Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

A man without memories, and the cop who never gave up hope.

When he wakes up in hospital, the victim of a brutal beating, John Doe, has no memories of who he is or who hurt him. The cops can find nothing to identify him and he can’t remember anything to help… except the name Ethan and one recurring place from his dreams. Three words, and they’re not much, but it’s a start. Crooked Tree Ranch.

Cop, Ethan Allens has never stopped searching for his brother and his brother’s best friend who vanished. When a report lands on Ethan’s desk that may give new leads he jumps at the chance to follow them up. The man he finds isn’t his brother, but it’s someone who could maybe help him discover what happened ten years ago.

What neither man can know is that facing the very real demons of the past could very well destroy any kind of future they may think they have together.

This was an emotional drama with a beautiful romance that surpassed the erosions of time apart.  When Ethan got a lead on his missing brother, the Montana cop rushed to Chicago to identify the John Doe who had suffered such a bad beating that his memory failed. The only two words that seemed to mean anything were Ethan and Crooked Tree.  Ethan’s family owned Crooked Tree Ranch, so he had put in the family names and the ranch name as a flag for any missing persons throughout the US.  After waiting twelve years to hear anything, his hopes are dashed when he realizes the young man isn’t his younger brother, Justin.  But after a closer inspection of the bruised and swollen face, he realizes the man is Adam, Justin’s best friend, and Ethan’s one true love.

Last seen when they were nearly sixteen and Ethan was nearing eighteen, the young men disappeared without a trace.  It quickly becomes evident that being in Ethan’s presence is helping Adam heal in more ways than one.  Their feelings for each other have never been forgotten and are flaring strong again, despite the difficulty Ethan faces in trying to keep from pushing Adam and Adam’s difficulty in trying to keep from hurting Ethan when he remembers snatches of what might have happened to Justin. 

Let’s just say that it’s a very well-developed story line, complete with danger and intrigue, and heavy on the romance, but not on the sex.  It’s the perfect combo, and I loved it so much I went right out and picked up book one and am hoping that after I devour that one, I can get book three.  I’m hooked on this series, and most definitely enjoyed the ending to this story though it isn’t a complete resolution to the mystery.  It did intrigue me enough to salivate over the need to get into book three quickly. Thankfully, the time frame between releases was short and it’s already out. 

I highly recommend this one to all who love MM romance, cowboys, cops, mysterious amnesia victims, and of course, an RJ Scott story. 

The cover by Meredith Russell depicts both MCs set against a scenic Montana background. Just right for this story. 

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Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published March 22nd 2016 by Love Lane Books Limited
ISBN139781785640445
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series: Montana  – add to your Goodreads list here

• Crooked Tree Ranch (Montana, #1)
• The Rancher’s Son (Montana, #2)
• A Cowboy’s Home (Montana, #3)
• Snow in Montana (Montana #4