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Cattle Stop #1
Cattle Stop
The only thing Cooper dreads more than working with Whit? Sharing a room.
Cooper has one chance to save Two Pines Farm. But Whit, the newly appointed farm manager, is as stubborn and pigheaded as—well—the pigs and refuses to admit change is desperately needed. Convincing him otherwise means working together, living together—and trying to forget that night they kissed.
But a summer as roommates and coworkers is the only path Cooper can see to keep the farm from bankruptcy. As they spend long days in the fields and evenings stuck in the same room, can Cooper survive so much time in Whit's company without walking away from the farm—or worse, kissing him again?
Cattle Stop is a steamy, m/m romance novel. If you love enemies to lovers, unlikely roommates, and years long pining hidden beneath bickering, then you'll love this story as Cooper finds a home, a family, and love where he least expects it.
Pick up your copy of Cattle Stop today to watch Cooper and Whit come together to save the farm—and any chance they have at a life together.
Cooper has one chance to save Two Pines Farm. But Whit, the newly appointed farm manager, is as stubborn and pigheaded as—well—the pigs and refuses to admit change is desperately needed. Convincing him otherwise means working together, living together—and trying to forget that night they kissed.
But a summer as roommates and coworkers is the only path Cooper can see to keep the farm from bankruptcy. As they spend long days in the fields and evenings stuck in the same room, can Cooper survive so much time in Whit's company without walking away from the farm—or worse, kissing him again?
Cattle Stop is a steamy, m/m romance novel. If you love enemies to lovers, unlikely roommates, and years long pining hidden beneath bickering, then you'll love this story as Cooper finds a home, a family, and love where he least expects it.
Pick up your copy of Cattle Stop today to watch Cooper and Whit come together to save the farm—and any chance they have at a life together.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2021
239 people are currently reading
2128 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 245 reviews
April 20, 2022
ARC received from the author; this is my honest review.
4.25 stars.
I've made no secret of the fact that Kit Oliver's debut novel, The Place Between, was one of my favorite reads from last year, so when I was offered the chance to read her next book a bit early I jumped at the chance!
to be honest, I was a bit scared that this book wouldn't live up to my expectations partly because of how much I enjoyed The Place Between, but thankfully that wasn't the case.
everything I enjoyed about The Place Between (likable MCs, fleshed-out secondary characters, strong dialogue, and a satisfying romance) was also present here. Whit and Coop had such a great, fun dynamic; I adored their bickering throughout the story. Kit did an incredible job of subtly showing how Whit and Coop were both actually longing for each other before they actually got together without having to spell it out explicitly.
i really, really enjoyed this, and am looking forward to reading the sequel next year!
4.25 stars.
I've made no secret of the fact that Kit Oliver's debut novel, The Place Between, was one of my favorite reads from last year, so when I was offered the chance to read her next book a bit early I jumped at the chance!
to be honest, I was a bit scared that this book wouldn't live up to my expectations partly because of how much I enjoyed The Place Between, but thankfully that wasn't the case.
everything I enjoyed about The Place Between (likable MCs, fleshed-out secondary characters, strong dialogue, and a satisfying romance) was also present here. Whit and Coop had such a great, fun dynamic; I adored their bickering throughout the story. Kit did an incredible job of subtly showing how Whit and Coop were both actually longing for each other before they actually got together without having to spell it out explicitly.
i really, really enjoyed this, and am looking forward to reading the sequel next year!
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August 24, 2021I'm actually having a hard time reading this. 😰😰 It feels like a sitcom, everytime someone talks is trying to be funny, making puns, talking over each other. I don't really like it but... Does it get better? I dunno, I dnf for now. *cringes*
August 11, 2022
Thank you to Cattle Stop for getting me out of a 6 day reading slump.
This book was delightful and gets more endearing the farther into it you get.
The pastoral setting, Cooper’s golden retriever personality and sweet pining, and Whit’s quiet feelings were all I needed apparently.
”Whit’s throat works as he takes a drink, tendons flexing against skin burnished a deep brown tan from the summer sun. The rim of the bottle presses a divot into Whit’s lip and Cooper wants that more than he wants a sip of beer, wants that curve of Whit’s mouth.”
This book was delightful and gets more endearing the farther into it you get.
The pastoral setting, Cooper’s golden retriever personality and sweet pining, and Whit’s quiet feelings were all I needed apparently.
”Whit’s throat works as he takes a drink, tendons flexing against skin burnished a deep brown tan from the summer sun. The rim of the bottle presses a divot into Whit’s lip and Cooper wants that more than he wants a sip of beer, wants that curve of Whit’s mouth.”
March 8, 2022
Usually a plot driven by characters absolutely failing to communicate is just downright annoying, but somehow it worked beautifully here. That was very surprising - especially with only one, first person pov.
So many feels for poor sad lonely Cooper too - abandoned all the time. He was such a sweet character with a fun personality, doing his wild idea thing. And then stoic closed off Whit failing at...well, communicating at all ever?? Adorable.
Lots of cows, lots of cheese, dingdongs not talking to each other, exactly as promised.
So many feels for poor sad lonely Cooper too - abandoned all the time. He was such a sweet character with a fun personality, doing his wild idea thing. And then stoic closed off Whit failing at...well, communicating at all ever?? Adorable.
Lots of cows, lots of cheese, dingdongs not talking to each other, exactly as promised.
September 13, 2021
Despite any issues I had with this story, I really enjoyed it overall - maybe more so than Kit Oliver's debut novel!
Firstly, it had some surprisingly angsty moments that had me TEARING UP and while Cooper's personality was really an acquired taste (lol) the sad moments had me really connecting + rooting for for him. Though some things didn't ever feel solved (like Cooper's family issues) which gave me mixed feelings since I like when my characters get their happiness, I also imagine it was an artistic choice by Kit Oliver to give a more realistic feel since things can't always be fixed and wrapped in a nice bow in .5 seconds? Those gut wrenching moments felt very real to me so I hope the author's next novels packs the same punch.
I liked Whit's character, a very silent type that shows his feelings in the small ways and can't talk about his feelings (so when he does it was much more meaningful). Who doesn't love a man who's good with his hands and not afraid to get dirty? 👀
One issue I had was that it felt like a lot of background was missing, I didn't really feel like I got to know Cooper and Whit that well. The timeline of their friendship had me a bit confused, like I still don't get why Cooper never joined Cattle ranch when they were younger?
Although they had chemistry and I was rooting for them, I didn't really get a sense for Cooper and Whit as a couple. The romance was very light throughout, a big chunk of the book was them just being physical and then not nice to each other outside of sex so when the big confession happened I wasn't super convinced. There was a lot of focus on friendship, the farm, Drew and Penny that I think took a way a bit from the romance, I wish we had at least one to two scenes of them being cute and pretending they didn't have feelings before the reveal so it didn't feel like 0-100.
Firstly, it had some surprisingly angsty moments that had me TEARING UP and while Cooper's personality was really an acquired taste (lol) the sad moments had me really connecting + rooting for for him. Though some things didn't ever feel solved (like Cooper's family issues) which gave me mixed feelings since I like when my characters get their happiness, I also imagine it was an artistic choice by Kit Oliver to give a more realistic feel since things can't always be fixed and wrapped in a nice bow in .5 seconds? Those gut wrenching moments felt very real to me so I hope the author's next novels packs the same punch.
I liked Whit's character, a very silent type that shows his feelings in the small ways and can't talk about his feelings (so when he does it was much more meaningful). Who doesn't love a man who's good with his hands and not afraid to get dirty? 👀
One issue I had was that it felt like a lot of background was missing, I didn't really feel like I got to know Cooper and Whit that well. The timeline of their friendship had me a bit confused, like I still don't get why Cooper never joined Cattle ranch when they were younger?
Although they had chemistry and I was rooting for them, I didn't really get a sense for Cooper and Whit as a couple. The romance was very light throughout, a big chunk of the book was them just being physical and then not nice to each other outside of sex so when the big confession happened I wasn't super convinced. There was a lot of focus on friendship, the farm, Drew and Penny that I think took a way a bit from the romance, I wish we had at least one to two scenes of them being cute and pretending they didn't have feelings before the reveal so it didn't feel like 0-100.
August 11, 2021
4.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kit Oliver, who made their writing debut less than one short year ago, is already on my insta-read authors list. Their books just make me feel good. They have the warmness and charm I love so much in my Hallmark books, but are rooted in a reality that make them so well rounded. Cattle Stop was no exception to this.
The story, told in singular POV, follows wandering farmhand Cooper as he returns to Two Pines for a quick visit to his two best friends (plus Whit 😉). His quick visit turns to an extended stay in an effort to help his friends turn their farm around and stave off being forced to sell. While there Cooper comes face to face with Whit, Two Pines farm manager and longtime crush, who by all appearances barely tolerates Cooper's existence. Whit is serious, hardworking, and allergic to change while Cooper is carefree, living a nomadic life, and making decisions as they come to him. Despite the perceived dislike from Whit, Cooper has been deep in it over him since they were teenagers, and even more so when he drunkenly kissed Whit a few years back. After getting the brush off, Cooper has attempted to bury the yearning he feels for Whit and antagonize him instead. Over his visit he discovers that maybe Whit doesn't hate him at all, and that ignoring his unrequited love is a lot harder when being forced to share space with this man he can't quite get over.
Everything about this story was good, heartwarming, sexy, and fun. I enjoyed the farm setting and the secondary characters. Even though we don't get Whit's POV, the author did a great job in showcasing his feelings in subtle ways that made my heart do this --> 🥺🥺🥺 Truly, I laughed, I swooned, I had a great time. If you were a fan of Kit's The Place Between, you will like this.
Kit Oliver, who made their writing debut less than one short year ago, is already on my insta-read authors list. Their books just make me feel good. They have the warmness and charm I love so much in my Hallmark books, but are rooted in a reality that make them so well rounded. Cattle Stop was no exception to this.
The story, told in singular POV, follows wandering farmhand Cooper as he returns to Two Pines for a quick visit to his two best friends (plus Whit 😉). His quick visit turns to an extended stay in an effort to help his friends turn their farm around and stave off being forced to sell. While there Cooper comes face to face with Whit, Two Pines farm manager and longtime crush, who by all appearances barely tolerates Cooper's existence. Whit is serious, hardworking, and allergic to change while Cooper is carefree, living a nomadic life, and making decisions as they come to him. Despite the perceived dislike from Whit, Cooper has been deep in it over him since they were teenagers, and even more so when he drunkenly kissed Whit a few years back. After getting the brush off, Cooper has attempted to bury the yearning he feels for Whit and antagonize him instead. Over his visit he discovers that maybe Whit doesn't hate him at all, and that ignoring his unrequited love is a lot harder when being forced to share space with this man he can't quite get over.
Everything about this story was good, heartwarming, sexy, and fun. I enjoyed the farm setting and the secondary characters. Even though we don't get Whit's POV, the author did a great job in showcasing his feelings in subtle ways that made my heart do this --> 🥺🥺🥺 Truly, I laughed, I swooned, I had a great time. If you were a fan of Kit's The Place Between, you will like this.
March 8, 2022
I have been spreading the gospel of Cattle Stop (aka Cow Book) for months. This book was far better than any book heavily featuring cows has any right to be. Did I mention there is a lot of cheese yet? Literal cheese since it takes place on a dairy farm. This book is a rare instance of the inability of the two main characters to communicate actually works. I loved this book so everyone stop what you're doing and go read cow book.
September 5, 2021
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
I wasn’t positive I was going to continue reading this at first because the writing style took a little bit of time for me to settle into. I am so happy I continued though because this is a gem! From that adorable cover to the enemies to lovers vibe this was such a great read!!
I really enjoyed Cooper and his inner thoughts. He feels like he’s never belonged anywhere but those summers he spent at Two Pines Farm are when he felt like he could belong. Except he had a huge crush on Whit since he first started spending summers on the farm as a teenager and except for a drunken kiss he was always certain Whit couldn’t stand him.
Whit is a quiet guy who thrives on routine. He doesn’t like change and whenever Cooper comes to visit he must feel like Cooper brings so much chaos to his everyday life. What we can see, but Cooper can’t, is that Whit actually likes him! It’s very subtle but once Whit makes his move it is so obvious that he’s fallen for Cooper but doesn’t know how to say that.
I do wish we got a POV from Whit. Those silent characters that leave us guessing can be frustrating. By the time the story was over I realized the book worked without his POV though. It is painful to see Whit trying to communicate his feelings to Cooper but it was also really special.
The other aspect I loved is the friendship between Cooper, Drew and Penny. I don’t read much m/f at all anymore but I am definitely interested in Drew and Penny’s book! Plus I just want to start making cheese after reading this!
Another author for me to add to my TBR pile! Yay!!!!
I wasn’t positive I was going to continue reading this at first because the writing style took a little bit of time for me to settle into. I am so happy I continued though because this is a gem! From that adorable cover to the enemies to lovers vibe this was such a great read!!
I really enjoyed Cooper and his inner thoughts. He feels like he’s never belonged anywhere but those summers he spent at Two Pines Farm are when he felt like he could belong. Except he had a huge crush on Whit since he first started spending summers on the farm as a teenager and except for a drunken kiss he was always certain Whit couldn’t stand him.
Whit is a quiet guy who thrives on routine. He doesn’t like change and whenever Cooper comes to visit he must feel like Cooper brings so much chaos to his everyday life. What we can see, but Cooper can’t, is that Whit actually likes him! It’s very subtle but once Whit makes his move it is so obvious that he’s fallen for Cooper but doesn’t know how to say that.
I do wish we got a POV from Whit. Those silent characters that leave us guessing can be frustrating. By the time the story was over I realized the book worked without his POV though. It is painful to see Whit trying to communicate his feelings to Cooper but it was also really special.
The other aspect I loved is the friendship between Cooper, Drew and Penny. I don’t read much m/f at all anymore but I am definitely interested in Drew and Penny’s book! Plus I just want to start making cheese after reading this!
Another author for me to add to my TBR pile! Yay!!!!
August 16, 2021
It was super sweet, It's lovely written, you get to fall for both the mc's even if it's only written in Coop pov (and I'm more of the two pov's books), I truly enjoyed this one. And the side characters too.
It's kind of an enemies to lovers but not quite, more of a i-dont-like-you-but-i-do and it was super funny with all the banter. Highly recommend.
It's kind of an enemies to lovers but not quite, more of a i-dont-like-you-but-i-do and it was super funny with all the banter. Highly recommend.
July 25, 2023
Absolutely adored this book. Amazing execution of sunshine/grump and found family, animals included. Made me laugh outloud on multiple occasions (Cooper is completely a chaos gremlin) and also cry a little bit too (he just wants to be loved). I want to move to a farm and live with my friends and make cheese all day.
March 6, 2022
3.5 stars
This was a nice, somewhat slow-paced book. I'll admit that MC:s who constantly bicker and annoy each other is not my favorite kind of dynamic, but I also love pining and angst so it kind of balanced out in the end. While the communication issues and constant cluelessness were understandable I also found it a bit tedious and frustrating after a while, especially since it often felt like similar conversations were had over and over again. I really liked the angstier parts even if I felt that a few of them weren't really resolved (but I suppose that's realistic, if maybe not as satisfying). I think the book worked fine from Cooper's perspective, but I also found it hard to connect with Whit since he was fairly withdrawn and closed off for most of the book, and I would have liked to get more insight into his character.
This was a nice, somewhat slow-paced book. I'll admit that MC:s who constantly bicker and annoy each other is not my favorite kind of dynamic, but I also love pining and angst so it kind of balanced out in the end. While the communication issues and constant cluelessness were understandable I also found it a bit tedious and frustrating after a while, especially since it often felt like similar conversations were had over and over again. I really liked the angstier parts even if I felt that a few of them weren't really resolved (but I suppose that's realistic, if maybe not as satisfying). I think the book worked fine from Cooper's perspective, but I also found it hard to connect with Whit since he was fairly withdrawn and closed off for most of the book, and I would have liked to get more insight into his character.
June 2, 2022
Who would have thought I’d enjoy a book about a cattle farm? Not me, that’s for sure… but Kit Oliver’s writing really does it for me
November 1, 2021
Once again it’s the I’ve been pining for you for years and you’ve never had any clue that is the case and you’ve been pining for me as well and I’ve never noticed and everyone else has noticed but never directly says anything because let’s drag it out so we can have a romance novel.
I like the worlds and characters Oliver creates, but their premises need finessing. In their first book they had a department head scheming and cheering on the romance between a professor and a grad student and now they have two men in a found family who are convinced for years that the other dislikes them for no clear reason.
But I still mostly liked it and hope for improvement in future books.
I like the worlds and characters Oliver creates, but their premises need finessing. In their first book they had a department head scheming and cheering on the romance between a professor and a grad student and now they have two men in a found family who are convinced for years that the other dislikes them for no clear reason.
But I still mostly liked it and hope for improvement in future books.
March 13, 2022
Tags: dairy farm, cow book, childhood friends, not enough talking, unrequited feelings, (sortof) enemies to lovers, only one bedroom
Wow. This book.
For the first 50%- I was constantly a chapter away from DNF’ing. The burn was just *so* slow, and aside from a few breadcrumbs they hardly seemed to even lust after each other. The sarcasm and bickering got a bit overdone.
Then they hooked up, and started being awkward and a little bit vulnerable about it. And suddenly I could not put it down. I just finished, am actually crying, and so glad I stuck with it.
Overall would definitely recommend, and if you’re thinking of quitting in the first half, stick with it.
Wow. This book.
For the first 50%- I was constantly a chapter away from DNF’ing. The burn was just *so* slow, and aside from a few breadcrumbs they hardly seemed to even lust after each other. The sarcasm and bickering got a bit overdone.
Then they hooked up, and started being awkward and a little bit vulnerable about it. And suddenly I could not put it down. I just finished, am actually crying, and so glad I stuck with it.
Overall would definitely recommend, and if you’re thinking of quitting in the first half, stick with it.
August 5, 2022
Cooper and Whit must work together to save their farm from bankruptcy, but will it be possible considering they can't stand each other, when they have to share a room?
I get frustrated with a whole novel of miscommunication and lack of communication, when a single conversation could clear up everything, so yeah. I felt like there was a lot missing from this book. There's a lot of telling rather than showing, and I felt as though I was missing out on a lot of the backstory between Cooper and Whit. I found it very difficult to connect with the characters, because not much time is taken to explore their motivations or personalities beyond 'is gorgeous' or 'has a crush on', so I didn't care about their story or romance. All the characters are introduced all at once, so I found it hard to differentiate between them because none of them have particularly strong personalities or characteristic traits. I know Drew makes cheese and Whit is kind of grumpy and Cooper has a crush on Whit and Penny is... there? but I need more to enjoy a novel, basically. There's not anything major 'wrong' with the book, but I didn't enjoy the experience of reading for the reasons stated.
I get frustrated with a whole novel of miscommunication and lack of communication, when a single conversation could clear up everything, so yeah. I felt like there was a lot missing from this book. There's a lot of telling rather than showing, and I felt as though I was missing out on a lot of the backstory between Cooper and Whit. I found it very difficult to connect with the characters, because not much time is taken to explore their motivations or personalities beyond 'is gorgeous' or 'has a crush on', so I didn't care about their story or romance. All the characters are introduced all at once, so I found it hard to differentiate between them because none of them have particularly strong personalities or characteristic traits. I know Drew makes cheese and Whit is kind of grumpy and Cooper has a crush on Whit and Penny is... there? but I need more to enjoy a novel, basically. There's not anything major 'wrong' with the book, but I didn't enjoy the experience of reading for the reasons stated.
May 6, 2023
“You came all this way for me?” Cooper asks softly.
“You could’ve picked a farm in Pennsylvania,” Whit says. “It certainly would’ve been easier.”
idiots wow🥹
“You could’ve picked a farm in Pennsylvania,” Whit says. “It certainly would’ve been easier.”
idiots wow🥹
October 31, 2022
3.5
I liked this but it was frustrating me a lot. I just wanted to bang their heads together! Considering how close these four friends are supposed to be, why did no one ever point out that Whit and Cooper had feelings for each other? No one talks to each other about anything at all so I didn't really get that strong friendship bond feeling.
I did really like Cooper though, it was nice to see his insecurities about Whit, about being on the outside of the three friends and about his mum basically ignoring him. Would have been nice to see some resolution with his mum, but it also kind of felt more realistic because you cant just resolve a lifetime of hurt in the span of a few months.
Undecided on whether I'll read the next one yet, as I haven't really wanted to read any m/f books for nearly a year now, but I may come back to it eventually!
I liked this but it was frustrating me a lot. I just wanted to bang their heads together! Considering how close these four friends are supposed to be, why did no one ever point out that Whit and Cooper had feelings for each other? No one talks to each other about anything at all so I didn't really get that strong friendship bond feeling.
I did really like Cooper though, it was nice to see his insecurities about Whit, about being on the outside of the three friends and about his mum basically ignoring him. Would have been nice to see some resolution with his mum, but it also kind of felt more realistic because you cant just resolve a lifetime of hurt in the span of a few months.
Undecided on whether I'll read the next one yet, as I haven't really wanted to read any m/f books for nearly a year now, but I may come back to it eventually!
September 3, 2023
Reread 8/19/23: the second time around, some of the moments or aspects I didn't mind became a bit irritating. This has emotionally constipated MCs who need to communicate with each other. The writing and characters felt realistic, but damn was it irritating watching a bunch of people that need to talk to each other avoid any hard conversations.
Bad stuff out of the way - this setting is what gets me. There's cows and working outside and cheese making and cuddles in twin size beds. It's cozy, it's comforting seeing a solid group of 4 friends, the small town but also very gay setting. Yes, very much like being wrapped in a warm hug. When they're together, there's so much intimacy tied in as well.
Also absolutely loved the ending.
Bad stuff out of the way - this setting is what gets me. There's cows and working outside and cheese making and cuddles in twin size beds. It's cozy, it's comforting seeing a solid group of 4 friends, the small town but also very gay setting. Yes, very much like being wrapped in a warm hug. When they're together, there's so much intimacy tied in as well.
Also absolutely loved the ending.
January 28, 2022
3.5/5 stars. Long-time frenemies have to work together to save their mutual best friend’s farm. Normally I’m frustrated by books where the entire conflict could have been resolved if the MCs just talked to each other, but Oliver did a good job making the characters’ hesitance to be emotionally vulnerable with each other understandable and relatable. The payoff is moving and completely worth waiting for. Also, I loved the farm vibes; I’m sure the descriptions of farming were wildly unrealistic but it was a fun setting that complemented the romance plot quite well.
May 23, 2022
3.75 stars.
I don't think, by all means, that there is something wrong with this story, or the book. I enjoyed this. I had fun with this, Drew and Cooper were complete dorks and Whit a sweetheart and Penny, mother of all these boys that don't have it together. They were the kind of found family That I kinda want to always find in romance, and that I kinda demand from now on.
But couldn't Cooper and Whit talked sooner? Really? It did not make any sense. Gahhhhhh... Really?
I really hate the use of this kind of trope.
Because they had it from page one. The chemestry, the spark and the banter that makes romance great.
The sunshine vs grumpy? Done.
The one bedroom thing? Done.
The "there's a new man circling around that I hate just because he can't take his hands of you?" (you know the one ehehe) there.
BUT WAS IT SO HARD TO JUST TALK?
Maybe it's my recent trauma with other romance books (one really, that shall anonymous) that's putting me out of loving this trope.
Well... I starting my contemporary romance reading slump era.
I don't think, by all means, that there is something wrong with this story, or the book. I enjoyed this. I had fun with this, Drew and Cooper were complete dorks and Whit a sweetheart and Penny, mother of all these boys that don't have it together. They were the kind of found family That I kinda want to always find in romance, and that I kinda demand from now on.
But couldn't Cooper and Whit talked sooner? Really? It did not make any sense. Gahhhhhh... Really?
I really hate the use of this kind of trope.
Because they had it from page one. The chemestry, the spark and the banter that makes romance great.
The sunshine vs grumpy? Done.
The one bedroom thing? Done.
The "there's a new man circling around that I hate just because he can't take his hands of you?" (you know the one ehehe) there.
BUT WAS IT SO HARD TO JUST TALK?
Maybe it's my recent trauma with other romance books (one really, that shall anonymous) that's putting me out of loving this trope.
Well... I starting my contemporary romance reading slump era.
June 25, 2022
Full review to come
October 25, 2021
This was charming! Love a good ol' bickery romance and thought this one was pretty well executed. Secondary and tertiary characters were pleasant enough and I liked Cooper's narrative voice quite a bit. I know it's just part of the genre and I know it's almost impossible to avoid if you just want a relatively low-stakes story, but the romantic conflict being driven by a failure to have a conversation, especially when the narrative party is repeatedly missing big obvious signs of what they're misinterpreting is always just a little disappointing. It works to an extent here because of Whit's characterization but I still had at least a half-dozen moments of, "Really? Still?" Somehow a pretty fun one anyway!
August 19, 2024
Ok, this has been on my radar for quite a while, but honestly it was just the fact I have a free KU trial period the prompted me to finally try it. And OMG, WTF it's FANTASTIC!!! I have to buy it now.
(KU is such a joke, I'm way too slow and fussy of a reader for it to be a bargain, even if I didn't feel the need to own any of the books I borrowed that I actually liked.)
The only reason I didn't immediately buy everything Kit Oliver has out after finishing this is the immediate sequel is m/f, which ... ugh! Why?
I mean, odds are good I'm going to read it anyway, cuz I'll miss these clowns, but you know it's about Penny, and honestly, I'm not sure I'm on Penny's side after this. Like seriously, this whole book could have been a short story if Penny, seemingly the only character in the book with a clue, had whacked these boys upside the head, but noooo, Penny just gonna sit back and let everything go to hell, almost lose the farm while these clowns grouch around each thinking the other hates them while they secretly pine for each other. Like, seriously, the whole thing's Penny's fault.
And it is one of those books, these guys can't communicate even once they start boning, and you kinda wanna smack em around a bit. I know some romance readers prefer to read about imaginary men, who "communicate" and have "emotional intelligence" and all that BS. But me? I'm good with it. I love these idiots, and it's all just realism in my book. ;)
Lastly I wanna say, it's not just the story and characters I liked here. The actual writing, on a sentence level, is superb. Like I know KU books can be a little sus. There've been plenty of times I thought something sounded cute, read one page, and was just hell, no. I need no qualifiers here, Kit Oliver is the real deal. The use of language here is top tier, probably better than almost every other living author I've read this year. That kind of thing is subjective, I know. Your mileage may vary, as they say, but for my money, this book is a steal at $4, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of their work. Even the m/f one, I suppose. ;)
(KU is such a joke, I'm way too slow and fussy of a reader for it to be a bargain, even if I didn't feel the need to own any of the books I borrowed that I actually liked.)
The only reason I didn't immediately buy everything Kit Oliver has out after finishing this is the immediate sequel is m/f, which ... ugh! Why?
I mean, odds are good I'm going to read it anyway, cuz I'll miss these clowns, but you know it's about Penny, and honestly, I'm not sure I'm on Penny's side after this. Like seriously, this whole book could have been a short story if Penny, seemingly the only character in the book with a clue, had whacked these boys upside the head, but noooo, Penny just gonna sit back and let everything go to hell, almost lose the farm while these clowns grouch around each thinking the other hates them while they secretly pine for each other. Like, seriously, the whole thing's Penny's fault.
And it is one of those books, these guys can't communicate even once they start boning, and you kinda wanna smack em around a bit. I know some romance readers prefer to read about imaginary men, who "communicate" and have "emotional intelligence" and all that BS. But me? I'm good with it. I love these idiots, and it's all just realism in my book. ;)
Lastly I wanna say, it's not just the story and characters I liked here. The actual writing, on a sentence level, is superb. Like I know KU books can be a little sus. There've been plenty of times I thought something sounded cute, read one page, and was just hell, no. I need no qualifiers here, Kit Oliver is the real deal. The use of language here is top tier, probably better than almost every other living author I've read this year. That kind of thing is subjective, I know. Your mileage may vary, as they say, but for my money, this book is a steal at $4, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the rest of their work. Even the m/f one, I suppose. ;)
August 10, 2021
3.5 Stars
For the first 20% of the book I felt as if I had got the story in the middle, there was no explanation on why Drew, Penny e Whit lived together at the farm or why Cooper's grandfather would leave him there during the summers (so little was mentioned about him). I had a bit of a difficult start with this one. But I'm glad I continued because when the story started to develop and I got to know more about Cooper and his relationship with his mom and [the impact that had on his life and his decision to never stay too long anywhere] it got really good and see the development of his relationship with Whit was nice. Overall an enjoyable reading. Totally recommend it.
For the first 20% of the book I felt as if I had got the story in the middle, there was no explanation on why Drew, Penny e Whit lived together at the farm or why Cooper's grandfather would leave him there during the summers (so little was mentioned about him). I had a bit of a difficult start with this one. But I'm glad I continued because when the story started to develop and I got to know more about Cooper and his relationship with his mom and [the impact that had on his life and his decision to never stay too long anywhere] it got really good and see the development of his relationship with Whit was nice. Overall an enjoyable reading. Totally recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2022
Probably 3.5 rounded up? Maybe? I liked the setting and the characters overall. What I really liked was Oliver's dialogue style, it felt true to twenty somethings. Where it got tough for me was the banter/sarcasm between Whit & Cooper. It was just nonstop and didn't have underlying affection (at least from my reading) that sometimes softens it. Just an insertion here and there of them actually talking about anything would've helped.
The final quarter was really lovely and made up for most of my gripes. I love Whit so much 🥺
The final quarter was really lovely and made up for most of my gripes. I love Whit so much 🥺
August 24, 2021
Use your words, farm boys.
Cows, cheese, money, family.
Swoon and save the farm.
Cows, cheese, money, family.
Swoon and save the farm.
April 2, 2022
This was cute and I enjoyed the farm setting, but Whit and Cooper both stayed quiet about their feelings for way too long.
July 9, 2022
I picked this up out of curiosity but with minimal expectations as contemp romances are rarely my favourite and as a city girl I have no particular fondness for farming, but I ended up really loving this! The farming backdrop gave the story a solid external plot and created space for a lovely found family, and while miscomunications and mutual pining can be really tricky to pull off this one was just as I like them best.
July 10, 2022
Finished this one last night. To me, this is an MM hallmark movie, and I enjoyed it for that purpose. It’s one where the whole problem is a lack of communication, but I was okay with the pining and obliviousness of the main character.
Will I remember these characters and this story? No. But that means I get to read it again and enjoy the sexual frustration and painfully dense main characters all over again in the future.
Will I remember these characters and this story? No. But that means I get to read it again and enjoy the sexual frustration and painfully dense main characters all over again in the future.
August 11, 2021
I was going to describe this as an “enemies to lovers” romance, but that’s not quite right-- this is more of a “two deeply likable but clueless men snipe at each other because they can’t see that they’re both obsessed with each other” which is exactly as frustrating, and entertaining, and frustratingly entertaining, as it sounds. Cooper won my heart from the first page, and it’s easy to want him to succeed-- at saving the farm, at making a home for himself alongside his friends, at finding the love he deserves. He’s also deeply clueless and stubborn, but in the best possible ways. Whit is an enigma, even to himself I think, and to say he has poor communication skills is to be generous, but it’s also easy to see why Cooper cares about him so much: there’s plenty of nobility mixed in with the stoicism, and he does, eventually and with prompting from friends, step up when it counts. I loved watching the two of them dance around each other, and the rhythm of life on the farm. Drew and Penny were great supporting characters, as were Buttercup the calf, Sadie the dog, and Socks the cat. Honestly, the only thing I wish had been a bit different was the proportion of the HEA-- it’s there, but it’s brief, and honestly, we (ok Cooper, but readers too in a way) went through *a lot* to get to the part where it all works out, so I’d have liked to see a bit more. Overall, however, I thought the book was amazing, and I’d highly recommend it.
*An ARC of this book was provided by the author, and I have chosen to publish an honest review.
*An ARC of this book was provided by the author, and I have chosen to publish an honest review.
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