Horse show. Healing. Hurricane. When Attila takes on more than his autistic spectrum wiring can handle, Kai becomes the pillar against which he leans in times of sorrow. Yet love heals all, and so does trust as Kai exhibits extraordinary courage in the 3rd book of the Wild Horses series.
Disclaimer: No horses or hot men in love were maimed in the making of this book, and all broken hearts healed in the end.
Kate Pavelle learned to use a gas mask in first grade, fired her first VZ50 in her sixth grade civil defense class and her dog was a wolf hybrid stolen from the Czechoslovak border guard. Her eccentric father blew out the windows of their house with a stun grenade. Her high-stakes childhood leaves Kate searching for the next exciting thing: martial arts, horses, toxic mushrooms. Her quests resonates through her suspense, thrillers and romances. Kate once knew the hunger of being a political refugee and the terror of being pursued by government agents. She imbues her characters with her own struggle for survival, excellence, and world domination. Only the dead bodies are imaginary.
Absolutely loved it! I was so into the story, I didn't realize it was almost over. This book doesn't have a mystery or some problem to solve. It's about Kai & Atilla growing and strengthening their relationship.
I didn't really remember about the MCs or their story in the previous book, but I found that I could read this book okay. The tension was kept tight all the way to the end; I was waiting for the other shoe to drop or a big drama to happen, but it's mostly smooth sailing with just some little ripples.
I was glad that Kai could deal with Attila and his quirks reasonably. And I was also pleased that the story didn't waste the horse farm setting, because it's fun and educating reading about the horse farm.
"It's really important to share the idea that being different might feel like a problem at the time, but ultimately, diversity is a strength.” ~ Carson Kressley
'Broken Gait' by Kate Cavelle picks up where the first book in the series, 'Wild Horses' left off. Attila and Kai are settling deeper into their relationship and things are going well. Attila is proud of Kai's natural ability with horses and his ease at picking up the daily operations of the stables. Attila is delighted that his perception of Kai's potential is accurate; he has done what he can to help Kai see this. Kai thinks of Attila’s poor social skills as quirks rather than flaws and digs into research about the autism spectrum in order to help him learn coping skills. Generally the tips help, but when it comes to attending his first horse show in years, Attila has his doubts.
Attila has struggled for years knowing his behavior is different from most people, but he didn't realize that his stilted speech, inability to meet other people's gaze, stuttering, and meltdowns and the inevitable depression that follows are caused by his brain being wired differently. Attila manages it on his own for as long as he can before he withdraws to the safety of his ranch where he can control the overstimulation of his mind caused by being in society . He never expects to meet someone like Kai who can appreciate his uniqueness without considering it a burden. As time goes be, they become a well oiled machine, running the farm with an efficiency that pleasantly surprises Attila. He can hardly believe how happy he is with Kai and how well he is adapting to the farm. Attila appreciates Kai's patience, understanding, and support more than he can express. He loves the way Kai refers to his issues as quirks. Attila loves Kai dearly and trusts him as he has no other, but still lives with the constant fear that he is so high maintenance, Kai will eventually tire of him and leave. This only serves to increase his anxiety making it more difficult for him to function.
Kai has a natural affinity for horses and learns to ride with relative ease. He loves Attila and hates to see him struggle, but he knows that it is his battle to fight. That doesn't mean Kai can't give him weapons with which to do battle and can't be there as backup. He's thrilled that Attila applies the tools Kai has discovered through research and is proud and encouraged by his progress. Kai is cautiously optimistic when Attila agrees to attend his first horse show in years and knows, that if he copes well, it will be a big personal victory for him. Even though Kai understands, he still hates to see all that talent lying dormant. He feels that Attila has so much to give to world and is going to do whatever he can to see that happen. At the same time, Kai knows he will be there, regardless the outcome. When things at the show go bad and Attila withdraws from the world, Kai is lost. He wants to help him, but Kai also knows that even with all the love and encouragement he can muster, it may not be enough. Kai wants to find the key that unlocks Attila’s mind, the one that will let him in again. Kai pours his heart out in a final attempt to draw Attila out: “Whenever... you withdraw into that silence of yours, ….that’s really scary...I think the worst things...You disappear, and I figure I’m screwing up so bad...what’s the next worst thing that could happen besides losing Attila?...you being in pain, babe. I love you, and I want you to talk to me.”
Kai and Attila are such interesting, dynamic characters, both flawed, but both wonderfully talented as well. Their struggle is endearing and painful at the same time, but their love and respect for each other is undeniable. I loved the description of the men dressed in their riding outfits. There was something very sexy about it, not to even mention the sensual talk of riding and being ridden in the barn. Anyone who loves horses, shows, riding, and men who may be different, but exquisitely unique, will love this book. Thanks, Kate, for bringing back fond memories.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
In Wild Horses we discovered the power in Attila's past life, but now we find out he is a broken man and he must rely on Kai to bring him out of his fears.
Attila has a paralyzing fear of crowds. He hasn't been showing his horse because he falls apart in the presence of masses of people. The press with their questions are absolutely terrifying to him. Kai is a beginner at showing horses and needs Attila's support to get through a show without his skittish stallion injuring him or Kai. With much practice and some props that Kai brings to Attila, they manage to get themselves and their horses to a prominent horse show.
This is a twist on power exchange, in that it takes place outside of a BDSM club, a scene, or a bedroom. In order to move forward as partners, Attila and Kai must find a balance of power that allows each of them not only to function normally but to be victors in the arena and in their personal lives.
A surprising and unique story, Broken Gait is an excellent read and allows readers to understand the characters, their weaknesses, their strengths, and their motivations. I recommend both Wild Horses and Broken Gait.
This was a nice follow up to Wild Horses. It pretty much picks up where Wild Horses left off. The relationship between Kai and Attila is still very new, and they are learning things about each other. I like the setting very much. Reading about horses and horse care just never gets old for me. The book focuses on Attila, and puts a name to his quirks. It was an enjoyable read.
I think if I'd read the first 2 books in the series I would have been more interested in the first half of the book. I had difficulty connecting to the characters until Attila's condition is confronted, after which the entire book made so much more sense. The relationship between Kai and Attila is sweet. I also love Kai's ability to connect to so many of the people in the book...he definitely has 'people' skills!
The entire 'show' scenes are expertly described and the feelings Brent and his dad have typical father/teenage son issues coupled with the feelings of guilt on Tibor's part.
I'd recommend reading the series from the first book and getting a firm foundation into the lives of the characters and the history they share.
I have loved every book in this series so far, and this one really adds to the knowledge and understanding of the two main characters, but especially Attila. The author provides readers with greater insight into the workings of his mind and his quirks, as Kai calls them. I really loved the way Kai stepped up, striving to find ways to help Attila deal with his condition, and just being there for him with love and understanding. It's wonderful the way the two men love and support each other. They really are two halves that fit together to make both whole.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest, voluntary review.
So much was a literal spike from the second book. I was very disappointed in this book. The characters and plot are wonderful, if a bit dramatic. There is a lot of issues in one family!
4.5 stars Attila Keleman and Kai Alewright have settled in a comfortable routine, their relationship is stable and after the crisis at Pittsburgh they seem as happy as they can get. But when Attila decides they should join a competitive event, all his former insecurities come back to him, jeopardizing his fragile balance. All it takes is for Sen to go lame to break him, and he retreats into his mind, where not even Kai can reach him… I fell for these characters in the first book, Wild Horses, and I was not ready to let them go at the end of it, so when I learnt that there was a second book on them I just jumped to it… And I loved it as much as the first one. If in the first book it is Kai's insecurities what threatens to destroy their relationship, in the second book Attila is the one who has to face his own issues. When Kai becomes the focus of everybody's attention, Attila is certain he will realise he deserves something better than what Attila can give him, and so he will leave and Attila will be alone with his horses again (that's pretty much the same that Kai was thinking in the first book… Only he did not have the horses to comfort him). So when Sen goes lame after performing in the competition, Attila just shuts down, and retreats to the only safe place he knows, inside his head. It is really good to see Kai trying to protect and look after Attila, and to bring him back from his inner world. Kai resorts to any thing he can think of, and he is not above lying if that brings a reaction from the man he loves. Although Kai is still struggling with his own insecurities, the supportive and strong role suits him perfectly. At the end of the book, we find their relationship has gained from the stress it's gone through. Again, there was a bit too much information about the horse's world and al the paraphernalia surrounding it, but the main characters were engaging enough to keep me hooked on their story. I must say I'm not done with these characters, yet. I hope there is more on them on the way…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.