Title: Country Strong
Author: Caitlin Ricci
Genre: Contemporary Western
Length: Novella (112 pages)
ISBN: 978-1-62798-928-2
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (June 4th, 2014)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts
Reviewer: Cat
Blurb: With only three months left on a lease-to-own agreement on a quarter horse Wyatt’s worked hard to own, a thunderstorm spooks General and he throws Wyatt, changing both their lives forever. Luckily, Kellen, a friend of the stable owner, calls for emergency medical attention, and Wyatt comes out of the hospital with just a broken wrist and a concussion.
When Wyatt returns to the stable, he finds the owner has sold General to Kellen for retraining. But Wyatt’s woes have just begun, and now he must drive an hour to see his horse. The perks help balance the hardships, however, and Wyatt finds himself falling for Kellen. His fortitude is soon tested again by the ultimate betrayal when he learns Kellen doesn’t intend to return General after he’s trained
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5060
Review: Country Strong is a very beautiful story of a man and his best friend, his one stability in life, the one thing that gives him reason to carry on in this world.
His horse.
Wyatt is 25 almost 26, cast out at a young age for being gay, has always loved horses and dreamed one day to have his own. Living in the town, working a decent job, he can’t afford to own a horse and finds a farm that leases horses to people who can’t have one of their own. Its win-win for all involved. Wyatt fell in love with his lease horse and with it being an older horse had made an oral rent to own agreement with the owner and in a few months General will be his.
One day while riding it thundered and General shied some causing Wyatt to fall. Kellan a man who trains horses for the owner had dropped off a couple saw Wyatt’s accident and saved him. To Wyatt’s dismay, Alan decided to sell General since he is a teaching horse he couldn’t have him hurting kids.
Wyatt developed an instant attraction to Kellen, even though he is a much older man. Kellen also couldn’t get the younger man out of his mind. Kellen could see how attached Wyatt was to General and bought General to retrain and possibly return so Wyatt could get him back. Not all plans go as expected. Feelings change, new ones develop and complications set in.
I fell in love with Wyatt right away. The passion he had for general was to die for. The story has a great storyline and isn’t nearly as predictable as it seems it may be. There are some soft twists; touching scenes, tight friendship, and conflict and of course some pretty darn hot man-sex. I add Wyatt and Kellen to my favourite couples list for this year.
If you like modern-day westerns, friends to lovers, close friends (M/F-no sex) cowboys, and some touching scenes and of course some sensual hot man-sex this is for you! I would love to see this develop into a series. It has such great promise!