Dearest Malachi Keogh is a wonderful, romantic Christmas sequel to that incredible heartwarming novel Dearest Milton James. That story is easily in my top ten contemporary romances this year, maybe top five as it ticks so many of my emotional narrative boxes.
Dearest Malachi Keogh picks up four years later with Julian Pollard and Malachi Keogh a happily established couple, living together with a rescue cat, and with families content with their relationship.
Also back and intact is our quirky, deeply endearing ,or in Paulās case weirdly fascinating, small family like staff at the Dead Letters Department at the Mail Office. What a great lot they are! The more I see of them the more of them I want to see! Love each and every one!
Once more the use of a letter mystery is employed here, this time by Julian himself. What we get is a beautiful blend of emotions, poetry, mystery, and joint efforts by everyone! All towards one romantic goal for Malachi and Julian.
My only thoughts here are that I wish the author had somehow utilized the whole Dearest Malachi to even greater effect.
I remember all those Dearest Milton James, as will anyone who read that story and the effect they had on me as well as the characters who read them. And I feel we had just gotten started before it was over. I wanted more, something longer, but it certainly was deeply heartfelt .
āMerry Christmas, my loveā is sigh worthy.
This was a lovely, happy, wonderful and, yes, sexy, Christmas sequel to a amazing contemporary romance.
Itās really not a standalone story but needs to be read in tandem with the first Iāve referenced throughout this review.
Havenāt read that one? Youāre in for a huge treat! Grab up both stories and read one right after the other.
Read the first? Then youāll love this! Itās the HEA youāve been waiting for. Although NR Walker shouldnāt be surprised if people start crying out for Malachi and Julianās wedding. Thereās got to be some missing invitations tie in.
And yes to the author for that rescue cat. Leaving that neighbors cat behind bothered me and this was a great solution. I know I know. You canāt go about swiping other peoples cats but stillā¦.
Ty. Extra point for that cat.
Yes, Iām highly recommending this.
Dearest Milton James series:
Dearest Milton James #1
Dearest Malachi Keogh #1.5
Synopsis:
Julian Pollard never believed in love at first sight. That was until he met Malachi Keogh. Well, maybe it wasnāt love at first sight, but it sure was something.
Julian had forgotten how to live, how to be happy, and Malachi changed all that. Now together for four years, Julian wants to give Malachi a Christmas heāll never forget.
The only problem is, Christmas at a mail distribution centre is the busiest time of the year. It just might take the whole team to make it happen.
Dearest Malachi Keogh is a 13,000-word short story.
Trial By Fire is another cowboy nā kids story similar to that group of books I recently talked about when I reviewed another similar novel by this author.
Two cowboys, this time one is from a large cattle station in Australia. Kid element is a baby whoās parents were the siblings of both cowboys, also a frequent pairing. And the siblings have just died in some accident, in this case a plane crash.
Here the story deviates as the men squabble over rights to the children (versus pulling together), warring parents, and almost immediate action and angst brought on by plot threads that seemed to arise out of nowhere. This on top of a surplus of storylines that just didnāt feel smooth and relatable.
That includes the romance between Holden Sheffield and Aussie Lachlan McCoughney. While both characters, indeed all the characters here are finely crafted, the author never really developed any real chemistry between the men. I never believed in an immediate attraction, let alone a ālove at first sightā dynamic.
Iām not sure if the issue was that Lachlan was a Aussie and missing that bone deep knowledge Tortuga has of her Texas/New Mexico/western cowboys .That entire Australian section,, from people to tiny things meant to be āAussie ā fell flat against a Texas sky.
Especially since some of the other secondary characters were fully realized, including one whoās death and funeral elevated this story for its sheer poignancy and depth of feeling.
That romance? It felt rushed and unrealistic, while there were so many other elements piled on top almost as distractions.
Another real issue for me was the nonchalant way the author treated the characters future plans. The 6 months in Australia or in US, with a baby whoās a US citizen with one openly gay parent who is the legal guardian. Then casually mentioning marriage and adoption for the Aussie boyfriend/partner. All without taking into consideration Australian visas, LGBTQIA marriage laws with regard (and consideration for) the LGBTQIA community there. Were there any then considering this is a re-release?
LGBTQIA marriage, adoption, and Australian laws has been written about more widely and in depth by Australian authors. Usually accompanied by pain, frustration, waiting, and angst. Same about visas. So this lack of research was puzzling and seemingly showed a lack of care towards this serious topic imo. Realistically not going to be the āsmooth sailing ā itās made out to be here, even for the wealthy.
This story has some solid elements, some wonderful characters but together itās never solidified. Just felt forced.
I love this author and have other books of hers to recommend. Iām just not sure this is one of them.
Great cowboy funeral though.
Synopsis:
One Aussie. One Texan. One baby. One hell of a fight.
When his sister and her husband are killed in an accident, Aussie cattle station owner Lachlan McCoughney rushes to Texas to rescue their infant daughter, Chloe. He expects to find his niece living in squalor with the Sheffields, a rodeo family.
Instead, Lachlan finds Holden Sheffield, a salt-of-the-earth cowboy running a huge business operation. They want to explore their mutual attraction despite the many problems thrown their way, and together, they must find a way to give Chloe a new family and find a love that spans thousands of acres and two continents
What a wonderful holiday romance from Annabeth Albert! And it starts with the names of the characters, Gideon Holiday and Paul Frost.
How absolutely perfect, especially for a story about a small town full of historic restored homes known for their holiday decorations . Itās preparing for Thanksgiving, and then for all the various holiday lights displays to start appearing on every house for all the tourists that come to enjoy the celebration(and donate funds).
Albert has chosen the perfect format for her book that lets her readers into this wonderful community and sense of belonging. Itās that the Whatās Up Neighbor app (or something similar) that many neighborhoods have in use these days thatās employed to connect neighbors to each other and the daily flow of their neighborhood. Iām on mine and my parents as well. Itās awesome.
Each chapter starts with a daily installment from their communityās Whatās Up Neighbor chatā¦ whether itās an update on the schedule for the holiday lights or a grumpy text from the neighborhood āScroogeā about the traffic or kids crossing the greenway. Itās brings us a perfect sense of community and the citizens we will meet along our visit here. Itās intimate, fun, and familiar.
Much like the characters and plot. Itās warm-hearted, personable, filled with lovely people with issues and conflicting feelings about the holidays. Everything about those elements will have the readers connecting with these men, their loneliness and their slow friendship as they make discoveries about one another over a crisis of house in need of a holiday makeover and a brother coming home to propose.
The story, the plot structure, the men, and communityā¦ it all grabs perfectly at your emotions.
The writing is sharp, the characters beautifully crafted, and everything is marvelously wrapped up ina way to make a Scrooge want to celebrate his best Christmas ever!
If youāre into your holiday reading or just enjoy a great contemporary romance, either way The Geek Who Saved Christmas by Annabeth Albert
Is a book for you.
Itās one Iām highly recommending.
Synopsis:
His grumpy neighbor needs some holiday sunshineā¦
Gideon Holiday is the perfect neighbor. Need a cup of sugar? Spare folding chair? Extra batteries? Heās always ready to help. And heās waited years for his hot, grumpy, silver fox neighbor, Paul, to need him. For anything. But this December, Gideon would be happy if he could just get the Scrooge-like Paul on board with the neighborhood holiday lights fundraiser.
Paul Frost has no intention of decking his halls or blazing any Yule logs. Even if his spunky bowtie-clad neighbor does look perfect for unwrapping, Paul would prefer to hide away until December is done. But when his beloved younger brother announces an unexpected visit, Paul needs all the trimmings for a festive homecomingāand fast.
Luckily, Gideon is there with a color-coded plan to save Christmas. Soon Paulās hanging lights, trimming trees, and rolling out cookies. And steaming up his new flannel sheets with Gideon. How did that happen?
Itāll take some winter magic to preserve their happiness and keep these rival neighbors together longer than one holiday season.
The Geek Who Saved Christmas is a low-angst m/m holiday romance with a guaranteed happy ending. This grumpy/sunshine, neighbors-to-lovers, found family tale features two heroes in their forties figuring out that maybe their sexily-ever-after was right next door the whole time. It stands alone and is not connected to any of the authorās other universes. However, it does contain a heaping helping of the same emotions and steamy moments readers have come to expect!
B.A. Tortuga writes a whole group of books I fondly call her cowboy nā kids stories. They contain usually a cowboy, maybe two, oneās possibly a rodeo man. One or both with a loose connection to a passel of kids or just one in need of a family.
Throw in some adorable animals, wide open spaces out West to serve as a background for a simmering passion between these men and path to love for each other and, boom, you have the main elements for this heartwarming and sweet bunch of romances.
Of which Cowboyās Law is one. One I really loved. As I do just about all of these books.
Found families is a trope thatās a top five favorite genre. This author excels at this.
Her knowledge of cowboys, that hard scrabble ranch lifestyle and rodeoing is almost cellular at this point. As is her vernacular. Her dialogue is so spot on, so localized to the area, and type of people it helps the book sing with life.
Same goes for the small town lifestyle of Friday night high school football, band dadās jobs, and near constant family schedule demands. Of 4H, dance class, homework, and home chores. The tears, the laughter, the Wonder Woman bandaids, and the love that holds everything and everyone together.
Thereās nothing about this book, from the kids to the weary men that reads anything less than flat out real and downright human.
Tortuga even covers the injured soldier here in Low and friends. Another group she pulls in and understands so well. The mixture of the cowboy and vet is perfect and their romance and path to love and family is a story you will want to read.
I donāt know if BA is figuring on giving Hunter his own story but I hope so. He too deserves a HEA. As does Win and Moose.
Meanwhile, if you love found families, cowboys and weary ex soldiers looking for love, you look no further then Cowboyās Law.
Iām definitely recommending it.
Synopsis:
When rodeo cowboy Sethās best friend dies unexpectedly from cancer, he finds himself taking on a ranch and a bunch of his friendās younger siblings, because they have nowhere else to turn. Seth loves those kids like theyāre his own, and he settles in well to his new life, which is why heās pretty wary when his buddyās older brother finally makes it home from a long stint in the military.
Law knows he might get a chilly reception at his brother Pistolās old ranch, even if the kids living there are his half-siblings. He didnāt make it to his brotherās funeral, after all, but to his credit, he was blown up trying to come home to do just that. Heās fighting injuries and insecurity, but when Seth welcomes him to the family ranch, Law knows heās pretty much in love. Even if he thinks Seth was his brotherās lover. Can these two find a way to let their emotions out before tragedy strikes their family again?
Jackie Blue Kalinski has been a strong favorite character of mine in this series and the Cayuga Cougars series since I met him.
Uniquely awesome, endearing, funny, and able to be the focal point of every scene, regardless of the nature, Jackie Blue grew up through these books and is now a 19 year old ready for his future.
In other stories a 19 year old seems young, but Jackie is in college, is sure of what he wants out of life and who he is personally. Heās a centered being with the full support of his family.
Then he meets Martin McKittrick, Marine fire chief , 45, divorced father of two adults,soon to be grandfather. Martin is also a player on the gay hockey team that Vic, Jackieās dad, coaches.
Itās a moment of intense instantaneous connection between them, making any differences in age vanish. At least for them.
The main thread is the intense romance and immediate bond between Jackie Blue and Martin. Itās also how their families and friends respond to them as a couple, see that 25 age gap as a factor as a part of a realistic relationship, and if itās possible to have real acceptance for such a May/December couple.
Having a 19 year old and a 45 year old as a couple and the heart of your story is a risk. Having it be successful really hinges on the writer being able to make each of those characters a completely fleshed out person whoās personality is set out in depth for the readers across the storyās pages so we believe each manās passion for the other. Including the fact that age has both been factored in, discussed, and then discarded, because itās about the inner connection here.
Locey also is aware that there are readers that are looking at this couple and that age gap with real misgivings. Itās a honest reaction and one of many that finds itās way into the mouths and dialogue of Jackie Blueās dads (yep, Vic went off the rails) or one of Martinās adult children. The characters for whom acceptance was not an easy road stood in as a family Greek Chorus of questions and honest disapproval, voicing thoughts that Iām sure there were readers out there thinking.
And as both the couple weathers obstacles, Jackie and Martin continue to communicate with each otherās families and inner circles. The couple talks to them about their relationship, allowing those close to see into their dynamics, and slowly the disapproval and misunderstandings dissipate. Each point that had been a major misgiving had been dissected through honesty and open communication in scene after scene. Great job by the author.
There are other elements to this story as well. Jackie adjusting to life as a partner of a firefighter and the stress that comes with that. That felt very well done.
Also the joyous aspect of Jackie Blue pursuing his career as a clothier and designer. This section I could see so clearly. His drive , the love of the clothes as well as fashion. It was perfect.
Draw turned out to be just like Jackie Blue. Unusual, unanticipated, unconventional, wildly moving, as well as satisfying. Turns out just what Jackie Blue hoped for and what he got. In every way.
V.L.Locey wrote an intelligent, beautifully crafted book. It had a risky premise but in her hands it turned into a gorgeous love story.
One Iām recommending.
Thereās one last novella in this series. Thatās Jackie Blue and Martinās wedding. How could you miss that?
Now on to Black Tie (Overtime #3.5)
Overtime Series complete:
Rebound #1-Vicās story
Final Shot #2 -Danās story
Draw #3 – Jackie Blueās story
Black Tie #3.5 – a Overtime novella
Synopsis:
They say first loves never last. Jackie Blue Kalinski was about to show themāwhoever they areāthat the word never is not in his vocabulary.
From the time Jack Kalinski was a preschooler he had a good sense of who he was and where he wanted to go in life. His childhood was spent drawing beautiful dresses for pretty people, male and female alike. Growing up with two dads who played hockey wasnāt exactly conducive to late night talks about tulle or tailorās chalk, but he never let that stop his dreams of becoming a fashion designer or expressing the genderqueer heart that beat in his chest. His familyās love and support helped him through some painful losses that shaped him into the strong, vivacious, and charismatic college student he is today. Life hasnāt been a smooth ride, but Jack has persevered and is about to take the fashion world by storm.
Little does he suspect that his tidy life is about to be scorched by a chance meeting with one of the men playing hockey on the gay team his father coaches. Martin McKittrick not only catches Jackās eye, but the much older man wins his heart. The passionate affair with the captain of the Marine Unit of the BFD burns red hot until the new couple run into a few snags that might dampen the inferno: Jackās ascent into the fashion world, Martinās job and the inherent dangers that come with it, and the fact that the well-kept secret romance has just been exposed to the world in a rather big way.
I have enjoyed this series immensely. Which is why Iām so surprised and puzzled over the characters and storylines of The Wrangler and the Orphan , the 4th in the Farthingdale Ranch series.
Unlike the others, this book has some major elements and characters which unfortunately didnāt work for me and in cases actually, had me thinking of cautionary flags.
And it starts right with the main characters. And their dysfunctional backgrounds as well as current histories.
The charactersā¦..
šKit Foster. Abandoned teen, last enrollment and safe structure was middle school, regularly beaten as well as emotionally traumatized by his mother and her endless line
of temporary āboyfriendsā to the point thatās Kitās normality.
His mother repeatedly moves him, eliminating any support or security other than her, who again abandons him after stealing money from her latest target and taking off to Las Vegas.
So basically, Kit is a mass of Insecurities , unable to trust, a scared kid of scarred body and young unformed abused mind. Without even an abusive mother to hold onto, heās desperation personified.
Worse, Kit has just escaped ,after being severely beaten by bar owner Eddie Piggot, and imprisoned in the barās basement. Heās got Victim written all over him.
Heās rescued by Brody, the ranchās wrangler.
That would beā¦..
šBrody Calhoun, almost 30. Ranch Wrangler. Son of an abusive father who whipped , beat and starved him. Ran away with a older carny man, still suffers PTSD from his upbringing, nightmares which he treats with CBD oil. Which is fine except it would get him fired and the ranch in trouble if found. So heās not exactly dealing well with his own past.
Brody never got the real help for the issues his brutal adolescent and background still causes him but looses himself in training horses for the ranch. And self medicating when necessary when the past catches up, including his nightmares.
Brodyās rescuer , the man who took him away from his abusive father, also works with him. His history is never far away.
He sees himself in Kit. And wants to take care of him? Finds the teen attractive in his totally needy, abused way? Everything about this , including keeping it a secret that Kitās even at the ranch at the beginning starts the questions popping up in my mind about the relationship and storyline.
Kit is regularly referred to a ākidā and acts like one. Although itās made a point thatās heās of ālegal ageā, nothing in this story, from the descriptions to his behavior will ever be anything that resembles something close to an adult. Instead Kit just presents as a somewhat broken, utterly youthful ,uneducated if eager youngster. One in desperate need of therapy and stability.
What he gets a older man whoās been as much if not more abused than he was, who decides how to fix and take care of the kid. Not as a family but as a lover. Hmmmm.
One of Kitās few happy memories of one of his motherās temporary boyfriend was a cowboy, a bronc rider. Now Kit is rescued by a cowboy. Can we say transference? Kitās now isolated on a ranch, with someone who just rescued him, who āglows heroā, but not once does anyone mention what specifically Kit has undergone or that he needs therapy to understand just what his past history has done so he can better understand the choices made going forward.
Things just continue to add up, and not in an enjoyable way.
The author uses terms such as ākid, scared kid, scared foal, young animal, torn sneakers, skittishā over and over , adjectives used to describe very young people or animals when referring to Kit. These are not words Iād choose when applied towards adults or anyone of legal age.
Example of elements I found problematic. One scene that threw up a big question for me. Brody turns grooming a horse into a sexual/comfort effort after Kit ends up in a fetal position just from enforcing close proximity to a horse. FYI Kitās informed Brody heās terrified of horses.
The author/Brody says heās soothing him like he would a skittish young animal. Hmm. Putting your arms around him and your groin up to his ass while someone is in a fragile emotional state? I know what I call that outside of this novel. Taking advantage of someone in a shaky state. Maybe something harsher.
Also thereās that weird element that the ranch hands refer to Kit as a orphan and he tells them heās not. Truth. You may not like that heās got an abusive mother but thatās downright odd denying someoneās truth.
Where during the rest of the story Kit is still making impulsive āyoung ā decisions based on his abusive upbringingā¦.because youād expect a teenager to at this point. Heās still new to the situation and people.
But why is the author not addressing this ?
Kitās damage from his mother and upbringing doesnāt disappear nor should it. Brodyās scars are inward as well as laid across his skin. So why is there no real acknowledgment that healing for something of that pain and depth is more than to ācowboy upā and a quick romance.
By the end Brody takesā the place of his mother in Kitās eyes . Kitās wordsš¤¦š¼āāļø. In the epilogue, Kit is comparing his life he had with Katey(his mother) versus the life he has now with Brody, how ones so stable. SMH.
As readers how are we supposed to feel about this? In another age gap novel I just finished, where the gap between lovers was larger, the author used other characters as stand-inās for readers perspectives who might feel uncomfortable, voicing various opinions. Allowing us to think about the pros and cons of such a romance through multiple characters.
But also those characters werenāt damaged and knew fully who were supporting them.
Here, we are supposed to connect with a brutalized teenager and a damaged man, both of whom need help to deal with their traumatic memories and childhoods. But instead dive immediately into a romance.
For this reader? Doesnāt feel healthy.
Several times this came close to a DNF as it was just an uncomfortable read. Trust me, not the age gap but the characters, their issues as well as their ages. It was everything here I found challenging.
It was odd because it felt as though this did not fit in among the other stories.
And as such, I just canāt recommend it.
Synopsis:
Some scars run soul-deep. Some scars only love can heal.”
Brody is the wrangler at Farthingdale Ranch. He knows a lot about horses, but not a whole lot about people.
He is so broken, he cannot imagine anyone would want to love him. Then along comes Kit, a young man in need of shelter, searching for a forever home.
In Kit, Brody sees the scared young man he used to be. In caring for Kit, Brody is in over his head.
But as Brody makes room in his heart for Kit, both their lives begin to change.
A gay m/m cowboy romance with hurt/comfort, rescue, age gap, fish out of water, opposites attract, midnight rendezvous. A little sweet, a little steamy, with a guaranteed HEA
Two of the most complicated men and one of V.L.Loceyās most deeply complex couples is that of the Arou-Kalinski hockey romance. Itās now spanned two , maybe more series, as these characters are too large, too dynamic to be contained within just one series.
They also required their own short series to see their family together facing emotional battles and physical struggles. Rebound was Victorās book. Final Shot is Danās story.
While it seems that the issues stems from Danās injuries, his growing dependency on opioids, and his addiction, the strength of the story much like that of the coupleās relationship comes from the fact that itās still very much a Dan and Vic love story.
They donāt work without each other. Whether itās facing the enormity of addiction, the battles of withdrawal, the fears of admitting that youāre an addict to yourself, family, friends and organization, that your grounding, your support is always there is evidenced here by this couple in every way.
It was with Vicās alcohol abuse, and now with Danās opioid addiction. The struggles with their injuries and daily pain is portrayed realistically and heartfelt.
The other heart rendered elements, that of their son Jackie Blue, a genderqueer teen who went to live with his mother and her new husband, is painfully on point for these times.
That itās layered on top of issues already needing to be dealt with seems about right as well. Things have a way of doing that. Complications always seem to pile up, not the other way around. No matter how much we wish it would.
Locey has written an amazing story of addiction, bullying, loss, recovery, family, and love.
Itās really remarkable. As is the Arou-Kalinski family at its heart.
You donāt need to have read the other series to appreciate this one, though it helps.
Read the Overtime series in the order itās written. Youāre going to love each and every book.
Synopsis
Sometimes family is the light that leads you through the darkest parts of life.
Living the dream. Thatās been Dan Arou-Kalinskiās life for the past ten years. That life hasnāt always been an easy one though. Dan has worked hard to get where he is and has faced some major obstacles on his road to success. Itās not always been a rose garden being married to Victor, but his love for his sometimes thorny husband has no bounds. His career has given him years of great success, memories, and championship rings. Yes, fate has been kind to Dan Arou-Kalinski for quite a long time. Looks like destiny is about to start calling in some markers.
The paybacks come due when a recurring health issue turns into a life or death situation and threatens to take him out of the game he loves permanently. Then thereās Victorās son Jack, a proud and out nonbinary preteen who is living a daily nightmare in a small southern town. Juggling two major life issues is taking its toll on him, and just when he thinks heās found the path out of the woods, Dan will face an unexpected and devastating loss that will require all three of the Kalinski men to pull together to help each other through the dark times
This is just an adorable holiday hockey romance with just the right touch of nerd romance.
We have gamers, a cute ferret, a cuddly florist in his forties yearning for love, and a outright gorgeous younger hockey player who just so happens to be playing the online RPG game our florist is.
Itās Valentineās Day, and a team event that suddenly is in need of arrangements. Voila! Meet cute and a sweet and engaging story that follows.
Itās short and definitely a HFN but you can see them gaming happily into the future. They are a sweet and absolutely compatible couple.
I could wish for a sequel and another holiday with this couple in mind. Need a quick sweet romance?
Check this out. Itās lovely.
Synopsis:
Is it possible that the soft smile and furtive looks from Bailey are flirtatious, or is Hadley just living in a floral fantasy world?
It was supposed to be just another day in the life of Hadley Burton.
Wake up alone, go to work at his flower shop, go home, eat a frozen dinner, play his favorite online fantasy game, go to bed. Alone. So when his shop gets a frantic call from a harried guy from the Albany Beavers hockey team, looking for flowers for the annual Motherās Trip wrap-up dinner, heās stunned and thrilled. Working like a madman, Hadley and his lone employee burn the midnight oil and arrive at the arena just in time to place the centerpieces and meet a few of the players.
Thinking that this business boon was the best thing that could happen to him, heās not at all ready to run into Bailey Rust, the considerably younger phenom forward of the Beavers. Nor is he prepared to discover that Bailey is a huge gamer and is the prettiest thing he has seen in years. After an hour spent talking gaming, the two go their separate ways. Until Bailey shows up at the flower shop the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that
Soft Place to Fall is a heartbreaker of a book. Full of a broken partnership , a past of broken dreams and broken promises, and a mother who is being shattered by that most Insidious of diseases, Alzheimerās, this story is one guaranteed to have you sobbing.
Often.
Itās so well written that the pain and sheer exhaustion pouring off Stetson Major as heās watching his mama rapidly decline tears at you. You feel every bit of his feelings and the fact that thereās very little left for Stetson to give, heās done in.
Thatās where the call goes out to his ex partner, the man his mama is calling for, to please come. And rodeo rider Curtis Traynor does.
What a story. One of reconciliations, of loss, grief, forgiveness, love, and the journey back to home and each other.
The men are strong characters and you absolutely feel the incredible loving pull they have for each other. Itās also easy to see how, in their youth, their stubbornness and goals drove them apart.
The woman dying of Alzheimerās is difficult element as sheās so realistically portrayed. Muddled one moment, clear headed another, and then wild, anger filled, and needing to be restrained the next. If you havenāt experienced this, count yourself lucky. Itās often a very hard read. As it should be.
Thatās balanced by the two men now , years later, still as deeply in love as they ever were, picking their way back to each other over obstacles still strewn across the path as it was years ago.
I was so emotionally connected to these men and their romance I didnāt even notice the pages flying by.
The only thing that kept this from an absolute 5 star rating was that I thought it wrapped up too quickly for everything that had gone on before.
I was still happy for them and us at the end.
If you love cowboys and want a heartwarming love story, look no further. Grab up Soft Place To Fall and a box or two of tissues and settle in for a marvelous read.
Itās one I highly recommend.
Synopsis:
Stetson Major and Curtis Traynor are about as opposite as two cowboys can get. Stetson is a rancher, tied to the land he loves in Taos, New Mexico, while Curtis is a rodeo cowboy whose wanderlust never could be tamed. But now Stetsonās momma is dying of Alzheimerās, and she can’t remember that Curtis hasn’t been Stetson’s boyfriend for a long time. Curtis’s absence makes her cry, so Stetson swallows his pride and calls his ex-lover. To Curtis, Stetson is the one who got away, the love of his life. And Momma is his friend, so heās happy to help out. Yet returning to the ranch stirs up all sorts of feelings that, while buried, never really went away. Still, the rodeo nationals are coming up, and Curtis canāt stayāeven if heās starting to want to, especially to support Stetson when he needs it most. Stetson and Curtis want to find a place where they both fit, to be there to catch each other when they fall. But family, money problems, and the call of the rodeo circuit might end their second-chance romance before it even gets started.
Extraordinary Things is the series finale for Star Shadow, Beth Boldenās rock band romance.
While all five musicians got their HEA, the heart of the band and much of its drama centered around the couple Leo Humphries and Caleb Chance. It was the disappearance of Caleb that caused Star Shadow to disband and Leo to shatter. And it was his reappearance that eventually put them all back togetherā¦4 books later.
In Terrible Things, we got the background of the band, the groupās long friendship and the coupleās relationship. It was completely Leoās perspective, including watching and being unable to help a Caleb whoās addiction to alcohol was spiraling out of his and everyoneās control.
It was raw, angry, and painful.
And I wondered about Calebās viewpoint in that book.
In Extraordinary Things Bolden gives us Calebās story and missing voice. A perfect way to come full circle and wrap up the series.
Weāre able to go back into the past with Caleb, his addiction, his feelings about what drove him away from Leo and his friends. As well as whatās still driving him today. Itās a complicated and complex internal picture of a man still struggling with forgiveness and the destruction he caused to those around him.
The other side of which is Leo who also is trying to adjust his life to Calebās needs as well as his own.
Boldenās story, the bandās new dynamics, and ongoing trust issues are beautifully defined and well written. I love that communication works out to be key to forward movement here. Frank discussions and finally a leap of faith in each otherās feelings and strength.
This is an emotional story whoās journey starts with Terrible Things. For me books one and four are the jewels here but the others are the necessary pathways to get there.
Read them all in the order they were written with pleasure. Iām highly recommending them.
Leo and Caleb have been through hellāaddiction, destruction, and even a five year separationābut theyāve come through on the other side with their love stronger than ever.
Caleb knows heās earned Leoās forgiveness. He wants to believe he deserves it, but just when Leo needs him more than ever, a voice in his head insists that maybe he doesn’t. Itās so loud, he can’t block it out. So loud, heād do anything to silence it.
Including risking everything he and Leo, and the rest of Star Shadow, have built together.
Extraordinary Things is a continuation of Leo and Caleb’s love story from Terrible Things. It should not be read as a standalone.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 