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Hometown Jasper #1
Clashing Hearts
EASTON
There is nothing I hate more than when some big-city outsider stirs trouble in my peaceful little town. When Mr. Arrogance himself waltzes in and thinks he can slap a price tag on my land, he doesn’t know what he has coming. I’m not just a hick cowboy who’s going to bend to his good looks and charmless personality. No, sir.
I don’t care how smart he looks in his fancy suits, all he cares about is money.
I just wish I’d known who he was before I kissed him.
LACHLAN
The last thing I wanted was to get stuck in a small town with a plethora of quirky people. If the stubborn cowboy doesn’t see sense soon, I don’t know what I’ll do. Failure is not an option. I was sent to make a deal, and I’m not leaving until it’s done.
I don’t care how hot he looks in his low hanging denim, boots, and hat, he wouldn’t see a good opportunity if it smacked him in the face.
I just wish I could get the taste of him off my tongue.
City and country collide in this enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, low-angst MM romance novel.
There is nothing I hate more than when some big-city outsider stirs trouble in my peaceful little town. When Mr. Arrogance himself waltzes in and thinks he can slap a price tag on my land, he doesn’t know what he has coming. I’m not just a hick cowboy who’s going to bend to his good looks and charmless personality. No, sir.
I don’t care how smart he looks in his fancy suits, all he cares about is money.
I just wish I’d known who he was before I kissed him.
LACHLAN
The last thing I wanted was to get stuck in a small town with a plethora of quirky people. If the stubborn cowboy doesn’t see sense soon, I don’t know what I’ll do. Failure is not an option. I was sent to make a deal, and I’m not leaving until it’s done.
I don’t care how hot he looks in his low hanging denim, boots, and hat, he wouldn’t see a good opportunity if it smacked him in the face.
I just wish I could get the taste of him off my tongue.
City and country collide in this enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, low-angst MM romance novel.
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 2, 2020
293 people are currently reading
941 people want to read
About the author
Nicky James
75 books2,258 followersI live in the small town of Petrolia, Ontario, Canada and I am a mother to a wonderful teenage boy (didn't think those words could be typed together...surprise) and wife to a truly supportive and understanding husband, who thankfully doesn't think I'm crazy.
I have always had two profound dreams in life. To fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world, not bogged down by technology and to write novels. Since only one of these was a possibility I decided to make the other come alive on paper.
I write mm romance novels that take place in fantastical medieval type settings and love to use the challenges of the times to give my stories and characters life.
I have always had two profound dreams in life. To fall back hundreds of years in time and live in a simpler world, not bogged down by technology and to write novels. Since only one of these was a possibility I decided to make the other come alive on paper.
I write mm romance novels that take place in fantastical medieval type settings and love to use the challenges of the times to give my stories and characters life.
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August 11, 2023
‼️ This is more of a rant than a review, especially towards one of the main characters
*sigh* Can’t love them all, can we?
My first disappointing read from this author, and I can’t lie, it hurts and feels weird. Having gone from loving everything I’ve read from this author so far to stewing about these two feels like a rare entity.
To put it plainly: the romance simply didn’t work for me. It’s the type of romance that left me asking “whatwherewhyhow” because of how big of a turn everything took. The city boy x country boy trope sounded like a delight. Add to that enemies to lovers and some snarky banter between the two that was supposed to build that sexual tension, and I was ready to indulge and find just another favorite from this author. While I’m not one to give up early (as in leaving a book unfinished), I felt hesitant about this right around the 40% mark, wondering what type of magic the author would need to insert to turn the whole novel around. Halfway through, and as I continued making progress, the novel simply kept losing me, and since I don’t give up in terms of giving up reading the book, I gave up on my potential enjoyment around the 60% mark. By then, I realized this story was not suited for me and wouldn’t change in any way big enough for me to enjoy. There’s only so much you can do with the remaining 40%, and it would take something big for me to grow a simple fondness during that time after not enjoying the majority of the story.
Now, I hardly ever rant in books, especially about the characters, but I need to let this off my chest. If this changes how y’all view me, then so be it. This is how I would feel if it was real life too:
I understand the apprehension towards the character of Lachlan. I think it’s fair to note that, unfortunately, people like him do exist in real life. Entitled, snobby, wealthy people will act with extreme selfishness, feeling their worth is the most important due to where they come from. It’s not uncommon for people like Lachlan to act that way for different reasons: generational wealth, high wealth status, manner of how they were raised and what their environment looked like, family expectations, and more. Lachlan’s character is one of extreme privilege—he uses his wealth, status, and background to scare others, not allowing them his time, feeling like it is too precious to waste. And while I am not a fan of any type of character like him, I think his character wasn’t even supposed to come off as likable at first. Character development is necessary throughout the story for a reason, and it’s obvious his character is the one who needs it the most. Yet, his character development doesn’t take a 180 turn but a whole 360. One minute he’s being his usual arrogant self, and the next, he’s willing to lay down his office life in Edmonton to stay in Jasper. There is absolutely no character development. Throughout most of the story, he acts entitled to his beliefs, looking down on those “inferior” to him, commenting on the small-town life, judging people in “lower” status, feeling entitled to getting superior treatment, and not bothering to acknowledge his rudeness. And while I was all for seeing this condescending man have his layers stripped down as he spent time in the small town of Jasper, getting to know the folks and Easton, I wouldn’t have thought his whole mindset would change within a second of seeing a new perspective of something. I don’t think you go from feeling high and mighty to suddenly feeling bad about your wants. Again, I love and appreciate a good character development of a character who goes from selfish, judgmental, and arrogant to sympathetic, considerate, and self-aware; but not when you spend the majority of the book acting all-mighty only for you to have a sudden revelation of how much damage you might actually be doing to the people. If people had these types of awareness in real life, the world would be better, especially politically wise. So many good changes would be made, especially on those that affect the environment and its people.
Call me whatever you want, call me rude, call me dismissive, call me privileged, but I will disagree. I am the type of human being that will NOT, under no special circumstance, feel bad for you if you are THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS OLD and are still following your father’s orders like a miserable, sick puppy. I have no remorse for you if you are close to the age of a midlife crisis and are still seeking your father’s approval. When I am in my late 30s or early 40s and am STILL getting offended by what my parents want, bossing me around like I’m a child, not being able to hold my head up high, I will simply think of myself as pathetic, and I sure damn well someone calls me out on it because that is what you are to me if you are almost forty damn years old and still act this way: pathetic.
But the thing about Lachlan is that he doesn’t like being called out on how he acts. He doesn’t care about judging others, feeling superior, and thinking the world is his. Yet, when he’s called out for how he acts, described exactly as he is (Easton used all of these words: materialistic, opinionated, manipulative, greedy, self-indulgent, pushy, pretentious, arrogant, stuck-up, hollow, spoiled, critical, untrusting, judgmental, all of which are TRUE), he makes himself the victim, lashing out in anger, refusing the accept the terms and instead choosing to victimize himself by claiming he gets criticized enough at home.
And whose fault is that, exactly?
I understand standing up to your parents is not as easy as some people may claim it to be, but Lachlan never made any room to defend himself in any way, shape, or form. There were never hints of him slowly realizing he needs to get away from his father or stop his insulting self. He simply took his father’s insults like a stab to the heart and lashed out in anger at others. The excuse of “I am treated badly, so I will treat others badly” is wholly unaccountable. You would think that attitude was left in middle and high school but clearly not. He puts his final word in towards the end of the story after deciding he’s going to make a life in Jasper.
Everything Easton used to refer to the list of how to describe Lachlan is true. This would have worked so much better had Lachlan accepted them and done something about it. There is a big difference between someone who acknowledges they act a shitty way and even tells themselves they want to do something about it versus someone like Lachlan, who doesn’t like hearing the harsh truth and makes it about himself instead. Instead of accepting the truth, realizing he needs to stop with the rude attitude, and acknowledging his mistakes, he would refer back to himself. Just because he has a big ego doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings, right?
Maybe it’s because of how I grew up. Maybe because in my immigrant-parent household, if I was close to my 30s, not doing anything in life but sleeping around, my parents would kick me out. Maybe because I am 22 years old, but already at that point in my life where I am acknowledging that following orders and proposals that don’t fit my liking is not worth it. You are bold if you think I will be close to my 40s and still seeking approval from my parents when/if I have proved to them, time and time again, I have done it, I have succeeded. And I know this is ME and not LACHLAN, but that is why I am here criticizing him. Just because I’m reading about how a character is going through his issues with his terrible father figure doesn’t mean I’m going to accept it and move on like it isn’t annoying.
Lachlan coming from a city is not the problem. The problem isn’t that he’s rich, he grew up in a wealthy environment, or he’s used to getting what he wants. The problem is that Lachlan has no conscious for other people. Following his rich daddy’s orders has made him become unaware of how other people live, feel, and express. There was so much missed opportunity for him to have character development.
And because Lachlan spent most of the book trying his best to convince Easton to sell his land and stables, the romance is only driven by a physical attraction. While I do appreciate the different approach in how Easton did not, in fact, give in to his physical attraction to Lachlan, it doesn’t take away from the fact that that is all there ever was. The two instantly connect on a sexual level before knowing who the other is. But because Lachlan is a no strings attached type of guy and Easton is done with this those, looking to settle down and find someone to marry, the sexual build-up between the two is something that continues building, all while not being acted on. This is NOT something I am complaining about, as I am all for sexual tension building up and characters not giving in quickly and easily. My problem is simply how that was the only thing building between them. There was no separate attraction between them, nothing they could use to base feelings and emotions on.
Admittedly, the enemies to lovers here wasn’t the worst. I appreciated the snarky banter, the constant pushing despite the attraction growing, and how the two continue getting on each other nerves, but it means nothing when there isn’t anything to base the attraction on when it feels purely physical/sexual. I want there to be unwanted feelings, unwanted attraction that isn’t just physical, unwanted things happening, things they do for each other in an unconscious way. There was no tension between these two. Again, sexual tension is fairly easier to write, considering it’s mostly used for the build-up of the characters experiencing sexual feelings that lead up to sex. But sexual tension is nothing when nothing else makes the relationship grow. And because of this, there is a lack of chemistry between both characters. I could not count on any moments between the hating phase that were memorable between them. Those moments that usually grow between characters (especially enemies and rivals) that are, for the majority, unconscious and unwanted did not happen here. Every interaction between the two that happened outside of business purposes was AFTER the two acted on their feelings. They communicated very well, and there’s no drama or miscommunication here leading to any sort of break up. The two men know what each other wants and decide to take it from there and see where it goes, which is always something I love seeing. Yet, before this, everything about the two was related to business purposes. There’s a scene where either Easton or Lachlan (I can’t remember) comment on how they were unsure how their relationship was labeled because one moment they were enemies, and the next they were falling for each other. That is exactly how the relationship progresses here. One moment they’re in one spot, and the next, they’re in a whole different spot. So even with the enemies to lovers trope being moderately better than others, I could’ve done without the whole “I hate them but I find them so attractive” just because of how common it is.
All I’m gonna say is: I’m glad I was reading this late at night in my room because when I tell you, I had to stop reading to TALK TO MYSELF about what the fuck was happening and how there was zero chemistry between the characters? If I was reading this in the living room as I usually do and my family saw me, they would think I was crazy and become worried about me. The relationship between Lachlan and Easton primarily starts at the 60% mark. One would think this is perfect timing for a slow burn because, for me, it is. however, at the 57% mark, these two were still going at it about the business, and all it took was for Lachlan to look at the landscape of the land to see why Easton wouldn’t sell his land. Easton then had to explain his personal connection to the land, and that’s all Lachlan needed to change. That’s all he needed to hear to feel sympathy and feel bad about how pushy he became.
There is no natural progression here. Everything goes from one point to another, shifting completely.
As for Easton, I liked his character a lot. He may not be a memorable kind, but I loved his personal connection to the lane, to the stables that he refused to sell. I think you have to be in some sort of business industry or position to understand his decisions. Personally, I could even relate to his reasoning for why he wouldn’t give up his land even if he didn’t have a back up plan. My father is a businessman and he’s ready to sell his business to retire. However, he doesn’t want to sell it to someone who will tear the stores down after everything my dad put into them. He would rather sell them for a smaller price and to someone who would keep them going versus someone who’s offering a big sum but will let all that hard work go down. Easton’s reasonings is similar, where he doesn’t want to give up the land that has been a part of his family for many generations for the sake of gentrification. I also loved how he wasn’t willing to give in to Lachlan because he didn’t want to be another number in his bed post. He wanted to settle down, find a husband, and start a family, so even though he found himself attracted to Lachlan, he knew becoming involved wouldn’t have been a good idea.
And boy did he dodge that bullet early on.
All in all, this is my least favorite book from this author so far.
*sigh* Can’t love them all, can we?
My first disappointing read from this author, and I can’t lie, it hurts and feels weird. Having gone from loving everything I’ve read from this author so far to stewing about these two feels like a rare entity.
To put it plainly: the romance simply didn’t work for me. It’s the type of romance that left me asking “whatwherewhyhow” because of how big of a turn everything took. The city boy x country boy trope sounded like a delight. Add to that enemies to lovers and some snarky banter between the two that was supposed to build that sexual tension, and I was ready to indulge and find just another favorite from this author. While I’m not one to give up early (as in leaving a book unfinished), I felt hesitant about this right around the 40% mark, wondering what type of magic the author would need to insert to turn the whole novel around. Halfway through, and as I continued making progress, the novel simply kept losing me, and since I don’t give up in terms of giving up reading the book, I gave up on my potential enjoyment around the 60% mark. By then, I realized this story was not suited for me and wouldn’t change in any way big enough for me to enjoy. There’s only so much you can do with the remaining 40%, and it would take something big for me to grow a simple fondness during that time after not enjoying the majority of the story.
Now, I hardly ever rant in books, especially about the characters, but I need to let this off my chest. If this changes how y’all view me, then so be it. This is how I would feel if it was real life too:
I understand the apprehension towards the character of Lachlan. I think it’s fair to note that, unfortunately, people like him do exist in real life. Entitled, snobby, wealthy people will act with extreme selfishness, feeling their worth is the most important due to where they come from. It’s not uncommon for people like Lachlan to act that way for different reasons: generational wealth, high wealth status, manner of how they were raised and what their environment looked like, family expectations, and more. Lachlan’s character is one of extreme privilege—he uses his wealth, status, and background to scare others, not allowing them his time, feeling like it is too precious to waste. And while I am not a fan of any type of character like him, I think his character wasn’t even supposed to come off as likable at first. Character development is necessary throughout the story for a reason, and it’s obvious his character is the one who needs it the most. Yet, his character development doesn’t take a 180 turn but a whole 360. One minute he’s being his usual arrogant self, and the next, he’s willing to lay down his office life in Edmonton to stay in Jasper. There is absolutely no character development. Throughout most of the story, he acts entitled to his beliefs, looking down on those “inferior” to him, commenting on the small-town life, judging people in “lower” status, feeling entitled to getting superior treatment, and not bothering to acknowledge his rudeness. And while I was all for seeing this condescending man have his layers stripped down as he spent time in the small town of Jasper, getting to know the folks and Easton, I wouldn’t have thought his whole mindset would change within a second of seeing a new perspective of something. I don’t think you go from feeling high and mighty to suddenly feeling bad about your wants. Again, I love and appreciate a good character development of a character who goes from selfish, judgmental, and arrogant to sympathetic, considerate, and self-aware; but not when you spend the majority of the book acting all-mighty only for you to have a sudden revelation of how much damage you might actually be doing to the people. If people had these types of awareness in real life, the world would be better, especially politically wise. So many good changes would be made, especially on those that affect the environment and its people.
Call me whatever you want, call me rude, call me dismissive, call me privileged, but I will disagree. I am the type of human being that will NOT, under no special circumstance, feel bad for you if you are THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS OLD and are still following your father’s orders like a miserable, sick puppy. I have no remorse for you if you are close to the age of a midlife crisis and are still seeking your father’s approval. When I am in my late 30s or early 40s and am STILL getting offended by what my parents want, bossing me around like I’m a child, not being able to hold my head up high, I will simply think of myself as pathetic, and I sure damn well someone calls me out on it because that is what you are to me if you are almost forty damn years old and still act this way: pathetic.
But the thing about Lachlan is that he doesn’t like being called out on how he acts. He doesn’t care about judging others, feeling superior, and thinking the world is his. Yet, when he’s called out for how he acts, described exactly as he is (Easton used all of these words: materialistic, opinionated, manipulative, greedy, self-indulgent, pushy, pretentious, arrogant, stuck-up, hollow, spoiled, critical, untrusting, judgmental, all of which are TRUE), he makes himself the victim, lashing out in anger, refusing the accept the terms and instead choosing to victimize himself by claiming he gets criticized enough at home.
And whose fault is that, exactly?
I understand standing up to your parents is not as easy as some people may claim it to be, but Lachlan never made any room to defend himself in any way, shape, or form. There were never hints of him slowly realizing he needs to get away from his father or stop his insulting self. He simply took his father’s insults like a stab to the heart and lashed out in anger at others. The excuse of “I am treated badly, so I will treat others badly” is wholly unaccountable. You would think that attitude was left in middle and high school but clearly not. He puts his final word in towards the end of the story after deciding he’s going to make a life in Jasper.
Everything Easton used to refer to the list of how to describe Lachlan is true. This would have worked so much better had Lachlan accepted them and done something about it. There is a big difference between someone who acknowledges they act a shitty way and even tells themselves they want to do something about it versus someone like Lachlan, who doesn’t like hearing the harsh truth and makes it about himself instead. Instead of accepting the truth, realizing he needs to stop with the rude attitude, and acknowledging his mistakes, he would refer back to himself. Just because he has a big ego doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings, right?
Maybe it’s because of how I grew up. Maybe because in my immigrant-parent household, if I was close to my 30s, not doing anything in life but sleeping around, my parents would kick me out. Maybe because I am 22 years old, but already at that point in my life where I am acknowledging that following orders and proposals that don’t fit my liking is not worth it. You are bold if you think I will be close to my 40s and still seeking approval from my parents when/if I have proved to them, time and time again, I have done it, I have succeeded. And I know this is ME and not LACHLAN, but that is why I am here criticizing him. Just because I’m reading about how a character is going through his issues with his terrible father figure doesn’t mean I’m going to accept it and move on like it isn’t annoying.
Lachlan coming from a city is not the problem. The problem isn’t that he’s rich, he grew up in a wealthy environment, or he’s used to getting what he wants. The problem is that Lachlan has no conscious for other people. Following his rich daddy’s orders has made him become unaware of how other people live, feel, and express. There was so much missed opportunity for him to have character development.
And because Lachlan spent most of the book trying his best to convince Easton to sell his land and stables, the romance is only driven by a physical attraction. While I do appreciate the different approach in how Easton did not, in fact, give in to his physical attraction to Lachlan, it doesn’t take away from the fact that that is all there ever was. The two instantly connect on a sexual level before knowing who the other is. But because Lachlan is a no strings attached type of guy and Easton is done with this those, looking to settle down and find someone to marry, the sexual build-up between the two is something that continues building, all while not being acted on. This is NOT something I am complaining about, as I am all for sexual tension building up and characters not giving in quickly and easily. My problem is simply how that was the only thing building between them. There was no separate attraction between them, nothing they could use to base feelings and emotions on.
Admittedly, the enemies to lovers here wasn’t the worst. I appreciated the snarky banter, the constant pushing despite the attraction growing, and how the two continue getting on each other nerves, but it means nothing when there isn’t anything to base the attraction on when it feels purely physical/sexual. I want there to be unwanted feelings, unwanted attraction that isn’t just physical, unwanted things happening, things they do for each other in an unconscious way. There was no tension between these two. Again, sexual tension is fairly easier to write, considering it’s mostly used for the build-up of the characters experiencing sexual feelings that lead up to sex. But sexual tension is nothing when nothing else makes the relationship grow. And because of this, there is a lack of chemistry between both characters. I could not count on any moments between the hating phase that were memorable between them. Those moments that usually grow between characters (especially enemies and rivals) that are, for the majority, unconscious and unwanted did not happen here. Every interaction between the two that happened outside of business purposes was AFTER the two acted on their feelings. They communicated very well, and there’s no drama or miscommunication here leading to any sort of break up. The two men know what each other wants and decide to take it from there and see where it goes, which is always something I love seeing. Yet, before this, everything about the two was related to business purposes. There’s a scene where either Easton or Lachlan (I can’t remember) comment on how they were unsure how their relationship was labeled because one moment they were enemies, and the next they were falling for each other. That is exactly how the relationship progresses here. One moment they’re in one spot, and the next, they’re in a whole different spot. So even with the enemies to lovers trope being moderately better than others, I could’ve done without the whole “I hate them but I find them so attractive” just because of how common it is.
All I’m gonna say is: I’m glad I was reading this late at night in my room because when I tell you, I had to stop reading to TALK TO MYSELF about what the fuck was happening and how there was zero chemistry between the characters? If I was reading this in the living room as I usually do and my family saw me, they would think I was crazy and become worried about me. The relationship between Lachlan and Easton primarily starts at the 60% mark. One would think this is perfect timing for a slow burn because, for me, it is. however, at the 57% mark, these two were still going at it about the business, and all it took was for Lachlan to look at the landscape of the land to see why Easton wouldn’t sell his land. Easton then had to explain his personal connection to the land, and that’s all Lachlan needed to change. That’s all he needed to hear to feel sympathy and feel bad about how pushy he became.
There is no natural progression here. Everything goes from one point to another, shifting completely.
As for Easton, I liked his character a lot. He may not be a memorable kind, but I loved his personal connection to the lane, to the stables that he refused to sell. I think you have to be in some sort of business industry or position to understand his decisions. Personally, I could even relate to his reasoning for why he wouldn’t give up his land even if he didn’t have a back up plan. My father is a businessman and he’s ready to sell his business to retire. However, he doesn’t want to sell it to someone who will tear the stores down after everything my dad put into them. He would rather sell them for a smaller price and to someone who would keep them going versus someone who’s offering a big sum but will let all that hard work go down. Easton’s reasonings is similar, where he doesn’t want to give up the land that has been a part of his family for many generations for the sake of gentrification. I also loved how he wasn’t willing to give in to Lachlan because he didn’t want to be another number in his bed post. He wanted to settle down, find a husband, and start a family, so even though he found himself attracted to Lachlan, he knew becoming involved wouldn’t have been a good idea.
And boy did he dodge that bullet early on.
All in all, this is my least favorite book from this author so far.
July 17, 2020
~3.5~
I do love me a good enemies-to-lovers story; throw in an opposites-attract trope, and I'm in hog heaven. So I should have adored Clashing Hearts, but I didn't. I mean, I liked it, but I have thoughts.
First, the good:
- Lachlan and Easton really, really didn't like each other, which made the slow burn all the more delicious.
- Likeable secondary characters; I loved Easton's dad. And Percy! How cute was that kid? Cute but not too precious.
- Animals: Logan the giant beast of a dog was the best, and I liked the horses too. The entire ranch setting worked for me.
- Dreamy HEA (not sure how Lachlan managed to keep that secret, but I'll take it).
Now, the not so good:
- Lachlan was an arsehole. Okay, his dad was a belligerent meanie. Did that give Lachlan the right to treat people like shit? And it wasn't just his actions; it was his thoughts too. He was selfish and snobby.
- Easton was ridiculously stubborn, and not in an endearing way. I get that he didn't want to sell his family's legacy, but what else was he going to do? He had no other plans or ideas, and he kept storming off like a damn toddler.
- Low steam: I just didn't fully buy the men's connection. They figure out they're not entirely compatible in the bedroom, but that issue is never explored. It wasn't so much about the lack of sex, but lack of passion and emotion on page.
- Lachlan's change of heart gave me whiplash. One day, he's a big time developer, pleasing daddy and buying designer duds; the next, he's wanting to make a home on the ranch forever.
I truly wanted to love this book, you guys, and I'll most definitely be here when the next story in the series is released, but this one just didn't wow me.
I do love me a good enemies-to-lovers story; throw in an opposites-attract trope, and I'm in hog heaven. So I should have adored Clashing Hearts, but I didn't. I mean, I liked it, but I have thoughts.
First, the good:
- Lachlan and Easton really, really didn't like each other, which made the slow burn all the more delicious.
- Likeable secondary characters; I loved Easton's dad. And Percy! How cute was that kid? Cute but not too precious.
- Animals: Logan the giant beast of a dog was the best, and I liked the horses too. The entire ranch setting worked for me.
- Dreamy HEA (not sure how Lachlan managed to keep that secret, but I'll take it).
Now, the not so good:
- Lachlan was an arsehole. Okay, his dad was a belligerent meanie. Did that give Lachlan the right to treat people like shit? And it wasn't just his actions; it was his thoughts too. He was selfish and snobby.
- Easton was ridiculously stubborn, and not in an endearing way. I get that he didn't want to sell his family's legacy, but what else was he going to do? He had no other plans or ideas, and he kept storming off like a damn toddler.
- Low steam: I just didn't fully buy the men's connection. They figure out they're not entirely compatible in the bedroom, but that issue is never explored. It wasn't so much about the lack of sex, but lack of passion and emotion on page.
- Lachlan's change of heart gave me whiplash. One day, he's a big time developer, pleasing daddy and buying designer duds; the next, he's wanting to make a home on the ranch forever.
I truly wanted to love this book, you guys, and I'll most definitely be here when the next story in the series is released, but this one just didn't wow me.
October 19, 2024
4.5 stars.
I liked this book so very much. It's sweet and warm and gave me all the feels.
Lachlan and Easton are as different as two people can be. Lachlan is a city boy, Easton a cowboy. Lachlan has never had a serious relationship, Easton craves a husband and a family to call his own. Lachlan wants to buy Easton's land. Easton does not want to sell.
What follows is a funny, intense and sweet enemies to lovers story. I loved the snark and sexual tension between Lachlan and Easton.
And then there's Percy. The most adorable kid. Done 100% right.
I liked this book so very much. It's sweet and warm and gave me all the feels.
Lachlan and Easton are as different as two people can be. Lachlan is a city boy, Easton a cowboy. Lachlan has never had a serious relationship, Easton craves a husband and a family to call his own. Lachlan wants to buy Easton's land. Easton does not want to sell.
What follows is a funny, intense and sweet enemies to lovers story. I loved the snark and sexual tension between Lachlan and Easton.
And then there's Percy. The most adorable kid. Done 100% right.
February 2, 2021
Sadly this one didn't really work for me. 2,5 stars
Lachlan was not only unlikeable, but he made no sense to me. Alberta is a pretty outdoorsy place. I refuse to believe that anyone in Alberta would be as clueless as to go to a farm in fancy shiny shoes and designer suits. I had people making fun of me in Calgary for wearing high heeled boots in the winter in the city. Girl, I'm from Montreal, I know winter, thanks. But I digress. The whole country boy vs city slicker thing was too much, it would have made so much more sense if he was from Toronto rather than Edmonton. Add that he was rude to everyone, especially waiters and hotel employees, and I wasn't really interested in getting to know him better.
East was awesome. Perfect hot sweet cowboy. But I didn't feel the connection between the two MCs. Lachlan went from being an asshole trying to get into East's pants to sweet and in love in the course of two weeks, and I'm not sure how that happened. The Percy story made me tear up and warmed my heart, but the romance fell flat. It was sweet after a while, but just came out of nowhere. I would have liked more relationship development, and maybe some time apart.
I'm undecided about continuing in the series, since Knox was also unlikeable and made no sense (the amount of anger towards Lach) and I'm worried I'll just be frustrated again.
Lachlan was not only unlikeable, but he made no sense to me. Alberta is a pretty outdoorsy place. I refuse to believe that anyone in Alberta would be as clueless as to go to a farm in fancy shiny shoes and designer suits. I had people making fun of me in Calgary for wearing high heeled boots in the winter in the city. Girl, I'm from Montreal, I know winter, thanks. But I digress. The whole country boy vs city slicker thing was too much, it would have made so much more sense if he was from Toronto rather than Edmonton. Add that he was rude to everyone, especially waiters and hotel employees, and I wasn't really interested in getting to know him better.
East was awesome. Perfect hot sweet cowboy. But I didn't feel the connection between the two MCs. Lachlan went from being an asshole trying to get into East's pants to sweet and in love in the course of two weeks, and I'm not sure how that happened. The Percy story made me tear up and warmed my heart, but the romance fell flat. It was sweet after a while, but just came out of nowhere. I would have liked more relationship development, and maybe some time apart.
I'm undecided about continuing in the series, since Knox was also unlikeable and made no sense (the amount of anger towards Lach) and I'm worried I'll just be frustrated again.
dnf
December 15, 2020Audio 4 Stars
Story dnf @ 40%
I never imagined I would dnf a Nicky James book. 😢 But never say never....
Story dnf @ 40%
I never imagined I would dnf a Nicky James book. 😢 But never say never....
July 7, 2020
~4.50 Stars ~
Read this days ago and couldn't really bring myself to review/rate it at the time.
It's a pretty classic romance.
Opposites attract, city meets country.
I almost gave up on the story because Lachlan Montgomery is unlikable for the first 40% of the story. Somehow I pushed through, mostly because it's quite apparent that his horrendous behavior isn't skin deep. It's a lot of posturing and an attempt to shield himself. But it comes out in rude behaviors mostly aimed at receptionists, waitresses/waiters... really anyone he sees as below him. He's been living his life under the toxic mentorship of his father. Mentorship in the form of below-the-belt remarks, emotional beat downs followed by rare praise. Classic emotional abuser. Jasper with it's population of five-thousand is a far cry from the city of Edmonton and it breathes life back in Lachlan and returns the humanity that was missing at the start.
Easton Campbell and Lachlan don't start off on the best of terms. An almost-hookup turned into enemies territory when Lachlan shows up at his door with the intention of purchasing his heritage, his home, his land. Lachlan brings out the worst in Easton, his stubbornness and raw-honesty comes out to play when he pushes his buttons. In reality, despite his stubbornness Easton is a mild-mannered man, family oriented, hard worker, determined and a romantic at heart.
Their path to one another is shaky. Attraction is undeniable but circumstances leads to hostile interactions as Lachlan relentlessly attempts to change Easton's mind about the land.
It's a Nicky James novel so the writing is excellent. The town of Jasper comes alive as do the main and secondary characters. The chemistry is palpable and the romance is truly very lovely. And I do love it when a character does a 180 and has a true evolution through a story line.
Highly recommend for those in need for a classic romance about a cowboy and a rich city man set in a small town with quirks.
Read this days ago and couldn't really bring myself to review/rate it at the time.
It's a pretty classic romance.
Opposites attract, city meets country.
I almost gave up on the story because Lachlan Montgomery is unlikable for the first 40% of the story. Somehow I pushed through, mostly because it's quite apparent that his horrendous behavior isn't skin deep. It's a lot of posturing and an attempt to shield himself. But it comes out in rude behaviors mostly aimed at receptionists, waitresses/waiters... really anyone he sees as below him. He's been living his life under the toxic mentorship of his father. Mentorship in the form of below-the-belt remarks, emotional beat downs followed by rare praise. Classic emotional abuser. Jasper with it's population of five-thousand is a far cry from the city of Edmonton and it breathes life back in Lachlan and returns the humanity that was missing at the start.
Easton Campbell and Lachlan don't start off on the best of terms. An almost-hookup turned into enemies territory when Lachlan shows up at his door with the intention of purchasing his heritage, his home, his land. Lachlan brings out the worst in Easton, his stubbornness and raw-honesty comes out to play when he pushes his buttons. In reality, despite his stubbornness Easton is a mild-mannered man, family oriented, hard worker, determined and a romantic at heart.
Their path to one another is shaky. Attraction is undeniable but circumstances leads to hostile interactions as Lachlan relentlessly attempts to change Easton's mind about the land.
It's a Nicky James novel so the writing is excellent. The town of Jasper comes alive as do the main and secondary characters. The chemistry is palpable and the romance is truly very lovely. And I do love it when a character does a 180 and has a true evolution through a story line.
Highly recommend for those in need for a classic romance about a cowboy and a rich city man set in a small town with quirks.
March 11, 2022
Happy mistake. So, I messed up and accidentally read the fourth book in this series first. I don’t read out of order. Ever. But somehow I goofed with the sequence of the Jasper guys and I’m glad. I think knowing where Easton and Lachlan end up gave me a boost with this story. I’m not saying you should follow my backward steps, but having the insight of how ridiculously swoony they become had me skipping along. I adore enemies to lovers and this fierce attraction hit all my buttons. I also love small-town love affairs and the people of Jasper are hilarious and endearing…most of them. And if that’s not enough, our city boy facing off with his county boy had me chuckling all the way through.
What's to like: The pace was quiet and unhurried. It wasn’t a race to the finish and I appreciated that. Patience is key. It’s easy to find your feathers ruffled from Lachlan. I’ll be the first to tell you he’s a pretentious jerk. He runs the risk of drowning on a rainy day without an umbrella, but eventually, his nose drifts back down. His overbearing father might as well shipped him off to Timbuktu as far as he’s concerned, and he’s less than thrilled. His plan for this business trip is to get in, secure the deal and get out. Money always talks and he’s used to getting his way. When the stubborn cowboy doesn’t budge, he’s thrown off his game. What’s even more perplexing is the way his soul seems to crave new and foreign things. He doesn’t have time for relationships. He doesn’t bend or compromise. He doesn’t ‘do’ family, animals, or hard labor. He demands and he receives. Until Easton. East changes…everything.
What's to love: I loved watching Lachlan and Easton fight the inevitable fall. They think they know everything they need to know about the other, but *whispers* …they don’t. They are from opposite worlds and should never work on paper. Yet, Nicky does the impossible and not only brings them together but ties them tightly. Easton needs a plan to save his family’s ranch. Or a miracle. Lachlan needs someone to pull his head out of the penthouse clouds and put his feet back on the ground. Or his chest defrosted. Lachlan must be perfect, his father accepts nothing less. Swept up in the high life, he thought he had it all. Then Jasper changes him. He finds himself knocked down a few notches and blinks in the new light. He discovers that all the money in the world means very little if you have no one to share it with. Easton may not have the numbers in the bank, but his life is full of riches. He is blessed with an abundance of people who care for him. He is loaded with unconditional love from his dog and his horse. And his land feeds his soul in ample measures. Now, if only he can find a way to keep it all…and maybe the city slicker too.
Beware of: Slow burn with a fiery finish. Often masks are worn for protection. Love and trust go hand in hand and have the power to make dreams come true.
This book is for: If low angst with a mismatched pair sounds good to you, why not venture into the mountains and watch this collision? They bicker and battle and break invisible walls…and make a starry-eyed appearance later on.
What's to like: The pace was quiet and unhurried. It wasn’t a race to the finish and I appreciated that. Patience is key. It’s easy to find your feathers ruffled from Lachlan. I’ll be the first to tell you he’s a pretentious jerk. He runs the risk of drowning on a rainy day without an umbrella, but eventually, his nose drifts back down. His overbearing father might as well shipped him off to Timbuktu as far as he’s concerned, and he’s less than thrilled. His plan for this business trip is to get in, secure the deal and get out. Money always talks and he’s used to getting his way. When the stubborn cowboy doesn’t budge, he’s thrown off his game. What’s even more perplexing is the way his soul seems to crave new and foreign things. He doesn’t have time for relationships. He doesn’t bend or compromise. He doesn’t ‘do’ family, animals, or hard labor. He demands and he receives. Until Easton. East changes…everything.
What's to love: I loved watching Lachlan and Easton fight the inevitable fall. They think they know everything they need to know about the other, but *whispers* …they don’t. They are from opposite worlds and should never work on paper. Yet, Nicky does the impossible and not only brings them together but ties them tightly. Easton needs a plan to save his family’s ranch. Or a miracle. Lachlan needs someone to pull his head out of the penthouse clouds and put his feet back on the ground. Or his chest defrosted. Lachlan must be perfect, his father accepts nothing less. Swept up in the high life, he thought he had it all. Then Jasper changes him. He finds himself knocked down a few notches and blinks in the new light. He discovers that all the money in the world means very little if you have no one to share it with. Easton may not have the numbers in the bank, but his life is full of riches. He is blessed with an abundance of people who care for him. He is loaded with unconditional love from his dog and his horse. And his land feeds his soul in ample measures. Now, if only he can find a way to keep it all…and maybe the city slicker too.
Beware of: Slow burn with a fiery finish. Often masks are worn for protection. Love and trust go hand in hand and have the power to make dreams come true.
This book is for: If low angst with a mismatched pair sounds good to you, why not venture into the mountains and watch this collision? They bicker and battle and break invisible walls…and make a starry-eyed appearance later on.
August 10, 2020
3,5 stars
I really like Nicky James and loved the ‘Trials of Fear’ series.
For some reason though ‘Clashing Hearts’ didn’t quite hit the same nerve.
I enjoyed the scenario of ‘country meets city’, and the whole set-up of ‘enemies-to-lovers’ is great and very well done. Nicky James captures the small-town spirit brilliantly, and as Jasper is one place I've been to, it was fun reading about it.
However, the first 50% were too slow for me. The main plot gets side-lined by too many conversations with what seems random people, and when the MCs had only met a few times (and for only shorts amount of time!) by the half-way mark, I did start tapping my fingers impatiently.
Things accelerate from that point onwards, thank God, but I had trouble believing that Lachlan who had been portrayed as such an arrogant, reckless b****** to start with, could change so quickly. Basically, I would have liked to see more attention to his conversion from heartless, business-orientated city-slicker to a caring, feeling man.
I also had trouble to feel a real connection beyond the physical between these two guys.
Don’t get me wrong – this is a nice enough book, but I found some plot developments predictable and Lachlan’s 180 degree change comes on too suddenly.
I really like Nicky James and loved the ‘Trials of Fear’ series.
For some reason though ‘Clashing Hearts’ didn’t quite hit the same nerve.
I enjoyed the scenario of ‘country meets city’, and the whole set-up of ‘enemies-to-lovers’ is great and very well done. Nicky James captures the small-town spirit brilliantly, and as Jasper is one place I've been to, it was fun reading about it.
However, the first 50% were too slow for me. The main plot gets side-lined by too many conversations with what seems random people, and when the MCs had only met a few times (and for only shorts amount of time!) by the half-way mark, I did start tapping my fingers impatiently.
Things accelerate from that point onwards, thank God, but I had trouble believing that Lachlan who had been portrayed as such an arrogant, reckless b****** to start with, could change so quickly. Basically, I would have liked to see more attention to his conversion from heartless, business-orientated city-slicker to a caring, feeling man.
I also had trouble to feel a real connection beyond the physical between these two guys.
Don’t get me wrong – this is a nice enough book, but I found some plot developments predictable and Lachlan’s 180 degree change comes on too suddenly.
April 7, 2022
The story is a well written, low-angst, opposite-attract, enemy-to-lovers story with all the feels and emotions you could want. Easton is your typical family loving, country guy who would do anything for the people he loves. He needs to do whatever he can to keep his family ranching business from folding... anything that is BUT sell to the arrogant city boy who waltzed into town. Lachlan is your typical big-city, executive guy. He has been tasked with the job of obtaining Mr. Campbell's property and he cannot disappoint his father. There's plenty of banter, quick witty comebacks and lots of tension, both good and bad. From the start, Easton's character endears himself to the reader, while Lachlan takes a little while. There are also some side characters with interesting stories that hopefully are waiting to be told in future books. There is everything to love about this story. I can't wait for the next in the series.
August 17, 2022
Edited: I listened to the audio, narrated by Nick J. Russo, and it's excellent! I loved being back in Jasper, the banter between Easton and Lachlan, their animosity. This is how an enemies-to-lovers is done, and that's just something you can leave up to an author like Nicky James - she's really one of the best in the mm romance genre! And Nick J. Russo - he does her books so much justice. Nothing but love for their collaboration.
How will I ever be able to write a review that will do this book justice?! I just cannot express what this book did to me.
My feelings about it are all over the place and I'm not sure if I will be able to put them into words without rambling on and leave people worried about my state of mind ;)
Well, let's give it a try anyway.
First a deep, deep sigh. That's what I did when I closed the book. A happy, sappy, fluffy and heartfelt sigh. I was swooning like never before (probably). This book has EVERYTHING! Strong, sexy and stubborn characters, wonderful dialogues that make you feel all the feels, even when they are supposed to be hateful and insulting. They just made me all giddy!
I couldn't put this book down for whatever was going on around me. The world could have spun out of control, I wouldn't have noticed. I was so invested in this story, it hasn't happened like this much lately.
When Easton and Lachlan meet, there's attraction and pulling and definitely heat between them. But that's when neither of them knows who the other one actually is. Lachlan pictured himself a hot one night stand with the attractive stranger, but Easton has other plans. That's the first 'no' Lachlan gets and he is not pleased! The second 'no' Easton gives him, is when Lachlan tries to make him an offer for selling his land. And that just truly pisses him off.
"Talk. You have twenty minutes, and even when you think I'm not keepin' track of time, I am. It takes twenty minutes to muck out a stall. Baylor got this one started, so I reckon there's about fifteen minutes of work left. I'll go slow. When it's done, you're done."
How will I ever be able to write a review that will do this book justice?! I just cannot express what this book did to me.
My feelings about it are all over the place and I'm not sure if I will be able to put them into words without rambling on and leave people worried about my state of mind ;)
Well, let's give it a try anyway.
First a deep, deep sigh. That's what I did when I closed the book. A happy, sappy, fluffy and heartfelt sigh. I was swooning like never before (probably). This book has EVERYTHING! Strong, sexy and stubborn characters, wonderful dialogues that make you feel all the feels, even when they are supposed to be hateful and insulting. They just made me all giddy!
I couldn't put this book down for whatever was going on around me. The world could have spun out of control, I wouldn't have noticed. I was so invested in this story, it hasn't happened like this much lately.
When Easton and Lachlan meet, there's attraction and pulling and definitely heat between them. But that's when neither of them knows who the other one actually is. Lachlan pictured himself a hot one night stand with the attractive stranger, but Easton has other plans. That's the first 'no' Lachlan gets and he is not pleased! The second 'no' Easton gives him, is when Lachlan tries to make him an offer for selling his land. And that just truly pisses him off.
"Talk. You have twenty minutes, and even when you think I'm not keepin' track of time, I am. It takes twenty minutes to muck out a stall. Baylor got this one started, so I reckon there's about fifteen minutes of work left. I'll go slow. When it's done, you're done."
I loved how they argued, how their insults and assumptions were filled with heat, while you could still notice the physical attraction, so strong it was hard to be denied.
I'm gonna cut myself some slack and have dinner with an incredibly hot asshole even though he makes me want to strangle him every time he opens his goddamn mouth."
Lots of things happen and without giving too much away, the transformation Lachlan went through was endearing. At first I didn't like him at all, a presumptuous asshole from the city who thought he could have whatever he wanted and how he wanted it. A city slicker out of place in small-town Jasper and looking down at everything that represented the life there; the hardworking people, who worked with their hands and wore working clothes instead of sitting at an office, wearing expensive designer suits and shirts to add to the impeccable image that represented money and exclusive lifestyles.
All I'd managed to accomplish was to chase a stubborn cowboy around a barn and through the filth.
Oh, how much he's changed his opinions in the end! But in order to get there, he needs a man like Easton to show him how and that he did!
Then I left. I walked right out of the building into the busy afternoon of noisy traffic and smog. I missed Jasper. I missed my man. It was time to go home.
I loved every single word, every sentence, every chapter. I devoured it. Nicky James proved again why she is my favorite author. I have never come across a book she's written that I didn't like. But this one has gone right on my topshelf, because it's one of her best books so far.
Highly recommended!!
July 16, 2020
I am a huge Nicky James fan but his just did not do it for me.
I was very excited to see that she was writing a contemporary romance. Add to that that I've been on the hunt for a ranch romance all Summer and I thought I'd won a prize for sure.
I didn't win.
This just overall was not for me. The only think I ever liked about Lachlan was his name. He was a terrible human being and his behavior toward everyone he encountered was unforgivable and nonredeemable, not that he tried to redeem himself at all to any of the people he treated like shit. I didn't care that his daddy issues were the cause. It didn't make sense that he put up with his father at all. There was no blackmail or I'll ruin your life if you leave. He liked it at his dad's company. He liked who he was and found his behavior acceptable. I never, not for once believed he could go from who he was to the person he ended up being. No way.
He was really terrible at his job too. Beyond terrible.
Oh, I liked something else about him! His brother. His poor brother who got treated even worse and stayed with his dad.
I wish there was some sort of explanation as to why they worked for their father's company if this was going to be the reason Lachlan behaved the way he did.
Easton. Well, I don't know if I got him at all. I didn't understand why he talked the way he did. I didn't understand his rules about men. I didn't understand his drive to keep the ranch but not really do anything to make that happen. He didn't seem driven to me. He seemed more over my dead body but woe is me. He did have a great heart though and I loved, loved, loved his story with Percy. A lot. I wish the entire book had been about two guys falling in love and this boy, I probably would have loved that story. This one though, it was pretty much a fail for me.
Bummer because I love the authors other books and I really wanted a good cowboy book.
I was very excited to see that she was writing a contemporary romance. Add to that that I've been on the hunt for a ranch romance all Summer and I thought I'd won a prize for sure.
I didn't win.
This just overall was not for me. The only think I ever liked about Lachlan was his name. He was a terrible human being and his behavior toward everyone he encountered was unforgivable and nonredeemable, not that he tried to redeem himself at all to any of the people he treated like shit. I didn't care that his daddy issues were the cause. It didn't make sense that he put up with his father at all. There was no blackmail or I'll ruin your life if you leave. He liked it at his dad's company. He liked who he was and found his behavior acceptable. I never, not for once believed he could go from who he was to the person he ended up being. No way.
He was really terrible at his job too. Beyond terrible.
Oh, I liked something else about him! His brother. His poor brother who got treated even worse and stayed with his dad.
I wish there was some sort of explanation as to why they worked for their father's company if this was going to be the reason Lachlan behaved the way he did.
Easton. Well, I don't know if I got him at all. I didn't understand why he talked the way he did. I didn't understand his rules about men. I didn't understand his drive to keep the ranch but not really do anything to make that happen. He didn't seem driven to me. He seemed more over my dead body but woe is me. He did have a great heart though and I loved, loved, loved his story with Percy. A lot. I wish the entire book had been about two guys falling in love and this boy, I probably would have loved that story. This one though, it was pretty much a fail for me.
Bummer because I love the authors other books and I really wanted a good cowboy book.
March 14, 2022
Definitely 4 and 1/2 stars . A great haters to lovers book. I just loved it. This was definitely one of my favorites. Very slow burn, which I love, and completely hot love.
July 8, 2020
By far one of the best books I’ve read this year. I loved this so much. Lach and East are adorable.
July 10, 2020
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4,75 stars
Can you see my heart-shaped eyes and the huge smile on my face?! 😍😍😍😍
Ah this book is amazing!!!!
Lachlan & Easton own a piece of my heart now...
They drove me crazy but they made me also smile, and laugh ... and cry a little bit ( what can i say?? I've a soft heart when it comes to stories like this 🥰).
Lachlan and Easton couldn't been more different, and a relationship between them seems impossibile:
Lachlan is rich, arrogant, spoiled, a city boy who only wear suit and tie;
Easton on the contrary is a cowboy, with a strong bond with his family and his land.
But the attraction between them is too strong to be ignored and even if everything row against them, they find a way to each other.
I really liked secondary characters too, even the ones i hate 😂😂, especially Percy 😍😍😍
Ah that kid is so damn sweet...
And i'm very curious about Knox 'cause he is hiding something 😏😏😏
Can you see my heart-shaped eyes and the huge smile on my face?! 😍😍😍😍
Ah this book is amazing!!!!
Lachlan & Easton own a piece of my heart now...
They drove me crazy but they made me also smile, and laugh ... and cry a little bit ( what can i say?? I've a soft heart when it comes to stories like this 🥰).
Lachlan and Easton couldn't been more different, and a relationship between them seems impossibile:
Lachlan is rich, arrogant, spoiled, a city boy who only wear suit and tie;
Easton on the contrary is a cowboy, with a strong bond with his family and his land.
But the attraction between them is too strong to be ignored and even if everything row against them, they find a way to each other.
I really liked secondary characters too, even the ones i hate 😂😂, especially Percy 😍😍😍
Ah that kid is so damn sweet...
And i'm very curious about Knox 'cause he is hiding something 😏😏😏
March 26, 2025
3.5
It took me so long to warm up to this story because the one MC, Lachlan, was utterly unlikeable for so much of the book. i did like when he finally started to change his ways, but there were a lot of loose ends. What happens with his relationship with his dad and his brother? Does he start a development company in Jasper or is it just the holiday lodges? Considering his job and the development was such a big part of the story, it did feel like there were unanswered questions and that does frustrate me.
East was instantly loveable though and pretty much made the book for me. I enjoyed the setting on the horse training / trail ride school and I liked the way that East became the guardian of Percy - he was even better as a dad! We got to know a lot more about East than we did about Lachlan and I can't think of any loose ends relating to him, so the story did feel a bit unbalanced.
What really annoyed me though was the way the characters speak! I would get so frustrated if half the people around me just mumbled incoherently and expected you to know what it meant 😂 It's not that they have a speech impediment or a disability, they just can't be arsed to speak clearly! The worst though was the journalist guy who could not finish a sentence. I get that he's doing it to get a reaction out of the other characters, but I also had absolutely zero clue what he was trying to say, so it did get irritating and I already know I don't want to read his book because I would scream in frustration if it happened for the entire story.
It took me so long to warm up to this story because the one MC, Lachlan, was utterly unlikeable for so much of the book. i did like when he finally started to change his ways, but there were a lot of loose ends. What happens with his relationship with his dad and his brother? Does he start a development company in Jasper or is it just the holiday lodges? Considering his job and the development was such a big part of the story, it did feel like there were unanswered questions and that does frustrate me.
East was instantly loveable though and pretty much made the book for me. I enjoyed the setting on the horse training / trail ride school and I liked the way that East became the guardian of Percy - he was even better as a dad! We got to know a lot more about East than we did about Lachlan and I can't think of any loose ends relating to him, so the story did feel a bit unbalanced.
What really annoyed me though was the way the characters speak! I would get so frustrated if half the people around me just mumbled incoherently and expected you to know what it meant 😂 It's not that they have a speech impediment or a disability, they just can't be arsed to speak clearly! The worst though was the journalist guy who could not finish a sentence. I get that he's doing it to get a reaction out of the other characters, but I also had absolutely zero clue what he was trying to say, so it did get irritating and I already know I don't want to read his book because I would scream in frustration if it happened for the entire story.
not-for-me-dnf
March 19, 2022Slow-burn enemies-to-lovers low-steam - OMG count me in!!!
Sadly, I dnf'd it at 41%.
Lachlan, 38, land developer and his daddy's golden boy, comes to a small town to offer a landowner, who did not advertise to be interested in selling his place, to buy.
Alas, instead of an old guy he has to deal with the rancher's son Easton, 35, who definitely does NOT want to sell.
The author makes it a point to make Lachlan look like an asshole (snobby thoughts, being rude to waitstaff, disliking to be close to cute animals).
The author also makes it a point to make Easton look stubborn, simple (what's with his speech? eew), and scruffy.
Add to this a personal problem I have: never read poorly researched books about topics you know by heart (I am a cowboy/rancher in the Midwest). Let me tell you: this is NOT how people behave in end-of-the-road small towns, nor is it how ranches work.
It's a miracle that I made it almost half through the book. I just don't see at all how a city boy like Lachlan could ever end up living content out in the country. Nope.
Sadly, I dnf'd it at 41%.
Lachlan, 38, land developer and his daddy's golden boy, comes to a small town to offer a landowner, who did not advertise to be interested in selling his place, to buy.
Alas, instead of an old guy he has to deal with the rancher's son Easton, 35, who definitely does NOT want to sell.
The author makes it a point to make Lachlan look like an asshole (snobby thoughts, being rude to waitstaff, disliking to be close to cute animals).
The author also makes it a point to make Easton look stubborn, simple (what's with his speech? eew), and scruffy.
Add to this a personal problem I have: never read poorly researched books about topics you know by heart (I am a cowboy/rancher in the Midwest). Let me tell you: this is NOT how people behave in end-of-the-road small towns, nor is it how ranches work.
It's a miracle that I made it almost half through the book. I just don't see at all how a city boy like Lachlan could ever end up living content out in the country. Nope.
January 25, 2021
4.5
What can I say? Nicky James’s writing is enough to hold my attention even if it’s angst free (ikr?!)
Loved Easton and Lachlan together 🥰
What can I say? Nicky James’s writing is enough to hold my attention even if it’s angst free (ikr?!)
Loved Easton and Lachlan together 🥰
September 11, 2022
The best enemies to lovers I’ve ever read!! No surprise there, it’s Nicky James after all. 🌈❤️
The city boy and the cowboy have a soulmate connection! Easton and Lachlan are everything and more! The chemistry between the two is palpable and flies off the pages! One can feel the intensity a mile away!! 😅
One of my many favorite quotes…..
“Lach, my heart’s tangled up in yours now.” 🥹
So much passion, a five alarm fire type of passion!
And that epilogue….wow! You will laugh and cry throughout the book, so bring the tissues!! I must mention Percy, one of my favorite kid characters, as he wrapped himself around my heart. I LOVE that kid!!☺️☺️☺️
💫I highly recommend this book if you like enemies to lovers stories.
😍ALL THE FEELS!!
🎧Bravo, Nick Russo, bravo! 👏🏻
💕Thanks for the rec, Nicole!! 😘
🌈Off to listen to book 2, “Confusing Hearts,” featuring Knox, Easton’s childhood best friend!
The city boy and the cowboy have a soulmate connection! Easton and Lachlan are everything and more! The chemistry between the two is palpable and flies off the pages! One can feel the intensity a mile away!! 😅
One of my many favorite quotes…..
“Lach, my heart’s tangled up in yours now.” 🥹
So much passion, a five alarm fire type of passion!
And that epilogue….wow! You will laugh and cry throughout the book, so bring the tissues!! I must mention Percy, one of my favorite kid characters, as he wrapped himself around my heart. I LOVE that kid!!☺️☺️☺️
💫I highly recommend this book if you like enemies to lovers stories.
😍ALL THE FEELS!!
🎧Bravo, Nick Russo, bravo! 👏🏻
💕Thanks for the rec, Nicole!! 😘
🌈Off to listen to book 2, “Confusing Hearts,” featuring Knox, Easton’s childhood best friend!
July 9, 2020
I felt like it took me awhile to read this but it was not the books fault, I’m just having a hard time concentrating lately. I love Nicky James’ writing and I haven’t read enough by her. I have discovered recently that I have a thing for cowboys. This book mixed city boy (Lachlan) with cowboy (Easton) and they had some major chemistry!
Lachlan is treated horribly by his father who constantly puts him down. Lachlan is told by his father to go to Jasper and persuade the owner of a failing ranch to sell his 300 acres so that the developing company Lachlan’s father owns can build a lodge and condominiums. The problem is that they think Easton’s father owns the ranch but he just signed the ranch over to Easton and Easton is not selling.
The men meet before they know who the other is and they have an immediate attraction. Easton doesn’t do one night stands and Lachlan only does one night stands. These two men were opposite in so many ways! When they find out who the other is there is bickering and insults but the sparks are still flying! It was fun to read!
Lachlan starts the book off as a total snob. He thinks the little town of Jasper and it’s residents are beneath him. I love when books take a character and opens them up to discover they are so much more.
Easton is as stubborn as one gets! He has his reasons and he is open hearted and willing to do what he needs to to protect what’s his. He takes care of the sweetest boy, Percy, whose father is a drunk. The addition of Percy to the story was wonderful! I also loved Logan, Easton’s huge dog! Lachlan’s reaction to Logan is hysterical too!
There are other characters that stuck with me too. Windsor, the chief of police, Christian, Lachlan’s brother, and Knox, Easton’s best friend. Along with Easton’s family I enjoyed a lot about this town!!!
This is a feel good, lovely story that has no real angst and it was refreshing. I love angst but I’m so happy nothing was twisted into a big misunderstanding. That would’ve ruined this story.
Lachlan is treated horribly by his father who constantly puts him down. Lachlan is told by his father to go to Jasper and persuade the owner of a failing ranch to sell his 300 acres so that the developing company Lachlan’s father owns can build a lodge and condominiums. The problem is that they think Easton’s father owns the ranch but he just signed the ranch over to Easton and Easton is not selling.
The men meet before they know who the other is and they have an immediate attraction. Easton doesn’t do one night stands and Lachlan only does one night stands. These two men were opposite in so many ways! When they find out who the other is there is bickering and insults but the sparks are still flying! It was fun to read!
Lachlan starts the book off as a total snob. He thinks the little town of Jasper and it’s residents are beneath him. I love when books take a character and opens them up to discover they are so much more.
Easton is as stubborn as one gets! He has his reasons and he is open hearted and willing to do what he needs to to protect what’s his. He takes care of the sweetest boy, Percy, whose father is a drunk. The addition of Percy to the story was wonderful! I also loved Logan, Easton’s huge dog! Lachlan’s reaction to Logan is hysterical too!
There are other characters that stuck with me too. Windsor, the chief of police, Christian, Lachlan’s brother, and Knox, Easton’s best friend. Along with Easton’s family I enjoyed a lot about this town!!!
This is a feel good, lovely story that has no real angst and it was refreshing. I love angst but I’m so happy nothing was twisted into a big misunderstanding. That would’ve ruined this story.
did-not-finished
July 11, 2020Dnf.
Nope nope nope.
Can't stand the MC in the first chapter.
Nope nope nope.
Can't stand the MC in the first chapter.
July 20, 2020
Do you guys think next book gonna be about knox & christian?
October 10, 2021
One penetrative sex scene. ONE.
Sigh...
But it was good. I love East. Not terribly fond of Lachlan, but he got there in the end. But I love East. Wish there was more action. What there was, was good.
May check out more of these...
Sigh...
But it was good. I love East. Not terribly fond of Lachlan, but he got there in the end. But I love East. Wish there was more action. What there was, was good.
May check out more of these...
July 5, 2020
Good, the only thing that truly frustrates me is being from Edmonton, and knowing what Edmonton and Jasper are like first hand.
Firstly, Edmonton, although a city is not a “big city” Things like “fine” dining exists, but is just as likely to be visited by the hipster/ or young creative crowd as it is someone wealthier. It’s extended downtown core is like 20 sq blacks and is a small world where you are highly likely to run into people you know, unlike what the character says. The author is portraying it like it is Vancouver or Toronto, or even Calgary is bigger but Edmonton is not the big city the way it’s read in this book. People from Edmonton are in general very friendly, and don’t have a big city attitude, like in any city there are jerks, but those in the service industry would act similar to those in Jasper, and the portrayal of Jasper being a small hick town is anything but accurate. Your server is just as likely to be Australian there for snowboarding as they are likely to be Canadian.
Also, Jasper, people do not have country accents, even ranchers.
Firstly, Edmonton, although a city is not a “big city” Things like “fine” dining exists, but is just as likely to be visited by the hipster/ or young creative crowd as it is someone wealthier. It’s extended downtown core is like 20 sq blacks and is a small world where you are highly likely to run into people you know, unlike what the character says. The author is portraying it like it is Vancouver or Toronto, or even Calgary is bigger but Edmonton is not the big city the way it’s read in this book. People from Edmonton are in general very friendly, and don’t have a big city attitude, like in any city there are jerks, but those in the service industry would act similar to those in Jasper, and the portrayal of Jasper being a small hick town is anything but accurate. Your server is just as likely to be Australian there for snowboarding as they are likely to be Canadian.
Also, Jasper, people do not have country accents, even ranchers.
Read
January 16, 2021DNF at 45%. this really didn’t work for me. Lachlan was so rude, annoying, treated everyone around him badly. I seriously couldn’t like him. and then there were other stuff in the story that didn’t grab my attention. so it’s a big no from me.
January 12, 2024
I've given this a B+ for narration and a B for content at AudioGals.
Like many long-time/frequent/avid audiobook listeners, I tend to be a narrator-driven purchaser. On the whole, that’s proved to be a good thing for me, as I’ve discovered lots of new authors and books through glomming narrators like Greg Tremblay, Iggy Toma, Kale Williams and Nick J. Russo, all of whom have pointed me towards books I might otherwise have missed or not taken a chance on. I hadn’t come across Nicky James until I saw books from her latest series – Hometown Jasper – in an Audible list of new releases several months back; I liked the city-slicker-meets-country-boy premise of book one, and with Nick J. Russo as the narrator, I decided to give it a try.
Clashing Hearts is an opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers affair in which the two leads really are enemies (for a good reason) and not just a little bit antipathetic towards each other – and I enjoyed listening to city-dweller Lachlan gradually falling under the spell of both his Canadian cowboy and the great outdoors.
Lachlan Montgomery is, not to put too fine a point on it, an arsehole. He’s well-off, good-looking and likes the finer things in life – designer clothes, haute-cuisine – has never had a relationship and doesn’t want one. He works for his father’s property development firm and is his second-in-command, even though Montgomery senior treats him like crap, constantly belittles him and piles the pressure on all the time. All that does, though, is make Lachlan even more determined to gain his father’s approval, which he thinks he’ll do by being as arrogant and cut-throat as his old man. Montgomery’s latest project is to purchase 300 acres of land just outside Jasper in the Canadian Rockies, with a view to building a new ski resort designed to appeal to a “higher class” of clientele, comprising a lodge and million-dollar condominiums. The fly in the ointment is the existence of the Campbell Stables and Riding School slap-bang in the middle of the land he wants to buy – but Montgomery has the perfect solution. He’s learned the stables isn’t doing so well financially, and tells Lachlan to go to meet with the owner and make an offer he won’t be able to refuse.
Lachlan is a total snob and thinks small-town Jasper and its residents are beneath him. He opts to stay at the Lodge, the town’s most luxurious hotel, and is not impressed; still he’s only there for the weekend. When, at dinner the first night, he notices a seriously hot guy sitting with a large party in the restaurant, Lachlan thinks that maybe his weekend is looking up.
Easton Campbell is about as different from Lachlan as can be. When the book begins, he’s getting ready to attend the rehearsal dinner for his sister’s upcoming wedding – and is miffed at having to “dress up” rather that wear what he always wears, jeans, cowboy boots, checked shirt –and his trusty hat. Once at dinner in the Lodge’s restaurant, he can’t help noticing the attractive man checking him out from across the room; after the dinner finishes and Easton and a few friends go to the bar, the guy comes over and introduces himself. Easton enjoys the flirtation and the attention –and the blistering kiss they share is really something – but he’s never been into one night stands, and even though he’s sorely tempted to accept Lachlan’s invitation to his room, he turns him down.
Lachlan has never been so stunned by a kiss – or a rejection – but he’s in Jasper to do a job and should focus on that. He heads to the stables the following day in order to meet with Erwin Campbell, but doesn’t get that far. He’s surprised when the first person he meets there is Easton – they hadn’t exchanged last names the previous night – who, getting wind of why Lachlan is there, angrily tells him that he owns the land, not his father, that he has no intention whatsoever of selling it and that Lachlan should get the hell off his property.
Well. Damn.
The romance between these two very different men is a slow-burn, which completely fits the tone of the story, and if you’ve read the city/country trope before, then there are no real surprises as to the way this one is going to turn out. Attraction and chemistry are there from the beginning, but Easton and Lachlan have a lot to work through if they’re going to find a way to be together for the long run. Easton is the easier of the two to like; he’s warm and kind and knows who he is and what he wants, while Lachlan is, as I’ve said, an arrogant git who needs to get over himself. Easton has his faults however, mostly that he’s incredibly stubborn, to the point of being stubborn for stubborn’s sake; although his position of wanting to preserve his family’s business, land and way of life is understandable, at the same time, he has no idea what he’s going to do in order to stop the stables from going under.
Watching Lachlan interact with his father makes it easy to understand why he’s the way he is, although Montgomery Snr. is something of a caricature; all we see him do is yell at Lachlan and his younger brother (who is far less in awe of him than Lachlan is), and it’s a bit difficult to believe that a successful businessman of thirty-eight would keep taking all the crap thrown at him.
There are a few plotlines that are introduced and dropped or not fully developed. Easton’s medical issues (he has epilepsy as the result of a head injury some years before) and the storyline about vandalism – one of Easton’s barns is painted with homophobic graffiti – come and go, and then there’s Percy, an eight-year-old boy who is severely neglected by his dead-beat, drunk dad and who Easton does his best to look out for. That’s the strongest of the secondary plotlines, although I’m not sure how accurate the fostering procedure was. The biggest issue I had though, was with the speed of Lachlan’s transformation from business-oriented city-based snob to a man who actually cares about other people. It’s well written and I liked the way it’s done, especially when he takes care of Easton at a really bad time, and I bought that by the end of the story, he was ready to make changes and live his life differently – it just seemed to happen rather quickly.
Nick J. Russo delivers a really good performance in which he expertly captures not only the essence of both characters but also all the emotional content of the story. I was particularly impressed with the way he portrays Lachlan’s transformation; at the beginning he’s all self-satisfied smarm and snobbishness, someone who clearly doesn’t like it when he doesn’t get what he wants, and all that egotism is conveyed in the sneer in his voice and the slightly harsh edge to Lachlan’s dialogue. As he starts to fall in love with Easton and to see the stables and surrounding land through his eyes, Lachlan’s tone acquires more colour and those harsh edges are softened. Easton’s warmth and charm come through immediately, but given the story is set in Canada I had to wonder at the use of what sounded to me like a Southern US accent. Mr. Russo does an extremely good one, and maybe it was an easy way of signalling “country boy” – I’ve never met anyone from Alberta so I don’t know what the local accent is like. It didn’t bother me too much, but I did wonder.
All the secondary characters –many of whom will feature in future books in the series – are clearly characterised and differentiated, and I especially liked Mr. Russo’s portrayal of Percy, who sounds cute and convincingly childlike.
Clashing Hearts is nothing I haven’t heard before, but I enjoyed it thanks to the excellent writing and performance, and would recommend it despite my reservations. I’ve already picked up the next in the series and plan to try more of the author’s work.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals
Like many long-time/frequent/avid audiobook listeners, I tend to be a narrator-driven purchaser. On the whole, that’s proved to be a good thing for me, as I’ve discovered lots of new authors and books through glomming narrators like Greg Tremblay, Iggy Toma, Kale Williams and Nick J. Russo, all of whom have pointed me towards books I might otherwise have missed or not taken a chance on. I hadn’t come across Nicky James until I saw books from her latest series – Hometown Jasper – in an Audible list of new releases several months back; I liked the city-slicker-meets-country-boy premise of book one, and with Nick J. Russo as the narrator, I decided to give it a try.
Clashing Hearts is an opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers affair in which the two leads really are enemies (for a good reason) and not just a little bit antipathetic towards each other – and I enjoyed listening to city-dweller Lachlan gradually falling under the spell of both his Canadian cowboy and the great outdoors.
Lachlan Montgomery is, not to put too fine a point on it, an arsehole. He’s well-off, good-looking and likes the finer things in life – designer clothes, haute-cuisine – has never had a relationship and doesn’t want one. He works for his father’s property development firm and is his second-in-command, even though Montgomery senior treats him like crap, constantly belittles him and piles the pressure on all the time. All that does, though, is make Lachlan even more determined to gain his father’s approval, which he thinks he’ll do by being as arrogant and cut-throat as his old man. Montgomery’s latest project is to purchase 300 acres of land just outside Jasper in the Canadian Rockies, with a view to building a new ski resort designed to appeal to a “higher class” of clientele, comprising a lodge and million-dollar condominiums. The fly in the ointment is the existence of the Campbell Stables and Riding School slap-bang in the middle of the land he wants to buy – but Montgomery has the perfect solution. He’s learned the stables isn’t doing so well financially, and tells Lachlan to go to meet with the owner and make an offer he won’t be able to refuse.
Lachlan is a total snob and thinks small-town Jasper and its residents are beneath him. He opts to stay at the Lodge, the town’s most luxurious hotel, and is not impressed; still he’s only there for the weekend. When, at dinner the first night, he notices a seriously hot guy sitting with a large party in the restaurant, Lachlan thinks that maybe his weekend is looking up.
Easton Campbell is about as different from Lachlan as can be. When the book begins, he’s getting ready to attend the rehearsal dinner for his sister’s upcoming wedding – and is miffed at having to “dress up” rather that wear what he always wears, jeans, cowboy boots, checked shirt –and his trusty hat. Once at dinner in the Lodge’s restaurant, he can’t help noticing the attractive man checking him out from across the room; after the dinner finishes and Easton and a few friends go to the bar, the guy comes over and introduces himself. Easton enjoys the flirtation and the attention –and the blistering kiss they share is really something – but he’s never been into one night stands, and even though he’s sorely tempted to accept Lachlan’s invitation to his room, he turns him down.
Lachlan has never been so stunned by a kiss – or a rejection – but he’s in Jasper to do a job and should focus on that. He heads to the stables the following day in order to meet with Erwin Campbell, but doesn’t get that far. He’s surprised when the first person he meets there is Easton – they hadn’t exchanged last names the previous night – who, getting wind of why Lachlan is there, angrily tells him that he owns the land, not his father, that he has no intention whatsoever of selling it and that Lachlan should get the hell off his property.
Well. Damn.
The romance between these two very different men is a slow-burn, which completely fits the tone of the story, and if you’ve read the city/country trope before, then there are no real surprises as to the way this one is going to turn out. Attraction and chemistry are there from the beginning, but Easton and Lachlan have a lot to work through if they’re going to find a way to be together for the long run. Easton is the easier of the two to like; he’s warm and kind and knows who he is and what he wants, while Lachlan is, as I’ve said, an arrogant git who needs to get over himself. Easton has his faults however, mostly that he’s incredibly stubborn, to the point of being stubborn for stubborn’s sake; although his position of wanting to preserve his family’s business, land and way of life is understandable, at the same time, he has no idea what he’s going to do in order to stop the stables from going under.
Watching Lachlan interact with his father makes it easy to understand why he’s the way he is, although Montgomery Snr. is something of a caricature; all we see him do is yell at Lachlan and his younger brother (who is far less in awe of him than Lachlan is), and it’s a bit difficult to believe that a successful businessman of thirty-eight would keep taking all the crap thrown at him.
There are a few plotlines that are introduced and dropped or not fully developed. Easton’s medical issues (he has epilepsy as the result of a head injury some years before) and the storyline about vandalism – one of Easton’s barns is painted with homophobic graffiti – come and go, and then there’s Percy, an eight-year-old boy who is severely neglected by his dead-beat, drunk dad and who Easton does his best to look out for. That’s the strongest of the secondary plotlines, although I’m not sure how accurate the fostering procedure was. The biggest issue I had though, was with the speed of Lachlan’s transformation from business-oriented city-based snob to a man who actually cares about other people. It’s well written and I liked the way it’s done, especially when he takes care of Easton at a really bad time, and I bought that by the end of the story, he was ready to make changes and live his life differently – it just seemed to happen rather quickly.
Nick J. Russo delivers a really good performance in which he expertly captures not only the essence of both characters but also all the emotional content of the story. I was particularly impressed with the way he portrays Lachlan’s transformation; at the beginning he’s all self-satisfied smarm and snobbishness, someone who clearly doesn’t like it when he doesn’t get what he wants, and all that egotism is conveyed in the sneer in his voice and the slightly harsh edge to Lachlan’s dialogue. As he starts to fall in love with Easton and to see the stables and surrounding land through his eyes, Lachlan’s tone acquires more colour and those harsh edges are softened. Easton’s warmth and charm come through immediately, but given the story is set in Canada I had to wonder at the use of what sounded to me like a Southern US accent. Mr. Russo does an extremely good one, and maybe it was an easy way of signalling “country boy” – I’ve never met anyone from Alberta so I don’t know what the local accent is like. It didn’t bother me too much, but I did wonder.
All the secondary characters –many of whom will feature in future books in the series – are clearly characterised and differentiated, and I especially liked Mr. Russo’s portrayal of Percy, who sounds cute and convincingly childlike.
Clashing Hearts is nothing I haven’t heard before, but I enjoyed it thanks to the excellent writing and performance, and would recommend it despite my reservations. I’ve already picked up the next in the series and plan to try more of the author’s work.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals
July 2, 2020
4.25*
Clashing Hearts est un concentré de tout ce que j’aime retrouver dans mes lectures, notamment quand je recherche du réconfort, une sensation de feel good. C’est simple, j’ai adoré ce roman et il correspondait vraiment à ce dont j’avais besoin en ce moment. Voici une histoire d’amour assez « classique » et très différente de ce que Nicky James propose habituellement. Je suis fan des écrits plus tourmentés ou déchirants de l’autrice mais elle nous prouve avec ce nouveau titre qu’elle sait aussi parfaitement mener une histoire d’amour plus paisible.
Que nous propose ce livre ? Un enemies to lovers se déroulant dans une petite ville au cœur des montagnes canadiennes, où deux héros que tout oppose (mais aussi sexy l’un que l’autre) s’affrontent, se tournent autour, et font crépiter la tension sexuelle !
Quand Lachlan débarque dans la petite ville de Jasper, avec son arrogance, le mépris qu’il affiche pour ceux qu’il considère comme des bouseux, et ses vêtements hors de prix, on ne peut s’empêcher de le trouver détestable… le contraste avec Easton est d'autant plus frappant ! Ce dernier est un amour de cowboy, si bienveillant et attachant. Il est rêve de fonder une famille et ne s’en cache pas, les coups d’un soir ce n’est pas pour lui... Easton et Lachlan ne peuvent pas être plus différents et pourtant impossible d’ignorer l’attraction qu’ils ressentent l’un pour l’autre.
J’ai beaucoup aimé voir Lachlan se transformer au contact d’Easton, de cette nature brute et magnifique qu’il découvre, c'est un peu comme une renaissance, un retour à l’essentiel. Alors certes, cette évolution peut paraître rapide mais elle est bien menée et nous offre un bien joli message. C’était vraiment délectable d’assister au rapprochement de ces deux hommes, les voir s’ouvrir l’un à l’autre, dévoiler leurs insécurités… Ahlala ils sont tellement craquants ensemble ! Les réactions de Lachlan, un citadin pur jus, qui est catapulté dans un environnement « hostile » sont aussi très drôles !
L’ambiance qui règne dans la petite ville de Jasper, avec ses aspects positifs comme négatifs, est bien retranscrite. Comme j’aimerais poser mes valises dans ce petit coin de Canada, une vraie bouffée d’air frais !
Un autre détail m’a complètement fait fondre, deux pour être exacte ! Percy et Logan sont juste adorables, j’avais tellement envie de leur faire des câlins. La relation qu’Easton a tissée avec Percy est terriblement touchante et j’ai vraiment aimé que l’autrice lui accorde autant d’importance.
Vivement la suite ! Nicky a titillé ma curiosité avec un certain personnage, j’ai hâte de retourner dans la petite ville de Jasper !
[/justify]
Clashing Hearts est un concentré de tout ce que j’aime retrouver dans mes lectures, notamment quand je recherche du réconfort, une sensation de feel good. C’est simple, j’ai adoré ce roman et il correspondait vraiment à ce dont j’avais besoin en ce moment. Voici une histoire d’amour assez « classique » et très différente de ce que Nicky James propose habituellement. Je suis fan des écrits plus tourmentés ou déchirants de l’autrice mais elle nous prouve avec ce nouveau titre qu’elle sait aussi parfaitement mener une histoire d’amour plus paisible.
Que nous propose ce livre ? Un enemies to lovers se déroulant dans une petite ville au cœur des montagnes canadiennes, où deux héros que tout oppose (mais aussi sexy l’un que l’autre) s’affrontent, se tournent autour, et font crépiter la tension sexuelle !
Quand Lachlan débarque dans la petite ville de Jasper, avec son arrogance, le mépris qu’il affiche pour ceux qu’il considère comme des bouseux, et ses vêtements hors de prix, on ne peut s’empêcher de le trouver détestable… le contraste avec Easton est d'autant plus frappant ! Ce dernier est un amour de cowboy, si bienveillant et attachant. Il est rêve de fonder une famille et ne s’en cache pas, les coups d’un soir ce n’est pas pour lui... Easton et Lachlan ne peuvent pas être plus différents et pourtant impossible d’ignorer l’attraction qu’ils ressentent l’un pour l’autre.
J’ai beaucoup aimé voir Lachlan se transformer au contact d’Easton, de cette nature brute et magnifique qu’il découvre, c'est un peu comme une renaissance, un retour à l’essentiel. Alors certes, cette évolution peut paraître rapide mais elle est bien menée et nous offre un bien joli message. C’était vraiment délectable d’assister au rapprochement de ces deux hommes, les voir s’ouvrir l’un à l’autre, dévoiler leurs insécurités… Ahlala ils sont tellement craquants ensemble ! Les réactions de Lachlan, un citadin pur jus, qui est catapulté dans un environnement « hostile » sont aussi très drôles !
L’ambiance qui règne dans la petite ville de Jasper, avec ses aspects positifs comme négatifs, est bien retranscrite. Comme j’aimerais poser mes valises dans ce petit coin de Canada, une vraie bouffée d’air frais !
Un autre détail m’a complètement fait fondre, deux pour être exacte ! Percy et Logan sont juste adorables, j’avais tellement envie de leur faire des câlins. La relation qu’Easton a tissée avec Percy est terriblement touchante et j’ai vraiment aimé que l’autrice lui accorde autant d’importance.
Vivement la suite ! Nicky a titillé ma curiosité avec un certain personnage, j’ai hâte de retourner dans la petite ville de Jasper !
[/justify]
June 18, 2022
To zupełnie inna Nicky James, niż ta, do której jestem przyzwyczajona. Już raz miałam tego przedsmak w jej świątecznej historii The Christmas I Know - i tutaj ponownie daje się poznać od zupełnie innej strony. Od strony delikatnej, bez praktycznie żadnego dramatu, gniewu, niepokoju, traumy. To po prostu klasyczny małomiasteczkowy romans - z jednym miejskim, aroganckim dupkiem, jednym bankrutującym kowbojem z sercem na dłoni, jednym zaniedbanym dzieciakiem, który znajduje swoje miejsce na ziemi i jednym psem, który jest tylko trochę mniejszy od konia 😜
I choć nie była to książka wybitna, to fajnie mi się czytało i na sporo drobnych rzeczy byłam w stanie przymknąć oko. Za wyjątkiem jednej. Lachlana. A właściwie jego przemiany. Kiedy go poznajemy, to naprawdę okropny, rozpuszczony, bogaty, bezwzględny, arogancki dupek, który uważa się za lepszego od wszystkich i który świetnie wie, jak lizać tyłek własnego ojca, by dostawać pochwały i przysłowiowe poklepanie po głowie za dobrą robotę. Myślę, że fragment, w którym pokazuje, jak traktuje pracowników ich firmy, mówi wszystko...
"On my way, I poked my head in a few offices and took food and drink orders. Our secretaries and accountants worked hard. Every now and then, I had to throw them a bone so they would keep asking how high whenever I told them to jump."
I oczywiście rozumiem, że musiał przejść przemianę, kiedy spotkał Tego Jedynego - takie są w końcu zasady romansu 😜 Jednakże tempo tej przemiany nie przekonało mnie. Stało się to za szybko. Zbyt gwałtownie. Można niemalże to podsumować w skrócie: jednego dnia położył się dupkiem, drugiego wstał innym człowiekiem. A najśmieszniejsze jest to, że w sumie naprawdę podobał mi się jego związek z Eastonem. I ich - nazwijmy to - przedzwiązek jako wrogów 😉 Tylko było tak, jakby zabrakło kilku rozdziałów, które by pokazały stan przejściowy i niepewny Lachlana.
Za Percy'ego dorzucam pół gwiazdki, bo strasznie uroczy dzieciak z niego - dawno nie spotkałam tak fajnego dziecięcego bohatera 😁 I za Logana, tego "maleńkiego" psa Eastona 😁
Ta historia niekoniecznie musi się podobać tym, którzy są przyzwyczajeni do wielkiej traumy i dramatów u Nicky James. Ale ja za bardzo nie narzekam. Tylko trochę 😁
I choć nie była to książka wybitna, to fajnie mi się czytało i na sporo drobnych rzeczy byłam w stanie przymknąć oko. Za wyjątkiem jednej. Lachlana. A właściwie jego przemiany. Kiedy go poznajemy, to naprawdę okropny, rozpuszczony, bogaty, bezwzględny, arogancki dupek, który uważa się za lepszego od wszystkich i który świetnie wie, jak lizać tyłek własnego ojca, by dostawać pochwały i przysłowiowe poklepanie po głowie za dobrą robotę. Myślę, że fragment, w którym pokazuje, jak traktuje pracowników ich firmy, mówi wszystko...
"On my way, I poked my head in a few offices and took food and drink orders. Our secretaries and accountants worked hard. Every now and then, I had to throw them a bone so they would keep asking how high whenever I told them to jump."
I oczywiście rozumiem, że musiał przejść przemianę, kiedy spotkał Tego Jedynego - takie są w końcu zasady romansu 😜 Jednakże tempo tej przemiany nie przekonało mnie. Stało się to za szybko. Zbyt gwałtownie. Można niemalże to podsumować w skrócie: jednego dnia położył się dupkiem, drugiego wstał innym człowiekiem. A najśmieszniejsze jest to, że w sumie naprawdę podobał mi się jego związek z Eastonem. I ich - nazwijmy to - przedzwiązek jako wrogów 😉 Tylko było tak, jakby zabrakło kilku rozdziałów, które by pokazały stan przejściowy i niepewny Lachlana.
Za Percy'ego dorzucam pół gwiazdki, bo strasznie uroczy dzieciak z niego - dawno nie spotkałam tak fajnego dziecięcego bohatera 😁 I za Logana, tego "maleńkiego" psa Eastona 😁
Ta historia niekoniecznie musi się podobać tym, którzy są przyzwyczajeni do wielkiej traumy i dramatów u Nicky James. Ale ja za bardzo nie narzekam. Tylko trochę 😁
July 2, 2020
What do you get when you cross an uptight, entitled city slicker with a home grown, good ole humble cowboy ABSOLUTE PERFECTION and loads of FIREWORKS!!!
Add in an adorable 8 year old boy named Percy and a huge dog name Logan.... You get all the feels. My heart damn near burst with it all! This enemies to lovers, complete opposites attract love story hit all the marks for me.
My initial reaction to pompous Lachlan Montgomery was not good. This expensive suit wearing, hair styled to perfection ass knew how to rub people the wrong way. He was arrogant, vain, materialistic and definitely a SNOB. His actions were infuriating.
When he came to the town of Jasper looking to buy land for his daddy's development company. He was barking up the wrong tree with Easton Campbell's land. This is where the fun and fireworks began....
Easton Campbell is everything that Lachlan is not! He is REAL, honest and compassionate.
This man is all country! A jeans and boots type of guy. He's a family man, who loves his ranch and animals.
When he was approached by Lachlan, he let him know, somethings were worth more then money and he would never sell!
When he first met pretty boy Lachlan there was a definite mutual attraction, but he was too smart to be fooled by the man's sharp tongue. Their cat and mouse dance kept me thoroughly extertained. The sexual tention between them was insane, even when they were lashing out at each other with insults! I was dying for them to give in and just attack each other! It seemed the more time they spent together, the harder it was to walk away. Lachlan surprised me the most. I began to see the real man behind the expensive clothes.
With Easton's help his heart shined through. Watching these men, who you would never think belong together, strip down their walls and fall in love was magical!!!
I won't tell you how adorable Percy and Logan fit into this story. You need to read it for yourself, just have tissues ready.
I have come to learn Nicky James can honestly write anything! She has a magic touch. Every one of her books that I have read has been exceptional. She has become a go to favorite author of mine!
Add in an adorable 8 year old boy named Percy and a huge dog name Logan.... You get all the feels. My heart damn near burst with it all! This enemies to lovers, complete opposites attract love story hit all the marks for me.
My initial reaction to pompous Lachlan Montgomery was not good. This expensive suit wearing, hair styled to perfection ass knew how to rub people the wrong way. He was arrogant, vain, materialistic and definitely a SNOB. His actions were infuriating.
When he came to the town of Jasper looking to buy land for his daddy's development company. He was barking up the wrong tree with Easton Campbell's land. This is where the fun and fireworks began....
Easton Campbell is everything that Lachlan is not! He is REAL, honest and compassionate.
This man is all country! A jeans and boots type of guy. He's a family man, who loves his ranch and animals.
When he was approached by Lachlan, he let him know, somethings were worth more then money and he would never sell!
When he first met pretty boy Lachlan there was a definite mutual attraction, but he was too smart to be fooled by the man's sharp tongue. Their cat and mouse dance kept me thoroughly extertained. The sexual tention between them was insane, even when they were lashing out at each other with insults! I was dying for them to give in and just attack each other! It seemed the more time they spent together, the harder it was to walk away. Lachlan surprised me the most. I began to see the real man behind the expensive clothes.
With Easton's help his heart shined through. Watching these men, who you would never think belong together, strip down their walls and fall in love was magical!!!
I won't tell you how adorable Percy and Logan fit into this story. You need to read it for yourself, just have tissues ready.
I have come to learn Nicky James can honestly write anything! She has a magic touch. Every one of her books that I have read has been exceptional. She has become a go to favorite author of mine!
August 31, 2025
Love me a cowboy!
Enemies to Lovers
Falling Fast
It was a super fast and easy read.
I enjoyed the 1 thing they had in common route. It's always fun to see ways to make that work.
Enemies to Lovers
Falling Fast
It was a super fast and easy read.
I enjoyed the 1 thing they had in common route. It's always fun to see ways to make that work.
November 4, 2021
This was so sweet, I am now made of sugar.
The narrator did an amazing job btw.
The narrator did an amazing job btw.
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