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Love in the Desert #1
Diamond Bar Alpha Ranch
A young cowhand with no future, drowning in debt. A wealthy rancher with no past, drowning in booze. A single chance at happiness in the face of impossible odds.
Jace has been in the closet ever since he first realized he was gay. Not only is his personal life a mess, but now, hard on the heels of losing his mother to cancer, he’s about to lose their farm to the bank. An unexpected job offer from complete strangers could be his only opportunity to save it.
After betrayal and addiction stole away everything Remy ever cared about, he figured that managing a promising desert reclamation project in bum-fuck Nevada and drinking himself to sleep every night was about the best he could hope for out of life. He never expected to fall for a clean-cut cowboy with a cartload of horse savvy and a giant chip on his shoulder.
Too bad one of them is a broken-down wreck, and the other has the closet door locked so tight that he may never see the light of day. Because if there’s one thing Remy has never believed in, it’s fairytale endings.
Diamond Bar Alpha Ranch is a standalone HEA gay romance novel with no cliffhanger. It contains explicit sex scenes, as well as hot cowboys with issues—which is probably why you're here in the first place. (No cattle, horses, or hot cowboys were harmed during the making of this novel.)
Jace has been in the closet ever since he first realized he was gay. Not only is his personal life a mess, but now, hard on the heels of losing his mother to cancer, he’s about to lose their farm to the bank. An unexpected job offer from complete strangers could be his only opportunity to save it.
After betrayal and addiction stole away everything Remy ever cared about, he figured that managing a promising desert reclamation project in bum-fuck Nevada and drinking himself to sleep every night was about the best he could hope for out of life. He never expected to fall for a clean-cut cowboy with a cartload of horse savvy and a giant chip on his shoulder.
Too bad one of them is a broken-down wreck, and the other has the closet door locked so tight that he may never see the light of day. Because if there’s one thing Remy has never believed in, it’s fairytale endings.
Diamond Bar Alpha Ranch is a standalone HEA gay romance novel with no cliffhanger. It contains explicit sex scenes, as well as hot cowboys with issues—which is probably why you're here in the first place. (No cattle, horses, or hot cowboys were harmed during the making of this novel.)
213 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2016
43 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Steffan
85 books503 followersUSA Today bestselling author R. A. Steffan lives in New Mexico, where the sunsets paint the mountains purple, and roadrunners roam the desert endlessly in search of their coyote victims. When she’s not busy writing stories about people loving each other in all sorts of different and interesting ways, she can be found taking care of her small menagerie of critters.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
A rebel to the core, she is currently sticking it to the man by illegally harvesting graywater from the kitchen and bathroom sinks to water trees outside. This fearless disregard for societal norms extends to her writing, as well. There, you will find polyamory along with straight, gay, bisexual, and non-gender conforming love of all flavors. You will also find families of choice, profound friendships, adventure, danger, and good triumphing over evil.
That, and sex. Lots of sex. Most of which is not the vanilla variety.
If any of that appeals, sign up at http://www.rasteffan.com/ to get a free starter library featuring the first books in several of her series. You can also follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RASteffanAut..., or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RA_Steffan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
October 11, 2016
I've read worse, but the romance was uninspired, the characters flat and unrealistic, the dialogue contrived, and the drama was a bit over-the-top. It killed an afternoon, but I'll never read it again, and I doubt I'll bother with anything else from this author.
April 10, 2020
I liked the first part of this, but once Jace and Remy got together, which was pretty early on, my interest just dropped.
I, personally, would have loved to see more of a slow burn out of this. Considering that a) Remy and Jace barely know each other b) most of their acquaintance prior to their involvement happens off page c) Jace has zero experience with men and d) thinks that being gay is unnatural and struggles with accepting his sexuality e) Remy is his employer, no matter which way you cut it.
I love how everyone just ignored Remy's alcohol abuse and then was shocked when he nearly drank himself to death and were upset that he hadn't come to them for help.
I like how Jace and Remy each expect the other to tell them all their issues, while each keeping their own issues a secret.
I hated the whole Tracey thing, and the hearing. I don't think that really added anything to the story.
I wish that if instead of hinting at a D/s dynamic and praise kink, the author would have either just left it out, or gone more in depth with it. There were enough sex scenes that that could have been worked in there.
While I liked the actual writing, in the end I just really didn't like Remy, the romance, the pacing or the plot. Probably won't pick up another book by this author.
I, personally, would have loved to see more of a slow burn out of this. Considering that a) Remy and Jace barely know each other b) most of their acquaintance prior to their involvement happens off page c) Jace has zero experience with men and d) thinks that being gay is unnatural and struggles with accepting his sexuality e) Remy is his employer, no matter which way you cut it.
I love how everyone just ignored Remy's alcohol abuse and then was shocked when he nearly drank himself to death and were upset that he hadn't come to them for help.
I like how Jace and Remy each expect the other to tell them all their issues, while each keeping their own issues a secret.
I hated the whole Tracey thing, and the hearing. I don't think that really added anything to the story.
I wish that if instead of hinting at a D/s dynamic and praise kink, the author would have either just left it out, or gone more in depth with it. There were enough sex scenes that that could have been worked in there.
While I liked the actual writing, in the end I just really didn't like Remy, the romance, the pacing or the plot. Probably won't pick up another book by this author.
October 4, 2016
Idk I just didn't feel the love I guess. It feels like hey we're both attracted to guys so we must love one another due to close proximity?! I didn't buy it even though I really wanted to.
July 29, 2016
This is R.A.'s first m/m book. In some ways it was standard to the genre, but I thought many aspects had more creativity than the average. I appreciated that there was other plot beside the romance. There were several secondary characters, and they got their share of dialogue. I thought it was logical that a book with a southwestern U.S. setting would have Hispanic characters, and that it was good that a couple were included.
As the blurb indicates, the protagonists have issues. Jace was raised in an intolerant area of the country and felt much safer being closeted than he thought he would be coming out. Remy has addiction issues, which are not magically cured by love.
The book was in Jace's viewpoint. He's twenty-two, and has a worldview limited by his circumstances. He didn't have a lot of opportunities in life. He's still a sympathetic character.
The non-romance plots include horse training and reclaiming the desert. I found those processes interesting. If the reader just wants pure erotica, this is not the book for you. If you're good with other things going on with the characters, it would be more your kind of book.
Note that I am judging the book against others of its kind, not high literature, when I rate.
Edited to add: I received a free ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
As the blurb indicates, the protagonists have issues. Jace was raised in an intolerant area of the country and felt much safer being closeted than he thought he would be coming out. Remy has addiction issues, which are not magically cured by love.
The book was in Jace's viewpoint. He's twenty-two, and has a worldview limited by his circumstances. He didn't have a lot of opportunities in life. He's still a sympathetic character.
The non-romance plots include horse training and reclaiming the desert. I found those processes interesting. If the reader just wants pure erotica, this is not the book for you. If you're good with other things going on with the characters, it would be more your kind of book.
Note that I am judging the book against others of its kind, not high literature, when I rate.
Edited to add: I received a free ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2016
I think I'm being so critical because I liked the beginning of this book so much.
I'm not a fan of the cover or the title. Jace is a down-on-his-luck horse trainer with a good soul and a hefty dose of self-hatred. He's hired to work a large ranch run and owned by Remy a rich self-hating man himself. I really enjoyed the first one-third of this book. As the romance developed the ranch fell by the wayside but alas, we didn't spend a fulfilling amount of time developing these two soul's relationship. The rest of the book seemed to follow a step-by-step pattern to the end. RA Steffan offered readers some good, solid ideas, Remy's demons, Jace's awakening, and their sexual style. All of it was solved so easily. Did I mention I didn't like the cover or the title?
I'm not a fan of the cover or the title. Jace is a down-on-his-luck horse trainer with a good soul and a hefty dose of self-hatred. He's hired to work a large ranch run and owned by Remy a rich self-hating man himself. I really enjoyed the first one-third of this book. As the romance developed the ranch fell by the wayside but alas, we didn't spend a fulfilling amount of time developing these two soul's relationship. The rest of the book seemed to follow a step-by-step pattern to the end. RA Steffan offered readers some good, solid ideas, Remy's demons, Jace's awakening, and their sexual style. All of it was solved so easily. Did I mention I didn't like the cover or the title?
July 30, 2016
Long title, short review
I'm not sure where to start with my review honestly. Sometimes I felt this book was more about farming in the desert than a romance so it lost my attention quite a bit around those parts. All the characters were enjoyable and fairly well developed. There is a little BDSM thrown in but it's not predominant.
I'm not sure where to start with my review honestly. Sometimes I felt this book was more about farming in the desert than a romance so it lost my attention quite a bit around those parts. All the characters were enjoyable and fairly well developed. There is a little BDSM thrown in but it's not predominant.
September 14, 2016
I like the book and characters but I found it a little too much HEA far too quickly. Nice story and who doesn't love cowboys!
April 1, 2019
It was cute. I really liked the setting and several of the side characters, but I have to admit that it was a bit lacking in terms of plot and credibility. The main characters went from barely talking to being in love very quickly and everyone else had apparently noticed their attraction and was waiting for them to get their shit together. It came as a complete shock to me that anyone would look at those two there at the beginning and think that they were attracted to each other.
That said, I did like how determined and dedicated Remy was to making things work and being honest about his past. But, at the same time, it felt like all of that came way, way too soon. Considering exactly what happened in said past, I'm surprised he was willing to open up that quickly and that completely, without much effort or relapses.
It was rushed, is what I'm saying, and, as a result, there wasn't much of a plot. Things happened, sure, but it was a steady, unexciting flow rather than any kind of dramatic structure. It wasn't a bad book by any means — I quite liked several parts of it — but it isn't very memorable, either. Still, a nice, distracting read if you have a couple of hours to kill.
That said, I did like how determined and dedicated Remy was to making things work and being honest about his past. But, at the same time, it felt like all of that came way, way too soon. Considering exactly what happened in said past, I'm surprised he was willing to open up that quickly and that completely, without much effort or relapses.
It was rushed, is what I'm saying, and, as a result, there wasn't much of a plot. Things happened, sure, but it was a steady, unexciting flow rather than any kind of dramatic structure. It wasn't a bad book by any means — I quite liked several parts of it — but it isn't very memorable, either. Still, a nice, distracting read if you have a couple of hours to kill.
June 18, 2017
Diamond Bar Alpha Ranch by R. A. Steffan is book number one in the Love in the Desert series. This is Jace and Remy's story.
The author had my attention right from the beginning to end. This is a love story of two people that have been through some really difficult times in their lives. I fell in love with Jace and Remy's characters. The supporting characters played a big part of the story too and I really enjoyed them too.
One of the best love stories that I've read. A story that covers so many emotions.
FYI, contains mature content. This is a MM romance.
The author had my attention right from the beginning to end. This is a love story of two people that have been through some really difficult times in their lives. I fell in love with Jace and Remy's characters. The supporting characters played a big part of the story too and I really enjoyed them too.
One of the best love stories that I've read. A story that covers so many emotions.
FYI, contains mature content. This is a MM romance.
March 11, 2019
Interesting subject
Nice flow to the story and growth of the characters. I really them all. Extended family can be a powerful source in this so called life. No matter your position in this world we are all susceptible to the same hurts and addictions. We all have to find our own way with the loving help of said family. Well written. I was quite surprised how fast the last part of the book went. Looking forward to check out the next in the series.
Nice flow to the story and growth of the characters. I really them all. Extended family can be a powerful source in this so called life. No matter your position in this world we are all susceptible to the same hurts and addictions. We all have to find our own way with the loving help of said family. Well written. I was quite surprised how fast the last part of the book went. Looking forward to check out the next in the series.
February 6, 2019
Good read
Other reviews cover the plot of the story very well. I'll cover other things here. The characters are well written and engaging. The writing is top notch with realistic dialogue. The story isn't your standard fare, its complex and layered. It was time well spent. If m/m is your thing, this book will be a good choice.
Other reviews cover the plot of the story very well. I'll cover other things here. The characters are well written and engaging. The writing is top notch with realistic dialogue. The story isn't your standard fare, its complex and layered. It was time well spent. If m/m is your thing, this book will be a good choice.
February 11, 2019
I love this author! Her characters are always believable and relatable, and she knows how to write a good bedroom scene. What more could a girl ask for? I’ve already purchased the next book in the series (but first I might have to read book 2 in the Dragon Mistress series which I also have in my TBR file ;-)
February 23, 2025
Loved it!
Such an amazing story and awesome group of characters. So moving, touching, and a truly a wonderful view into some personable characters. Beautifully written with such courtesy and understanding.
Such an amazing story and awesome group of characters. So moving, touching, and a truly a wonderful view into some personable characters. Beautifully written with such courtesy and understanding.
July 8, 2017
Eeeh, more like a 2.5*. I feel like I know more about "cow pies" than I ever wanted to know. The 3*'s are for the knowledge I gained about reclamation projects, not the romance.
February 2, 2019
good read
February 9, 2019
Sweet hurt and comfort Cowboy romance.
February 14, 2019
A great story for everyone
This was an easy and fast read . I enjoyed every last part of it. Great storyline with a beautiful ending .
This was an easy and fast read . I enjoyed every last part of it. Great storyline with a beautiful ending .
March 26, 2019
Moving on
This story 2 men from very different backgrounds coming together and moving past previous devastating losses through mutual love and support.
This story 2 men from very different backgrounds coming together and moving past previous devastating losses through mutual love and support.
November 25, 2019
Out of the darkness there is a light that saved the life of two men, who begin to trust again.
February 6, 2020
I read this because I wanted a story on a ranch. Almost no angst, so that's good, but also everything was rather shallow.
August 1, 2016
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I became a fan of RA Steffan with The Horse Mistress series. Steffan is an indie writer who brings consistent high quality to her works. It is a relief to read something without the fear of copy or logic errors coming at you out of the blue.
The romance features a young gay man, Jace Stillwater, who in the course of the book learns to accept his homosexuality. He’s alone in the world with a huge debt hanging like the Sword of Damocles over his head. While told in 3rd person POV, it pretty much sticks to Jace’s filter of the world.
His love interest is the slightly-older-than-Jace billionaire Remy DeBartolio, who is using some advanced grazing techniques to reverse desertification. Remy has ghosts of his past that he’s trying to silence with alcohol, and that’s not going so well. We never have any scenes of him alone or get a direct glimpse of his internal life.
The characters individually were nice enough, but I wasn’t swept away by them as a couple. There are some books, Steffan’s books included, where I can fall in love with the people as they are falling in love with each other. Unfortunately for me, much of contemporary romance bores me to tears because I can’t feel the connection between the characters at all. If I can get to a first love scene and still not be sure why they even like each other, then I’d say that’s a problem. (You can decide if it’s a problem with me as a reader or with the author’s writing. After all, different strokes for different folks.) Sadly, that’s what happened to me reading this book. While I know they should like each other because the author says so, I couldn’t feel it. I'm very sorry to admit this.
I don’t think this is a bad story, though! On the contrary, I think the romance may work well for a different reader. It has many things going for it that could be just what the doctor ordered for you. It’s a very light and easy read with a really sweet HEA, and sometimes that’s all we want out of a book.
There are also elements here that Steffan handles deftly. For example, while Jace is drowning in debt, Remy doesn’t just save him out of hand, even though he has more money than a stable full of accountants could count. Remy helps Jace with legal counsel and facts. He helps Jace handle it himself so Jace can have pride and confidence.
For me, Steffan’s writing is particularly vibrant when describing horse-related topics. The knowledge she possesses is vast, and it is presented in a very lived-in way. Steffan writes things in an understandable way that many professionals are unable to do about their respective fields of expertise. I always feel I know more about horses and horsemanship after reading a Steffan book, so that alone made the book very enjoyable for me even if I was somewhat iffy on the couple.
In summary: Light and fairly fluffy cowboy romance with a small cast of characters and interesting horse and grazing (mob grazing, reversing desertification) topics. If any of that appeals to you, pick this one up. [3.5 rounded up to a 4.]
I became a fan of RA Steffan with The Horse Mistress series. Steffan is an indie writer who brings consistent high quality to her works. It is a relief to read something without the fear of copy or logic errors coming at you out of the blue.
The romance features a young gay man, Jace Stillwater, who in the course of the book learns to accept his homosexuality. He’s alone in the world with a huge debt hanging like the Sword of Damocles over his head. While told in 3rd person POV, it pretty much sticks to Jace’s filter of the world.
His love interest is the slightly-older-than-Jace billionaire Remy DeBartolio, who is using some advanced grazing techniques to reverse desertification. Remy has ghosts of his past that he’s trying to silence with alcohol, and that’s not going so well. We never have any scenes of him alone or get a direct glimpse of his internal life.
The characters individually were nice enough, but I wasn’t swept away by them as a couple. There are some books, Steffan’s books included, where I can fall in love with the people as they are falling in love with each other. Unfortunately for me, much of contemporary romance bores me to tears because I can’t feel the connection between the characters at all. If I can get to a first love scene and still not be sure why they even like each other, then I’d say that’s a problem. (You can decide if it’s a problem with me as a reader or with the author’s writing. After all, different strokes for different folks.) Sadly, that’s what happened to me reading this book. While I know they should like each other because the author says so, I couldn’t feel it. I'm very sorry to admit this.
I don’t think this is a bad story, though! On the contrary, I think the romance may work well for a different reader. It has many things going for it that could be just what the doctor ordered for you. It’s a very light and easy read with a really sweet HEA, and sometimes that’s all we want out of a book.
There are also elements here that Steffan handles deftly. For example, while Jace is drowning in debt, Remy doesn’t just save him out of hand, even though he has more money than a stable full of accountants could count. Remy helps Jace with legal counsel and facts. He helps Jace handle it himself so Jace can have pride and confidence.
For me, Steffan’s writing is particularly vibrant when describing horse-related topics. The knowledge she possesses is vast, and it is presented in a very lived-in way. Steffan writes things in an understandable way that many professionals are unable to do about their respective fields of expertise. I always feel I know more about horses and horsemanship after reading a Steffan book, so that alone made the book very enjoyable for me even if I was somewhat iffy on the couple.
In summary: Light and fairly fluffy cowboy romance with a small cast of characters and interesting horse and grazing (mob grazing, reversing desertification) topics. If any of that appeals to you, pick this one up. [3.5 rounded up to a 4.]
September 14, 2016
Straightforward Rags to Riches Romance
Kudos for a clearly written cowboy m/m romance. As I finished the book, I suddenly realized what how clear the details are explained. I had no problem following well crafted characters through information-packed situations. The settings are near Las Vegas including rodeos, desert ranching, and horse training.
The plot is simple, but attractive. A poor horse trainer is discovered at a rodeo exhibition. Wealthy ranchers offer him a job immediately. He (Jace) discovers a dream job on a dream ranch. He notices that the ranch could not possibly be profitable. Later he learns the handsome Remy's family supports the ranch. Their relationship forms and deepens. Then both overcome some troubles, and Jace learns to accept his sexuality.
I like the development of the supporting characters. They are friends, coworkers, and Remy's family.
In the con sude, Jace's motivations are solid, but I'd have liked to expand the erotic scenes. After initial introductions to a couple bedroom sessions, the guys disappear to the bedroom and the door is shut. Still, this is a fun read.
Kudos for a clearly written cowboy m/m romance. As I finished the book, I suddenly realized what how clear the details are explained. I had no problem following well crafted characters through information-packed situations. The settings are near Las Vegas including rodeos, desert ranching, and horse training.
The plot is simple, but attractive. A poor horse trainer is discovered at a rodeo exhibition. Wealthy ranchers offer him a job immediately. He (Jace) discovers a dream job on a dream ranch. He notices that the ranch could not possibly be profitable. Later he learns the handsome Remy's family supports the ranch. Their relationship forms and deepens. Then both overcome some troubles, and Jace learns to accept his sexuality.
I like the development of the supporting characters. They are friends, coworkers, and Remy's family.
In the con sude, Jace's motivations are solid, but I'd have liked to expand the erotic scenes. After initial introductions to a couple bedroom sessions, the guys disappear to the bedroom and the door is shut. Still, this is a fun read.
September 7, 2016
Quick read but not a great story. Predictable yet a story where things happen without a real grounded development. Fun but no meat to the story. 3 stars only - story never finished with details how Jack accomplishes the feats of training the bourses we hear about early in the book.
Predictable yet a story where things happen without a real grounded development. Fun but no meat to the story. A bit disappointed.
Predictable yet a story where things happen without a real grounded development. Fun but no meat to the story. A bit disappointed.
November 5, 2016
4.75 stars
Not sure why I'm not giving this 5 stars, but if I had to pick on it I would say I wanted an epilogue, if there's no follow on book, it would of been great to see where they were 5 years in the future for example. I loved the story, I loved everything about it, the depth of the story, the knowledge and research done for the agriculture etc.. The sex was fairly tame compared to other books, but was still pretty hot.
Not sure why I'm not giving this 5 stars, but if I had to pick on it I would say I wanted an epilogue, if there's no follow on book, it would of been great to see where they were 5 years in the future for example. I loved the story, I loved everything about it, the depth of the story, the knowledge and research done for the agriculture etc.. The sex was fairly tame compared to other books, but was still pretty hot.
September 14, 2016
Nice story
This was a nicely written story, filled with details about horses, cattle and life on a ranch. The characters were independent of each other and well developed. Each of the MCs both have their own personal burdens and guilt weighing them down. But both MCs showed strength needed to help the other. The supporting characters were all great.
This was a nicely written story, filled with details about horses, cattle and life on a ranch. The characters were independent of each other and well developed. Each of the MCs both have their own personal burdens and guilt weighing them down. But both MCs showed strength needed to help the other. The supporting characters were all great.
September 5, 2016
This is a gay male romance with a power imbalance. Young ranch hand with money troubles and billionaire owner with past demons get together.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the horsemanship.
I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the horsemanship.
September 5, 2016
Good cowboy romance
Remi and Jace were a good fit. I liked that the secrets each kept from the other made sense with their personalities and insecurities and didn't feel like they just existed as a plot device.
Remi and Jace were a good fit. I liked that the secrets each kept from the other made sense with their personalities and insecurities and didn't feel like they just existed as a plot device.
September 27, 2016
Jace, a poor but talented cowboy starts working for billionaire Remy and this story is their lives and how both of them have issues which they need to get past in order to get on with their lives and hope for a HEA.
November 9, 2016
Wonderful story of love and strength
I enjoyed this book immensely. The main characters chemistry was awesome, they both had issues and they helped each other through them. Very enjoyable and hott!
I enjoyed this book immensely. The main characters chemistry was awesome, they both had issues and they helped each other through them. Very enjoyable and hott!
September 17, 2016
1kjd
Um... Had potential... But.... Sigh... it just.... Well.... it wasn't the worst... But when it ended I was... Relieved? I... Smh
Um... Had potential... But.... Sigh... it just.... Well.... it wasn't the worst... But when it ended I was... Relieved? I... Smh
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews