinated with boats, even if I’m a bit afraid of water.
June 12, 2012
I just loved this! So much so that I just stayed up until 1 despite having to work tomorrow. The first time I started this book I just could not get into it. Don't know why it was different this time, but it worked perfectly for me, and I fell in love as Dan and Robin did.
July 13, 2017
I honestly don't know what took me so long to read this book. I really enjoyed it! Really loved Robin's vulnerability and Dan's total lack of sexual morals. Interesting look on the boating culture as well. Enjoyable, not too angsty and hot sex. Yum!
January 8, 2012
I bought this book straight after reading the sample - I seem to be doing that a lot lately. At first it was the unusual setting that drew me in (and it is so lovely to read a novel where the setting is so important, and so well-used) but I soon warmed to the characters and spent a very enjoyable day with this engaging novel.
I have spent some time on a narrowboat (as one of those tourists that drive Robin up the wall) and can only regret that my luck in finding a sexy tattooed man wasn’t as good as Dan’s. Real life is such a let-down. I think it’s fair to say that the setting (and especially Robin’s boat) is almost another character in this book, so integral is it to the plot, but Myles sensibly doesn’t labour the details. Mention of locks and swing bridges may mean more to some readers than others, but if you pick this book up with no knowledge of narrowboats you will be fine.
I wasn’t sure what to make of Dan at first. He seems rather superficial, given to relying on his natural charm and good looks, and lacking in any depth. Robin is the total opposite, a man who doesn’t bother with niceties at all and seems quite happy to live in brooding isolation on his beloved boat. Though these first impressions carry an element of truth it becomes clear to us, and to the characters, that nothing is quite so simple.
As Dan is a stranger to the boating world the narrative begins from his perspective, effectively introducing the reader to the setting without feeling contrived, but does switch back and forth with Robin as the novel proceeds. I found that this was done seamlessly, and at places where the narrative change made sense, and was completely unobtrusive as far as I was concerned. In this, and throughout the novel, Myles’ writing is confident and self-assured.
Dan’s writing and photography bring him further into contact with the boating community, and with Robin, and as the two spend more time together (and as Dan makes himself more useful than he initially appeared) a tentative connection is established. The sex is incredibly hot, and the two seem to get along better than expected but Robin still sees Dan as a rather feckless city boy, and Dan himself is not in the habit of forming lasting relationships. All the signs point to an enjoyable fling but nothing more.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about the course of their relationship, but from what I have read of other reviews, many readers have issues with an aspect of the novel. Read the spoiler for my thoughts:
While Dan and Robin are the stars of the show, I really enjoyed Myles’ portrayal of the peripheral characters, such as the other boaters and members of Dan and Robin’s families. While not always wildly original (Robin’s are the archetypal upper middle class parents) they are vividly written and added a lot of colour to the novel. As Dan and Robin’s relationship deepens the other characters recede for a time, so that the reader can really feel the intimacy developing between them. Then life intervenes and they have to emerge into the real world again, but I enjoyed the other characters enough that I was happy to see them again.
Barging In is on the long side for a novel in this genre which I personally loved love loved. I like that the storyline had time to unfold, and that crucial events were spaced out enough in the narrative (though within a chronologically short space of time) that I didn’t feel that I was racketing from crisis to crisis with no break. The way in which Dan and Robin dealt with their conflict helped with that, in that they are rather blokey and taciturn (and Robin has a habit of turning his phone off to avoid it). Though emotions are deeply felt, and expressed in the occasional outburst, their behaviour on the whole felt realistically low-key to me and so even though there are quite a few misunderstandings, I didn’t feel the exasperation that such plotlines can cause. I felt that both characters’ actions proceeded logically (even if illogical!) from what I knew of them and their background, and so I didn’t question it.
I will say that as long as the novel was, the ending felt a wee bit rushed to me. I really liked the idea of the conclusion, but felt that it happened a little too quickly and neatly. I loved that both men realised that they needed to make changes and compromises for their relationship, and that both had come such a long way in order to do so. It felt like a realistic and sustainable path to a happy ending, and so I was all geared up for a lovely romantic reunion, but the actual ending felt a bit pat. I was willing to go along with it because I enjoyed the rest of the book so much, but I think the execution of the ending was less satisfying than I had hoped.
That is my only quibble though, and didn’t really harm my enjoyment of this book. I’d recommend it very highly and look forward to reading more of Josephine Myles’s work.
Review first posted at Some Old Story
I have spent some time on a narrowboat (as one of those tourists that drive Robin up the wall) and can only regret that my luck in finding a sexy tattooed man wasn’t as good as Dan’s. Real life is such a let-down. I think it’s fair to say that the setting (and especially Robin’s boat) is almost another character in this book, so integral is it to the plot, but Myles sensibly doesn’t labour the details. Mention of locks and swing bridges may mean more to some readers than others, but if you pick this book up with no knowledge of narrowboats you will be fine.
I wasn’t sure what to make of Dan at first. He seems rather superficial, given to relying on his natural charm and good looks, and lacking in any depth. Robin is the total opposite, a man who doesn’t bother with niceties at all and seems quite happy to live in brooding isolation on his beloved boat. Though these first impressions carry an element of truth it becomes clear to us, and to the characters, that nothing is quite so simple.
As Dan is a stranger to the boating world the narrative begins from his perspective, effectively introducing the reader to the setting without feeling contrived, but does switch back and forth with Robin as the novel proceeds. I found that this was done seamlessly, and at places where the narrative change made sense, and was completely unobtrusive as far as I was concerned. In this, and throughout the novel, Myles’ writing is confident and self-assured.
Dan’s writing and photography bring him further into contact with the boating community, and with Robin, and as the two spend more time together (and as Dan makes himself more useful than he initially appeared) a tentative connection is established. The sex is incredibly hot, and the two seem to get along better than expected but Robin still sees Dan as a rather feckless city boy, and Dan himself is not in the habit of forming lasting relationships. All the signs point to an enjoyable fling but nothing more.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about the course of their relationship, but from what I have read of other reviews, many readers have issues with an aspect of the novel. Read the spoiler for my thoughts:
While Dan and Robin are the stars of the show, I really enjoyed Myles’ portrayal of the peripheral characters, such as the other boaters and members of Dan and Robin’s families. While not always wildly original (Robin’s are the archetypal upper middle class parents) they are vividly written and added a lot of colour to the novel. As Dan and Robin’s relationship deepens the other characters recede for a time, so that the reader can really feel the intimacy developing between them. Then life intervenes and they have to emerge into the real world again, but I enjoyed the other characters enough that I was happy to see them again.
Barging In is on the long side for a novel in this genre which I personally loved love loved. I like that the storyline had time to unfold, and that crucial events were spaced out enough in the narrative (though within a chronologically short space of time) that I didn’t feel that I was racketing from crisis to crisis with no break. The way in which Dan and Robin dealt with their conflict helped with that, in that they are rather blokey and taciturn (and Robin has a habit of turning his phone off to avoid it). Though emotions are deeply felt, and expressed in the occasional outburst, their behaviour on the whole felt realistically low-key to me and so even though there are quite a few misunderstandings, I didn’t feel the exasperation that such plotlines can cause. I felt that both characters’ actions proceeded logically (even if illogical!) from what I knew of them and their background, and so I didn’t question it.
I will say that as long as the novel was, the ending felt a wee bit rushed to me. I really liked the idea of the conclusion, but felt that it happened a little too quickly and neatly. I loved that both men realised that they needed to make changes and compromises for their relationship, and that both had come such a long way in order to do so. It felt like a realistic and sustainable path to a happy ending, and so I was all geared up for a lovely romantic reunion, but the actual ending felt a bit pat. I was willing to go along with it because I enjoyed the rest of the book so much, but I think the execution of the ending was less satisfying than I had hoped.
That is my only quibble though, and didn’t really harm my enjoyment of this book. I’d recommend it very highly and look forward to reading more of Josephine Myles’s work.
Review first posted at Some Old Story
August 21, 2021
Have often wanted to read this book but never got around to it. Enjoyed it, especially reading about the life of a permanent bargee. Not sure why fish & chips isn't regarded as a takeaway as they aren't healthy and are #1 takeaway in New Zealand.
September 11, 2022
Kindle-Sort-ReRead
What Ami said 😏
What Ami said 😏
October 18, 2011
Who knew there was an entire subculture living a gypsy life aboard long, thin boats on the canals of England? Or that some of them were so darn sexy? Josephine Myles treats us to a peek through Robin Hamilton's reluctant romance with Dan Taylor, travel writer and terrible noob long-boater in Barging In.
The erotic wood-chopping we are warned of brings Robin and Dan together – literally, with a collision and snarling. From this inauspicious beginning wonderful things bloom. Dan's out, footloose, and interested, but Robin's slower to open up; his character is revealed in beautifully done details of his life, his boat, his tattoos, and eventually, his heart.
The small every day things like getting from one end of the boat to the other become real terrors for a novice who's not comfortable with water; Robin drops his gruffness in small chunks, opening up to Dan, teaching him practical things and what it's like to be truly cared for. Each man has his own pain, revealed in his own time. Flaws and fears surface slowly, one step at a time, and we can see each man getting help from the other, all while watching the calendar tick away the brief time that was all they expected to have. Robin and Dan both have tiny thoughts of a future, followed by learning the art of compromise to have anything at all. Spattered with details of life on the canals and rivers, their story swings from hope to despair and back, several times. There's a lot of sex in this book, but it does drive the plot.
The pacing lurches a bit – the first two thirds of the book cover one short, intense week, but the next third encompasses a month that both seems too long and in a few respects like not enough; the time doesn't seem to match the calendar or pace of certain real world transactions, but that may also reflect my imperfect understanding of how both winter and money are managed in England. An occasion of over-telegraphing of what is to come then fails to follow through, hiding an unexpected personality transplant in a pivotal secondary character. That character was a great deal more likeable afterward.
But I love Dan, whose free spirit begins to liberate Robin from the shell he's built, and Robin, who forces Dan to think, and I want them to be happy together. If they don't like the place they're in, they don't have to wait two weeks for British Waterways to roust them, they'll lead each other to a better space.
The erotic wood-chopping we are warned of brings Robin and Dan together – literally, with a collision and snarling. From this inauspicious beginning wonderful things bloom. Dan's out, footloose, and interested, but Robin's slower to open up; his character is revealed in beautifully done details of his life, his boat, his tattoos, and eventually, his heart.
The small every day things like getting from one end of the boat to the other become real terrors for a novice who's not comfortable with water; Robin drops his gruffness in small chunks, opening up to Dan, teaching him practical things and what it's like to be truly cared for. Each man has his own pain, revealed in his own time. Flaws and fears surface slowly, one step at a time, and we can see each man getting help from the other, all while watching the calendar tick away the brief time that was all they expected to have. Robin and Dan both have tiny thoughts of a future, followed by learning the art of compromise to have anything at all. Spattered with details of life on the canals and rivers, their story swings from hope to despair and back, several times. There's a lot of sex in this book, but it does drive the plot.
The pacing lurches a bit – the first two thirds of the book cover one short, intense week, but the next third encompasses a month that both seems too long and in a few respects like not enough; the time doesn't seem to match the calendar or pace of certain real world transactions, but that may also reflect my imperfect understanding of how both winter and money are managed in England. An occasion of over-telegraphing of what is to come then fails to follow through, hiding an unexpected personality transplant in a pivotal secondary character. That character was a great deal more likeable afterward.
But I love Dan, whose free spirit begins to liberate Robin from the shell he's built, and Robin, who forces Dan to think, and I want them to be happy together. If they don't like the place they're in, they don't have to wait two weeks for British Waterways to roust them, they'll lead each other to a better space.
October 31, 2012
A little heavy on the boating details for me, but a solid romance
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 7/10
PROS:
- I thought it was interesting to get a look at a community (British boaters) that I not only knew nothing about, but which I hadn’t ever really thought of existing. This story introduced me to an aspect of the world which I found entirely new.
- Myles’s descriptions are often unusual in a way that gives the story a feel that’s just a little different from most romances. My favorite example early on is the description of a place that’s full of “knickknacks that encrusted every surface like bohemian barnacles.”
- The story is almost entirely lacking in melodrama. The conflict consists of a series of small obstacles that the guys tackle realistically as they encounter them.
- Even though I typically find fast-paced romances unconvincing, I liked how quickly Robin falls for Dan in this story. It’s touching how Robin makes up his mind to wrestle Dan into something long-term and then throws himself into accomplishing the task.
CONS:
- It’s obvious from the amount of detail included in the story that Myles has some in-depth knowledge of boating. I admired the realistic feel that results from these details, but I also got a bit bored with them, especially when the characters’ dialogue included words or phrases I wasn’t familiar with, like this: “Fifty-five foot, narrow-beam, traditional stern. Lister SR2 engine.”
- Because I’m so unfamiliar with boats, I couldn’t even picture the setting sometimes. There’s one sex scene, for example, that takes place in a particular location on Robin’s boat that is apparently fairly open to outside viewing, but I simply couldn’t imagine it.
- I wasn’t altogether on board with a subtle change that occurs in the men’s sexual relationship a little over halfway through the story.
Overall comments: I think this is a solid read: well-written and realistic. In a lot of m/m books, the characters have human doubts and fears, particularly about the relationship, but then they react to those doubts in melodramatic ways. That’s not the case with this one. Robin and Dan have misunderstandings and jealousy and such, but it never causes a huge falling out or anything terribly dramatic.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 7/10
PROS:
- I thought it was interesting to get a look at a community (British boaters) that I not only knew nothing about, but which I hadn’t ever really thought of existing. This story introduced me to an aspect of the world which I found entirely new.
- Myles’s descriptions are often unusual in a way that gives the story a feel that’s just a little different from most romances. My favorite example early on is the description of a place that’s full of “knickknacks that encrusted every surface like bohemian barnacles.”
- The story is almost entirely lacking in melodrama. The conflict consists of a series of small obstacles that the guys tackle realistically as they encounter them.
- Even though I typically find fast-paced romances unconvincing, I liked how quickly Robin falls for Dan in this story. It’s touching how Robin makes up his mind to wrestle Dan into something long-term and then throws himself into accomplishing the task.
CONS:
- It’s obvious from the amount of detail included in the story that Myles has some in-depth knowledge of boating. I admired the realistic feel that results from these details, but I also got a bit bored with them, especially when the characters’ dialogue included words or phrases I wasn’t familiar with, like this: “Fifty-five foot, narrow-beam, traditional stern. Lister SR2 engine.”
- Because I’m so unfamiliar with boats, I couldn’t even picture the setting sometimes. There’s one sex scene, for example, that takes place in a particular location on Robin’s boat that is apparently fairly open to outside viewing, but I simply couldn’t imagine it.
- I wasn’t altogether on board with a subtle change that occurs in the men’s sexual relationship a little over halfway through the story.
Overall comments: I think this is a solid read: well-written and realistic. In a lot of m/m books, the characters have human doubts and fears, particularly about the relationship, but then they react to those doubts in melodramatic ways. That’s not the case with this one. Robin and Dan have misunderstandings and jealousy and such, but it never causes a huge falling out or anything terribly dramatic.
January 12, 2018
Barging In is probably not in my top five of Josephine Myles stories, but it was pretty good nonetheless. Myles has a very English way about her writing (which one can expect since she is herself English) and I love all the little-known bits of English life that she brings out in her stories.
Here we have Robin, a tattooed boating loner stud-muffin, and Dan, and happily slutty travel writer. They meet when Dan 'taps' their boats together (Dan was distracted by a sweaty, tattooed man wielding an ax...i think we can give him some slack) and Robin not so gently schools Dan on the proper way to not be a wanker...I mean, the proper way to operate a longboat down the canals. Dan is smitten. Robin is not.
After several run-ins and meetings Robin and Dan kind of hit it off...and get it on. But Robin doesn't want any life other than the one he has, and he can not trust that Dan will be faithful to him when he is off wandering the world (with his no-good, slut of a friend). Dan, for his part, has lived the whole cramped, confined, and broke lifestyle before, and has no intention of reliving his childhood. So they are at a bit of impasse. Too bad they are in love with each other, because whatever way they cut it, it seems like someone is going to bleed.
I loved the location and people in this book. I've never been to England (mores the pity) and honestly had no idea that people lived their lives on the canals there. So it was pretty cool to get a glimpse into the lives of people like that. And for all that I am a stay-in-one-place-till-they-threaten-to-bodily-remove-you kind of girl, I can see the attraction of never being tied down like that. I however am a huge fan of indoor plumbing so I don't think I could live like that more than a couple days.
The story did seem to stretch on a bit longer than I would have liked, but it was enjoyable, so I'll live. And Dan's stupid-headedness was a bit aggravating at times--especially when he knows how much it was hurting Robin. I did like there solution to their problems thought. I think it gave both of them what they wanted as well as what they needed.
Overall, not bad. I enjoyed the story and the MCs, and would probably not mind going back and reading more of their story if Myles ever wishes to write it.
Here we have Robin, a tattooed boating loner stud-muffin, and Dan, and happily slutty travel writer. They meet when Dan 'taps' their boats together (Dan was distracted by a sweaty, tattooed man wielding an ax...i think we can give him some slack) and Robin not so gently schools Dan on the proper way to not be a wanker...I mean, the proper way to operate a longboat down the canals. Dan is smitten. Robin is not.
After several run-ins and meetings Robin and Dan kind of hit it off...and get it on. But Robin doesn't want any life other than the one he has, and he can not trust that Dan will be faithful to him when he is off wandering the world (with his no-good, slut of a friend). Dan, for his part, has lived the whole cramped, confined, and broke lifestyle before, and has no intention of reliving his childhood. So they are at a bit of impasse. Too bad they are in love with each other, because whatever way they cut it, it seems like someone is going to bleed.
I loved the location and people in this book. I've never been to England (mores the pity) and honestly had no idea that people lived their lives on the canals there. So it was pretty cool to get a glimpse into the lives of people like that. And for all that I am a stay-in-one-place-till-they-threaten-to-bodily-remove-you kind of girl, I can see the attraction of never being tied down like that. I however am a huge fan of indoor plumbing so I don't think I could live like that more than a couple days.
The story did seem to stretch on a bit longer than I would have liked, but it was enjoyable, so I'll live. And Dan's stupid-headedness was a bit aggravating at times--especially when he knows how much it was hurting Robin. I did like there solution to their problems thought. I think it gave both of them what they wanted as well as what they needed.
Overall, not bad. I enjoyed the story and the MCs, and would probably not mind going back and reading more of their story if Myles ever wishes to write it.
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