Rough Ride

"Rough Ride" was actually the first Cattle Valley story I read before I knew there was a series. It's actually fouth, and though it does stand alone, I recommend reading the others to get more impact. But, it was so good I went looking for more after reading it. Our hero is Palmer "Wyn" Wynfield. In the first novella of the series, we learn Wyn was the victim of partner abuse. He's always had a soft spot for Ezra James, though a misunderstanding the first time they met has kept them apart. Now Wyn is back in his old town after his father's death - and some people in town are giving him a hard time. He calls Ezra for help. What I liked about this story was that though Wyn needed help, he isn't helpless. He owns his own store and has show more friends he cares about. While working out what to do with his father's ranch, the two men work out what went wrong between them. When they return to Cattle Valley, Wyn has to confront the problems of Ezra's jealous friend. This story is fairly straightforward, but still a solid romance with some hot love scenes. show less

This was the story of Ezra and Wyn. It was nice to read a story about two older men finding true love after mistakes in their pasts. Wyn is still a little skittish after his abusive relationship with the old pastor. He is forced to return to a small town in Oklahoma to settle his father's estate but runs into some gay bashers. Wyn calls Nate to see if he'll come and help him but Nate suggests that he call Ezra. Both Ezra and Wyn have some chemistry so Ezra flies down to help. Ezra is a giant of a man standing an inch under 7' tall but the big man is bowed down by the memories of a failed hetero marriage that wound up with his wife's suicide. The story was typical Cattle Valley, you love them or hate them just like any soap opera. Ms show more Lynne has a fairly set formula for these books but for the most part they are addicting. show less

Rough Ride is the fourth book in the Cattle Valley series. It stars rancher Ezra James, who we briefly met in book two, and Palmer ‘Wyn’ Wynfield, who we met in book one. He runs a local clothing store. This is told in third person from both Ezra and Wyn’s povs.



The storyline in this book flowed better and was more complete than in the last one. The author appears to have taken more effort and time in making this a better read. The only part I thought was rushed was the beginning where Ezra and Wyn finally get together. If you read the previous three stories, you’d find that these two have been interested in each other but avoided getting together. I suppose that could explain why they hurriedly got together at the start of this show more book since mentions of their interest spanned the other stories. However, it was too rushed for me and made it appear the author just wished to bring the two together so she could get on with the rest of the story.

In the other books, Wyn was insecure. In this one, he appeared like another person. He was uncomfortable when he returned to the family farm, but other than that, he lost his insecurity. As to Ezra, he was also this other person. In fact, he was so different, he acted and talked like Gill from book three. I can’t tell you how many times I kept thinking that Wyn had hooked up with Gill as I read the story. Pretty much Ezra and Gill are the same person, just different books. Ezra was supposed to be shy, but he didn’t come across that way at all. He was Gill, only with a name change.

Rough Ride was a fast, easy read with no angst. I enjoyed the plot and flow and thought the author did much better with this story than the other ones I’ve read in the series so far. The characters’ personalities didn’t sync up with what they were like in previous books and Ezra (I almost typed Gill), varied from his portrayal the most. Especially to the point where I couldn’t tell the difference between him and Gill. He was disappointing.

I give this story 3.5 stars because of the good plot, but have to lower the rating to 3 Stars because Ezra was too similar to Gill in book three.

show less

Fourth episode in the Cattle Valley gay soap opera. Cattle Valley is the gay fantasyland for all the men searching a soul mate of the same sex (techinically also for women, but Carol voted herself to the manlove romance).

Since the first episode we meet Wyn, the high-maintenance store owner who is just out of an abusive relationship with the former minister of Cattle Valley. Wyn is a little skittish, being a small man; and he is not a young stud, he borders to forty or even a little more. And since the first episode we know that something is going on with Ezra, the big ranch owner. Ezra is almost a giant, 6 feet and 11 inches tall with a unkept bears that makes him the best next thing to a real bear. No one would think that Wyn and Ezra show more could be a couple, but the two of them seem unable to stay far from the other and when they are near to each other, they seem unable to not argue.

But when Wyn needs to go back home, in his omophobic home town, and the welcome home kid party is not a good one, Ezra like a knight in shining armour, comes to rescue. From this moment on, Wyn and Ezra are a steady couple, but back in Cattle Valley not all the townfolks are happy of this new development.

This episode is a nice one. Not too much drama, two nice characters and a little sexy story. You know from the start that Ezra and Wyn will be a couple, we were waiting three books for this to happen, and so we are ready to be plunged into the real story without much notice.

As always we have also the chance to know the future characters in the series: Matt and the doctors, Richard, also an Olynpic Gold Medal and probably Smokey and Neil. In the past we met also the chef of the only restaurant of Cattle Valley, but in this episode he doesn't make an appereance. So who will be the next? the soap opera continues...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1906590346/?tag=elimyrevandra-20 show less