Pushing Riley to the Max

Isaiah Ranch #1

by Romeo Alexander

Getting my Ph.D. is a bit of a challenge. Not falling for my hot, straight, grumpy mentor is next to impossible.

Six months undercover on a ranch known for rehabilitation is my ticket to finishing my degree. Me? I’m just a guy who’s gay, terrified of horses, and somehow convinced this is a good idea. The owners are in on my secret, but Max, my rugged, horse-whispering mentor, isn’t. Did I mention he’s infuriatingly attractive?

Thrown together, it's not just the horses we're taming. As Max and I dance around each other, an unexpected moment of closeness threatens to unravel everything. Apparently, we're both hiding secrets. Falling for him isn't part of my research, yet here I am, questioning everything for a man who might just be worth the risk.

I’m learning that the biggest discoveries often come from the heart, but will it be Max or the horses that push me to my limits?

Turns out it’s both…and a donkey named Milo.

Genres: M M Romance, LGBT, Romance, Audiobook, Westerns, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2024

About the author

Romeo Alexander lives in Michigan, USA, with his dog and two cats. As a certified night owl, coffee and a wicked sense of humor keep him going most days, as does playing with flavors in the kitchen.

As a proud gay man, Romeo doesn't just write characters—he breathes life into them, infusing them with real-world trials, tribulations, and triumphant love stories. He doesn't just believe in love; he champions it, weaving narratives that prove love's healing power time and again.

Ready for some heart-melting, tear-jerking, and smile-inducing stories that stay with you long after you've turned the last page? Dive into Romeo Alexander's world where love always finds a way. Sign up for his newsletter to be the first to know about his latest literary adventures and grab some freebies along the way! https://romeoalexander.com/newsletter

Reviews

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fuck this shit. I would have loved to see them get their HEA, but this is too stupid to make it to the end.

Why continue it until 80% then, you ask?

Well, if you don’t mind minor spoilers, read ahead.

Despite the stupid cover and silly title, the premise is interesting enough: Riley is a grad student in psychology, who joins a ranch where young men who have been sentenced to prison can be part of a program to better themselves. Riley wants to collect data to prove the approach works. Ofc he goes in undercover, with only the knowledge of the owner, Mr. Isajah, and Mona, a tough-as-nails (but ofc very charming) woman who basically runs the place.

Riley’s assigned mentor is Max, a man who’s from a wealthy family, but once upon a time ended up in prison because he refused to use his family’s privilege and money to bail him out. Max is now voluntarily working at the ranch after finishing his sentence. Max is broody where Riley is all sunshine, and isn’t happy about having to look after a charge, especially as he quickly figures out that things aren’t with Riley as they are with other delinquents.

Another reason I stayed with the book: I was driving for a long time, and I didn’t have the time to look for another audio 🤷‍♀️

But let’s start with my bitchy rant:

My main problem was that the book could have done with more editing. As it is, the writing is a bit repetitive (like using the same terms multiple times in consecutive sentences). I stopped at a particularly annoying part to prove my case: in an argument, Max and Riley use the word “matters” 8 times. On ONE page. Or another example: there’s an off-page character named Kris, the woman Max went to jail for. Later on in the book she’s being referenced as “he”. While it confused me at first, I made the point of checking in the ebook that my memory didn’t deceive me 😅

So yeah. Bad editing.

Then there’s the fact that there’s no real indication of attraction between them until the first kiss. And even afterwards- we’re TOLD that they have developed feelings for each other, but we don’t feel the feels, if you know what I mean.

Then the issue with Max’s family. There’s an entire chapter of him at the beginning, talking to the one sister he likes about how his father wants him to come back to join the family business. The fact that is father is a homophobe. Riley having heard/dealt with his family before. Only for all of that to not play a role at all for the rest of the book.

Then a lot of little things that gave me the ick, like Max being 9 years old when he got his first kiss from a boy and having to endure “that” talk with his father. Or Riley not minding Max being naked except for socks - seriously, is there something LESS sexy?
Or Riley squeezing Elliot’s (side character with his own book) elbow reassuringly- who does that? Forearms, hands, biceps - by all means, squeeze along. But elbows?

Or Mona being set up as some kind of mastermind who puts pawns aka people together and setting up situations, waiting and observing how things play out 🙄

What made me stop at around 80% though was the dreaded third act breakup. I know that’s one of my pet peeves, but it CAN be done in a way that feels natural. Here, one of them (Max) decides to be the martyr “because it’s inevitable and it’s the best for Riley”. Ofc, that’s right after they spend a night together and go bareback for the first time, but see, that’s part of the plan “to end things on a high note”. At which point Riley (understandably) is hurt and (not understandably) tells Max that he loves him before he storms off.

And continues being hurt and bitchy for the rest of the time on the ranch, a thing that Max calls “overly dramatic”.

Seriously, Riley. Run. Run as fast and as fast as you can.

So I decided then and there that driving in silence is preferable to continue listening to this drivel.

I’m sorry, I’m usually very thankful to authors for letting us be part of their fantasy and skill.

But this isn’t good.

[Marthea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread 12-17.09.2025
Słabo mi coś idzie czytanie w tym roku, zatem robię w sumie sporo redeadów, bo są komfortowe i nie denerwuję się przy nich, że znowu trafiłam na złą bądź dramatycznie złą książkę...
Zatem tak, zmieniam zdanie co do tego tytułu - poniższe 3+ w zaokrągleniu w górę zostaje tylko przy pierwszym czytaniu, przy drugim są po prostu cztery gwiazdeczki 😁

* * * * * * *

3+
Zaokrąglam w górę, bo pomimo, iż czegoś mi zabrakło (konia z rzędem temu, kto mi powie czego, bo bladego pojęcia nie mam 😂), to jednak książka Romeo Alexandra, a one zazwyczaj naprawdę dobrze mi siadają i ta nie należała do wyjątków 😁

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Riley & Max
Rating: 3.5 ⭐

- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Bisexual MC
- Small Town
- Ex-con Cowboy/Ph.D. Student
- Keeping Secrets

This was a nice introduction to a great group of guys on the ranch. Riley is sunshine and is excited about his research he will get from the ranch that he can use in his dissertation. Everyone thinks he's crazy for taking six months off of school be on the ranch, especially since he is going to pretend to be one of the convicts there for rehabilitation, with the help of the owners of course. Max is a Grumpy Gus that went through the program at the ranch and is now free working there as an employee, not wanting to go back to his former life and snooty family. Max likes to be alone with the animals on the ranch and not be bothered by people.

These two are paired together as mentor and mentee with neither one being thrilled about it and Max doesn't know about Riley being a student instead of coming from a jail somewhere. So, you know there's a lot of confusion, angry grunting, and head scratching from Max while he tries to figure out why Riley isn't like anyone else that has come through the program. Riley surprises everyone with how he handles blending in and keeping up with the rest of the guys. He has his own past that he has learned from and grown into the person he is now. It has helped inspire his passions and why he is at the ranch in the first place. The other inmates take a quick liking to Riley and he even brings the grump out of his shell.

Max has always had a feeling that he might be bisexual but after what happened when he was nine, he pushed it back into the recesses of his mind to never dwell on it, until Riley shows up. They are both interesting characters and the secondary characters add depth to the story instead of taking away from it. The middle of the book dragged a little bit and some of the time jumps messed with my ability to follow their growing relationship. A few areas were kind of preachy and I wanted to smack Max upside his head for being such a martyr in this book, multiple times. Riley needs to stay away from any animal with hooves because man is he a magnet! I enjoyed the epilogue and their HEA, especially with them having to be long distance after Riley leaves the ranch. I am interested in who else from the group will get their full story told in future installments.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Verse: No
HEA: Yes
POV: Dual
Breakup: Yes

[Chase Coe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice surprise!

Actually incredibly shook that I enjoyed a queer romance written by a man this much. There are some men I really like but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to add more to the mix. Glad I found another good one!!!

Love love love me some cowboy romances. This was a bit different in the approach and I actually enjoyed it so much. There was a level of detail that I really appreciated, especially coming from a man. It’s rare to get that. It elevated the experience so much, making time slow down as you read.

I loved how well-blended all of the components of this book were! The sophistication is my biggest plus, with decent humor thrown in there, a wonderful cast of characters, and some angst and emotion. Just stunning!

There were some conversations where it felt like I wasn’t privy to some context and they felt stilted and a bit awkward but it was pretty easy to look past.

Definitely looking forward to Elliot’s book!

[Sophie Reads Stories · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romeo Alexander is one of my favourite own voice authors and Pushing Riley to the Max is definitely in the top 3 favourite Romeo books (the others are Cake & Comfort and My Chaos, His Calm)

Romeo's writing of the grumpy/sunshine trope is top-tier, and Max is definitely the grumpiest MC I've read from him; he's a borderline asshole with very few redeeming qualities at first glance. But that is what I love about this author's writing: he manages to write complex characters that seem very set in their ways, but over the course of falling in love, you (and them) realise that there is so much depth to them. Not that love changes their whole personality—it doesn't—but it allows other parts of their personalities and characters to come through, showing us why they are someone the MC could fall in love with. 

Riley was also a wonderful character to read. Yes, he's eternally optimistic; yes, he's sunshine and rainbows, but this is an active choice he has made and continues to make daily. 
It becomes clear that he used to be very similar to Max, an asshole and a grump, making bad decisions and on a path to unhappiness, but he made a conscious decision to not be like that.

I thought the fact that we do get glimpses of this other Riley was a really great way to show that he is also a complex, three-dimensional character with more depth than you and Max would think.

The story is a slow burn due to the power imbalance between Max and Riley (as employee/mentor and programme participant/mentee), but once the heat is turned up, it's really turned up! 

I would have loved to see some kind of closure with Max's family, because it's a big part of his back story, but perhaps that's planned for a bonus story or short story. 

I loved the side characters and look forward to reading their stories as well.

[Brielle - currently in a I never update my GR era- · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised by the quality of the book. I've never read a book from this author before and I'm very surprised. He should be more popular because his writing is on par with some very popular books!
I love the pun of the title and I thought the characters were really cool. I hope some of them will have dedicated books.

[E · Rating 1 out of 5]

TOO PREACHY & POLITICAL

It starts off promisingly enough, and I even found the premise and the MCs to be quite interesting. But as the story progressed, the characters started to become exaggerations of their stereotypes, to a point where their actions bordered histrionic and they began to feel more like caricatures of real people than actual people. Then the story got increasingly too political and hypocritical that just trying to get through it without feeling like I was being constantly ragged on had become an onerous and near-impossible task.

Now, all the reasons I didn’t like this might be the same reasons you’ll find this worth a read (because to each their own), but to give a rough run-down of what turned me off about this…

Warning: The following isn’t spoiler-free.

1. Too many inconsistencies. Inconsistencies chip away at credibility. (It also makes for a hella confusing read.) Some of the most recurring examples are with Mr Grumpy to the Max: A.) Max hates people; says he would rather be left alone. But then can’t stop sticking his nose in Riley’s business even if it has no bearing whatsoever on his personal life. B.) He claims to want to have nothing to do with people whom he absolutely loathes, yet he actually craves attention so much that he goes out of his way to provoke, antagonise, and childishly insult people for reasons any true recluse would simply ignore.

2. Unlikeable MCs. A.) I can respect Max if he were actually simply a misanthrope as we are initially made to believe; but it turns out it’s all superiority complex. He thinks he’s better than everyone else, which kind of contradicts the very reason he chose to “humble himself” and “do the right thing” by atoning for his crimes (adding to yet another incongruence in his character). B.) Riley started out cute, but sadly, that didn’t last long. It became clear that he’s actually an insufferable pedantic goody-two-shoes who can’t stop lecturing everyone. 90% of the time, when he’s not preaching, he’s psychoanalysing—the rest of the time? He���s judging or being a manipulative hypocrite. (Perhaps the MCs would have seemed a lot less obnoxious and overbearing if this wasn’t told in 1st-person POV? Then again, maybe that’s what the author was going for?)(Too much ego is just not attractive to me on anyone.)

3. Leaning too much into popular (and rather sell-out) stereotypes. A.) Perhaps in an attempt to “soften” or make Max more “lovable”, he does this weird OTT thing (totally out of character) where he reacts like a shy virgin high-school girl at the slightest praise or nicety directed at him; it instantly brought to mind countlessly generic anime scenes where character reactions are all canned, regardless of the gender, age, or background of whoever is doing the reacting, so those instances really turned Max cartoony. B.) 70% or more of all MM romances I have read always have the flawless epitome of femdom and modern (fanatic) feminism: “the intimidating girl boss” who never fails to make all men tremble before her presence. Because of course, there has to be. This is why we read MM romance after all, right? To read about girls being bosses and showing the males who’s the real superior gender (because there isn’t enough of that in heterosexual and sapphic romances already, yeah?). Thank the heavens for MM romances with girls who blessedly have a non-threatening, not-perfect, normal female personality that is actually relaxed and cool and not aggressively trying to prove something to mankind every breathing second of their existence.

4. Feels more like a political-statement story than a romance. A.) Every single character gets suffocatingly political at a certain point early on, and they wouldn’t stop pontificating left and right. It begun to feel less and less like reading a romance novel, and more like I was attending some kind of religious service and being lectured by a panel of zealous preachers. It’s not only Riley who gets preachy, no. Everyone does: From Mona, Mr Isiah, Leon, Max, Max’s family—hells, even Eliot won’t shut up with the platitudes and sermons. Heck, I’m willing to bet that if only the pigs and horses here could talk, they’d be nagging the reader about something too because it got to a point where every available speaking character just felt like the author’s mouthpiece to enforce some belief or opinion. B.) We don’t get a speck of actual romance until about the 40 per cent mark! That’s 145 pages of almost non-stop moralising, dogmatising, and sermonising before we actually get what this book is supposed to be about (it doesn’t help that the plot is rather boring and nothing really exciting happens during that time). Worst part is, when we do get to the first real “romance”, it’s like a scene straight out of a horror movie; case in point:

5. No, Riley. Being gay is not a fad (AKA: Riley is the biggest hypocrite and also a sexual harasser, and this story attempts to glorify harassing straight people in the cringiest way ever). A.) Riley knows Max is straight? Yes. Does he respect that? No. He jocundly tells Max it’s fine to like guys, because er, “it’s the twenty-first century”(??), and I am sorry but WTF? What kind of twisted, misguided line of reasoning is that? For all his good-guy schtick and self-righteous speeches about how he believes people should be treating each other with more respect and consideration and all that jazz, he doesn’t see what’s so messed up about what he’s implying? So okay, one’s sexual orientation is just some kind of trend that should get with the times now? WOW. Just. WOW. That’s one gigantic step back for LGBTQ+ rights right there, when we’re now promoting our sexual orientation as something as shallow as a changing fad. (And no. It doesn’t even end there.) B.) Max reiterates that he is straight, clearly uncomfortable about the whole topic; so what does Riley do? He moves into his personal space and… starts putting his hands on him. WHICH IS NOT CREEPY AT ALL, RIGHT?? Again. WOW. I can’t even. Gee, that’s not predatory at all, Riley! But no, this scene is not portrayed that way… C.) This whole scene is supposed to be… “romantic”? As a gay person myself who isn’t even brave enough to come out, the second-hand humiliation and shame I felt having to experience this scene, even vicariously, was enough to trigger me big time. Yes, this is fiction, but considering the tone of this whole story and how it unabashedly tackles very real-world topics, if people who aren’t educated enough about this (as if we don’t already have enough people who misunderstand LGBTQ+ folk) actually come across this (and it’s written by a gay author to boot, so it has to be credible, right?), then imagine how much less respect gay people, etc. are going to get because apparently sexual orientation is just some kind of fashion statement that should be en vogue, therefore, isn’t that serious to begin with since—according to Riley (a psychology, etc. student even)—sexual orientation is something that we can and should change with the times like the latest fashion! —not something intrinsically part of who we are and therefore, to a certain degree, invariable. There may be people who are bisexual and such, but are we generalising here? I know I’ve never been attracted to females, and I know a lot of gay guys who have never been attracted to females ever, and having females make sexual advances on us is hella scary! Now, people like us are not even valid too because we should: “get with the twenty-first century??” Furthermore, I know there are gay people out there who have straight-guy fetishes, and I’m not going to kink shame, but Riley of all people? Really?? Mr Holier-Than-Thou is doing this without even getting the slightest tug of conscience that he was not only violating another person’s boundaries, but also taking advantage of someone he claims to treat as a friend no less? To say this made me physically ill would be an understatement. OMG. I want to cry. How is this okay??

6. More MF vibes than MM. I tried so hard, but Riley really acts more like a girl than a guy. Not even an effeminate guy or a femme-boy, no. My brain reads his thoughts, dialogues, actions, etc. and it processes the same thing consistently: GIRL. GIRL. GIRLY-GIRL GIRL.

7. OVERABUNDANCE OF EYE-ROLLS. So many eye-rolls, goodness! I’m actually surprised Max’s eyes weren’t spinning perpetually.

As I am with all books I choose to read (or every ARC from Booksprout I choose to claim), I was very optimistic about this. I really gave it my honest all trying to enjoy this, but I signed up for MM romance for romance, not for an ear-lashing. I did not only get something completely different, but a bunch of other unsavoury things that I would never have chosen to read in the first place. So, I am sorry but, this was not my cuppa, at all. I was supposed to give this at least 2 stars for "It's OK." but that part with Riley being a creep was just too horrific, that no. I can't. It's not OK at all.

Just a friendly suggestion: Maybe it would help if the author put trigger warnings or something? :'( I could have known right off the bat that this wasn't for me if it had.

[Theodore · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 that I'm rounding up.

Honestly a little disappointed in how this book ended up. First the good:

- Riley was very endearing and a nice opposite to Max's grumpiness (which wasn't overdone)
- Attraction was believable and was not instalove/instalust
- Characters were very well defined and had distinct voices.

Everything was pretty good up until Riley and Max ended things, which is where things just got really messy imo.

- Riley had been pretty emotionally mature up until Max ended things, and the arguments he used to get mad at Max felt very juvenile? I suppose you can chalk that up to being distressed, but his whole "you made the decision, so fuck you" thing felt very weird considering he wasn't actually arguing with Max to change his mind but just mad that Max had made the decision. No bargaining or arguing, just accepting that things ended and being mad that they did w/o even trying to change Max's mind. (Also there was a weird contradiction in a couple of his lines? He tells Max that he should've just waited til the very last minute to break things off but then in the next sentence wishes that Max had ended things weeks earlier)
- Too many weird tonal shifts. Like Riley and Max's last argument, Max pointed out that Riley used "yeet" which was very jarring considering it was supposed to be a dramatic moment. Or when Max was talking to Mona in the clinic and he took the time to banter with her. The whole bracelet being thrown at his head was funny but incredibly inappropriate considering they didn't even know if Riley was going to fucking live. What the hell was that all about?
- Weird plot things that didn't really get developed. Riley doesn't drink, what's that about? Where the hell was Max's family in all this? We spent like an entire chapter with him calling his sister and complaining about his dad wanting him to take up family duties and it literally never comes up again.
- Too much focus on other couples. The lead up to Max and Riley's last fight, we get a scene with Elliot and Reno and there's too much focus on them. It's obvious setup for the next book, but like use the epilogue for that.
- Everything is wrapped up too neatly. Of course Riley's parents and the college won't press charges. Of course the farm was going to pay for his medical bills. Of course nobody at the farm hated Riley for lying to them and observing them w/o consent.
- Also was very much not a fan of Mona. Too much "I know better than you, so just do what I say"energy.

Again, was really disappointed with essentially the last 35% of the book.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley and Max’s Story . . .

Riley Song, a Ph.D. student with degrees in Criminal Psychology and Sociology, is spending 6 months “undercover” at the Isaiah Ranch to gather data on whether the rehabilitation of felons through working on the ranch was producing the expected results. The data he gathers will become part of his doctoral thesis. He hopes what he writes can lead to reform of the system, where people are given a chance to change and grow to be better. Prison, locking them away, is giving up on them. But he believes change is possible and worth the effort. Only the owner and his assistant, Mona, is aware that Riley is a student, not a real felon. And no one knows yet that he is afraid of horses. But Riley has been standing in a convenience store for an hour now, invited inside to avoid the Texas heat while waiting to be picked up and driven to Isaiah Ranch. He was starting to feel like he was imposing on the woman, and asked how far away the ranch was. She had just asked him why he was being sent “there” when the door opened and an angry man stormed in covered in dust and mud. But his scowl went away as he greeted Miss Penny. Then he hustled Riley out the door. As they drove to the ranch, Riley took Professor Black’s advice and typed up his observations in the Word app on his phone. Meeting the friendly woman, Mona Wilson, at the large house finally made him feel properly welcomed. He did thank the growly cowboy who drove him here, but hoped he wouldn’t run into him often since they obviously did not get along.

Max DeWitt is the grumpy guy who has experienced the program firsthand and now works there. He likes being among the animals and avoiding lots of people. But he doesn’t like being assigned by Mona as Riley’s mentor! Riley is not like the others. Max doesn’t trust easily. But Riley has a “sunshine” type of personality and makes it difficult for people to stay grumpy at him for long. And he also has his own secrets. As the two started working together, Max still could not believe the guy could be so happy all the time. And yet, he worked hard and always exceeded Max’s expectations of him, that of course getting on his nerves. Even the pigs liked him! And to his amazement, Riley told him that he truly enjoys Max’s company! Max was speechless. Was there some other dynamic working between them now? And where would it take them?

[Bol.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tags: immersive, opposites attract, page-turner, slow burn, witty, heartwarming, profound, steamy, dual POV, no cliffhangers.
I loved this exciting, emotional, almost poetic tale of developing affection, understanding, and love between two opposite men and a seemingly impossible match. On the surface, the story appears as straightforward. However, intense and complex emotions bubbling underneath make this book a profound, enjoyable, and uplifting read.
Riley is a charming, bubbly, "happy-go-lucky, well-behaved guy" with a positive and caring personality. He is a Ph.D. student in psychology, joining an outreach program reforming convicts through ranch work undercover to research the functioning of the project for his Ph.D. thesis. Max is assigned as his mentor, against his will, and oblivious to Riley's mission. He is a grumpy, unapproachable, snarly loner and former convict with a complicated and hidden past along with trust and self-worth issues. They are on opposite sides of the spectrum, from their personalities to their families and backgrounds. Yet, they are perfectly fitting together against all odds.
I love how the tension between them gradually grows and transforms into understanding, deeper feelings, and love. Riley manages to break through the walls Max has built around himself. It is touching to witness how Rilkey dismantles the layers of protection, revealing his true nature and letting Max's tenderness and softness glow through. Though the narrative lacks high drama, angst, and tension, this is a rewarding, dynamic, and immersive read that will make you turn pages from start to end. Besides well-rounded characters with profound insight into their inner thoughts and feelings, a witty back-and-forth between them contributes to the story's appeal immensely. The eloquent and vivid writing is just the added bonus to this book.
Readers who appreciate witty, entertaining yet heartwarming, easy-to-read, uplifting, and emotionally profound novels will love this book; on the other hand, fans of high drama, dark narrative, and stories with angst, complex emotions, and issues might not enjoy it so much.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book. This review is an independent and genuine reflection of my thoughts.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The biggest discoveries often come from the heart…’

Michigan author Romeo Alexander has demonstrated that not only does he have a talent for writing romance but also the gift for exploring opposites in people’s lives and stations in life and how exploration of apparent disparities can actually be a source for bonding. Though somewhat shy he is a humanitarian who sees the world in which we live as a community bonded in a natural approach to our feelings and ourselves and our interaction with others. His bisexual nature allows him to create well rounded characters – most all of his novels are M/M romances but they are much more than the usual erotica we encounter in film, television, and social media.

Romeo’s forte is defining characters who are fully visual and credible, and born of a spectrum of types that make his stories unusually unique. In this new volume his lead character is Riley (of the title!) who is a PhD student in Criminal Psychology on a secret mission to Isaiah Ranch in Texas where he will study the attributes of criminals undergoing rehab as opposed to prison. As he shares in the opening, in a conversation with a lady in town, “What did you say you were goin’ to Isaiah’s for again?” ”To be a ranch hand,” I told her with a smile, excited to get a spot, even a temporary one, on the Isaiah Ranch was not an easy feat. Well, if you hadn’t broken the law anyway. Isaiah Ranch was one of the few places meant to rehabilitate people, typically men, instead of shipping them off to prison and ‘rehabilitating’ them there. Which was precisely why I was so eager to work there. To get the experience the ’inmates’ had working on the ranch and evaluate the full effect of their methods…’ And at the Ranch he is, as an undercover ranch hand, assigned a gruff mentor – Max (of the title!) - who is the opposite of Riley’s personality and appearance, yet the two gradually come together in a relationship that, through countless facets, is both mesmerizing and satisfying.

The range of themes in Romeo’s impressively large output of novels always encourages his readership to plead for the next volume. This is a wholly enjoyable and very well conceived and written story with a significant sociological theme worthy of everyone’s attention!

[Precociousp · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Pushing Riley to the Max," Romeo Alexander once again showcases his talent for crafting richly detailed universes, replete with captivating locales and characters whose backstories resonate deeply with readers. This inaugural entry in the Isaiah Ranch series embraces the "grumpy/sunshine" or "opposites attract" trope, enveloping readers in a western romance ambiance from the outset. The familial bond among the characters is palpable, underscored by their interactions, while a profound connection to nature and animals imbues the narrative with added depth.

At the heart of the story are Max and Riley, two intricately developed protagonists whose authenticity leaps off the page. Riley, an undercover Ph.D. student investigating a ranch renowned for its rehabilitation programs for ex-prisoners, finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Max, a former inmate whose guarded demeanor belies a complex past. Their evolving dynamic, marked by Max's reluctant mentorship and Riley's unwavering warmth, sets the stage for a slow-burning journey of self-discovery and mutual understanding. While Riley's character arc is deftly fleshed out, Max's gradual unmasking leaves readers eagerly anticipating further exploration of his depths.

While Alexander's narrative prowess is evident throughout, occasional instances of didactic dialogue may give pause to some readers. Additionally, Riley's initial interactions with Max may tread uncomfortably close to the line of unwanted attention, potentially unsettling certain readers. However, these minor quibbles notwithstanding, the groundwork laid for future installments—particularly in the vibrant depiction of the ranch and its eclectic ensemble of supporting characters—hints at intriguing narrative avenues yet to be explored.

In "Pushing Riley to the Max," Romeo Alexander delivers a poignant tale of redemption, resilience, and the transformative power of connection. With its richly drawn characters and evocative setting, this novel serves as a compelling introduction to what promises to be an enthralling series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unlikely pairing ! We see grumpy Max and sunshine smile, Riley, find their perfect "one."

Riley, thick blonde waves of hair and

brown eyes, who has a Psych degree, a Masters, and is working on his PHD, while getting his research paper material right there at the ranch. He's been cleared by the bosses and sets off to gather his information and reflections.
Max, dark short blonde hair,

big muscles and blue eyes, cares for the animals and is actually glad he's not near his family.

The ranch is a rehabilitation for ex-cons who want to get back to a softer, inner, mindful place, to return to society. They work hard and must get along to prove their worth. Max will be Riley's mentor, but recognizes right away something is different about this Riley, and doesn't know he's under cover. He does know he's not a typical criminal.

It's a very different story of diverse men, backgrounds and issues. Riley is cheerful as the sunshine and gets along with everyone, but then he's blind-sided by another man with a big fist and taken to the medical unit.

Now we begin to see some truths exposed to Max, and their conversations are deep. Riley and Max look at each other differently. After the kiss and BJ, each sexy man has some thinking to do.

Meanwhile ranch work is continuous, their sexy times grow more scorching each time.

We see the aftermath of a storm, which has a snake incident with Riley, and later a donkey causes a major incident. The whole ranch is worried, and Max is always there. It's complicated, and takes awhile to figure out how things will go, according to the progress.

Our epilogue is five years later, and isn't what I expected, but will be an HEA.

ENJOY !

=====

[Lesetiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Riley and Max are the two MCs of the first volume of Isaiah Ranch. It is known for rehabilitation and Ph.D. student Riley will spend 6 months undercover there. Riley is the sunshine type, always upbeat and brings out the best in people, but that wasn't always the case. Max on the other hand is a grumpy bear, once coming to the ranch as part of the rehabilitation program, he has stayed after and takes care of both the animals and more recently his new mentee.
I love Romeo Alexander's writing style. He writes beautifully, his characters are complex and well developed, I could visualize the settings and the animals very well and once I started the story, I was captivated. The love story is slowburn, which I really like and which is also realistic here.
I loved the interactions between Riley and Max. It was delightful to see Riley bring out a Max who not only loathes and hides from life, but who slowly comes out of his shell. They both face their inner demons and the twists and turns that ensue were quite interesting. I liked both protagonists, even if I would have liked to have nudged Max sometimes, because he can be a really stubborn guy.
The setting on the ranch is great and what I also really enjoyed were some entertaining and amusing animal encounters.
There are also some interesting secondary protagonists that I would like to get to know better, so I'm already looking forward to the next volume!

Michael Dean is a brilliant narrator and he has done a fantastic job here too. I think he captured the personalities of Max and Riley perfectly and I could always tell the difference between the two protagonists thanks to the narrator. He has a very pleasant voice and he narrates very vividly. Highly recommend!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rare miss for me from Romeo

I love Romeo's books. Since I found him with the first book in The Cruise series, I've read every book that followed, so some thirty-odd books now, and they have never failed to entertain me and monopolise my time till the last page. I don't know what it is about this one but it didn't grab me in the same way.
I think that I was expecting Riley to be competent enough to remain undercover but all he seemed to do was analyse and question the others to the point that I couldn't believe they didn't suspect he was a plant. It was unrealistic when he was meant to be a released prisoner who was there for rehabilitation, not a nosey parker who got in everyone's business.
Max's family, for various reasons, were the root of all his problems and his current grumpy and his stand-offish attitude but nothing more was done with that and there was no resolution or reckoning so I wondered what the point was.
I wanted to love them but found it difficult to really connect with them, while there were other characters that I was very interested in, two likely couples who I expect to get their own books. A lot of the bonding that must have happened while they were working wasn't actually on page, so I didn't get to see them as more than two men sleeping together in secret rather than a couple in the making.
I will definitely carry on reading Romeo's books and look forward to the rest of this series, but this was probably a two and a half star read, rounded up by the other characters and the ending.

[BB ビビ ㅤ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me completely hooked from start to finish! Riley and Max were such a fun, sexy, opposites-attract pair - "grumpy black cat energy meets golden retriever energy," as one character put it. Both characters' concealed pasts intrigued me, leading me to wonder how their secrets would eventually be unveiled (especially Riley's)! I also enjoyed the overall setting of the ranch and grew to love some of the other unique and funny characters in the program, like Elliot.

*Minor spoilers ahead*
It was great seeing Max grow more comfortable, not only with Riley, but also with himself as he learned how to finally accept what he had been taught to be ashamed of for so long. I loved how he got more confident with each spicy scene, and I found the banter between him and Riley super cute, humorous, and well-written.

As their relationship progressed, it emphasized the importance of embracing the present and facing life's challenges together. Rather than being consumed by their pasts or fearful about what lies ahead, Riley and Max realize that together, they can overcome anything and everything. A beautiful and optimistic message.

The ending was incredibly heartwarming, leaving me with a smile on my face and eager to read more of this series.

Definitely looking forward to seeing where it goes!

~

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lacie Scout Bateau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read 14 books by Romeo Alexander; Fort Dale series, and Heroes of Port Dale series.

This is the first book in the Isiah Ranch Trilogy. And let me tell you, I really had some favorites in the other two series, but Max & Riley are by far my favorite couple out of everyone thus far. I suppose maybe it’s not fair to compare different series as the settings and characters histories are different.
Fort Dale dealt with the military.
Heroes of Port Dale dealt with doctors, police, and firefighters to name a few.

Pushing Riley to the Max takes place on a rehabilitation ranch, the Isiah Ranch.
Riley Song is working on his dissertation to get his PhD in psychology and goes “undercover” on the ranch - pretending to be an incoming felon.
Max DeWitt is a Tier One that graduated from the program, but decided to stay on there because he believed in the place and loved his job.
But Max has lack of social skills with the people surrounding him. He’s short-tempered, surly, and stand-offish. No one messes with him.
When Riley comes to the ranch, he’s assigned Max as his mentor to show him the ropes and keep an eye on him.
That’s just the basic information. If you like MM stories, characters with deep layers, romance, and yes angst (I ugly cried quite a few times), this is the book for you!

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Romeo’s characters, and Riley and Max are no exception. By the end of the book you know them so well and like them so much, you want to add them to your best friends list. They are complex, and so well developed, their stories grab you and pull you along for the ride, sometimes smooth, sometimes bumpy, but always compelling. His characters show so much personal growth as they face their demons, no matter what the cause and what they may be, emerging stronger and more confident to add to whatever relationship has been developing.
Riley’s impact on Max was so fascinating to follow as this positive man of sunshine found his way past the grumpy Max facade to the hidden man within who believed himself to be unlovable, only to discover that this person saw him and brought out the man he wanted to be.
I loved the quips Riley came up with in times of stress, like the rattlesnake comment (watch for it) and the banter back and forth with Max.
A very enjoyable, entertaining read with great characters, a setting that really worked, interesting animal encounters and lots of hot, steamy times.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bailie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It started out a little slow for me because I wanted the relationship to start but I totally understood all the background and the fact that Max and Riley needed to have the mentor-mentee relationship first. I do wish that after they got together things would have slowed down just a little bit so that we got to see more of their day to day activities and see more of their relationship building, but I think that it also worked the way that it was written because Riley needed to have enough data for his dissertation. While I hated everything that happened with their break up, I love the way that it brought them back together and made their relationship even stronger! And as for the ending, I mean could we have asked for anything better! I also love that Riley is the only person that max shared the true story of why he went to jail with and why he took the public defender. I think that it was important and it did make their relationship stronger. And for me at least it made me respect max that much more because the guy that he beat had it coming. And while I know a lot of people won’t agree with that, I don’t really care. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see what happens with Elliott and Reno in the next story!

[Fi S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book when I needed something that wasn't dark or overly dramatic and complicated, and it certainly delivered. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and appreciated the gentle break from reality.

Max and Riley were good characters, and watching how they encouraged each other to be better was lovely. I also appreciated the introduction to the other characters, and seeing the potential for a series of books based at the ranch.

I did feel like a few things were rushed, some parts would have benefitted from being rounded out, including a bit more time devoted to character development, as this would have taken the book to another level. Having read other books by the same author, I wouldn't say this is my favourite but it didn't disappoint.

If you love plot twists and excessive amounts of drama then this book might not be for you. I found it to be a good escape from reality without needing to worry that there wouldn't be a happy ending, or suffer anxiety from continual drama, and I'll definitely read others if there is a series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The grumpy/sunshine trope is done perfectly in this book!
Sunshiney Riley and grumpy Max are two men who seem very unlikely to form a friendship, let alone a romantic relationship, yet that is exactly what happens. For us readers, it was easy to follow the growing connection between Riley and Max as they got to know one another through many hours working side by side and spending extra time together as well. Riley and Max are both unique and interesting characters, and there are many secondary characters that add flavour and depth to the story.
For me, there were a couple things that detracted from the story. The middle of the book dragged quite a bit and the end seemed a little rushed - although I enjoyed the epilogue and their HEA. And there was a situation that happened in the book, and the things that person did after would have been absolutely impossible to do.
Overall, I enjoyed this first book in the new series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opposites attract
Riley is on his way to Isaiah Ranch undercover together, information about rehabilitation of criminals that work on the ranch to hope to make a difference in their lives. There’s only two people on the ranch. That knows he is there and the reasons why he is there and he has been told not to share that information with anyone else. The first time he met Max, it was obvious that this man was serious and grumpy.
Max cannot work out what Riley has done to be here. He comes across like he has not suffered if that makes sense. the thing is you can’t ask the people about their crimes, that is a big no-no. So Max is going to have to work it out for himself as he is now Rileys mentor and Max isn’t happy about it. So how are these two going to work together when they are so different??
I’ve got to say, I think I went through a few emotions reading this book, there was so much tension between them, but I found myself laughing more than I thought I would, they are just so opposites.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhiannon sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic opposites attract

I really enjoyed this book, it was very similar to other Romeo Alexander books with the surly grump and the positive happy guy, but still a classic romance book all the same and the setting was a unique change. However, the book didn't get more stars as there were some inconsistencies and some bits left unanswered, for example Riley says he never drinks and there is a trauma mention when chatting to Mr. Isaiah so it feels like a build up to something big and might explain why Riley is so keen on this type of rehabilitation clinic (had someone helped him see another path etc), but that wasn't explained and later on he's enjoying a beer with Max? Nothing was really addressed with regards to Max's family, as at the beginning of the book he's getting pressure off his dad to return home and speaks to his sister, but nothing more comes of it and it felt unfinished, there were some typo errors here and there. Regardless of this it is a nice, easy, steamy read and I look forward to the next book.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. Max is an ex-con who received support at Isaiah Ranch and he is now in charge of difficult ranch animals. When Riley arrives at the ranch, ostensibly as an ex-con, Max is asked to serve as his mentor. Max does not know that Riley is secretly a Ph.D. student who, with the owner's permission, is studying criminal justice reform with the idea of identifying successful techniques in the program that may be replicated in other locations. Riley is working undercover to get the most authentic observations.

Max is a real grouch who keeps people at a distance to avoid more hurt in his world. Although closeted bi, most people consider him straight. When Max meets Riley and is asked to mentor him, he wants to keep him at a distance. Riley's sunshiny attitude breaks through all of that and, by some miracle, he is attracted to Max. This book has some high emotions, a lot of alpha behavior, passionate times, and a love born of risk. I look forward to the next book in the series.

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romeo Alexander’s new book “Pushing Riley to the Max” just goes to show that his story telling skills just keep getting better!
Riley is a graduate student whose personality is sunshine and daisies, someone that is always looking for the good in others. He is going for his PhD. and in order to do that, he has to write and give his dissertation.
That is when he goes to a ranch in Texas known for its programs in rehabilitation for certain prison inmates that qualify.
That is where he meet Max who is storm clouds and thunder claps.
The resulting story is one where there is a lot of twists and turns and deep characterizations that only serve to make the story better.
I got embroiled in it and while I never wanted it to end, I could not wait to see how it ended.
Bravo Romeo, you have done it again!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sara Sigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley is doing a dissertation on how more ranches were needed to help rehabilitate prisoners they owner and his second in command only ones that knew about that. Max had graduated from the program and stayed to work on the ranch and was told that he was the mentor for Riley. Riley came in as a tier three prisoner they were the worst ones, Riley kept up with Max on the ranch. Riley was in a fight and got his jaw dislocated and they gave into their feelings, Max was told why he was there and Max didn’t take it well later Max said they were done. They had a fight in front of a mule that didn’t like loud noises and Riley got fit in the head the same place where a horse had kicked him when younger. Max decided that they could do long distance relationship after almost loosing Riley, Riley did a lot of good before moving back to the ranch permanently. Good book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio: 5 stars for Michael Dean, he killed it with his narration for this book!
Book: 4 stars

Well, well, well... I didn't expect to love this. I read a book by Romeo Alexander years ago and rated it 2.5 or 3 stars, I remember not loving it, so I didn't pick up any books from him since... But man I should have given him another chance sooner.

This is a sunshine(Riley) x grumpy romance (Max), and mix in reforming prisoners on a farm and you will get an easy win for me haha. I love misunderstood characters and seeing them come out of their shell with a special person.

There was something about the way this was done that hooked me in from the start. I am not going to question it too hard, since this is helping me get out of a slump I was spiraling into. I am excited to pick up the next two books in this series. Book two is for Reno and Elliot and then book 3 is for Leon and Reed.

[Mommysuz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley and Max are complete opposites. Riley is happy and ful if smiles. Max us as grumpy as can be. He mainly talks in grunts.

Riley goes undercover at a rehabilitation ranch. He is gathering research for his college dissertation. There are only two people who know, and Max is not one of them.

Max used to be a resident, and now, after years, it is a hired ranch hand. Max was chosen to be Riley's mentor.

I am not a fan of Max's family. With the exception of his sister Nat, as bad a@s as she is, she cracks me up. I love how blunt she was when speaking to Max. I enjoyed the side characters.

I have loved all the books I have read by this author. This one is no exception. I look forward to more in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life outside the box can be fun too. Riley, is working the Isiah Ranch undercover researching the felon rehab program for his doctoral theses. The boss knows, but not the rest of the ranch. Max, is assigned as his mentor has gone through the program himself. These two men are total opposites in temperament and personality. Romeo, always does an amazing job blending his characters, so they fit and compliment their partner to make a relatively perfect couple. The storyline and flow is perfect. You can spend your time in comfort with a good romance with a little romance that is well earned as the characters become acquainted with the new truths they learn about themselves and each other. Excellent cover art! Nicely done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed this. The whole cowboy thing can be a bit hit and miss for me, but this was really well done. Fantastic characters (side as well as main) and a great storyline made this for me. Riley absolutely steals the show in this one, he's an adorable little sunshine twink but he's so much more than that. I really enjoyed him and enjoyed Max learning not to underestimate him. I also loved the premise of a student going undercover to study ex-prisoners, it adds an extra dimension to the story, and happily this small deception didn't add a lot of angst.

I listened to this title in audio by Michael Dean, and he did a good job. I'm already invested in the other guys on the ranch and really hope I get to listen to the other books in the series.