Blowing Off Steam by Joy Lynn Fielding

Posted May 26, 2015 by shooting in Uncategorized / 10 Comments

Blowing Off Steam by Joy Lynn Fielding

Review by Lauren

Source: copy from netgalley; all opinions are my own
Official Summary: Sam Chancellor has
been in love with the steam engine Old Bess since he was six years old.
Well, maybe not literally, but even when he’s lost everything else in
his life, he’s always had her. But now her place in his heart has been
unexpectedly challenged. Her new driver, Ryan Saunders, is the
embodiment of all Sam’s fantasies.
Ryan has written off Sam as just another geeky
trainspotter—until the moment Ryan sees him without his usual shapeless
hoodie, and realizes that for a nerd, Sam’s pretty built.
When Ryan overlooks Sam’s awkwardness long
enough to suggest a hook-up, Sam seizes the opportunity—and Ryan—with
both very eager hands. Finding common ground in their shared love of
Bess, their time together is better than Sam ever dared dream.
But there’s a reason Ryan never talks about
his past. And when Ryan’s job is threatened, Sam’s well-meaning
intervention puts both Ryan and Bess in deadly danger.
Review: I really liked Blowing Off Steam
and how it dealt with a topic I didn’t know much about – steam engines.
Sam Chancellor loves a particular engine named Old Bess, a love he
shared with his late uncle who basically raised him. When Ryan Saunders
gets the job as Bess’s new driver, it doesn’t take long before Sam is
noticing him as well. As for Ryan, he eventually takes note of Sam, but
only as a baggy-clothes wearing nerd who likes to come and watch the
trains.
Obviously, when the two officially meet, it
doesn’t take long before they are really getting to know each other.
What starts out as a physical relationship soon turns into more. Ryan
has never had boyfriends in the past and he isn’t really interested now.
As for Sam, Ryan is his first everything, but he knows not to push or
he’ll lose whatever they are forming.
Blowing Off Steam has a bit of a mystery
included, when Ryan is in risk of losing his job and information comes
to light that could ultimately help save it…if they can figure out who
is behind it all and gather enough evidence. I liked that this was more
than just a romance, though there is plenty of that (and forewarning –
there are graphic sexual scenes if that bothers you). I do wish that it
had been a bit longer, though, or we were able to dig deeper into the
characters more. Ryan has a secret past, but I feel like it wasn’t dealt
with enough between him and Sam. 
In all, not a bad read!

10 responses to “Blowing Off Steam by Joy Lynn Fielding

  1. Huh. This doesn't seem to be particularly memorable, but I'll keep it in mind for my next M/M reading binge. I usually go through them during the weekends when I really just want to relax. I'm glad the focus is on mystery and not angst.

  2. DMS

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It does sound very unique. I don't think I have ever read a book that centers around a steam engine!
    ~Jess

  3. LGBTQ & something completely different? Sounds great (although, the graphic sex scenes would be waaaay out my comfort zone for someone who doesn't venture out of YA that much, haha.)

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