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Willow Springs Ranch #1
Ty Hard
Tyler has used Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell as a shield against the truth since he was seventeen. Cut loose from his Navy career and mourning his mentor’s death, Ty must come to terms with his desire for another man even while he fights to keep the PTSD from pulling him under.
Rancher Cass Cartwright’s relationships never last more than a few hours, and that’s just the way he likes it. Now he's done the one thing he swore never to do: fallen in love. Can Cass convince Ty to let go of his past or will sabotage at the ranch kill their love before it has a chance to grow?
Rancher Cass Cartwright’s relationships never last more than a few hours, and that’s just the way he likes it. Now he's done the one thing he swore never to do: fallen in love. Can Cass convince Ty to let go of his past or will sabotage at the ranch kill their love before it has a chance to grow?
105 pages, ebook
First published July 25, 2011
92 people are currently reading
716 people want to read
About the author
L.E. Harner
12 books44 followersAlternate name for Laura Harner.
Raised in California, Laura likes it hot, which explains why she ended up in Arizona via such diverse places as Japan, Maine, and Florida, and many more places in between. After retiring from the US Navy, she found a niche working for land management agencies, including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Though she has held many jobs around the world, her favorite was working and living in Grand Canyon National Park. Working (and eating) in New Orleans was a close second. You will find many of her books are set against the rich backdrops provided by coastal Louisiana and northern Arizona.
When asked how she started writing, Laura tells of waking on Boxing Day a few years ago, with a woman named Elena MacFarland yammering in her dreams, demanding her story be told. Despite never attempting to write fiction before that morning, Laura ignored all of the holiday visitors and the Highland Destiny series was born. She doesn’t believe it was a coincidence that the great grandmother who died when Laura was just a baby was named Elena MacFarland. Destiny does play a hand.
Laura became a full-time writer in 2012, and now she spends her time writing, watching her Arizona Diamondbacks, and working on her very own version of the Willow Springs Ranch in northwestern Arizona.
Raised in California, Laura likes it hot, which explains why she ended up in Arizona via such diverse places as Japan, Maine, and Florida, and many more places in between. After retiring from the US Navy, she found a niche working for land management agencies, including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Though she has held many jobs around the world, her favorite was working and living in Grand Canyon National Park. Working (and eating) in New Orleans was a close second. You will find many of her books are set against the rich backdrops provided by coastal Louisiana and northern Arizona.
When asked how she started writing, Laura tells of waking on Boxing Day a few years ago, with a woman named Elena MacFarland yammering in her dreams, demanding her story be told. Despite never attempting to write fiction before that morning, Laura ignored all of the holiday visitors and the Highland Destiny series was born. She doesn’t believe it was a coincidence that the great grandmother who died when Laura was just a baby was named Elena MacFarland. Destiny does play a hand.
Laura became a full-time writer in 2012, and now she spends her time writing, watching her Arizona Diamondbacks, and working on her very own version of the Willow Springs Ranch in northwestern Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
May 14, 2012
This was a disappointing book for mine. The cover is magic, the premise is good, the execution was lacking.
**SPOILERISH COMPONENTS AHEAD**
The segue between chapters was not smooth or polished.
The reasons for the dramas surrounding the ranch/MC's was too much. Exploding kitchens. A ranch hand getting into a fight with his employer over a guy he just met. A gun pulled for the previous reason, sure jobs are easy to get in rural areas.
There were the most unbelievable amount of gay guys in this town/area -the social worker, the sheriff, the ranch hands, the (previous)cook, the bad guy(s).
I hated 'the big cowboy' or 'sailor' as their pet names for one another.
The characters were two dimensional and everything felt forced and underdeveloped. - 'The broad, hard body of his lover pressed up against his back' - Cass thought Ty was his lover after a few hours, one blowjob and Ty was in the closet and toey? No. Ty suddenly gets over years of feeling guilty about his mother's death, in a split second. Not to mention the reason for his mother's death was all too conveniently farfetched.
Nothing was built up about Ty's PTSD, and what he imagined in his confused states did not ring true for someone with this disorder. Plus the medication schedule was strange.
I don't know about you but I'd rather have a gun than a knife. (To do with a conflict near the end).
The sex was well written, the characters, whilst not fleshed out, were pleasant. I really wished I could have liked it more, I wanted to, but I just couldn't.
**SPOILERISH COMPONENTS AHEAD**
The segue between chapters was not smooth or polished.
The reasons for the dramas surrounding the ranch/MC's was too much. Exploding kitchens. A ranch hand getting into a fight with his employer over a guy he just met. A gun pulled for the previous reason, sure jobs are easy to get in rural areas.
There were the most unbelievable amount of gay guys in this town/area -the social worker, the sheriff, the ranch hands, the (previous)cook, the bad guy(s).
I hated 'the big cowboy' or 'sailor' as their pet names for one another.
The characters were two dimensional and everything felt forced and underdeveloped. - 'The broad, hard body of his lover pressed up against his back' - Cass thought Ty was his lover after a few hours, one blowjob and Ty was in the closet and toey? No. Ty suddenly gets over years of feeling guilty about his mother's death, in a split second. Not to mention the reason for his mother's death was all too conveniently farfetched.
Nothing was built up about Ty's PTSD, and what he imagined in his confused states did not ring true for someone with this disorder. Plus the medication schedule was strange.
I don't know about you but I'd rather have a gun than a knife. (To do with a conflict near the end).
The sex was well written, the characters, whilst not fleshed out, were pleasant. I really wished I could have liked it more, I wanted to, but I just couldn't.
December 30, 2011
Someone's been doing their niche market research: the world was gagging for an m/m special forces/cowboy-crossover hurt-comfort romance. For a buck this was a great read (even if I could have assembled it myself inside of four hours from snippets of every other m-m book in my kindle)
May 10, 2012
This is a great book.......What more could you ask for? Two drool worthy Alpha males (loved the description of them both in the opening chapter....hmmmm), 1 a cowboy and 1 in the Navy. Both finding love for the first time.
Of course.....there were issues that need to be addressed, Tyler is struggling with his sexuality, PTSD and an overwhelming amount of guilt all whilst a love spurned cowhand has set his sights on them both for revenge, which was all well done and the story flowed nicely.
What I liked in this particular tale was the honesty and openness from the start (no angst just for the sake of it) which made me really feel for the characters.
I actually liked that they were instantly attracted to each other...I mean....why not?!!....It's fiction and it's a romance.
Of course.....there were issues that need to be addressed, Tyler is struggling with his sexuality, PTSD and an overwhelming amount of guilt all whilst a love spurned cowhand has set his sights on them both for revenge, which was all well done and the story flowed nicely.
What I liked in this particular tale was the honesty and openness from the start (no angst just for the sake of it) which made me really feel for the characters.
I actually liked that they were instantly attracted to each other...I mean....why not?!!....It's fiction and it's a romance.
March 31, 2014
Oh I know I shouldn’t have, but I just couldn’t help myself. It should be known that I am not the target audience for this book, but there’s something to be said for impulsive purchases, especially when it’s free and features an uber-sexy cowboy and an ex-Navy seal right?
Of course there is! Even if it is full of everything I despise: insta-lust/love, cheesy lines, implausible scenarios, an over-the-top bad guy, and a possessive growly alpha man that, urgh …growls. If I was wearing my judgement glasses this story would have evoked the biggest as-if-eye-roll from me – followed by a shoulder toss, followed by a shout of NEXT!
But not this time. This time I put my judgement glasses away and just read it because a) it was so easy to read b) I was loosely interested in the PTSD thread. c) I just didn’t want to think too hard. And do you know what happened? I giggled at all that silliness, I awwwed in all the right places and surprise, surprise I was smiling and rooting for these guys. I actually enjoyed myself once I decided to.
Yes, I feel silly reading and even liking this book and swore I wouldn’t tell anyone I read it, because well, I’m totally shallow and a complete book snob and … uhm, this book reminded me of one of those Harlequin high romance novelettes that you find on the spiny rack at your local library – but I don’t care. I like it, it was sweet and it reminded me that fiction (especially contemporary fiction) doesn’t all have to be plausible and so true to life. It’s sometimes good to shove the cynicism in the closet and just indulge in what is given freely.
Of course there is! Even if it is full of everything I despise: insta-lust/love, cheesy lines, implausible scenarios, an over-the-top bad guy, and a possessive growly alpha man that, urgh …growls. If I was wearing my judgement glasses this story would have evoked the biggest as-if-eye-roll from me – followed by a shoulder toss, followed by a shout of NEXT!
But not this time. This time I put my judgement glasses away and just read it because a) it was so easy to read b) I was loosely interested in the PTSD thread. c) I just didn’t want to think too hard. And do you know what happened? I giggled at all that silliness, I awwwed in all the right places and surprise, surprise I was smiling and rooting for these guys. I actually enjoyed myself once I decided to.
Yes, I feel silly reading and even liking this book and swore I wouldn’t tell anyone I read it, because well, I’m totally shallow and a complete book snob and … uhm, this book reminded me of one of those Harlequin high romance novelettes that you find on the spiny rack at your local library – but I don’t care. I like it, it was sweet and it reminded me that fiction (especially contemporary fiction) doesn’t all have to be plausible and so true to life. It’s sometimes good to shove the cynicism in the closet and just indulge in what is given freely.
May 2, 2013
I liked this book, and yes, I had read it before...braincells disappearing faster than new ones are being made
This is going to be a very short review. The story revolves around Ty, ex Navy SEAL who is suffering from PTSD, and Cass, owner of Willow Springs Ranch in Arizona. How Ty came to be at the ranch, and what happens when he's there, I'll leave you to discover. Another good book from Laura Harner.
dnf
March 21, 2014DNF'ed at 38%.
This book was a bunch of WTFs for me: WTF, Ty just got here, how do you know he's gay let alone "struggling with his sexuality"; WTF, you just met Ty 5 minutes ago where do you get off getting into bed naked with him as he's passed out; WTF, how are you guys in love after knowing each other all of 6 hours; WTF is up with gun wielding would-be suitor?!?
Bottom line: Nothing but WTFs. I'll pass.
This book was a bunch of WTFs for me: WTF, Ty just got here, how do you know he's gay let alone "struggling with his sexuality"; WTF, you just met Ty 5 minutes ago where do you get off getting into bed naked with him as he's passed out; WTF, how are you guys in love after knowing each other all of 6 hours; WTF is up with gun wielding would-be suitor?!?
Bottom line: Nothing but WTFs. I'll pass.
November 26, 2011
Ty is fresh out of the Navy. Out of the hospital, rehabbing his body, mind and spirit. He is on his way to visit his good friend. mentor and replacement father from the service, who is now the cook on a ranch. He arrives right in the middle of an emergency, and when he discovers his surrogate dad just died, it's too much for him and his mind shuts down.
Cass is the owner of the ranch, and is taken with the handsome young Ty. When Ty passes out, he immediately takes charge and takes Ty under his wing. Watching the young man grieve his friend, he finds himself caring more and more. Not knowing all of Ty's past, he tries to protect the man, give him a safe place to heal and find himself. But he WON'T fall in love, damn it.
Ty decided to stay for a while, get his bearings and see what's next. He's never been with a man before, and isn't sure what he wants. When Ty turns down one suitor and Cass kicks the guy off the ranch, things start going wrong. At first, small acts of sabotage. then the danger grows and it all points to the guy Cass got rid of. When the danger turns personal, will Ty's past catch up to him? Will he be able to recover?
This book was SUCH a pleasant surprise. When I initially bought it, I thought, cowboys - you can't go wrong with cowboys. But what I got was oh, so much more.
I got two sensitively drawn men who don't know how to give their hearts.
I got two broken, damaged, strong guys without a clue what they are doing, only that they feel something that should be pursued.
I got a lovingly visioned portrait of a guy damaged by war, not comfortable in his skin anymore, thrown away by family, convinced he can't have what he wants.
I got sweet romance, hot sex and a growing love.
I got action, suspense, and a who-dun-it.
And I got hope. Hope that Ty can leave all his hard past behind, that Cass can relax into the caring, loving man he can be, and most of all, that even the most broken of us can find our place in this world.
Ms. Harner has done herself proud with this loving tribute to tough yet vulnerable men.
As Oliver would say, Please, may I have another? Pleeeease, Ms. Harner?
Tom
Cass is the owner of the ranch, and is taken with the handsome young Ty. When Ty passes out, he immediately takes charge and takes Ty under his wing. Watching the young man grieve his friend, he finds himself caring more and more. Not knowing all of Ty's past, he tries to protect the man, give him a safe place to heal and find himself. But he WON'T fall in love, damn it.
Ty decided to stay for a while, get his bearings and see what's next. He's never been with a man before, and isn't sure what he wants. When Ty turns down one suitor and Cass kicks the guy off the ranch, things start going wrong. At first, small acts of sabotage. then the danger grows and it all points to the guy Cass got rid of. When the danger turns personal, will Ty's past catch up to him? Will he be able to recover?
This book was SUCH a pleasant surprise. When I initially bought it, I thought, cowboys - you can't go wrong with cowboys. But what I got was oh, so much more.
I got two sensitively drawn men who don't know how to give their hearts.
I got two broken, damaged, strong guys without a clue what they are doing, only that they feel something that should be pursued.
I got a lovingly visioned portrait of a guy damaged by war, not comfortable in his skin anymore, thrown away by family, convinced he can't have what he wants.
I got sweet romance, hot sex and a growing love.
I got action, suspense, and a who-dun-it.
And I got hope. Hope that Ty can leave all his hard past behind, that Cass can relax into the caring, loving man he can be, and most of all, that even the most broken of us can find our place in this world.
Ms. Harner has done herself proud with this loving tribute to tough yet vulnerable men.
As Oliver would say, Please, may I have another? Pleeeease, Ms. Harner?
Tom
April 23, 2013
Oh my, oh my this pushed all my buttons big time. A Navy S.E.A.L and a cowboy, talk about an all time favorite wet dream. This is it.
Laura Harner has fast become one of my favorite writers. Haven't read anything that I haven't liked.
This is about Ty, a Seal suffering from PTSD that goes to stay with his surrogate father figure on a ranch in Arizona owned by Cass Cartwright. It's reluctant love? at first sight. For Ty things take an immediate down turn, when his surrogate father Gibby dies of a heart attack just as he arrives. Talk about bad timing. It's a real treat to watch the big man, Cass fall, as he offers Ty a place to stay in exchange for working as a cook. Ahhh, this is so hot, hotter than a camp fire in the raging Arizona
sun.
I give it a desert night sky worth of stars. Now on to # 2 Hold Tight
Laura Harner has fast become one of my favorite writers. Haven't read anything that I haven't liked.
This is about Ty, a Seal suffering from PTSD that goes to stay with his surrogate father figure on a ranch in Arizona owned by Cass Cartwright. It's reluctant love? at first sight. For Ty things take an immediate down turn, when his surrogate father Gibby dies of a heart attack just as he arrives. Talk about bad timing. It's a real treat to watch the big man, Cass fall, as he offers Ty a place to stay in exchange for working as a cook. Ahhh, this is so hot, hotter than a camp fire in the raging Arizona
sun.
I give it a desert night sky worth of stars. Now on to # 2 Hold Tight
March 24, 2015
At first, I had a fleeting hope that this might be a Falls Chance Ranch alternative with more man-love action, less psycho-babble and less spanking. Unfortunately, this isn't that. It is an ambitious effort by the author who includes an impressive number of favorite MM themes in a single 150 page book. It was ok. It wasn't terrible. It was free.
[X] insta-love
[X] coming out
[X] cowboys
[X] navy SEALs
[X] PTSD
[X] creepy character
[X] mystery of the not-so-live livestock
[X] explosions
[X] hurt-comfort
[X] fluffy alphas
[X] insta-love
[X] coming out
[X] cowboys
[X] navy SEALs
[X] PTSD
[X] creepy character
[X] mystery of the not-so-live livestock
[X] explosions
[X] hurt-comfort
[X] fluffy alphas
September 8, 2012
This is a hard book to decipher my feelings on. On one hand, I enjoyed it in the way I enjoy fluff. On the other, my mind couldn't get passed a lot of WTF moments and I think overall that ruined my enjoyment of the story.
Ty Hardin is a Navy Veteran that's looking to recover on a ranch with his mentor after getting injured. He's got a severe case of PTSD, so far in the closet he might never see the door and now attracted to the ranch's owner. Cass Cartwright is an openly gay ranch owner. He takes in ranch hands that are either gay themselves or don't mind working with gay men. The ranch is his life but he's no celibate. He cruises for men outside his home and never gets attached. Until Ty arrives. Now Cass has found a guy that he'll stay with for more than a weekend and Ty's being pulled from the closet he so desperately clung to for years.
I liked Ty and Cass although I felt like they were very inconsistent characters. Cass is possessive from the start of Ty. Ty, however, is a little shell-shocked to do much more than sleep because of some news he just received. I think that's why I liked the story in a way. Ty is so vulnerable with his PTSD. He can't make out real from not real which makes him extremely dangerous. Cass puts up with him and that's admirable, IMO, especially when his life is constantly being threatened. Their attraction is cute but felt way too fast for the depth of love they claimed.
The book is very inconsistent, though. Ty is supposedly scared of being openly gay and more importantly public displays of affection but yet he constantly lets Cass kiss him in front of others with essentially no problems with it. Then there's the fact that some of the conflicts either came out of nowhere or didn't make sense at all. For example, a ranch hand pulls a gun on Cass all because Cass got between Ty and the ranch hand. Can I get a WTF here? And since they didn't generally make sense there were a lot of unanswered questions I had left over from them. I felt like that part of the story was choppy. As if the author wanted to make it all seem mysterious but ended up creating unflattering chaos instead. I also felt like there was a lot of sex. There's not a lot of anal but these boys sure loved their blow jobs and hand jobs! It grew tiresome to me, though.
Overall, it's a nice story. It's not focused on Cass being a cowboy but deals with the repercussions of Ty having PTSD and them having to deal with a bunch of petty crimes.
Ty Hardin is a Navy Veteran that's looking to recover on a ranch with his mentor after getting injured. He's got a severe case of PTSD, so far in the closet he might never see the door and now attracted to the ranch's owner. Cass Cartwright is an openly gay ranch owner. He takes in ranch hands that are either gay themselves or don't mind working with gay men. The ranch is his life but he's no celibate. He cruises for men outside his home and never gets attached. Until Ty arrives. Now Cass has found a guy that he'll stay with for more than a weekend and Ty's being pulled from the closet he so desperately clung to for years.
I liked Ty and Cass although I felt like they were very inconsistent characters. Cass is possessive from the start of Ty. Ty, however, is a little shell-shocked to do much more than sleep because of some news he just received. I think that's why I liked the story in a way. Ty is so vulnerable with his PTSD. He can't make out real from not real which makes him extremely dangerous. Cass puts up with him and that's admirable, IMO, especially when his life is constantly being threatened. Their attraction is cute but felt way too fast for the depth of love they claimed.
The book is very inconsistent, though. Ty is supposedly scared of being openly gay and more importantly public displays of affection but yet he constantly lets Cass kiss him in front of others with essentially no problems with it. Then there's the fact that some of the conflicts either came out of nowhere or didn't make sense at all. For example, a ranch hand pulls a gun on Cass all because Cass got between Ty and the ranch hand. Can I get a WTF here? And since they didn't generally make sense there were a lot of unanswered questions I had left over from them. I felt like that part of the story was choppy. As if the author wanted to make it all seem mysterious but ended up creating unflattering chaos instead. I also felt like there was a lot of sex. There's not a lot of anal but these boys sure loved their blow jobs and hand jobs! It grew tiresome to me, though.
Overall, it's a nice story. It's not focused on Cass being a cowboy but deals with the repercussions of Ty having PTSD and them having to deal with a bunch of petty crimes.
March 25, 2012
$0.99 Read
What can I say? I saw the potential and am quite disappointed. Tyler and his PTSD moments or the moments that led up to them were over the top. Jed pulling a gun because he didn't get what he wanted and the guy who liked Jed doing almost the same thing. Cass, teary eyes, wanting to protect, and the overuse of the word "baby" all culminated into a less than okay read. These characters were flat and the story was forced/rushed. Even for the small change I spent, I kinda feel like I wasted my time. On the flip side, I finished it, but I'm unhappy. Not for me~
What can I say? I saw the potential and am quite disappointed. Tyler and his PTSD moments or the moments that led up to them were over the top. Jed pulling a gun because he didn't get what he wanted and the guy who liked Jed doing almost the same thing. Cass, teary eyes, wanting to protect, and the overuse of the word "baby" all culminated into a less than okay read. These characters were flat and the story was forced/rushed. Even for the small change I spent, I kinda feel like I wasted my time. On the flip side, I finished it, but I'm unhappy. Not for me~
February 17, 2014
J'ai bien aimé cette romance à la fois torride et tendre entre un beau cow boy, et un ex soldat victime de graves blessures, et d'un syndrome de stress post traumatique. Le personnage de Tyler est parfaitement bien dépeint, un homme blessé, traumatisé, mais pas faible pour autant. Cass a également beaucoup de charisme et de présence, bien que l'on en sache assez peu sur lui et son passé, finalement. C'est un peu dommage, mais l'auteur a voulu apparamment privilégier l'action, et toute l'histoire se déroule sur un rythme rapide, haletant, avec plein de rebondissements qui ne laissent pas de place à l'introspection des personnages. C'est bien, parceque l'on en s'ennuie pas une seule seconde, mais c'est aussi ce que je reprocherais à ce roman: ça va trop vite et c'est trop court. Le rapprochement des deux hommes est trop rapide. Non pas en ce qui concerne l'attirance physique (elle peut etre instantannée), ni même le sentiment de possession qu'éprouve Cass (certains mâles sont trés prompts à marquer leur territoire!), ni encore par les "mots doux" échangés, car le "bébé" français à une charge émotionnelle et amoureuse que le "baby" américain n'a pas, mais par la confiance que manifeste Ty. Il se confie trop et trop vite, je trouve. Ses révélations sur son passé auraient gagnées à être saupoudrées un peu tout au long de l'histoire...et celle-ci a être étirée sur plusieurs semaines ou mois plutôt que quelque jours. C'est LE défaut de ce roman par ailleurs trés plaisant, et trés chaud. J'espère que nous retrouverons nos héros dans les prochains tomes, et j'ai hâte en tout cas de connaître l'histoire du shérif et d'Andrew !
January 13, 2019
Updated because the author was exposed as having plagiarized. I've removed all other books by her from my shelves.
I really liked this book about a rancher and an ex-Navy Seal who both find something they didn't know they were looking for. With a bit of whodunit thrown in and some holy hot virgin buttsexing, Batman, this was a great book. I liked how the author kept the PTSD realistic, and even provided a very real first time for Ty, burn and all. The whodunit was okay - the perp was a surprise, and we didn't really get a reason for why he did what he did.
It's the first of the series,so I must check out the others now.
I really liked this book about a rancher and an ex-Navy Seal who both find something they didn't know they were looking for. With a bit of whodunit thrown in and some holy hot virgin buttsexing, Batman, this was a great book. I liked how the author kept the PTSD realistic, and even provided a very real first time for Ty, burn and all. The whodunit was okay - the perp was a surprise, and we didn't really get a reason for why he did what he did.
It's the first of the series,
March 1, 2012
The story had a lot of potential but unfortunately for me, it fell flat and just didn't work.
July 13, 2024
This was book 1 in the
"Willow Springs Ranch"
series. This was a pretty good read. Tyler has been released from the Navy after he was injured. He is headed to the only person he really trusts Gibbs who told him he was welcomed on the ranch, and he would have a job. But when Tyler gets there Gibbs was being airlifted out by helicopter, he died Tyler has nowhere to go. Cass Cartwright is the owner of Willow Springs ranch. He has made it a point of having people who are not homophobic on his ranch. He never messes with any of his workers or anyone he has dealings with, but he wants Tyler, but Tyler is damaged he has PTSD and Cass isn't sure if he is qualified to help Ty. This book had a lot of emotions in it I laughed and cried. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
September 21, 2011
This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can also be found there.
Every time I read a blurb and see that the book has a wounded hero in it, my interest spikes up. I can't help it, I like a bit of difficulty in a story. In this case, cowboys didn't hurt either and extra conflict made it about more than a simple romance.
Ty is a Navy veteran recovering from a head injury. He comes to the ranch to visit his good friend only to arrive there when the medics are taking away his dead body. He passes out from the shock, injury induced headache and pure exhaustion.
Cass is the owner of the ranch and only one look at Ty stirs emotions in him he's never felt before. But getting Ty to stay on the ranch and come out of the closet will need a bit of work and Cass needs to decide how exactly ready he is for a relationship.
That, of course, is not all there is to the story as more conflict arises with some enemies causing trouble, but it is enough to give you an idea of how this story progressed. It's instant lust, attraction and love with too much of everything squeezed into a box that's just too small.
Some things that were mentioned were never clarified and for me, the main conflict was unconvincing. Especially because we get to see the bad guy altercation though the eyes of a veteran who isn't even sure that he's not back at the battlefield under attack.
The characters needed more page space and more personality, a few lines where the main focus weren't just the facts from their past. In addition, I thought Ty jumped too fast from a closeted virgin to a man ready for action without a doubt in his mind. I am okay with instant attraction and love, but when reading a book, I want explanations on how something came to happen.
I want to say that the whole ranch setting was detailed and explained, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Only a few facts were mentioned to give us bit of a setting and that was it. But even with all that, I kind of liked this story. It could have been much better, don't get me wrong, but a certain charm was there and with a bit of work this author could make a great sequel. I would like to read that.
Every time I read a blurb and see that the book has a wounded hero in it, my interest spikes up. I can't help it, I like a bit of difficulty in a story. In this case, cowboys didn't hurt either and extra conflict made it about more than a simple romance.
Ty is a Navy veteran recovering from a head injury. He comes to the ranch to visit his good friend only to arrive there when the medics are taking away his dead body. He passes out from the shock, injury induced headache and pure exhaustion.
Cass is the owner of the ranch and only one look at Ty stirs emotions in him he's never felt before. But getting Ty to stay on the ranch and come out of the closet will need a bit of work and Cass needs to decide how exactly ready he is for a relationship.
That, of course, is not all there is to the story as more conflict arises with some enemies causing trouble, but it is enough to give you an idea of how this story progressed. It's instant lust, attraction and love with too much of everything squeezed into a box that's just too small.
Some things that were mentioned were never clarified and for me, the main conflict was unconvincing. Especially because we get to see the bad guy altercation though the eyes of a veteran who isn't even sure that he's not back at the battlefield under attack.
The characters needed more page space and more personality, a few lines where the main focus weren't just the facts from their past. In addition, I thought Ty jumped too fast from a closeted virgin to a man ready for action without a doubt in his mind. I am okay with instant attraction and love, but when reading a book, I want explanations on how something came to happen.
I want to say that the whole ranch setting was detailed and explained, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Only a few facts were mentioned to give us bit of a setting and that was it. But even with all that, I kind of liked this story. It could have been much better, don't get me wrong, but a certain charm was there and with a bit of work this author could make a great sequel. I would like to read that.
October 8, 2015
Ty has lost a lot in this world, his family, his career, now somebody close by. But he has a place stay and a new job, with a super-hot boss, Cass.
Cass owns a ranch out in the boonies and doesn’t ever imagine he’ll have a partner. He finds his lovin’ in the next town – miles and miles away – to protect his heart and his sanity.
When a sweet matchmaker plops Ty in his lap, he can’t say no. He has to help, protect and love this new ranch cook – even if he has to convince Ty of that plan first.
**
This is a very sweet, sentimental, and sexy short story about two hot guys finding each other and filling the lonely spots in their hearts.
There is a bit of drama thrown in and some PTSD, but mostly it’s about them falling in love.
It’s a wonderful first book to a series and there are loads of interesting men at the ranch whose stories must be told!
I’ve never read this author before, but I’m a fan now!
4.5 of 5 stars
Cass owns a ranch out in the boonies and doesn’t ever imagine he’ll have a partner. He finds his lovin’ in the next town – miles and miles away – to protect his heart and his sanity.
When a sweet matchmaker plops Ty in his lap, he can’t say no. He has to help, protect and love this new ranch cook – even if he has to convince Ty of that plan first.
**
This is a very sweet, sentimental, and sexy short story about two hot guys finding each other and filling the lonely spots in their hearts.
There is a bit of drama thrown in and some PTSD, but mostly it’s about them falling in love.
It’s a wonderful first book to a series and there are loads of interesting men at the ranch whose stories must be told!
I’ve never read this author before, but I’m a fan now!
4.5 of 5 stars
October 4, 2011
this was a first read by this author for me, and it's a solid 4 stars :) I really did enjoy the interaction between the 2 main characters, and the mystery written into the story, with the twist as to 'which cowboy dunnit' at the end. The way the author wrote about such a difficult medical subject afflicting veterans today (post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD) shows she was very attune to the very real struggles and difficulties that diagnosis carries, and the understanding it takes on the part of loved ones and medical personnel to remain aware of this problem, and use a multi-factorial approach to support and treatment.
Like I said. . . SOLID!
Like I said. . . SOLID!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2013
I actually loved this book. It had two hot MC's. One a cowboy and one navy veteran. Two of my favourite types of characters. I loved that this was full of drama. In a way I wish it had been longer, but I could live with the length it was.
Ty and Cass were just a sweet couple. I loved the instant attraction Cass had for Ty. It was really sweet and I loved the "baby" he threw at him the day they met. Their relationship developed kind of slowly, they did not have sex until Ty was ready.
I really enjoyed the Jed trouble. It was nice to see no cheating when there could have been. I would recommend this to anyone who does not want loads of sex, and a good story. :)
Ty and Cass were just a sweet couple. I loved the instant attraction Cass had for Ty. It was really sweet and I loved the "baby" he threw at him the day they met. Their relationship developed kind of slowly, they did not have sex until Ty was ready.
I really enjoyed the Jed trouble. It was nice to see no cheating when there could have been. I would recommend this to anyone who does not want loads of sex, and a good story. :)
July 26, 2012
2.5*
Tyler had such a great back story and I would have loved more about him and his relationship with Cass, but the instant lust/love was so fast and rushed that I don't quite see the falling in love part of it.
And the 'mystery' around the whole sabotage thing was just a bit too much for me, but I guess it was to introduce the MC's from the next book.
Tyler had such a great back story and I would have loved more about him and his relationship with Cass, but the instant lust/love was so fast and rushed that I don't quite see the falling in love part of it.
And the 'mystery' around the whole sabotage thing was just a bit too much for me, but I guess it was to introduce the MC's from the next book.
August 30, 2011
Here is my review of Ty Hard
Ty Hard
Ty Hard
September 3, 2013
Unrealistic Navy vet and over-the-top aggro alpha douche. No thanks.
November 7, 2013
Lassie, go and get the sheriff.
It was fine, a bit dramatic. Two alphas, one temporarily broken and intrigue on the ranch. May still deduct another star for the schmaltz-y ending.
It was fine, a bit dramatic. Two alphas, one temporarily broken and intrigue on the ranch. May still deduct another star for the schmaltz-y ending.
July 27, 2016
Updated 4/29/2014
After reading a book that was kind of cheesy and kind of OTT that didn't work for me, I decided to bump my rating of this from a 2 to a 3, because this is how you do it right. This book is super ridiculous and super cheesy, but still entertaining if you can manage to shut your brain off for awhile and just go with it. Cuz if you're gonna do cheesy and OTT then own it. Go big or go home, I say. And man does Harner go big.
Ty is hot ex-SEAL with PTSD that ends up looking for a job at a ranch owed by a sexy cowboy named Cass. A ranch in northern Arizona where almost everyone who works there is gay or bi and really hot. And so is the Sheriff and the veterinarian and that guy at the VA... Cass starts calling Ty baby 5 minutes after they meet, and is all protective, possessive and growly (of course). Ty may have PTSD and seem all vulnerable to Cass, but Ty is a badass. They don't call him Ty Hard for nothing (cuz of Die Hard, obvs). And he can totally take down a guy with his awesome SEAL moves. And when the bad guy shows up spouting the reasons why he wants them all dead, and you're like - Who? What? Seriously? Just remember that you're going with it. And really, who cares? Shit blows up!
And if the plot's not cheesy enough for you, well, you have the writing. Cass rose to his knees, and stroked his cock with his already slick hands. He looked down on his lover, filled with possessive pride and a need to mark his man. "Put your hand over mine, baby. Let's finish this together."
So, yes this is silly but it's fun and it's FREE!
***********Original Review*****************
This was silly and OTT and so cheesy, but once I stopped rolling my eyes at it, I actually enjoyed it. The guys were adorable and it was a short, easy read. I kinda want to know what happens next.
After reading a book that was kind of cheesy and kind of OTT that didn't work for me, I decided to bump my rating of this from a 2 to a 3, because this is how you do it right. This book is super ridiculous and super cheesy, but still entertaining if you can manage to shut your brain off for awhile and just go with it. Cuz if you're gonna do cheesy and OTT then own it. Go big or go home, I say. And man does Harner go big.
Ty is hot ex-SEAL with PTSD that ends up looking for a job at a ranch owed by a sexy cowboy named Cass. A ranch in northern Arizona where almost everyone who works there is gay or bi and really hot. And so is the Sheriff and the veterinarian and that guy at the VA... Cass starts calling Ty baby 5 minutes after they meet, and is all protective, possessive and growly (of course). Ty may have PTSD and seem all vulnerable to Cass, but Ty is a badass. They don't call him Ty Hard for nothing (cuz of Die Hard, obvs). And he can totally take down a guy with his awesome SEAL moves. And when the bad guy shows up spouting the reasons why he wants them all dead, and you're like - Who? What? Seriously? Just remember that you're going with it. And really, who cares? Shit blows up!
And if the plot's not cheesy enough for you, well, you have the writing. Cass rose to his knees, and stroked his cock with his already slick hands. He looked down on his lover, filled with possessive pride and a need to mark his man. "Put your hand over mine, baby. Let's finish this together."
So, yes this is silly but it's fun and it's FREE!
***********Original Review*****************
This was silly and OTT and so cheesy, but once I stopped rolling my eyes at it, I actually enjoyed it. The guys were adorable and it was a short, easy read. I kinda want to know what happens next.
January 14, 2014
2.5 Stars
Okay, don't throw anything at me, but I really couldn't get one board with this one for some reason. Maybe because there was too much going on? There was Tyler and his flashbacks, Ty losing his 'dad', Ty coming into his sexuality, Ty losing the guilt that lives inside of him, and unwanted advanced by a sleazy ginger.
While all that is going on Cass, the owner of Willow Springs Ranch, tries to help Ty but there are some little and not so little sabotages around the ranch and his person. Also, Cass is trying to figure out a way to love? Umm...that's not the right word. He's trying to figure out if he wants a relationship or become dependent on someone else? Yeah, that sounds right. All he knows are one-offs and back alley/restroom hookups.
Ty and Cass have a 'relationship' that lasts about a week? and already talking about building a life together. Wow, that was quick, Ty.
Everything just happened too fast and it was too much. I think if it just explored Cass and Ty's relationship without all of the other unnecessary things it would have been better.
Not sure if I will be moving on with this series.
Okay, don't throw anything at me, but I really couldn't get one board with this one for some reason. Maybe because there was too much going on? There was Tyler and his flashbacks, Ty losing his 'dad', Ty coming into his sexuality, Ty losing the guilt that lives inside of him, and unwanted advanced by a sleazy ginger.
While all that is going on Cass, the owner of Willow Springs Ranch, tries to help Ty but there are some little and not so little sabotages around the ranch and his person. Also, Cass is trying to figure out a way to love? Umm...that's not the right word. He's trying to figure out if he wants a relationship or become dependent on someone else? Yeah, that sounds right. All he knows are one-offs and back alley/restroom hookups.
Ty and Cass have a 'relationship' that lasts about a week? and already talking about building a life together. Wow, that was quick, Ty.
Everything just happened too fast and it was too much. I think if it just explored Cass and Ty's relationship without all of the other unnecessary things it would have been better.
Not sure if I will be moving on with this series.
September 15, 2014
Amazon Freebie -3 Stars. This book was really refreshing due to the fact that the cowboys were all honest about their sexuality and not the whole I'm not gay, I'm not gay theme and Ta Da he is gay!!!!
Cass Cartwright was hot.
Tyler Hardin had an accident in Afgan and well it didn#t go to well. He gets out to visit his old mentor Gibby only to find that Gibby is gone.
not quite a Navy Seal uniform but you get my drift.
Ty has PTSD and needs help. He knows that he is gay and well he never decided otherwise just that he repressed it and after what happened to him it's no fucking surprise.
Cass Cartwright was hot.
Tyler Hardin had an accident in Afgan and well it didn#t go to well. He gets out to visit his old mentor Gibby only to find that Gibby is gone.
not quite a Navy Seal uniform but you get my drift.Ty has PTSD and needs help. He knows that he is gay and well he never decided otherwise just that he repressed it and after what happened to him it's no fucking surprise.
March 23, 2015
I am thinking of rating this somewhere between It's ok and I like it.
Tyler, a former soldier still suffering from PTSD, accepts an old friend's offer to spend some time with him and his partner on a ranch where he works as a cook. When he arrives, his friend is dead. Cass Cartwright, the owner of Willow Springs Ranch is caught off guard by his reaction to Tyler.
I haven't got a clue if the intimate moments are realistic or not. I would assume they mostly are since not everything goes easy. Some of those moments, especially the initial ones, are scorching hot. I am not sure about the endearments baby and honey though. Not a fan.
The story doesn't deal only with Ty's readiness for a relationship with a man, because Cass also has to realize that Tyler doesn't need saving. And there are more problem on the ranch besides relationships.
Tyler, a former soldier still suffering from PTSD, accepts an old friend's offer to spend some time with him and his partner on a ranch where he works as a cook. When he arrives, his friend is dead. Cass Cartwright, the owner of Willow Springs Ranch is caught off guard by his reaction to Tyler.
I haven't got a clue if the intimate moments are realistic or not. I would assume they mostly are since not everything goes easy. Some of those moments, especially the initial ones, are scorching hot. I am not sure about the endearments baby and honey though. Not a fan.
The story doesn't deal only with Ty's readiness for a relationship with a man, because Cass also has to realize that Tyler doesn't need saving. And there are more problem on the ranch besides relationships.
May 25, 2020
This was a nice, sweet read with a bit of mystery to it (but not much). It's about ex-SEAL Ty, fresh outta the Navy via a medical discharge, who visits his mentor Gibby on the Whispering Tree Ranch. Except when he arrives it's to find Gibby just died. Ty has a migraine, passes out and the love affair between he and ranch owner Cass begins. Ty has "issues" (not unrelated to his military PTSD) that Cass helps him with. (Ty's naivety is hard to believe for an ex-military person never mind an ex-SEAL: then it gets less noticeably mentioned by the author.)
The 'mystery' portion of the story brings in new characters (a vet, a sheriff and deputies) that will have their own story told in upcoming books. (Yes, this is a re-read!) I look forward to continuing this series again!
The 'mystery' portion of the story brings in new characters (a vet, a sheriff and deputies) that will have their own story told in upcoming books. (Yes, this is a re-read!) I look forward to continuing this series again!
September 22, 2013
I’m not sure if word’s spreading fast enough, but L.E. Harner has made this book permanently FREE on Smashwords, and let me tell you it’s a steal. The story is briskly paced, with just enough backstory to make Ty a completely sympathetic character who is so strong and at the same time entirely fragile.
The climax of the story delivers a one-two-punch and opens the way nicely for the next book in the series, so if a sexy cowboy and a damaged ex-Navy SEAL sound like a great way to spend a little reading time, definitely download this one soon.
You can read the rest of this review at The Novel Approach
The climax of the story delivers a one-two-punch and opens the way nicely for the next book in the series, so if a sexy cowboy and a damaged ex-Navy SEAL sound like a great way to spend a little reading time, definitely download this one soon.
You can read the rest of this review at The Novel Approach
October 15, 2014
This story had potential but it was so rushed it was silly. Tyler has been medically discharged from the navy and goes to stay with Frank, an old navy friend who lives on a ranch with his partner. The men who work there are either gay or have no issue with gay men. On arrival, Tyler meets Cass (the owner) and is immediately told that Frank died an hour before he got there. Cass, who doesn't do relationships is drawn to Tyler, as is Jed one of the other ranch hands - both of whom make a move on Tyler on his first night there. The relationship between the two MC's goes from zero to full speed with no getting to know each other first. I liked the characters involved but so much more could have been done to pad out the story and make it a bit more realistic.
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