The death of his wife four years earlier left Travis Bennett a shell of the man he used to be. With his dog by his side, Travis raises his three children, manages his business, and works as a ranch hand. But every day, every minute, is an aching emptiness. Wesley Ryan has fond memories of the small Ozark town of El Dorado. Seeing it as a safe place to put his failed relationships behind him, … him, Wesley moves into his grandparents’ old home and takes over the local veterinary clinic. An early morning visit from Travis and his dog stirs feelings that Wesley seeks to push away–the last thing he needs is to fall for a man with baggage and three kids as part of the package.
Life, it seems, has other plans.
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Travis Bennett has been in mourning for four years. Not a day goes by he doesn’t miss his wife or visit her grave. His Sister Wendy moved in shortly after Shannon’s death to help with the kids and to help get Travis grounded. El Dorado Missouri is a small town where everyone seems to know everyone’s business. Travis has lived there with Shannon since they graduated college and came there. He owns the feeds store, His sister has a shop called the Crocheted Bunny in town, and he helps take care of the buffalo herd next to his farm. He coasts through life, barely existing and only for his kids. That is until his dog took sick and he rushed to the vet to find Dr Cheryl out and a new vet filling in for her. A male vet. A very out and proud, gay, male vet.
Oh man was this story good! I felt so sorry for Travis. I could feel his pain. I cried with him. I love a good character driven story and this exceeded all my expectations. Every single character from Travis, Wendy, his friend Jason, all the neighbors and other shop owners, everyone we meet was intriguing. Iris Mei Lin added a touch of comic relief to a very serious and sad story and then swishes in Wesley the new vet to really shake things up in so many ways. He added more comic relief, a softer side and a touch more drama. Then we have the dogs Dunkyn and Dolan that are as much characters here as the people, and we can’t forget the bunny or buffalo either.
Now for the story line. All I can say is its poignant, passionate, powerful, beautiful and just absolutely good. I love the way Brandon could take a few simple words in a line to add such touch. Like when Travis and Wesley had their first kiss in the barn. It was just a simple kiss. But a huge turning point in the entire story. I loved how a few of the chapters would end with and a star fell… There were so many places as I read…a tear fell.
If you’re looking for a different type of story that is full of emotion, passion, love and a page turner, but won’t miss not having sex on the page you should really try this story. I am sure you will be as hooked on Brandon Witt as I am. I would read anything he puts on a page!
If you like broken men, vets, small town drama, family, cute kids, bunnies, buffalo, chickens, sassy sisters, funny busy-body neighbours, lots of emotion, drama, adorable dogs, and a very sweet sad love story this is a must read!
This book is in my top romances of all times. I highly recommend you read this book. It was my first #ownvoices gay romance and remains in my heart. I tell everyone to read this book.
Witt’s descriptions defy description. They’re everything you ever wanted to say and never had the words for. Travis and Wesley are the most awkward yet adorable couple ever and you can’t help but cheer them on. Its got second chances, fish out of water, opposites attract…The POV from the children was utterly devastating. I cried several times during the story. Iris has my heart. Jason I want an HEA for. Wendy is a saint. Caleb is so amazing. I cannot say enough about this book to adequately describe its impact. I will love this story until the Stars Fall.
Then The Stars Fall by Brandon Witt is a contemporary m/m romance about a widower single father and the new openly gay vet in town. Fantastic world building and character development meets with fantastic storytelling and interesting characters. Wesley and Travis’ story had me fully wrapped up in the events – delivering drama, steam, hurt/comfort. I really loved this one and added it to my definite reread-worthy list.
Long, excellent story that does indeed live up to the gorgeous cover!
Honestly this has been sitting in my library at 81% completion for weeks, despite it being incredibly good, and I think it may stay that way. I’m exhausted with crying at every chapter. Not that it’s tragic, but very emotionally dense in ways that hit me really personally and I’m just tired. I look forward to reading more of this author . . . as much as I can.
I’ve read this author before. This is Mm contemporary story set in the USA. Main characters are Travis and Wesley. Both in their forties, Travis is a widower and father to 3 children. Wesley is coming out of a 9 year relationship. Slow burn and a lot of self discovery. A beautiful story of love, loss and love again.
Small towns take getting used to. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, gossip and all, because with it comes kindness and caring too. Good job Brandon!!!
The writer gave real depth to all of the characters, their thoughts and fears. As much as I love steamy books, it’s Just as great to read one about believable people with weaknesses and insecurities in addition to their strengths.
Then the Stars Fall is another amazing story by Brandon Witt! Telling the story of Travis and Wesley and their journey to each other; Then the Stars Falls takes you on an incredibly emotional ride full on anger, sadness and devastating heartbreak that is intertwined with love, courage, and hope! When I first started this book; I was not sure about the road this story was going to take us down. It has been a long time that I have been emotionally pulled into a story. I was almost nervous about reading Travis’ painful story. In the end I freaking loved it! Loved Travis and Wesley! Loved Wendy, the kids and Jason! Simply loved everything about Then the Stars Fall!
Brandon Witt is one of my all-time fave authors! He definitely never disappoints!
Touching and Angsty
Coming out as an adult in a small town is just about as bad for Travis Bennett as he thought it would be. This was a very touching and well written book with all the angst you’d expect from such a dramatic blurb. Travis has had a few rough years and so has Wesley. Neither one planned to fall in love, but plans never quite turn out like you thought… I loved the supporting characters in this story, especially Wendy and Caleb. This book seemed very real-life to me, with everyone showing their flaws and imperfections, but that just made the HEA even sweeter.
This was very often a difficult book to read. There was so much pain in Travis, and he didn’t deal with it very well. It took a long time for me to actually like him, and even when I grew to care about him, his treatment of Wesley made me angry at times. Wesley had his own past heartbreak to get over, but he was generous and kind to a fault, putting up with slurs and bad attitude that would have made me walk away. Once these two really opened up to each other and became closer, I loved their relationship.
Travis’ kids broke my heart. The boys in particular were very well written and seemed very true to life. The spirit of their mother was always close by. Wendy was Travis’ nosy but well-meaning sister. And the precious corgis completed this wonderful family.
There was violence and homophobia here that was very upsetting, and the loving HEA was certainly hard won. I love the way this author writes, with words and emotions that sweep me away, and I never hesitate to recommend his work.
I read this book through Kindle Unlimited.
***Possible Spoilers***
Then the Stars Fall is the first I have read by this author. The environmental descriptors helped me to step into this place where these characters made their home. I could picture Dunkyn herding the buffalo and the crowds of people filing down Main Street on Halloween.
There are interesting secondary and tertiary characters that give a lot of color and zest to the book. They pushed the story along, providing a broader view of the world in which these men live. They tend to take over, though, leaving Travis and Wes on the sidelines, waiting for the time to play their part.
Now Travis, regardless of his “book-learning,” is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He is clunky and sweet, naïve, and lovable. Wes, for the most part, seems to be made up of the shreds of himself that others have left behind. He begins to grow and learn who he is as time passes. He is a victim of stereotyping and homophobia, and the things he allows to be said to him and around him did not give me much confidence in his future there. But there are a couple of times that I was very impressed with his strength and resolve. Those gave me hope for his inner peace.
The homophobic slurs got to be a bit much after a while. I understand that it is, sadly, a normal part of small-town life, but this went beyond that, I think. BUT, that is a stereotype also and would be hard to disprove. It’s just sad and disturbing to read so much of that in one book.
The lack of sexy times on the page is ok with me. Enough was going on that I didn’t need that to enjoy the book. I could see the passion and emotion that developed between them, so I knew the sexy times would be hot whether or not I saw them. Besides, I think the dead wife would have made the narrative quite muddled as she lay between Travis and Wes. I get and respect that some people have that “my soul died when you died” mentality, but this was over the top. I’m glad the author resolved that in the end.
I did not take any stars for the previous points I had slight problems with because this is a beautifully written book when you get past those.
So, I am as satisfied with the HEA of these two men as I can be with the next subject stuck in my mind. Is it not cheating if you are permitted to have sexy times with someone else? Does the lack of emotional connection with that person make it alright? How can either one of them profess such undying, soul-destroying love and say, “Sure, go do that with that person, and I will be fine with it, and we will live happily ever after”? Her permitting him in the form of a promise on her deathbed has no bearing on the fact that he still didn’t see anything wrong with doing that. THAT is why I am not 100% on board with their HEA.
There are some beautiful moments between these pages. There is love, humor, pain, anger, passion and loads, and loads of confusion. Those are what made this a good read for me. I’m only taking one star away for the cheating since it was so far in the past, but I felt that it deserved at least one star.
I look forward to more by this author.
I’ve loved this author’s writing for a while but somehow Then the Stars Fall never made it onto my radar until it rereleased. Simply put, this book exuded the magic I associate with this author. Every bit was described so I felt immersed in the story, the town, the landscape, the chemistry between Travis and Wesley, and the characters’ lives.
Then the Stars Fall is a slow burn romance, focusing on character development before Wesley and Travis even hint at developing a relationship. I liked how the book explored both men’s angles to gaining personal acceptance and acceptance within town- with Wesley being the out veterinarian new to a small town and Travis the closeted bisexual widow who lived El Dorado for most of his life. Admittedly, I struggled a bit with Travis’s vitriol toward Wesley at the beginning, but it gave life to the story and allowed the author to really explore Travis coming to terms with his sexuality. I also liked watching Wesley meld into Travis’s family and making his own place within the Bennetts without seeing Travis’s past life and love completely extinguished, it truly showed how powerful and accepting love can be. A beautiful story that deals with love, loss, and rediscovering oneself, I would definitely recommend Then the Stars Fall to fans of slow burn or hurt-comfort romances.
Wesley is a young veterinarian who comes to live at El Do and works at the Veterinarian Clinic.
He uproots all his life after his breakup and decides to come in this small town to focus on his life, his work and no on the men. It was until he meets Travis and his dog.
Travis is a widower, four years after the death of his wife Travis is still learning how to live without her and to keep going for their children. Wesley awakes deep buried feelings inside Travis that scare him.
Living in a small town has its challenge, one of them is how to be happy without all the town melting with them.
This book was about love. In all the forms that we know it. Love between siblings, love between a father and his children, love between friends and love, the big one.
Travis isn’t perfect, he’s rough, has a huge temper and can be insensitive sometimes.
Wesley is flamboyant, quiet and sensitive.
They’re complementary in every way. Their love is pure, beautiful and heartbreaking sometimes.
They are the prisoners of their hearts and don’t want to escape it.
I adored this book. It was a beautiful rainbow of love.
What an amazing read! Just the most incredible love story, so moving, wow! How did I not know this was out there sooner!?
One of the MC’s , Travis, is a widower and single father to three children. He is still grieving for his wife, and the depth of his loss and his heartache are a very important, deeply moving part of the story. His loss hangs over him like a cloud, which only very slowly starts to lift as he meets and gets to know Wesley. Wesley is a great MC, he’s also lost his way a bit and is looking for a new start in El Dorado. He wasn’t looking for love, especially not with a closeted widower, but love found him anyway. And don’t you just love stories like that? I know I do!
Most of the secondary characters are lovable, outlandishly unique and intriguing in their own right, one is absolutely repulsive, and others, sadly realistic in their closed-mindedness. All of them make the story richer and more authentic.
One of the unusual, though great things about this romance, is that we don’t only get the pov’s of the MC’s, but also a couple of chapters here and there told from the perspective of some of the secondary characters. This is very enlightening, and also broadens the reach of the story to beyond what directly impacts only Travis and Wesley. It made me relate even more to the story.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming romance that’ll absolutely gut you, but leave you hopeful and feeling all kinds of mushy in the end, this is the book for you.