Sunday, June 29, 2014

Saddle Up for a Naughty Ride

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.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Sorry the absence, but

So, it's been a while since I managed to review here.  Life sort of got away from me, and I added reviewing for another site to my list of things to do.  But, I'm back and eager to work on getting a more regular reviewing schedule happening here.

In the meantime, if you want to see the graphic novel reviewing I've been working on, check me out at No Flying, No Tights.