COWBOYS DON’T RIDE UNICORNS by Tara Lain

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Date published: March 22, 2017
ISBN: 9781635335071
Western, Contemporary, M/M
eBook

Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)

Weblink: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/cowboys-dont-ride-unicorns-by-tara-lain-8301-b

Obtained via publisher

Rating: 4 Hearts

Danny used to live for the rodeo but after a life alter event he has barely looked back. He lives and works at a guest ranch owned by friends. When a hot but taken young man arrives for a stay Danny is taken by surprise at his attraction but knows there is nothing he can do about it. Laurie is something else alright and he is just as taken with Danny. Soon the two have a friendship going that seems to be pushing the boundaries. Life happens, and the two men find themselves together before they know it but once again life throws a monkey wrench into the mix and the men must decide what they truly want and if they are willing to fight for it.

I enjoyed coming back to the McIntyre ranch and visiting with the previous characters while getting Danny’s story. Danny is a good man who had a bad time of things and is trying to fight his way back and land on his feet. When Laurie comes into his life it is thrown into a tailspin and Laurie has problems of his own that he must fight through. The two men fight their attraction until they have no more reasons to. I loved seeing Laurie find his own way and become something on his own. He is a strong man and just needed someone to believe in him. Danny is a good man and wants so much more than he thinks he deserves but his friends see his true self and are willing to help him with through it all. It was nice to watch Danny and Laurie fight their way to a happy ending. The two prove that no matter what they will support each other and give them what they need. Love is always worth fighting for and these two find a way to do just that.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE DIVINE CREEK RANCH COLLECTION by Heather Rainier

Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc.
Date published: May 2016

ISBN: 9781682953143
Contemporary, Western, Ménage
E-book

Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: http://www.bookstrand.com/book/the-insiders-guide-to-the-divine-creek-ranch-collection-third-edition

Obtained via publisher

Rating: 3 ½ Hearts

If you are a fan of Heather Rainier and her Divine Creek Ranch series you will enjoy this guide. The Insider’s guide gives you excerpts, music lists for the stories and the author’s thoughts on her books and characters.  You will be able to return to the world of Divine and see some of the thought process that went into these characters and their stories.  I enjoyed being able to see the thoughts and ideas that went into this series. Each of the books gets a short explanation from the author about it and an excerpt picked by the author. If you have read the books this guide will bring back the feelings that you had reading them and if not, it will surely have you ready to go pick them up to read.

Alongside the excerpts you are treated to a short story featuring LuAnn, Mayn and Daniel. Once again, the author does a wonderful job of bringing three people together. The love and attraction shines through in this story right from the start. Their story may be a short one but the emotions are strong and the characters are well rounded.  I enjoyed watching these three find their way and hope to see more from them in the future.

There is so much to enjoy in this book and fans of Divine Creek should not pass it up.  Love and life is always an adventure in Divine and you never know what to expect. I enjoyed getting a closer look at the characters and their lives.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

COWBOYS DON’ T COME OUT by Tara Lain

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Date published:  April 20, 2017
Holiday, Western, M/M
Audio book

Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/cowboys-dont-come-out-by-tara-lain-8519-b

Obtained via publisher

Rating: 4 Hearts

 

When Rand goes on a family vacation to Hawaii he never dreamed that he would find the man of his dreams. Fate brings Rand and Kai together but it takes a whole lot of work from the two men to keep them that way. Both men find something worth visiting while they are together but neither thinks that it will last. Kai works hard to support his family and never imagines a better life for them until Rand came along but he knows that will never happen. Once Christmas is over Rand will return home and Kai will once again be alone. Rand is a good man but this is a just a vacation, or is it? Love is not something to throw away and Rand and Kai must decide if they will treasure what they have or throw it away.

Kai and Rand are two strong men who are both dealing with their own problems. When the two are thrown together the fun begins. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Rand and Kai develop. Their attraction is strong right from the start and it quickly turns into something deeper. The two are good together in and out of the bedroom.  The men are a good match and fit well together. It was nice to not only see Rand’s interest in Kai but also form a bond with Kai’s brother and sister. The two kids are great and they added a nice dimension to the story. Both Rand and Kai must make some hard choices and hopefully follow their hearts.

 
The story moves along at a nice pace and the narrator K. C. Kelly does a wonderful job of bringing these characters and their world to life. I was quickly immersed into their world as I listened to their story. This is a beautiful story that shows how deep love can go and what a person would do for it.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

HER GENTLE GIANT, PART 2: REMEMBER TO DANCE by Heather Rainier

Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc.
Date published: December 2010
ISBN: 1610342380
Contemporary Western
Ebook
Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: http://www.bookstrand.com/her-gentle-giant-part-2

Obtained via publisher
Rating: 3 ½ Hearts

There is excitement and wonder around the holidays but even more so when a wedding is close.  Eli and Rachel continue to deepen their relationship as the other women plan their wedding. Everyone is excited about the upcoming nuptials and readers get to go along for the ride. Love is in the air and fun is to be had. The happy couple have more to learn about each other and have lots of fun doing it.  As we watch Eli and Rachel prepare for their happy ever after we get to see many other relationships begin to blossom and even get to see more from Grace and her men.  

This is a nice continuation of Eli and Rachel’s story. Their love is strong and they both continue to be amazed by each other’s devotion and love. Rachel grows and begins to trust in that love and learn to let her jealousy go. It is hard and rears its evil head but if she wants a good relationship she must let that trust in Eli build. I enjoyed seeing their bond grow stronger as their story goes on and it was nice to see some of the secondary characters begin to build relationships as well.

As much as I enjoyed returning to Eli and Rachel’s story I did not find myself as engrossed in this part of their story as I was in their previous book. This book seemed a little drawn out for me and even though I love a hot read this one seemed to be a bit much with all the sex Eli and Rachel were having.

I loved the bond that the woman and men have with each other and loved seeing how they supported one another. The men love their woman deeply and protect them in any way that they can and the women stand by one another giving support when needed. This is a wonderful world that the author has created and I am excited to come and visit again.

 
This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

DIVINE GRACE: SEIZE THE DAY by Heather Rainier

Publisher: Siren Publishing, Inc.
Date published: November 2010
ISBN: 1-60601-992-9
Contemporary, Western, Menage
Ebook
Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: http://www.bookstrand.com/divine-grace
Obtained via publisher
Rating: 4 Hearts

Jack has always liked Grace but knew that she was off-limits because of her relationship. When circumstances bring Grace into Jack's life even more and she needs his help with her  bad relationship all bets are off.  Jack's feelings begin to deepen and Ethan and Adam are just as smitten with grace as him. The three have always known that they would share one woman between them and it was just a matter of finding that right woman. With Grace it looks as if all the pieces are falling in place.  Will Grace find love with each of these men and is she willing to share her love all around?

There is so much emotion in this story. Grace and her men go on a journey that takes them to a place that they never thought they would be and that journey continues to bring them surprises and happiness along the way. It was nice to watch Grace grow and find herself with the help of these three men.The love that they all have for each other is a wonderful thing to see. Each man shares something special with Grace and in turn is loved by her. The men share a friendship that is so deep it makes them more than brothers and sharing Grace comes naturally. I enjoyed watching the love and understanding blossom with everyone. Their journey was a wonderful one and it has yet to end. I cannot wait to see what else life has in store for them.

The author brought these characters and their world beautifully to life. Not only did  the main characters have a lot to say but many of the supporting characters had a lot to say and I cannot wait to see what is in store for this world next.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

HER GENTLE GIANT, PART 1: NO REGRETS by Heather Rainier

Publisher: Siren Publishing Inc.
Date published: December 2010
ISBN: 1-61034-054-X
Contemporary, Western, Erotic, Romance
Ebook
Reviewed by Gabrielle (meingee@yahoo.com)
Weblink: http://www.bookstrand.com/her-gentle-giant-part-1

Obtained via publisher
Rating: 4 Hearts

Eli has been trying to get Rachel to be more than friends with him for months now but she insists that her jealous nature would only break them up in the long run.  She watches the woman fawn all over him at the bar that he works security at and knows that if they she gave in to her feelings for Eli her jealousy would only get worse and cause him strife. Yet when Rachel needs help she feels safe with Eli. He is more than ready to help her and expect nothing in return. This only adds to the feelings growing in Rachel for Eli.  Will Rachel finally see the benefits of a relationship with Eli or will she lose the best thing in her life right now?

When love comes knocking why ignore it? Rachel has fought hard to keep her feelings for Eli at bay but for what? I enjoyed seeing Eli and Rachel's adventure begin. The two are a good match if only Rachel would stop fighting her emotions. Eli is a good man who has eyes for only Rachel. Once Rachel lets Eli in just a little bit her walls begin to crumble and she sees what she has been missing by pushing him away. The two quickly find that they are a perfect pair and it was nice to see the trust and love shine through in everything that they do. As their story evolves Rachel learns to trust and let people in and especially Eli.

This is only the beginning of their story and I am excited to see what happens next for this couple. The author does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into the world of Divine Creek Ranch and immersing you into an engrossing and beautiful love story.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

TRIAL BY FIRE by B.A. Tortuga

Dreamspinner Press

March 15^th, 2016

978-1-63476-981-5

Contemporary/Western M/M Romance

Paperback

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Self-Purchase

4 Hearts



When Lachlan McCoughney finds out his sister and husband are dead and that they left behind a baby girl, he is hell bent on getting to his niece thinking she is in some slum pit with the Sheffield’s., his sister’s in-laws. But what he finds instead is a prosperous ranch with one sexy cowboy running it all. Holden Sheffield is sexy, sweet and one of a kind cowboy. But before they can take their attraction to another level, they will have to figure out how to solve their issues between their respective families and they just might get their own happy ever after.

Whoa nelly, was this book one wild ride from start to finish. B.A. Tortuga delivers a heartfelt story that grabs you by the throat and gives you a rollercoaster of a ride from start to finish. Author B.A. Tortuga delivers a wonderful story full of amazingly life-like characters, a story that steals your heart and a heartfelt relationship that will make your heart melt.

Meet Lachlan and Holden. Two of the unlikeliest of people to be attracted to one another but when Lachlan meets Holden for the first time, well sparks fly, tempers flare and fists start swinging. But you got to admit, these two just work for me as a couple. After the initial bruising introduction, the author gets right to the heart of these two characters and we get to see their sorrow, anger however misplaced and the love they have for this little girl, no parentless. With the right amount of alpha maleness and tenderness, the author creates a story filled with some of the most wonderful of characters and that right there made me fall in love with TRIAL BY FIRE. These characters just make the story so delightful, with some secondary characters just flying off the pages and giving t he reader a glimpse into the world of Holden and Lachlan.

TRIAL BY FIRE is a story of heartaches and loss, love and redemption and overall, acceptance over what has happened. With each page, I was flipping the pages in order to see what happens next for Holden and Lachlan and with a twist I didn’t see coming toward the end, well, lets just say the reader better buckle up, it’s about to get bumpy. TRIAL BY FIRE is a wonderful story that you will fall in love with and if this is your first taste of this author’s work, this by far one of the best written stories I have ever read. I look forward to seeing where this author goes in the future as I pursue their backlist for more gems to enjoy.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement

 

CROOKED TREE RANCH by R.J. Scott

Book 1 in Montana Series/2^nd Edition

Love Lane Books

November 16^th, 2015

9781785640322

Contemporary/Western M/M

E-book

Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)

Obtained by Self-Purchase

4 Hearts

Nate Todd knows that the Crooked Tree Ranch has to get into the 21^st century but with the way things are going, the ranch may not survive another season. When his brothers convince him to hire a marketing expert, Nate finds Jay Sullivan annoyingly citified and doesn’t care for him. But Jay and his little family grow on him and his brothers as Jay figures out how to bring Crooked Tree Ranch into the new millennium. But when sparks fly between these two, can a city boy and country boy find a way to mesh their lives together in order to get their own happy ever after?

Author RJ Scott is a masterful storyteller who delivers a heartfelt and emotional story of two very different people who find their way to one another. Amid bumps and more in their road to romance, Ms. Scott delivers a story that will leave you breathless. The writing is tight, story flows smoothly and I got to admit the characters from the very beginning just stole my heart. I loved how city boy Jay got country boy Nate to take a chance on him even as the slow romantic development between the two got on my nerves at one time or another. All those sparks between them made me hope there would be no fires breaking out on my kindle. With all of this author’s books, family is central and we got two families who are in flux in one way or another. I loved the dynamics of both Jay’s and Nate’s family and we got to spend time with both separately as well as together.

It’s the characters that just make this author’s books come alive. From the Todd brothers to Jay’s troubled family to the mysterious Marcus and his son who are also owners of the ranch with the Todd family to Sam the chef who wants his very own cowboy of his own. The variety of characters kept my attention and stole what was left of my heart-after the Todd brothers of course. This is an author who knows how to let her characters shine and show their vulnerabilities as well as their open heart to the readers. With their trademark writing style, Ms. Scott delivers a story that is full of heart and emotion as well as some serious sexual tension that I swear almost blew up my kindle. Overall, CROOKED TREE RANCH is one of those feel good stories that you can’t help but fall in love with. Now I am eager to see where this author goes in the future books and hope we won’t have to wait too long for them.

If you enjoy family themed stories with stubborn main characters, simmering sexual tension that will steam the pages of your e-reader then you need to get CROOKED TREE RANCH because RJ Scott just knocks this one out of the ballpark.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement