Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Links:  Amazon | All Romance
Length: Short Story

Holt is ready to move on. He’s done with his relationship that has been over in reality for a year now, and done living in the city that he hates.  Holt is ready to return home to his family and his country roots. But after his ex takes the break up harder than expected, Holt needs a little help making the move, so his old friend Teague comes to help Holt travel home.  Holt has always had a thing for Teague, but he knows his best friend is straight and not interested.  But it turns out that a lot has changed since Holt left town and Teague is attracted to Holt after all.  Now if both men can share their feelings, they might be able to build something together.

One of the things I enjoy about B.A. Tortuga’s writing is the way she can create characters who are at once both tough and rugged and at the same time all gooey and sappy in love (and not afraid to show it).  Holt and Teague are no exceptions here and it is fun to see these tough guys get all sweet and needy when they are together.  We can see right away that they are meant for each other and it is nice watching them find their way. The story is told from alternating POVs but we get a better feel for Holt here as this is really his journey back to his old life.  I felt Teague was a little less developed, but both guys were likable and fun together.

For me the pacing was off just a little here. The story starts off fast paced with some unexpected excitement which caught me by surprise.  But then we get a long stretch that felt a little slow and repetitive as we hear frequently how much Holt hates the city, hates his ex, and can’t wait to get back south.  Once the guys make it back home, things picked up for me and I enjoyed seeing their progression from friends to lovers.  But just when I thought things were settling nicely, the story takes a sharp turn into the somewhat unbelievable before things wrap up for the guys.

Despite these issues, I liked this one. Tortuga manages to get a lot into this short story and I enjoyed Holt and Teague together.  If you are a fan of rough and rugged guys who aren’t afraid to show each other their softer sides, this may be a good one for you.

P.S. This story was originally published in Under This Cowboy’s Hat.

Cover Review: Oh, I like this cover. Very pretty and totally gets the feel of the story.