Despite the loving support of his family, Lorcan James wants to try life on his own, so at twenty–one, he finds himself walking halfway across the country in search of adventure. What he finds is desperation, desperation that leads him straight to Whispering Pine Ranch and right into the path of its strong, arrogant, gorgeous owner, who awakens something in Lorcan he didn't even know existed. Quinn Taylor is up to his neck in grief and frustration dealing with a neighboring rancher who wants nothing more than to see him go belly–up. He doesn't need more complications, but from the moment he lays eyes on Lorcan, his world turns upside down. Despite finding in Quinn what his heart craves, Lorcan refuses to be Quinn's dirty little secret—and Quinn isn't the only one vying for Lorcan's attention. Ranch hand Jess will happily declare his love for Lorcan to the world, something Quinn won't offer—something Lorcan needs above all else.
Review
A sizzling hot gay triangle is at the heart of SJD Peterson’s very well-written Lorcan’s Desire. The 21 year old title character, olive-skinned Lorcan James, is a swooningly beautiful young man who is unsure of his true sexuality. His confusion is swiftly resolved when he gets a job at handsome Quinn Taylor’s Whispering Pines Ranch. He and the somewhat older Quinn fall fast and hard for each other, but the ranch owner does not want his sexuality known to the people he has lived among all his life. As a result he virtually ignores Lorcan in public while they make love during stolen moments in private. This neglect understandably does not make Lorcan happy and when the new ranch hand Jess Jenkins makes a play for him he responds. Quinn watches helpless and heartbroken but cannot bring himself to plead for Lorcan’s return to him, still valuing his macho reputation more than his deep desire for his beloved. John and Conner, two elderly longtime ranch hands and open lovers, try to mediate between them but to little avail. The sex scenes are appropriately steamy, especially when Lorcan uses his waist-length hair in very inventive ways during coitus. Although there are a few of the usual literary clichés, Peterson’s realistic dialogue and true-to-life emotional scenes makes this stand well above similar gay fiction. The triangle remains somewhat unresolved because there is going to be a sequel called Quinn’s Need.
