Sloane Kennedy

Being treated as an outcast in your own town would drive most people away, but some would stick it out for a number of reasons. Finn's was simply that he has nowhere else to go and he lacked the confident to strike out on his own...so he took all the homophobia and abuse those people will doled out. But another reason for staying was because there are people who care enough to stand by him, no matter what the cost. For Finn, that person is Callan Bale. Callan is managing the family ranch and show more has been friends with Finn ever since Callan’s father hired and then hired him. Finn's father had left town, but only after nearly beating Finn to death following an incident that occurred the night of Finn's high school graduation. Cal was there for Finn even more. The ranch is going through some unbelievable hardships and is slowly losing everything...livestock dying or injured...water holes poisoned... fences broken, but Cal and Finn refuse to give up. Along comes Rhys, whose friend Frank recommended him to Cal for work during the six months required for his parole. Rhys was a former cop whose partner and lover got involved in selling the safe house location of one of their informants that resulted in the death of the informant and his family, along with two Agents who were guarding them. It was Rhys’ word against his, and Rhys lost. Now, he just wants to finish the six months and then go back to Chicago. These are two men that have been hurt in different, unspeakable ways. Ways that we should hope no one would ever go through. In their town homophobia is an everyday occurrence. I have no tolerance for these folks, neither in person nor in the printed word. Rhys coming into Cal and Finn’s lives is nothing but pure fate. He completes what is missing in these men’s lives. He was determined to make the townspeople see how their homophobia and their small-mindedness had resulted to animosity and chaos. Good luck with that Rhys. The story is high in angst and I become frustrated with most of the character very soon...but it's one of those stories that you have to keep reading hoping that something will work out for them. I liked and disliked the book in equal measures, but I don't think it's a series that I want to continue. show less

I've read a few of the Protector series by SloaneK and loved them so thought I'd go backwards and see how the Barretti series compared. And its good. Very good. But probably not quite as absorbing for me as the Protectors :)

Our MCs in this story are Logan and Dom; they both have a deal of emotional baggage (in both cases very understandably). Their ups and downs though within their relationship didn't ring as true as in the couplings I've read in the Protectors series. This could be SK show more maturing further as a writer, or me just not connecting as well with this couple in this instance.

Regardless, I'd recommend this book and both series :) I just wish they were all in audio! show less

I have only recently discovered Sloan Kennedy and have to say that I am hooked on anything that this author writes. This one is an engaging story about second chances and forgiveness. What made it even better for me was the story setting at a wildlife sanctuary. It provided a really great addition to the book and sets up a fun world for the characters to explore. The story is told in multiple points of view, with each character having a unique voice and their own obstacles to face, some more show more heartbreaking than others. The writing is smooth and really makes the story easy to follow, while still allowing the reader to experience lots of emotion. It's fast paced so it's a really quick read. I read it in one sitting, but everyone has their own reading speed and I often read books in one day. Loved the characters...everyone from the two main guys, Nolan and Dallas to all the backup characters. Nolan is a bit dramatic, and has a habit of jumping to conclusions, but their complexity and their struggles are what make the entire story incredibly satisfying, and their "Happy Ever After" is nothing short of perfect. show less

Zak and Killian have a habit of taking in strays. They’ve been together for about seven years, and although they are having some major issues, they have built a unique family, complete with various dogs, a mini horse, some other species of livestock and some birds, including a disabled Toucan. This couple is doing fairly well but not exactly anything to "write home to mother about", then Zak brings Noah home. Noah is a young man that Zack has met at the hospital where he works. Things get show more crazier when Noah’s brother, Liam, shows up to collect his brother. Realizing these two are in some kind of trouble and are on the streets, Zak and Killian give them a safe place to stay while they get on their feet. The main theme in this story is not so much the four guys but the irritating lack of communication. You know right off that Zak and Killian are having problems, some of them because Zak forced Killian to give up his dream and Killian, as a result has practically become an alcoholic. It seemed to take forever for us to get the real, whole story behind their issues. They both say they just need to talk to each other and I 100% agreed with them. What took them so long??? Of course, it just never seemed to happen for one reason or another. Can you say FRUSTRATING? Liam and Noah were no better. In spite of all this the four thought it would be a good idea to share a relationship. Well, I thought, "why not? If two people that have been together for 7 years can't talk about their problems...lets add two more almost complete strangers!" Things did come together at the end. How I will never know. I just had to keep reading to see if any of the guys had learned anything at all or if the four-legged animals in the story were smarter than the two-legged ones. show less