After debating overnight, I’m going to say the same thing I did for book one – I’m rounding up my rating, because I liked it, and I binged it, and I’m definitely coming back for more. It wasn’t a perfect ten for me (a few things were a little too convenient), but I absolutely enjoyed the reading experience. I find Gates’ writing style to be so easy to binge, and it really does give me Elsie Silver vibes, especially since the side characters have drawn me into the series so much. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic, small town setting, found family aspect, and the sexual tension. I also loved that the hero is a former bull rider whose life was changed by an accident that left him paralyzed. He uses a wheelchair throughout the story, and it was great to see that front and center. He’s this strong, tattooed, moody and broody bull rider who has been in a dark place since his accident, and the sunshine heroine is exactly what he needed to find himself again. It’s a lot spicier than I anticipated based on the situation, which I both loved to see and thought was slightly unrealistic (given some of the positions). But that was really the only roadblock to my enjoyment. I binged it in a single day and cannot wait for the next book in the series, so I can’t call it anything but a highly successful reading experience.
The story follows Ray (35), a man who hasn’t truly been living since an accident left him paralyzed 18 months ago. He’s gone through some dark times, and he just wants to be left to suffer alone – which is why he fires every nurse his family sends his way. Out of options, the agency sends over their worst employee, a 23-year-old hot mess of a woman. Brooke is a terrible employee, but she’s also the only person who makes Ray feel alive again. They couldn’t be more different, but spending time together makes Ray realize that maybe he does have a future ahead of him. But he’s not getting out of his wheelchair anytime soon – if ever – and he would never subject someone he loves to a life of caretaking.
After reading Dust Storm, I was excited to dig into Ray’s book. While Dust Storm is not required reading, you do get to see what he’s like before the accident and experience the immediate aftermath, which makes it a richer experience. I loved that there wasn’t some miracle cure – yes, Ray shows improvement and seems to be heading in a positive direction, but he’s still paraplegic and using a wheelchair. That doesn’t change how Brooke views him, and it was great to see Ray get some of his confidence and self-worth back. He’s a great guy underneath the grump, and this series has been so positive about therapy, which has been awesome to see. There were a couple of things I thought could’ve been done a little better (I saw one conflict a mile away), but my only gripe is with the spicy scenes. It’s actually pretty high heat, which I didn’t mind. But I do think a man in Ray’s situation wouldn’t have quite that much mobility; it was all too convenient. I’m no expert though, and I appreciated the effort to show some less conventional… techniques, shall we say. And the representation is solid in nearly every other way. All in all, I flew through this and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3w4EfYV
Blurb:
Ray:
- Rule #1 of almost dying: Make sure someone knows your passwords. It’s hard to cancel your phone plan if you’re dead.
- Rule #2 of almost dying: Make sure your house is clean before you walk up the steps to the pearly gates. It makes selling off your life easier.
Back-up plans are for people who plan on losing.
All it took was eight seconds for me to win the biggest competition of my life, and one second to lose everything except that championship buckle.
I had left my family’s cattle ranch at eighteen with no intention of ever coming back for good.
Now I was back, stuck in a wheelchair with a beautiful disaster attempting to burn my house down.
Brooke:
- Rule #1 of trying to not get fired: Don’t piss off the grumpy bull rider.
- Rule #2 of trying to not get fired: When you do get fired, keep your chin up. The grumpy bull rider was hot.
It was just a little fire. Tiny, even. But that didn’t change the fact that Ray Griffith didn’t want me anywhere near him.
But we came to an agreement: I ignore him, and he doesn’t fire me.
Easy, right? Not so much when we can’t keep our hands off each other.
Downpour is book two in the Griffith Brothers series. This series can be read as interconnected standalones. Get ready for a sizzling summer romance full of accidental livestock house pets, a walking disaster of a heroine, and the grumpiest hero EVER!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3w4EfYV
Start the series today!
Easy to read as standalones, but definitely better together.
—Christian—
Rule Number 1: You ride in my truck; you let me open the door.
Another problem was the last thing I needed. Unfortunately, Cassandra Parker was mine.
But the biggest problem of all?
It wasn’t the beautiful stranger sticking her nose in my operations.
It wasn’t the bulldozer she was driving over my way of life.
And it definitely wasn’t the fact that she was living in my house.
My biggest problem? The engagement ring on her finger.
—Cassandra—
Rule Number 1: If you’re going to kill someone, make it look like an accident, cry at the funeral, admit to nothing, and deny everything.
To be clear, I didn’t want to be Christian Griffith’s problem. But there I was: exiled from New York, stranded on a cattle ranch, and desperate to salvage what was left of my career.
Living with a single dad and his children was a downgrade from my high-rise office and city comforts, but I agreed to it for one simple reason: to save my job.
A hot cowboy wasn’t going to lasso me into staying a second longer than necessary.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3IGm12I
About the Author:
Author Maggie Gates writes raw, relatable, romance novels packed full of heat and humor. Maggie calls North Carolina home. In her spare time she enjoys daydreaming about her characters, jamming to country music, and eating all the barbecue and tacos she can find! Her Kindle is always within reach due to a love of small town romances that borders on obsession.
For future book updates, content warnings, teasers, and more➜ www.maggiegates.com
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