Dumped in Oz is the first book in the ‘Tales from Kansas’ series and is told in third person through the eyes of Lyle Powers, a manager transferred to a small town in Kansas.



Lyle’s job requires him to transfer to the Shoebox distribution center in Kansas for a year. While in Wamego, Kansas, he meets Roger Kypers, a chef who owns his own restaurant. He’s divorced, has partial custody of his daughter and is keeping a tight grip on his emotions and life. He doesn’t allow himself any relationships because his ex-wife has threatened to take custody of their daughter if he continues with his so-called ‘deviant’ behavior, aka gay. After his stressful divorce he started to drink and is now a recovering alcoholic but at times comes close to falling off the wagon. Meeting Lyle and knowing he can never have the happy life he wants unless he risk losing his daughter, Roger suppresses his desires even tighter, leading to a very unhappy and wary man. But he’s also a man starving for love and affection.

Lyle was in a rut when he left Harrisburg and hopes moving to Kansas will help jumpstart his life. I didn’t like Lyle as much as I liked Roger. I could understand Roger’s behavior and emphasize with him. Lyle on the other appeared to be two different people. Before being transferred, he seemed like a nice man who was looking for a meaningful relationship with someone, but could never find the right person. But when he arrives in Kansas, it becomes apparent that he’s the problem. When things get uncomfortable or tough in a relationship, Lyle wants to run or give up. Rather easily in fact. One of his friends calls him on it when Lyle tells him what’s happening with Roger. Considering Roger has difficulty trusting and was easily hurt, I thought that Lyle was not necessarily the best guy for him. Lyle put effort into the relationship eventually, but somehow his commitment to Roger didn’t ring as true to me as Roger was to Lyle.

I want to mention that I read this book after I read the third book, Trapped in Oz. I think it would be best to read this series in order because Roger and Lyle show up in the third book. Because I didn’t read these in order, I think I missed out on the impact the two MC’s had on the characters in book three.

As to the secondary characters, Lizzy the daughter is decent. She doesn’t take over the story and isn’t an obnoxious child. The obnoxious characters are the ex-wife and her brother. The ex-wife is the obligatory ‘witch’ in the story and I didn’t like how the author portrayed her as over the top. It made the book another gay story with a wacko female. The subplot with the wife and brother were a bit difficult to believe, but the romance of the story and the daughter seemed to be more realistic.

Dumped in Oz is a low key romance that’s fast to read. It’s the author’s usual style that I can count on for a HEA. Read this book first if you plan on reading the series. I think the other books will make more sense if you do. I give this story, 3 Stars.


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Not what I was expecting. I started the book without so much as glancing at the description. Based entirely on the title, I thought this would have some kind of tie in or themed along with wizard of oz. To be fair, the town kinda does, but that’s about it. That being said.... It is about a man finding his courage and another finding heart. So, there is that. It was a sweet read.

****TRIGGERS - family disputes, alcoholism, physical violence.**** ( )

As far as I'm concerned, this is another winner form Andrew Grey. Lyle and Roger are such great guys, just trying to deal with their lives, both less than happy with who and where they are. I think it's fascinating how the story held my attention without any major angst, no hugely complicated plot twists, and no threat of world annihilation. Yes, I like to read all of those as well, but sometimes it's just nice to read about men I could just as well meet in the pub or bar around the corner as in one of Andrew Grey's books. I think part of their charm is that they're so easy to relate to, like close friends.

Lyle is in a rut. Everything is routine, one day pretty much like the next, and he is lonely to boot. Quick to give his heart because he wants a loving partnership so much, he has been disappointed more often than he cares to remember. And then the company he works for wants to "dump him in Oz (Kansas)" – well, that's what the offer of a special one-year project in the warehouse feels like to him. In the end he takes the offer – it's different from what he does now, it'll let him see a part of the world he'd not normally get to see, and his best friends Chuck and Don encourage him. Imagine his surprise when what he finds is very different from what he expects – in a good way!

Roger, a baker and restaurant co-owner of extraordinary talent, is in deep trouble. He has denied who he is all his life, which ultimately drove him to drink and almost lose his daughter to a vindictive ex-wife who cannot get over the fact he is gay. Small-minded is the kind way to describe her, and Roger's fear of her taking away his right to see his daughter has kept him quiet and depressed for years. He cannot imagine standing up to his ex, yet suddenly, with Lyle's help and support, he begins to see himself in a different life and finds the courage to be true to himself.

These two men are lost on their own, but when they get together they are exactly what each other need. Their story is sweet, moving, and just right when you're looking for a comfort read. It just goes to show how two normal men who each think they're nothing special can produce fireworks and achieve extraordinary results when they get together.

If you like sweet stories about great men who just want to be happy, if you enjoy finding out more about a sweet little town called Wamego, and if you're looking for a relaxing read about real men, then you will probably like this novel.


NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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