Title: A Love Born From Steel
Fandom: Brokeback Mountain
Pairing: Ennis/Jack
Categories: AU, angst, drama, romance
Length: epic (>120k)
Warnings: mature themes and language, mentions of violence and homophobia, what might be considered OOC-ness (see review for details)

Author on LJ: lazylfarm
Website: Author@ff.net

Author's Summary: When Jack came to see Ennis after receiving the divorce postcard, he said, “See ya in a month.” This story picks up with their next fishing trip, one month later, and continues throughout the summer of 1976.

Review:
In an alternate storyline, Jack and Ennis decided to take a shot at a future together.

I enjoyed A Love Born From Steel immensely because, unlike most Brokeback Mountain fanfics, this story is a story of hope, kindness, and compassion. The road to happiness wasn't easy, but with hard work, perseverance, and the help of loving friends and family, Jack and Ennis were able to establish themselves in a community as successful horse ranchers.

The characterization was spot on, and even as a reader, there was a sense of fulfillment seeing Jack and Ennis blossom into a happier and more confident version of themselves. Some might say that the characters are slightly OOC, especially in later chapters, but since these characters have vastly different life experiences compared to canon, I would say that the diverging character developments were only natural.

While I preferred the writing in The Outland (which goes AU a bit later, after Jack's "accident"; great story and highly recommended, though it's not as uplifting), I enjoyed A Love Born From Steel much more and will be reading it over and over again.

A Love Born From Steel