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Taming The Lion Tamer (2012)

by Caitlin Ricci(Favorite Author)

3.55 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1614957177 (ISBN13: 9781614957171)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Silver Publishing

series

Taming the Lion Tamer

review 1: What a great short story. Sweet, uplifting, with cute characters and a very cute lion. It covers the first, somewhat awkward stages of Quinn, who is the "lion tamer" and pretty self-confident, meeting someone new. Charlie is shy, a talented artist, and can’t believe Quinn is interested in him. Not that he'll protest too loudly – just in case Quinn changes his mind. Both men are lonely, for different reasons, but once they meet, their story changes into a wonderful fairy tale.Quinn is a zoologist who runs a big cat sanctuary in Wyoming. He loves the outdoors, adores working with the many different species of cats. And no, not one of them is a house cat. When he brings Aseem, a one-year-old lion who was rescued from cruel people, into an animation studio so the artist ca... moren study him, he doesn’t expect to meet anyone special. His key interest is in helping the artists understand Aseem, and to maybe create some interest for the sanctuary. Seeing Charlie, who is too shy to even look at him at first, is unexpected, but Quinn makes his move the second he detects the interest is mutual.Charlie loves drawing, but he hates working for his current employer. The sterile white offices don't really suit him. He lives with his divorced sister and her two daughters, whom he adores, but he doesn’t seem to have a lot of friends. He can’t believe Quinn is interested in him, but doesn’t hesitate to say yes to a weekend visit to the sanctuary when it is offered. The rest, as they say, is history.If you like love at first sight and whirlwind romances, if you enjoy stories about two men who are just perfect for each other, and if you're looking for a short, sweet, modern-day fairy tale, you will probably like this short book.
review 2: 3.5 StarsThis is a short, sweet, 'insta-love' story that I read in two sittings (as a writer, I try to devote more time to writing than reading these days!). Things progress quickly, leading to one spontaneous open door love scene, and concluding in a satisfying manner. Quinn Fitzgerald runs a big cat sanctuary. He brings his year-old endangered Asiatic lion cub to an animation studio for artists to draw. There he meets Charlie, one of the artists. Their attraction to each other is instant but very low key. Quinn invites Charlie to spend the upcoming weekend at the sanctuary with him, alone. Of course Charlie accepts. Afterward, Charlie has a moment of self-realization and makes the necessary change to his life that allows for an HEA. Caitlin has a very easy to read writing style. It's crisp and clean with an easy flow. She manages to teach you a thing or two about endangered big cats without making it feel like you're learning. I believe that if Caitlin were to do a little more 'showing' and a little less 'telling', she could easily develop her likeable characters and enjoyable plot into a longer, more intricate story. Caitlin stands the typical 'man with cute dog' trope on its head by swapping out the cute dog for an endangered Asiatic lion named Aseem. Along the way, you learn how cruel human can be to animals, how unwise it is to try to keep big cats as pets, yet it never feels preachy or didactic. The attraction between Charlie and Quinn is instant, as it has to be in a story of this length. Rather than the intense fireworks you might expect, their reaction to each other is mild. It's obvious but low key. Aseem plays his part as matchmaker with a lazy charm. He endears himself to us and to Charlie with is playful affection toward Quinn. He displays his cub-ish side by nibbling on Quinn's keyring. Charlie accepts Quinn's invitation to stay with him at the cat sanctuary while the rest of the staff has the weekend off. Charlie is a fish out of water at the sanctuary, but he's inquisitive, eager to learn, and not afraid to literally get his hands dirty. He quickly grows comfortable in Quinn's world. A convenient rainstorm forces them into shelter where they pass the time with carnal delights. When he returns home and to his job, Charlie feels dissatisfied with his life. While he has a happy relationship with his sister and her daughters, it's obvious from the beginning that sharing a house with them is not longer optimal for Charlie. His sister is funny and accepting of his lifestyle, but Charlie is a single guy and she has a pack of young children. Couple this with Charlie's dissatisfaction with his job and his boss, and Charlie's moment of self-realization gives the reader an internal fist-pump moment. "Taming the Lion Tamer" is the perfect 'feel-good' read for an afternoon or evening (or a long plane flight). It takes you from boy-meets-boy to HEA over the course of a few days, as is necessary in novellas. The characters are likable. This is a quintessential 'opposites-attract' story, but it's done realistically and believably. The love scene is realistic because it's a little bit awkward and imperfect. Caitlin peppers it with very humorous and human moments that make the reader smile. It's definitely worth a read. less

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