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Woods Ranch #1
His Fresh Start Cowboy
From acclaimed author A.M. Arthur comes a tender, sexy cowboy romance, the first in her Woods Ranch series.
Two cowboys will have to risk their hearts—again—to find a home on the ranch.
Hugo Turner's boots haven't touched Texas soil in almost a decade, and he's not sure they should now. Being in the state is complicated, but Hugo can't resist going back for a job working with his teenage crush. His best friend's hot older brother is now the ranch's foreman, so he'll be Hugo's boss. Inappropriate? Probably. Will it stop Hugo? Probably not.
Brand Woods isn't ready for the return of Hugo Turner. He decided long ago to keep his bisexuality private and to focus his life on running the ranch. Working next to the most dangerously tempting man he’s ever known stirs up questions Brand thought he'd put to rest.
The sparks that send their hearts galloping lead to a deeper passion than either man expects. But by giving in to the chemistry without taking a risk and committing to each other—or, more importantly, to themselves and living the lives they've always wanted—Brand and Hugo might lose their second chance at true love.
Woods Ranch
Book 1: His Fresh Start Cowboy
Two cowboys will have to risk their hearts—again—to find a home on the ranch.
Hugo Turner's boots haven't touched Texas soil in almost a decade, and he's not sure they should now. Being in the state is complicated, but Hugo can't resist going back for a job working with his teenage crush. His best friend's hot older brother is now the ranch's foreman, so he'll be Hugo's boss. Inappropriate? Probably. Will it stop Hugo? Probably not.
Brand Woods isn't ready for the return of Hugo Turner. He decided long ago to keep his bisexuality private and to focus his life on running the ranch. Working next to the most dangerously tempting man he’s ever known stirs up questions Brand thought he'd put to rest.
The sparks that send their hearts galloping lead to a deeper passion than either man expects. But by giving in to the chemistry without taking a risk and committing to each other—or, more importantly, to themselves and living the lives they've always wanted—Brand and Hugo might lose their second chance at true love.
Woods Ranch
Book 1: His Fresh Start Cowboy
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 25, 2022
61 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Arthur
87 books1,235 followersNo stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance wasn't a thing yet) with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments. You can contact her at AM_Arthur(at)yahoo(dot)com
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December 15, 2021
His Fresh Start Cowboy is book one in the Woods Ranch series by A.M. Arthur. This is my very first book by this author. What first drew me in was this gorgeous cover. It’s no secret that I have a huge weakness for cowboy romance as I do for M/M romance. Put them together and I’m a goner. This is a sweet, sexy, slow burn romance. I fell for both of these heroes. Their lives were so different from each other but also the same in some ways. Let me tell you a little bit about them.
I first want to mention that this is sort of a spin off of the Clean Slate Ranch series. Since I haven’t read it, it took me just a bit in the beginning to get all the familial connections straight. But everything fell into place in no time.
Hugo Turner is twenty seven years old. He left Texas almost ten years ago as soon as he turned eighteen. He had spent the last couple of years at Clean Slate Ranch in California but when he heard they were hiring at Woods Ranch, the home of his boyhood best friend, Rem Woods, and Rem’s older brother who was Hugo’s high school crush, he decided it was time to go back to Texas and face his ghosts.
Brand Woods is thirty five years old. When his older brother, Colt, left home years ago and moved to California and started Clean Slate Ranch, Brand was left to take over the foreman position at their family’s Woods Ranch. He accepted the responsibility and has done well. Brand is bi-sexual but has kept this a secret. He has two friends with benefits relationships that fulfill the needs of both parties involved and Brand has accepted that this is probably all he’ll ever have. But when he was told Hugo was coming back and would be working on their ranch, he both dreaded it and was excited for his return. Hugo was just a kid when they last saw each other. But there was always chemistry there. He was always there in the back of Brand’s mind and maybe a few of his fantasies. But now he would be Hugo’s boss. Not to mention that no one knew of his sexuality. So it would be hands off and stay away.
Hugo had two reasons for returning home, one to try to reconnect with his mother, the other, to finally try to connect with the man he’s loved since he was sixteen years old. But neither of these are working very well for him. Could returning to Texas be a mistake? Brand seems to want nothing to do with him. The sparks he feels whenever they are near each other couldn’t be his imagination, though.
These two both have so many battles to fight, both within themselves and in their lives, especially Hugo. One thing I loved is that no matter what turmoil Brand was feeling as to his feelings for Hugo, when Hugo needed him, he was there, no matter what. I adored the way that the Woods family supported Hugo, both in the present and back when he was a teenager. He was one of the family.
This was a sweet, sexy, and sometimes sad story. I really wanted to tie these two up to each other to force them to talk to one another. I loved the way Brand finally dealt with their communication issues. The next book in this series will be His Reluctant Cowboy. I don’t know who it’s about although I do have a couple of ideas who it could be. We’ll have to find out when more is revealed. For now, I hope you enjoy meeting Brand and Hugo.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
I first want to mention that this is sort of a spin off of the Clean Slate Ranch series. Since I haven’t read it, it took me just a bit in the beginning to get all the familial connections straight. But everything fell into place in no time.
Hugo Turner is twenty seven years old. He left Texas almost ten years ago as soon as he turned eighteen. He had spent the last couple of years at Clean Slate Ranch in California but when he heard they were hiring at Woods Ranch, the home of his boyhood best friend, Rem Woods, and Rem’s older brother who was Hugo’s high school crush, he decided it was time to go back to Texas and face his ghosts.
Brand Woods is thirty five years old. When his older brother, Colt, left home years ago and moved to California and started Clean Slate Ranch, Brand was left to take over the foreman position at their family’s Woods Ranch. He accepted the responsibility and has done well. Brand is bi-sexual but has kept this a secret. He has two friends with benefits relationships that fulfill the needs of both parties involved and Brand has accepted that this is probably all he’ll ever have. But when he was told Hugo was coming back and would be working on their ranch, he both dreaded it and was excited for his return. Hugo was just a kid when they last saw each other. But there was always chemistry there. He was always there in the back of Brand’s mind and maybe a few of his fantasies. But now he would be Hugo’s boss. Not to mention that no one knew of his sexuality. So it would be hands off and stay away.
Hugo had two reasons for returning home, one to try to reconnect with his mother, the other, to finally try to connect with the man he’s loved since he was sixteen years old. But neither of these are working very well for him. Could returning to Texas be a mistake? Brand seems to want nothing to do with him. The sparks he feels whenever they are near each other couldn’t be his imagination, though.
These two both have so many battles to fight, both within themselves and in their lives, especially Hugo. One thing I loved is that no matter what turmoil Brand was feeling as to his feelings for Hugo, when Hugo needed him, he was there, no matter what. I adored the way that the Woods family supported Hugo, both in the present and back when he was a teenager. He was one of the family.
This was a sweet, sexy, and sometimes sad story. I really wanted to tie these two up to each other to force them to talk to one another. I loved the way Brand finally dealt with their communication issues. The next book in this series will be His Reluctant Cowboy. I don’t know who it’s about although I do have a couple of ideas who it could be. We’ll have to find out when more is revealed. For now, I hope you enjoy meeting Brand and Hugo.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
March 1, 2022
Audiobook - 4 stars
Story - 2 stars
Story - 2 stars
Read
January 31, 2022DNF… I made it 30% wow this was just poorly done
December 18, 2021
*soft gasp* there was only one tent
maybe i should create a specific gr shelf for cowboys because turns out i'm kinda into that yeehaw shit
maybe i should create a specific gr shelf for cowboys because turns out i'm kinda into that yeehaw shit
September 4, 2022
2 stars
The stars are only for the narration (only reason I continued. Michael Dean did a pretty good job with it).. the book didn’t do it for me.. it was boring but since I bought it on kindle I pushed through.. but not worth it..
I remember kinda liking the other cowboy series but this was just not good. I was bored, didn’t connect with any character and didn’t feel the connection with them.
Wasted my time.. but didn’t have another book lined up.. so it was this or searching… I chose wrong 😂🤦🏽♀️
The stars are only for the narration (only reason I continued. Michael Dean did a pretty good job with it).. the book didn’t do it for me.. it was boring but since I bought it on kindle I pushed through.. but not worth it..
I remember kinda liking the other cowboy series but this was just not good. I was bored, didn’t connect with any character and didn’t feel the connection with them.
Wasted my time.. but didn’t have another book lined up.. so it was this or searching… I chose wrong 😂🤦🏽♀️
February 24, 2022
It was OK.
December 4, 2021
Yay, a new series by A.M. Arthur! A spinoff of their Clean Slate Ranch series, you can read His Fresh Start Cowboy as a standalone. There's mention of characters from the Ranch, Brand is Colt's brother, but you don't need to know anything about the past series to completely enjoy this one.
A.M. Arthur does an excellent job with Brand - coming out as bi, wrapping his head around his attraction to Hugo, dealing with career choices, and other family drama. Hugo is more straight forward, but he's got some serious demons to overcome. Just like in real life, everything doesn't go smoothly, nor does it all go his way... but you know he's going to do whatever he needs to get his man!
Woods Ranch is still at the beginning stages of its reincarnation under Brand's leadership. But they've got a strong, accepting family and A.M. Arthur lays plenty of seeds for future episodes in this wonderful new series.
thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of His Fresh Start Cowboy, all opinions are my own
A.M. Arthur does an excellent job with Brand - coming out as bi, wrapping his head around his attraction to Hugo, dealing with career choices, and other family drama. Hugo is more straight forward, but he's got some serious demons to overcome. Just like in real life, everything doesn't go smoothly, nor does it all go his way... but you know he's going to do whatever he needs to get his man!
Woods Ranch is still at the beginning stages of its reincarnation under Brand's leadership. But they've got a strong, accepting family and A.M. Arthur lays plenty of seeds for future episodes in this wonderful new series.
thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy of His Fresh Start Cowboy, all opinions are my own
February 20, 2022
This book and I were not meant to be. I was quite excited when I requested the book at Netgalley and got approved by the publisher, Carina Press. But we started out wrong and it never got better.
This is the first book in a new series, but it appears it's a spin off from another series about cowboys and ranches, one I haven't read yet, and that was part of the reason I got annoyed quite quickly.
There's a lot of info in those first pages/chapters. A lot of names, a lot of people whom I didn't know yet, but were apparently main characters from the other series. It was really confusing to figure out who was who and whose names I should remember and whose I shouldn't bother with.
Maybe that was also part of the reason I had a hard time connecting with the two main characters, Hugo and Brand. This book is about a second chance, since Hugo has had a crush on Brand (who's his best friends older brother) for as long as he can remember. But Brand is still in the closet, and when Hugo returns home after an absence of ten years and he goes to work on Brand's ranch, Hugo can't help but pick up on the attraction he's always felt.
As I did not feel any connection with both mc's, I also had a hard time feeling theirs. For some reason it just didn't work for me here. The constant push and pull - even though I understood Brand's reasons for staying in the closet - was doing no good for my level of enjoyment, and eventually I started skimming from about 50-60%.
I wished I would have enjoyed this more, because I really wanted to. The cover is hot, and though I know better than to judge a book by it, I do feel a bit betrayed by the fact that, for me at least, this book should not be promoted as one you can read without having read the Clean Slate series. I felt lost from the beginning and I think that's the reason I enjoyed this less than I would have if I'd read said series first. So, I think it's fair to say it's not the writing. That was okay. But this book just didn't work for me. I might come back to it after I have read the Clean Slate series, because it is my intention to read those.
I kindly received an ARC through Netgalley from Carina Press and this is my honest, voluntary review
This is the first book in a new series, but it appears it's a spin off from another series about cowboys and ranches, one I haven't read yet, and that was part of the reason I got annoyed quite quickly.
There's a lot of info in those first pages/chapters. A lot of names, a lot of people whom I didn't know yet, but were apparently main characters from the other series. It was really confusing to figure out who was who and whose names I should remember and whose I shouldn't bother with.
Maybe that was also part of the reason I had a hard time connecting with the two main characters, Hugo and Brand. This book is about a second chance, since Hugo has had a crush on Brand (who's his best friends older brother) for as long as he can remember. But Brand is still in the closet, and when Hugo returns home after an absence of ten years and he goes to work on Brand's ranch, Hugo can't help but pick up on the attraction he's always felt.
As I did not feel any connection with both mc's, I also had a hard time feeling theirs. For some reason it just didn't work for me here. The constant push and pull - even though I understood Brand's reasons for staying in the closet - was doing no good for my level of enjoyment, and eventually I started skimming from about 50-60%.
I wished I would have enjoyed this more, because I really wanted to. The cover is hot, and though I know better than to judge a book by it, I do feel a bit betrayed by the fact that, for me at least, this book should not be promoted as one you can read without having read the Clean Slate series. I felt lost from the beginning and I think that's the reason I enjoyed this less than I would have if I'd read said series first. So, I think it's fair to say it's not the writing. That was okay. But this book just didn't work for me. I might come back to it after I have read the Clean Slate series, because it is my intention to read those.
I kindly received an ARC through Netgalley from Carina Press and this is my honest, voluntary review
April 26, 2023
3.5*
With the first spin-off from the Clean Slate series, A.M. gives us a slightly different perspective on the best friend's brother trope.
It's coupled with a bit of found family, some dealing with your past elements, and a not quite second chance romance.
There's a small (eight years) gap between Hugo and Brand and I have to say, at times I'm not sure they really read like 27 and a 35 year old men, more like young adult at times.
Some of that is down to the story choices of having Brand be struggling with his bisexuality and still living at home on his parent's ranch.
Hugo is a bit more world weary and they're both utterly rubbish at communicating, thankfully it doesn't become a major plot point.
They flit and flop through a "will they, won't they" and there's a fair amount of UST before the inevitable happens.
I liked that there were strong secondary characters and a good sense of the setting, as well as a plot arc which provided other external tensions outside of just the relationship.
Overall I think it's a solid opener which sets up a few other potential options for future books.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
With the first spin-off from the Clean Slate series, A.M. gives us a slightly different perspective on the best friend's brother trope.
It's coupled with a bit of found family, some dealing with your past elements, and a not quite second chance romance.
There's a small (eight years) gap between Hugo and Brand and I have to say, at times I'm not sure they really read like 27 and a 35 year old men, more like young adult at times.
Some of that is down to the story choices of having Brand be struggling with his bisexuality and still living at home on his parent's ranch.
Hugo is a bit more world weary and they're both utterly rubbish at communicating, thankfully it doesn't become a major plot point.
They flit and flop through a "will they, won't they" and there's a fair amount of UST before the inevitable happens.
I liked that there were strong secondary characters and a good sense of the setting, as well as a plot arc which provided other external tensions outside of just the relationship.
Overall I think it's a solid opener which sets up a few other potential options for future books.
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Carina Press via NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review.
January 26, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Carina Press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
When I heard the Clean Slate Ranch was done, I was so sad, so finding out there was going to be a spinoff involving Colt's family, I was over the moon! Hugo was the perfect character to start this series off with.
I felt so bad for the guy. He's had a lot of disappointment and heartache in his life and had the courage to face his past head on... and it was a bumpy ride. But of course, the story took us where we needed to go.
This is a little reminiscent of Red Dirt Heart by N.R. Walker - not a ripoff or anything like that, just a similar setting. That made me love this one so much more because I adored Red Dirt Heart and there just aren't many books like it out there.
The miscommunications were a little cheesy but typical for the genre.
All in all, a great start to a spinoff series. Bring on book two!
When I heard the Clean Slate Ranch was done, I was so sad, so finding out there was going to be a spinoff involving Colt's family, I was over the moon! Hugo was the perfect character to start this series off with.
I felt so bad for the guy. He's had a lot of disappointment and heartache in his life and had the courage to face his past head on... and it was a bumpy ride. But of course, the story took us where we needed to go.
This is a little reminiscent of Red Dirt Heart by N.R. Walker - not a ripoff or anything like that, just a similar setting. That made me love this one so much more because I adored Red Dirt Heart and there just aren't many books like it out there.
The miscommunications were a little cheesy but typical for the genre.
All in all, a great start to a spinoff series. Bring on book two!
January 25, 2022
* 3.5 stars *
His Fresh Start Cowboy is the first book in a spin-off new series. I haven't read the original one, which takes place on a dude ranch, so I was confused at first about who everyone was. I'm still not sure who some of them are, but at the end of the day, it wasn't important because they're just mentioned here and there and they're not a big part of the story.
The MCs are Hugo and Brand, two guys who knew each other in the past and then lost contact until they reunited once more.
Hugo had major issues at home while he was growing up and he decided to leave as soon as it was possible. He spent ten years drifting between places and jobs until he landed on a dude ranch. He stayed there the longest of all the places he had been before, two years. After that, he decided it was time to return home and try to mend his relationship with his mother.
Brand is Hugo's childhood best friend's older brother, he takes care of his family's ranch and he's struggling with being open about his bisexuality in the small community where he lives. He has structured his life in a way to satisfy his family's expectations and needs regardless of his own dreams and desires.
When Hugo came back, he sought work at Brand's ranch, and with them seeing each other every day, even if sometimes it was nothing more than a passing glance as they each did their thing, they start a kind of dance around each other. There's a push and pull between them, that they don't seem to be able to figure out how to navigate.
When Hugo has to deal with his past, which happens a lot, Brand is there to support him and the two start to grow closer together. What really changes the dynamic between them, though, is Brand's decision to lay down his cards and express his feelings to Hugo.
The story takes place over several months and there are a lot of events taking place. It's a story that kept my interest as well as made me roll my eyes at some points. There was a constant back and forth in the progression of the relationship that became tiring after some point, but I liked the last part of the book, where they had become a couple. I'd probably read more from this series.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
His Fresh Start Cowboy is the first book in a spin-off new series. I haven't read the original one, which takes place on a dude ranch, so I was confused at first about who everyone was. I'm still not sure who some of them are, but at the end of the day, it wasn't important because they're just mentioned here and there and they're not a big part of the story.
The MCs are Hugo and Brand, two guys who knew each other in the past and then lost contact until they reunited once more.
Hugo had major issues at home while he was growing up and he decided to leave as soon as it was possible. He spent ten years drifting between places and jobs until he landed on a dude ranch. He stayed there the longest of all the places he had been before, two years. After that, he decided it was time to return home and try to mend his relationship with his mother.
Brand is Hugo's childhood best friend's older brother, he takes care of his family's ranch and he's struggling with being open about his bisexuality in the small community where he lives. He has structured his life in a way to satisfy his family's expectations and needs regardless of his own dreams and desires.
When Hugo came back, he sought work at Brand's ranch, and with them seeing each other every day, even if sometimes it was nothing more than a passing glance as they each did their thing, they start a kind of dance around each other. There's a push and pull between them, that they don't seem to be able to figure out how to navigate.
When Hugo has to deal with his past, which happens a lot, Brand is there to support him and the two start to grow closer together. What really changes the dynamic between them, though, is Brand's decision to lay down his cards and express his feelings to Hugo.
The story takes place over several months and there are a lot of events taking place. It's a story that kept my interest as well as made me roll my eyes at some points. There was a constant back and forth in the progression of the relationship that became tiring after some point, but I liked the last part of the book, where they had become a couple. I'd probably read more from this series.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
December 15, 2024
This is the first in the Woods Ranch series by A.M. Arthur. It's kind of a spin-off from her Clean Slate Ranch series with several mentions of the ranch and one of the main characters, Hugo, having been once employed by the Clean Slate...so there is some crossover in the beginning.
Once Hugo gets to Woods Ranch, this story is off and running with a second chance for Hugo and Brand Woods, the son of the owner. The romance is a slow burn, and the storyline is intense and emotional, especially on Hugo's part. His backstory as well as some things that happen in the present has the ability to break a heart. Brand's insecurity about being and telling his parents that he's bisexual is the source of the angst in Hugo and Brand's newly formed relationship. For this pair... the chemistry is there in spades, and both guys are so darn lovable.
The book is well-written, the characters are likable. I found it hard to believe that no one that knew Hugo's stepbrother who had recently been released from prison because of overcrowded conditions, didn't immediately recognize the truth behind some incidents that occurred that Hugo was blamed for ...but I guess it's what helped to make the story, but it's also what lost it a 5-star rating.
It's all a mix of emotions both sexy, and sweet. December in Michigan? ...Who wouldn't enjoy a hot cowboy romance? I listened to the audio and Michael Dean did a great job giving voices to the characters.
Once Hugo gets to Woods Ranch, this story is off and running with a second chance for Hugo and Brand Woods, the son of the owner. The romance is a slow burn, and the storyline is intense and emotional, especially on Hugo's part. His backstory as well as some things that happen in the present has the ability to break a heart. Brand's insecurity about being and telling his parents that he's bisexual is the source of the angst in Hugo and Brand's newly formed relationship. For this pair... the chemistry is there in spades, and both guys are so darn lovable.
The book is well-written, the characters are likable. I found it hard to believe that no one that knew Hugo's stepbrother who had recently been released from prison because of overcrowded conditions, didn't immediately recognize the truth behind some incidents that occurred that Hugo was blamed for ...but I guess it's what helped to make the story, but it's also what lost it a 5-star rating.
It's all a mix of emotions both sexy, and sweet. December in Michigan? ...Who wouldn't enjoy a hot cowboy romance? I listened to the audio and Michael Dean did a great job giving voices to the characters.
February 21, 2022
Review to come.
January 25, 2022
We’ve moved on from the Clean Slate Ranch to Woods Ranch. We will miss seeing all familiar faces there but looking forward to what happens here. A.M. Arthur really made the first book in the Woods Ranch series interesting.
Hugo and Brand. Two men who have a lot to lose but even more to gain if they follow their hearts. Hugo took a big risk going back to Texas. With hopes of mending fences and possibly having the life that he wanted, he took the risk. Disappointed in one regard and hopeful in the other, Hugo could only hope that Brand will open his eyes and his heart to him. Brand has to face his feelings, let go of his fears and face the future head-on. He’s tried to repress his bi-sexuality and deny that his heart was owned by Hugo from the first kiss so long ago. Now, he’s here again and it’s time to own up. Does he follow his heart or allow society to dictate how he lives his life?
I love reading A.M. Arthur. Her stories always have a meaning behind them. She doesn’t write all love and roses but brings real life choices and consequences into her stories. I know, when I pick up her book, that I will get a complete story. There may be some complications but she always brings her stories to beautiful conclusions. She writes characters that you understand and brings their feelings and thoughts through in a way that you can’t help but feel for them, understand them and hope that they find their way to their HEA.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Hugo and Brand. Two men who have a lot to lose but even more to gain if they follow their hearts. Hugo took a big risk going back to Texas. With hopes of mending fences and possibly having the life that he wanted, he took the risk. Disappointed in one regard and hopeful in the other, Hugo could only hope that Brand will open his eyes and his heart to him. Brand has to face his feelings, let go of his fears and face the future head-on. He’s tried to repress his bi-sexuality and deny that his heart was owned by Hugo from the first kiss so long ago. Now, he’s here again and it’s time to own up. Does he follow his heart or allow society to dictate how he lives his life?
I love reading A.M. Arthur. Her stories always have a meaning behind them. She doesn’t write all love and roses but brings real life choices and consequences into her stories. I know, when I pick up her book, that I will get a complete story. There may be some complications but she always brings her stories to beautiful conclusions. She writes characters that you understand and brings their feelings and thoughts through in a way that you can’t help but feel for them, understand them and hope that they find their way to their HEA.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
February 2, 2022
In His Fresh Start Cowboy A.M. Arthur gives of an intense, heartfelt, emotional , slow burn second chance mm romance . I found it to be moving, thought provoking and deep.
I just reviewed His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur. #HisFreshStartCowboy #NetGalley
I just reviewed His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur. #HisFreshStartCowboy #NetGalley
March 16, 2024
This books was so weirdly written like it was confusing and overall just random, the story itself it’s interesting enough but damn, it felt like a struggle to finish it at times.
April 21, 2023
A good one. Interesting, with the added bonus of Hugo and Brand pining for each other. Love a bit of pining. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but it was nice overall
November 8, 2025
I've always enjoyed a coming out story and the angst that comes along with that. Arthur writes characters with cute banter and I particularly loved that it took Brand's ex (female) lover to give him a figurative slap around the head, when he was clueless about why he'd hurt Hugos feelings. The dialogue was a tad corny but sweet too. Some parts felt a little repetitive, with the same phrase or sentiment being repeated in different parts of the story. I personally don't think you need to have read earlier books, as some reviewers have mentioned.
This was my first book of hers, and interestingly my first time listening to an audiobook - it was very interesting to me that the narrator made me giggle and blush at the 'spicy' scenes, that I honestly don't think would have affected me had I read it myself. Might be the masculine voice with the Texan drawl that did it. 🤭
This was my first book of hers, and interestingly my first time listening to an audiobook - it was very interesting to me that the narrator made me giggle and blush at the 'spicy' scenes, that I honestly don't think would have affected me had I read it myself. Might be the masculine voice with the Texan drawl that did it. 🤭
July 19, 2022
That was excellent, although I somehow felt like I'd read it before. Maybe too many similar books and situations? That doesn't mean I won't be reading the next in the series eventually, but maybe a bit of a break from cowboys? Nah, that doesn't sound like a good solution!
January 7, 2022
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I have received an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Harlequin/Carina Press, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. The Pub date of the book is January 25, 2022. I will post this review on my Goodreads, Facebook page and Instagram.
It is the first time I read something by the author A.M.Arthur, and I can tell that the author knows how to tell us a story.
This book is a novel of second chances, developing slowly, facing dilemmas, past traumas, and little fun moments. It has the funny factor: "I'm in love with my best friend's big brother."
There is a slight age difference between the characters, but it's not very significant.
I enjoyed how the author created the characters and all the family members, especially Rem. It is a big house with many beautiful children and parents who love them unconditionally and always have room to love one more—loyalty and trust between siblings and friends who protect each other in favour of work and meaningful relationships.
As for the main characters, Hugo and Brand, I loved how different they are, their contrast, and their distinct view of life from the other. Hugo is younger but mature and suffered some heartaches until he got where he was. Made big and complicated decisions but never stopped being himself to please others. And Brand lived a long time, letting insecurities and fears lead him to a life not very happy and surrounded by work, without opening doors to relationships or joyful moments that marked him. The need to put the family above everything and everyone, together with fear, condemned him to little pleasure.
It's interesting to see how their relationship will influence life, not only their own but just as those around them too. They will learn second chances can be worth it.
It looks like it's going to be an exciting series, and I'm going to want to know what's the following story in this new universe.
It is the first time I read something by the author A.M.Arthur, and I can tell that the author knows how to tell us a story.
This book is a novel of second chances, developing slowly, facing dilemmas, past traumas, and little fun moments. It has the funny factor: "I'm in love with my best friend's big brother."
There is a slight age difference between the characters, but it's not very significant.
I enjoyed how the author created the characters and all the family members, especially Rem. It is a big house with many beautiful children and parents who love them unconditionally and always have room to love one more—loyalty and trust between siblings and friends who protect each other in favour of work and meaningful relationships.
As for the main characters, Hugo and Brand, I loved how different they are, their contrast, and their distinct view of life from the other. Hugo is younger but mature and suffered some heartaches until he got where he was. Made big and complicated decisions but never stopped being himself to please others. And Brand lived a long time, letting insecurities and fears lead him to a life not very happy and surrounded by work, without opening doors to relationships or joyful moments that marked him. The need to put the family above everything and everyone, together with fear, condemned him to little pleasure.
It's interesting to see how their relationship will influence life, not only their own but just as those around them too. They will learn second chances can be worth it.
It looks like it's going to be an exciting series, and I'm going to want to know what's the following story in this new universe.
August 5, 2022
I enjoyed the Clean Slate Ranch series so much that I was really pleased to see the Woods Ranch spinoff. This book was the perfect launch to the new series. We've seen Hugo in CSR and in this book he decides to return to his hometown area to hopefully reconcile with his estranged mother and to reconnect with his teenage crush, Brand Woods. Hugo had shared a kiss with Brand when Hugo was 16 years old and Brand was just back from college. Brand rejected Hugo due to his age and the fact that Brand had yet to make sense of his own bisexuality. Now they are both adults and Hugo is hired at Brand's family ranch with Brand as his supervisor. In the mix are some supportive friends, family, and Hugo's abusive stepbrother. Hugo and Brand have such a beautiful, slow-burn love that blooms in a place where it's difficult to be queer. I look forward to the next book in the series!
November 19, 2021
All you really need to know about this book is - gay - cowboy - romance. I was sold after reading that! Hugo has been on his own for a long time. He left his hometown in Texas to escape abuse at the hand of his step-brother, but not without a lot of regrets. He misses his mom - and wonders if he missed out on a relationship with his best friend's older brother. He's coming back home to give both of those relationships another chance after 10 years.
Brand has also had his life take a different direction from where he thought it would go. He is running the family cattle ranch and trying to take things in a new direction. He always wanted to be a teacher- until his oldest brother ran away and upended their family dynamics. Brand has known he was bisexual since his early 20s - at least - when Hugo kissed him in the family barn before disappearing himself. At that time Hugo was 16 and Brand was 24 - their relationship wasn't even a remote possibility between their ages and Brand being in a family that wasn't open to non-heterosexual relationships.
This book really navigates what family means - and what acceptance means. Both Hugo and Brand have a tough road in coming together - but when they do, they are too cute together for words.
I give this one a very solid 3.5 stars. I would have liked Brand to talk more to Hugo than he did to his friends and older brother about there relationship. I also wished Brand's extended family and some of the sideline stories about them had either been left out - or fleshed out a little more. Hearing about Rem and his wife struggling with infertility felt like maybe it was more than it ended up being. Perhaps its a line towards a future story? I don't know.
If you are fans of The Gates series by M. Tasia - this book will definitely appeal to you! I would very much like to learn more about other characters in the book as well! So I am hoping this is the start of a spin off series from the Clean Slate ranch books.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
Brand has also had his life take a different direction from where he thought it would go. He is running the family cattle ranch and trying to take things in a new direction. He always wanted to be a teacher- until his oldest brother ran away and upended their family dynamics. Brand has known he was bisexual since his early 20s - at least - when Hugo kissed him in the family barn before disappearing himself. At that time Hugo was 16 and Brand was 24 - their relationship wasn't even a remote possibility between their ages and Brand being in a family that wasn't open to non-heterosexual relationships.
This book really navigates what family means - and what acceptance means. Both Hugo and Brand have a tough road in coming together - but when they do, they are too cute together for words.
I give this one a very solid 3.5 stars. I would have liked Brand to talk more to Hugo than he did to his friends and older brother about there relationship. I also wished Brand's extended family and some of the sideline stories about them had either been left out - or fleshed out a little more. Hearing about Rem and his wife struggling with infertility felt like maybe it was more than it ended up being. Perhaps its a line towards a future story? I don't know.
If you are fans of The Gates series by M. Tasia - this book will definitely appeal to you! I would very much like to learn more about other characters in the book as well! So I am hoping this is the start of a spin off series from the Clean Slate ranch books.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.
November 5, 2024
I've given this a C+ at AAR, 3.5 stars
The first books by A.M Arthur I read were from her Clean Slate Ranch series set on a dude ranch in California and telling the stories of the guys who stayed and/or worked there, the ‘magic’ of the place putting people in the right place at the right time to find new lives and loves. Those books were solid, B grade reads, so when I saw the author was embarking on a new series, I decided to give His Fresh Start Cowboy a read. I hadn’t realised it’s actually a spin-off from the Clean Slate series – or at least, that this book starts there – so while readers coming to it without having read any of the others might need a little time to work out the family/friendship connections, it’s easy enough to do.
Hugo Taylor left his home in Texas some ten years earlier to get away from the constant bullying and physical abuse meted out to him by his stepbrother Buck. Now twenty-seven, he’s been working at the Clean Slate Ranch for the last couple of years; he’s good with horses and he likes the work and the people, finding among them a sense of belonging and family he hasn’t experienced since his dad died and his mum remarried. It wasn’t until he’d been there a while that one of the ranch hands, Colt Woods, actually realised who he was – that Hugo had been his younger brother Rem’s best friend at school. Hugo knows, deep down, that Clean Slate was never meant to be his final destination, no matter how much he likes it there, so when he hears Colt talking about his father’s problem in hiring new hands, Hugo starts to wonder if maybe it’s time for him to go home. Time to build bridges with his mother now Buck is out of the picture (he’s in prison) and maybe see if it’s possible to build anything with the man who gave him his first kiss and then promptly broke his heart a decade earlier – Brand Woods.
Brand has a lot on his plate. As the second Woods son, he was never meant to take over running the family business, but when Colt up and left, Brand set aside his own dreams to take over as foreman at the ranch. Now, with his father semi-retired, Brand is in charge – although some days, he can’t help wondering if his dad completely trusts him with the business and whether he’d still be as hands-on if Colt had stayed. When his father tells him he’s hired Hugo Taylor, Brand is thrown off balance. He’d known of sixteen-year-old Hugo’s crush on him for some time and had tried to ignore it until the night Hugo kissed him – the night everything Brand had thought he knew about himself had been upended. Hugo is one of the only people who knows that Brand is bisexual and he can’t help being apprehensive about seeing him again. Although Brant’s family was supportive when Colt came out as gay, Brand has never told them about himself; not because he fears their reaction (although he does think his father will be disappointed if Brand doesn’t have a son to pass the ranch on to), but because it fears it could damage the business if some in their conservative community refuse to do business with someone who’s queer. Brand doesn’t plan on coming out – and in any case, as an employee, Hugo is off limits.
Hugo and Brand are complex, likeable characters with very real problems and issues to contend with, but their chemistry is lukewarm at best and Brand’s move from being determined to keep his distance from Hugo to deciding to disregard his own rule is really sudden and comes from nowhere. It seemed I was expected to accept he and Hugo were attracted to each other because of Hugo’s old crush – and when Hugo admitted to having loved Brand since he was sixteen, I just couldn’t buy it because I’d seen very little to back it up. They don’t spend enough time together on the page, Brand’s blow hot/blow cold attitude towards Hugo became very frustrating very quickly, and I didn’t like that he was prepared to talk to other people about his relationship with Hugo rather than talking about it with Hugo himself. Plus, stories where one protagonist has to be clued-in to the way the other protagonist feels about them by a third party are a personal pet peeve.
But I did like a lot of other things about the book. The setting is well-realised, the characterisation is strong throughout, and I liked Hugo’s determination to face his past and try to reconnect with his mother; so often characters running from their past are forced to face it, but Hugo chooses to and I appreciated his courage in doing that. Of all the characters in the story, Hugo is the most sympathetic and well-written, and the author conveys his complicated family situation, his insecurities and heartbreak very well. I liked that, despite his on/off attitude towards Hugo, Brand is there for him when Hugo really needs him, and I appreciated the way the Woods family so quickly accepts him into the fold.
Ultimately however, I read this for the romance, and although there are a lot of things about the book that work, the romance isn’t really one of them. I may pick up the next in the series, as there are characters in this one I’d be interested in reading more about, but I can’t quite offer His Fresh Start Cowboy a recommendation.
The first books by A.M Arthur I read were from her Clean Slate Ranch series set on a dude ranch in California and telling the stories of the guys who stayed and/or worked there, the ‘magic’ of the place putting people in the right place at the right time to find new lives and loves. Those books were solid, B grade reads, so when I saw the author was embarking on a new series, I decided to give His Fresh Start Cowboy a read. I hadn’t realised it’s actually a spin-off from the Clean Slate series – or at least, that this book starts there – so while readers coming to it without having read any of the others might need a little time to work out the family/friendship connections, it’s easy enough to do.
Hugo Taylor left his home in Texas some ten years earlier to get away from the constant bullying and physical abuse meted out to him by his stepbrother Buck. Now twenty-seven, he’s been working at the Clean Slate Ranch for the last couple of years; he’s good with horses and he likes the work and the people, finding among them a sense of belonging and family he hasn’t experienced since his dad died and his mum remarried. It wasn’t until he’d been there a while that one of the ranch hands, Colt Woods, actually realised who he was – that Hugo had been his younger brother Rem’s best friend at school. Hugo knows, deep down, that Clean Slate was never meant to be his final destination, no matter how much he likes it there, so when he hears Colt talking about his father’s problem in hiring new hands, Hugo starts to wonder if maybe it’s time for him to go home. Time to build bridges with his mother now Buck is out of the picture (he’s in prison) and maybe see if it’s possible to build anything with the man who gave him his first kiss and then promptly broke his heart a decade earlier – Brand Woods.
Brand has a lot on his plate. As the second Woods son, he was never meant to take over running the family business, but when Colt up and left, Brand set aside his own dreams to take over as foreman at the ranch. Now, with his father semi-retired, Brand is in charge – although some days, he can’t help wondering if his dad completely trusts him with the business and whether he’d still be as hands-on if Colt had stayed. When his father tells him he’s hired Hugo Taylor, Brand is thrown off balance. He’d known of sixteen-year-old Hugo’s crush on him for some time and had tried to ignore it until the night Hugo kissed him – the night everything Brand had thought he knew about himself had been upended. Hugo is one of the only people who knows that Brand is bisexual and he can’t help being apprehensive about seeing him again. Although Brant’s family was supportive when Colt came out as gay, Brand has never told them about himself; not because he fears their reaction (although he does think his father will be disappointed if Brand doesn’t have a son to pass the ranch on to), but because it fears it could damage the business if some in their conservative community refuse to do business with someone who’s queer. Brand doesn’t plan on coming out – and in any case, as an employee, Hugo is off limits.
Hugo and Brand are complex, likeable characters with very real problems and issues to contend with, but their chemistry is lukewarm at best and Brand’s move from being determined to keep his distance from Hugo to deciding to disregard his own rule is really sudden and comes from nowhere. It seemed I was expected to accept he and Hugo were attracted to each other because of Hugo’s old crush – and when Hugo admitted to having loved Brand since he was sixteen, I just couldn’t buy it because I’d seen very little to back it up. They don’t spend enough time together on the page, Brand’s blow hot/blow cold attitude towards Hugo became very frustrating very quickly, and I didn’t like that he was prepared to talk to other people about his relationship with Hugo rather than talking about it with Hugo himself. Plus, stories where one protagonist has to be clued-in to the way the other protagonist feels about them by a third party are a personal pet peeve.
But I did like a lot of other things about the book. The setting is well-realised, the characterisation is strong throughout, and I liked Hugo’s determination to face his past and try to reconnect with his mother; so often characters running from their past are forced to face it, but Hugo chooses to and I appreciated his courage in doing that. Of all the characters in the story, Hugo is the most sympathetic and well-written, and the author conveys his complicated family situation, his insecurities and heartbreak very well. I liked that, despite his on/off attitude towards Hugo, Brand is there for him when Hugo really needs him, and I appreciated the way the Woods family so quickly accepts him into the fold.
Ultimately however, I read this for the romance, and although there are a lot of things about the book that work, the romance isn’t really one of them. I may pick up the next in the series, as there are characters in this one I’d be interested in reading more about, but I can’t quite offer His Fresh Start Cowboy a recommendation.
April 15, 2022
In His Fresh Start Cowboy A.M. Arthur gives of an intense, heartfelt, emotional , slow burn second chance mm romance . I found it to be moving, thought provoking and deep.
I just reviewed His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur. #HisFreshStartCowboy #NetGalley
I just reviewed His Fresh Start Cowboy by A.M. Arthur. #HisFreshStartCowboy #NetGalley
July 23, 2022
This was so slow, and I dnf'd at 100 pages. I just couldn't get into it much as I wanted to. 2.5 ⭐
November 12, 2021
4.5/5 stars
This is all I want in an MM cowboy romance!!
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm SO excited for the rest of this series! I have a feeling it's going to be a good one! I've been wanting to read a book by A. M. Arthur for the longest time now, so when I saw it up for request, I jumped at the opportunity and I'm so glad I did! I'm going to be reading ay more from this author soon.
This book is a second chance, slow burn, cowboy romance with a good amount of steam and lots of cute moments! Oh, and did I mention it has the best friend's brother trope?? So good!
Out on January 25, 2022!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the earc in return for an honest review.
Don't forget to check TW's!
This is all I want in an MM cowboy romance!!
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm SO excited for the rest of this series! I have a feeling it's going to be a good one! I've been wanting to read a book by A. M. Arthur for the longest time now, so when I saw it up for request, I jumped at the opportunity and I'm so glad I did! I'm going to be reading ay more from this author soon.
This book is a second chance, slow burn, cowboy romance with a good amount of steam and lots of cute moments! Oh, and did I mention it has the best friend's brother trope?? So good!
Out on January 25, 2022!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the earc in return for an honest review.
Don't forget to check TW's!
January 24, 2022
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I didn’t recognize the author at first, but then there were some references so I went digging in my goodreads. Turns out I have read another book by Arthur and was eh about it. This book didn’t live up to the other.
I normally check to see if a book is the first in a series before I want to read it. I don’t want to have to deal with catching up. This is listed as the first book in a series, but it is not. It is a spin-off series. The first 20% of the book is constant info dumping to connect this book to another series the author has. I did not sign up for this. I wanted a cowboy romance, not the history of two ranches slammed down my throat to set the scene. Just so much was shoved at me at once and most of it did not matter at all. This could have been an easier book to read if none of that was really mentioned up front and the reader found out along the way or if Hugo just didn’t have connections to the other ranch at all.
The romance was flat. They supposedly loved each other since Hugo was 16 and they started to hook up in the hay loft. Eww. No. Pedophilia. The fact that Brand is so much older and that was the catalyst for their current romance skeeved me out to no end. This was not just the kiss the kiss that was hinted at. They were grinding against each other and hard. This was dry humping a child. It was not ok. I know 16 is not a baby, but it is below the age of consent in Texas and Brand was his mid twenties at least. It was 9 or 10 years age difference. It was creepy.
There was just a lot not happening. Most of the book was either info dumping or the men ignoring each other. They were so slow to actually interact that it would have been a better book about friendship than romance. There was just so much that didn’t work for me. What little worked was that one of them was bi and there was a sex positive aroace female character. It was refreshing to see more than just gay, but that was literally all the exciting bits about this book for me.
Add in the sexual abuse plot and it was just a no from me.
I got an ARC of this book.
I didn’t recognize the author at first, but then there were some references so I went digging in my goodreads. Turns out I have read another book by Arthur and was eh about it. This book didn’t live up to the other.
I normally check to see if a book is the first in a series before I want to read it. I don’t want to have to deal with catching up. This is listed as the first book in a series, but it is not. It is a spin-off series. The first 20% of the book is constant info dumping to connect this book to another series the author has. I did not sign up for this. I wanted a cowboy romance, not the history of two ranches slammed down my throat to set the scene. Just so much was shoved at me at once and most of it did not matter at all. This could have been an easier book to read if none of that was really mentioned up front and the reader found out along the way or if Hugo just didn’t have connections to the other ranch at all.
The romance was flat. They supposedly loved each other since Hugo was 16 and they started to hook up in the hay loft. Eww. No. Pedophilia. The fact that Brand is so much older and that was the catalyst for their current romance skeeved me out to no end. This was not just the kiss the kiss that was hinted at. They were grinding against each other and hard. This was dry humping a child. It was not ok. I know 16 is not a baby, but it is below the age of consent in Texas and Brand was his mid twenties at least. It was 9 or 10 years age difference. It was creepy.
There was just a lot not happening. Most of the book was either info dumping or the men ignoring each other. They were so slow to actually interact that it would have been a better book about friendship than romance. There was just so much that didn’t work for me. What little worked was that one of them was bi and there was a sex positive aroace female character. It was refreshing to see more than just gay, but that was literally all the exciting bits about this book for me.
Add in the sexual abuse plot and it was just a no from me.
March 7, 2022
Brand & Hugo's story is a take on the best friend's brother trope with a modest age gap and a teenage crush then a ten year separation and it works on the surface, but I found myself wanting more depth from the characters...
It's a slow burn, as the characters spend large chunks of the first part of the book in angst and avoiding each other... and even some of the second half... the side elements of hurt/comfort and past abuse help to elevate the story and give the characters new things to focus on.
Hugo's character is pretty straightforward - he left town to escape and left loose ends that he wanted to see if he could pick up again... Brand's character is more complex and also more frustrating... which builds tension, but for me sometimes takes a little away from the story...
His Fresh Start Cowboy will appeal to those who love a slow burn, angsty romance with a fair amount of internal struggle and the boss/employee push and pull...
It's a slow burn, as the characters spend large chunks of the first part of the book in angst and avoiding each other... and even some of the second half... the side elements of hurt/comfort and past abuse help to elevate the story and give the characters new things to focus on.
Hugo's character is pretty straightforward - he left town to escape and left loose ends that he wanted to see if he could pick up again... Brand's character is more complex and also more frustrating... which builds tension, but for me sometimes takes a little away from the story...
His Fresh Start Cowboy will appeal to those who love a slow burn, angsty romance with a fair amount of internal struggle and the boss/employee push and pull...
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