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Whisper Ridge, Wyoming #1
Winter Cowboy
Micah Lennox left Whisper Ridge after promising the man he loved that he would never return. But the only way he knows to keep his pregnant sister and nephew safe is to go home. Spending winter in Wyoming opens too many old wounds, but he's on the run from justice which can't be far behind, and this is his last chance at redemption.
After a hostage situation leaves Doctor Daniel Sheridan struggling with PTSD, he returns to Whisper Ridge. Joining his dad in family practice is a balm to soothe his exhausted soul, and somehow, he finds a peace he can live with. That is until he meets Micah in a frozen graveyard, and the years of anger and feelings of betrayal boiling inside him, erupt.
Two broken men fight and scratch for their lives and that of their families, and somehow, in the middle of it all, they find each other.
Is it possible that love can be rekindled and become a forever to believe in?
Word Count: 70,000
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2018
246 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
R.J. Scott
306 books2,706 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 210 reviews
July 27, 2020
2 Stars
DNF @ 48%
With that blurb and the way the story started I thought it might be a good an enemies-to-lovers but I was so wrong. The story mostly focused on the MCs’ issues and not their relationship. Actually they didn’t spend time together. And there wasn’t even any tension between them (or if there was I couldn’t feel it). It fell flat for me. Time to quit…
DNF @ 48%
With that blurb and the way the story started I thought it might be a good an enemies-to-lovers but I was so wrong. The story mostly focused on the MCs’ issues and not their relationship. Actually they didn’t spend time together. And there wasn’t even any tension between them (or if there was I couldn’t feel it). It fell flat for me. Time to quit…
September 18, 2024
~THE WINTER BLUES~
The rating for this book (4 Pants Off)
How this book made me rage (Fucking Priceless)
I really enjoyed reading this but my enjoyment is minor in compare to my rage. Winter Cowboy had me feeling all depressed and what seems to be my M.O from this year, being pissed at small town people and their hating ass selves. I was just sooo…pissed and that ending did nothing to alleviate my ire.
Micah Lennox has had his fair share of pain after leaving the only home he’s ever known. An accident that happened as a teen has shaped his entire life, its left him broken and consumed by guilt. When he gets a call from his sister he knows that she’s in trouble and he never got to be the big brother she deserved in the past. His rescue mission turns into something you’d only ever see in the movies, and he now has to protect his very traumatized very pregnant sister, his traumatized and abused nephew. The option available is to go home back to his ranch, back to the place where the people hate him, where his first love hates him, and where he caused the death of a boy.
Dr Daniel Sheridan has dealt with his fair share of pain and guilt. He’s also dealing with PTSD and anxiety after being held gunpoint and watching a friend get killed. He’s barely hanging on by a thread and he just wants everyone to leave him alone but family can really be pain in the ass. When he hears that Micah is back in town his already fragile temper is near bursting and when he sees Micah in his sights his dam finally breaks. Micah gets him going and brings him to life, but he can’t forgive or forget but what Micah meant to him is like a tattoo on his heart.
Micah and Daniel, they have some stuff to work on and finally get rid of their anger and guilt. There are glimpses into their budding romance as young men and then how it all came crashing down. My initial reaction to all hate on Micah was that he was drunk perhaps, and did something awful but when the truth finally came to light all I was left with is a “are u freaking serious”. This whole goddamn town persecuted a boy over an accident. I was in so much rage mode, I don’t know if I enjoyed the story after finding out and I’m still on the fence about whether Daniel deserves Micah or if their relationship is a good thing because it's based on so much awful.
Micah is a character I really enjoyed. He’s loyal, caring, sensitive, and strong. He’s been through some things and could have remained bitter, but he stepped up when his sister needed him and was willing to put his entire life on the line to make sure she was safe. Daniel, is a whole other ball game. I understand that he has been through something traumatic but the way he was so very dismissive of Micah and then went ahead and lied which made an already bad situation worse, I’m just not here for him. He was mister doom and gloom and a freaking liar that lies under oath (like perjury dude…you weren’t thinking about that). Together…I’m not sure about their relationship or if I buy them as a couple. There are feelings there but its surrounded by young love, heartache, and pain. They aren’t even properly a couple yet but they need couples therapy.
Overall, a solid angst ridden story by R.J Scott. I’m a fan of the authors writing flow, and a way with writing stories I will remember. While I didn’t love everything, I enjoyed a majority of the story telling. Sprinkled with the right amount of angst and enough drama to keep you entertained, all fans of R.J Scott will surely be delighted by this offering. The classic I’m hating you right now but will be loving you soon trope.
SideNote- Seriously though, this year has been a time of hating ass small town folks who can hold a grudge like nobody’s business.
Similar Read: Locked in Silence by Sloane Kennedy
The rating for this book (4 Pants Off)
How this book made me rage (Fucking Priceless)
I really enjoyed reading this but my enjoyment is minor in compare to my rage. Winter Cowboy had me feeling all depressed and what seems to be my M.O from this year, being pissed at small town people and their hating ass selves. I was just sooo…pissed and that ending did nothing to alleviate my ire.
Micah Lennox has had his fair share of pain after leaving the only home he’s ever known. An accident that happened as a teen has shaped his entire life, its left him broken and consumed by guilt. When he gets a call from his sister he knows that she’s in trouble and he never got to be the big brother she deserved in the past. His rescue mission turns into something you’d only ever see in the movies, and he now has to protect his very traumatized very pregnant sister, his traumatized and abused nephew. The option available is to go home back to his ranch, back to the place where the people hate him, where his first love hates him, and where he caused the death of a boy.
Dr Daniel Sheridan has dealt with his fair share of pain and guilt. He’s also dealing with PTSD and anxiety after being held gunpoint and watching a friend get killed. He’s barely hanging on by a thread and he just wants everyone to leave him alone but family can really be pain in the ass. When he hears that Micah is back in town his already fragile temper is near bursting and when he sees Micah in his sights his dam finally breaks. Micah gets him going and brings him to life, but he can’t forgive or forget but what Micah meant to him is like a tattoo on his heart.
Micah and Daniel, they have some stuff to work on and finally get rid of their anger and guilt. There are glimpses into their budding romance as young men and then how it all came crashing down. My initial reaction to all hate on Micah was that he was drunk perhaps, and did something awful but when the truth finally came to light all I was left with is a “are u freaking serious”. This whole goddamn town persecuted a boy over an accident. I was in so much rage mode, I don’t know if I enjoyed the story after finding out and I’m still on the fence about whether Daniel deserves Micah or if their relationship is a good thing because it's based on so much awful.
Micah is a character I really enjoyed. He’s loyal, caring, sensitive, and strong. He’s been through some things and could have remained bitter, but he stepped up when his sister needed him and was willing to put his entire life on the line to make sure she was safe. Daniel, is a whole other ball game. I understand that he has been through something traumatic but the way he was so very dismissive of Micah and then went ahead and lied which made an already bad situation worse, I’m just not here for him. He was mister doom and gloom and a freaking liar that lies under oath (like perjury dude…you weren’t thinking about that). Together…I’m not sure about their relationship or if I buy them as a couple. There are feelings there but its surrounded by young love, heartache, and pain. They aren’t even properly a couple yet but they need couples therapy.
Overall, a solid angst ridden story by R.J Scott. I’m a fan of the authors writing flow, and a way with writing stories I will remember. While I didn’t love everything, I enjoyed a majority of the story telling. Sprinkled with the right amount of angst and enough drama to keep you entertained, all fans of R.J Scott will surely be delighted by this offering. The classic I’m hating you right now but will be loving you soon trope.
SideNote- Seriously though, this year has been a time of hating ass small town folks who can hold a grudge like nobody’s business.
Similar Read: Locked in Silence by Sloane Kennedy
July 16, 2018
Another series from RJ Scott that I’m sure I will enjoy if this first book is any indication.
Set in a small town in Wyoming, Micah early on developed a crush on his best friend’s brother, Daniel, until one summer, Micah won and lost Daniel at the same time after a tragic car accident that changed their life. Micah left everything behind but returned several years later in order to take care of his sister and nephew, badly abused.
This set the tone of a second chance romance with two MCs so different when it comes to social status, characters and life roads. One that seems not possible but inevitable. One that is threatened by loss and guilt. And one that Micah deserved : I adored this character !
What called to me : the misguided pain Daniel suffered on behalf of his brother (we are sometimes our worst enemy), the care Micah had for his sister and his nephew, the multi-dimensions of the characters, MCs and secondary ones. It was well-written, with a nice pace and depth. Not much steam, but nice in the feels.
Cadiva’s experience of this story is the closest to the one I had. And just like her, I’m waiting for the next instalment.
**Note for Lisa : thank you for this Birthday’s gift, Lisa. You spoiled me a lot and fuelled my reading time in the best way <3**
Set in a small town in Wyoming, Micah early on developed a crush on his best friend’s brother, Daniel, until one summer, Micah won and lost Daniel at the same time after a tragic car accident that changed their life. Micah left everything behind but returned several years later in order to take care of his sister and nephew, badly abused.
This set the tone of a second chance romance with two MCs so different when it comes to social status, characters and life roads. One that seems not possible but inevitable. One that is threatened by loss and guilt. And one that Micah deserved : I adored this character !
What called to me : the misguided pain Daniel suffered on behalf of his brother (we are sometimes our worst enemy), the care Micah had for his sister and his nephew, the multi-dimensions of the characters, MCs and secondary ones. It was well-written, with a nice pace and depth. Not much steam, but nice in the feels.
Cadiva’s experience of this story is the closest to the one I had. And just like her, I’m waiting for the next instalment.
**Note for Lisa : thank you for this Birthday’s gift, Lisa. You spoiled me a lot and fuelled my reading time in the best way <3**
May 25, 2021
Bastard Kindle lost my review, will redo tomorrow.
Right, so my ACTUAL review went a little bit like this :)
I should know better by now not to start reading an RJ novel after 10pm at night because I will invariably be finishing it at around 2am in the morning having not being able to force myself to put it down and go to sleep.
So it was with this one. This gloriously plotted and paced narrative which had every single emotional tug on my heart that I expected to get. Never over-dramatic, RJ has such a knack for providing just enough tension and past trauma to make you have to keep reading to make sure the couple reaches their Happy Ever After.
With this one, it took a lot of wonderful writing because, for almost half the book, I wanted to simultaneously thump Daniel while totally empathising and sympathising with him and everything he was going through.
Micah though, oh Micah stole my heart pretty much from the off. One mistake, an error in judgement as a 19-year-old and his life, and that of so many others, was irrevocably changed. The heartache and pain here was profound, it weighed heavy on every interaction he had.
The circumstances which force him back home are horrifying (and even more scary because they happen in real life too) and the additional pressure this brings to him had me raging and tearing up at the same time.
When he and Daniel bump into each other at Isaac's grave all Hell is let loose, all the emotional fallout which has never been dealt with in the almost decade Micah's been away comes flooding out and I loved how there wasn't any instant reconnection between the two.
There is a gradual reawakening that their love never died, in spite of the circumstances, and a beautiful slow burn as they begin to deal with the after effects of that fateful December day.
I adored the setting, the background characters, Daniel's family, the community of people surrounding Whisper Ridge and I have so many questions now RJ about whose story is next!
Will we get Neil? What about Henry Jr, there's something there, and Devin and how about Connor the PI and the missing Max?! I NEED to know...
...please
#ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (I provided the fangirling all on my own)
Right, so my ACTUAL review went a little bit like this :)
I should know better by now not to start reading an RJ novel after 10pm at night because I will invariably be finishing it at around 2am in the morning having not being able to force myself to put it down and go to sleep.
So it was with this one. This gloriously plotted and paced narrative which had every single emotional tug on my heart that I expected to get. Never over-dramatic, RJ has such a knack for providing just enough tension and past trauma to make you have to keep reading to make sure the couple reaches their Happy Ever After.
With this one, it took a lot of wonderful writing because, for almost half the book, I wanted to simultaneously thump Daniel while totally empathising and sympathising with him and everything he was going through.
Micah though, oh Micah stole my heart pretty much from the off. One mistake, an error in judgement as a 19-year-old and his life, and that of so many others, was irrevocably changed. The heartache and pain here was profound, it weighed heavy on every interaction he had.
The circumstances which force him back home are horrifying (and even more scary because they happen in real life too) and the additional pressure this brings to him had me raging and tearing up at the same time.
When he and Daniel bump into each other at Isaac's grave all Hell is let loose, all the emotional fallout which has never been dealt with in the almost decade Micah's been away comes flooding out and I loved how there wasn't any instant reconnection between the two.
There is a gradual reawakening that their love never died, in spite of the circumstances, and a beautiful slow burn as they begin to deal with the after effects of that fateful December day.
I adored the setting, the background characters, Daniel's family, the community of people surrounding Whisper Ridge and I have so many questions now RJ about whose story is next!
Will we get Neil? What about Henry Jr, there's something there, and Devin and how about Connor the PI and the missing Max?! I NEED to know...
...please
#ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (I provided the fangirling all on my own)
March 1, 2018
4.5 stars rounded down because still no 1/2 stars here on GR...I'm really not sure what a girls gotta' do to get a 1/2 star around here but I'mma gonna' keep trying.
Who says you can't go home?
I think when I started reading this book I was expecting something more like the author’s Texas series or even her Montana series and while it was definitely a little closer to her Montana series in terms of both books dealt with the darker side of human nature and there’s a strong sense of family in both series, that’s pretty much where the similarities end as far as the stories are concerned.
I admit I’ve never been to Wyoming but throughout this story there were moments that captured my mind creating a very vivid picture of Whisper Ridge and I truly feel like I could draw a picture of this place…well, at least I could if could draw but the picture is there in my mind of the town, Micah’s home on the Lennox Ranch and Daniel’s haunted house with it’s wild garden Ms Scott brought them all to life for me and as I read this book it all became populated with the characters that were also brought to life for me. I wasn’t left so much with a sense of a specific place as that I feel like if I went to Wyoming I would find places that would bring Whisper Ridge to mind for me because they had that same feeling of openness and beauty that I got from this story.
Now before I really get into babbling about this story I’m going to quickly explain that I had one little niggle and that was the fact that I would have liked for Micah and Daniel to have more face to face time on page but I was also torn because the fact that they didn’t made sense and in a lot of ways I’m not sure the story would have worked as well for me if they had so…niggle but was it a problem…not really, more like me being greedy because I liked these two characters and the way they played off of each other.
While every story has a beginning, a middle and an ending…how the author chooses to give us those parts can often dictate how well a story works for the reader. This story doesn’t really start at the beginning or even the ending…nope, it pretty much starts in the middle and for me that worked just fine because while we’re given a very small glimpse at the past. It’s the present where this story really starts and while that may seem like the middle of the story from a timeline perspective it’s also where the connection between the past and the future is best made because it’s where Micah has to decide that the promises of the past aren’t as important as his family’s safety in the present and their continued well being in the future.
When Micah left Whisper Ridge, 9 years earlier, things weren’t good between him and Daniel, the man he loved…in fact things weren’t good between him and pretty much the whole damned town so leaving and never coming back didn’t seem like to hard of a thing to do. But when Micah’s pregnant sister and his nephew, Laurie need protecting the first place that comes to mind for Micah to take them is Whisper Ridge and for Micah more important than keeping a promise is keeping his family safe, so he heads for the home.
Micah’s only planning on staying long enough to make sure his sister is safe and then he’s leaving heading back to the ranch where he works and has made a life for himself. Coming back into contact with Daniel and the rest of the Sheridan family wasn’t in his plan, finding forgiveness and acceptance for what happened in the past wasn’t even on his radar and reconnecting with Daniel a man who’s fighting his own demons but is still the man he loved was the last thing he expected to have happen.
So many things have changed for both Micah and Daniel and it’s through glimpses of their past both shared and separate that we get to know these men and see where they were and how they’ve come to be where they are in the present. I was totally absorbed by this story. I love a light, fluffy happily ever after story as much as the next person but I’m also a fan of stories that show the strength of human nature and the ability that each person has to rise above whatever comes their way.
Even though this story is about Micah and Daniel just like in the real world you truly can’t have the whole story without seeing their connections to the rest of the world. There’s an amazing ensemble cast here of family and community that enriches and adds depth to this story. Along with Micah’s family which is comprised of his pregnant sister Rachel her son, Laurie there’s his Aunt Amy and her husband Jeff. Daniel’s family consist of his parents, 3 brothers…Mark who’s away at college, Scott the family business tycoon…I really liked Scott. He had his ‘in your face, big brother’ moments but there was zero doubt that for Scott family mattered above all else and then there’s Chris and I adore him, want him to have a story in which he finds an amazing love because he so deserves it, he’s also pretty pivotal to this story and last but not least is their sister, Michelle who also happens to be pregnant…must be something in the water. So that’s the basics as far as family is concerned but there’s also the matter of the local sheriff and a private investigator named Connor who I’m hoping we’ll find out more about because mysterious men are always intriguing and who knows who else we’ll get to meet along the way in this one.
I definitely want more about Micah and Daniel, I also would like to find out more about the other characters in this story as well, so it probably goes without saying that I’m very happy this is a series because I have no doubt that R.J. Scott will give me more and my curiosity will be appeased…I just need to be patient, right?
*************************
An ARC of Winter Cowboy was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Who says you can't go home?
I think when I started reading this book I was expecting something more like the author’s Texas series or even her Montana series and while it was definitely a little closer to her Montana series in terms of both books dealt with the darker side of human nature and there’s a strong sense of family in both series, that’s pretty much where the similarities end as far as the stories are concerned.
I admit I’ve never been to Wyoming but throughout this story there were moments that captured my mind creating a very vivid picture of Whisper Ridge and I truly feel like I could draw a picture of this place…well, at least I could if could draw but the picture is there in my mind of the town, Micah’s home on the Lennox Ranch and Daniel’s haunted house with it’s wild garden Ms Scott brought them all to life for me and as I read this book it all became populated with the characters that were also brought to life for me. I wasn’t left so much with a sense of a specific place as that I feel like if I went to Wyoming I would find places that would bring Whisper Ridge to mind for me because they had that same feeling of openness and beauty that I got from this story.
Now before I really get into babbling about this story I’m going to quickly explain that I had one little niggle and that was the fact that I would have liked for Micah and Daniel to have more face to face time on page but I was also torn because the fact that they didn’t made sense and in a lot of ways I’m not sure the story would have worked as well for me if they had so…niggle but was it a problem…not really, more like me being greedy because I liked these two characters and the way they played off of each other.
While every story has a beginning, a middle and an ending…how the author chooses to give us those parts can often dictate how well a story works for the reader. This story doesn’t really start at the beginning or even the ending…nope, it pretty much starts in the middle and for me that worked just fine because while we’re given a very small glimpse at the past. It’s the present where this story really starts and while that may seem like the middle of the story from a timeline perspective it’s also where the connection between the past and the future is best made because it’s where Micah has to decide that the promises of the past aren’t as important as his family’s safety in the present and their continued well being in the future.
When Micah left Whisper Ridge, 9 years earlier, things weren’t good between him and Daniel, the man he loved…in fact things weren’t good between him and pretty much the whole damned town so leaving and never coming back didn’t seem like to hard of a thing to do. But when Micah’s pregnant sister and his nephew, Laurie need protecting the first place that comes to mind for Micah to take them is Whisper Ridge and for Micah more important than keeping a promise is keeping his family safe, so he heads for the home.
Micah’s only planning on staying long enough to make sure his sister is safe and then he’s leaving heading back to the ranch where he works and has made a life for himself. Coming back into contact with Daniel and the rest of the Sheridan family wasn’t in his plan, finding forgiveness and acceptance for what happened in the past wasn’t even on his radar and reconnecting with Daniel a man who’s fighting his own demons but is still the man he loved was the last thing he expected to have happen.
So many things have changed for both Micah and Daniel and it’s through glimpses of their past both shared and separate that we get to know these men and see where they were and how they’ve come to be where they are in the present. I was totally absorbed by this story. I love a light, fluffy happily ever after story as much as the next person but I’m also a fan of stories that show the strength of human nature and the ability that each person has to rise above whatever comes their way.
Even though this story is about Micah and Daniel just like in the real world you truly can’t have the whole story without seeing their connections to the rest of the world. There’s an amazing ensemble cast here of family and community that enriches and adds depth to this story. Along with Micah’s family which is comprised of his pregnant sister Rachel her son, Laurie there’s his Aunt Amy and her husband Jeff. Daniel’s family consist of his parents, 3 brothers…Mark who’s away at college, Scott the family business tycoon…I really liked Scott. He had his ‘in your face, big brother’ moments but there was zero doubt that for Scott family mattered above all else and then there’s Chris and I adore him, want him to have a story in which he finds an amazing love because he so deserves it, he’s also pretty pivotal to this story and last but not least is their sister, Michelle who also happens to be pregnant…must be something in the water. So that’s the basics as far as family is concerned but there’s also the matter of the local sheriff and a private investigator named Connor who I’m hoping we’ll find out more about because mysterious men are always intriguing and who knows who else we’ll get to meet along the way in this one.
I definitely want more about Micah and Daniel, I also would like to find out more about the other characters in this story as well, so it probably goes without saying that I’m very happy this is a series because I have no doubt that R.J. Scott will give me more and my curiosity will be appeased…I just need to be patient, right?
*************************
An ARC of Winter Cowboy was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2018
No sé muy bien qué decir, soy muy fan de los telefilm de la hora de la siesta porque muchas veces lo necesitas, este libro es como uno de esos telefilms, pero a la pareja principal le falta mucha química, interactúan muy poco, hay cambios bruscos de comportamiento que no entiendo muy bien y todo me ha dejado muy fuera de la historia. Es posible que lea el siguiente, pero este no me ha convencido nada.
December 3, 2022
I thought that it was deplorable that Micah was hated and blamed by the entire town for what happened back when he was 16 years old and everyone with him was also 16 years old and, hello folks... it was an accident. Okay...you can't bring the person that died back and the ones that were injured will always have to live with their pain...but IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. At that time in his life Micah was put in a very high stress situation. After the accident he totally blames himself. He took his friend's car keys and he was driving his friend's car when the accident happened that killed one of his other friends. Micah leaves town and vows to never return...but fate has other plans. Years later as an adult, Micah, his sister, and his little nephew find themselves in another high stress situation where he really doesn't know what to do, but he had to just make the best decision he could. The man that abused his sister is dead and Micah knows that his sister was responsible, so runs with them back to the Wyoming town he swore to never return to. The reader was caught up in his confusion, indecision and determination. I felt so sorry for Micah and wanted to shake some compassion and sense into the entire town through the entire book. Daniel was Micah's boyfriend, and his best friend back at the time of the accident. Daniel was not so likeable. I couldn't understand him at all. He knew the truth then and he knows the truth hasn't changed over the years. I can see a 16-year-old boy doing this, but I can't see a successful adult continuing it, and especially to the person they loved then and says they still loves. I just couldn't buy into the idea that Micah could rely on Daniel. However, love really is blind, deaf and dumb...so I hope Micah and Daniel find what they've missed all these years.
March 20, 2018
This is a better book than RJS has put out in quite a while. I don't know if it's because she didn't collaborate or if she just had a better idea of her characters but I really liked that she did know these guys and you could tell. I would have liked it better if Daniel was a better person for Micah to reconnect with.
The first thing that really got me was that the MC, Micah was put in a very high stress situation where he really didn't know what to do and he knew it and had to just make the best decisions he could. His confusion, indecision and determination was very well portrayed and I was impressed with the writing. Once Micah does get a plan, it was a realistic plan. It was something I could see actually being the decisions someone would make. I felt for Micah all the way through the book.
Daniel...well, Daniel might eventually, after a lot more therapy and taking responsibility for the lies he told, deserve happiness but I don't think he was in a good place to find it with Micah. I think Micah didn't know Daniel any more now than he did when they were kids, even though he wanted to think he did. Daniel was not so likeable and to be honest what he did, the lies he told, while I could see someone doing it, I can't see a person doing it to the person they love. I couldn't buy into the idea that Micah could rely on Daniel.
So although I didn't like Daniel, I did like the story and I loved Micah so hopefully he can find his HEA with Daniel even if I think he is too good for Daniel.
The first thing that really got me was that the MC, Micah was put in a very high stress situation where he really didn't know what to do and he knew it and had to just make the best decisions he could. His confusion, indecision and determination was very well portrayed and I was impressed with the writing. Once Micah does get a plan, it was a realistic plan. It was something I could see actually being the decisions someone would make. I felt for Micah all the way through the book.
Daniel...well, Daniel might eventually, after a lot more therapy and taking responsibility for the lies he told, deserve happiness but I don't think he was in a good place to find it with Micah. I think Micah didn't know Daniel any more now than he did when they were kids, even though he wanted to think he did. Daniel was not so likeable and to be honest what he did, the lies he told, while I could see someone doing it, I can't see a person doing it to the person they love. I couldn't buy into the idea that Micah could rely on Daniel.
So although I didn't like Daniel, I did like the story and I loved Micah so hopefully he can find his HEA with Daniel even if I think he is too good for Daniel.
February 23, 2018
I love R.J. Scott’s cowboys, although this was one of her darker, more angst-filled stories. Poor Micah! Daniel, his aunt, uncle and others, were so cruel to him, even though he’d already paid a terrible price for his past. I could not like Daniel much at all. Yeah, things were bad for him but he was mean and pigheaded, even towards his own family. I also don’t like it when a character gets physically violent, even if it could be construed as justified, so when that happens, twice, it lost a whole star for me. The things he said and did, including shutting out his brother, were awful. Nope, even before his PTSD, he was an a$$. His later turnaround seemed to happen awfully fast too, and I think Micah forgave him too easily.
The plot centered around Micah’s sister was intriguing, using a different sort of plot device to bring everyone together in Whisper Ridge and the setting was great. I lived in Wyoming when I was young and I can still feel the cold! The secondary characters were presented well, in the way they enhanced the narrative, especially Neil, the sheriff. Of course, since this will be a series, some will be appearing in future stories. I’m hoping for a Neil and Connor story; the sheriff and the PI! It’s a great start to a new series, so for cowboy lovers and second-chance-love lovers, I’d recommend it.
*ARC was provided by the author, publisher or promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review for Hearts On Fire Reviews blog*
The plot centered around Micah’s sister was intriguing, using a different sort of plot device to bring everyone together in Whisper Ridge and the setting was great. I lived in Wyoming when I was young and I can still feel the cold! The secondary characters were presented well, in the way they enhanced the narrative, especially Neil, the sheriff. Of course, since this will be a series, some will be appearing in future stories. I’m hoping for a Neil and Connor story; the sheriff and the PI! It’s a great start to a new series, so for cowboy lovers and second-chance-love lovers, I’d recommend it.
*ARC was provided by the author, publisher or promotional service and I have chosen to publish a fair and honest review for Hearts On Fire Reviews blog*
February 28, 2018
This book had my attention from the beginning till the end. I wanted to read this as fast as possible to know what will happened next. But I'm not satisfied with the journey, especially the romance. The romantic in me feel that both the heroes spent too much time apart, hating each other, they don't communicate and then there are only a handful of times they reluctantly met each other. When they finally 'talk' and express their feelings, is almost at 70%.
I feel so sad for Micah. He was punished severely for an accident when he was just a teenager. Everyone act as though he took a knife and stab somebody. The worst is the way Daniel treated him. I'm mad at Daniel for half the book, until I finally see what he been through on his end. Is not easy to deal with an accident that befall your family member and coupled with his recent PTSD.
I wish the book actually dedicated more time to Daniel and Micah reconnecting with each other. I wish Daniel forgive Micah earlier and we can see how they make their relationship works in the town they grew up in. Micah was dealing with his sister's problem and Daniel is dealing with his PTSD. But these problems are dealt separately. I wish they actually help each other to heal. That is what I wish to read in a romance. While overall the story did captivate me, I was left wholly unsatisfied with Micah and Daniel's relationship.
I feel so sad for Micah. He was punished severely for an accident when he was just a teenager. Everyone act as though he took a knife and stab somebody. The worst is the way Daniel treated him. I'm mad at Daniel for half the book, until I finally see what he been through on his end. Is not easy to deal with an accident that befall your family member and coupled with his recent PTSD.
I wish the book actually dedicated more time to Daniel and Micah reconnecting with each other. I wish Daniel forgive Micah earlier and we can see how they make their relationship works in the town they grew up in. Micah was dealing with his sister's problem and Daniel is dealing with his PTSD. But these problems are dealt separately. I wish they actually help each other to heal. That is what I wish to read in a romance. While overall the story did captivate me, I was left wholly unsatisfied with Micah and Daniel's relationship.
February 27, 2018
When Micah returns to town after a long absence, he wanted to see his sister and her babies settled into their old ranch and get back to his life.
He never expected to stay, nor did he expect a second chance with his one and only love.
Daniel wasn’t happy Micah was back, as he was the one who told him to leave town after an accident left someone dead, and his brother crippled. 9 years later, he’s still holding onto old hurts and anger. Can he let it go before it’s too late?
This book had me hooked from the first page. We know what happened to break them apart, but I was interested to know how they find their way back to each other. Especially since Daniel was so angry. The book was told in dual first person, with enough flashbacks to fill in their backstory. I loved Daniel’s family, and that they loved him enough to help him get over the past. I felt Micah’s pain over his sisters situation, but I do wish we’d gotten a bit more of her backstory.
Overall, I enjoyed this, and I do recommend.
*ARC provided by author
He never expected to stay, nor did he expect a second chance with his one and only love.
Daniel wasn’t happy Micah was back, as he was the one who told him to leave town after an accident left someone dead, and his brother crippled. 9 years later, he’s still holding onto old hurts and anger. Can he let it go before it’s too late?
This book had me hooked from the first page. We know what happened to break them apart, but I was interested to know how they find their way back to each other. Especially since Daniel was so angry. The book was told in dual first person, with enough flashbacks to fill in their backstory. I loved Daniel’s family, and that they loved him enough to help him get over the past. I felt Micah’s pain over his sisters situation, but I do wish we’d gotten a bit more of her backstory.
Overall, I enjoyed this, and I do recommend.
*ARC provided by author
March 7, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.75 stars
I loved Winter Cowboy! At least as much as I can love a book that’s so emotionally hard to read. There is angst aplenty in this story and I advise you to have your tissues handy. Right from the start it’s easy to be sympathetic to Micah. The town wants him to be some sort of cruel demon, but it’s obvious the tragedy that killed his friend Isaac and crippled Chris was an accident and nothing more. The act of stupid, drunk boys who should have known better. Micah goes to prison for his part and even that seems a harsh penalty.
Micah serves his time and goes on to live a half life, one where he is isolated from his family and continues to pay for his sins. I appreciated the realistic way the author handled Micah’s reunion with Daniel and Micah’s unwillingness to remain the town scapegoat. Winter Cowboy does an excellent job of tackling the nature of forgiveness and what it really means to confront the past. There are lots of hard scenes, but they each peel back another layer for Daniel and Micah’s history and indeed that of the rest of the town. There’s nothing easy about this book, but it always feels worthwhile.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the romance between Daniel and Micah. Most of the book was given over to Daniel finding a way to forgive Micah and to deal with his own grief. So when the romance happens, it feels rushed and somewhat out of place. Given how much baggage these two had to wade through, jumping into a relationship seemed awkward.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
4.75 stars
I loved Winter Cowboy! At least as much as I can love a book that’s so emotionally hard to read. There is angst aplenty in this story and I advise you to have your tissues handy. Right from the start it’s easy to be sympathetic to Micah. The town wants him to be some sort of cruel demon, but it’s obvious the tragedy that killed his friend Isaac and crippled Chris was an accident and nothing more. The act of stupid, drunk boys who should have known better. Micah goes to prison for his part and even that seems a harsh penalty.
Micah serves his time and goes on to live a half life, one where he is isolated from his family and continues to pay for his sins. I appreciated the realistic way the author handled Micah’s reunion with Daniel and Micah’s unwillingness to remain the town scapegoat. Winter Cowboy does an excellent job of tackling the nature of forgiveness and what it really means to confront the past. There are lots of hard scenes, but they each peel back another layer for Daniel and Micah’s history and indeed that of the rest of the town. There’s nothing easy about this book, but it always feels worthwhile.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the romance between Daniel and Micah. Most of the book was given over to Daniel finding a way to forgive Micah and to deal with his own grief. So when the romance happens, it feels rushed and somewhat out of place. Given how much baggage these two had to wade through, jumping into a relationship seemed awkward.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
February 27, 2018
Daniel and Micah's story is a complicated, heartrending, often emotionally charged, love story. Both of their families contribute a lot of stress, healing and love to this story. Emotions run high when you're in your teens. Family tragedy, abuse and neglect, new love, judgement from those you love. Then a horrible accident happens that rips everything and everyone apart.
To say that this book was intense is an understatement. I was asked if it was an OK story. I responded..if you mean that I wanted to shake Micah and Daniel, make them TALK to each other about the past, wanted to hug them to me and never let them go and smack a few characters, which I will not name, but I am sure, when reading this book you'll know exactly who I mean, then yes..it was OK. So much tragedy these men had to deal with, both together and separately, was huge. The need to deal with what happened, work through it and find the love they lost, was a little draining both for them and me reading about it. I'd like to add that I not only fell for the main characters but also the supporting ones as well. The overwhelming need to hug Laurie and his mom was right up there with my need for raspberry ice tea. Ms. Scott always does an amazing job telling a story. She knows just how to rip a whole in my heart, then heal it again. I cannot recommend this enough. From the very first word "A" to the very last , "loved", if you are a hopeless romantic like me, you will absolutely love this story!
To say that this book was intense is an understatement. I was asked if it was an OK story. I responded..if you mean that I wanted to shake Micah and Daniel, make them TALK to each other about the past, wanted to hug them to me and never let them go and smack a few characters, which I will not name, but I am sure, when reading this book you'll know exactly who I mean, then yes..it was OK. So much tragedy these men had to deal with, both together and separately, was huge. The need to deal with what happened, work through it and find the love they lost, was a little draining both for them and me reading about it. I'd like to add that I not only fell for the main characters but also the supporting ones as well. The overwhelming need to hug Laurie and his mom was right up there with my need for raspberry ice tea. Ms. Scott always does an amazing job telling a story. She knows just how to rip a whole in my heart, then heal it again. I cannot recommend this enough. From the very first word "A" to the very last , "loved", if you are a hopeless romantic like me, you will absolutely love this story!
February 20, 2018
This book! Oh My Days! RJ Scott has a real talent of creating communities you get really invested in, you're not just falling in love with the MC's, you're falling in love with their families, their friends, the town and with this being the first in a series it's all so new and wonderful <3
Micah and Daniel have a hell of a lot of issues to work through, so much pain on both sides, this isn't a light and fluffy read, you're going to feel everything they are going through but it's so so so worth it.
Bloody loved it <3
Micah and Daniel have a hell of a lot of issues to work through, so much pain on both sides, this isn't a light and fluffy read, you're going to feel everything they are going through but it's so so so worth it.
Bloody loved it <3
April 7, 2018
Me siento de otro planeta o muy cínica, pero me ha parecido un disparate, no hay nada orgánico y real que haya resonado en mi en referencia a la historia, pasa demasiado a la misma gente, y la pareja más bien me parecen una tristeza. Lo siento pero ha sido una decepción y eso que no venía con pretensiones de algo más que pasar un buen rato con una lectura ligera. 2 siendo generosa.
March 18, 2018
While I enjoyed reading this book it missed the mark for me just a bit. The first part of the book had be engrossed, but by the second half I was a bit bored of it all. It never really went anywhere new, and then out of the blue there was an epilogue and I was left trying to catch up.
Christmas Eve nine years ago changed Micah’s life forever, it changed the whole town. But Micah lost everything and everyone he loved. Promising never to return he left – or more accurately was driven out of town. My heart broke for Micah and everything he’d gone through, for the loneliness and heartbreak, believing he didn’t deserve anything better.
Daniel had always had a plan. Go to medical school, find a job in a city for a few years and then return back home to work with his dad. Only life happened and he’s taken hostage at the hospital he worked. Suffering from PTSD he returns back home to lick his wounds in piece – or as much as a loving and meddling family will allow him. I will admit I never warmed to Daniel, I never felt for him as I did Micah. I mostly wanted to give him a kick in the butt and tell him to get his head out of his ass. (And I’m not talking about his PTSD, just everything else).
There was a lot of hurt and guilt going around, in truckloads in fact, and from so many angles and people. Some wounds more fresh than others, but bleeding nonetheless. Daniel and Micah dance around each other for most of the book and I don’t really feel any connection between them. There was just too much hurt, for that. Too many issues, issues that were never really resolved for my liking. Their getting together didn’t feel natural to me, it was more out of the blue and all the hurts and past swept under the rug, and miraculously forgotten. It didn’t sit right with me.
This book had an intense start, there were a lot going on and with many hints to people and past events. I will admit that it got confusing at times, but it got better as the story developed a bit more. I was invested in the story and wanted to know more. I’m a huge fan of building tension, getting to know characters and their pasts, so I have an aversion to books with huge info dumps in the beginning. I want to be left a bit in suspense, to wonder about the people and their pasts. That’s what Scott delivered in this book, only not as much as I would’ve liked. After finishing the book I’m still left with a lot of unanswered questions. And what’s even worse, after all the buildup and tension, the angst, it all just fizzled out, it was anticlimactic to say the least and I wanted something more. It felt unfinished and incomplete.
Winter Cowboy is not a light or fluffy read. It’s packed with angst and past hurts and slights. But it’s also a story of starting over, about forgiveness and moving forward. I am probably going to pick up the next book in the series, as I’m interested to see where the story takes us next, perhaps we’ll get more of a closure. One can only hope.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
Christmas Eve nine years ago changed Micah’s life forever, it changed the whole town. But Micah lost everything and everyone he loved. Promising never to return he left – or more accurately was driven out of town. My heart broke for Micah and everything he’d gone through, for the loneliness and heartbreak, believing he didn’t deserve anything better.
Daniel had always had a plan. Go to medical school, find a job in a city for a few years and then return back home to work with his dad. Only life happened and he’s taken hostage at the hospital he worked. Suffering from PTSD he returns back home to lick his wounds in piece – or as much as a loving and meddling family will allow him. I will admit I never warmed to Daniel, I never felt for him as I did Micah. I mostly wanted to give him a kick in the butt and tell him to get his head out of his ass. (And I’m not talking about his PTSD, just everything else).
There was a lot of hurt and guilt going around, in truckloads in fact, and from so many angles and people. Some wounds more fresh than others, but bleeding nonetheless. Daniel and Micah dance around each other for most of the book and I don’t really feel any connection between them. There was just too much hurt, for that. Too many issues, issues that were never really resolved for my liking. Their getting together didn’t feel natural to me, it was more out of the blue and all the hurts and past swept under the rug, and miraculously forgotten. It didn’t sit right with me.
This book had an intense start, there were a lot going on and with many hints to people and past events. I will admit that it got confusing at times, but it got better as the story developed a bit more. I was invested in the story and wanted to know more. I’m a huge fan of building tension, getting to know characters and their pasts, so I have an aversion to books with huge info dumps in the beginning. I want to be left a bit in suspense, to wonder about the people and their pasts. That’s what Scott delivered in this book, only not as much as I would’ve liked. After finishing the book I’m still left with a lot of unanswered questions. And what’s even worse, after all the buildup and tension, the angst, it all just fizzled out, it was anticlimactic to say the least and I wanted something more. It felt unfinished and incomplete.
Winter Cowboy is not a light or fluffy read. It’s packed with angst and past hurts and slights. But it’s also a story of starting over, about forgiveness and moving forward. I am probably going to pick up the next book in the series, as I’m interested to see where the story takes us next, perhaps we’ll get more of a closure. One can only hope.
A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
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June 29, 2023No rating, because I'm way too pissed off to give this more than 1 star.
WTAF was this? Certainly not a romance. For that, there'd have to be an actual believable romantic connection between the MCs, and other than their history, there wasn't. There was a ton of pain for both of them, for many of the side characters too, and there wasn't ONE SINGLE REDEEMING QUALITY in Daniel.
I hated him. He didn't deserve Micah, nor did he deserve forgiveness. IDGAF that he had a traumatic experience during his residency, IDGAF that he's suffering from PTSD. That is NO EXCUSE because the accident happened long before that. Sure, he was only 22 at the time, but TO LIE about a part of the event leading up to the accident, because what - he's scared or mad that his 19 yo boyfriend said the L word? Fuck you, Daniel. FUCK YOU, you asshole.
I felt for Micah. He took on all the blame for the stupid decisions of three 19 year old boys that ended with one of them dead, one of them losing a limb, and Micah basically banished from the only home he's ever known, thrown in jail for A FUCKING ACCIDENT, and then living with the guilt for nine years, trying to make a new life, sending home money as much as possible so his ranch, his inheritance, can continue to run, and feeling like he deserves everyone's hate.
Uncle Jeff - go DIAF. What the fuck was wrong with that guy? Where did all this hate come from?
Yeah... this was not a good book for me. And fuck you, Daniel.
WTAF was this? Certainly not a romance. For that, there'd have to be an actual believable romantic connection between the MCs, and other than their history, there wasn't. There was a ton of pain for both of them, for many of the side characters too, and there wasn't ONE SINGLE REDEEMING QUALITY in Daniel.
I hated him. He didn't deserve Micah, nor did he deserve forgiveness. IDGAF that he had a traumatic experience during his residency, IDGAF that he's suffering from PTSD. That is NO EXCUSE because the accident happened long before that. Sure, he was only 22 at the time, but TO LIE about a part of the event leading up to the accident, because what - he's scared or mad that his 19 yo boyfriend said the L word? Fuck you, Daniel. FUCK YOU, you asshole.
I felt for Micah. He took on all the blame for the stupid decisions of three 19 year old boys that ended with one of them dead, one of them losing a limb, and Micah basically banished from the only home he's ever known, thrown in jail for A FUCKING ACCIDENT, and then living with the guilt for nine years, trying to make a new life, sending home money as much as possible so his ranch, his inheritance, can continue to run, and feeling like he deserves everyone's hate.
Uncle Jeff - go DIAF. What the fuck was wrong with that guy? Where did all this hate come from?
Yeah... this was not a good book for me. And fuck you, Daniel.
March 16, 2018
This story is quite dark and depressing and there’s no romance to it until the latter part of the book so readers should be prepared to wait for the love and also be prepared for a lot of heartbreak and pain from past mistakes. To be honest, the setup took so long and was so depressing, I was tempted to stop reading. But I love RJ Scott’s work so I knew it would be worth the wait and I kept going.
Micah is summoned by the sister he hasn’t seen in nearly ten years when she’s finally able to get a call out for help from the compound of the cult where’s she’s been held and abused. Arriving just in time to see her shoot her husband, an insane cult leader, Micah grabs her and her five-year-old son, Laurie, and they get out with only the clothes on their backs. And though he hasn’t been home in nine years, he heads to the ranch he inherited from his father, all while making plans to set up whatever he needs to secure his sister’s future. He’d left the area after he took his boyfriend Daniel’s car on a joyride with his two best friends and was involved in an accident that killed one boy and left the other without a leg. The one who lost his leg is Daniel’s brother, and in his grief and pain, Daniel pushed Micah away and made him promise never to return home.
After spending a year in prison for reckless driving and manslaughter, Micah has been working as a professional trainer on a horse farm, sending his wages home to his aunt and uncle for upkeep on the family ranch. So when he comes back with a very pregnant Rachel and little undernourished and emotionally abused Laurie, he not only expects trouble, he gets it.
There’s quite a bit of backstory on what happened to Rachel in the cult but there’s even more about what happened to Micah and why he and Daniel can’t be together again. To make matters worse, Daniel is suffering PTSD from an incident at the hospital where he was the ER physician when a former patient’s family member took hostages and killed Daniel’s coworker. All of this trauma for Daniel comes out in anger toward Micah, and even in physical violence a few times.
To be honest, Daniel wasn’t a likeable character, even toward the end of the story when he finally took his counseling to heart and learned how to look at the past differently. Micah was also a bit of a bundle of nerves, with his protector hero complex, always worried about his sister and the consequences of someone finding out what happened. Fully prepared to take the blame, he wallowed in angst and dark thoughts for most of the book.
If the last fourth of the story didn’t move toward positive action when it did, I’d likely have given this a lower rating because, as I said, it was dark and depressing and there was a lot about their backstory, none of which was pleasant. The author was able to tie all the loose ends together, however, and finally brush off the old romance and give it new life, making it one I can look back on and say I liked.
Secondary characters were many and varied and I especially enjoyed little Laurie. He won my heart from the first time he appeared in the story and never relinquished it at all. I also found the sheriff to be intriguing, as well as Daniel’s brother Chris, the young man who lost a pro sports career when he lost his leg. I hope both of these characters get their own stories—together or individually with different love interests.
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy a book with plenty of angst-filled moments, as well as hurt-comfort and redemption.
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
Micah is summoned by the sister he hasn’t seen in nearly ten years when she’s finally able to get a call out for help from the compound of the cult where’s she’s been held and abused. Arriving just in time to see her shoot her husband, an insane cult leader, Micah grabs her and her five-year-old son, Laurie, and they get out with only the clothes on their backs. And though he hasn’t been home in nine years, he heads to the ranch he inherited from his father, all while making plans to set up whatever he needs to secure his sister’s future. He’d left the area after he took his boyfriend Daniel’s car on a joyride with his two best friends and was involved in an accident that killed one boy and left the other without a leg. The one who lost his leg is Daniel’s brother, and in his grief and pain, Daniel pushed Micah away and made him promise never to return home.
After spending a year in prison for reckless driving and manslaughter, Micah has been working as a professional trainer on a horse farm, sending his wages home to his aunt and uncle for upkeep on the family ranch. So when he comes back with a very pregnant Rachel and little undernourished and emotionally abused Laurie, he not only expects trouble, he gets it.
There’s quite a bit of backstory on what happened to Rachel in the cult but there’s even more about what happened to Micah and why he and Daniel can’t be together again. To make matters worse, Daniel is suffering PTSD from an incident at the hospital where he was the ER physician when a former patient’s family member took hostages and killed Daniel’s coworker. All of this trauma for Daniel comes out in anger toward Micah, and even in physical violence a few times.
To be honest, Daniel wasn’t a likeable character, even toward the end of the story when he finally took his counseling to heart and learned how to look at the past differently. Micah was also a bit of a bundle of nerves, with his protector hero complex, always worried about his sister and the consequences of someone finding out what happened. Fully prepared to take the blame, he wallowed in angst and dark thoughts for most of the book.
If the last fourth of the story didn’t move toward positive action when it did, I’d likely have given this a lower rating because, as I said, it was dark and depressing and there was a lot about their backstory, none of which was pleasant. The author was able to tie all the loose ends together, however, and finally brush off the old romance and give it new life, making it one I can look back on and say I liked.
Secondary characters were many and varied and I especially enjoyed little Laurie. He won my heart from the first time he appeared in the story and never relinquished it at all. I also found the sheriff to be intriguing, as well as Daniel’s brother Chris, the young man who lost a pro sports career when he lost his leg. I hope both of these characters get their own stories—together or individually with different love interests.
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy a book with plenty of angst-filled moments, as well as hurt-comfort and redemption.
ARC provided by the publisher through Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words in exchange for an impartial review.
March 14, 2018
A great start to a new series!
Winter Cowboy tore me up and then put me back together again. It's no secret that I love books by RJ Scott. Her backlist is huge so I haven't read all of them yet – but I'm working on it. 😊
Winter Cowboy is a very moving story about two young men who were torn apart by a horrible accident. Daniel and Micah were so much in love with each other until the unthinkable happened and Daniel told Micah to leave Whisper Ridge and never come back but Micah returns 9 years later to help his sister.
The story is told in first person alternating between Daniel and Micah. While this isn't my favorite POV, I'm beginning to appreciate it a bit more; especially when done by my favorite authors. We first learn what happened in 2009 and then jump to present day. Throughout the story we get glimpses of Daniel and Micah's past in the form of memories that they have.
During the time that Micah's been away from Whisper Ridge he's grown into a man and made a life for himself training horses. Daniel has been to medical school and worked as an ER doctor; he returned to Whisper Ridge after a tragedy struck the ER where he was working.
Like nearly all of RJ Scott's books, Winter Cowboy had me in tears more than once. Sometimes they were sad tears for the things that these guys were going through and sometimes they were happy when things started working out for them.
Winter Cowboy is a strong start to the new Whisper Ridge series and I can hardly wait to read the next one.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
Winter Cowboy tore me up and then put me back together again. It's no secret that I love books by RJ Scott. Her backlist is huge so I haven't read all of them yet – but I'm working on it. 😊
Winter Cowboy is a very moving story about two young men who were torn apart by a horrible accident. Daniel and Micah were so much in love with each other until the unthinkable happened and Daniel told Micah to leave Whisper Ridge and never come back but Micah returns 9 years later to help his sister.
The story is told in first person alternating between Daniel and Micah. While this isn't my favorite POV, I'm beginning to appreciate it a bit more; especially when done by my favorite authors. We first learn what happened in 2009 and then jump to present day. Throughout the story we get glimpses of Daniel and Micah's past in the form of memories that they have.
During the time that Micah's been away from Whisper Ridge he's grown into a man and made a life for himself training horses. Daniel has been to medical school and worked as an ER doctor; he returned to Whisper Ridge after a tragedy struck the ER where he was working.
Like nearly all of RJ Scott's books, Winter Cowboy had me in tears more than once. Sometimes they were sad tears for the things that these guys were going through and sometimes they were happy when things started working out for them.
Winter Cowboy is a strong start to the new Whisper Ridge series and I can hardly wait to read the next one.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
March 7, 2018
A tragedy-tinged but hopeful second chance…
If you are hoping for a light-hearted, fluffy read then don’t read any further. You are in luck though if you are looking for an emotional, “lump in your throat”, second chance romance…
“It’s all such a mess.”
And it was. There is a lot going on in this second chance romance that sees Micah going home, dragging his traumatized family with him. It was the only place, the only option, where they might be safe and Micah was going to make sure Rachel and Laurie were okay, no matter what it cost himself. Daniel was not going to like it but it wouldn’t be for long…
“We could have meant everything to each other…”
Daniel was back home as well, struggling with the aftermath of a violent incident he could not shake. The return of Micah was one more blow to an already shaky calm…
I love this author’s cowboys! They are stories of love and family, with plenty of drama and angst to spare. This time out was no exception in the start of another series that I’m already hooked on. Micah and Daniel had a tragic shared past with pain and loss mixed with a love that barely had a chance before it was lost. Their reunion was explosive and that anger only rivaled the level of feelings for each other that was still there… Be prepared to dive in and not come up for air until the very end…
March 27, 2018
4.5* I loved this one! It has Montana series vibes....
It has a tonss of drama, but also intrigue!
Micah and Daniel were a pair of teenagers experimenting their first love, when Micah suffer a car accident with his friends. One of them die and the other, Daniel's brother, was burn and lost a leg so Daniel was totally mad with Micah and ask him to go away.
Now, 9 years after all of that Micah need to help his sister and nephew and the only place they have to go is their hometown... so yeah, you can imagine that the reunion is not going to be very pleasant!
Oh, I want to know about who is going to be the book 2 *_*!!!! Love the sagas!!! Montana is one of my favs! I hope to read about Chris or Neil
It has a tonss of drama, but also intrigue!
Micah and Daniel were a pair of teenagers experimenting their first love, when Micah suffer a car accident with his friends. One of them die and the other, Daniel's brother, was burn and lost a leg so Daniel was totally mad with Micah and ask him to go away.
Now, 9 years after all of that Micah need to help his sister and nephew and the only place they have to go is their hometown... so yeah, you can imagine that the reunion is not going to be very pleasant!
Oh, I want to know about who is going to be the book 2 *_*!!!! Love the sagas!!! Montana is one of my favs! I hope to read about Chris or Neil
November 9, 2018
This is a wonderfully written story that captivated my attention and kept me glued to the pages. My heart hurt for Micahand Daniel and all the pain and suffering they have gone through. Both men are broken from a shared past tragedy and ones suffered individually. I thought the characters were written well, they are believable, complex, and heartfelt. The romance (second chance) between these two men is a very slow burn. I like how the author took the time to build up to these men reconnecting romantically, it felt more realistic and believable. This book had my emotions on a rollercoaster, through it all, I wanted to see these men succeed on their difficult journey back to each other. Definitely a book worth reading.
January 17, 2022
Darum geht's:
Es ist fast 10 Jahre her, dass ein schrecklicher Unfall dafür sorgte, dass Micah fluchtartig die Stadt verlassen hat. Er hat seinem damaligen Lover Daniel geschworen, nie wieder zurückzukehren. Doch nun bleibt ihm keine andere Wahl, denn er weiß nicht, wohin er seine schwangere Schwester sonst in Sicherheit bringen soll. Auch wenn seine Rückkehr nach Whisper Ridge die Geschehnisse von damals und seine große Liebe zu Daniel wieder schmerzhaft aufrühen.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
Es ist fast 10 Jahre her, dass ein schrecklicher Unfall dafür sorgte, dass Micah fluchtartig die Stadt verlassen hat. Er hat seinem damaligen Lover Daniel geschworen, nie wieder zurückzukehren. Doch nun bleibt ihm keine andere Wahl, denn er weiß nicht, wohin er seine schwangere Schwester sonst in Sicherheit bringen soll. Auch wenn seine Rückkehr nach Whisper Ridge die Geschehnisse von damals und seine große Liebe zu Daniel wieder schmerzhaft aufrühen.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
March 1, 2018
Wow! When RJ Scott sets out to do angst, she does it! This story of second chance romance has a LOT of angst and some amazing MC's and secondary characters. Great start to a new series.
Daniel and Micah are torn apart by a tragic accident and the hits don't stop there. Can two very broken men find each other again? Their story is compelling and riveting - I couldn't put it down!
If you like your books to stir strong emotions, this is the book you've been looking for :-)
Well done!!
Daniel and Micah are torn apart by a tragic accident and the hits don't stop there. Can two very broken men find each other again? Their story is compelling and riveting - I couldn't put it down!
If you like your books to stir strong emotions, this is the book you've been looking for :-)
Well done!!
July 23, 2021
I liked this book a lot. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Daniel and Micah both had a lot going for them, so seeong thrm wrestle with their demons and each other was really exciting. I, personally, could have used more interaction between each other and the secondary characters, and maybe more happening after the climax, but it was really good overall
April 13, 2025
This was a heavy read with themes of grief, trauma and abuse. It isn't a romance in a normal sense, but more like a letting go of past hurts to reunite stronger than before.
Daniel has moved back to Whisper Ridge to work as a doctor in his family's practice. This is a big change after working as a trauma surgeon in a busy city hospital, but after surviving a hostage situation he just couldn't go back.
Micah promised Daniel years ago that he'd never return to Whisper Ridge, but after saving his sister from a bad situation, he has no choice but to bring her home.
Their reunion starts sour, but as they spend more time together, old wounds start to heal and old flames ignite.
I do think this book could have benefited from some happy moments. No character is having a good time, but I was so absorbed from the start and fell in love with these two men.
Daniel has moved back to Whisper Ridge to work as a doctor in his family's practice. This is a big change after working as a trauma surgeon in a busy city hospital, but after surviving a hostage situation he just couldn't go back.
Micah promised Daniel years ago that he'd never return to Whisper Ridge, but after saving his sister from a bad situation, he has no choice but to bring her home.
Their reunion starts sour, but as they spend more time together, old wounds start to heal and old flames ignite.
I do think this book could have benefited from some happy moments. No character is having a good time, but I was so absorbed from the start and fell in love with these two men.
March 8, 2018
Review to follow at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.
ARC provided by Love Lane Books Ltd in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by Love Lane Books Ltd in exchange for an honest review.
March 11, 2018
I usually have a hard time tolerating heavy angst, and this book is full of it. However, it’s RJ Scott, so it’s well worth the read. There are several back stories that are used to introduce characters into the story.
One involves teenaged Micah and two friends involved in a car wreck in which one friend dies and the other is physically disabled, unable to pursue his dreams of professional sports. Micah spends time in prison for driving the car but his guilt is far more punishment. His boyfriend Daniel is the brother of Chris, who lost his leg in the accident. Daniel’s grief consumes him and causes him to demand Micah leave town and never come back.
A second backstory has Micah trying to rescue his sister Rebecca and nephew from some kind of cult, which ends up with pregnant Rebecca killing her abusive husband. As faceless, shadowy figures watch, Micah, Rebecca, and her son Laurie escape in Micah’s car. Although he has a good job on a ranch near Denver, Micah fears the cult will find them there so they return to Whisper Ridge and a ranch where Micah and Rebecca grew up.
A third backstory plays off of the second one and involves a senator’s son. This story is barely touched on but comes back near the end of the book. Another of Daniel’s brothers is the sheriff of the town and he becomes involved in this part of the story.
A fourth backstory revolves around Micah’s aunt and uncle who supposedly have been managing Micah’s family ranch while he was gone. Micah has been sending a lot of money home to pay for the ranch maintenance but it seemingly has not been done. These two people are pretty sketchy and we need to learn more about them eventually. What have they been doing with Micah’s money and why have rumors about Micah being involved in criminal activities to get that money been circulating in town?
Micah tries to get Rebecca and Laurie settled in Whisper Ridge before he leaves and goes back to Denver. There is a lot of talk between Micah’s family and Daniel’s family and between Micah and Daniel, who is now a doctor, about the need to communicate, but that’s all there is: talk about needing to talk. It takes a while for all of the characters to work through their anger and come out at the other end ready to move forward. There are some unresolved issues so I’m really looking forward to the next book in this new series.
One involves teenaged Micah and two friends involved in a car wreck in which one friend dies and the other is physically disabled, unable to pursue his dreams of professional sports. Micah spends time in prison for driving the car but his guilt is far more punishment. His boyfriend Daniel is the brother of Chris, who lost his leg in the accident. Daniel’s grief consumes him and causes him to demand Micah leave town and never come back.
A second backstory has Micah trying to rescue his sister Rebecca and nephew from some kind of cult, which ends up with pregnant Rebecca killing her abusive husband. As faceless, shadowy figures watch, Micah, Rebecca, and her son Laurie escape in Micah’s car. Although he has a good job on a ranch near Denver, Micah fears the cult will find them there so they return to Whisper Ridge and a ranch where Micah and Rebecca grew up.
A third backstory plays off of the second one and involves a senator’s son. This story is barely touched on but comes back near the end of the book. Another of Daniel’s brothers is the sheriff of the town and he becomes involved in this part of the story.
A fourth backstory revolves around Micah’s aunt and uncle who supposedly have been managing Micah’s family ranch while he was gone. Micah has been sending a lot of money home to pay for the ranch maintenance but it seemingly has not been done. These two people are pretty sketchy and we need to learn more about them eventually. What have they been doing with Micah’s money and why have rumors about Micah being involved in criminal activities to get that money been circulating in town?
Micah tries to get Rebecca and Laurie settled in Whisper Ridge before he leaves and goes back to Denver. There is a lot of talk between Micah’s family and Daniel’s family and between Micah and Daniel, who is now a doctor, about the need to communicate, but that’s all there is: talk about needing to talk. It takes a while for all of the characters to work through their anger and come out at the other end ready to move forward. There are some unresolved issues so I’m really looking forward to the next book in this new series.
February 25, 2018
I love when RJ Scott starts a new series because you know it's gonna be damn good. I love her MCs, flaws and all, and totally adore her side characters. Her writing style is such that a fantastic sense of place comes through from the pages and I get transported away, whether it's an ice hockey rink, a ranch in Texas or a small community in snowy Wyoming.
What I really enjoyed about this book was that such a key part of the story was about redemption and the MCs dealing with and moving on from the guilt that they suffer from events in their pasts. Yes it's a second chance love story between Micah and Daniel but the main part of the story was them facing up to the parts they played in life changing moments but also accepting that certain things weren't all their faults. Micah and Daniel's struggles with moving on from their pasts were painful to read at times. Seeing them witness the suffering their siblings had faced was heartbreaking. To be honest there were moments when I really wasn't sure if they would ever find their way back to each other, it felt like there was just too many things in the way. But RJ being the fantastic writer and creator of HEAs that she is found a way. Seeing Micah and Daniel being able to not only forgive each other and themselves was heartwarming, warm enough to melt the freezing Wyoming snow.
Winter Cowboy is a great opening to RJ's new Whisper Ridge, Wyoming series. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I'm already looking forward to seeing what comes next in the rest of the series.
What I really enjoyed about this book was that such a key part of the story was about redemption and the MCs dealing with and moving on from the guilt that they suffer from events in their pasts. Yes it's a second chance love story between Micah and Daniel but the main part of the story was them facing up to the parts they played in life changing moments but also accepting that certain things weren't all their faults. Micah and Daniel's struggles with moving on from their pasts were painful to read at times. Seeing them witness the suffering their siblings had faced was heartbreaking. To be honest there were moments when I really wasn't sure if they would ever find their way back to each other, it felt like there was just too many things in the way. But RJ being the fantastic writer and creator of HEAs that she is found a way. Seeing Micah and Daniel being able to not only forgive each other and themselves was heartwarming, warm enough to melt the freezing Wyoming snow.
Winter Cowboy is a great opening to RJ's new Whisper Ridge, Wyoming series. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I'm already looking forward to seeing what comes next in the rest of the series.
February 27, 2018
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
Oh how happy am I that this is the beginning of a new series? ... yep 5*s worth of happy!
Ms Scott does a wonderful line in cowboys who have brains, ethics and deep desires, that make for really meaningful stories. Here we have a tale which begins with such a dramatic ending, that it is really difficult to believe that there will be a change in the feelings between Micah and Daniel. And yet, I knew that she would pull it off and make me believe the transition from hatred to love.
Rachel's story is also very important to this book, and it is wonderful to watch her and her children as they re-establish themselves in the Whisper Ridge and return to some form of stable life. I am hoping that more good things are going to happen to them in future installments. They certainly deserve an HEA too.
There are probably many people who could benefit from thinking about Chris's take on things, and Micah does at least listen and consider just what did happen and who was to blame. I am keen to read more about his future.
The passion in this book is deeply felt, yet slow to be released. It makes for an amazing build up of confused desires and memories of easier times. It makes the ending all the richer. Read it and see what I mean!
Oh how happy am I that this is the beginning of a new series? ... yep 5*s worth of happy!
Ms Scott does a wonderful line in cowboys who have brains, ethics and deep desires, that make for really meaningful stories. Here we have a tale which begins with such a dramatic ending, that it is really difficult to believe that there will be a change in the feelings between Micah and Daniel. And yet, I knew that she would pull it off and make me believe the transition from hatred to love.
Rachel's story is also very important to this book, and it is wonderful to watch her and her children as they re-establish themselves in the Whisper Ridge and return to some form of stable life. I am hoping that more good things are going to happen to them in future installments. They certainly deserve an HEA too.
There are probably many people who could benefit from thinking about Chris's take on things, and Micah does at least listen and consider just what did happen and who was to blame. I am keen to read more about his future.
The passion in this book is deeply felt, yet slow to be released. It makes for an amazing build up of confused desires and memories of easier times. It makes the ending all the richer. Read it and see what I mean!
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