Being true to yourself shouldn’t be so hard and put you at risk of losing so much.

Simon “Frizz” Frizzell is a bull rider with a very religious family that doesn’t approve of his riding or his claim to being gay. Jacky Douglas loves the rodeo and the riders, and he’s really attracted to Simon. As these two start to spend more time together and care for each other, they both need to determine if they are ready for a real commitment.

Simon is such a strong risk taker in the rodeo, but outside of that, he’s very afraid to take any chances with his personal life due to the potential consequences. His parents have made it very clear that they are opposed to homosexuality. If he were to come out to them, there’s a good chance he might not see his younger brothers and sisters until they are adults. Jacky has been burned before by somebody unwilling to be openly gay, and he’s not sure he can handle it again, but his heart is willing to try again for Simon.

The story focused around the time they spent at the rodeo and on the farm together. The majority of the angst comes from Simon’s desire to be open with his parents, but his fear in doing so. There were several times in the story where we were told what was happening. Unfortunately, a few of these didn’t move the plot forward at all and almost felt like filler material. I would have liked to have seen those same pages devoted to developing Jacky’s personality more or moving Simon and Jacky’s relationship even further along.

However, I thought the author did a great job with the sex scenes by switching between extensive details and off-page scenes so it didn’t overwhelm the story. I don’t think you have to read the first story in the series to follow this one, but Wild Ride was enjoyable, and it was nice to see Dante and Ryan again.

Sweet and sexy rodeo romance with a focus on the challenges of coming out to a non-supportive family.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

BLURB

Simon “Frizz” Frizzell sneaks away to the rodeo on weekends, and it’s not until after he wins a buckle that he tells his parents about his bull-riding. He knows they won’t approve of his choice of sport, but his parents own a Christian bookstore, and he couldn’t possibly tell them the whole truth: he’s gay. And so are some of his rodeo friends, like Dante and Ryan, and Jacky—a young man he wishes could have been more than a one-night stand. When Simon sets his sights on his dreams, he finds work with Dante and Ryan, and bumps into Jacky on the job.

Jacky Douglas is a rodeo fanatic, plain and simple. He loves the ride, and he loves the cowboys. He fell hard for Frizz when they met, and theirs was a one-night stand made in heaven. When they meet again, Jacky thinks it’s a stroke of luck. Frizz takes some convincing, but once he’s on board, they begin a relationship. The fledgling romance faces a challenge when news of it travels all the way to the one place Frizz doesn’t want it to go: his parents’ bookstore.