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Someone Worth Saving

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Wyoming? Kill me now. I've spent my whole life causing trouble for my parents, but this time I went too far. After the scandal I caused nearly ruined my mom's political career, they decided to do something drastic—and that's how I ended up in on a ranch in Ely, Wyoming, a zillion miles from civilization. But it's not like I care that I have no friends, my family despises me, and I totally ruined my life in a really public way. And I definitely don't cry myself to sleep every night. The good news? The ranch hand, Brady, is super hot. I mean, I only want to get him in bed to prove I can. So what if he's the first person who's ever been really kind to me? So what if, behind his stoic cowboy act, he's unbelievably considerate and thoughtful and so totally wonderful. I just want to sleep with him—it's not like I have a crush on him or anything. The bad news? I think he hates me. Life on the ranch is quiet and simple, and that's the way I like it. But then Reed comes along—blond and bratty and completely out of control—and suddenly I can't get a moment's peace. When he's not busy accidentally destroying something, he's hitting on me or throwing a tantrum. Good thing he's only here for a year. When Reed's not being a diva, he's insightful and clever and shockingly sweet—and, yes, I suppose I think he's gorgeous. But after all the loss and heartache in my life, I'm afraid to risk loving someone, only to lose them all over again. Something about Reed's vulnerability, though, is making me open up. Reed's someone worth saving… and maybe I am, too. Someone Worth Saving is an m/m slow burn contemporary romance with enemies-to-lovers and hurt/comfort themes, plenty of heat, and a happy ending.

362 pages, Paperback

First published August 26, 2017

62 people are currently reading
287 people want to read

About the author

Ruthie Luhnow

21 books150 followers
Ruthie lives in the Pacific Northwest, and while it's not confirmed that Ruthie is Bigfoot, no one has seen ever seen the two of them in the same room.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Profile Image for Susan.
2,349 reviews457 followers
July 19, 2023
Re-read July 2023

This is still so good.

---------------------------

Slooooooooooooooooow burn, oh how I love thee.

This was just amazing! Amazing characters, amazing writing, amazing story.

Reed is 20 years old and not particularly loved by his family. His mother had him because it would make her look like a better person instead of a cold politician. Reed is used to acting out to get attention. But this time he went too far, he might have actually hurt his mother’s political career. And that’s why Reed’s mother ships him off to a ranch in Wyoming to stay with a distant relative.

Reed doesn’t want to be away from his life as a party boy and overall fuckup. He doesn’t want to stay with his mother’s cousin’s wife, Mona, and Brady, the 30 year old ranch hand. He will just stay away from everyone and try to be as surly as possible to everyone leaves him alone. But he didn’t really count him actually enjoy the quiet life on a far away ranch without any internet. And he especially didn’t count on people caring about him for once in his life...

God, how I loved this. One of my main pet peeves is always the dialogue in my books. I’ve read so many weird, stilted and awkward conversations that I’m so tired of it. But not here! This really had such a nice flow to it. It all felt so natural the way these guys talked to each other, got to know one another, built a friendship and eventually fell in love.

My favorite character in this was most definitely Reed.

“As far as gays go, I was pretty, well… gay. I left a metaphorical trail of glitter behind me everywhere I went, and sometimes a literal trail, too, depending on where I'd gone out the night before.”

I loved how he tried to be as difficult as possible. And how he eventually showed his real sweet and caring self. (I mean, he named all the chicken, how adorable is that!)

I still hated the ranch. I hated Brady, and I hated Mona, and I definitely hated Hector, the old, fat wiener dog that wouldn't leave me alone, trying to get me to scratch his butt.
Hell no, little dude—he smelled bad, and if I was gonna touch anyone's ass, it was gonna be Brady's.


Yes, Reed and Brady were attracted to each other from the start, but Reed fell back to his old ways and just tried to seduce Brady. But Brady didn’t want Reed like that. So they just became friends instead. There was so much love before anything even happened between them, it was awesome.

It occurred to me, in some distant part of my mind, that even if Brady was into some seriously weird shit and wanted us to wear silly hats and roleplay as the founding fathers or something, I'd be totally into it, just because I was so totally into him.

There wasn’t a lot of relationship angst, although the bit that was there felt natural and not OTT dramatic. I cannot compliment the writing enough.

I’m definitely checking out more of Ruthie Luhnow’s books, because she is apparently an awesome writer!
Profile Image for ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~.
3,583 reviews1,122 followers
September 11, 2017
~3.5~

This book takes slow burn to a whole new dimension. The MCs don't get together until 84 percent, and there are only two short steamy scenes.

Despite the low steam level, I enjoyed this cute story about a rich city boy and Wyoming cowboy figuring out that sometimes opposites DO attract.

The men's voice are distinct, and both change as the story progresses. Reed lets go of his snarky, condescending attitude, which he's been using as a defense mechanism, and Brady learns to open up more.

There were a few typos (mostly missing words) that I found distracting, and Reed's mother was too stereotypical a character, but overall this was an easy, low angst read.

Rounded up for Hector the dog!
Profile Image for Teal.
609 reviews251 followers
February 21, 2022
Ooey-gooey lovey-dovey squishy soft & sappy sweetness. Although it starts with a bite — Reed is aggressively rude and self-centered — it's not long before he totally loses his edge. And from there on, he and Brady pretty much drift along in a cloud of gentle mild fluffiness, without any sexual contact until past the 75% point.

I was already skipping huge chunks of text by then, trying to avoid slipping into a sugar-induced coma. How I longed for the arrival of a starving horde of zombies, or a fleet of alien spacecraft, or a massive eruption of megavolcanoes — ANYTHING to break up the monotonous soft-focus vague teary-eyed gentle sweet & caring goopiness.

Obviously I'm not the audience for this. But for those who like to mainline sugar, this certainly delivers. And it's reasonably well-written, for what it is, so I can understand why other people are giving it higher ratings. But I feel like I need to go read something filthy & nasty now to in order to get all that sap out of my system.
Profile Image for Elsa Bravante.
1,159 reviews196 followers
May 7, 2018
Slow burn con dos protagonistas muy monos, age gap, ranchero de 30 años y chico rico de 20. Es entretenido y tiene momentos muy bonitos. Sin embargo, la evolución de los personajes es un tanto abrupta, los cambios de actitud, de opinión y hay muchos estereotipos que hacen que el libro, aunque no aburra, no sea algo remarcable.
Profile Image for Jennifer☠Pher☠.
2,970 reviews274 followers
September 12, 2017
I kinda loved this book.

It was just, I don't know, snuggly or something.

Gah! It just made me feel so warm and safe and I didn't want to ever stop reading about these two boys.

So, so, so very sweet and funny and cuddly and once we got there hot, hot, hot.



Profile Image for Rachel.
753 reviews124 followers
December 20, 2019
12/20/19 Today ONLY
Ruthie Luhnow is offering a flash holiday sale today only:
"In the spirit of escapism (and fantastic holiday deals), all of my solo novels will be on sale for just $0.99 each. The sale won't last long (Dec 20th only), so grab any titles you haven't read, and fingers crossed, I'll have a new book for you in the coming year!"

-Ruthie

https://www.amazon.com/Ruthie-Luhnow/...


5 Stars

Oh, my heart. What a sweet and charming story. Reading it felt as comforting and soothing as being enveloped in a soft blanket and having a furry kitten purring softly in my lap. “Someone Worth Saving” will definitely be one of my treasured comfort re-reads.

At its core, this is a comfort/healing story. The angst is not high, but both MCs have some deep emotional wounds to work through. Watching their caring and compassion for each other through this healing process was deeply satisfying.

This is also a heartwarming slow burn romance. I appreciate the way a successful slow burn romance allows the reader to watch a relationship unfurl and develop as each character discovers all the ins-and-outs of the other. This type of romance builds a strong foundation for the relationship, ensuring an authentic and satisfying HEA that feels strong and enduring.

There is so much heart to this story: creating found families (of the two and four-legged kind); building relationships forged in kindness and empathy; dealing with grief; finding new love; offering forgiveness…

What a beautiful story. Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Cadiva.
3,997 reviews437 followers
August 29, 2017
Gives a whole new meaning to slow burn!

Lordy this is slow burn and then some with the first kiss not happening until 80% in, but surprisingly, it works.

It's not like there's massive UST either, for a long part of this story the two MCs are just becoming friends. It suited the setting, the slow rolling ranch lifestyle, the Wyoming hills, the sleepy town. To have had a fast and frantic love story would have felt out of place.

There was a bit of dramady which the narrative could have still worked without but I was glad that Reed found the courage to stand up for himself and reject the way his family treated him.

I didn't warm up to either of the MCs particularly though, one of the reasons for my slightly lower rating, for whatever reason, I just couldn't fall in love with them.

I did, however, love Mona and the book's setting as a whole, which felt realistic and welcoming, even if everyone who interacted with Brady ended up being bisexual (apart from him and Reed that is).
Profile Image for Bibliophile.
855 reviews
September 1, 2017
4.5 stars. A huge thank you to Lost in a Book for pointing me towards this book and this author (who is new for me). All in all, this was a sweet YA read. There's a lot of comfort/healing, yearning, love, and acceptance/growth in this book with some angsty slow-burn heat thrown in. I especially liked the plot (a spoiled politician's son is sent away to a distant family member's ranch to hide out while a scandal abates) which was handled really well. It would have been all too easy for this story to be stereotypical and include things, like, small town hicks who were bigoted, or to have the spoiled rich politician's son expect to be waited on hand and foot. Instead--to Luhnow's credit--she doesn't go for the obvious. Instead, she turns what could have been a cliched story line into a tender story about people who have been abandoned and the ways in which other's love and simple acceptance can heal us.

This book is free right now on Kindle Unlimited if you're using that service. It's well worth checking out. Recommended!
Profile Image for namericanwordcat.
2,440 reviews439 followers
March 7, 2018
I really liked the other books I have read by this writer but my dislike of jerky self centered heroes, the ranch setting, and political parents combined to make this book not work for me.

Reed does do a great deal of growing as a person and so does Ben but the slow pace and the immersion in Reed's head while he was way less than self reflected just dragged down the narrative,

I couldn't buy into the narrative and ended up skipping around trying to get to the part where Ben really sees his wonderfulness.

Profile Image for K.M. Neuhold.
Author 101 books3,288 followers
August 31, 2017
"Happy sigh*

This book was so sweet and so perfect. I absolutely loved the slow burn romance and all the characters. Another absolute winner by Ruthie Luhnow
Profile Image for Annika.
1,374 reviews94 followers
July 23, 2018
Audiobook review

Someone Worth Saving is the perfect book to pick up when you are looking for a low-angst and uncomplicated read. It's sweet and at times hilarious - yes, I'm the kind of person that gets a kick of city people living at farms. Not in a mean way, mind you, just in that "boy, you have a lot to learn" and it will be fun to watch your reaction kind of way.

A couple of minutes in I was seriously questioning my decision to pick up this book. Reed grated on my nerves that bad. I have zero patience for the rich entitled brat routine and Reed ticked all of those boxes and then some. But I stuck to it praying there was redeeming qualities to him. And I'm happy I did. I am glad to have shared this journey of self-discovery with him, watching him become more, realising he was worth more. These kinds of stories make me happy.

Brady has lived on the ranch for the past 15 years or so. His first impression of Reed was just like mine, with little to no patience for his diva ways. What's not always clear is that Brady has his own set of issues, the mistrust he feels towards other people runs deep and caring for them is not something he does easily - or particularly willingly. Watching him crawling out of that shell was another thing I enjoy. Seeing Reed coaxing Brady to not only lighten up, but deal with his past truly showed how well they worked together.

Their romance was an ultra-slow one. One step forward and three back. The main focus of this book wasn't necessarily on that budding romance, but on building the people first to be ready for a relationship. Watching the spoiled boy grow into a man and getting to know who he was and wanted from life. Watching Brady thaw and demanding just a little bit more from life, realising he was allowed to love and be loved in return.

The story in itself isn't a new or revolutionary one, we've all read it before. That's not necessarily a bad thing, in the way that we know what to expect and what we'll get. This book is not an exception. But what surprised me most was the little to no steam. The Mc's don't get together until the very end of the book, sure there are suggestions, fantasies and tension throughout, but it never goes further. I'm surprised in a good way, but many, I believe, will be disappointed by this.

Sean Crisden is an amazing voice actor and brings this book and characters to life. He pulls you into the story and have you enraptured to the very end. The different voices he has for the characters makes it easy to follow along in the story and you never need to wonder who is speaking or what was going on.

Someone Worth Saving was a sweet and slow-burn romance. It didn't bring surprises, but it was a beautiful love story nonetheless.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Profile Image for Hemmel M..
803 reviews54 followers
July 25, 2021
This could have been a raving review had the author chosen to write a believable mother-son-relationship. The last hour was sitting through flinches and eyerolls.

I liked the slow burn and main characters.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
1,008 reviews26 followers
May 27, 2018
Wow, slowwwwww burnnnnnn ALERT. This one takes its sweet sweet time but between all the waiting we end up getting a sweet story about change, acceptance, and love. These two guys have a lot of emotional baggage but in a little Wyoming town they find something in each other that gives them both the desire to want and to fight.
I'm not going to lie this book is super slow, at times too slow but the end game was worth it.
Profile Image for Manfred.
799 reviews48 followers
May 8, 2018
Everyone who reviews this book writes slow burn with at least 3 "o" s, so I knew what to expect and I absolutely didn't mind.
If the story is interesting and the writing is good, I don't need drama, suspense or even steamy sex sessions, just get me hooked to the main characters and I am happy.
I definitely was here, without any of the above mentioned I loved to read about those two guys who meet, get to know each other and very slowly fall in love. For me this was almost perfect and 4.5 stars!
Profile Image for Amanda at WickedGoodReads.
810 reviews17 followers
August 29, 2017
Hands down, my favorite book Ruthie has written to date. If I could give this more than 5 stars I would, that is how much I loved this book.

Reed and Brady.....I can't even put into words the love I have for these two hurting souls.

Reed, the spoiled rich kid who has never felt true love. A cold and distant mother who uses him as it pleases her and only to gain her something, never to be his mother, never to care. She sends him away when he becomes too much, and dangles his trust fund over his head to try to make him behave and to get him out of the picture for fear his actions hurt her career.

When she sends him away, he meets Mona (a distant family member) and Brady. Mona is the mother he never had. She is kind, caring, nurturing. And Brady. The boy whose mother abandoned him, who only wants to love someone and be loved back, but has a fear of abandonment so he holds himself back.

Reed is hilarious. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, which I found to be terribly endearing in his case. He is a beautiful soul. Brady tries really hard to keep Reed away, but he cannot deny the magnetic pull this kid has.

This is a slow burn, but, I was glued to every single page without wanting more to happen any faster. I. Loved. This. Book!!!!
Profile Image for Fairymysz.
408 reviews8 followers
March 2, 2021
Elég nehezen barátkoztam meg ezzel a könyvvel, az már szent. Ahhoz képest a végére nagyon megszerettem, noha a "hűha" érzést nem sikerült kiváltania belőlem.
Reedet, az elején nagyon rühelltem, de meg is tett mindent azért, hogy az ember ne nagyon szimpatizáljon vele. Gazdag úri fiú, aki azt hiszi, bármit megengedhet magának és, mikor belekeveredik a "Botrány"-ba, még meg van sértve, hogy megbüntetik érte.
Nos, nem kellett sok, hogy az ember rájöjjön, hogy emögött azért sokkal több van és, hogy Reed valójában a maga bicskanyitogató modora mögött, egy okos és érzékeny srác.
Brady...igazi imádni való cowboy. Jó tíz évvel idősebb Reednél és a farm tulajdonosai befogadták, mikor tizenöt éves volt és azóta ők egy család. Nagyon szerettem Brady nyugalmát és azt, ahogy az első ellenszenv múltával viselkedett Reeddel. Azonban a könyv közepénél megcsaptam volna a sok hezitálás miatt.
Még nem olvastam korábban az írónőtől, de sikerült megszerettetnie magát ezzel a könyvvel. Jó a stílusa és kifejezetten tetszett, hogy Reed és Brady nem ugrottak azonnal egymás ágyába, sőt! Elég súlyos témákat is felhoz a könyv, amiket nem minden esetben sikerül rendesen megmutatnia, de azért megérdemli a pluszt, hogy felhozta őket az írónő.
Akit még meg kell említenem, az Mona, Reed nagynénje. Bárcsak mindenki életében lenne egy olyan személy, mint Mona. Aki anélkül bizonyítja be, hogy szeret és, hogy elfogad téged, hogy ezt hangoztatná.
Reed szülei... felkerültek a gyűlölöm őket listámra.
Kíváncsian várom a második kötetet, amiben Reed barátját ismerhetjük meg.

(Ki kell térnem a borítóra: borzalmas! Senki ne dőljön be neki, mert ez a könyv sokkal több, mint, ami a borító alapján az embernek eszébe jutna.)
Profile Image for Girlfriend.
100 reviews
September 6, 2017
what a Gem of a story and so beautifully written, Someone Worth Saving is definitely worth keeping.
Told 1st POV, dual POV, what a delicious delight this slow burn love story was, so much so I bought a copy of it.

Mostly retrospectively, selfish, snarky, and always self-depreciating, Reed owned the hell out of his monologue, his angst really shouted out his age, his social status and his vulnerability. Oh what a lonely, lonely unloved child to man he was. In the time he is at the Ranch, to watch his self development unfold, page by page and be picked to pieces by his own self-awareness was both heart-warming and heart-wrenching to read.

Insightful, thoughtful and considerate, Brady's monologue stayed true to character even while he was annoyed, left speechless or working through his complete and utter amazement at being attracted to someone like Reed, a beautiful spoilt, completely selfish, self-centered young man. At all times, Brady shone through as a kind, stoic, reliable man just wanting to love the Right man. His painful past impacts on his angst and needs.

The son of a Senator Reed is sent to Wyoming as a punishment, he feels the directive is just another slap down from a family who hate his guts after his thoughtless actions go viral on the internet. He is an angry, emotional mess when he gets to the ranch.

Mona, the owner, recently widowed, and Brady her quasi- adopted son, are still coming to grips with losing Robert, ( husband and father) it seems as though a grey cloud has fallen onto the ranch turning their lives grim and dark and has never lifted. Both are completely unprepared for a beautiful useless ball of sunshine with vicious claws.

From the moment the two men meet, Brady's incredible insight into why Reed acts and speaks the way he does, really sold Brady's character as a man ten years older, with an upper echelon of perception that unraveled the inner workings of Reed-speak and turned a self-interested entitled brat into a hurt, vulnerable and lonely man. We could have hated Reed for his very nature despite his own alternate self-hatred and self-depreciating ways, but seen through Brady's perceptive eyes, we were given another view in which to experience the workings of Reed's life. Brady was the perfect foil for the troubled Reed.

A slow burn and oh it was so delicious as we read Reed learn to love not just Brady, but understand and love himself, the journey between the two men really elevated the novel from cookie cutter romance to something more. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. What made it especially GEM-like was the different nuances and prose of Reed and Brady's monologue and the way Ms Luhnow weaved their individual voices into the telling of their story, their dialogue together when they interacted with each other, and with the solid kind Mona, who took in a runaway Brady at 15 was telling in many ways and just rammed home their character development..

The way Ruthie Luhnow wrote Reed-speak and Brady-talk was the ultimate gem of this book. If you're after a fabulous read, that runs mostly through extensive monologue ( ie: dialogue and action picked to pieces through 1st POV monologue) then you'll love this book. Definitely very worthwhile reading.
Profile Image for Tanja.
575 reviews19 followers
August 30, 2017
Five stars are not enough for this brilliant story. I already knew Ruthie Luhnow was an amazingly talented author and this book only confirms that statement. I absolutely loved it.
The writing is of superb quality. The lyrical descriptions of the Wyoming countryside and life on the ranch have me wishing to live there. The metaphors they use are vivid and incredibly accurate. This author doesn’t merely write a story they paint a picture so beautiful it stopped me from breathing.
Often is said that one couldn’t put a book down as it was so good. Well, with this book I had to. Not because I wanted to but I had to catch my breath, dry my eyes, and let it all sink in before I could go on reading. It was that good, chock-full of emotions.
The characters are rich with development. There are so many layers to Reed and Brady. Reed comes across as a rich, spoiled, little brat but he is so much more than that. He is a poor little rich boy, a lost soul, craving for attention and love. He hides his fears behind self-deprecating humor. My heart broke for him, over and over again. And Brady? He is equally broken and lonely. He is scared to the bone of loving and losing. He has built a wall around himself to keep all emotions far, far away from him. He has one advantage, though, and that is Mona. Mona, the woman who took him in when he was only fifteen and gave him the love he still isn’t sure he deserves. Mona with the gentle and firm hand, without judgment or prejudice. I honestly don’t know whom I cried over more: Reed or Brady.
It is a slow-burn love story, the sensual tension built with every lovely word and gesture. But it is more than a love story. It is also the growth and maturing of the men themselves. But they need each other to really get the best out of the other man. They balance each other.
The story is told from an alternating POV but it felt different from other stories. There was a distinctive voice used for both Reed and Brady. And especially with reading Reed’s thought I felt I was spoken to directly. It was really cleverly done.
I can go on and on about how I loved this story but it might be better if you read it yourself.
Profile Image for Ronnie.
211 reviews
September 9, 2018
Emotional and deep, this story is very real and touching. This author has become one of my top five ones by this book alone.
Profile Image for Katherine.
2,870 reviews13 followers
August 30, 2018
Ranch mouse, rich jerk city mouse

A truly gorgeous story with fully realized characters, a beautiful atmosphere, and multiple relationships that develop from family to romantic love.

This book wasn't a direct easy journey for any of the characters. Filled with fears and flaws from past hurts, it takes time and effort for changes to happen. Love is a big part of those changes, but the first love that makes a difference is actual familial love, leading to the allowance of self love. Reed and Brady each have doubts of their own worth for love and it is a journey for them to come to a point where they believe they c an have any.

Reed is a rich city boy and a bit of a poster boy for rich white male privilege. His entire life has been dictated by money and his own wants, fueling attitude as he bounced from boarding school to boarding school, coasting along with his grades, until going to college and going wild. His only reason for going to the ranch and staying there is to keep his trust fund. Now it would seem that everything about him will be 'poor me' as he has to deal with being on the ranch and the consequences of his actions. Some of it is, especially at the beginning, but that is not actually the core of his story. Reed genuinely believes he deserves the punishment he is receiving, both in the media and in life. It doesn't stop him from acting out, but each time he acts out he thinks he deserves what he gets. Reed questions his self worth and it takes a lot for him to see what he can be. Most of this story is his journey, but not all of it.

Brady is sort of the role model and pedestal for the first half of the story. He has lived and worked on the ranch since he was a teenager and is confident in work and in life. He doesn't respond to Reed's sexual overtures and after a rough start is patient and a good teacher. As the story goes on we get to see past that front. Nobody is perfect and this is true of Brady. Brady has his own past and it keeps him from seeing himself as ever having a future with love as his fears hold him back. As Brady watches Reed slowly heal and change it causes him to respond and makes him have to address his own issues. Brady turns out to almost be the flip side of the same coin with his experiences to family, and it both makes him good help for Reed, and a case for healing himself.

This was a wonderful story that ended on a sentiment not often seen in romance books. It was an amazing journey that engages your heart and holds your interest. Looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Michelle.
842 reviews5 followers
September 4, 2017
** I received an arc copy in exchange for an honest review**

At this point I should expect to love anything that this Luhnow comes out with. She is an exceptional writer when it comes to m/m romance novels. What really stands out with her writing is the attention to developing characters and the sheer amount of details to everything that she gives is just above the norm. This was no different with Someone Worth Saving.

The general plot: Reed is involved in sex scandal that negatively effects his mothers political career and is basically exiled to Wyoming to live with distant relatives. Having lived a privileged life leads to an instant dislike to farm life and Reeds expresses this through being a little shit. Honestly, I couldn't stand how whiney he was. But, once you learn about his back story and the reasoning behind his attitude, that childish nature builds layers to Reed's character development that I hadn't expected.

Similarly, Brady's stoic nature and his need to keep to himself is developed through his backstory. His difficult childhood lead to his defeatist attitude towards any type of bond/relationship with people that he could come to care about. It was agony to know why he was pushing Reed away and how his feelings were unfounded.Brady's character arc needed that self doubt and self realization to grow.

Overall, this book showcases Luhnow's writing ability extremely well. The fact that she was able to take a whiney 21 year old character and make me feel sorry for him and grow to care about him the most out of all the characters in this book really says something. Also, Reed and Brady's varying characteristics from the Boys of Bellamy series is something to note. The lack of anything school related was a nice change.

The only thing to note, that I wasn't 100% on was the first person POV. One thing that was consistent in the Boys of Bellamy series was the third person POV - my preferred style. When I began reading Someone Worth Saving I was actually a little skeptical because it is written in first person. After the first few chapters, it became apparent that first person was the way to go for Reed and Brady's characters. Luhnow's writing is perfection to begin with, but the genius it takes to know that these characters needed that extra layer of insight to connect to the reader... I could not get over it even towards the end of the book. Reed and Brady wouldn't have been as likable had you not been able to get into their minds and know the reasoning behind their choices.

Final notes:
- Told in alternating first person
- Plenty of animals to go around
- Some sweet and sexy scenes
- A strong family dynamic - one outside the "traditional" norm
Profile Image for Megan.
1,469 reviews29 followers
September 16, 2017
4.5 rounded up!

Reed was so young in so many ways. I loved learning about him through Brady's eyes, the vulnerable, naive, and broken Reed that just needed love. He broke my heart with how little he knew about taking care of himself and how little genuine, unconditional affection he understood. Reed wasn't just a spoiled brat, he was misguided and had no healthy outlet for his frustrations and needs. Seeking attention when he could and having no real guidance left him in an untenable situation where his mother's only recourse was to send him off to somewhere he wouldn't be seen or heard from for a specific amount of time. What seemed like a curse was a blessing in the end because he found family. He found love and acceptance and, the best part, change.

Change isn't easy for anyone, really, especially when that change comes from somewhere and someone you were determined to loathe. Reed isn't sure what to make of the people he's forced to live with so he acts like an adolescent instead of a contrite adult who needs to rethink his direction. With the patience of at least four saints his aunt and her ranch care for Reed in the most fundamental ways allowing him to see that life is more than money, cars, sex, and rebellion toward the parents who ignore his existence for as long as possible. I really love the community and how they all begin to accept Reed for what he is and support him in what he should become. But there's not just the new mother figure in Reed's life, there's someone else that will be the catalyst and safe-haven for all Reed's biggest changes.

Brady isn't exactly keen on Reed at their first, second, or even fifteenth run-in, but finds that Reed is the kind of person that grows on you the more you give him space, quiet, and education. Unfortunately for Reed, their attraction seems one-sided and with all the baggage each one carries, it's a good thing that it takes quite a long time for anything romantic to develop between these two men. Brady and Reed are no stranger to abandonment but how that fear manifests is different for each of them. Throughout the story both men deal with that in very different ways and neither way brings them closer to one another...at first. They're sweet, awkward, and frustrating in equal measure as their romance plays out. Tons of feels that draw you in and keep you firmly invested in their outcome.

This whole book was really enjoyable to read, start to finish I loved these men in all their flawed ridiculousness and tender realizations. Both men draw you in and make you feel for and about them. Family isn't perfect, we're all flawed, and love wins. Wonderful cast of characters and a ton of feels for this slow-burn romance with a well-deserved HEA.

Read and willingly reviewed this ARC for the author.
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819 reviews1 follower
September 3, 2017
Someone Worth Saving is a beautiful book. The style of writing is very effective in displaying the innermost thoughts and feelings of Brady and Reed as well as giving colorful descriptors of the environment, animals and secondary characters. I've never been to Wyoming but could get a good feel for it as the author leads these characters through day to day life on a ranch. It's now on my list of places I'd like to visit.
Brady and Reed came alive for me. They are more than words on a page. They are people I would like to know.
Brady is a quintessential cowboy. Stoic and reserved with others, yet kind to those about who he cares. The author gives us glimpses into his pain, so well hidden by his character and demeanor. I just wanted to sit with him and hold his hand, to give him comfort from the memories that he had denied all the years, memories that have surfaced since his feelings for Reed started developing. As he gives Reed room to grow, he opens himself up to do the same. So sad, so strong. His fear of abandonment makes it hard for him to commit to anyone but he finds himself moving closer and closer to Reed, heedless of the consequences. I love this character.
I can't say that I enjoyed Reed's emotional and psychological journey. That would be too trite and too mild a reaction. I...suffered with him as he battled past demons. I argued with his attitude and decisions. I cried with him when it all got to be too much. I gently pushed him when he started taking tentative steps towards a new life and outlook. I patted him on the back when he realized his limitations and vowed to deny those things that would cause him to revert to his old ways. I wanted him to be saved. His inner dialogue and the glimpses of his formative years as he struggled to become a better person convinced me that he is indeed worth saving.
This is my favorite Ruthie Luhnow book to date. She gives us all of the emotions in this journey to love and to a passion that burns off of the pages. The HEA is one of the most satisfying that I have read in a really long time. I could go on and on, but I'll let others read it for themselves. It's well worth the time.
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320 reviews
September 4, 2017
Someone Worth Saving is a slow burn M/M Romance by Ruthie Luhnow.

The Book starts with rich and spoiled Reed taken to a Farm in Ely, Wyoming. The farm is owned by a distant relative who Reed hasn't ever seen and Reed feels like his life is coming to an end. He is used to fast life and partying in New York and there isn't even a wifi in farm. Of course Reed behaves horribly in the beginning and spends as much as possible time sleeping. The only good thing in the farm seem to be the hot farm hand Brady. When Reed is forced to start helping in the barn and leaning how to ride he starts to adapt to the farm life starts to enjoy the simple life.

About the characters in this book. I think no one can say that they like Reed in the beginning of the book but it's so enjoyable to read about the mental growth during this book. Brady is older and more balanced but he is afraid to start a relationship with Reed who does not belong to Wyoming and will be returning to New York when his banishment is over...

Even tough the guys are attracted to each other from the beginning is takes a long time for them to work out all their differences but in the end these guys are so good together. Reed forces Brady to speak about his feelings and Brady brings stability and something real to Reeds former party boy life.

This book is very well written. The story moves smoothly from the start and it's very enjoyable read. What I really liked best in the book is how different the characters in the book are. Like I said earlier no one liked Reed in the beginning but I bet it's not easy to write a a spoiled character either. So I think that Ruthie really succeeded in making us dislike him in the beginning. The characters can't really be more different in the beginning as the people on the farm are down to earth practical people with big hearts what is really just what Reed needs after growing up with uncaring / absent parents. The characters are many dimensional and you enjoy reading about their lives!

This book is recommend to all of you who enjoy reading about slowly developing relationship with fabulous characters!
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