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Montana #3
A Cowboy's Home
One burned and broken man finds his way home. Can he find peace in the arms of a man easy to love?
Justin made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, battling domestic terrorism, never the man he really was, using hate to avenge the death of his best friend. The friend he'd killed.
What he doesn’t count on is getting shot, and if he's going to die he wants it to be on Crooked Tree soil. Home.
Sam is as much a part of Crooked Tree as any of the families, and the offer to buy into the ranch is a dream come true. But falling for a hidden, secretive, injured man isn’t the way to keep his head in the game.
Justin made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, battling domestic terrorism, never the man he really was, using hate to avenge the death of his best friend. The friend he'd killed.
What he doesn’t count on is getting shot, and if he's going to die he wants it to be on Crooked Tree soil. Home.
Sam is as much a part of Crooked Tree as any of the families, and the offer to buy into the ranch is a dream come true. But falling for a hidden, secretive, injured man isn’t the way to keep his head in the game.
214 pages, ebook
First published July 8, 2016
232 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Scott
306 books2,707 followersRJ Scott writes heartwarming, passionate MM/gay romance stories where every man finds his happily ever after. When not writing, she enjoys reading books, watching movies, spending time with her family, following Formula 1 (Forza Ferrari!), and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Email her here: rj@rjscott.co.uk
Find RJ here: Amazon | BookBub | Facebook - Also, Never miss a release
Find RJ here: Amazon | BookBub | Facebook - Also, Never miss a release
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
May 3, 2021
2.5 stars
I read this one just to know what happened to Justin and Adam during the time they disappeared. I have to say, it wasn't that interesting. The whole mystery was unbelievable and took a soapy turn.
The relationship between Justin and Sam was not even there. I missed their connection along the way.
Anyhoo, another one off my tbr. YaaY!!
I read this one just to know what happened to Justin and Adam during the time they disappeared. I have to say, it wasn't that interesting. The whole mystery was unbelievable and took a soapy turn.
The relationship between Justin and Sam was not even there. I missed their connection along the way.
Anyhoo, another one off my tbr. YaaY!!
September 19, 2019
This is the 3rd book in the Montana series. I would not really consider this book a stand-alone. I think you need to at least read book 2 first at the minimum so you can get the full impact of the background of what has happened so far and led these men to where they are at now. Every book in this series has been great so far though, so reading them all is definitely a good idea, in my opinion. I’m also really not sure which book is my favorite yet in this series, it just keeps changing as I get through each book. So I have to say that I’ve liked them all pretty equally so far, but all for different reasons and for the different characters we get. I like how this whole series has played out up to this point. The author has really set up all the books and characters nicely to lead from one book to the next and I always look forward to getting the next book and seeing where that one will lead us.
This is Justin’s book, we get to learn more about him and where he has been the past 12 or so years after he and Adam (from book 2) disappeared when they were teenagers. I really feel bad for Justin in this book. That he’s had to deal with the guilt of thinking that Adam was dead and that it was his fault, to learning the truth of what actually happened and led him to this point in life had to be really hard for him. I loved that he had an instant connection with Sam when they meet even with all the drama surrounding what happens (I don't want to give more details and spoil it) and that they were able to make it work with everything that was going on in the background and all the family issues as well. After meeting Sam in the first two books as the cook at Crooked Tree, and then learning about his past and his horrible family life in this book, I was really excited he was able to get the HEA he deserves and I think that Justin and Sam fit perfectly together.
This is Justin’s book, we get to learn more about him and where he has been the past 12 or so years after he and Adam (from book 2) disappeared when they were teenagers. I really feel bad for Justin in this book. That he’s had to deal with the guilt of thinking that Adam was dead and that it was his fault, to learning the truth of what actually happened and led him to this point in life had to be really hard for him. I loved that he had an instant connection with Sam when they meet even with all the drama surrounding what happens (I don't want to give more details and spoil it) and that they were able to make it work with everything that was going on in the background and all the family issues as well. After meeting Sam in the first two books as the cook at Crooked Tree, and then learning about his past and his horrible family life in this book, I was really excited he was able to get the HEA he deserves and I think that Justin and Sam fit perfectly together.
July 30, 2022
4 Stars
All the lingering confusion and burning questions in this series, leading up to this point, were totally worth it for all the answers we got here, FINALLY, with Justin’s reappearance after 12 years presumed dead.
Firstly, I would not recommend this be read as a standalone. There’s so much backstory and character development across these first three books—each featuring a different focus couple, but all heavily interconnected and set on the Crooked Tree Ranch, in Montana. There’s a suspense/mystery arc that begins in book one, which becomes more intense and prevalent in book two, and finally culminates here in book three, with all the blanks finally filled in.
So, yeah, don’t read the books in this series willy nilly—you’ve been forewarned.
The fact that this story is so heavily entrenched in the overarching plot that has built across the series, also means that discussing details of this current storyline would be spoiling details of what came before, so I won’t bother talking about the specifics.
What I will say, is that I really enjoyed this instalment. I was already liking the series earlier on, but this book, with its hurt-comfort vibes and the heavy themes of family, self-healing and self-redemption, was more my style than anything that came before.
Subsequently, the romance came a distant second because of this, but that didn’t bother me in the slightest, because I’m a believer that one can’t truly be ready for real love if they don’t first accept and love themselves, which is pretty much the whole point of Justin’s arc, leading to him being emotionally ready to open himself up completely to love interest Sam and to reconnect to his family.
Justin’s backstory is pretty far-fetched, sure, but not so much so that I couldn’t throw myself wholeheartedly into the story and root for his very survival and hopes for a normal life. There’s a lot of hurt and trauma to be dealt with here, and although it’s heart-wrenching at times, it never got so heavy that it was hard to read or too much for my sensitive soul to handle. Always, the love and unwavering support shown by the secondary characters was key, making everything Justin went through feel like it could be overcome.
We got to meet a few new characters here too, expanding on this big, likable ensemble cast and opening up possibilities for the later sequels, which I’m all here for.
All the lingering confusion and burning questions in this series, leading up to this point, were totally worth it for all the answers we got here, FINALLY, with Justin’s reappearance after 12 years presumed dead.
Firstly, I would not recommend this be read as a standalone. There’s so much backstory and character development across these first three books—each featuring a different focus couple, but all heavily interconnected and set on the Crooked Tree Ranch, in Montana. There’s a suspense/mystery arc that begins in book one, which becomes more intense and prevalent in book two, and finally culminates here in book three, with all the blanks finally filled in.
So, yeah, don’t read the books in this series willy nilly—you’ve been forewarned.
The fact that this story is so heavily entrenched in the overarching plot that has built across the series, also means that discussing details of this current storyline would be spoiling details of what came before, so I won’t bother talking about the specifics.
What I will say, is that I really enjoyed this instalment. I was already liking the series earlier on, but this book, with its hurt-comfort vibes and the heavy themes of family, self-healing and self-redemption, was more my style than anything that came before.
Subsequently, the romance came a distant second because of this, but that didn’t bother me in the slightest, because I’m a believer that one can’t truly be ready for real love if they don’t first accept and love themselves, which is pretty much the whole point of Justin’s arc, leading to him being emotionally ready to open himself up completely to love interest Sam and to reconnect to his family.
Justin’s backstory is pretty far-fetched, sure, but not so much so that I couldn’t throw myself wholeheartedly into the story and root for his very survival and hopes for a normal life. There’s a lot of hurt and trauma to be dealt with here, and although it’s heart-wrenching at times, it never got so heavy that it was hard to read or too much for my sensitive soul to handle. Always, the love and unwavering support shown by the secondary characters was key, making everything Justin went through feel like it could be overcome.
We got to meet a few new characters here too, expanding on this big, likable ensemble cast and opening up possibilities for the later sequels, which I’m all here for.
August 19, 2016
2.5 stars
For over a decade, Justin believed that his family and friends were in danger. He let this belief turn him into a monster - a trained killer. When he finds out that it was all a lie, Justin is determined to break free of those who kept him in the dark. He knows it’s dangerous, but if his time is running out, he wants to see Crooked Tree Ranch one last time.
At the ranch, Sam has found a family, something that he hasn’t had since he was sixteen. Though surrounded by people who love and accept him, Sam yearns for someone to call his own. When he finds a badly injured man on ranch property, his first instinct is to help.
As Sam helps the man slowly heal, and revelations are made, he finds himself falling for Justin. But Justin doesn’t think he deserves Sam’s love, not after what he’s done.
After the way things ended in The Rancher's Son, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Justin’s story. I wanted to know how he and Adam ended up in their situation. Plus, I took a liking to Sam and wanted him to get his HEA too.
The Crooked Tree Ranch has really grown on me over the past two books, so I enjoyed being back there. It was great to catch up with the couples from the previous books, and some of the secondary characters.
I’m a sucker for a hurt/comfort romance, so I really liked the first half of ‘A Cowboy’s Home’. When Sam first discovers Justin, Justin can barely walk on his own. As Sam helps nurse Justin back to health, the two develop a bond.
For Justin, Sam is the only person on the ranch who doesn’t see him through the goggles of a past life. On the other hand, Sam finds that he connect with Justin without much effort, something he’s never had before.
So I liked how Justin and Sam’s romance began. But I wasn’t entirely sold on their relationship after that. There was a lack of relationship development. Justin and Sam just go from tentatively acknowledging that they like each other, to wanting each other forever-and-ever.
Given that the two only spend a couple of days together, during which Justin is in no physical or mental condition to be thinking about a relationship, and then the two separate for a long time, I didn’t buy the depth of the feelings for one another.
In classic R.J. Scott fashion, the plot is as over-the-top as I would expect it to be. I just would have liked it to be tightened up some more. The revelations regarding Justin and Adam’s disappearance kept me interested, though they didn’t entirely make sense. There are big holes in the reasoning behind how the two got into the whole mess to begin with, and how Justin got roped in for over a decade, but then so easily broke free.
Overall, I’ve got mixed feelings about ‘A Cowboy’s Home’. I really enjoyed the first half, but Justin and Sam’s lacklustre romance, and a plot that required too much suspension of disbelief, meant that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
For over a decade, Justin believed that his family and friends were in danger. He let this belief turn him into a monster - a trained killer. When he finds out that it was all a lie, Justin is determined to break free of those who kept him in the dark. He knows it’s dangerous, but if his time is running out, he wants to see Crooked Tree Ranch one last time.
At the ranch, Sam has found a family, something that he hasn’t had since he was sixteen. Though surrounded by people who love and accept him, Sam yearns for someone to call his own. When he finds a badly injured man on ranch property, his first instinct is to help.
As Sam helps the man slowly heal, and revelations are made, he finds himself falling for Justin. But Justin doesn’t think he deserves Sam’s love, not after what he’s done.
After the way things ended in The Rancher's Son, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Justin’s story. I wanted to know how he and Adam ended up in their situation. Plus, I took a liking to Sam and wanted him to get his HEA too.
The Crooked Tree Ranch has really grown on me over the past two books, so I enjoyed being back there. It was great to catch up with the couples from the previous books, and some of the secondary characters.
I’m a sucker for a hurt/comfort romance, so I really liked the first half of ‘A Cowboy’s Home’. When Sam first discovers Justin, Justin can barely walk on his own. As Sam helps nurse Justin back to health, the two develop a bond.
For Justin, Sam is the only person on the ranch who doesn’t see him through the goggles of a past life. On the other hand, Sam finds that he connect with Justin without much effort, something he’s never had before.
So I liked how Justin and Sam’s romance began. But I wasn’t entirely sold on their relationship after that. There was a lack of relationship development. Justin and Sam just go from tentatively acknowledging that they like each other, to wanting each other forever-and-ever.
Given that the two only spend a couple of days together, during which Justin is in no physical or mental condition to be thinking about a relationship, and then the two separate for a long time, I didn’t buy the depth of the feelings for one another.
In classic R.J. Scott fashion, the plot is as over-the-top as I would expect it to be. I just would have liked it to be tightened up some more. The revelations regarding Justin and Adam’s disappearance kept me interested, though they didn’t entirely make sense. There are big holes in the reasoning behind how the two got into the whole mess to begin with, and how Justin got roped in for over a decade, but then so easily broke free.
Overall, I’ve got mixed feelings about ‘A Cowboy’s Home’. I really enjoyed the first half, but Justin and Sam’s lacklustre romance, and a plot that required too much suspension of disbelief, meant that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would.
November 21, 2016
*4,5 stars*
Yeah, I enjoyed this series very much. Great plot and character development.
Adam and Justin had been missing for 12 years. Been torn away from their homes and family.
Adam was found in previous book and left with a big memory loss. What happened to him and Justin during all these years. Last book ended with a quick peek of Justin.
This installment starts that Justin is hurt and has come home to Crooked Tree, not to his family but in the envirement of his home and he expects to die, peacefully knowing he has kept his whole family safe for all these years. Sam, owner of the ranche's restaurant finds him in a cabin and insists geting help for Justin.
And so the big discovery of Justin starts. Justin, afraid of letting go of his fears, trying to trust again. Sam grounds him, sooths him, is the barrier between him and his family when the emotions get too high....
“I need you,” Justin said, his lips only inches away from Sam’s own. “To make things right in my head, to balance my life, to be my everything, to give me hope.
The romance was not that consuming as the other installments but geeez the emotions. What Justin went through. My heart was breaking for him.
Worked perfectly for me. Sam and Justin were perfect for each other.
I'm happy to learn that there will be another installment.
April 26, 2018
Third part of the Montana series about a group of childhood friends managing or living close to a ranch. This cannot be read as a standalone as it picks up just where The Rancher's Son ended.
Justin and Adam disappeared when they were 16. Twelve years later, Justin, severely injured, returned to the ranch to hide in one of the cabins. However, Sam, the feisty ranch chef, finds him and decides to help him, despite his better judgement.
More is revealed about the disappearance of Justin and Adam, and about Justin's dark fate. The needed healing goes more than just on a physical level and Sam may be worth seeking redemption.
I enjoyed this instalment a bit less than the previous one : too much insta-lust, too much required “suspend-belief” and not enough steam for my taste.
However, this fateful mystery is gripping. It’s not entirely solved and there are still some sexy characters to be paired. Two more books to go into this series from this reliable author and it won't be a hardship !!
Justin and Adam disappeared when they were 16. Twelve years later, Justin, severely injured, returned to the ranch to hide in one of the cabins. However, Sam, the feisty ranch chef, finds him and decides to help him, despite his better judgement.
More is revealed about the disappearance of Justin and Adam, and about Justin's dark fate. The needed healing goes more than just on a physical level and Sam may be worth seeking redemption.
I enjoyed this instalment a bit less than the previous one : too much insta-lust, too much required “suspend-belief” and not enough steam for my taste.
However, this fateful mystery is gripping. It’s not entirely solved and there are still some sexy characters to be paired. Two more books to go into this series from this reliable author and it won't be a hardship !!
July 10, 2016
This was a fun series. Book 2 is my fave (Ethan & Adam FTW), but I really enjoyed this one a lot. And omg a 4th book. I'm so down for that.
April 18, 2019
Another brilliant - and again quite different - addition to this series which is shaping up to be one of my favourites from RJ Scott.
In this, the prodigal son returns, but it's Justin's intention to die on Crooked Tree, not be welcomed home and accepted in spite of his 12-year absence and the whole plot narrative centres on how all the broken pieces come back together because of Sam.
Sam, chef at Branches and a man who is also in search of a home, is the anchor who Justin clings to when the proverbial hits the fan after he discovers the badly injured man hiding out in a cabin on the edges of the ranch.
The pacing in this book is pitched perfectly, there's drama but it never becomes too much or overly angsty, Justin's done things he thinks the others will hate him for but he can't seem to accept he's the biggest victim of them all.
I loved Sam in this. He has a quiet strength which he's not really aware of but it shines through as he manages to breach through Julian's incredibly high walls and discovers only a tiny snippet of the pain he's hiding.
The rest of the gang is all present too, but unobtrusively, supportive but never overwhelming and I really liked how RJ let the narrative flow so that Julian is the one who slowly unbends and begins to see his life might be worth saving.
I also want to know more about Julian's fellow black ops friend Rob, who seems to be a prime candidate for an RJ Happy Ever After!
Now, onto the final book so far and it's another completely different tale - Sheriff Ryan and an actor!
#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
In this, the prodigal son returns, but it's Justin's intention to die on Crooked Tree, not be welcomed home and accepted in spite of his 12-year absence and the whole plot narrative centres on how all the broken pieces come back together because of Sam.
Sam, chef at Branches and a man who is also in search of a home, is the anchor who Justin clings to when the proverbial hits the fan after he discovers the badly injured man hiding out in a cabin on the edges of the ranch.
The pacing in this book is pitched perfectly, there's drama but it never becomes too much or overly angsty, Justin's done things he thinks the others will hate him for but he can't seem to accept he's the biggest victim of them all.
I loved Sam in this. He has a quiet strength which he's not really aware of but it shines through as he manages to breach through Julian's incredibly high walls and discovers only a tiny snippet of the pain he's hiding.
The rest of the gang is all present too, but unobtrusively, supportive but never overwhelming and I really liked how RJ let the narrative flow so that Julian is the one who slowly unbends and begins to see his life might be worth saving.
I also want to know more about Julian's fellow black ops friend Rob, who seems to be a prime candidate for an RJ Happy Ever After!
Now, onto the final book so far and it's another completely different tale - Sheriff Ryan and an actor!
#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review
March 29, 2019
‘A Cowboy’s Home’ is not just the title of the third book in the ‘Montana’ series, it is also the perfect summary of the events, the feelings, and the drama that has been, and is, Justin’s life. I have been waiting for his story ever since the mystery of his (presumed) death was mentioned in book one, and I am impressed with the way RJ Scott has woven together all the story threads across three novels into a suspense-filled and very moving whole.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
July 11, 2016
POOR JUSTIN
Yes, he was a bit messy teenager, but the hard events of the past, the guilt of a friend dead and the action of kill another person had totally broken him.
And now he's affronting his last days alive as the way he wanted to live these last twelve years.... Going back home.
But unexpectedly someone goes between him and the dead. Another beautiful soul who is in need of unconditional love and a family <3
This is the most deep and the less romantic of the series. I wish we got a bit more of it, but it fits well with Justin's situation.
We really need to wait a year for the 4? ;_;
Yes, he was a bit messy teenager, but the hard events of the past, the guilt of a friend dead and the action of kill another person had totally broken him.
And now he's affronting his last days alive as the way he wanted to live these last twelve years.... Going back home.
But unexpectedly someone goes between him and the dead. Another beautiful soul who is in need of unconditional love and a family <3
This is the most deep and the less romantic of the series. I wish we got a bit more of it, but it fits well with Justin's situation.
We really need to wait a year for the 4? ;_;
October 28, 2022
This was less good/fun than the previous book but I still liked it somewhat. I have to say that this book can't really be read as a standalone, book 2 needs to be read before. The mystery plot around Justin's disappearance was OTT and the explanation was dragged out unnecessarily. It was still OK. The romance side started well (if you discount that Justin is sick for most of that) but the last 20% were really meh so I didn't fully buy it. We should have seen them really getting to know each other but that's not really what we get. As a result the relationship lacked depth and i didn't buy the ILYs because of that.
July 15, 2016
3.5 stars
I was very pleasantly surprised by the first two books in this series, but this one? Not so much. I was skeptical from the get go because of the OTT nature of this whole thing of what had happened to Justin since he's been missing. Sorry, but there was lots of eye rolling on my part. I could have got over it if this book moved past it and really focused on the romance, but it didn't.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the first two books in this series, but this one? Not so much. I was skeptical from the get go because of the OTT nature of this whole thing of what had happened to Justin since he's been missing. Sorry, but there was lots of eye rolling on my part. I could have got over it if this book moved past it and really focused on the romance, but it didn't.
December 3, 2016
3.5 stars
I really enjoyed book 2, and I couldn’t wait to read the next book to find out what happened to Justin.
There were parts I really enjoyed, but somehow the pacing of this story felt off. The first 60% Justin is There is practically no relationship development at that time. And after that everything gets solved so fast I couldn’t keep up.
I really did like Sam and Justin together, and what small romance we got was good and sweet.
I wasn’t really happy with the fact that Justin kept to himself what happened all those years ago. I got that he wanted to protect Adam, but I didn’t like that it never came out (not even at the end of this book). I was also pretty shocked to learn what did in fact happen with Adam when I started this book. I kind of wanted Adam and Ethan having to deal with this in their own book. Now I felt like things with Adam weren’t all that solved ), even though his book was long over.
I still liked this and I was happy to see Justin have his happy end, but on the other hand, it could have been a great book and not just a good one. It was a bit all over the place.
If you’ve read the second book you will want to read this, since you’ll find out what happened to Justin, and to Adam from book 2.
I really enjoyed book 2, and I couldn’t wait to read the next book to find out what happened to Justin.
There were parts I really enjoyed, but somehow the pacing of this story felt off. The first 60% Justin is There is practically no relationship development at that time. And after that everything gets solved so fast I couldn’t keep up.
I really did like Sam and Justin together, and what small romance we got was good and sweet.
I wasn’t really happy with the fact that Justin kept to himself what happened all those years ago. I got that he wanted to protect Adam, but I didn’t like that it never came out (not even at the end of this book). I was also pretty shocked to learn what did in fact happen with Adam when I started this book. I kind of wanted Adam and Ethan having to deal with this in their own book. Now I felt like things with Adam weren’t all that solved ), even though his book was long over.
I still liked this and I was happy to see Justin have his happy end, but on the other hand, it could have been a great book and not just a good one. It was a bit all over the place.
If you’ve read the second book you will want to read this, since you’ll find out what happened to Justin, and to Adam from book 2.
February 27, 2018
So many questions...so many answers...soooooo good!!!
'A Cowboy's Home' is the third book in RJ Scott's 'Montana' series and it's filled with the answers to my questions and more.
Justin's alive but he's not anyone the man that he ever wanted to be. He's served his country, he's sacrificed everything for his country and the chance to avenge his dead best friend...only his best friend as we well know isn't dead.
When Justin gets shot...suddenly plans change and Justin wants to go home and the only place that's ever been home from Justin is 'Crooked Tree Ranch'. Justin makes his way back to the ranch hiding out in one of the unused cabins where he thinks no one will find him but that's because he's not counting on 'Sam' the chef and now part owner of Crooked Tree Ranch. Sam's tenacious and when he suspects there's someone hiding out on the ranch his curiosity is piqued more than a little bit and he pokes around until he finds what he's looking for and he's determined to help the man who's so obviously sick and desperately in need of help.
As I had hoped when I discovered that this was going to be Justin's story my questions were answered and I got a hella' good story as well. Sam's been in this series since the beginning and he's an adorable, feisty, spitfire who's added a touch of color from the word go. So I liked that he got a bigger role in this story and he got someone who needed him and ultimately fell in love with him.
But 'A Cowboy's Home' was more than just a romance story between Justin and Sam. It's a story about 'coming home' finding love, forgiveness and peace. It's about second chances and new beginnings. It's life giving you what you need which isn't always what you might want.
While I really enjoyed this one, I think I needed a bit more relationship development between Justin and Sam. This one had a lot of info to share with the reader and at the end of it all I just felt that Justin and Sam were a bit short changed...not enough to spoil the story for me but just enough to make me wish there'd been a little bit more for these two.
Sean Crisden was again the narrator for this series and he totally stepped up and made this one every bit as enjoyable of an audio experience as the previous books.
Even though all my questions have been answered about Justin and Adam and what happened to them, there's still one more story to be told in this series and while I'm going to wait for the audiobook for this one and I've got my fingers crossed that Sean Crisden is again the narrator, I'm really hoping that my wait won't be too long for this one.
'A Cowboy's Home' is the third book in RJ Scott's 'Montana' series and it's filled with the answers to my questions and more.
Justin's alive but he's not anyone the man that he ever wanted to be. He's served his country, he's sacrificed everything for his country and the chance to avenge his dead best friend...only his best friend as we well know isn't dead.
When Justin gets shot...suddenly plans change and Justin wants to go home and the only place that's ever been home from Justin is 'Crooked Tree Ranch'. Justin makes his way back to the ranch hiding out in one of the unused cabins where he thinks no one will find him but that's because he's not counting on 'Sam' the chef and now part owner of Crooked Tree Ranch. Sam's tenacious and when he suspects there's someone hiding out on the ranch his curiosity is piqued more than a little bit and he pokes around until he finds what he's looking for and he's determined to help the man who's so obviously sick and desperately in need of help.
As I had hoped when I discovered that this was going to be Justin's story my questions were answered and I got a hella' good story as well. Sam's been in this series since the beginning and he's an adorable, feisty, spitfire who's added a touch of color from the word go. So I liked that he got a bigger role in this story and he got someone who needed him and ultimately fell in love with him.
But 'A Cowboy's Home' was more than just a romance story between Justin and Sam. It's a story about 'coming home' finding love, forgiveness and peace. It's about second chances and new beginnings. It's life giving you what you need which isn't always what you might want.
While I really enjoyed this one, I think I needed a bit more relationship development between Justin and Sam. This one had a lot of info to share with the reader and at the end of it all I just felt that Justin and Sam were a bit short changed...not enough to spoil the story for me but just enough to make me wish there'd been a little bit more for these two.
Sean Crisden was again the narrator for this series and he totally stepped up and made this one every bit as enjoyable of an audio experience as the previous books.
Even though all my questions have been answered about Justin and Adam and what happened to them, there's still one more story to be told in this series and while I'm going to wait for the audiobook for this one and I've got my fingers crossed that Sean Crisden is again the narrator, I'm really hoping that my wait won't be too long for this one.
July 8, 2016
REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE
4.5 Stars
After such an epic ending in book 2 there will be a lot of readers out there glad the author pushed this forward and delivered it ahead of schedule – I am one such person!
Justin and Adam had both been missing for over a decade and presumed dead by most of their family. They weren’t in fact dead but both boys went on to very different lives and wouldn’t return home for many years. In The Rancher’s Son we saw Adam find his way back to the ranch albeit without any memories of who he was. A Cowboy’s Home sees Justin finally coming back to Crooked Tree Ranch but his homecoming is very different – he remembers it all, every single minute and he is layered down in grief, guilt and thoughts of revenge.
Sam, the chef from the ranch restaurant, is the person that finds Justin who is hiding and close to death. Sam knows the history of Justin and Adam but didn’t know either of the men “before” so he doesn’t have the same sort of feelings that the family has when they learn the missing son is home. Instead Sam feels protective of the man he found at death’s door and he becomes a sort of buffer between Justin and the rest of the world.
Justin was lied to and I guess forced into the life he has led for over a decade. Ultimately it may have been for a good cause but he was just a child, he was injured, scared and thought his best friend was dead and the man who claimed to care abused him in the worst way. By returning home the way he does he has placed everyone around him in danger. He’s pulled in so many ways – he knows he needs to leave to keep his loved ones safe, he still hasn’t finished getting his revenge but being around his family for the first time in years is soothing. Sam is an added bonus – his knight in shining armour and someone he would have in an instant in a different life.
I wouldn’t call this a romance story – there is a little bit towards the end but this is definitely more about healing Justin both from the past and the present. It’s also about Sam healing and leaving behind the ghosts of his childhood, he has finally found a family and a place he belongs.
Links
4.5 Stars
After such an epic ending in book 2 there will be a lot of readers out there glad the author pushed this forward and delivered it ahead of schedule – I am one such person!
Justin and Adam had both been missing for over a decade and presumed dead by most of their family. They weren’t in fact dead but both boys went on to very different lives and wouldn’t return home for many years. In The Rancher’s Son we saw Adam find his way back to the ranch albeit without any memories of who he was. A Cowboy’s Home sees Justin finally coming back to Crooked Tree Ranch but his homecoming is very different – he remembers it all, every single minute and he is layered down in grief, guilt and thoughts of revenge.
Sam, the chef from the ranch restaurant, is the person that finds Justin who is hiding and close to death. Sam knows the history of Justin and Adam but didn’t know either of the men “before” so he doesn’t have the same sort of feelings that the family has when they learn the missing son is home. Instead Sam feels protective of the man he found at death’s door and he becomes a sort of buffer between Justin and the rest of the world.
Justin was lied to and I guess forced into the life he has led for over a decade. Ultimately it may have been for a good cause but he was just a child, he was injured, scared and thought his best friend was dead and the man who claimed to care abused him in the worst way. By returning home the way he does he has placed everyone around him in danger. He’s pulled in so many ways – he knows he needs to leave to keep his loved ones safe, he still hasn’t finished getting his revenge but being around his family for the first time in years is soothing. Sam is an added bonus – his knight in shining armour and someone he would have in an instant in a different life.
I wouldn’t call this a romance story – there is a little bit towards the end but this is definitely more about healing Justin both from the past and the present. It’s also about Sam healing and leaving behind the ghosts of his childhood, he has finally found a family and a place he belongs.
Links
July 6, 2016
You hold your breath, and you wish and wish and finally the day comes. Nope, it's not your birthday, it's another story time from RJ Scott and you go crazy!!! Yeah, was waiting for this one on pins and needles like I always do from this author. (OK, I have a small list of authors I go hog-wild over and a guaranteed good read is had when I have one of their books.)
Justin was a weapon with no accountability, built to get the job done outside the lines...
At 16, Justin Allens' life went to pieces and he was never the same again. Kidnapped and tortured with one of his best friend, they escaped only to be torn apart. For the next twelve years, Justin sort revenge against the people who killed his friend and destroyed his life. Now he has been compromised and the very people who made him wants him dead. He finds himself fighting for his his life, determined to end what happened so long ago.
I need you. To make things right in my head, to balance my life, to be my everything, to give me hope. --Justin
Sam came to Crooked Tree for peace. His family disowned him at sixteen and he longed for a sense of belonging. Crooked Tree provided this for him, however, he was still lonely. Enter, Justin. Injured, snarky and still hot. Sam finds himself falling for the fugitive and fighting to save himself as much as he is trying to save the blond guy with the intriguing silver-gray eyes.
Justin had Sam and that was all he needed to have him feel at peace...Life, promise and future.
Even though most of their budding relationship was during Justin's recovering, there was a connection between the men. Getting Justin to recognized what was in front of him was trying. Like Sam had to find contentment in his family situation, Justin needed the same. In the end, it calls for trust, love, understanding and the willingness to take a leap of faith. As Sam said: "You were worth saving.
I totally enjoyed this book. I encourage readers to check out the first two books in the series as I will be going back to revisit these characters.
ARC provided by RJ Scott, Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
Justin was a weapon with no accountability, built to get the job done outside the lines...
At 16, Justin Allens' life went to pieces and he was never the same again. Kidnapped and tortured with one of his best friend, they escaped only to be torn apart. For the next twelve years, Justin sort revenge against the people who killed his friend and destroyed his life. Now he has been compromised and the very people who made him wants him dead. He finds himself fighting for his his life, determined to end what happened so long ago.
I need you. To make things right in my head, to balance my life, to be my everything, to give me hope. --Justin
Sam came to Crooked Tree for peace. His family disowned him at sixteen and he longed for a sense of belonging. Crooked Tree provided this for him, however, he was still lonely. Enter, Justin. Injured, snarky and still hot. Sam finds himself falling for the fugitive and fighting to save himself as much as he is trying to save the blond guy with the intriguing silver-gray eyes.
Justin had Sam and that was all he needed to have him feel at peace...Life, promise and future.
Even though most of their budding relationship was during Justin's recovering, there was a connection between the men. Getting Justin to recognized what was in front of him was trying. Like Sam had to find contentment in his family situation, Justin needed the same. In the end, it calls for trust, love, understanding and the willingness to take a leap of faith. As Sam said: "You were worth saving.
I totally enjoyed this book. I encourage readers to check out the first two books in the series as I will be going back to revisit these characters.
ARC provided by RJ Scott, Author in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Cee from Alpha Book Club
April 9, 2021
Overall, my feelings about this book is that it was kind of... pointless.
Justin reappears on Crooked Tree ranch after 12 years of everyone thinking he was dead. He thought he was about to die and he wanted to do it somewhere he considered home. He didn't die, mostly because Sam found him and got help and basically nursed him back to health.
In the meanwhile, most of the rest of the ranch found out he's alive, including his best friends, Gabe and Adam, his brother Ethan and his father Marcus. Naturally they all wanted to know what the hell Justin was up to while everybody believed him dead, but he wouldn't tell them because he didn't want to make them a target of an assassin he's expecting to come and kill him at any second because of the things he knows. So he repeatedly brushes their questions off and is waiting to get strong enough so he could run away.
This all happens in the first 70% of the book. I was amazed at the number of ways the writer vaguely explained something without actually telling us anything we didn't already know. Justin didn't only keep in the dark every character in the book, he kept the readers in the dark too. Soon enough I got extremely bored and just wanted for the book to finally end. The last 30% of the book was more focused on Justin's and Sam's relationship, but at that point stopped caring at all.
The reason I'm giving this book 2 stars instead of one is that part of my frustration probably comes from not reading the first two books in the series - I just wasn't invested in the characters enough to care what happened to them, and maybe I would have been have I read the first two books.
Justin reappears on Crooked Tree ranch after 12 years of everyone thinking he was dead. He thought he was about to die and he wanted to do it somewhere he considered home. He didn't die, mostly because Sam found him and got help and basically nursed him back to health.
In the meanwhile, most of the rest of the ranch found out he's alive, including his best friends, Gabe and Adam, his brother Ethan and his father Marcus. Naturally they all wanted to know what the hell Justin was up to while everybody believed him dead, but he wouldn't tell them because he didn't want to make them a target of an assassin he's expecting to come and kill him at any second because of the things he knows. So he repeatedly brushes their questions off and is waiting to get strong enough so he could run away.
This all happens in the first 70% of the book. I was amazed at the number of ways the writer vaguely explained something without actually telling us anything we didn't already know. Justin didn't only keep in the dark every character in the book, he kept the readers in the dark too. Soon enough I got extremely bored and just wanted for the book to finally end. The last 30% of the book was more focused on Justin's and Sam's relationship, but at that point stopped caring at all.
The reason I'm giving this book 2 stars instead of one is that part of my frustration probably comes from not reading the first two books in the series - I just wasn't invested in the characters enough to care what happened to them, and maybe I would have been have I read the first two books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2016
I really hate giving bad reviews but in this case I can't think of anything nice to say except it finally ended. The plot was ok but man the story dragged on forever and ever and ever and ever....I didn't think the author was going to get to the point. It kinda reminded me of that old kid's story about the spider and fly, you know the one that starts with the spider eating the fly and then the spider being eaten by something else and on and on...well in this story Justin was sick and alone then Sam found him, then Sam called in Gabe, then Gabe called in Ethan, Ethan called in Marcus, then Aaron. This went on for half the damn book!!
August 4, 2016
Although I was looking forward to reading this book very much, in the end for me it was rather boring. The MCs were lacking chemistry and the whole story felt fabricated and far-fetched. For the longest time it made no sense at all. In the end I was glad that I was done with it.
Perhaps it was my mood, but that's what it was.
No idea, whether I'll give the next book a try or a pass.
Perhaps it was my mood, but that's what it was.
No idea, whether I'll give the next book a try or a pass.
May 17, 2019
Je mets un 5 étoiles pour l'histoire.
Par contre, niveau relecture, je lui mets un petit 3 car il reste encore pas mal d'erreurs.
Par contre, niveau relecture, je lui mets un petit 3 car il reste encore pas mal d'erreurs.
November 18, 2020
3.5 stars
Hmm.... I didn’t realise the book before this and this book was connected. Shouldn’t have judged book 2 too harshly then. I feel like Sam and Justin clicked marginally better in this book than Adam and Ethan in book 2. But...
But the pacing felt off. The beginning was a lot of repetition and the same things happening at different times over and over again. And then the ending/resolution was too quick and easy. So yeah...pacing problem.
Otherwise, I think it kinda wrapped up Adam and Justin’s 12-year disappearance...ok-ish?
Hmm.... I didn’t realise the book before this and this book was connected. Shouldn’t have judged book 2 too harshly then. I feel like Sam and Justin clicked marginally better in this book than Adam and Ethan in book 2. But...
But the pacing felt off. The beginning was a lot of repetition and the same things happening at different times over and over again. And then the ending/resolution was too quick and easy. So yeah...pacing problem.
Otherwise, I think it kinda wrapped up Adam and Justin’s 12-year disappearance...ok-ish?
August 16, 2018
A Cowboy’s Home by RJ Scott, the third installment in the Montana series, reveals events of the lost Allens brother’s story, flashing back to twelve years earlier. Making the ultimate sacrifice for one’s country has taken a toll on Justin Allens. The manipulation which alters these men’s lives is an atrocity. Can they overcome and get things back on track?
Justin Allens has been mentioned in the series’ past two books. We know he went missing twelve years ago with his best friend Adam Strachan. As the events unfold we are introduced to a Justin who has been drastically altered by his experiences. The question everyone is asking – “Can Justin put the past behind him and move on, regaining his place on Crooked Tree Ranch?”
Sam, the feisty chef on Crooked Tree Ranch, has found a home after being disowned by his birth family for his orientation. However, Sam yearns for that special someone to be his. When he discovers things disturbed in his kitchen, he sets out on a search of Crooked Tree land. He finds a badly injured man in an abandoned cabin, and his only reaction is the need to help.
As Sam tends to Justin’s physical needs the toll from the past takes shape. Justin struggles with his previous actions, believing those he loves would be better off without him. But Sam is there to ground him, helping him take things one step at a time. As the healing process gains momentum, more is divulged about past events, filling readers in, and bringing them up to the present.
Along the way a bond is formed between Justin and Sam. Although Justin feels he doesn’t deserve Sam, Sam is his rock and will do anything for Justin. OMG! The pain and love between these men is intense and at times unnerving. But through it all, both men are getting not only what they need but what they deserve.
A Cowboy’s Home reveals so many atrocities, lies, and deceits that your head begins to spin. These events are neatly tied to those in book two, The Rancher’s Son, and explain not only the disappearance of Adam and Justin, but also why the boys never returned home. Your heart bleeds for what Adam and Justin endured. But it also rejoices in what they both have found.
There is more to come, more answers to uncover, and more romance/sexy times ahead for the Crooked Tree guys, and that’s why the Montana series must be read in order. So stay tuned. I know I, for one, need to understand more and look forward to visiting RJ Scott’s Crooked Tree ranch again.
Justin Allens has been mentioned in the series’ past two books. We know he went missing twelve years ago with his best friend Adam Strachan. As the events unfold we are introduced to a Justin who has been drastically altered by his experiences. The question everyone is asking – “Can Justin put the past behind him and move on, regaining his place on Crooked Tree Ranch?”
Sam, the feisty chef on Crooked Tree Ranch, has found a home after being disowned by his birth family for his orientation. However, Sam yearns for that special someone to be his. When he discovers things disturbed in his kitchen, he sets out on a search of Crooked Tree land. He finds a badly injured man in an abandoned cabin, and his only reaction is the need to help.
As Sam tends to Justin’s physical needs the toll from the past takes shape. Justin struggles with his previous actions, believing those he loves would be better off without him. But Sam is there to ground him, helping him take things one step at a time. As the healing process gains momentum, more is divulged about past events, filling readers in, and bringing them up to the present.
Along the way a bond is formed between Justin and Sam. Although Justin feels he doesn’t deserve Sam, Sam is his rock and will do anything for Justin. OMG! The pain and love between these men is intense and at times unnerving. But through it all, both men are getting not only what they need but what they deserve.
A Cowboy’s Home reveals so many atrocities, lies, and deceits that your head begins to spin. These events are neatly tied to those in book two, The Rancher’s Son, and explain not only the disappearance of Adam and Justin, but also why the boys never returned home. Your heart bleeds for what Adam and Justin endured. But it also rejoices in what they both have found.
There is more to come, more answers to uncover, and more romance/sexy times ahead for the Crooked Tree guys, and that’s why the Montana series must be read in order. So stay tuned. I know I, for one, need to understand more and look forward to visiting RJ Scott’s Crooked Tree ranch again.
July 15, 2016
**Originally Posted on Kiki's Kinky Picks**
Reviewed by Brandy
I am not afraid to admit that I BEGGED Kiki to see if I could review A Cowboy’s Home by RJ Scott. I have read all of the books in the Montana series so as soon as I saw RJ post about it being released EARLY I freaked and begged for the chance to read this one! And I got to!
RJ Scott did not disappoint! If anything, every book she writes just gets better and better!
Although I adore the Montana series, and this one holds it’s own in the series, A Cowboy’s Home wasn’t my favorite. I am happy that Sam and Justin finally got their story and I was so shocked at the end of The Rancher’s Son when Justin showed up at the very end. However, I was hoping for more, I guess.
Justin aggravated me a bit with his “it’s all my fault and they won’t love me anymore once they know” thoughts that kept him and Sam apart. Luckily, I adored Sam and he made up for all of Justin’s martyrdom. Sam has always been delightful to read in the last few books and I really feel like he was perfect for Justin. I don’t think any other character would have been more suited for Justin than Sam.
The one thing I really did like about Justin was how he left his guard down for only Sam it seemed. While he was sick (which was most of the book) he let Sam comfort him and that went a long way to me liking Justin.
I thought A Cowboy’s Home was a perfect addition to the series. Though not my favorite, it still earned its 5 stars for a wonderful story, fantastic characters, and an interesting and engaging plot. I really don’t think RJ Scott could write anything I wouldn’t like. I highly recommend this one to anyone who’s looking for a wounded warrior story!
Copy provided in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Reviewed by Brandy
I am not afraid to admit that I BEGGED Kiki to see if I could review A Cowboy’s Home by RJ Scott. I have read all of the books in the Montana series so as soon as I saw RJ post about it being released EARLY I freaked and begged for the chance to read this one! And I got to!
RJ Scott did not disappoint! If anything, every book she writes just gets better and better!
Although I adore the Montana series, and this one holds it’s own in the series, A Cowboy’s Home wasn’t my favorite. I am happy that Sam and Justin finally got their story and I was so shocked at the end of The Rancher’s Son when Justin showed up at the very end. However, I was hoping for more, I guess.
Justin aggravated me a bit with his “it’s all my fault and they won’t love me anymore once they know” thoughts that kept him and Sam apart. Luckily, I adored Sam and he made up for all of Justin’s martyrdom. Sam has always been delightful to read in the last few books and I really feel like he was perfect for Justin. I don’t think any other character would have been more suited for Justin than Sam.
The one thing I really did like about Justin was how he left his guard down for only Sam it seemed. While he was sick (which was most of the book) he let Sam comfort him and that went a long way to me liking Justin.
I thought A Cowboy’s Home was a perfect addition to the series. Though not my favorite, it still earned its 5 stars for a wonderful story, fantastic characters, and an interesting and engaging plot. I really don’t think RJ Scott could write anything I wouldn’t like. I highly recommend this one to anyone who’s looking for a wounded warrior story!
Copy provided in exchange for a fair and honest review.
October 20, 2017
*** Here we have book three in this magnificent series ! ***
This is a story about Justin and Sam. An action packed tale of black ops, past issues and what to do from now forward.
Justin has been lied to and trained as a killer.
Sam is a Chef on the Crooked Tree land,
but he's lonely. Justin's brother Adam got home, and now Justin has finally come to the ranch land. He's injured when Sam finds him hiding out, and it's a struggle to save him.
Eventually the family slowly learns he's home, but no one understands why he was gone so long. Justin and Sam each have a sadness in their pasts.
We have deep thought-filled characters, hot sexy men and an engaging tale that keeps us on the edge.
This is brilliantly written by RJ Scott. I've loved everything I've ever read of hers.
We get our answers and finally the hot sexy times we were hoping for.
Great story ! A marvelous cast !
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
=================
Each can stand alone.
=================
This is a story about Justin and Sam. An action packed tale of black ops, past issues and what to do from now forward.
Justin has been lied to and trained as a killer.
Sam is a Chef on the Crooked Tree land,
but he's lonely. Justin's brother Adam got home, and now Justin has finally come to the ranch land. He's injured when Sam finds him hiding out, and it's a struggle to save him.
Eventually the family slowly learns he's home, but no one understands why he was gone so long. Justin and Sam each have a sadness in their pasts.
We have deep thought-filled characters, hot sexy men and an engaging tale that keeps us on the edge.
This is brilliantly written by RJ Scott. I've loved everything I've ever read of hers.
We get our answers and finally the hot sexy times we were hoping for.
Great story ! A marvelous cast !
Highly recommended ! ENJOY !
=================
Each can stand alone.
=================
July 9, 2016
Book 3 in the Montana series.
5-stars!
First, please read book 1 and book 2 first! You'll miss a lot of backstory without them.
Second, I don't do spoilers, so you won't find a retelling of the story or a give-away of what takes place.
This is Justin and Sam's story. But don't worry, the rest of the Montana bunch is in here too.
Justin is the still "missing" brother and friend who disappeared with Adam in 2004. Sam is the flirty/brash/snarky chef.
Finding out what really happened to Justin and Adam was horrific and the family drama/pain that Sam has been through is not much better.
This is the story of two hurt/broken men finding each other and then trying to resolve past hurts to be able to trust, love and live.
There are parts of the story that are truly heartbreaking, but they don't overshadow the story or make it seem bleak.
Lots of action (right from the first chapter) and the slow-build relationship/romance was lovely.
As a wonderful surprise, there is a note that Montana 4 is in the works! Can't wait to find out who that's about.
Well done, RJ Scott!!
A copy of this ebook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
5-stars!
First, please read book 1 and book 2 first! You'll miss a lot of backstory without them.
Second, I don't do spoilers, so you won't find a retelling of the story or a give-away of what takes place.
This is Justin and Sam's story. But don't worry, the rest of the Montana bunch is in here too.
Justin is the still "missing" brother and friend who disappeared with Adam in 2004. Sam is the flirty/brash/snarky chef.
Finding out what really happened to Justin and Adam was horrific and the family drama/pain that Sam has been through is not much better.
This is the story of two hurt/broken men finding each other and then trying to resolve past hurts to be able to trust, love and live.
There are parts of the story that are truly heartbreaking, but they don't overshadow the story or make it seem bleak.
Lots of action (right from the first chapter) and the slow-build relationship/romance was lovely.
As a wonderful surprise, there is a note that Montana 4 is in the works! Can't wait to find out who that's about.
Well done, RJ Scott!!
A copy of this ebook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2016
I was so desperate for this book I literally read it in one sitting, this seems to be my norm for RJ Scott series' these days. A bit darker than the rest of the series but it was needed for this story, it was never going to be sweetness and light for Justin. It was great to see Sam being serious, he was the joker and player in the previous books and i loved seeing the other side of him. Justin and Sam together were just perfect <3
May 1, 2018
1.5 stars Grr. I'm so mad at this book. I really enjoyed the first two and was excited to find out the mystery of where Justin had been all this time but it was just dumb and went into crazy soap opera territory. And the romance was meh. Insta-love and not believable at all. 😝 I'm just glad i borrowed it and didn't pay $4.99 for this disappointment.
July 31, 2021
5-
I znowu dostałam zupełnie coś innego, niż dwie poprzednie części i jednocześnie tak fantastycznie łączącego się ze wszystkimi wątkami i postaciami, które do tej pory się pojawiły... Tym razem z praktycznie całej książki można by zrobić sztukę teatralną, bo w większości rozgrywa się w dwóch, w porywach może w trzech pomieszczeniach.
Od początku nie widziałam Justina tak, jak on siebie - jako bezwzględnego, bezdusznego zabójcę, który niczego nie odczuwa. Widziałam nastolatka, który przeszedł o wiele więcej, niż ktokolwiek powinien. Który zniósł tyle bólu w swoim życiu, że tak naprawdę to można tylko nad tym zapłakać. Który został z premedytacją okłamany, wykorzystany i którego jedyną siłą napędową była po tym wszystkim zemsta i gniew na cały świat. Któremu tak naprawdę zostało odebrane całe życie - nadzieje, marzenia, przyszłość. Który nosił w sobie tak ogromną winę, że nawet do głowy mu nie przyszło, że zasługuje na coś dobrego i którego nienawiść do siebie samego była ogromna. Który przyjechał na rodzinne rancho, aby po cichu i w samotności umrzeć. Tylko miał pecha... spotkał na swojej drodze Sama.
Co niezmiernie podobało mi się w tej książce to to, że reakcje ludzi były po prostu ludzkie. Kiedy Sam znajduje Justina, nie dostosowuje się do jego prośby/rozkazu, żeby nikomu nie mówić. Justin jest na granicy śmierci i Sam to widzi. Mówi jednej osobie, bo sam nie jest sobie w stanie z tym poradzić. I tak od słowa do słowa, wszystkie najważniejsze osoby - ojciec, brat, przyjaciele - dowiadują się po 12 latach od zniknięcia, że Justin żyje. I ich reakcje są różne - skonfudowanie, zmieszanie, niedowierzanie. Nie potrafią sobie z tym faktem poradzić, każdy reaguje inaczej, chcą natychmiast wiedzieć, co się stało, czemu Justin zniknął razem z Adamem, czemu nigdy nie dał znać, że żyje. Nie zważają na to, że on naprawdę przez jakiś czas jest w bardzo złym stanie - rozgorączkowany do granic temperatury pieca, często nieprzytomny. Te pytanie wyślizgują z nich wbrew ich woli - tak po ludzku chcą wiedzieć wszystko natychmiast, nie potrafią się powstrzymać. I tylko Sam, który nie znał Justina przed zniknięciem, nie porównuje go do tego, co było wcześniej, nie chce od niego żadnych odpowiedzi. Chce go tylko uspokoić, ukoić w jego bólu, sprawić, by to wszystko było dla niego łatwiejsze.
Tym razem dostajemy odpowiedzi na to, co od pierwszego tomu było zagadką. Ale co jeszcze mi się podobało - to, że Adam cudownie nie odzyskał pamięci, cały czas walczył z amnezją, przypominając sobie to tu, to tam różne rzeczy, w większości totalnie oderwane od siebie. Że ciągle zdecydowanie więcej nie wiedział, niż sobie przypominał. Że to trudny proces, wywołujący bóle głowy, zniechęcenie czasami, niepewność. I że Justin w przenośni modlił się, żeby Adam sobie wszystkiego nie przypomniał...
“I swear to you, Adam, every day you don’t remember what happened is another day of peace.”
Jeżeli ktoś kiedyś zdecyduje się przeczytać tę serię, to jedna sugestia - te trzy tomy trzeba przeczytać jeden po drugim. Ma się wtedy obraz całości i odpowiedzi na wszystko. W innym przypadku mam wrażenie, że sporo można stracić z oczu...
Podobało mi się, naprawdę. I nie mam zamiaru za to przepraszać - możecie strzelać, ile tylko chcecie 😁
I znowu dostałam zupełnie coś innego, niż dwie poprzednie części i jednocześnie tak fantastycznie łączącego się ze wszystkimi wątkami i postaciami, które do tej pory się pojawiły... Tym razem z praktycznie całej książki można by zrobić sztukę teatralną, bo w większości rozgrywa się w dwóch, w porywach może w trzech pomieszczeniach.
Od początku nie widziałam Justina tak, jak on siebie - jako bezwzględnego, bezdusznego zabójcę, który niczego nie odczuwa. Widziałam nastolatka, który przeszedł o wiele więcej, niż ktokolwiek powinien. Który zniósł tyle bólu w swoim życiu, że tak naprawdę to można tylko nad tym zapłakać. Który został z premedytacją okłamany, wykorzystany i którego jedyną siłą napędową była po tym wszystkim zemsta i gniew na cały świat. Któremu tak naprawdę zostało odebrane całe życie - nadzieje, marzenia, przyszłość. Który nosił w sobie tak ogromną winę, że nawet do głowy mu nie przyszło, że zasługuje na coś dobrego i którego nienawiść do siebie samego była ogromna. Który przyjechał na rodzinne rancho, aby po cichu i w samotności umrzeć. Tylko miał pecha... spotkał na swojej drodze Sama.
Co niezmiernie podobało mi się w tej książce to to, że reakcje ludzi były po prostu ludzkie. Kiedy Sam znajduje Justina, nie dostosowuje się do jego prośby/rozkazu, żeby nikomu nie mówić. Justin jest na granicy śmierci i Sam to widzi. Mówi jednej osobie, bo sam nie jest sobie w stanie z tym poradzić. I tak od słowa do słowa, wszystkie najważniejsze osoby - ojciec, brat, przyjaciele - dowiadują się po 12 latach od zniknięcia, że Justin żyje. I ich reakcje są różne - skonfudowanie, zmieszanie, niedowierzanie. Nie potrafią sobie z tym faktem poradzić, każdy reaguje inaczej, chcą natychmiast wiedzieć, co się stało, czemu Justin zniknął razem z Adamem, czemu nigdy nie dał znać, że żyje. Nie zważają na to, że on naprawdę przez jakiś czas jest w bardzo złym stanie - rozgorączkowany do granic temperatury pieca, często nieprzytomny. Te pytanie wyślizgują z nich wbrew ich woli - tak po ludzku chcą wiedzieć wszystko natychmiast, nie potrafią się powstrzymać. I tylko Sam, który nie znał Justina przed zniknięciem, nie porównuje go do tego, co było wcześniej, nie chce od niego żadnych odpowiedzi. Chce go tylko uspokoić, ukoić w jego bólu, sprawić, by to wszystko było dla niego łatwiejsze.
Tym razem dostajemy odpowiedzi na to, co od pierwszego tomu było zagadką. Ale co jeszcze mi się podobało - to, że Adam cudownie nie odzyskał pamięci, cały czas walczył z amnezją, przypominając sobie to tu, to tam różne rzeczy, w większości totalnie oderwane od siebie. Że ciągle zdecydowanie więcej nie wiedział, niż sobie przypominał. Że to trudny proces, wywołujący bóle głowy, zniechęcenie czasami, niepewność. I że Justin w przenośni modlił się, żeby Adam sobie wszystkiego nie przypomniał...
“I swear to you, Adam, every day you don’t remember what happened is another day of peace.”
Jeżeli ktoś kiedyś zdecyduje się przeczytać tę serię, to jedna sugestia - te trzy tomy trzeba przeczytać jeden po drugim. Ma się wtedy obraz całości i odpowiedzi na wszystko. W innym przypadku mam wrażenie, że sporo można stracić z oczu...
Podobało mi się, naprawdę. I nie mam zamiaru za to przepraszać - możecie strzelać, ile tylko chcecie 😁
January 23, 2022
This isn’t a stand alone. All the stories are about a different couple but events build off each other. This one is basically the second half of book 2, The Rancher’s Son.
While I liked the concept & details of wrapping up the “mystery of what happened to Justin” - the execution didn’t work for me. Justin’s return is filled with chapters of Justin being incredibly vague and trying to leave.
Unfortunately, I also didn’t feel any connection between Justin & Sam. It seemed very superficial and almost like “only two gay dudes left”. I liked them as characters, but them together never clicked for me.
However, I generally enjoy Scott’s writing - so I’m not giving up on her or the series. I think it’s just one of those things where you can’t like 100% of an author’s work.
While I liked the concept & details of wrapping up the “mystery of what happened to Justin” - the execution didn’t work for me. Justin’s return is filled with chapters of Justin being incredibly vague and trying to leave.
Unfortunately, I also didn’t feel any connection between Justin & Sam. It seemed very superficial and almost like “only two gay dudes left”. I liked them as characters, but them together never clicked for me.
However, I generally enjoy Scott’s writing - so I’m not giving up on her or the series. I think it’s just one of those things where you can’t like 100% of an author’s work.
July 8, 2016
Jen's Review 4.5 STARS
We finally get Justin’s story and oh what a doozy it was. He’s the lost, broken son, brother and friend that disappeared and feared dead but we know from Adam’s book that he is most definitely alive. R.J. Scott gives us the long awaited conclusion to the mystery that has surrounded the entire series.
Five. For Adam.
Four. For the pain and the scars and the agony of memories.
Three. For Ethan, who is better off thinking his little brother is dead.
Two. For me. Because I can’t live with this anymore.
One.
Justin has lived through some pretty dark horrors and he’s done some unimaginable things. He’s fueled with revenge and determined to take out everyone who was present that horrible day. Justin has been living his life as a trained killer, as a black ops operative driven by his desire to seek justice for the friend he thought was dead. When Justin goes rogue and ends up back on Crooked Tree property broken, battered and barely alive, that’s where we see things really get interesting.
“He was a man with a complicated past and a future that he desperately wanted.”
There is so much of the past that we learn about and even though we get a clear picture painted R.J. Scott spared us from really having to experience some really heinous horrors. Just knowing what they were and being able to piece together what we weren’t told was bad enough. My heart broke for what all these characters have been through especially for the boy who grew up believing a lie.
I can’t even tell you how much I loved Sam. I loved how supportive and understanding he was. I love the fact that no matter what was put before him, no matter how much Justin tried to be a tough guy, Sam never backed down. He was the rock that grounded Justin. Justin’s calm in the chaotic mess that surrounded him. Sam was just everything that Justin needed him to be even though Sam had his own set of demons he was dealing with.
Something about Sam spoke to Justin in a way he’d never felt before. Life and promise and future.
What I love most about this series is how much of a role every character played within the storyline but also with each other. Everyone is just so connected and supportive no matter what. This truly was a great addition to the series. I think the only thing I really could complain about is I wish we had more time with just Sam and Justin as a couple. I really wanted to see more of that just because I felt like after everything Justin has been through he really deserved more one on one time. I think for me I just wasn’t ready to let these guys go. I wanted more. I’m really hoping we get more of them in the next book.
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