Genre: Paranormal, Shifter, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Tony
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About The Book
Rhys has a simple life in the backwoods. All he needs is his trusty compound bow, impressive book collection, warm cabin, full food cellar, and himself. So, when Rhys discovers a sly wolf stealing his kills, which are supposed to last him through the coming winter, he’s forced to set a trap and kill the pest.
But, instead of the wolf, Rhys finds a mysterious (and naked) man named Everett.
After learning Everett has nowhere else to go, Rhys hesitantly invites him to stay and heal. But he doesn’t get much time to adjust to life with his eccentric (and stupidly handsome) house guest, not when winter arrives early and with a vengeance.
Cooped up in the cabin together for months, will Rhys learn to love himself and another? Or will hidden truths and empty stomachs snuff out the flames of love and life?
The Review
Pest Control is about two guys with issues.
Rhys cannot be around people and all their activities. He does not like close contact, noise, smells and all the trappings of city life. He’s prone to panic attacks and every bug going around. No one is willing to help him or look after him, neither his parents nor any of his boyfriends. No one has the time, or gets what he is going through. He runs away into the wilds, builds himself a dwelling and lives alone off the land.
Well, that’s the plan, anyway. All is going well, until a wolf starts stealing his kills and his stores for the winter. Rhys makes some traps. He manages to capture not a wolf, but a naked man. Let’s not question how he came to be so skilled at such things.
Back to the naked man, and why not? Meet Everett, the other troubled guy. He had an equally uncaring family, who could not or would not cope with a hyperactive child who eventually gets kicked out when he’s revealed to be gay. Everett is thrown out into the wilds without clothes (well he is a wolf, as you probably got from the cover art) or any survival skills. His family just couldn’t cope with his constant questions and need for attention. They left him at home and refused to train him.
Now he finds himself being looked after by someone equally unsuited.
Rhys and Everett are trying to figure out how to live with each other and support one other whem winter hits with a vengeance. They find themselves snowed in and running out of food and fuel, and their lives become increasingly fraught.
I was onboard for the two lost boys finding each other trope, and, ever so slowly, working out their issues and falling for each other. For a while, all we are treated to are spooning and cuddles during the cold nights.
But when they finally get it on, things go hard core porn movie, complete with appropriate dialogue, fisting and poor Rhys getting pumped full of… let’s just say Everett. When Everett says he is proud of Rhys for being able to take all of his fist, I’m not at all sure what Everett’s basing that on, seeing as how he is a virgin. It really took me out of the story.
My feelings about this book are mixed. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to the end, but I found Rhys and Everett grew on me. Rhys is all prickles and bad tempers and Everett’s more of a big sweet but irritating child who needs a firm but understanding hand.
They both get to grow up during the story, and accept help from each other, and that helped make it a worthwhile read.
The Reviewer
Tony is an Englishman living amongst the Welsh and the Other Folk in the mountains of Wales. He lives with his partner of thirty-six years, four dogs, two ponies, various birds, and his bees. He is a retired lecturer and a writer of no renown but that doesn’t stop him enjoying what he used to think of as ‘sensible’ fantasy and sf. He’s surprised to find that if the story is well written and has likeable characters undergoing the trails of life, i.e. falling in love, falling out of love, having a bit of nooky (but not all the time), fending off foes, aliens and monsters, etc., he’ll be happy as a sandperson who has just offloaded a wagon of sand at the going market price. As long as there’s a story, he’s in. He aims to write fair and honest reviews. If he finds he is not the target reader he’ll move on.