Chase. L. C. Let It Ride. Riptide Publishing, May 2014
I loved L. C. Chase’s Pickup Men (see review here), and I
was definitely excited to see that she’d added to this series with Let It
Ride. Pickup Men introduced Kent, Marty,
and Bridge…a trio of rodeo cowboys bound together by a lifelong friendship…one
totally straight, one openly gay, and one who might be somewhere in the
middle. Pickup Men was the story of
Marty and his cowboy lover Tripp Colby; Let It Ride is Bridge’s story.
Like Marty, Bridge Sullivan works the rodeo circuit as a pickup man, corralling
the animals after the competitors ride. Bridge
is mostly straight, he thinks. He has
one gay relationship in his college past (that his friends don’t know about),
but he’s dated women since then, and he’s been mostly happy that way. But, then he meets newcomer Eric Palmer, a gorgeous paramedic
who has left the city behind to work the rodeo circuit. Eric makes Bridge want things he’s not sure
he can have, but never let it be said that the cowboy is afraid of a
challenge. But Eric has demons of his
own, demons that may be harder for Bridge to wrangle than your average bucking
bull or bronco…
Eric Palmer is New York born, but he’s fled the city and his
own rocky past to start a new life among the rodeo cowboys. Marty’s injury on the circuit introduced him
to this tight-knit group of friends and gave him his first real taste of
acceptance and relationships when the boys welcomed him into their comradery. Eric is
willing to acknowledge his attraction to the handsome and charming Bridge, but
he’s not sure he wants to risk his new life and friendships on a cowboy who might just be
experimenting on the wild side. But it’s
hard to keep saying no when Bridge seems to be offering everything he’s ever
wanted…
Let It Ride lacks some of the drama and depth of Pickup Men; the
only thing standing between Eric and Bridge are their own secrets and issues,
not the violence and injury that threatened Marty and Tripp, but that’s not a
bad thing at all. More romance than social
commentary, Let It Ride is deliciously sexy and unexpectedly sweet. Indeed, its contrast to the darker Pickup Men
moves the series forward nicely. Every
romance may have its challenges, but sometimes those challenges are more within
than without. Let It Ride unfolds at a
steady pace, keeping the reader emotionally invested and eager for a happy ever
after. Bridge and Eric’s journey is
perfect for beach or poolside, or any reading time requiring romance and plenty
of hotness. Plus, Chase introduces
newcomer Cory Ackerson, who features in the third volume of this series coming
in the fall. I can’t wait.
ARC received from NetGalley.
