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Highway Man
Killian Desmond's dreams died in a flash of pain and the scream of twisted metal. He lost it all the night a tour bus sailed off a mountainside, sending his band-with his brother-to their deaths. Killian is dead too, if the papers are to be believed, and living a half-life of odd jobs, rodeo rides and pick up gigs. The road that once meant freedom is now Killy's exile. No strings, no ties, no names for the one-night stands. Answering a tribute band's ad thrusts him face to face with his past, and into the arms of the one man who just might understand.
60 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2011
143 people want to read
About the author
Eden Winters
98 books674 followersYou will know Eden Winters by her distinctive white plumage and exuberant cry of “Hey, y’all!” in a Southern US drawl so thick it renders even the simplest of words unrecognizable. Watch out, she hugs!
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures, she has written over thirty gay romance novels, lost count of novellas and short stories, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s cosplaying for children's charities or hanging out at the farm being a mother, grandmother, and vegetarian.
Her natural habitats are hardware stores and on the backs of motorcycles.
Driven by insatiable curiosity, she possibly holds the world’s record for curriculum changes to the point that she’s never quite earned a degree but is a force to be reckoned with at Trivial Pursuit.
She’s trudged down hallways with police detectives, learned to disarm knife-wielding bad guys, and witnessed the correct way to blow doors off buildings. Her e-mail contains various snippets of forensic wisdom, such as “What would a dead body left in a Mexican drug tunnel look like after six months?” In the process of her adventures, she has written over thirty gay romance novels, lost count of novellas and short stories, has won Rainbow Awards, was a Lambda Awards Finalist, and lives in terror of authorities showing up at her door to question her Internet searches.
When not putting characters in dangerous situations she’s cosplaying for children's charities or hanging out at the farm being a mother, grandmother, and vegetarian.
Her natural habitats are hardware stores and on the backs of motorcycles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
June 16, 2020
Audio 5 Stars
Story 4 Stars
After listening to this short story, I can understand why readers are asking for more, because you will be left wanting more. This short story is definitely just the beginning of this couple's journey. I'm so excited that the author listened to the fans and wrote a full novel. I'm looking forward to
!
Story 4 Stars
After listening to this short story, I can understand why readers are asking for more, because you will be left wanting more. This short story is definitely just the beginning of this couple's journey. I'm so excited that the author listened to the fans and wrote a full novel. I'm looking forward to
!
August 13, 2014
A really heartbreaking and still uplifting story about two broken men who are finally in the right place at the right time. They meet one another, make beautiful music and heal each others hearts. Classic Eden Winters characters that you'll fall in love with fast, I did.
Read
June 4, 2020If you like Highway Man, but want more, there's now a novel based on this novella: Drifter. It's currently up for preorder on Amazon. I kept hearing how people wanted Mike's POV too, so now you'll have it. Releasing July 7 from Rocky Ridge Books. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089G68SSS
May 18, 2011
Eden Winters is at the top of my must-read authors, I bet even her grocery lists are good. But this is way, way different than anything that's come before. Different good. Different amazing.
Killian Desmond's running from his demons -- everyone thinks he's dead and he's content to let them believe it, he'd prefer not to be found and connected with the rock star he was, and he's hiding in plain sight, letting his name and everyone's preconceptions cover him. He's leading a drifter's life, never staying on long, never kissing the one-night stands he finds on the Internet or at a truck-stop, and he probably won't stay til morning anyway.
He won't even call the man he makes a date for sex with by his name --that means remembering, forming a tie. Letting the hurt catch up maybe. Killy will call him Texas instead, and isn't prepared for the quiet acceptance of who he is and why he's running. Not prepared for the homespun wisdom behind why Texas is willing to toss their gig aside for whatever might come next.
We're used to humor, we're used to angst, we're used to solid writing from Eden Winters, but this is dark, gritty, and primal. There's pain on a soul-deep level. And, something we are used to from this writer, there's hope.
Excuse me, I gotta go read this again.
Killian Desmond's running from his demons -- everyone thinks he's dead and he's content to let them believe it, he'd prefer not to be found and connected with the rock star he was, and he's hiding in plain sight, letting his name and everyone's preconceptions cover him. He's leading a drifter's life, never staying on long, never kissing the one-night stands he finds on the Internet or at a truck-stop, and he probably won't stay til morning anyway.
He won't even call the man he makes a date for sex with by his name --that means remembering, forming a tie. Letting the hurt catch up maybe. Killy will call him Texas instead, and isn't prepared for the quiet acceptance of who he is and why he's running. Not prepared for the homespun wisdom behind why Texas is willing to toss their gig aside for whatever might come next.
Tex reached into his pocket, extracting a crumpled pack of gum. He popped a strip into his mouth, chewing vigorously. “What does this taste like?”
Killy scratched his head, perplexed. “How the hell am I supposed to know?”
“Exactly.”
“Huh?”
“If you ain’t the one doing the chewing, how can you know what it tastes like?” He paused, letting the words sink in. “If you ain’t the one doing the living, how can you know what I want?..."
We're used to humor, we're used to angst, we're used to solid writing from Eden Winters, but this is dark, gritty, and primal. There's pain on a soul-deep level. And, something we are used to from this writer, there's hope.
Excuse me, I gotta go read this again.
April 4, 2023
4.5 stars rounded down to 4 because still no 1/2 stars here on GR.
It's been a long time since I read this one...
and when I saw it on audible I just couldn't resist the opportunity to enjoy it on audio.
Every since the accident that claimed his life...Killian Desmond has lived his life in the shadows letting the world believe that the accident that claimed his brother and bandmates also claimed him. But when the opportunity to earn a night's pay filling in with a tribute band presents itself Killian discovers that not everyone in the band is easily fooled and Tex sees past the shadows to the man who's hiding.
At less than 2 hours 'Highway Man' packs an emotional punch that will leave the reader reaching for some tissues and a little red around the eyes. It's been at least 6 years since I read the e-book but despite the years between then and now, the one thing I had no problem remembering was how much I enjoyed this story so there I was 'Highway Man' by Eden Winters and narrated by Darcy Stark...no thought needed on this one...I clicked the buy button and it was a done deal.
'Highway Man' is a story of love and loss, of starting over, forgiving yourself, healing and second chances and it's 1 hour and 43 minutes of pure emotion. This is the 5th book that I've enjoyed by this narrator and I know I have at least 2 more to go because he's also the narrator for Ms. Winters 'Diversion' series and I'm definitely looking forward to enjoying that series on audio...I've already got the first to books ready to go and as soon as the rest are available me and my grabby hands will be all over them.
If you're not familiar with this author or this narrator 'Highway Man' is a very enjoyable way to fix that little oversight...this one's definitely recommended.
It's been a long time since I read this one...
and when I saw it on audible I just couldn't resist the opportunity to enjoy it on audio.
Every since the accident that claimed his life...Killian Desmond has lived his life in the shadows letting the world believe that the accident that claimed his brother and bandmates also claimed him. But when the opportunity to earn a night's pay filling in with a tribute band presents itself Killian discovers that not everyone in the band is easily fooled and Tex sees past the shadows to the man who's hiding.
At less than 2 hours 'Highway Man' packs an emotional punch that will leave the reader reaching for some tissues and a little red around the eyes. It's been at least 6 years since I read the e-book but despite the years between then and now, the one thing I had no problem remembering was how much I enjoyed this story so there I was 'Highway Man' by Eden Winters and narrated by Darcy Stark...no thought needed on this one...I clicked the buy button and it was a done deal.
'Highway Man' is a story of love and loss, of starting over, forgiving yourself, healing and second chances and it's 1 hour and 43 minutes of pure emotion. This is the 5th book that I've enjoyed by this narrator and I know I have at least 2 more to go because he's also the narrator for Ms. Winters 'Diversion' series and I'm definitely looking forward to enjoying that series on audio...I've already got the first to books ready to go and as soon as the rest are available me and my grabby hands will be all over them.
If you're not familiar with this author or this narrator 'Highway Man' is a very enjoyable way to fix that little oversight...this one's definitely recommended.
May 18, 2011
4,5 stars.
Eden Winters? Really??
I must admit,at first I was a bit miffed.This was such a completely different story than her recent releases which were on the funny and lighthearted side.
Highway Man is Sex,Drugs(in the past)and Rock`n Roll!
It reminded me so much of Marc Cohn`s song Strangers In A Car.
"It might be the highway to heaven - or it might be the road to ruin"
I hope for the guys it`s their road from ruin to heaven!
Thanks Eden for the realistic yet satisfying ending.
Now I cant`t get the song - and the story - out of my head.
Eden Winters? Really??
I must admit,at first I was a bit miffed.This was such a completely different story than her recent releases which were on the funny and lighthearted side.
Highway Man is Sex,Drugs(in the past)and Rock`n Roll!
It reminded me so much of Marc Cohn`s song Strangers In A Car.
"It might be the highway to heaven - or it might be the road to ruin"
I hope for the guys it`s their road from ruin to heaven!
Thanks Eden for the realistic yet satisfying ending.
Now I cant`t get the song - and the story - out of my head.
August 3, 2014
The author packed such a wealth of life into such a short story. Great characters, great music, fantastic story.
Reread/ second edition July 14:
The rewritten (longer) second edition of Highway Man is at once completely different and new and yet manages to keep the spirit of the original version. Added bonus is a wonderful, gripping concert scene so powerful I could practically hear the riffs and Killy's gravel voice. Not to be missed!
Reread/ second edition July 14:
The rewritten (longer) second edition of Highway Man is at once completely different and new and yet manages to keep the spirit of the original version. Added bonus is a wonderful, gripping concert scene so powerful I could practically hear the riffs and Killy's gravel voice. Not to be missed!
July 27, 2011
With about as many prickles as a tumbleweed, Killy isn't stopping to make friends, enemies, or hardly even to get laid. There's enough in his past to break a man, but he keeps going, staying about one Prozac ahead of the heartache. Making a joke out of pretending to be what he is usually works, until a long, tall Texan sees through him a little more clearly than he thinks he'd like. Eden Winters can write the rough edges and the pain, and once again, she's written hope too.
May 22, 2011
Excellent short m/m romance based on the song "Papa Was a Rodeo" by the Magnetic Fields. I like to think that part of the song is an epilogue for the story. :)
June 8, 2020
I was asked to read an advanced copy of Eden's upcoming book, Drifter which is a full length novel based off this story. So, I had to read this story first.
I'm not sure. I feel like I can see why readers asked for more of these two, definitely. What I am unsure of is the writing. It was odd and maybe it is because this was just a shorty.
I don't know. Overall though, I can see there is for sure a lot of story to tell and I'm scared to death to read it. Neither back story is going to be good, I just know it. So, even though this was almost a feel good moment in time for these two guys, a full length story of the two of them is going to be nothing but tragic, tragic, tragic. I'm very nervous.
I'm not sure. I feel like I can see why readers asked for more of these two, definitely. What I am unsure of is the writing. It was odd and maybe it is because this was just a shorty.
I don't know. Overall though, I can see there is for sure a lot of story to tell and I'm scared to death to read it. Neither back story is going to be good, I just know it. So, even though this was almost a feel good moment in time for these two guys, a full length story of the two of them is going to be nothing but tragic, tragic, tragic. I'm very nervous.
July 24, 2011
I’m pretty open about my admiration and love of Eden Winters’ writing and dayum, that woman has done it again with Highway Man. Just a quick story, too quick in my opinion, that introduces some intense characters, a hint of possible love, painful pasts, and a cowboy future. Seriously I’m not sure what else the author could have included but altogether this delightful little story is wonderfully angsty, incredibly hot, and a delicious bite you won’t want to miss.
The short story is told from Killian’s perspective. He’s been hiding in plain sight for the last three years, the only surviving member of a pseudo-famous band and tragic accident. That accident has left more scars than just the obvious ones on Killian and his gypsy lifestyle is taking its toll. When he picks up a temporary gig playing with a cover band for his real, long dead band, Killy meets a long tall drink of water Texan that has him reevaluating some choices.
I don’t want to give away any more of the story because it’s really only a few pages and the way it all unfolds is part of the fun. What stands out the most really is the writing. Here Winters has managed to offer a close to fully realized hero in Killian, complete with tragic, painful past and rodeo, cowboy future. I’m not sure if there’s a better combination to make for some scorching hot sex and a wonderfully tortured leading man. Killian feels real almost from the beginning with a lot of depth and nuanced emotion. His story and past is offered piecemeal throughout the story in small bites that continue to intrigue and excite as they’re revealed.
The only downside is the opposite hero, Mike, is barely there. He’s more an idea than a developed character and while the sex between the two is pretty hot and I’ve no complaints, the story is simply too short to really give him any decent weight. It’s more about Killian’s need for someone and desire not to be alone that creates Mike and their chemistry rather than two separate men that decide to be together. That’s not a deterrent to the story though as Killian has enough charm and delicious angst ridden guilt to more than make up for any qualms.
The story includes a lot of different elements, perhaps too much, from a tragic rock ‘n roll past to the gypsy lifestyle and potential rodeo future. I wish the story had focused on perhaps one of those instead of including all of them, yet at the same time the story really works well as it is. It’s hot, interesting, and the characters (especially Killian) grab you immediately. I wish this had been developed into a full story but I do so enjoy it as is. I easily recommend this to any reader who wants a hot bite full of delicious tension and some tragic angst (just a bit though).
The short story is told from Killian’s perspective. He’s been hiding in plain sight for the last three years, the only surviving member of a pseudo-famous band and tragic accident. That accident has left more scars than just the obvious ones on Killian and his gypsy lifestyle is taking its toll. When he picks up a temporary gig playing with a cover band for his real, long dead band, Killy meets a long tall drink of water Texan that has him reevaluating some choices.
I don’t want to give away any more of the story because it’s really only a few pages and the way it all unfolds is part of the fun. What stands out the most really is the writing. Here Winters has managed to offer a close to fully realized hero in Killian, complete with tragic, painful past and rodeo, cowboy future. I’m not sure if there’s a better combination to make for some scorching hot sex and a wonderfully tortured leading man. Killian feels real almost from the beginning with a lot of depth and nuanced emotion. His story and past is offered piecemeal throughout the story in small bites that continue to intrigue and excite as they’re revealed.
The only downside is the opposite hero, Mike, is barely there. He’s more an idea than a developed character and while the sex between the two is pretty hot and I’ve no complaints, the story is simply too short to really give him any decent weight. It’s more about Killian’s need for someone and desire not to be alone that creates Mike and their chemistry rather than two separate men that decide to be together. That’s not a deterrent to the story though as Killian has enough charm and delicious angst ridden guilt to more than make up for any qualms.
The story includes a lot of different elements, perhaps too much, from a tragic rock ‘n roll past to the gypsy lifestyle and potential rodeo future. I wish the story had focused on perhaps one of those instead of including all of them, yet at the same time the story really works well as it is. It’s hot, interesting, and the characters (especially Killian) grab you immediately. I wish this had been developed into a full story but I do so enjoy it as is. I easily recommend this to any reader who wants a hot bite full of delicious tension and some tragic angst (just a bit though).
March 28, 2023
3.5
This is the first half of a romance novel - the part in which the love interests meet each other and decide that maybe there's something there. Unfortunately, for me, anyway, it's also a complete piece.
It's also a wonderful story of a lost soul who... maybe...finds himself.
Do I want more? For sure! Did I love it anyway? Yes!
It turns out there is an expanded version! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
This is the first half of a romance novel - the part in which the love interests meet each other and decide that maybe there's something there. Unfortunately, for me, anyway, it's also a complete piece.
It's also a wonderful story of a lost soul who... maybe...finds himself.
Do I want more? For sure! Did I love it anyway? Yes!
It turns out there is an expanded version! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
October 10, 2018
Audiobook review4,5 stars
A moment in time. A moment can change a life forever. A moment can be all it takes between life or death or it can be a moment spent day dreaming. The Highway Man shows us just how much certain moments change us.
We all live with regrets. The coulda, woulda, shouldas. Killian Desmond lives with his regrets daily. Regrets for not saving his brother, not seeing his pain. The pain of that horrible night a few years back when everything changed so drastically - in just one moment.
Back then he had it all, the money, fame and the freedom to play the music that played in his mind. Now he's a shell of his former self. The world believing him dead and living day to day with no real plan or joy. He's merely existing. All that changes when he answers an ad for a musician for a band in a no name town in the middle of nowhere. The book spans over a very short time, only a couple of days. But over those few hours, Killian's life changes dramatically. For one, he learns the name of what was supposed to be a one night stand.
I loved that there was no insta love between these men. They weren’t forced to become something that they weren't. Nor were there only lust and attraction between them. There was a connection, a start and a promise for something more, something deeper than the quick tumble that they originally planned for. And when we leave them rolling off into the sunset it is with that promise. Promise of living life to the fullest and the possibility of something more between them.
Darcy Stark narrated this book really well. He kept me captivated from the very beginning and all through the book. There were times that I might have preferred a bit more emotion in his narration, but that didn't keep me from loving this book or rooting for something good to come to Killian.
The Highway Man might have been a short story, but it was a story that in no way felt incomplete of rushed. It packs a punch with a lot of feelings, and was just a great listen.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
August 4, 2014
Eden Winters can write long or short but it's always a good story with great characters. A broken man who has lost almost everything, not recognizing that he's still got something left, finds the man who can bring him back. Killy has been hiding in plain sight for too long and when he recognizes how much music means to him he lets it drag him back among the living. Great short story with fully developed characters. I look forward to anything Eden Winters decides to publish and this one proves why.
September 7, 2011
A very good story with a lot of emotion for it's short length.
July 28, 2011
I enjoyed this laid back tale of an ex-rock star and a chance met musician. The HFN ending fits the characters beautifully as they ride off into the sunset.
December 16, 2014
Lovely short story, both moving and musical.
July 29, 2015
Short but packs a punch. 3.5
Heartbreaking with a light at the end of the tunnel read.
Would LOVE to see this one continued.
Heartbreaking with a light at the end of the tunnel read.
Would LOVE to see this one continued.
July 10, 2020
Well, this was heartbreaking. Good thing it didn't end that way and that their story continues in Drifter. I can't wait to get started on that one.
TAGS
-- rock star -- grief -- loss -- starting new -- love the MCs... Killlian & Mike -- looking forward to the next book -- less than 50 pages
TAGS
-- rock star -- grief -- loss -- starting new -- love the MCs... Killlian & Mike -- looking forward to the next book -- less than 50 pages
June 17, 2020
This was a short read about Killian, a musician presumed dead. He meets up for a one night gig with Mike, a bassist who is also a drifter. This was a good set up for the full length novel coming in July. It was kind of dramatic but it kept me interested and I’d like to see where these characters go from here.
March 4, 2022
Not much to say about this really. It was a lot of story for a <2h audiobook w a fair number of improbable plot points, but it was sweet.
July 28, 2014
“Sometimes you have to forget how you feel to remember what you deserve.” ~ unknown
Killian (Killy) Desmond is a broken man. Everything he ever loved, including his brother, went up in a horrible crash and now he's lost. Killy doesn't understand why he didn't die as well. On top of that, he feels guilty that when his brother needed him, he didn't do enough to help him. Since then, he's been trying to run away from the pain, to do to forget his past, but nothing has worked. Killy can't run away from the pain; he needs to get past it, but he can't do so with all of that guilt, fear, pain, and grief crowding his mind and his heart.
Killy wears his pain like a cloak; everyone around him can feel it, but few try to get close to him and that's the way he says he wants it. Killy won't stay one place for any length of time because that breeds familiarity which could mean attachment and he has no intention of being attached to anyone or anything for the rest of his life. The one thing he can't let go of is his music. No matter how hard he tries, Killy can't put away that guitar; he can't stop singing or writing lyrics either. From time to time he still performs, but the latest gig he signs on for is something that took him by surprise. It's with a tribute band dedicated to Killy's former band, Trickster. Despite serious reservations, he takes the job telling himself that it's just for one night and he can survive.
When he walks into the seedy bar where he is to perform, he's not impressed with anything except a handsome young man, who as it so happens, is a another band member. Killy is impressed not only with his looks, but with his playing and singing. Against his better judgment, he goes home with him and nicknames him Texas. Killy and Texas are soon having sex like old lovers. He finds himself breaking every rule he's ever made to keep him detached. For some unfathomable reason, Killy trusts Texas. He senses a kindred spirit with troubles of his own. Texas understands things that he has no way of understanding, listens without judging. Despite himself, Killy feels safe enough to confide in Texas while, finally, his tears flow allowing the poison to leak out of his heart.
This is a moving love story about two men who have been scarred by life and are struggling to find new meaning in their existence. Eden described Killy's anguish with such clarity and emotion that I cried—I wanted so badly to help him. The story, although poignant, could have been very sad except for the fact that, when Killy needed it the most, his knight in shining armor showed up with a left-handed guitar and a voice like an angel, capturing his heart and holding it in his healing hands. Thanks, Eden, for giving Killy and Texas a second chance.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Killian (Killy) Desmond is a broken man. Everything he ever loved, including his brother, went up in a horrible crash and now he's lost. Killy doesn't understand why he didn't die as well. On top of that, he feels guilty that when his brother needed him, he didn't do enough to help him. Since then, he's been trying to run away from the pain, to do to forget his past, but nothing has worked. Killy can't run away from the pain; he needs to get past it, but he can't do so with all of that guilt, fear, pain, and grief crowding his mind and his heart.
Killy wears his pain like a cloak; everyone around him can feel it, but few try to get close to him and that's the way he says he wants it. Killy won't stay one place for any length of time because that breeds familiarity which could mean attachment and he has no intention of being attached to anyone or anything for the rest of his life. The one thing he can't let go of is his music. No matter how hard he tries, Killy can't put away that guitar; he can't stop singing or writing lyrics either. From time to time he still performs, but the latest gig he signs on for is something that took him by surprise. It's with a tribute band dedicated to Killy's former band, Trickster. Despite serious reservations, he takes the job telling himself that it's just for one night and he can survive.
When he walks into the seedy bar where he is to perform, he's not impressed with anything except a handsome young man, who as it so happens, is a another band member. Killy is impressed not only with his looks, but with his playing and singing. Against his better judgment, he goes home with him and nicknames him Texas. Killy and Texas are soon having sex like old lovers. He finds himself breaking every rule he's ever made to keep him detached. For some unfathomable reason, Killy trusts Texas. He senses a kindred spirit with troubles of his own. Texas understands things that he has no way of understanding, listens without judging. Despite himself, Killy feels safe enough to confide in Texas while, finally, his tears flow allowing the poison to leak out of his heart.
This is a moving love story about two men who have been scarred by life and are struggling to find new meaning in their existence. Eden described Killy's anguish with such clarity and emotion that I cried—I wanted so badly to help him. The story, although poignant, could have been very sad except for the fact that, when Killy needed it the most, his knight in shining armor showed up with a left-handed guitar and a voice like an angel, capturing his heart and holding it in his healing hands. Thanks, Eden, for giving Killy and Texas a second chance.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
July 28, 2014
I originally fell in love with Eden Winters’ Highway Man back in June of 2011, when I was reviewing for another blog. I just read that review and am halfway tempted to plagiarize myself because my opinion of this short but skillfully layered story hasn’t changed at all. If anything, it served to remind me of how well Killian Desmond and his Texas Rose play like the notes of a song: soulful, resonant, building one upon the other until it reaches an emotional crescendo before descending into a sweet and subtle finish.
Killy and Tex both have a cross to bear, they’ve both suffered loss on the journey through life, a journey that hasn’t always been kind or forgiving. Where music once filled Killy’s soul, that space is now filled with grief and bitter regrets. Killy keeps his pain close and his desolation closer, crisscrossing the country from one city to the next, a dead man hiding in plain sight as he travels life’s highway, drifting from one meaningless encounter to the next.
The overarching theme in Ms. Winters’ touching portrayal of Killian is that confession is good for the soul, and the truth sets him free. When Mike Rose comes into Killy’s life, through chance, synchronicity, a twist of fate, destiny—whatever name we offer to those inexplicable mysteries of the universe—it gives Killian not only the opportunity but the desire to purge all the despair he’s been carrying for so long, to make room for something and someone else in the half-life he’s been living.
Highway Man is a picturesque glimpse at the barren landscape of a man’s life. It’s not long on word count, nor does it offer any more background into the lives of these two men than is absolutely necessary to make this the perfect short story—long enough to engage and make it feel like a fully realized narrative, short enough to read in one sitting and leave you wishing for more Killy and Tex.
In true Eden Winters style, Highway Man is a romantic interlude that strums a poignant tune on the heartstrings, then comes to an uplifting end, earning its small gems recommendation.
Killy and Tex both have a cross to bear, they’ve both suffered loss on the journey through life, a journey that hasn’t always been kind or forgiving. Where music once filled Killy’s soul, that space is now filled with grief and bitter regrets. Killy keeps his pain close and his desolation closer, crisscrossing the country from one city to the next, a dead man hiding in plain sight as he travels life’s highway, drifting from one meaningless encounter to the next.
The overarching theme in Ms. Winters’ touching portrayal of Killian is that confession is good for the soul, and the truth sets him free. When Mike Rose comes into Killy’s life, through chance, synchronicity, a twist of fate, destiny—whatever name we offer to those inexplicable mysteries of the universe—it gives Killian not only the opportunity but the desire to purge all the despair he’s been carrying for so long, to make room for something and someone else in the half-life he’s been living.
Highway Man is a picturesque glimpse at the barren landscape of a man’s life. It’s not long on word count, nor does it offer any more background into the lives of these two men than is absolutely necessary to make this the perfect short story—long enough to engage and make it feel like a fully realized narrative, short enough to read in one sitting and leave you wishing for more Killy and Tex.
In true Eden Winters style, Highway Man is a romantic interlude that strums a poignant tune on the heartstrings, then comes to an uplifting end, earning its small gems recommendation.
July 27, 2011
Reviewed by Max: Just like the blurb states, this story is basically about one man trying to escape from his past.
Looking for a sexual encounter, Killian Desmond meets up with Tex, and in the course of one day he becomes taken with the rough cowboy even though he tries hard to deny his feelings.
I didn't buy the instant attraction that the men shared, but the story itself was gritty, hot, and well-written. The sex was extremely stimulating and for a short, this one hit all the right spots.
A
Looking for a sexual encounter, Killian Desmond meets up with Tex, and in the course of one day he becomes taken with the rough cowboy even though he tries hard to deny his feelings.
I didn't buy the instant attraction that the men shared, but the story itself was gritty, hot, and well-written. The sex was extremely stimulating and for a short, this one hit all the right spots.
A
May 21, 2011
4 stars. Almost 4 1/2 for me. The story was told from Killian's perspective and like him I would have loved to hear Mike's internal dialog during the story. I would like a full novel about Killy and Mike. In 25 pages they managed to wrap me around their fingers. Eden Winters did an exceptional job of weaving compelling characters and an interesting back story in a few pages. I can hope for more with these characters but if that is not to be then this story is enough.
January 18, 2015
I really liked this story. It wasn't a typical romance with an HEA, more like an HFN, but I liked how to story between Killy and Texas played out and thought the author did a really good job packing in a lot of back story for Killy in such a short story. A little bonus was the surprise that it was based on a song by The Magnetic Fields called Papa Was a Rodeo - one of my favorites from 69 Love Songs.
August 28, 2018
Listened to the audiobook version but don't see it available to review. Really enjoyed the story. I felt the blurb was a little misleading, thought it might be a second chance for the main characters which is a favorite of mine, but it wasn't. Still a good romance. A story of triumph over past hurts. The narration was great and I only wish the story was longer. That the characters were explored just a little bit more so I could really feel with them.
May 25, 2011
4.5 stars
Totally unexpected offering by Eden Winters and one I will certainly reread many, many times. It was simply made for my taste. Darker than her recent stories. Killian's voice was fantastic. Any niggles? Well, it wasn't 200 pages long. XD I would so read the novel about Killy and Mike, "the tall, cool drink of water" Texan. Highly, highly recommended.
Totally unexpected offering by Eden Winters and one I will certainly reread many, many times. It was simply made for my taste. Darker than her recent stories. Killian's voice was fantastic. Any niggles? Well, it wasn't 200 pages long. XD I would so read the novel about Killy and Mike, "the tall, cool drink of water" Texan. Highly, highly recommended.
August 22, 2011
4.5 Ravens. ...Highway Man provides a highly satisfying and emotional journey which will surely get you to think, and at times sweat in the good way, as you watch the two main characters orbit around one another until they finally connect. To read this review in its entirety, please visit http://www.blackravensreviews.com/?p=...
October 2, 2014
This is where I wish for an extended version!
Update: New extended version is much better! Gone from a 3 to a 4.5! Yay! Eden
Thank you!
Update: New extended version is much better! Gone from a 3 to a 4.5! Yay! Eden
Thank you!
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