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The Cowboys #3
My Cowboy Homecoming
Love can heal the deepest wounds…
A sense of duty brings a soldier home…but a passionate cowboy makes him want to stay.
After his brother’s tragic death, Tripp has to leave the army and return to New Mexico to take care of his mother while his father is in prison for arson. Seeking work at the J-Bar Ranch, Tripp is immediately drawn to injured cowboy Lucho Reyes, whose foot was accidentally crushed by a rescue horse. But will the sins of the father interfere with the desires of the son? Tripp’s father may be responsible for the death of Lucho’s grandfather. Now Tripp must balance caring for his mother, repairing his father’s damages, and trying to win the heart of a man who has every reason to hate him and his family…
A sense of duty brings a soldier home…but a passionate cowboy makes him want to stay.
After his brother’s tragic death, Tripp has to leave the army and return to New Mexico to take care of his mother while his father is in prison for arson. Seeking work at the J-Bar Ranch, Tripp is immediately drawn to injured cowboy Lucho Reyes, whose foot was accidentally crushed by a rescue horse. But will the sins of the father interfere with the desires of the son? Tripp’s father may be responsible for the death of Lucho’s grandfather. Now Tripp must balance caring for his mother, repairing his father’s damages, and trying to win the heart of a man who has every reason to hate him and his family…
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2014
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November 30, 2014
4.25 stars
Because
COWBOYS
This is another sexy, ride-em-hard adventure on the J-Bar ranch; it can be read as a standalone, although Malloy & Crispin and Jimmy & Eddie from the previous books do play a secondary role in the story.
The steam level here is moderate, but Tripp and Lucho are hella hawt in the included steamy scenes. I'm particularly fond of the one in the hotel room, where Tripp
Tripp is into Lucho from the moment they meet, but Lucho, whose family was hurt by Tripp's criminal father, wants naught to do with Tripp.
I liked the enemies-to-lovers trope, the slow burn, the care the men showed each other.
Tripp returns from the army to take care of his mom, only to get trapped in his father's clutches once again. Tripp suffers from nightmares. He feels guilt about his brother's death and his mother's breakdown.
When Lucho finally allows himself to see the real Tripp, a brave but broken man who's not his father's son, he becomes Tripp's rock.
The relationship between Lucho and Tripp is solid and believable, the dialogue realistic. The men have to deal with Lucho's family who despise Tripp for the sins of his father, and Tripp's emotionally manipulative, unstable mother who allows Tripp's father to control her even from prison.
I became more frustrated with Tripp as the book progressed. He was ready to leave everything he loved to save a mother who I'm not sure deserved to be saved. She was supposed to be the victim, but I found her incredibly weak and unlikable.
Lucho was an interesting, complex character. Because the book is told from Tripp's first-person POV, we see Lucho only through Tripp's eyes, but Lucho's love for Tripp is obvious and unmistakable.
The ending felt a bit like a cop-out, but I found it preferable to the initial choice Tripp was going to make. He didn't need to be a martyr to finally put the past behind him.
ZAM's writing is generally polished, and this one is no exception. Ranch life comes alive in the small details: Tripp birthing a calf; Lucho and Tripp training a scared, stubborn horse; Crispin making dessert tortillas over the campfire.
There was an easy pace to the story, an unmistakable sense of RIGHTNESS between Tripp and his Luis.
Trust in that kiss, Tripp; it won't lead you astray.
Because
COWBOYS
This is another sexy, ride-em-hard adventure on the J-Bar ranch; it can be read as a standalone, although Malloy & Crispin and Jimmy & Eddie from the previous books do play a secondary role in the story.
The steam level here is moderate, but Tripp and Lucho are hella hawt in the included steamy scenes. I'm particularly fond of the one in the hotel room, where Tripp
Tripp is into Lucho from the moment they meet, but Lucho, whose family was hurt by Tripp's criminal father, wants naught to do with Tripp.
I liked the enemies-to-lovers trope, the slow burn, the care the men showed each other.
Tripp returns from the army to take care of his mom, only to get trapped in his father's clutches once again. Tripp suffers from nightmares. He feels guilt about his brother's death and his mother's breakdown.
When Lucho finally allows himself to see the real Tripp, a brave but broken man who's not his father's son, he becomes Tripp's rock.
That was love, right there. That's what love really looks like. Love and acceptance. Understanding. Kindness. What Lucho brought to the table wasn't some dumbass romantic idea of love, but the kind of love I'd been looking for all my life. The kind that gives and doesn't ask anything in return.
The relationship between Lucho and Tripp is solid and believable, the dialogue realistic. The men have to deal with Lucho's family who despise Tripp for the sins of his father, and Tripp's emotionally manipulative, unstable mother who allows Tripp's father to control her even from prison.
I became more frustrated with Tripp as the book progressed. He was ready to leave everything he loved to save a mother who I'm not sure deserved to be saved. She was supposed to be the victim, but I found her incredibly weak and unlikable.
Lucho was an interesting, complex character. Because the book is told from Tripp's first-person POV, we see Lucho only through Tripp's eyes, but Lucho's love for Tripp is obvious and unmistakable.
The ending felt a bit like a cop-out, but I found it preferable to the initial choice Tripp was going to make. He didn't need to be a martyr to finally put the past behind him.
ZAM's writing is generally polished, and this one is no exception. Ranch life comes alive in the small details: Tripp birthing a calf; Lucho and Tripp training a scared, stubborn horse; Crispin making dessert tortillas over the campfire.
There was an easy pace to the story, an unmistakable sense of RIGHTNESS between Tripp and his Luis.
[Lucho] kissed me with all the passion I'd come to expect and more tenderness than I had a right to. As if it was his right, and his duty, and his pleasure to kiss me. He kissed me like I was his and he was never going to let it end and I never wanted it to end, either.
Trust in that kiss, Tripp; it won't lead you astray.
December 5, 2014
I've really enjoyed every book in this series. Partly because they didn't always go exactly where I expected, and I appreciate that in a story. And partly because I've really enjoyed the characters in each one.
This book is told from the POV of Tripp, a soldier returning home from active service to attend to a different kind of duty. His father is in prison, his younger brother had died in a car accident, and his timid and agoraphobic mother is alone in a life she's probably not able to cope with. Tripp knows it's up to him to take care of her and keep her safe. He's hoping for a quiet life, some kind of job, and to help her move on after the two losses in her life.
Tripp is glad his father was caught and put away. He's seen the bitter, bigoted violence his father and friends did first-hand. After a childhood of being afraid and overwhelmed by his dad, he left for the Service to get away, and isn't sorry that he doesn't have to come home to the man. He's sad about his brother, but not devastated because his brother was following in his father's footsteps and they'd been estranged. But he loves his mother.
When he gets home he finds that life is not going to be simple. His mother hasn't paid her bills and is still totally under his father's thumb, even from prison. His father's lawyer seems to be hanging around a lot. The only vehicle he has that runs is an old truck, falling apart and unreliable. And in his new job, as a cowboy for the neighboring J-Bar ranch, he has to cope with unfamiliar duties, aggressive horses, and a gorgeous, desirable man who holds a deep and painful grudge against anyone with Tripp's last name.
I liked Tripp's point of view. He has a sharp sense of humor. He's an interesting mix of optimist and pessimist. He's willing to go all out for what he wants, and he's not in the closet, but anything related to his father, or mother and childhood is like a blind spot. Even now, despite all he does to distance himself from his past, it still affects him. He has a lot of self-confidence in some regards, and yet he lets other people call the shots too often.
Lucho, the J-Bar cowboy he's interested in, is a sweet and sexy guy with a love of horses, and a broken foot. He has to accept help from Tripp a few times, and that breaks the ice between them. Lucho is a great foil for Tripp, with a wider point of view and a lot less baggage. They are hot and sweet together.
This is a fairly simple romance, but the fun is in the details. Things are not exactly what they seem. And the resolutions avoid both melodrama and the banal, simple solution. Instead things get a bit messy, a bit incomplete, and humanly, lovingly wrapped up just enough. This isn't a fairytale where every deed earns its just reward, but it is a believable romance between two wonderful men whose interests, goals, and solid integrity make them a good match.
This book is told from the POV of Tripp, a soldier returning home from active service to attend to a different kind of duty. His father is in prison, his younger brother had died in a car accident, and his timid and agoraphobic mother is alone in a life she's probably not able to cope with. Tripp knows it's up to him to take care of her and keep her safe. He's hoping for a quiet life, some kind of job, and to help her move on after the two losses in her life.
Tripp is glad his father was caught and put away. He's seen the bitter, bigoted violence his father and friends did first-hand. After a childhood of being afraid and overwhelmed by his dad, he left for the Service to get away, and isn't sorry that he doesn't have to come home to the man. He's sad about his brother, but not devastated because his brother was following in his father's footsteps and they'd been estranged. But he loves his mother.
When he gets home he finds that life is not going to be simple. His mother hasn't paid her bills and is still totally under his father's thumb, even from prison. His father's lawyer seems to be hanging around a lot. The only vehicle he has that runs is an old truck, falling apart and unreliable. And in his new job, as a cowboy for the neighboring J-Bar ranch, he has to cope with unfamiliar duties, aggressive horses, and a gorgeous, desirable man who holds a deep and painful grudge against anyone with Tripp's last name.
I liked Tripp's point of view. He has a sharp sense of humor. He's an interesting mix of optimist and pessimist. He's willing to go all out for what he wants, and he's not in the closet, but anything related to his father, or mother and childhood is like a blind spot. Even now, despite all he does to distance himself from his past, it still affects him. He has a lot of self-confidence in some regards, and yet he lets other people call the shots too often.
Lucho, the J-Bar cowboy he's interested in, is a sweet and sexy guy with a love of horses, and a broken foot. He has to accept help from Tripp a few times, and that breaks the ice between them. Lucho is a great foil for Tripp, with a wider point of view and a lot less baggage. They are hot and sweet together.
This is a fairly simple romance, but the fun is in the details. Things are not exactly what they seem. And the resolutions avoid both melodrama and the banal, simple solution. Instead things get a bit messy, a bit incomplete, and humanly, lovingly wrapped up just enough. This isn't a fairytale where every deed earns its just reward, but it is a believable romance between two wonderful men whose interests, goals, and solid integrity make them a good match.
November 30, 2014
I admit I was a bit weary approaching this one – probably because I ditched book #2 due to a ‘surprise’ plot in the story that I didn’t expect. Turned out that I ended up loving this one – well, except for the ending, but I’ll get to that later.
I thought the enemies-to-lovers situation between Tripp and Lucho was written really well. Lucho has a reason to hate Tripp, because Tripp is the son of the man who burned down Lucho’s grandfather restaurant. It didn’t end well for Lucho’s grandfather, who died of heart attack (and probably heartbreak of losing the family business. However, Tripp is able to change Lucho’s mind, when he clearly shows Lucho – and the cowboys at J-Bar – that he is not his father’s son. Tripp is a hard-worker, fast-learner, and a pretty much an animal whisperer. Animals seem to feel calm around Tripp and we all know animals are good readers of human’s virtue.
So I was well-charmed with the progress of their relationship, as Tripp knocked down Lucho’s dislike brick by brick. And in between I highly enjoyed reading about Tripp’s experience as one of the hands at J-Bar. I loved reading how he was open to new experiences, including taming an abused horse. It was really engaging. The pace was moving just right for me – and I could really believe in Tripp and Lucho’s romance.
I was pretty frustrated with Tripp’s mother, though. She was the kind of woman who just couldn’t see the truth about his husband’s faults. She was so deep in denial that all I wanted was to shake her hard and to say “Darn it woman, wake up and smell the sh*t!!” which probably wouldn’t help the situation. I was pleasantly surprised when Maxfield wrote something ‘surprising’ about Yancy, Tripp’s family lawyer. I was ready to hate that guy but then Maxfield made me able to change my mind ... well, a little bit. I still disliked that man by principle *laugh*
The only let down for me in this story was the ending.
But in overall, yes, I loved this one.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
I thought the enemies-to-lovers situation between Tripp and Lucho was written really well. Lucho has a reason to hate Tripp, because Tripp is the son of the man who burned down Lucho’s grandfather restaurant. It didn’t end well for Lucho’s grandfather, who died of heart attack (and probably heartbreak of losing the family business. However, Tripp is able to change Lucho’s mind, when he clearly shows Lucho – and the cowboys at J-Bar – that he is not his father’s son. Tripp is a hard-worker, fast-learner, and a pretty much an animal whisperer. Animals seem to feel calm around Tripp and we all know animals are good readers of human’s virtue.
So I was well-charmed with the progress of their relationship, as Tripp knocked down Lucho’s dislike brick by brick. And in between I highly enjoyed reading about Tripp’s experience as one of the hands at J-Bar. I loved reading how he was open to new experiences, including taming an abused horse. It was really engaging. The pace was moving just right for me – and I could really believe in Tripp and Lucho’s romance.
I was pretty frustrated with Tripp’s mother, though. She was the kind of woman who just couldn’t see the truth about his husband’s faults. She was so deep in denial that all I wanted was to shake her hard and to say “Darn it woman, wake up and smell the sh*t!!” which probably wouldn’t help the situation. I was pleasantly surprised when Maxfield wrote something ‘surprising’ about Yancy, Tripp’s family lawyer. I was ready to hate that guy but then Maxfield made me able to change my mind ... well, a little bit. I still disliked that man by principle *laugh*
The only let down for me in this story was the ending.
But in overall, yes, I loved this one.
The ARC is provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an exchange of fair and honest review. No high rating is required for any ARC received.
December 19, 2014
A nice, slow burning, enemies to lovers story set on the familiar J Bar ranch. The story can easily be read as a standalone, with characters from the prior books only playing small, secondary roles.
Tripp is in a tough spot when he returns home from active duty to care for his mother in the wake of his brother's death. His father is in prison and Tripp wants nothing to do with the man, but his mother appears to be living in denial of his father's guilt. Tripp has always wanted to work on the J Bar, but is going to have a tough time proving himself when others, especially Lucho, judge him by his father's actions. Tripp is torn, trying to unravel the mess left behind by his father and brother while not disturbing his mother's fragile mental state, but soon finds things are even worse than he expected.
ZAM's writing, as usual puts the reader right there on the ranch. Tripp's slow winning over of not only Lucho, but the rest of the ranch hands and animals was really enjoyable to read, even though at times I got frustrated with his actions in regard to his mother. When the two men get together it's fun, sexy and sweet. Another excellent installment in the cowboy series.
Many thanks to Helle for the sexy cowboy Christmas gift.
Tripp is in a tough spot when he returns home from active duty to care for his mother in the wake of his brother's death. His father is in prison and Tripp wants nothing to do with the man, but his mother appears to be living in denial of his father's guilt. Tripp has always wanted to work on the J Bar, but is going to have a tough time proving himself when others, especially Lucho, judge him by his father's actions. Tripp is torn, trying to unravel the mess left behind by his father and brother while not disturbing his mother's fragile mental state, but soon finds things are even worse than he expected.
ZAM's writing, as usual puts the reader right there on the ranch. Tripp's slow winning over of not only Lucho, but the rest of the ranch hands and animals was really enjoyable to read, even though at times I got frustrated with his actions in regard to his mother. When the two men get together it's fun, sexy and sweet. Another excellent installment in the cowboy series.
Many thanks to Helle for the sexy cowboy Christmas gift.
January 1, 2020
"My Cowboy Homecoming" is third in Z.A. Maxfield's The Cowboys series set in New Mexico's J-Bar Ranch. I suppose you could read this as a stand-alone, but read the entire series to get a feel for life as a modern cowboy on the J-Bar ranch. You won't regret it. FYI, Malloy and Crispin from My Cowboy Heart and Jimmy and Eddie from My Heartache Cowboy make brief appearances here.
Maxfield writes damaged main characters so beautifully, and then turns around and makes you feel as they redeem themselves, one act at a time. "My Cowboy Homecoming" is above all a story of redemption. With his racist arsonist homophobic ass of a father in prison, his brother dead and his mother living in deep denial, Calvin Tripplehorn ("Tripp") returns home after 8 years in the military to take care of his mother. Tripp has always longed to "cowboy" and gets an opportunity to work at the J-Bar, only because Lucho Reyes has a busted foot. When Tripp and Lucho first meet, the sexual tension sizzles between them, only to fizzle out when Lucho discovers who Tripp's father is.
There's hardly a slow moment in the book as Tripp realizes just how fragile his mother is, tries to figure out what strings his father is pulling from prison, and sets about proving to Lucho that "the past isn't as important as what you learn from it." And when Lucho and Tripp finally work things out - with a steamy scene along the lines of "save a horse, ride a cowboy" - it's pure goddamn magic.
Maxfield has created some wonderful characters in The Cowboys series such as Malloy and Jimmy but Tripp is the best of the best. He's a stand-up guy who constantly has to overcome preconceptions based on his family name, but he's willing to take whatever comes his way in order to live the cowboy life he loves, in the company of the man he loves. I highly recommend this wonderful addition to the series!
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Maxfield writes damaged main characters so beautifully, and then turns around and makes you feel as they redeem themselves, one act at a time. "My Cowboy Homecoming" is above all a story of redemption. With his racist arsonist homophobic ass of a father in prison, his brother dead and his mother living in deep denial, Calvin Tripplehorn ("Tripp") returns home after 8 years in the military to take care of his mother. Tripp has always longed to "cowboy" and gets an opportunity to work at the J-Bar, only because Lucho Reyes has a busted foot. When Tripp and Lucho first meet, the sexual tension sizzles between them, only to fizzle out when Lucho discovers who Tripp's father is.
There's hardly a slow moment in the book as Tripp realizes just how fragile his mother is, tries to figure out what strings his father is pulling from prison, and sets about proving to Lucho that "the past isn't as important as what you learn from it." And when Lucho and Tripp finally work things out - with a steamy scene along the lines of "save a horse, ride a cowboy" - it's pure goddamn magic.
Maxfield has created some wonderful characters in The Cowboys series such as Malloy and Jimmy but Tripp is the best of the best. He's a stand-up guy who constantly has to overcome preconceptions based on his family name, but he's willing to take whatever comes his way in order to live the cowboy life he loves, in the company of the man he loves. I highly recommend this wonderful addition to the series!
Visit my new blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
November 23, 2014
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy of this book
ZA Maxfield is nearly always a hit for me. I love her stories and the way she tells them. My Cowboy Homecoming was mostly a hit for me. Tripp and Lucho are an unlikely couple, considering the history their families have, but they just can't resist each other.
Tripp left home the moment he turned 18. He joined the Army and as far as he was concerned he wasn't going to have anything to do with his family ever again. His father was a violent bigot who didn't like immigrants or gays or anyone who was different from him (and he hasn't changed). Eight years later, though, his father is in prison and his brother is dead and Tripp comes come to take care of his very fagile mom.
Mom is a serious head case who doesn't deal with reality at all. She is pretty much of a mind that if she ignores anything she doesn't like and everything she can't deal with, it'll all go away and everything will be ok. That would be difficult to work with. She hides behind religion and her husband's opinions like they are a shield.
Lucho's family was a victim of Tripp's father's bigotry when, many years ago, Tripp's father and his cronies burned down Lucho's grandfather's restaurant. Tripp's little brother turned out not so good either and was selling drugs to school kids. So, Tripp isn't exactly welcome at the J-Bar as far as Lucho is concerned. Malloy and Crispin feel differently, though, and both feel that Tripp should not be punished for the crimes other people have committed, family or not. They give Tripp a chance. The rest is up to him and Tripp is determined to show people, especially Lucho, that he is nothing like his father.
Lucho wants to hate Tripp for the crimes of his father and brother, but he does come to see that Tripp is not his DNA. And then much hotness ensues.
The ending of this book is pretty much the only part that didn't sit right with me. I'm not going to spoil it at all here, even in spoiler tags, but I found it too convenient and too easily resolved. The rest of the story was paced nicely, but the ending felt rushed.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this story and I am very much looking forward to the next installment.
ZA Maxfield is nearly always a hit for me. I love her stories and the way she tells them. My Cowboy Homecoming was mostly a hit for me. Tripp and Lucho are an unlikely couple, considering the history their families have, but they just can't resist each other.
Tripp left home the moment he turned 18. He joined the Army and as far as he was concerned he wasn't going to have anything to do with his family ever again. His father was a violent bigot who didn't like immigrants or gays or anyone who was different from him (and he hasn't changed). Eight years later, though, his father is in prison and his brother is dead and Tripp comes come to take care of his very fagile mom.
Mom is a serious head case who doesn't deal with reality at all. She is pretty much of a mind that if she ignores anything she doesn't like and everything she can't deal with, it'll all go away and everything will be ok. That would be difficult to work with. She hides behind religion and her husband's opinions like they are a shield.
Lucho's family was a victim of Tripp's father's bigotry when, many years ago, Tripp's father and his cronies burned down Lucho's grandfather's restaurant. Tripp's little brother turned out not so good either and was selling drugs to school kids. So, Tripp isn't exactly welcome at the J-Bar as far as Lucho is concerned. Malloy and Crispin feel differently, though, and both feel that Tripp should not be punished for the crimes other people have committed, family or not. They give Tripp a chance. The rest is up to him and Tripp is determined to show people, especially Lucho, that he is nothing like his father.
Lucho wants to hate Tripp for the crimes of his father and brother, but he does come to see that Tripp is not his DNA. And then much hotness ensues.
The ending of this book is pretty much the only part that didn't sit right with me. I'm not going to spoil it at all here, even in spoiler tags, but I found it too convenient and too easily resolved. The rest of the story was paced nicely, but the ending felt rushed.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this story and I am very much looking forward to the next installment.
January 1, 2015
A pretty good story, but some of the main hero's behavior irritated me so much that I had a difficult time trying to like him. The romance was mostly sweet, but felt like it was missing some element that would have really made it great. I just can't put my finger on what. A decent way to pass the time, but I don't think it'll be a story that sticks with me.
July 28, 2022
To sum up "My Cowboy Homecoming" in a couple of typically over-wrought lines:
"My father is a crazy. I’m cursed. Everything I touch will be tainted by poison. Everything I care about."
and
"If I don’t do what your father says, my life is over."
So you can see we're in angsty OTT territory here, with revenge, drugs, abuse, forbidden love and dead grandfathers rolling in their graves.
To be fair, Maxfield writes competently, the plot hangs together (for a given value of WTF) and the characterisation remains broadly consistent. And I did read this in the shade of a parasol, with a glass of iced tea, so I was probably in too sunny a frame of mind to appreciate the book's agonies properly.
"My father is a crazy. I’m cursed. Everything I touch will be tainted by poison. Everything I care about."
and
"If I don’t do what your father says, my life is over."
So you can see we're in angsty OTT territory here, with revenge, drugs, abuse, forbidden love and dead grandfathers rolling in their graves.
To be fair, Maxfield writes competently, the plot hangs together (for a given value of WTF) and the characterisation remains broadly consistent. And I did read this in the shade of a parasol, with a glass of iced tea, so I was probably in too sunny a frame of mind to appreciate the book's agonies properly.
August 18, 2015
There are many things to love about the first half of this book. Wonderful descriptions of the life on the farm, animals (Galleta, Pio, Threep), supporting characters, or even MC's. I think I would have preferred MC's being just friends, or simply friends in making, to being lovers. This did not work for me. The romance is weak, not even secondary to the main plotline, and reads almost like an instalove. ZAM basically on page one tells the reader 'It's lust at first sight, so move on. Now I will do some awesome writing in the first part of the book and the second half will write itself somehow.' Guess what, it didn't. What happens next is beyond words. The soap opera and drama. Gone are all the strengths of the book that got somehow obscured by the pile of horseshit (unfortunately not literally). ZAM does not explore Tripp's time in the army, his PTSD, his relationships with his brothers in arms nor his purple heart. She just touches the surface of Lucho's family problems as well. It seemed like she had run out of steam. What the reader gets is a cop out after a cop out. At this point I didn't care if Tripp and Lucho stayed together. ZAM starts demonizing the father maniacally. As if she could make Tripp's mother look better this way. Let's recap what we learnt about Daddy:
a) he used to be a good man until he lost his job.
b) the father blamed the immigrants for taking his job.
c) the onset of crazies happened and Daddy took to burning down fine establishments.
d) Daddy's been in jail after he found his new calling (arson) and is in tough spot. He has to deal drugs for protection.
Tripp is blaming Daddy for ruining their family. And here's the other thing that didn't work for me: the portrayal of Tripp's mother as a victim. I can agree that Daddy abused her (after all he was a SOB, though the reader learns more about him only at the end), but it does not absolute Ma of her sins. She chose not to see the abuse her crazed husband inflicted on others. Whether that being Tripp or strangers. It is certainly easier to not see, pretending nothing wrong is going on. Many times I read her as a manipulative, homophobic, pitiful person. I also learnt one doesn't have to call her son a pervert, or an abomination, to imply it. That's another thing ZAM didn't care to resolve. I see Ma as a selfish, aged Southern Belle. Each time she spits in Tripp's face with her homophobic words or her blind devotion to her husband, each time she calls Tripp 'Junior', I refuse to pity her. I wish Tripp had made different choices. He caves in each time his mother twists his arm. He's blind as is she, though his is a different kind of blindness. There's a line which shouldn't be crossed. Ma's Tripp's family and he has to love her, but he doesn't have to like her, or let her always get her way. To me she's as guilty as her husband. Let's recap:
a) she knows about the abuse and does nothing.
b) she knows about her son having been raped and a possible murder/assault of an innocent girl and orders Tripp to sweep this under the rug (God forbid Daddy gets arrested).
c) she knows about the drugs as she's the one who's smuggling them (but Daddy forced her!).
d) she may be partially to blame for the death of Tripp's brother Heath who smuggled the drugs for Daddy and Ma. Unfortunately poor sod got addicted and perhaps stole from the wrong people. But, it was a car accident, everyone's sure but Ma. So, she needs to keep dealing drugs for Daddy or Daddy's big BLACK enemies will hurt Daddy in the prison. Or will hurt Ma. ZAM is not really sure herself.
e) my favourite: Ma lets Tripp fall on the sword (aka take the blame for the drug business), so she can ELOPE with her rich lawyer friend.
I think I will stop here with the recaps because again I'm not sure what ZAM was thinking. I guess the author felt that Ma might look not that great in this picture, so she decided a suicide attempt was in order. Get real, ZAM. You must have watched one soap opera too many. Life is a b*tch, but not everybody gets such a cop out.
I think I will be putting this series on hold after this installment. Though I loved parts of this book, overall I'm disappointed. Writing was good, but the romance and plot left a lot to be desired. After the disastrous book 2, I think the time has finally come. Unfortunately I have to remove ZAM from my autobuy list.
1.5 stars.
a) he used to be a good man until he lost his job.
b) the father blamed the immigrants for taking his job.
c) the onset of crazies happened and Daddy took to burning down fine establishments.
d) Daddy's been in jail after he found his new calling (arson) and is in tough spot. He has to deal drugs for protection.
Tripp is blaming Daddy for ruining their family. And here's the other thing that didn't work for me: the portrayal of Tripp's mother as a victim. I can agree that Daddy abused her (after all he was a SOB, though the reader learns more about him only at the end), but it does not absolute Ma of her sins. She chose not to see the abuse her crazed husband inflicted on others. Whether that being Tripp or strangers. It is certainly easier to not see, pretending nothing wrong is going on. Many times I read her as a manipulative, homophobic, pitiful person. I also learnt one doesn't have to call her son a pervert, or an abomination, to imply it. That's another thing ZAM didn't care to resolve. I see Ma as a selfish, aged Southern Belle. Each time she spits in Tripp's face with her homophobic words or her blind devotion to her husband, each time she calls Tripp 'Junior', I refuse to pity her. I wish Tripp had made different choices. He caves in each time his mother twists his arm. He's blind as is she, though his is a different kind of blindness. There's a line which shouldn't be crossed. Ma's Tripp's family and he has to love her, but he doesn't have to like her, or let her always get her way. To me she's as guilty as her husband. Let's recap:
a) she knows about the abuse and does nothing.
b) she knows about her son having been raped and a possible murder/assault of an innocent girl and orders Tripp to sweep this under the rug (God forbid Daddy gets arrested).
c) she knows about the drugs as she's the one who's smuggling them (but Daddy forced her!).
d) she may be partially to blame for the death of Tripp's brother Heath who smuggled the drugs for Daddy and Ma. Unfortunately poor sod got addicted and perhaps stole from the wrong people. But, it was a car accident, everyone's sure but Ma. So, she needs to keep dealing drugs for Daddy or Daddy's big BLACK enemies will hurt Daddy in the prison. Or will hurt Ma. ZAM is not really sure herself.
e) my favourite: Ma lets Tripp fall on the sword (aka take the blame for the drug business), so she can ELOPE with her rich lawyer friend.
I think I will stop here with the recaps because again I'm not sure what ZAM was thinking. I guess the author felt that Ma might look not that great in this picture, so she decided a suicide attempt was in order. Get real, ZAM. You must have watched one soap opera too many. Life is a b*tch, but not everybody gets such a cop out.
I think I will be putting this series on hold after this installment. Though I loved parts of this book, overall I'm disappointed. Writing was good, but the romance and plot left a lot to be desired. After the disastrous book 2, I think the time has finally come. Unfortunately I have to remove ZAM from my autobuy list.
1.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2014
Calvin Tripplelhorn has left the army to come home after the death of his brother. His homecoming was anything but wonderful. Something is not right with his mom, his dad is in prison-good riddance-and most of the folks are less than happy to see him. Tripp has a lot to overcome with all the evil his dad has done.
Tripp's has high hopes a job at the J-Bar, when one of the hands at the ranch is laid up with a busted foot. It's lust at first sight when Tripp helps Lucho, the injured hand into the J-Bar pickup. The lust is mutual till Lucho finds out that Tripp is the son of the man Lucho holds responsible for his grandfather's death.
This is my favorite so far in the series. The story deals with downfall and redemption. It is hard and gentle, sexy and sweet. All in all it is an amazing read.
Tripp's has high hopes a job at the J-Bar, when one of the hands at the ranch is laid up with a busted foot. It's lust at first sight when Tripp helps Lucho, the injured hand into the J-Bar pickup. The lust is mutual till Lucho finds out that Tripp is the son of the man Lucho holds responsible for his grandfather's death.
This is my favorite so far in the series. The story deals with downfall and redemption. It is hard and gentle, sexy and sweet. All in all it is an amazing read.
May 11, 2015
Another home run from Z.A. Maxfield for me. I'm getting to know that ranch pretty well, and I like it that way! ;-) I think the first book in the series is still my favorite, but this is a close second.
January 20, 2015
Great addition to The Cowboys series. Loved Tripp and Lucho but hated Tripp's mom and dad... I'm still fuming...
Recommended.
December 28, 2014
4.25 stars! I really enjoyed this 3rd book in the series. Tripp and Lucho are great together and the slow burn romance is as usual very effective. The only reason why I didnt give this 5 starts is because of Tripp's A great addition to the series and I am SOOOOO looking forward to the 4th book.
:)
:)
March 16, 2023
It’s somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4. Might be a 4 if I didn’t have to pay extra $$ for it…
It was well written. Had deep enough plot - Tripp coming home from war, honorable discharge with a Purple Heart - taking care of his strange mom (older bro dead, dad in prison) and working on a ranch. Dad in prison because he burned someone’s restaurant down, and the owner died of a heart attack, and as luck would have it, Tripp falls in lust at first sight with the grandson.
There’s some homophobia mentioned, racial prejudice mentioned, PTSD from war, recovering from a smashed foot, mental health (of the mom), etc. Lots going on.
It was slow but the writing kept me reading. The sex is not bad. But where I have to take 1-1.5 stars off is the ending. Just didn’t make a lot of sense honestly what Tripp was proposing to do. Even Lucho kept saying it was stupid. But it’s not like Lucho had any other bright ideas. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just tell the truth. The mom is on the run anyway.
Just honestly stupid in terms of the wrap up. OK taking down to 3 stars.
It was well written. Had deep enough plot - Tripp coming home from war, honorable discharge with a Purple Heart - taking care of his strange mom (older bro dead, dad in prison) and working on a ranch. Dad in prison because he burned someone’s restaurant down, and the owner died of a heart attack, and as luck would have it, Tripp falls in lust at first sight with the grandson.
There’s some homophobia mentioned, racial prejudice mentioned, PTSD from war, recovering from a smashed foot, mental health (of the mom), etc. Lots going on.
It was slow but the writing kept me reading. The sex is not bad. But where I have to take 1-1.5 stars off is the ending. Just didn’t make a lot of sense honestly what Tripp was proposing to do. Even Lucho kept saying it was stupid. But it’s not like Lucho had any other bright ideas. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just tell the truth. The mom is on the run anyway.
Just honestly stupid in terms of the wrap up. OK taking down to 3 stars.
December 10, 2014
Thank you to PENGUIN and Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My Cowboy Homecoming included three of my favorite things—cowboys (duh!), an enemies to lovers premise, and forbidden love. Tripp and Lucho’s story was the third in the series, but I didn’t have a hard time following along or feel like I missed anything. Though this was classified as romance, I think it was more about Tripp finding his footing in civilian life after leaving the military and coming to grips with his family’s past. He just happened to find Lucho and fall in love along the way.
I really enjoyed both characters. Tripp was a level-headed, hard worker who was always trying to do the right thing in an effort to right past wrongs. Lucho was hot-headed and stubborn at the beginning of the story, but he, too, was level-headed when he needed to be. The biggest hindrance to their relationship was Tripp’s father. He was responsible for an event that had a huge impact on Lucho’s life, and Tripp had to constantly remind Lucho that he (Tripp) was not his father. By the end of the book, Tripp was beating himself up, and it was Lucho reminding him that he wasn’t his father. I love the way their relationship came full circle, and how Lucho was finally able to see Tripp for who he was. Lucho’s family was also an uphill battle, as they were unable to separate Tripp from his father.
This story had nice, steady pace. With the other cowboys on the J-Bar, the ranch where Tripp and Lucho worked, there was always something going on that would prompt Tripp to think about his present and how he wanted his life to change. And he was always learning new, interesting things. I really loved the backdrop of the ranch in this story, and I thought utilizing the animals as a catalyst for Tripp and Lucho’s relationship was interesting. Both were men who trusted and loved animals, and it was interesting to see how the animals, and they put a lot of stock in the way the animal’s treated the people around them.
Tripp and Lucho were sexy together. They burned up the sheets in the barn…the bunkhouse…the hotel…pretty much everywhere they went. They couldn’t get enough of each other!
Here’s my issue with this book—the history of Tripp’s family and the way things were ‘wrapped up.’ Obviously growth for the main character is important, and we did see that with Tripp learning to open up to Lucho. But Tripp’s mother, a pretty significant character in this book, was incredibly weak. I was hoping for some development there, as she was living in squalor and scared all the time that her husband would be able to get to her from prison. She didn’t learn a thing from that; she never confronts her husband and never shows any strength. It’s just one bad situation after another. She let Tripp take everything on, knowing he’d just arrived home from war and was battling his own demons. This was a burden he really didn’t need, but that was of no concern to her because she was too selfish to see it. I also had a hard time buying the choices Tripp made at the end of the book. He took pride in being an honest man, and I just don’t think his choices were an accurate reflection of his character.
Overall, I loved the romantic aspect of this story with Lucho and Tripp falling in love. It was a steamy M/M read, and if you don’t mind Tripp’s family issues, I think you’ll enjoy it.
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
My Cowboy Homecoming included three of my favorite things—cowboys (duh!), an enemies to lovers premise, and forbidden love. Tripp and Lucho’s story was the third in the series, but I didn’t have a hard time following along or feel like I missed anything. Though this was classified as romance, I think it was more about Tripp finding his footing in civilian life after leaving the military and coming to grips with his family’s past. He just happened to find Lucho and fall in love along the way.
I really enjoyed both characters. Tripp was a level-headed, hard worker who was always trying to do the right thing in an effort to right past wrongs. Lucho was hot-headed and stubborn at the beginning of the story, but he, too, was level-headed when he needed to be. The biggest hindrance to their relationship was Tripp’s father. He was responsible for an event that had a huge impact on Lucho’s life, and Tripp had to constantly remind Lucho that he (Tripp) was not his father. By the end of the book, Tripp was beating himself up, and it was Lucho reminding him that he wasn’t his father. I love the way their relationship came full circle, and how Lucho was finally able to see Tripp for who he was. Lucho’s family was also an uphill battle, as they were unable to separate Tripp from his father.
This story had nice, steady pace. With the other cowboys on the J-Bar, the ranch where Tripp and Lucho worked, there was always something going on that would prompt Tripp to think about his present and how he wanted his life to change. And he was always learning new, interesting things. I really loved the backdrop of the ranch in this story, and I thought utilizing the animals as a catalyst for Tripp and Lucho’s relationship was interesting. Both were men who trusted and loved animals, and it was interesting to see how the animals, and they put a lot of stock in the way the animal’s treated the people around them.
Tripp and Lucho were sexy together. They burned up the sheets in the barn…the bunkhouse…the hotel…pretty much everywhere they went. They couldn’t get enough of each other!
Here’s my issue with this book—the history of Tripp’s family and the way things were ‘wrapped up.’ Obviously growth for the main character is important, and we did see that with Tripp learning to open up to Lucho. But Tripp’s mother, a pretty significant character in this book, was incredibly weak. I was hoping for some development there, as she was living in squalor and scared all the time that her husband would be able to get to her from prison. She didn’t learn a thing from that; she never confronts her husband and never shows any strength. It’s just one bad situation after another. She let Tripp take everything on, knowing he’d just arrived home from war and was battling his own demons. This was a burden he really didn’t need, but that was of no concern to her because she was too selfish to see it. I also had a hard time buying the choices Tripp made at the end of the book. He took pride in being an honest man, and I just don’t think his choices were an accurate reflection of his character.
Overall, I loved the romantic aspect of this story with Lucho and Tripp falling in love. It was a steamy M/M read, and if you don’t mind Tripp’s family issues, I think you’ll enjoy it.
This review was originally posted at Badass Book Reviews.
January 2, 2015
“How could I explain? I’d been stuck between a rock and a hard place since I’d come home: between keeping my mother happy and telling her the bitter truth. Between my attraction to Lucho and my desire to fade quietly into the background so I could make whatever life I could at the J- Bar. Between running like hell from the past and giving it a hard stare, and possibly turning into a pillar of salt."
It didn't take me long to realize that 'My Cowboy Homecoming', the third book in Z.A. Maxfield's series, 'The Cowboys', was going to be an emotional roller coaster capable of rivaling anything I could find at Six Flags. That's saying quite a lot since the previous two books weren't exactly sunshine and fields of clover. Even knowing that, however, didn't keep me from reading straight through, until I was done. This is a favored series of mine, and this addition simply cemented that fact.
Tripp has a really nasty row to hoe, and there's nothing worse than trying to prove you're nothing like other members of your family. He's come home after an honorable discharge from the Army, to take care of his mom after his younger brother's death in a car accident, and his father's incarceration in a federal penitentiary. It's not surprising to discover his brother was a drug dealer, and his mom still lives in her own reality, where his father is innocent and couldn't possibly have committed arson. Tripp lives under no such illusions, as he's fully aware of exactly how horrible a man his father is, and the main reason he enlisted at eighteen.
Getting a job at the J-Bar is exactly what Tripp needs, although falling for Lucho, whose grandfather was killed by Tripp's dad, causes some tension for awhile. However, there's more going on at Tripp's home than he could've ever guessed. His father's attorney has been insinuating himself into the family, and it turns out Tripp's brother had been working for the man. Tripp has his suspicions about what this man could be up to. His mother lives in a world of her own, choosing her reality, and, well, it's not a welcoming place for Tripp. Luckily for Tripp he's got the ranch to go to every day, and help from Crispin and Malloy, Jimmy and Eddie, and, of course, Lucho. Tripp is going to need all the help he can get when he finally realizes the game his dad is playing.
"Lucho didn’t understand. He never would. He had the luxury of growing up in a family of decent people. He had the strength of their love behind him. I was caught between a violent sociopath and a woman who was mentally unstable. And they were still my goddamn parents."
A fabulous book which I'm so thrilled to have had the opportunity to read. I adored Tripp and Lucho, and their love story was the perfect complement to the previous books. Thank you, again, ZAM, for another beautiful book.
It didn't take me long to realize that 'My Cowboy Homecoming', the third book in Z.A. Maxfield's series, 'The Cowboys', was going to be an emotional roller coaster capable of rivaling anything I could find at Six Flags. That's saying quite a lot since the previous two books weren't exactly sunshine and fields of clover. Even knowing that, however, didn't keep me from reading straight through, until I was done. This is a favored series of mine, and this addition simply cemented that fact.
Tripp has a really nasty row to hoe, and there's nothing worse than trying to prove you're nothing like other members of your family. He's come home after an honorable discharge from the Army, to take care of his mom after his younger brother's death in a car accident, and his father's incarceration in a federal penitentiary. It's not surprising to discover his brother was a drug dealer, and his mom still lives in her own reality, where his father is innocent and couldn't possibly have committed arson. Tripp lives under no such illusions, as he's fully aware of exactly how horrible a man his father is, and the main reason he enlisted at eighteen.
Getting a job at the J-Bar is exactly what Tripp needs, although falling for Lucho, whose grandfather was killed by Tripp's dad, causes some tension for awhile. However, there's more going on at Tripp's home than he could've ever guessed. His father's attorney has been insinuating himself into the family, and it turns out Tripp's brother had been working for the man. Tripp has his suspicions about what this man could be up to. His mother lives in a world of her own, choosing her reality, and, well, it's not a welcoming place for Tripp. Luckily for Tripp he's got the ranch to go to every day, and help from Crispin and Malloy, Jimmy and Eddie, and, of course, Lucho. Tripp is going to need all the help he can get when he finally realizes the game his dad is playing.
"Lucho didn’t understand. He never would. He had the luxury of growing up in a family of decent people. He had the strength of their love behind him. I was caught between a violent sociopath and a woman who was mentally unstable. And they were still my goddamn parents."
A fabulous book which I'm so thrilled to have had the opportunity to read. I adored Tripp and Lucho, and their love story was the perfect complement to the previous books. Thank you, again, ZAM, for another beautiful book.
December 30, 2014
I love this series, and this installment did not disappoint!
September 25, 2016
4.5 stars
For me,the best in the series so far x
For me,the best in the series so far x
May 4, 2019
This book was 3.5 Stars that I'm rounding up to 4 because I came out of it smiling. I liked both characters a lot and wanted to see them get together. Tripp deserved to have something good come out of his life and all he's been through. He deserved to be seen for the man he was not the man his father was. But I felt like things were just a little too pat and too easy. Lucho really hated Tripp at the start of this book through no fault of Tripp's own. But when Lucho caved I felt like it was too easy for how much he hated him. It felt too fast, like a switch flipped instead of a push and pull against himself. Granted I was happy it happened and wanted to see them work out, but it didn't happen smoothly for me. It was the same way I felt about the ending. The bow at the end felt a little wobbly and crooked. I wanted things to be more tightly worked out, whether it be Tripp getting the help he needs, his family...I was left at the end not quite sure what happened with everything.
Also, and this is totally just a random thought that kinda bugged me while reading, they were way to active in the sack for a guy who'd just had to have foot surgery. It only really jumped out at me because my best friend just had foot surgery and the girl can hardly move even weeks later. It's some fierce kind of pain anytime that foot even gets touched inside the boot. So all for the sex and the guys together, but there were a couple of times where my brain went, yeah nope, Lucho'd be screaming right now, and not in a good way. :)
Also, and this is totally just a random thought that kinda bugged me while reading, they were way to active in the sack for a guy who'd just had to have foot surgery. It only really jumped out at me because my best friend just had foot surgery and the girl can hardly move even weeks later. It's some fierce kind of pain anytime that foot even gets touched inside the boot. So all for the sex and the guys together, but there were a couple of times where my brain went, yeah nope, Lucho'd be screaming right now, and not in a good way. :)
March 31, 2020
So good! Some people just don't deserve to have children, but I love a story about one of those children growing up and breaking away from the toxicity of their past. Tripp is a fantastic person once he's given a chance to just be. Soooooo good!
December 28, 2014
5 star review by Vicki
I have to say I was very excited to see this book coming out…. I LOVED the first in the series, I liked the second one, and this one sounded right up my alley. A soldier and cowboys, with lots of drama. Just what I like. Guess what? I LOVED IT! It really was excellent.
Tripp is a Soldier returning home to New Mexico after eight years in the Army. He’s just a little bit damaged, but won’t admit it. His family is an absolute mess, his father is a crazy ass arsonist in prison, his brother died in a car accident, and his mother is… god, I don’t even know with her. All Tripp wants to do is settle down, get his mother sorted out, and get a job. He comes home to find the home they lived in a wreck, his mother so freaked out and messed up she barely leaves the house, a stack of unpaid bills, a piece of crap truck, and his brother’s room still looking like it did the day he died. He’s got some big issues to deal with, not only in the house, but the hatred he faces as his father’s son.
His mother is friends with the owners of the J-Bar Ranch, and asks Emma if they need any help. Malloy, the Ranch manager says he’ll meet with Tripp and talk to him, but when Tripp shows up Malloy is not impressed. He feels for him, but knowing who his dad is will be a problem, not to mention Tripp has no experience on a ranch. Tripp convinces him to give him two days to prove himself. One big issue he’ll need to work out is getting past Lucho Reyes, who he met when he got a ride from the bus station home.
Lucho is a big lovely cowboy, working at the J-Bar. He’s of Mexican decent, with a close-knit family. His grandfather was one of the victims of Tripp’s dad, who burnt down his restaurant. Grandpa had a heart attack shortly after and died, Lucho blaming the Tripplehorn family for his death. He is not at all thrilled to discover Tripp may be working at the J-Bar. Lucho had his foot smashed by a horse and is out of commission, but not willing to sit the hell down and heal. Nor accept the help of Tripp. There is immediate sexual tension, and attraction between the two, but a big dose of hatred on Lucho’s part.
So that’s how we get the two together. Tripp earns the chance at a job, Lucho’s foot gets worse and Tripp helps him, They flirt, Lucho is an ass, Tripp is sweet, and bam! We have a romance. We also have a fucked up mess of a story with Tripp’s family. I won’t go in to the details, other than to repeat that it is a fucked up mess. But Tripp is such a good man and tries so hard to work it all out and make everyone happy. His dad is horrible, his mom is horrible, the family lawyer is a slime ball, it’s all just a mess. The only good thing he has going is his job and the J-Bar. He’s wanted to be a cowboy his whole life and finally gets his chance. He’s like a sponge soaking it all up….
I loved this book. I loved everything about it. I loved Tripp’s calm strength and patience, I loved Lucho’s abrasive manner, the fucked up mess of a plot, although I hated Tripp’s mom! I loved the connection between Tripp and Lucho, both the sexual one and the emotional one. Happy emotions at times, and pissed off emotions as well. I loved seeing Crispin and Malloy, I loved the ranch scenes, I loved it all! ZAM is consistently one of my favorite authors and she did not let me down with this book. The writing was perfect, the sexual tension between Tripp and Lucho lasted just as long as it needed too, not drawn out for ever. The emotional connection between them was just right. She made me hate the characters that I should, and love the ones I should. I was totally and completely in to this story, in fact I was up until after midnight finishing it last night.
You could probably read this one as a stand alone, but I wouldn’t. I’d go get the first two books and read them as well. They will give you the background of the characters at the J-Bar that you’ll meet in this book. Trust me, it’s worth it. I love the community the ranch is becoming and I hope we get more books in this series! If you like cowboys this whole series is for you. They all are nice and dramatic, each about a couple but all interacting. This one is a nice 317 pages, long enough for ZAM to really develop some good characters and a great plot. I don’t remember the length of the others, but I do remember the nice, slow development of them as well. Especially the first with Malloy and Crispin, I loved them and their story.
So give yourself a holiday gift and buy all three of these books, and read them quick!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
I have to say I was very excited to see this book coming out…. I LOVED the first in the series, I liked the second one, and this one sounded right up my alley. A soldier and cowboys, with lots of drama. Just what I like. Guess what? I LOVED IT! It really was excellent.
Tripp is a Soldier returning home to New Mexico after eight years in the Army. He’s just a little bit damaged, but won’t admit it. His family is an absolute mess, his father is a crazy ass arsonist in prison, his brother died in a car accident, and his mother is… god, I don’t even know with her. All Tripp wants to do is settle down, get his mother sorted out, and get a job. He comes home to find the home they lived in a wreck, his mother so freaked out and messed up she barely leaves the house, a stack of unpaid bills, a piece of crap truck, and his brother’s room still looking like it did the day he died. He’s got some big issues to deal with, not only in the house, but the hatred he faces as his father’s son.
His mother is friends with the owners of the J-Bar Ranch, and asks Emma if they need any help. Malloy, the Ranch manager says he’ll meet with Tripp and talk to him, but when Tripp shows up Malloy is not impressed. He feels for him, but knowing who his dad is will be a problem, not to mention Tripp has no experience on a ranch. Tripp convinces him to give him two days to prove himself. One big issue he’ll need to work out is getting past Lucho Reyes, who he met when he got a ride from the bus station home.
Lucho is a big lovely cowboy, working at the J-Bar. He’s of Mexican decent, with a close-knit family. His grandfather was one of the victims of Tripp’s dad, who burnt down his restaurant. Grandpa had a heart attack shortly after and died, Lucho blaming the Tripplehorn family for his death. He is not at all thrilled to discover Tripp may be working at the J-Bar. Lucho had his foot smashed by a horse and is out of commission, but not willing to sit the hell down and heal. Nor accept the help of Tripp. There is immediate sexual tension, and attraction between the two, but a big dose of hatred on Lucho’s part.
So that’s how we get the two together. Tripp earns the chance at a job, Lucho’s foot gets worse and Tripp helps him, They flirt, Lucho is an ass, Tripp is sweet, and bam! We have a romance. We also have a fucked up mess of a story with Tripp’s family. I won’t go in to the details, other than to repeat that it is a fucked up mess. But Tripp is such a good man and tries so hard to work it all out and make everyone happy. His dad is horrible, his mom is horrible, the family lawyer is a slime ball, it’s all just a mess. The only good thing he has going is his job and the J-Bar. He’s wanted to be a cowboy his whole life and finally gets his chance. He’s like a sponge soaking it all up….
I loved this book. I loved everything about it. I loved Tripp’s calm strength and patience, I loved Lucho’s abrasive manner, the fucked up mess of a plot, although I hated Tripp’s mom! I loved the connection between Tripp and Lucho, both the sexual one and the emotional one. Happy emotions at times, and pissed off emotions as well. I loved seeing Crispin and Malloy, I loved the ranch scenes, I loved it all! ZAM is consistently one of my favorite authors and she did not let me down with this book. The writing was perfect, the sexual tension between Tripp and Lucho lasted just as long as it needed too, not drawn out for ever. The emotional connection between them was just right. She made me hate the characters that I should, and love the ones I should. I was totally and completely in to this story, in fact I was up until after midnight finishing it last night.
You could probably read this one as a stand alone, but I wouldn’t. I’d go get the first two books and read them as well. They will give you the background of the characters at the J-Bar that you’ll meet in this book. Trust me, it’s worth it. I love the community the ranch is becoming and I hope we get more books in this series! If you like cowboys this whole series is for you. They all are nice and dramatic, each about a couple but all interacting. This one is a nice 317 pages, long enough for ZAM to really develop some good characters and a great plot. I don’t remember the length of the others, but I do remember the nice, slow development of them as well. Especially the first with Malloy and Crispin, I loved them and their story.
So give yourself a holiday gift and buy all three of these books, and read them quick!
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
September 2, 2015
"A sense of duty brings a soldier home…but a passionate cowboy makes him want to stay."
--Perfect.
Tripp has returned home to a different set of chaos. His father is in jail, his brother is dead and his mother is a not well while still living under his father's thumb and her finances are a mess. He needs to get a job and try his hand at straightening everything out.
Lucho's whole life are horses and being down for the count because of an injury has him in a foul mood. He's reluctant to ask for help and is worried that he will be replaced in his job while in recovery. Now add to that a sexy soldier that messes with his head and the sexual frustration that follows. Yes, bitter foul mood with temper tantrums are in the horizon.
Neither Tripp nor Lucho planned to involve themselves in a relationship. But neither one can deny that there's something there lurking under all that bickering.
I loved this story. And as a follower of the series, I jumped at the chance to read it.
What I enjoyed the most was the way the author brought these two together. As they first met, I had my doubts, but was looking forward to seeing how the author would work it all out.
Their relationship was slow in coming, but so very worth the wait. I truly did enjoy the bickering and the temper tantrums. Especially since among all that were tiny glimpses of a connection. Stolen looks, wandering thoughts and the beginning of friendship helped to pave the pay for this 'enemies-to-lovers' story.
Of course, it helped that the chemistry between the two was palpable. It was a treat to see them fight that attraction and finally relent to it. Especially after experiencing all those arguments between them. For me, it was the right mix of emotions and interactions. I truly did love the contrast between the disagreements and the candid moments and honest interactions. It served to establish and highlight their connection in a more realistic manner.
All in all, a fantastic addition to the series. At times intense, at times sweet and enjoyable throughout.
*I received a copy of this title in exchange of my honest opinion.
Tripp has returned home to a different set of chaos. His father is in jail, his brother is dead and his mother is a not well while still living under his father's thumb and her finances are a mess. He needs to get a job and try his hand at straightening everything out.
Lucho's whole life are horses and being down for the count because of an injury has him in a foul mood. He's reluctant to ask for help and is worried that he will be replaced in his job while in recovery. Now add to that a sexy soldier that messes with his head and the sexual frustration that follows. Yes, bitter foul mood with temper tantrums are in the horizon.
Neither Tripp nor Lucho planned to involve themselves in a relationship. But neither one can deny that there's something there lurking under all that bickering.
I loved this story. And as a follower of the series, I jumped at the chance to read it.
What I enjoyed the most was the way the author brought these two together. As they first met, I had my doubts, but was looking forward to seeing how the author would work it all out.
Their relationship was slow in coming, but so very worth the wait. I truly did enjoy the bickering and the temper tantrums. Especially since among all that were tiny glimpses of a connection. Stolen looks, wandering thoughts and the beginning of friendship helped to pave the pay for this 'enemies-to-lovers' story.
Of course, it helped that the chemistry between the two was palpable. It was a treat to see them fight that attraction and finally relent to it. Especially after experiencing all those arguments between them. For me, it was the right mix of emotions and interactions. I truly did love the contrast between the disagreements and the candid moments and honest interactions. It served to establish and highlight their connection in a more realistic manner.
All in all, a fantastic addition to the series. At times intense, at times sweet and enjoyable throughout.
*I received a copy of this title in exchange of my honest opinion.
December 11, 2014
Hate & Love and Love & Hate
This continuation of the J-Bar Ranch series is just as gut-wrenching, romantic, hot and...well, complicated...as the other two, but that doesn't stop you from putting aside other books you might be reading to get to the bottom of this one.
Author Maxfield brings together on the same day newly discharged soldier Calvin Trippleton, Jr. ("call me Tripp") and cowboy Lucho Reyes on Speed and Crispin's J-Bar Ranch--Tripp because he needs a job, and Lucho because he is returning from the hospital after a J-Bar horse crunched his foot. Speed has dispatched one of the two protagonists in the second book, Jimmy Rafferty, to pick up Lucho after he picks up Tripp from the bus stop in town after which he is to take Tripp home for a reunion with his mother. As soon as Tripp helps Lucho into Jimmy's pick-up truck, the air between them sizzles with explosive energy--until Tripp introduces himself by his real name and then it's instant war, mostly on Lucho's part.
Told in Tripp's voice, why and how these two fully opposite people spar and then connect offers an interesting twist on what matters to certain families, and in this case, both families are a bit stereotypical. However, the burden of proof in this case is always on the side of Tripp and his family--his incarcerated father, his seriously naive and overly religious mother, and his dead younger brother.
How Tripp deals with them while he and Lucho try to deal with each other moves this one along more quickly than I would have suspected given that Speed, Crispin, Jimmy and other characters make frequent appearances and the reader is once again educated about how tough life can be on a New Mexico cattle ranch.
I don't know if this one ends the series, but there is plenty here to rope in throughout including an ending that comes from out of left field. There are one or two strings left unattached and a couple of stones that need to be unturned, but sometimes that happens on a cattle ranch in the wide open spaces.
This continuation of the J-Bar Ranch series is just as gut-wrenching, romantic, hot and...well, complicated...as the other two, but that doesn't stop you from putting aside other books you might be reading to get to the bottom of this one.
Author Maxfield brings together on the same day newly discharged soldier Calvin Trippleton, Jr. ("call me Tripp") and cowboy Lucho Reyes on Speed and Crispin's J-Bar Ranch--Tripp because he needs a job, and Lucho because he is returning from the hospital after a J-Bar horse crunched his foot. Speed has dispatched one of the two protagonists in the second book, Jimmy Rafferty, to pick up Lucho after he picks up Tripp from the bus stop in town after which he is to take Tripp home for a reunion with his mother. As soon as Tripp helps Lucho into Jimmy's pick-up truck, the air between them sizzles with explosive energy--until Tripp introduces himself by his real name and then it's instant war, mostly on Lucho's part.
Told in Tripp's voice, why and how these two fully opposite people spar and then connect offers an interesting twist on what matters to certain families, and in this case, both families are a bit stereotypical. However, the burden of proof in this case is always on the side of Tripp and his family--his incarcerated father, his seriously naive and overly religious mother, and his dead younger brother.
How Tripp deals with them while he and Lucho try to deal with each other moves this one along more quickly than I would have suspected given that Speed, Crispin, Jimmy and other characters make frequent appearances and the reader is once again educated about how tough life can be on a New Mexico cattle ranch.
I don't know if this one ends the series, but there is plenty here to rope in throughout including an ending that comes from out of left field. There are one or two strings left unattached and a couple of stones that need to be unturned, but sometimes that happens on a cattle ranch in the wide open spaces.
December 5, 2014
This is nice. As much as this book frustrated me at times, it was so nice to read. I really like Lucho. He's a steady rock. He's just what Tripp needs in his life.
The frustrating part? Tripp. At one point in the book he compares, or admits, and is thankful, that he's more like his mom than his dad. As the story moves on, you see that he's not just more like her, he's almost exactly like her. Herein lies the problem. His mother is really bat-shit messed up. She easily manipulated, thinks very little of herself, has always done as she was told, acted the good little wife, and she lets her husband walk all over her. It's so painful to read. PAINFUL. She just pushes everything away that makes sense, denies what's right in front of her, and isn't strong enough to make a change in her life to make things better. She could have easily made one little decision changed her life, and her children's lives forever. Instead, she shrinks in and lets life go by.
It's really sad. I hated it. And the longer I read, the more I could see how Tripp was the same way. The difference is, he's only that way with his family and the responsibilities that he's got at home. It's obvious that while he's away in the service, he was a different person. He'd gotten away from the crap he'd been living through, and it was all for the better. But still, he'd only run away. Now he's back, and has to deal with the aftermath of not making the right choices, possibly making wrong choices again, and figuring out that he doesn't have to do that. Figuring out that he's got new friends, he's got Lucho, and he's got options. He can make a change and stop running.
I liked Tripp's journey to that realization. Even if it took him a long time and I wanted to kick his ass the whole way there. While it's not my favorite in this series, I still enjoyed it. I have ZAM's cowboys. I love them hard.
The frustrating part? Tripp. At one point in the book he compares, or admits, and is thankful, that he's more like his mom than his dad. As the story moves on, you see that he's not just more like her, he's almost exactly like her. Herein lies the problem. His mother is really bat-shit messed up. She easily manipulated, thinks very little of herself, has always done as she was told, acted the good little wife, and she lets her husband walk all over her. It's so painful to read. PAINFUL. She just pushes everything away that makes sense, denies what's right in front of her, and isn't strong enough to make a change in her life to make things better. She could have easily made one little decision changed her life, and her children's lives forever. Instead, she shrinks in and lets life go by.
It's really sad. I hated it. And the longer I read, the more I could see how Tripp was the same way. The difference is, he's only that way with his family and the responsibilities that he's got at home. It's obvious that while he's away in the service, he was a different person. He'd gotten away from the crap he'd been living through, and it was all for the better. But still, he'd only run away. Now he's back, and has to deal with the aftermath of not making the right choices, possibly making wrong choices again, and figuring out that he doesn't have to do that. Figuring out that he's got new friends, he's got Lucho, and he's got options. He can make a change and stop running.
I liked Tripp's journey to that realization. Even if it took him a long time and I wanted to kick his ass the whole way there. While it's not my favorite in this series, I still enjoyed it. I have ZAM's cowboys. I love them hard.
December 18, 2014
This was another good installment to this series. I actually think this one was my favorite of the three stories so far. Tripp has been discharged from the military and come back home to take care of his mentally ill mother. When Tripp was 18 he left the first chance he got and didn't look back. His abusive father is currently doing prison time for arson and his drug addicted younger brother has recently died in a car accident. Tripp comes back out of a sense of duty not because he wants to. He is hoping that time will have healed some wounds and that people will not hold him responsible for his family's actions. He's not even back to his mother's home before reality hits him in the face.
The story progresses as Tripp tries to help his mother and put his life back together. He ends up working at the local ranch where the two previous books have taken place. There he meets another cowboy, Lucho, who he is immediately attracted to. I really enjoyed both of these characters. They were mature and reasonable and altough their story was filled with some angst and problems from family they communicated and acted like adults which is something that seems to be lacking in a lot of stories I've been reading lately.
The plot was entertaining and I felt it flowed well and made sense. I liked the side characters and how the day to day chores of a ranch were added in. The two main characters were good together and you could feel their attraction to each other. Their sexy scenes were really hot and the author added the right amount of them to the story.
This story can be read as a stand alone although you do see some of the couple's from the previous books in this story. If you're looking for a good, fun, and sexy read you should definately check out this book.
The story progresses as Tripp tries to help his mother and put his life back together. He ends up working at the local ranch where the two previous books have taken place. There he meets another cowboy, Lucho, who he is immediately attracted to. I really enjoyed both of these characters. They were mature and reasonable and altough their story was filled with some angst and problems from family they communicated and acted like adults which is something that seems to be lacking in a lot of stories I've been reading lately.
The plot was entertaining and I felt it flowed well and made sense. I liked the side characters and how the day to day chores of a ranch were added in. The two main characters were good together and you could feel their attraction to each other. Their sexy scenes were really hot and the author added the right amount of them to the story.
This story can be read as a stand alone although you do see some of the couple's from the previous books in this story. If you're looking for a good, fun, and sexy read you should definately check out this book.
December 11, 2014
Tripp returns from service after his brother’s death to New Mexico where he is to care for his mother while his father is doing time in prison. The bills are piling up and there doesn’t seem like much to be excited about when he returns, except for the fact that there is a J-Bar Ranch that has an injured cowboy by the name of Lucho Reyes.
Lucho is a man who holds grudges so when Tripp begins to work at the ranch, he tries to keep his distance. Events from the past stand in their way, but Tripp is determined to make things work between them.
MY COWBOY HOMECOMING is written from Tripp’s POV. Readers get an in depth look into his life and we don’t see a lot of good things to be honest. However, the one bright spot is Lucho. This story is quite simple. Maxfield doesn’t create too much conflict that creates such a heavy weight on its characters. It’s a pure story of overcoming one’s preconceptions of others and learning to love them regardless. I love this style a lot so it’s no wonder why I enjoyed this book. Maxfield’s writing is always very clear and free-flowing, making the pages go by quickly. MY COWBOY HOMECOMING might actually be one of my favorites in the series.
*ARC provided by publisher
November 28, 2014
Leaving home to join the Army at eighteen was one of the best things Tripp ever did for himself. The life he had at home wasn’t what anyone would ever define as ideal or healthy. In a way Tripp was running. He had to get away from his father and his hate. Now eight years later Tripp has to return home. One tragic event after another has left his mother alone. Being the honorable man that he is Tripp returns to the one place he has no desire to be.
Work at the J-Bar Ranch puts Tripp right in the line of fire of Lucho Reyes. The whole Reyes family loathes every Tripplehorn ever to set foot in New Mexico, all with good reason. Tripp’s father caused many people pain and Lucho’s family experienced that hate first hand. Lucho may like looking at the new hired hand but he knows that it is impossible for the apple son to fall far from the tree father.
This is the only book in the Cowboys series that I have read. Z.A. Maxfield has created a story within a series that works just fine as a stand-alone. There was plenty of time I wanted to strangle Lucho while reading My Cowboy Homecoming. He is horribly cruel to Tripp simply because of who his father is. The mean snips eventually turn into playful quips but it did that these two cowboys a while to get there.
Work at the J-Bar Ranch puts Tripp right in the line of fire of Lucho Reyes. The whole Reyes family loathes every Tripplehorn ever to set foot in New Mexico, all with good reason. Tripp’s father caused many people pain and Lucho’s family experienced that hate first hand. Lucho may like looking at the new hired hand but he knows that it is impossible for the apple son to fall far from the tree father.
This is the only book in the Cowboys series that I have read. Z.A. Maxfield has created a story within a series that works just fine as a stand-alone. There was plenty of time I wanted to strangle Lucho while reading My Cowboy Homecoming. He is horribly cruel to Tripp simply because of who his father is. The mean snips eventually turn into playful quips but it did that these two cowboys a while to get there.
January 24, 2015
I received My Cowboy Homecoming in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Well, I honestly had every intention of reading the first book (My Cowboy Heart) in The Cowboys series after I read My Heartache Cowboy, but then I saw My Cowboy Homecoming… and well… you see where this is going, right?
I mentioned in my review of My Heartache Cowboy that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The good news is that I didn’t have any issues at all connecting with Tripp and Lucho. I was curious about how Z.A. Maxfield was going to get these two together at all, much less give them a HEA. It wasn’t easy and it definitely wasn’t instant. Tripp had a lot to prove, but he was determined.
There were a lot of twists and turns in My Cowboy Homecoming. Tripp’s father still had a hold on his mother that was frightening and needed to be broken. While trying to bring his mother out of her fantasy world, he had to prove to everyone that the sins of the father don’t always define the son. In the process he also had to figure out who he was. The J-Bar Ranch turned out to be the perfect place to start.
Hopefully I’ll get a chance to pick up My Cowboy Heart before the next book in this series, My Cowboy Promises, is released in June.
Well, I honestly had every intention of reading the first book (My Cowboy Heart) in The Cowboys series after I read My Heartache Cowboy, but then I saw My Cowboy Homecoming… and well… you see where this is going, right?
I mentioned in my review of My Heartache Cowboy that I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The good news is that I didn’t have any issues at all connecting with Tripp and Lucho. I was curious about how Z.A. Maxfield was going to get these two together at all, much less give them a HEA. It wasn’t easy and it definitely wasn’t instant. Tripp had a lot to prove, but he was determined.
There were a lot of twists and turns in My Cowboy Homecoming. Tripp’s father still had a hold on his mother that was frightening and needed to be broken. While trying to bring his mother out of her fantasy world, he had to prove to everyone that the sins of the father don’t always define the son. In the process he also had to figure out who he was. The J-Bar Ranch turned out to be the perfect place to start.
Hopefully I’ll get a chance to pick up My Cowboy Heart before the next book in this series, My Cowboy Promises, is released in June.
February 7, 2020
I love cowboys, I love a good redemption story. I wanted to say this story was Amazing but it hit a couple of off note so while I loved it; it wasn't a blow my mind read Like I was hoping for.
Calvin Tripplehorn "Tripp" is returning home from serving in Afghanistan; after his younger brother died in a car crash. With his father in prison for arson, he has to take care of his mother. He get picked up from the bus station by a cowboy of a friend of his mother and they also have to pick up an injured cowboy to take back to the ranch. Lucho Reyes' family restaurant was burned down by Tripp's father there is an attraction that get put aside at the time when Lucho realizes who Tripp is. Tripp takes a job at J-Bar Ranch and soon is calming animals and proving to Lucho that Tripp is not Tripp's father.
they soon are helpless against their passion for each other.
All I have to say is that Tripp's father is one hurtful egotistical all about me piece of work. He terrorizes his wife from prison and is blackmailing his lawyer. He forces his wife to smuggle in cellphones and drugs.
Calvin Tripplehorn "Tripp" is returning home from serving in Afghanistan; after his younger brother died in a car crash. With his father in prison for arson, he has to take care of his mother. He get picked up from the bus station by a cowboy of a friend of his mother and they also have to pick up an injured cowboy to take back to the ranch. Lucho Reyes' family restaurant was burned down by Tripp's father there is an attraction that get put aside at the time when Lucho realizes who Tripp is. Tripp takes a job at J-Bar Ranch and soon is calming animals and proving to Lucho that Tripp is not Tripp's father.
they soon are helpless against their passion for each other.
All I have to say is that Tripp's father is one hurtful egotistical all about me piece of work. He terrorizes his wife from prison and is blackmailing his lawyer. He forces his wife to smuggle in cellphones and drugs.
December 25, 2014
I like Z.A. Maxfield's writing, she is one of my all time autobuy m/m authors.
I liked the first book in this series and I absolutely loved the second one. So, to be honest...while this is defintely a good one, it doesn't have the deep intensity of the second one.
That said, I still enjoyed reading it a lot, quality writing is quality writing and not every book needs to put me through an emotional wringer.
I liked Tripp as a character a lot (he is "real" with all his great and less great traits), Lucho seemed even a bit too good to be true but Tripp's mother annoyed the hell out of me.
Still, this was part of the story and the problems so it's okay. Only the end came too abrupt, especially her behaviour. This all felt a bit too hastened and not quite right for me.
But all in all a good book in this series.
I liked the first book in this series and I absolutely loved the second one. So, to be honest...while this is defintely a good one, it doesn't have the deep intensity of the second one.
That said, I still enjoyed reading it a lot, quality writing is quality writing and not every book needs to put me through an emotional wringer.
I liked Tripp as a character a lot (he is "real" with all his great and less great traits), Lucho seemed even a bit too good to be true but Tripp's mother annoyed the hell out of me.
Still, this was part of the story and the problems so it's okay. Only the end came too abrupt, especially her behaviour. This all felt a bit too hastened and not quite right for me.
But all in all a good book in this series.
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