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Where the Sun Rises Slow
Tucker
Ever since my husband died, life has felt like one walking nightmare. It’s been three years, and the hallways of my family’s barns still echo with the sound of his laugh. Raleigh haunts me in both my dreams and waking thoughts, but it’s all I have left of him, so I endure the brutal torture.
When I hire Jackson Arness to be the newest farmhand at Juniper Grove, I don’t expect the instant connection I feel to him. He’s sunshine personified, a bright light in the hole of grief I’ve been living in, and he fits in with everyone else on the farm like he’s been living here his whole life.
Except he’s only supposed to be here for six months. Just long enough to get us through the foaling season. He tells me he wants to make Juniper Grove his forever home—wants to make me his forever home—and I don’t know how to handle that. I made vows to another man long before Jackson ever came into my life, and if him being my employee wasn’t bad enough, the man is eleven years my junior.
Moving on from Raleigh was never in the cards for me, because a future without him is one I never wanted to consider. But Jackson has me picturing what it could be like to finally see the sunrise after the long nights of my grief. I still love my husband, though, so I’m left with an impossible choice.
Let go of the man I buried my heart with, or watch the man who's made it beat again walk away.
Ever since my husband died, life has felt like one walking nightmare. It’s been three years, and the hallways of my family’s barns still echo with the sound of his laugh. Raleigh haunts me in both my dreams and waking thoughts, but it’s all I have left of him, so I endure the brutal torture.
When I hire Jackson Arness to be the newest farmhand at Juniper Grove, I don’t expect the instant connection I feel to him. He’s sunshine personified, a bright light in the hole of grief I’ve been living in, and he fits in with everyone else on the farm like he’s been living here his whole life.
Except he’s only supposed to be here for six months. Just long enough to get us through the foaling season. He tells me he wants to make Juniper Grove his forever home—wants to make me his forever home—and I don’t know how to handle that. I made vows to another man long before Jackson ever came into my life, and if him being my employee wasn’t bad enough, the man is eleven years my junior.
Moving on from Raleigh was never in the cards for me, because a future without him is one I never wanted to consider. But Jackson has me picturing what it could be like to finally see the sunrise after the long nights of my grief. I still love my husband, though, so I’m left with an impossible choice.
Let go of the man I buried my heart with, or watch the man who's made it beat again walk away.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 28, 2026
About the author
Kennedy Kidman
2 books27 followersKennedy Kidman is a native Texan who loves writing and reading about queer love that is just as sweet as it is steamy. She spends too much of her time thinking up happily-ever-afters. When she isn’t doing those things, you can find her playing comfort games, such as The Legend of Zelda or Story of Seasons.
She is an avid fan of college football but roots heavily for her alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. You can often find her drinking one too many coffees, which can only ever be substituted by golden chai.
Her favorite holidays are Halloween and Thanksgiving, because fantasy and food are her favorite non-expletive F-words.
She is an avid fan of college football but roots heavily for her alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. You can often find her drinking one too many coffees, which can only ever be substituted by golden chai.
Her favorite holidays are Halloween and Thanksgiving, because fantasy and food are her favorite non-expletive F-words.
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August 9, 2026
This is the story of Tucker who lost his husband Raleigh 3 years ago and is grieving. Jackson is the new farmhand whom Tucker hires for 6 months. Instant attraction develops between the 2 guys. So, Tucker has to navigate this newly attraction mid his grief.
This was one of my mostly anticipated read, but I was left disappointed. Many things did not work for me personally:
- Too insta lust/love which ruined this kind of story. I expected more of a very slow burn, especially cus one MMC is grieving over his late husband. Like Tucker is devastated and describing Raleigh as the love of his life, his soulmate, his everything, cannot picture a future without him. But then literally he gets hard right after meeting Jackson.
The story would have been so much more believable if they went from strangers to friends to lovers. But they went to kinda lovers in a blink of an eye.
- Tucker injures his hand and refuses to remove his wedding ring but Jackson solves it by giving him a chain of his to put the ring on. Supposedly, a very emotional moment for Tucker and what could have been a beautiful supportive moment from Jackson. So, why ruin it by making Jackson kiss him and eventually give him a bj?!! I know we are at 40% but I swear there is no law that says you definitely should start spice early on in a book. Especially with this story that would have benefited from a very slow burn.
- That first spicy scene went okay. But then the second spicy scene at 50%, Tucker is giving Jackson a handjob and his pov is “They’re so different from him. It’s all so different. He doesn’t even smell like him anymore.” Like how come the first time went fine but second time, all of a sudden you start remembering your late husband? It didn’t make sense to me because the first time came after a very emotional moment related to the late husband. And the most fucked up thing is also Tucker constantly comparing Jackson to Raleigh and I quote “You aren’t him; you’ll never be him.” Like whaaaaat?!! I know he is grieving but those are powerful words that I as a reader will not forget.
- They have sex at 70%. I ignored that their first time together is Tucker bent over the kitchen table and the vomit of dirty talk from Jackson. Cus I would prefer more intimate setting given the story. But fine, let's move on. Tucker doesn’t invite Jackson to stay over. Tucker’s pov is “How could I bring the man I was falling for back to a bed I still woke up in expecting to see Raleigh’s face in the morning?” And he tells Jackson: “It’s his bed, Jackson… The bed I shared with him.” And what does Jackson say? I quote “The bed. Does it have to be his bed? Can we not… I don’t know, think of it as your bed?” Mind you, we are at 79%. Like this whole situation feels weird.
- Tucker finally let Jackson sleeps in the bed. Lo and behold, he dreams of Raleigh, the love of his life and the air he breathes as we are reminded every second in the book, and wake up next to Jackson and get super angry at Jackson and has the audacity to accuse Jackson of fucking things up since he showed up and tell him “Well, now I’m being forced to make a choice between you two, and I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’d choose you.”
Duuuuuuuuuude, we are at 82%. And this is what Tucker tells Jackson??!!!!! At 82%??!!! How are you going to convince me that Tucker feels anything at all for Jackson, beside physical of course?!!!! Like how?!!!!
- The epilogue which is 2 years later, Tucker and Jackson are married and Tucker is still wearing his previous wedding ring around his neck. That didn't sit right with me. I'm not asking for him to forget Raleigh or ignore that he ever loved him or still love him, but to the point to keep wearing his ring around your neck while also wearing your new husband's ring on your finger?! That was too much for me.
- I know Jackson was meant to be supportive to Tucker and his grief, but he also felt like a doormat. He deserves better. And don't let me get started on the tattoo that Jackson got as a symbolism for Tucker and him, when they are not yet established, and Tucker still heavily grieving and treating Jackson way less than he deserves.
- The whole book is constant push and pull. Tucker getting hard for Jackson and vice versa, Tucker giving in, then remembering he's still grieving, so he becomes a big asshole towards Jackson, Jackson gets sad and leave, Tucker apologizes to Jackson, Jackson forgives him and tells him he is okay being second to Raleigh, then all is good. Rinse and repeat.
- Raleigh’s name was mentioned 189 times. The word “Husband” referring to Raleigh was mentioned 38 times. So, it literally felt like MMM with the 3rd MMC being Raleigh.
My problem wasn’t Tucker loving his late husband Raleigh and having hard time to move on. It’s that the story failed to convince me that Tucker truly loves Jackson as fiercely, if any.
Was Tucker attracted to Jackson? Yes.
Was Tucker physically aroused by Jackson? Also, yes, especially that he was touch starved for 3 years.
Was Tucker in love with Jackson? I don’t think so. Or at least the story didn’t convince me of that.
If the story is meant to be about being in love with a dead lover and not to be in a new relationship, then the story succeeded in that aspect. To the point that I actually wished the book was about Tucker and Raleigh. How they met, how they fell in love. I wanted their story. It felt like they were the main characters and Jackson is just a secondary one.
Again, I know grief is hard and is different to every one. And I'm not denying Tucker's love to his late husband nor do I want to, nor do I expect Tucker to move on easily, if ever. But this is supposed to be also a love story between Tucker and Jackson. I want to feel that new love blooming. I want to witness that new love be also a start of a healing process. I don't want to be reminded every second that Raleigh is everything and that no one will compare, while Jackson feels like just a name on the page.
Despite not being able to connect to the story or personally being convinced of the love story between Tucker and Jackson, I do believe that a lot of people will actually love the book.
This was one of my mostly anticipated read, but I was left disappointed. Many things did not work for me personally:
- Too insta lust/love which ruined this kind of story. I expected more of a very slow burn, especially cus one MMC is grieving over his late husband. Like Tucker is devastated and describing Raleigh as the love of his life, his soulmate, his everything, cannot picture a future without him. But then literally he gets hard right after meeting Jackson.
The story would have been so much more believable if they went from strangers to friends to lovers. But they went to kinda lovers in a blink of an eye.
- Tucker injures his hand and refuses to remove his wedding ring but Jackson solves it by giving him a chain of his to put the ring on. Supposedly, a very emotional moment for Tucker and what could have been a beautiful supportive moment from Jackson. So, why ruin it by making Jackson kiss him and eventually give him a bj?!! I know we are at 40% but I swear there is no law that says you definitely should start spice early on in a book. Especially with this story that would have benefited from a very slow burn.
- That first spicy scene went okay. But then the second spicy scene at 50%, Tucker is giving Jackson a handjob and his pov is “They’re so different from him. It’s all so different. He doesn’t even smell like him anymore.” Like how come the first time went fine but second time, all of a sudden you start remembering your late husband? It didn’t make sense to me because the first time came after a very emotional moment related to the late husband. And the most fucked up thing is also Tucker constantly comparing Jackson to Raleigh and I quote “You aren’t him; you’ll never be him.” Like whaaaaat?!! I know he is grieving but those are powerful words that I as a reader will not forget.
- They have sex at 70%. I ignored that their first time together is Tucker bent over the kitchen table and the vomit of dirty talk from Jackson. Cus I would prefer more intimate setting given the story. But fine, let's move on. Tucker doesn’t invite Jackson to stay over. Tucker’s pov is “How could I bring the man I was falling for back to a bed I still woke up in expecting to see Raleigh’s face in the morning?” And he tells Jackson: “It’s his bed, Jackson… The bed I shared with him.” And what does Jackson say? I quote “The bed. Does it have to be his bed? Can we not… I don’t know, think of it as your bed?” Mind you, we are at 79%. Like this whole situation feels weird.
- Tucker finally let Jackson sleeps in the bed. Lo and behold, he dreams of Raleigh, the love of his life and the air he breathes as we are reminded every second in the book, and wake up next to Jackson and get super angry at Jackson and has the audacity to accuse Jackson of fucking things up since he showed up and tell him “Well, now I’m being forced to make a choice between you two, and I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’d choose you.”
Duuuuuuuuuude, we are at 82%. And this is what Tucker tells Jackson??!!!!! At 82%??!!! How are you going to convince me that Tucker feels anything at all for Jackson, beside physical of course?!!!! Like how?!!!!
- The epilogue which is 2 years later, Tucker and Jackson are married and Tucker is still wearing his previous wedding ring around his neck. That didn't sit right with me. I'm not asking for him to forget Raleigh or ignore that he ever loved him or still love him, but to the point to keep wearing his ring around your neck while also wearing your new husband's ring on your finger?! That was too much for me.
- I know Jackson was meant to be supportive to Tucker and his grief, but he also felt like a doormat. He deserves better. And don't let me get started on the tattoo that Jackson got as a symbolism for Tucker and him, when they are not yet established, and Tucker still heavily grieving and treating Jackson way less than he deserves.
- The whole book is constant push and pull. Tucker getting hard for Jackson and vice versa, Tucker giving in, then remembering he's still grieving, so he becomes a big asshole towards Jackson, Jackson gets sad and leave, Tucker apologizes to Jackson, Jackson forgives him and tells him he is okay being second to Raleigh, then all is good. Rinse and repeat.
- Raleigh’s name was mentioned 189 times. The word “Husband” referring to Raleigh was mentioned 38 times. So, it literally felt like MMM with the 3rd MMC being Raleigh.
My problem wasn’t Tucker loving his late husband Raleigh and having hard time to move on. It’s that the story failed to convince me that Tucker truly loves Jackson as fiercely, if any.
Was Tucker attracted to Jackson? Yes.
Was Tucker physically aroused by Jackson? Also, yes, especially that he was touch starved for 3 years.
Was Tucker in love with Jackson? I don’t think so. Or at least the story didn’t convince me of that.
If the story is meant to be about being in love with a dead lover and not to be in a new relationship, then the story succeeded in that aspect. To the point that I actually wished the book was about Tucker and Raleigh. How they met, how they fell in love. I wanted their story. It felt like they were the main characters and Jackson is just a secondary one.
Again, I know grief is hard and is different to every one. And I'm not denying Tucker's love to his late husband nor do I want to, nor do I expect Tucker to move on easily, if ever. But this is supposed to be also a love story between Tucker and Jackson. I want to feel that new love blooming. I want to witness that new love be also a start of a healing process. I don't want to be reminded every second that Raleigh is everything and that no one will compare, while Jackson feels like just a name on the page.
Despite not being able to connect to the story or personally being convinced of the love story between Tucker and Jackson, I do believe that a lot of people will actually love the book.
August 5, 2026
2.5⭐️DNF-ing (70%) this book doesn't mean it's that bad, but a few things just drained all my interest.
First off, the prose is unnecessarily purple—all vibe and zero substance, which just drags the pacing to a crawl.
Second, even though it's about a grieving widower, falling head over heels at first sight feels way too rushed. For the first half, there are zero actual events to justify how their feelings develop. It's just endless push-and-pull with no solid moments to show off the characters' actual charm.
Plus, I was actually expecting some gritty ranch work. Instead, the first half was just farmhands eating meals and a mare giving birth. So disappointed.
Bottom line: I've read better widower stories, and I've read better ranch stories.
First off, the prose is unnecessarily purple—all vibe and zero substance, which just drags the pacing to a crawl.
Second, even though it's about a grieving widower, falling head over heels at first sight feels way too rushed. For the first half, there are zero actual events to justify how their feelings develop. It's just endless push-and-pull with no solid moments to show off the characters' actual charm.
Plus, I was actually expecting some gritty ranch work. Instead, the first half was just farmhands eating meals and a mare giving birth. So disappointed.
Bottom line: I've read better widower stories, and I've read better ranch stories.
July 10, 2026
♾️⭐️
INFINITY STARS. I’m bawling. I can’t stop. I’ll review when I can get myself together again. I’m broken. This was beautiful and everything I could have asked for and more. Be back soon.
INFINITY STARS. I’m bawling. I can’t stop. I’ll review when I can get myself together again. I’m broken. This was beautiful and everything I could have asked for and more. Be back soon.
July 29, 2026
I DNF'd it at 28%. It was actually okay. What really bothered me was how Tucker kept comparing Jackson to his late husband over and over, but I was willing to keep reading since I was still at the beginning. Then I saw the fanart and noticed Tucker was wearing his late husband's wedding ring around his neck during an intimate moment with Jackson. And apparently he's still wearing it even in the epilogue.
No. This isn't about MM romance. It's about two guys and a ghost.
No. This isn't about MM romance. It's about two guys and a ghost.
July 31, 2026
Tucker(36)is in the throes of grief in this book having lost his husband suddenly 3 years ago. Not only grief ridden that but the guilt and anguish he feels at times because of his attraction to Jackson is so realistic and relatable to every one of us that has lost someone.
Jackson(25) is sunshine. The way he wants Tucker and wants to love Tucker completely including the parts he knows will always belong to someone else. Never once wanting to replace but love along side a once in a lifetime love proves to Tucker that you can love 2 people so completely yet differently that is doesn’t need to take from one to feed the other.
This book proves a slow burn gives us the reader and the character time to become invested in the emotional intimacy of a relationship, giving ways to some steamy scenes (Jackson’s mouth I was very pleasantly surprised)
I need to go back to speaking about the grief the way it is described as the entity of Nighttime. The way Tucker feels attacked by it, and like he is the punchline of a joke creates this secondary relationship in this book. The villain of this otherwise beautiful book about one man learning to live and love after loss and the other who gives him the room and encouragement and unconditional love and support to do so.
These characters and their story will be in contention for one of my best reads of 2026.
Jackson(25) is sunshine. The way he wants Tucker and wants to love Tucker completely including the parts he knows will always belong to someone else. Never once wanting to replace but love along side a once in a lifetime love proves to Tucker that you can love 2 people so completely yet differently that is doesn’t need to take from one to feed the other.
This book proves a slow burn gives us the reader and the character time to become invested in the emotional intimacy of a relationship, giving ways to some steamy scenes (Jackson’s mouth I was very pleasantly surprised)
I need to go back to speaking about the grief the way it is described as the entity of Nighttime. The way Tucker feels attacked by it, and like he is the punchline of a joke creates this secondary relationship in this book. The villain of this otherwise beautiful book about one man learning to live and love after loss and the other who gives him the room and encouragement and unconditional love and support to do so.
These characters and their story will be in contention for one of my best reads of 2026.
Read
May 26, 2026Beta Read, Full RTC once published. 10/10 recommend 🥹🩵
August 8, 2026
Well, if I ever needed proof that while everyone can write, not everyone should publish, this book provided it. The self-publishing industry seriously needs an overhaul.
Strap in, because this is going to be a long one.
I’m so mad. I genuinely feel like I was baited into reading this. A book about cowboys, grief, healing, and finding love after loss? Sign me up.
That’s not the book I read.
I swear this is the last time I listen to BookTok or trust biased ARC reviews.
One of the biggest issues for me was the utterly ridiculous timeline.
Within the first day of meeting, we spend ten chapters in a single day.
Ten.
A quarter of the book.
This was far too insta-lust/insta-love for my taste. For a story that was supposed to be heavy on grief, I expected more of a slow burn, but this definitely wasn’t it.
On Jackson’s first day at the ranch, he says, “Six months to prove I was here forever.”
I’m sorry… what?
You literally just got here.
Look, I don’t know anyone who starts a new job and immediately thinks, Yep, this is my home now. I’m going to put down roots.
Then, in the very next chapter, Tucker thinks, “When he said I’d be begging him to stay forever, I’d almost told him I’d beg for something else.”
Unbelievable.
For a man supposedly devastated by the loss of his husband, the love of his life, who died three years earlier, Tucker is already getting hard thinking about Jackson in the shower mere hours after meeting him. I had to suspend disbelief almost immediately.
How is this the same man who was drowning in grief a few chapters earlier?
And it only gets worse.
On that very first day, Tucker tells Jackson everything about Raleigh: how they met, their marriage, and how he died. He barely knows this man, yet he’s somehow comfortable unloading the deepest trauma of his life onto him. He can’t bring himself to see a therapist, but opening up to his new farmhand, a complete stranger, is apparently no problem.
A week after meeting, Tucker admits his life hasn’t moved forward in the three years since Raleigh died…
…until Jackson.
A week.
It’s been a week.
Seven days.
I think this book just ruined the insta-lust trope for me.
In the same scene, Tucker completely breaks down. Then, after Jackson leaves…
…Tucker has to wait for his erection to go down.
Okay then.
Let’s have an incredibly emotional moment, release years of pain in Jackson’s arms…
…and then pop a boner.
Sure.
The moment that completely lost me was after Tucker injured his hand. He refused to remove his wedding ring, and okay, I understand that isn’t an easy decision. He hasn’t taken it off since his husband died.
I just couldn’t help but roll my eyes when he needed Jackson to take him back to his room for a chain he conveniently had lying around.
Tucker struggles to remove the ring. We get flashbacks to Raleigh (because of course we do). Jackson eventually takes over and removes it for him.
Then, if you can believe it…
Jackson decides this is the perfect moment to seduce Tucker and give him a blowjob.
WOW.
I don’t know what the author was thinking here. Maybe they realized we were 40% into the story and figured it was time for some spice.
Well, it wasn’t.
It completely overshadowed what should have been a huge emotional moment between Tucker and Jackson.
Tucker is clearly in an incredibly vulnerable emotional state, and Jackson apparently thinks “Now’s my chance.”
It honestly made me uncomfortable. Given how emotional Tucker was, the consent felt murky.
And let’s not forget…
All of this happens within weeks of them meeting, while Tucker is still completely consumed by his grief.
Again, I had to suspend disbelief.
The constant back-and-forth gave me whiplash. Tucker loses his temper. Jackson mopes. Tucker apologizes.
Rinse and repeat.
This basically sums up their relationship.
“I need to apologize to you,” he started, and I lowered my eyes to my beer bottle. “Is that how it’s always going to go between us?” “What do you mean?” “Are we always going to do this dance of one step forward, three steps back and you apologizing about it?”
Tucker’s internal monologue became exhausting because it was so repetitive.
I get it.
“Nighttime” is a bitch.
He misses his husband, which is completely understandable.
But nearly every single thought circled back to Raleigh.
And that’s another problem.
Raleigh was too perfect.
We never hear about any flaws in their marriage. No rough patches. No imperfections. Just this idealized relationship that no real marriage could ever live up to.
I think I would’ve connected with Tucker so much more if Raleigh had actually felt like a real person instead of a saint.
Instead, next to Raleigh, Jackson constantly felt like a consolation prize.
Nearly every conversation revolved around Raleigh. It genuinely felt like there were three people in this relationship, and Jackson deserved so much better.
Tucker was constantly comparing Jackson to his dead husband, and I hated that.
“You’ll never be him.”
Fuck.
What a horrible thing to say.
The first time they sleep together, Tucker won’t even let Jackson stay the night.
At that point we were 73% through the book.
“How could I bring the man I was falling for back to a bed I still woke up in expecting to see Raleigh’s face in the morning?”
Still??
Are you kidding me?
If you’re still so emotionally unavailable that you can’t even let the man you’re supposedly falling for sleep beside you, why are we pretending this romance is ready to happen?
It felt cold, heartless, and it made me actively dislike Tucker.
By the time Tucker lashed out at Jackson toward the end, I was furious. Those weren’t the words of someone struggling with grief.
They were simply cruel.
“I can’t let him go, Jackson! I’ve told you this. But it’s like ever since you showed up on this farm, all you’ve done is fuck things up. You’ve opened wounds I was never ready to revisit, and you pushed me to pick you when I was never ready to choose. Well, now I’m being forced to make a choice between you two, and I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’d choose you.”
Jackson NEVER asked Tucker to choose. When Tucker said he didn’t know if he would choose Jackson, that was where I should have DNF’d. But I was already 80% in, so I kept reading. I wish I hadn’t.
What do you mean Tucker then gives a half-assed apology, everything circling back to Raleigh, and Jackson just immediately forgives him??
No.
At this point in the story, I just felt sorry for Jackson.
Tucker?
Honestly, I think he would’ve been happier staying married to Raleigh’s ghost.
Out of curiosity, I checked.
Raleigh’s name is mentioned 189 times.
In a 300 page book.
If I ever needed proof there were three people in this relationship, there it is.
The side characters were about as interesting as the ingredients on my shampoo bottle.
They were incredibly one-dimensional.
Tallie especially felt like every stereotypical Southern farm cook rolled into one, and I’ll just leave it at that because I genuinely questioned whether this book had a sensitivity reader.
We spent more time watching the other ranch hands eat instead of actually working on the ranch.
And can we please talk about the author’s obsession with the word “nighttime”?
At first, I thought it was different.
Maybe even poetic.
By the twentieth time, I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room.
It got repetitive real fast.
There were also plenty of little things that kept pulling me out of the story.
Continuity errors, like the scene with Rein where they’re already outside in the paddock but somehow go through the barn just to end up back outside so Tucker can yell at Jackson.
Why?
Numerous typos that desperately needed another round of editing.
The humor consistently fell flat.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the author is so focused on eye color. Eyes are mentioned 285 times. That is a bit excessive in my opinion.
Tucker, an almost forty-year-old man, behaved with the emotional maturity of someone half his age.
Jackson pursued Tucker relentlessly, despite Tucker not being emotionally available.
The straw that broke the camel’s back?
I think this is only two or three weeks after Jackson arrives at Juniper Grove:
“I’d barely survived the loss of Raleigh, but Jackson would be the bullet to end it all.”
Sure.
The man Tucker just met is going to ruin him.
So how much did the man he married, spent years with, and loved so deeply that his grief consumed him for three years actually mean to him?
Please.
I understand that grief isn’t linear. There isn’t a timeline for healing, and losing someone never truly leaves you.
But if someone tells you they aren’t ready for a relationship, believe them.
Don’t build an entire romance around convincing them otherwise.
Oh and let’s not forget the tattoo… Poe and Goldie. Tucker and Jackson. Talk about cringe. These men haven’t even established they are in a relationship or what their future holds. But Jackson goes and permanently marks his body… as another reviewer said - Diabolical!!
Worst book I’ve read in years.
Strap in, because this is going to be a long one.
I’m so mad. I genuinely feel like I was baited into reading this. A book about cowboys, grief, healing, and finding love after loss? Sign me up.
That’s not the book I read.
I swear this is the last time I listen to BookTok or trust biased ARC reviews.
One of the biggest issues for me was the utterly ridiculous timeline.
Within the first day of meeting, we spend ten chapters in a single day.
Ten.
A quarter of the book.
This was far too insta-lust/insta-love for my taste. For a story that was supposed to be heavy on grief, I expected more of a slow burn, but this definitely wasn’t it.
On Jackson’s first day at the ranch, he says, “Six months to prove I was here forever.”
I’m sorry… what?
You literally just got here.
Look, I don’t know anyone who starts a new job and immediately thinks, Yep, this is my home now. I’m going to put down roots.
Then, in the very next chapter, Tucker thinks, “When he said I’d be begging him to stay forever, I’d almost told him I’d beg for something else.”
Unbelievable.
For a man supposedly devastated by the loss of his husband, the love of his life, who died three years earlier, Tucker is already getting hard thinking about Jackson in the shower mere hours after meeting him. I had to suspend disbelief almost immediately.
How is this the same man who was drowning in grief a few chapters earlier?
And it only gets worse.
On that very first day, Tucker tells Jackson everything about Raleigh: how they met, their marriage, and how he died. He barely knows this man, yet he’s somehow comfortable unloading the deepest trauma of his life onto him. He can’t bring himself to see a therapist, but opening up to his new farmhand, a complete stranger, is apparently no problem.
A week after meeting, Tucker admits his life hasn’t moved forward in the three years since Raleigh died…
…until Jackson.
A week.
It’s been a week.
Seven days.
I think this book just ruined the insta-lust trope for me.
In the same scene, Tucker completely breaks down. Then, after Jackson leaves…
…Tucker has to wait for his erection to go down.
Okay then.
Let’s have an incredibly emotional moment, release years of pain in Jackson’s arms…
…and then pop a boner.
Sure.
The moment that completely lost me was after Tucker injured his hand. He refused to remove his wedding ring, and okay, I understand that isn’t an easy decision. He hasn’t taken it off since his husband died.
I just couldn’t help but roll my eyes when he needed Jackson to take him back to his room for a chain he conveniently had lying around.
Tucker struggles to remove the ring. We get flashbacks to Raleigh (because of course we do). Jackson eventually takes over and removes it for him.
Then, if you can believe it…
Jackson decides this is the perfect moment to seduce Tucker and give him a blowjob.
WOW.
I don’t know what the author was thinking here. Maybe they realized we were 40% into the story and figured it was time for some spice.
Well, it wasn’t.
It completely overshadowed what should have been a huge emotional moment between Tucker and Jackson.
Tucker is clearly in an incredibly vulnerable emotional state, and Jackson apparently thinks “Now’s my chance.”
It honestly made me uncomfortable. Given how emotional Tucker was, the consent felt murky.
And let’s not forget…
All of this happens within weeks of them meeting, while Tucker is still completely consumed by his grief.
Again, I had to suspend disbelief.
The constant back-and-forth gave me whiplash. Tucker loses his temper. Jackson mopes. Tucker apologizes.
Rinse and repeat.
This basically sums up their relationship.
“I need to apologize to you,” he started, and I lowered my eyes to my beer bottle. “Is that how it’s always going to go between us?” “What do you mean?” “Are we always going to do this dance of one step forward, three steps back and you apologizing about it?”
Tucker’s internal monologue became exhausting because it was so repetitive.
I get it.
“Nighttime” is a bitch.
He misses his husband, which is completely understandable.
But nearly every single thought circled back to Raleigh.
And that’s another problem.
Raleigh was too perfect.
We never hear about any flaws in their marriage. No rough patches. No imperfections. Just this idealized relationship that no real marriage could ever live up to.
I think I would’ve connected with Tucker so much more if Raleigh had actually felt like a real person instead of a saint.
Instead, next to Raleigh, Jackson constantly felt like a consolation prize.
Nearly every conversation revolved around Raleigh. It genuinely felt like there were three people in this relationship, and Jackson deserved so much better.
Tucker was constantly comparing Jackson to his dead husband, and I hated that.
“You’ll never be him.”
Fuck.
What a horrible thing to say.
The first time they sleep together, Tucker won’t even let Jackson stay the night.
At that point we were 73% through the book.
“How could I bring the man I was falling for back to a bed I still woke up in expecting to see Raleigh’s face in the morning?”
Still??
Are you kidding me?
If you’re still so emotionally unavailable that you can’t even let the man you’re supposedly falling for sleep beside you, why are we pretending this romance is ready to happen?
It felt cold, heartless, and it made me actively dislike Tucker.
By the time Tucker lashed out at Jackson toward the end, I was furious. Those weren’t the words of someone struggling with grief.
They were simply cruel.
“I can’t let him go, Jackson! I’ve told you this. But it’s like ever since you showed up on this farm, all you’ve done is fuck things up. You’ve opened wounds I was never ready to revisit, and you pushed me to pick you when I was never ready to choose. Well, now I’m being forced to make a choice between you two, and I’ll be honest, I don’t know if I’d choose you.”
Jackson NEVER asked Tucker to choose. When Tucker said he didn’t know if he would choose Jackson, that was where I should have DNF’d. But I was already 80% in, so I kept reading. I wish I hadn’t.
What do you mean Tucker then gives a half-assed apology, everything circling back to Raleigh, and Jackson just immediately forgives him??
No.
At this point in the story, I just felt sorry for Jackson.
Tucker?
Honestly, I think he would’ve been happier staying married to Raleigh’s ghost.
Out of curiosity, I checked.
Raleigh’s name is mentioned 189 times.
In a 300 page book.
If I ever needed proof there were three people in this relationship, there it is.
The side characters were about as interesting as the ingredients on my shampoo bottle.
They were incredibly one-dimensional.
Tallie especially felt like every stereotypical Southern farm cook rolled into one, and I’ll just leave it at that because I genuinely questioned whether this book had a sensitivity reader.
We spent more time watching the other ranch hands eat instead of actually working on the ranch.
And can we please talk about the author’s obsession with the word “nighttime”?
At first, I thought it was different.
Maybe even poetic.
By the twentieth time, I wanted to throw my Kindle across the room.
It got repetitive real fast.
There were also plenty of little things that kept pulling me out of the story.
Continuity errors, like the scene with Rein where they’re already outside in the paddock but somehow go through the barn just to end up back outside so Tucker can yell at Jackson.
Why?
Numerous typos that desperately needed another round of editing.
The humor consistently fell flat.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the author is so focused on eye color. Eyes are mentioned 285 times. That is a bit excessive in my opinion.
Tucker, an almost forty-year-old man, behaved with the emotional maturity of someone half his age.
Jackson pursued Tucker relentlessly, despite Tucker not being emotionally available.
The straw that broke the camel’s back?
I think this is only two or three weeks after Jackson arrives at Juniper Grove:
“I’d barely survived the loss of Raleigh, but Jackson would be the bullet to end it all.”
Sure.
The man Tucker just met is going to ruin him.
So how much did the man he married, spent years with, and loved so deeply that his grief consumed him for three years actually mean to him?
Please.
I understand that grief isn’t linear. There isn’t a timeline for healing, and losing someone never truly leaves you.
But if someone tells you they aren’t ready for a relationship, believe them.
Don’t build an entire romance around convincing them otherwise.
Oh and let’s not forget the tattoo… Poe and Goldie. Tucker and Jackson. Talk about cringe. These men haven’t even established they are in a relationship or what their future holds. But Jackson goes and permanently marks his body… as another reviewer said - Diabolical!!
Worst book I’ve read in years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I just don’t think you should actively pursue someone who’s still deeply grieving their spouse, especially when they keep telling you, over and over and over, that they still very much love their husband. That’s exactly what Jackson was doing. After Tucker acknowledged to himself he was attracted to Jackson, I expected his grief to evolve over time, not disappear, because that’s not how grief works, but soften enough for him to genuinely make room for someone new. Instead… it never really felt like it did..
Because of that, Tucker kept pushing Jackson away, and it turned into the same cycle over and over, Tucker hurting Jackson, apologizing, Jackson forgiving him… rinse and repeat.
And don’t even get me started on Jackson getting a tattoo of their horses… the horses that were supposed to symbolize him and Tucker… while they were BARELY figuring out if they could even make a relationship work. Diabolical!
And then they finally become intimate at 77%, and after sharing this connection, Tucker doesn’t let Jackson spend the night. Why, you ask? Because Tucker says:
“How could I bring the man I was falling for back to a bed I still woke up in expecting to see Raleigh’s face in the morning?”
Still? Still?? How is that fair to Jackson? If you’re still waking up expecting to see your husband beside you, then are you really ready to be pursuing someone else??
That argument toward the end made me so mad, Tucker had the audacity to say Jackson was making him choose between him and Raleigh… & because of that Tucker admitted he didn’t think he’d choose Jackson. But Jackson NEVER asked him to make that choice in the first place! And then what? No real grovel. No genuine accountability. Jackson just lets him back in, and suddenly it’s all “I love you” from Tucker! HUH?? From where??😭 I’m sorry, but it didn’t feel earned at all. Because Tucker’s words were so hurtful, that resolution happened way too easily for me.
I completely understand that grief doesn’t have a timeline and is complicated, and I wasn’t expecting Tucker to stop loving Raleigh. But I was expecting him to reach a place where he could genuinely make room for Jackson. Instead, it felt like Jackson was constantly trying to fit into a space that Tucker wasn’t emotionally ready to share. By that point, I just felt sad for Jackson more than anything. And I don’t expect someone to stop loving a deceased spouse, but this romance never convinced me Tucker actually loved Jackson. I never felt convinced that Tucker was truly ready for another relationship, and that made it really hard for me to root for them as a couple. I finished this book feeling like Jackson deserved so much better.
Because of that, Tucker kept pushing Jackson away, and it turned into the same cycle over and over, Tucker hurting Jackson, apologizing, Jackson forgiving him… rinse and repeat.
And don’t even get me started on Jackson getting a tattoo of their horses… the horses that were supposed to symbolize him and Tucker… while they were BARELY figuring out if they could even make a relationship work. Diabolical!
And then they finally become intimate at 77%, and after sharing this connection, Tucker doesn’t let Jackson spend the night. Why, you ask? Because Tucker says:
“How could I bring the man I was falling for back to a bed I still woke up in expecting to see Raleigh’s face in the morning?”
Still? Still?? How is that fair to Jackson? If you’re still waking up expecting to see your husband beside you, then are you really ready to be pursuing someone else??
That argument toward the end made me so mad, Tucker had the audacity to say Jackson was making him choose between him and Raleigh… & because of that Tucker admitted he didn’t think he’d choose Jackson. But Jackson NEVER asked him to make that choice in the first place! And then what? No real grovel. No genuine accountability. Jackson just lets him back in, and suddenly it’s all “I love you” from Tucker! HUH?? From where??😭 I’m sorry, but it didn’t feel earned at all. Because Tucker’s words were so hurtful, that resolution happened way too easily for me.
I completely understand that grief doesn’t have a timeline and is complicated, and I wasn’t expecting Tucker to stop loving Raleigh. But I was expecting him to reach a place where he could genuinely make room for Jackson. Instead, it felt like Jackson was constantly trying to fit into a space that Tucker wasn’t emotionally ready to share. By that point, I just felt sad for Jackson more than anything. And I don’t expect someone to stop loving a deceased spouse, but this romance never convinced me Tucker actually loved Jackson. I never felt convinced that Tucker was truly ready for another relationship, and that made it really hard for me to root for them as a couple. I finished this book feeling like Jackson deserved so much better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
*ARC Review* Thank you for the copy!
Intro:
This book is an MM romance between Jackson, a new farmhand at Juniper Grove and Tucker, the foreman of Juniper Grove still struggling with his late husband's passing
Tropes/Highlights:
-MM
-Open Door
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Hurt/Comfort
-Loss/Hardship
-Age Gap
-Found Family
-Horse Ranchers
-HEA
Likes:
-Descriptions of grief
-Jackson's understanding/sunny personality
-Tucker's deep love for Raleigh
-Jackson's thoughtfulness/care
-Spice
-World building
-Nicknames
-Farm work/scenes
-Early mornings
-The cologne
Neutrals/Criticisms
-Connections formed too quickly ("this is my best friend" after one scene together)
-Hot/cold act got a little repetitive
Quotes
-"And when I'd wake to a black, sunless sky, screaming a name my tongue had never forgotten, Nighttime would laugh in my face"
-"I'd been his before he'd ever asked, and I would continue to be till every atom of my existence left this plane"
-"I'd be his rock, his sanctuary, or his voice of reason whenever he needed. I could be it all for him, if he let me"
-"That's it. Use me. Fuck me up. Leave me unrecognizable on the other side"
-"I have never loved anyone the way I love you, and I will never take for granted what it means to have you love me back"
This is the first book I have read from this author and I liked it, but I did struggle a little with it. I couldn't emotionally connect with the characters and I felt like it was the same cycle on repeat. Jackson was constantly walking on eggshells and something would set Tucker off to hurt Jackson and then Jackson would forgive him and the cycle would repeat itself, which could be blamed on the grief, but Jackson was constantly getting hurt. Tucker's grief wasn't overcome until the very end, so there wasn't a lot of scenes where both of them were happy and getting to know each other on a deeper level without the grief interfering. We never go beyond surface level for any character and I wanted a little more depth. I did enjoy Jackson's tenacity with Tucker's moods and how he took Tucker's grief in stride. He was so sweet and understanding and I did enjoy the tender moments between the two. If you are looking for an angsty, cowboy love story with grief and finding a way forward, then you may want to read this book
Intro:
This book is an MM romance between Jackson, a new farmhand at Juniper Grove and Tucker, the foreman of Juniper Grove still struggling with his late husband's passing
Tropes/Highlights:
-MM
-Open Door
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Hurt/Comfort
-Loss/Hardship
-Age Gap
-Found Family
-Horse Ranchers
-HEA
Likes:
-Descriptions of grief
-Jackson's understanding/sunny personality
-Tucker's deep love for Raleigh
-Jackson's thoughtfulness/care
-Spice
-World building
-Nicknames
-Farm work/scenes
-Early mornings
-The cologne
Neutrals/Criticisms
-Connections formed too quickly ("this is my best friend" after one scene together)
-Hot/cold act got a little repetitive
Quotes
-"And when I'd wake to a black, sunless sky, screaming a name my tongue had never forgotten, Nighttime would laugh in my face"
-"I'd been his before he'd ever asked, and I would continue to be till every atom of my existence left this plane"
-"I'd be his rock, his sanctuary, or his voice of reason whenever he needed. I could be it all for him, if he let me"
-"That's it. Use me. Fuck me up. Leave me unrecognizable on the other side"
-"I have never loved anyone the way I love you, and I will never take for granted what it means to have you love me back"
This is the first book I have read from this author and I liked it, but I did struggle a little with it. I couldn't emotionally connect with the characters and I felt like it was the same cycle on repeat. Jackson was constantly walking on eggshells and something would set Tucker off to hurt Jackson and then Jackson would forgive him and the cycle would repeat itself, which could be blamed on the grief, but Jackson was constantly getting hurt. Tucker's grief wasn't overcome until the very end, so there wasn't a lot of scenes where both of them were happy and getting to know each other on a deeper level without the grief interfering. We never go beyond surface level for any character and I wanted a little more depth. I did enjoy Jackson's tenacity with Tucker's moods and how he took Tucker's grief in stride. He was so sweet and understanding and I did enjoy the tender moments between the two. If you are looking for an angsty, cowboy love story with grief and finding a way forward, then you may want to read this book
Review of advance copy received from Author
🌅 ARC REVIEW 🌅
‼️ firstly, thank you to kennedy kidman for the eARC and the chance to read and review this book. all thoughts and opinions are my own ‼️
“𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒊 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆? 𝒊𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒊 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒈𝒐?”
tucker legare, a widower who has held on to the grief and devastation of losing his late husband for 3 years. he navigates life through a cloud of heartbreak, his only reprieve being the memories of his husband that he holds on to so deeply inside of him.
he has been confined by his grief that when a little bit of sunshine breaks through the storm clouds overhead, he is not sure how to handle it. he knows he has to let go of the hurt and pain of the past, but does letting go mean he’ll lose a part of himself that he never wants to lose?
jackson arness, the newest farmhand to juniper grove is sunshine personified. he walks with a cadence that radiates warmth to everyone around him. he immediately catches tucker’s eye, but that doesn’t mean it was positive from the beginning. it wasn’t negative, but maybe somewhere in between. jackson does his best to break down the walls that tucker has had up for over 3 years, and over time, his sunshine parts the storm clouds that have plagued tucker for so long. he is kind, gentle, and most of all understanding. he knows this journey is not going to be easy, but when is love ever?
this book is about falling in love, yes. but there is a deeper meaning etched into the words on the pages. this is a story about love after loss. about grief, and the healing from it. the nonlinear and messy sides of the storms that come from grief. there is not a cure for grief, and there are days where it seems like all it does is dig its claws into your skin and drag you down. but there are also days where sometimes you can forget, even if it’s just a little bit, that it hurts. the ache stays, but it’s dull compared to the brightness that love can bring.
‼️ firstly, thank you to kennedy kidman for the eARC and the chance to read and review this book. all thoughts and opinions are my own ‼️
“𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒊 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆? 𝒊𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒊 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒈𝒐?”
tucker legare, a widower who has held on to the grief and devastation of losing his late husband for 3 years. he navigates life through a cloud of heartbreak, his only reprieve being the memories of his husband that he holds on to so deeply inside of him.
he has been confined by his grief that when a little bit of sunshine breaks through the storm clouds overhead, he is not sure how to handle it. he knows he has to let go of the hurt and pain of the past, but does letting go mean he’ll lose a part of himself that he never wants to lose?
jackson arness, the newest farmhand to juniper grove is sunshine personified. he walks with a cadence that radiates warmth to everyone around him. he immediately catches tucker’s eye, but that doesn’t mean it was positive from the beginning. it wasn’t negative, but maybe somewhere in between. jackson does his best to break down the walls that tucker has had up for over 3 years, and over time, his sunshine parts the storm clouds that have plagued tucker for so long. he is kind, gentle, and most of all understanding. he knows this journey is not going to be easy, but when is love ever?
this book is about falling in love, yes. but there is a deeper meaning etched into the words on the pages. this is a story about love after loss. about grief, and the healing from it. the nonlinear and messy sides of the storms that come from grief. there is not a cure for grief, and there are days where it seems like all it does is dig its claws into your skin and drag you down. but there are also days where sometimes you can forget, even if it’s just a little bit, that it hurts. the ache stays, but it’s dull compared to the brightness that love can bring.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Disclosure: I received a complimentary eARC of
Where The Sun Rises Slow
by Kennedy Kidman in exchange for an honest review.
Where The Sun Rises Slow by Kennedy Kidman is an absolute masterpiece of emotional storytelling. It follows Tucker, a man who has spent three agonizing years trapped in the shadow of his late husband Raleigh’s death, managing his family's farm, Juniper Grove. When he hires a vibrant, sunshine-personified farmhand eleven years his junior—for the foaling season, an instant, undeniable connection sparks between them.
What starts as a temporary six-month arrangement quickly spirals into an impossible choice. Jackson wants to make Juniper Grove his forever home, and Tucker his forever. But moving on, for Tucker, feels like a betrayal of the vows he made to Raleigh. As the lines between employer and employee blur, Tucker is forced to confront whether he can let go of the past or risk watching the man who brought his heart back to life walk away.
Kennedy Kidman has crafted something profoundly special here. Tucker’s grief is palpable, written with such raw, aching beauty that it leaves you completely choked up. The exploration of loss and healing is handled with immense grace, perfectly demonstrating that grief is not linear and that healing comes in waves. Jackson serves as the ultimate ray of light, dragging Tucker out of the long nights of his sorrow. The small details, the heavy emotional stakes, and the beautiful portrayal of finding a future worth fighting for make every single page resonate deeply.
Where The Sun Rises Slow will leave you heartbroken, put back together, and entirely in your feels. If you love emotional, character-driven romances that explore the complexities of grief, love, and moving on, this is an absolute mandatory addition to your TBR.
Where The Sun Rises Slow by Kennedy Kidman is an absolute masterpiece of emotional storytelling. It follows Tucker, a man who has spent three agonizing years trapped in the shadow of his late husband Raleigh’s death, managing his family's farm, Juniper Grove. When he hires a vibrant, sunshine-personified farmhand eleven years his junior—for the foaling season, an instant, undeniable connection sparks between them.
What starts as a temporary six-month arrangement quickly spirals into an impossible choice. Jackson wants to make Juniper Grove his forever home, and Tucker his forever. But moving on, for Tucker, feels like a betrayal of the vows he made to Raleigh. As the lines between employer and employee blur, Tucker is forced to confront whether he can let go of the past or risk watching the man who brought his heart back to life walk away.
Kennedy Kidman has crafted something profoundly special here. Tucker’s grief is palpable, written with such raw, aching beauty that it leaves you completely choked up. The exploration of loss and healing is handled with immense grace, perfectly demonstrating that grief is not linear and that healing comes in waves. Jackson serves as the ultimate ray of light, dragging Tucker out of the long nights of his sorrow. The small details, the heavy emotional stakes, and the beautiful portrayal of finding a future worth fighting for make every single page resonate deeply.
Where The Sun Rises Slow will leave you heartbroken, put back together, and entirely in your feels. If you love emotional, character-driven romances that explore the complexities of grief, love, and moving on, this is an absolute mandatory addition to your TBR.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First off, I want to say thank you to Kennedy for providing me with the ARC! This is my first book by Kennedy and I found myself really enjoying their writing style!
Where the Sun Rises Slow is such a sweet and angsty story about learning to navigate grief after loosing your partner and best friend and opening up space in your heart to love another.
Tucker is the foreman on his family’s thoroughbred farm and is the still clinging to the past after losing his husband unexpectedly 3 years ago. He was barely living and was stuck in survival mode until his new farmhand, Jackson, arrives to the farm.
Jackson is easygoing and mr. sunshine and fits in at Juniper Grove as if he’s always been there. His first few encounters with Tucker are bit rough but he quickly learns why and responds with kindness and understanding. Jackson creates a safe space for Tucker to deal with his grief and he is able to slowly break down his walls and start to show Tucker that he can still have love for his dead husband while making space for him.
I really enjoyed how grief and loss was handled and it spoke to me in such a profound way after losing my mom. While it’s a different type of loss, the presence of grief can feel never ending but it isn’t. You just have to keep pushing through the deep waters so you can finally breathe.
I think what knocked off a star for me was that I wished this was a bit more of a slower burn. It was a little bit too insta-lust/love for my liking, especially when dealing with such a profound loss. I think their connection would have been more meaningful if it had built up just a bit more.
What to expect:
📚grumpy x sunshine
📚age gap (11 years)
📚hurt/comfort
📚foreman x farmhand
📚love after loss
📚grief and healing
Where the Sun Rises Slow is such a sweet and angsty story about learning to navigate grief after loosing your partner and best friend and opening up space in your heart to love another.
Tucker is the foreman on his family’s thoroughbred farm and is the still clinging to the past after losing his husband unexpectedly 3 years ago. He was barely living and was stuck in survival mode until his new farmhand, Jackson, arrives to the farm.
Jackson is easygoing and mr. sunshine and fits in at Juniper Grove as if he’s always been there. His first few encounters with Tucker are bit rough but he quickly learns why and responds with kindness and understanding. Jackson creates a safe space for Tucker to deal with his grief and he is able to slowly break down his walls and start to show Tucker that he can still have love for his dead husband while making space for him.
I really enjoyed how grief and loss was handled and it spoke to me in such a profound way after losing my mom. While it’s a different type of loss, the presence of grief can feel never ending but it isn’t. You just have to keep pushing through the deep waters so you can finally breathe.
I think what knocked off a star for me was that I wished this was a bit more of a slower burn. It was a little bit too insta-lust/love for my liking, especially when dealing with such a profound loss. I think their connection would have been more meaningful if it had built up just a bit more.
What to expect:
📚grumpy x sunshine
📚age gap (11 years)
📚hurt/comfort
📚foreman x farmhand
📚love after loss
📚grief and healing
Review of advance copy received from Author
The story of Tucker and Jackson brings out all the emotions - learning to love again after loss is so beautifully captured in this book, I will never get over these men or their journey to happiness.
Tucker Legare experienced one of the worst kinds of heartbreak - the death of his husband, Raleigh.
It has been 3 years since he lost Raleigh and he has never moved on, deciding that he already had true love and his heart has no more space for anyone else again. Until the day Jackson Arness walked into his life.
Jackson is the newest farmhand to Juniper Groves. Within seconds of meeting him, Tucker is struck by the hold Jackson has over him - he feels an instant connection to Jackson something that he never thought he would feel again. As much as he tries to avoid it Tucker wants to be in Jackson's space as much as possible.
Jackson is the greenest flag - he is warm, friendly, easy to be around and would do anything to ensure that Tucker feels safe with him and the attraction he has to Tucker, well it is so present and raw - oh this man, I just adore him. And Tucker, the unimaginable pain Tucker felt and his utter guilt for wanting to move on with Jackson literally breaks my heart.
What I love the most about Jackson is his understanding of Tucker's struggle and the fact he is willing to listen and learn all about Raleigh. He gives Tucker space to grieve and work through his emotions.
This is definitely one of my favorite cowboy romances I have ever read. The stages of grief and finding love after loss is so well written and Kennedy captured the struggles of each man so perfectly - I most definitely recommend this book and I am adding it to my best of 2026.
Tucker Legare experienced one of the worst kinds of heartbreak - the death of his husband, Raleigh.
It has been 3 years since he lost Raleigh and he has never moved on, deciding that he already had true love and his heart has no more space for anyone else again. Until the day Jackson Arness walked into his life.
Jackson is the newest farmhand to Juniper Groves. Within seconds of meeting him, Tucker is struck by the hold Jackson has over him - he feels an instant connection to Jackson something that he never thought he would feel again. As much as he tries to avoid it Tucker wants to be in Jackson's space as much as possible.
Jackson is the greenest flag - he is warm, friendly, easy to be around and would do anything to ensure that Tucker feels safe with him and the attraction he has to Tucker, well it is so present and raw - oh this man, I just adore him. And Tucker, the unimaginable pain Tucker felt and his utter guilt for wanting to move on with Jackson literally breaks my heart.
What I love the most about Jackson is his understanding of Tucker's struggle and the fact he is willing to listen and learn all about Raleigh. He gives Tucker space to grieve and work through his emotions.
This is definitely one of my favorite cowboy romances I have ever read. The stages of grief and finding love after loss is so well written and Kennedy captured the struggles of each man so perfectly - I most definitely recommend this book and I am adding it to my best of 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kennedys writing is absolutely stunning. I was drawn in on page one. Tucker has been surviving in the nighttime of grief for 3 years when sunshine, in the form of Jackson, arrives and changes his whole world. Tucker’s grief is a palpable living being throughout this story. You truly feel his pain with him as he navigates attraction for the first time since his husband’s passing. Jackson’s instant respect for Raleigh and understanding that Tucker will always love him is beautiful. Jackson knows he wants Tucker, but also acknowledges that he needs to move at Tucker’s pace. Tucker loves so deeply and wholeheartedly, and I’m so happy he finally realizes that he has more room in his heart for Jackson. Sweet sunshiny Jackson deserves all the love.
Grief affects everyone so differently and it really isn’t a linear process. Jackson uses a perfect comparison of grief being like a ball in a box. The ball shrinks while the box grows in time, but occasionally the ball hits the side of the box. In these instances, you remember and feel that loss all over again. I think anyone who has ever lost someone close to them can relate to this feeling. I love how Kennedy doesn’t minimize Tuckers grief, but allows him to grow with it, while finally shrinking that ball.
I absolutely loved this story and can’t get over how beautiful it is. Not only the characters and story, but Kennedy’s writing as well. Everyone will love Tucker and Jackson, like I do, and I can’t wait to see where Kennedy goes from here.
Grief affects everyone so differently and it really isn’t a linear process. Jackson uses a perfect comparison of grief being like a ball in a box. The ball shrinks while the box grows in time, but occasionally the ball hits the side of the box. In these instances, you remember and feel that loss all over again. I think anyone who has ever lost someone close to them can relate to this feeling. I love how Kennedy doesn’t minimize Tuckers grief, but allows him to grow with it, while finally shrinking that ball.
I absolutely loved this story and can’t get over how beautiful it is. Not only the characters and story, but Kennedy’s writing as well. Everyone will love Tucker and Jackson, like I do, and I can’t wait to see where Kennedy goes from here.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review (and thank you so much for the ARC!).
I really enjoy books that have characters on a grief journey and this one is a big one. Tucker lost his husband three years prior and is not dealing with it well, if at all. He avoids dealing with it, and keeps his wedding band on as he views it as a betrayal to take it off since to him he’s still married to him. Then Jackson enters the picture, he’s on a contract to work at their horse operation for six months and he’s all sunshine and light, and there’s a pull for Tucker and the same for Jackson. What follows is a beautiful story of dealing with grief, of learning to love and that loving again is okay, and that asking for help and allowing others to support you is needed to overcome some of our deepest darkest days.
What I loved in this book was the use of dreams, Tucker dreams of his husband often and so he avoids sleeping but the description of those dreams and their affect on him is so visceral and puts you in his mindset. I loved how Jackson saw that Tucker still loving his husband was a great thing, he saw it as beautiful and not as a competition or someone to live up to or to push out of their lives. He just wanted to share their space. This was so mature and perfect for where Tucker was, and just what he needed. Everything these men went through strengthened their relationship and love for each other and reading it was a dream!
I really enjoy books that have characters on a grief journey and this one is a big one. Tucker lost his husband three years prior and is not dealing with it well, if at all. He avoids dealing with it, and keeps his wedding band on as he views it as a betrayal to take it off since to him he’s still married to him. Then Jackson enters the picture, he’s on a contract to work at their horse operation for six months and he’s all sunshine and light, and there’s a pull for Tucker and the same for Jackson. What follows is a beautiful story of dealing with grief, of learning to love and that loving again is okay, and that asking for help and allowing others to support you is needed to overcome some of our deepest darkest days.
What I loved in this book was the use of dreams, Tucker dreams of his husband often and so he avoids sleeping but the description of those dreams and their affect on him is so visceral and puts you in his mindset. I loved how Jackson saw that Tucker still loving his husband was a great thing, he saw it as beautiful and not as a competition or someone to live up to or to push out of their lives. He just wanted to share their space. This was so mature and perfect for where Tucker was, and just what he needed. Everything these men went through strengthened their relationship and love for each other and reading it was a dream!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. Kennedy Kidman captured grief, healing, and finding love after loss with so much care that I felt every emotion right alongside Tucker and Jackson.
Tucker is still carrying the unimaginable weight of losing his husband three years earlier and truly believes he'll never have room in his heart for anyone else. Then Jackson arrives at Juniper Grove, and everything slowly begins to change. Jackson is one of the biggest green flags I've ever read. He's patient, kind, and never asks Tucker to move on or forget. Instead, he gives him the space to grieve while gently showing him that loving again doesn't diminish the love he had before.
Watching Tucker wrestle with the guilt of opening his heart again was heartbreaking, and Jackson's unwavering support made their relationship feel so genuine. Their connection grew naturally, balancing quiet, tender moments with plenty of emotional depth, and I found myself completely invested in both of them.
This is easily one of my favourite cowboy romances. It's a beautiful story about healing, hope, and discovering that your heart is capable of holding more than one great love.
✨ Cowboy romance
✨ Grumpy × sunshine
✨ Love after loss
✨ Hurt/comfort
✨ Found family
✨ Age gap
✨ Horse ranch setting
Emotional, heartfelt, and beautifully written. Tucker and Jackson's journey is one I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Tucker is still carrying the unimaginable weight of losing his husband three years earlier and truly believes he'll never have room in his heart for anyone else. Then Jackson arrives at Juniper Grove, and everything slowly begins to change. Jackson is one of the biggest green flags I've ever read. He's patient, kind, and never asks Tucker to move on or forget. Instead, he gives him the space to grieve while gently showing him that loving again doesn't diminish the love he had before.
Watching Tucker wrestle with the guilt of opening his heart again was heartbreaking, and Jackson's unwavering support made their relationship feel so genuine. Their connection grew naturally, balancing quiet, tender moments with plenty of emotional depth, and I found myself completely invested in both of them.
This is easily one of my favourite cowboy romances. It's a beautiful story about healing, hope, and discovering that your heart is capable of holding more than one great love.
✨ Cowboy romance
✨ Grumpy × sunshine
✨ Love after loss
✨ Hurt/comfort
✨ Found family
✨ Age gap
✨ Horse ranch setting
Emotional, heartfelt, and beautifully written. Tucker and Jackson's journey is one I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
July 31, 2026
It is such a clichéd thing to say - this book wrecked me and then very gently put me back together, but there is no other way to describe what I felt while reading this one.
Tucker lost his husband Raleigh three years ago, and he hasn't really been living since, just going through the motions on his ranch. Then Jackson shows up as the new farmhand, and he's warm and steady in a way that catches Tucker completely off guard. The fact that Jackson wears the same cologne as Raleigh doesn't help. That detail alone had me feeling Tucker's grief in my chest.
What got me most was how real the push and pull felt. Tucker hasn't let himself feel anything in three years, and suddenly he's feeling everything, which makes him pull away from Jackson more than he reaches for him.
But Jackson never gives up on him. He's patient and kind even when Tucker is short with him, and he seems to actually get what Tucker is carrying.
The sexual tension between the two was as thick as "peanut butter". When they kiss for the first time, it was like – I could breathe a little easy!!
By the end, Tucker realizes the thought of losing Jackson scares him more than staying stuck in his grief, and he finally starts choosing to move forward.
It's such a tender story about love, loss, and getting a second chance you didn't think you deserved.
Highly recommend if you want a book that'll make you cry and then leave you hopeful.
Tucker lost his husband Raleigh three years ago, and he hasn't really been living since, just going through the motions on his ranch. Then Jackson shows up as the new farmhand, and he's warm and steady in a way that catches Tucker completely off guard. The fact that Jackson wears the same cologne as Raleigh doesn't help. That detail alone had me feeling Tucker's grief in my chest.
What got me most was how real the push and pull felt. Tucker hasn't let himself feel anything in three years, and suddenly he's feeling everything, which makes him pull away from Jackson more than he reaches for him.
But Jackson never gives up on him. He's patient and kind even when Tucker is short with him, and he seems to actually get what Tucker is carrying.
The sexual tension between the two was as thick as "peanut butter". When they kiss for the first time, it was like – I could breathe a little easy!!
By the end, Tucker realizes the thought of losing Jackson scares him more than staying stuck in his grief, and he finally starts choosing to move forward.
It's such a tender story about love, loss, and getting a second chance you didn't think you deserved.
Highly recommend if you want a book that'll make you cry and then leave you hopeful.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Where the Sun Rises Slow is such a tender and emotional story about learning how to live again after unimaginable loss. It's not just a romance. It's a story about grief, healing, and finding hope when you never expected to.
Tucker's journey felt incredibly real. His grief is messy, complicated, and never treated as something that can simply be "fixed." Watching him wrestle with the guilt of opening his heart again was heartbreaking, and I really appreciated how honestly those emotions were explored.
Jackson was the perfect balance to Tucker's heaviness. He's kind, patient, and understanding in a way that never feels forced. Rather than trying to replace Tucker's past, he respects it, giving Tucker the space to grieve while gently reminding him that loving again doesn't erase the love that came before.
The romance develops at a pace that fits the story, making every step of their relationship feel earned. Set against the peaceful backdrop of Juniper Grove, the quiet moments often carried the most emotional weight.
If you're looking for a heartfelt romance that explores love after loss with compassion and care, this one is absolutely worth picking up. It left me emotional in the best way and will definitely stay with me for a long time.
Tucker's journey felt incredibly real. His grief is messy, complicated, and never treated as something that can simply be "fixed." Watching him wrestle with the guilt of opening his heart again was heartbreaking, and I really appreciated how honestly those emotions were explored.
Jackson was the perfect balance to Tucker's heaviness. He's kind, patient, and understanding in a way that never feels forced. Rather than trying to replace Tucker's past, he respects it, giving Tucker the space to grieve while gently reminding him that loving again doesn't erase the love that came before.
The romance develops at a pace that fits the story, making every step of their relationship feel earned. Set against the peaceful backdrop of Juniper Grove, the quiet moments often carried the most emotional weight.
If you're looking for a heartfelt romance that explores love after loss with compassion and care, this one is absolutely worth picking up. It left me emotional in the best way and will definitely stay with me for a long time.
July 31, 2026
Tucker and Jackson have my whole heart. 🤍
I cried my eyes out while reading this book. It was so painfully beautiful that my heart ached for both of them from beginning to end. The writing was absolutely stunning, so emotional, heartfelt, and effortlessly immersive that I couldn't put it down.
This is exactly the kind of small-town romance I love. The way it explores love after loss was handled with so much care and tenderness. Watching Tucker and Jackson slowly find comfort, healing, and eventually love in each other was incredibly moving. They deserved every bit of their happily ever after, and I'm so grateful they found it together.
I finished this book with tears in my eyes, and even after turning the last page, I couldn't stop thinking about them. It's one of those stories that stays with you long after it's over.
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC opportunity. This book was truly beautiful, and it will always have a special place in my heart🤍
If you want a story that will completely shatter your heart before putting it back together with a beautiful happily ever after, definitely pick this one up! <3
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I cried my eyes out while reading this book. It was so painfully beautiful that my heart ached for both of them from beginning to end. The writing was absolutely stunning, so emotional, heartfelt, and effortlessly immersive that I couldn't put it down.
This is exactly the kind of small-town romance I love. The way it explores love after loss was handled with so much care and tenderness. Watching Tucker and Jackson slowly find comfort, healing, and eventually love in each other was incredibly moving. They deserved every bit of their happily ever after, and I'm so grateful they found it together.
I finished this book with tears in my eyes, and even after turning the last page, I couldn't stop thinking about them. It's one of those stories that stays with you long after it's over.
Thank you so much to the author for the ARC opportunity. This book was truly beautiful, and it will always have a special place in my heart🤍
If you want a story that will completely shatter your heart before putting it back together with a beautiful happily ever after, definitely pick this one up! <3
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review:
Before I begin there are a few TW: grief and loss of a spouse.
So I just finished reading "When the Sun Rises Slowly", by Kennedy Kidman and I was blown away. Tucker is dealing with the loss of his spouse and the grief is like a weight on his shoulders. He misses Raleigh in every breath and step he takes. It isn't until he hires Jackson as a farmhand that some of the light he's lost begins to return.
Jackson is like a breath of fresh air he is only supposed to be at Juniper Grove for a short time but he is falling for Tucker and sees a future with him. Can Tucker let Raleigh go and move forward in his life with someone who isn't Raleigh. Grief can be a cruel individual and Tucker has to be able to move forward with Jackson without feeling like he is betraying his memory or the love they shared.
What I loved about their story is Jackson didn't want to replace Raleigh that he knew the importance of his memory for Tucker. Their story is one of those love stories you root for and want to see flourish.
#upcomingrelease #whenthesunrisesslowly @kennedykidmanauthor
Before I begin there are a few TW: grief and loss of a spouse.
So I just finished reading "When the Sun Rises Slowly", by Kennedy Kidman and I was blown away. Tucker is dealing with the loss of his spouse and the grief is like a weight on his shoulders. He misses Raleigh in every breath and step he takes. It isn't until he hires Jackson as a farmhand that some of the light he's lost begins to return.
Jackson is like a breath of fresh air he is only supposed to be at Juniper Grove for a short time but he is falling for Tucker and sees a future with him. Can Tucker let Raleigh go and move forward in his life with someone who isn't Raleigh. Grief can be a cruel individual and Tucker has to be able to move forward with Jackson without feeling like he is betraying his memory or the love they shared.
What I loved about their story is Jackson didn't want to replace Raleigh that he knew the importance of his memory for Tucker. Their story is one of those love stories you root for and want to see flourish.
#upcomingrelease #whenthesunrisesslowly @kennedykidmanauthor
Review of advance copy received from Author
Where The Sun Rises Slow
Kennedy Kidman
Tucker & Jackson
Yeah, this was a super emotional, angsty read. Oh my heart. Heavy on the grief, but they do get a hea after a little of an uphill battle.
Jackson comes to work on Tucker's farm, young, confident, and full of sunshine.
Tucker is a grieving widow, still heavily in his grief over the loss of his husband. One look at Jackson, and his world starts to unravel.
Jackson just fits; he fits so well on the ranch, like he was always meant to be there.
This is a beautiful story of love after loss. These stories are never easy to read but so worth it. The hea we get is so hard-fought and so deserved.
These two have some push and pull; Tucker needs to face his grief. It’s absolutely heart-wrenching at times.
I loved all the secondary characters on the ranch. This was a beautiful motivational story. With a beautiful, happy ever after.
These two men deserve the world. Beautiful story
So thankful for this arc
Kennedy Kidman
Tucker & Jackson
Yeah, this was a super emotional, angsty read. Oh my heart. Heavy on the grief, but they do get a hea after a little of an uphill battle.
Jackson comes to work on Tucker's farm, young, confident, and full of sunshine.
Tucker is a grieving widow, still heavily in his grief over the loss of his husband. One look at Jackson, and his world starts to unravel.
Jackson just fits; he fits so well on the ranch, like he was always meant to be there.
This is a beautiful story of love after loss. These stories are never easy to read but so worth it. The hea we get is so hard-fought and so deserved.
These two have some push and pull; Tucker needs to face his grief. It’s absolutely heart-wrenching at times.
I loved all the secondary characters on the ranch. This was a beautiful motivational story. With a beautiful, happy ever after.
These two men deserve the world. Beautiful story
So thankful for this arc
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was SO lucky and so fortunate to get an arc from the author
Where the sun rises low by Kennedy Kidman
Please check your trigger warnings!!
Wow as I write this review I am literally sobbing.
This book hit home so hard. Grief isn’t linear it becomes part of your life, it’s how you navigate it and work through it.
Tucker my gosh the pain he endured losing his husband and living with that grief. He was stuck not being able to let go until he meets his new employee Jackson.
Jackson my gosh what a ray of sunshine the moment he shook Tuckers hand he knew he was his. How he supported and love Tucker through his grief and honoring his late husband was just so darn sweet.
Tucker and Jackson did go through some hard ship but at the end love concord all. With love, understanding and working through it together.
This is a new to me Author and my gosh the writing was just beautiful. I’m looking for to read more of Kennedy’s work is simply amazing.
Where the sun rises low by Kennedy Kidman
Please check your trigger warnings!!
Wow as I write this review I am literally sobbing.
This book hit home so hard. Grief isn’t linear it becomes part of your life, it’s how you navigate it and work through it.
Tucker my gosh the pain he endured losing his husband and living with that grief. He was stuck not being able to let go until he meets his new employee Jackson.
Jackson my gosh what a ray of sunshine the moment he shook Tuckers hand he knew he was his. How he supported and love Tucker through his grief and honoring his late husband was just so darn sweet.
Tucker and Jackson did go through some hard ship but at the end love concord all. With love, understanding and working through it together.
This is a new to me Author and my gosh the writing was just beautiful. I’m looking for to read more of Kennedy’s work is simply amazing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Love, loss and grief are intense emotions that impact everyone differently. Kennedy made me feel these emotions in her writing, The tears flowed from the page. Tucker & Jackson will always have a special place in my heart. We first meet Tucker, a Ranch foreman on a racehorse breeding ranch owned by his father. Tucker is still struggling over the loss of his husband from a tragic accident three years ago. Jackson is new to the ranch and was recently hired to help Tucker during peak breeding season. From the moment they meet, there is something about Jackson that both surprises and irritates Tucker. There are feelings there that he thought died years ago, Jackson may be persistent but he’s also patient and a kind soul. I loved their grumpy/sunshine dynamic, the horses and the way that grief, loss and love after loss is explored through the characters and the events of the story. This was truly beautiful.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Finally a book that gets horse details correct! 😍 And wheeeeeww what a book it was. The romance between Jackson and Tucker was HARD won, and there were times that I was really upset with Tucker, but it all was worth it in the end. Grief was portrayed as it is in life… complicated and MESSY. Jackson is an actual saint for being supportive through it all and accepting Raleigh’s presence so wholly.
Not only was the story lovely and satisfying, but the book was beautifully written. “I realized if he was the one to pull the trigger, I would be happy for it. Because maybe I could come back as the demon to haunt his dreams at night, and that could be our ever-after.” Like are you kidding me? 😮💨
Kennedy Kidman ripped my heart into a million pieces then stitched it back together, and I’d gladly let her do it again. ❤️
Not only was the story lovely and satisfying, but the book was beautifully written. “I realized if he was the one to pull the trigger, I would be happy for it. Because maybe I could come back as the demon to haunt his dreams at night, and that could be our ever-after.” Like are you kidding me? 😮💨
Kennedy Kidman ripped my heart into a million pieces then stitched it back together, and I’d gladly let her do it again. ❤️
July 27, 2026
This is an honest ARC review !!
Well this book was a little mixed for me.
I think that for a story about grief this was too instalove. I expected more slow burn feelings and this was not it.
Since the first moment they met they are so attracted and acting on it that felt a little bit too much for me !
That being said, I loved Jackson so much and I think he deserved better sometimes through the book and that feeling just was not what I want on romances.
Then we whe reach the epilogue (SOME MILD SPOILERS!!!) and they have a baby. It was not explícit on page that it was surrogacy but the way it was talked made me think it (like they didnt want to know who was the father but they eventually would know ) and well this is a personal choice but I am very against surrogacy (thanks that in my country is illegal) so this totally let me down 😩
Thank you for the arc opportunity !!!
Well this book was a little mixed for me.
I think that for a story about grief this was too instalove. I expected more slow burn feelings and this was not it.
Since the first moment they met they are so attracted and acting on it that felt a little bit too much for me !
That being said, I loved Jackson so much and I think he deserved better sometimes through the book and that feeling just was not what I want on romances.
Then we whe reach the epilogue (SOME MILD SPOILERS!!!) and they have a baby. It was not explícit on page that it was surrogacy but the way it was talked made me think it (like they didnt want to know who was the father but they eventually would know ) and well this is a personal choice but I am very against surrogacy (thanks that in my country is illegal) so this totally let me down 😩
Thank you for the arc opportunity !!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2026
Three years after losing his husband, Tucker is still grieving. He’s basically going through the motions. He can’t sleep. He dreams of his husband, who was supposed to be by his side as he prepared to take over the family ranch.
Jackson is the new farmhand, there to work for six months. He’s beautiful. He’s happy. He’s a ray of sunshine who smells just like Tucker’s late husband. Things don’t exactly start off well. Tucker is snappy and Jackson feels like he’s messing up.
As the two get to know one another, they acknowledge the attraction and chemistry. But Tucker isn’t ready to move on. Jackson is starting to feel at home on the ranch, but he can’t imagine staying beyond his six month contract if it doesn’t include Tucker. Can he help Tucker learn to live and love again without forgetting his first love?
This story was so beautiful. Heartbreaking then heartwarming. It was healing.
Jackson is the new farmhand, there to work for six months. He’s beautiful. He’s happy. He’s a ray of sunshine who smells just like Tucker’s late husband. Things don’t exactly start off well. Tucker is snappy and Jackson feels like he’s messing up.
As the two get to know one another, they acknowledge the attraction and chemistry. But Tucker isn’t ready to move on. Jackson is starting to feel at home on the ranch, but he can’t imagine staying beyond his six month contract if it doesn’t include Tucker. Can he help Tucker learn to live and love again without forgetting his first love?
This story was so beautiful. Heartbreaking then heartwarming. It was healing.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was good. The grief of Raleigh had me tearing up at multiple points of the book.
I think Tucker and Jackson were a lovely couple but they didn’t have one conversation that didn’t involve Raleigh. I understand he’s a big part of the story and Tucker is actively grieving but every single conversation they had involved Raleigh somehow, even in the epilogue.
There was a lot of back and forth, push and pull on Tuckers side and for a lot of this book I just felt really bad for Jackson. Especially after Tucker’s freak out after his bad dream. Super uncalled for and like borderline unforgivable.
“Are we always going to this dance of one step forward, three steps back and you apologizing for it?”
Jackson said this and I think it encapsulates this book very well.
ARC FROM AUTHOR.
I think Tucker and Jackson were a lovely couple but they didn’t have one conversation that didn’t involve Raleigh. I understand he’s a big part of the story and Tucker is actively grieving but every single conversation they had involved Raleigh somehow, even in the epilogue.
There was a lot of back and forth, push and pull on Tuckers side and for a lot of this book I just felt really bad for Jackson. Especially after Tucker’s freak out after his bad dream. Super uncalled for and like borderline unforgivable.
“Are we always going to this dance of one step forward, three steps back and you apologizing for it?”
Jackson said this and I think it encapsulates this book very well.
ARC FROM AUTHOR.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book. This book broke me then made it all better in the best way.
Tucker and Jackson are drawn to each other instantly but Tucker feels guilty because his husband passed 3 years prior and he feels like his heart still belongs to his late husband. Then in comes Jackson. Jackson is the new farm hand and is the greenest of flags. He’s so patient and understanding. He’s exactly the kind of partner Tucker needs.
This one was definitely a tear jerker. It had so many layers to it and I just wanted to hug both Jackson and Tucker.
I loved the ending of this book and the grief aspect of it was done so well.
I knew very early on that this would be a 5 star read for me and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Tucker and Jackson are drawn to each other instantly but Tucker feels guilty because his husband passed 3 years prior and he feels like his heart still belongs to his late husband. Then in comes Jackson. Jackson is the new farm hand and is the greenest of flags. He’s so patient and understanding. He’s exactly the kind of partner Tucker needs.
This one was definitely a tear jerker. It had so many layers to it and I just wanted to hug both Jackson and Tucker.
I loved the ending of this book and the grief aspect of it was done so well.
I knew very early on that this would be a 5 star read for me and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
July 29, 2026
This book was pure perfection. Kennedy has a way of weaving words around your heart and pulling you in. I felt every single emotion and cried so many tears.
Jackson, the unyielding, steady force that Tucker didn’t even know he needed. Jackson gave space for Tucker to just be and feel his emotions. He showed him it’s okay to love again and be loved. That love might look different from before, but it doesn’t make it any less beautiful.
Tucker—why—aren't—you—wearing—my—jacket—Legare had my heart from the very first chapter. I was rooting for his happiness and his heart to beat again. And boy did it beat!
Everything Kennedy writes is always a pleasure to read, but these boys will forever hold a special place in my heart.
Jackson, the unyielding, steady force that Tucker didn’t even know he needed. Jackson gave space for Tucker to just be and feel his emotions. He showed him it’s okay to love again and be loved. That love might look different from before, but it doesn’t make it any less beautiful.
Tucker—why—aren't—you—wearing—my—jacket—Legare had my heart from the very first chapter. I was rooting for his happiness and his heart to beat again. And boy did it beat!
Everything Kennedy writes is always a pleasure to read, but these boys will forever hold a special place in my heart.
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